Getting to love … God

Posted on 24 November, 2020 by papajan

life

We all want to have that knowledge or confidence
… that God knows us.

But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him
1Cor.8 3

So the question is…
How do we love God?

      The same way He loved you,
      … by giving His all, His life (in Jesus) for you!
      You give all that you are – to Him!

How do you do that?
You believe that you are loved,
… and you start living love!

      You give Him your hands,
      … the things you do, you do for Him.
      You give Him your thoughts,
      … you put your decisions in His hands.
      You give Him your eyes,
      … you look where you can do something for Him.
      You give Him your actions,
      … you reach out in love to His creation
      You give Him your heart,
      … in which He already shed His love,

      Beloved, if God so loved us,
      we also ought to love one another.
      1 John 4 11

Supplying your needs…

Posted on 9 November, 2020 by papajan

– according to –

How does God give you what you ask for?
How does God supply your needs?

Well, what did Jesus do…?

      When a multitude followed Jesus to hear Him teach,
      … eventually they were hungry and needed food.
      Jesus told His disciples to feed the multitude,
      … they replied

We have here only five loaves and two fish.
Matt 14 17

      In actual fact, those few fish and loaves
      … were not even enough for the disciples.
      So, did Jesus give them money to go buy food?
      No!

      He took the five loaves and the two fish,
      looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves
      and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
      So they all ate and were filled,
      Matt 14 19-20

And … when all had eaten,
… there was more left over than when they started,
because God does not supply according to our need.

So how did Jesus supply in the need of that multitude?

      And my God shall supply all your need
      according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
      Phil 4 19

Standing on …

Posted on 26 October, 2020 by papajan

…a sure foundation!
life

A building is sure because of its foundation,
… that is what holds it up
and is what holds it secure!
      The foundation on which we stand,
      … that holds us up and secure, is
      the love of the Father and His commandments.

A building is strong and safe because of its structure,
… that holds it together,
and thus able to perform its function!
      The Holy Spirit keeps us safe and strong
      according to the working of God’s mighty power
      …which He worked in Christ – (Eph.1 19)
      … and in which we stand.

A building’s splendor is in what you see
… its facade, its covering that shows you what it is,
that attracts you to it and that invites you in!
      The Lord Jesus is our splendor
      … if we allow Him and His love to envelop us
      so that the world will see
      … a sure, strong glorious ‘church’
      in Me – and – on Me!

How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
All the earth shall worship You
and sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name.
Psalm 66 3-4

A reasonable excuse…

Posted on 28 September, 2020 by papajan

…or lying to yourself?

What do we do or say
… when things went wrong
… or when we did something wrong?
We make excuses!

However are those excuses valid
… or are we lying to ourselves?

But … I don’t lie to myself!
Really?

      The reality is that,
      … every time we make an excuse
      … we are lying to our self!

An excuse is simply a justification,
… trying to justify something
… that was actually NOT right in the first place.

      It is covering up the truth,
      … instead of facing what is wrong
      and doing what is right!

Whereas … when you give a reason
… why something is as it is,
your are exposing the truth.
… as well as what actually happened,
thus taking the responsibility,
… so that what there should be, can be!

      For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed,
      nor hidden that will not be known.
      Luke 12 2

Small faith – Big results

Posted on 19 September, 2020 by papajan

…a seed in the ground!

Faith is not just about big things
in fact faith is really always about the small things.

      So often we ask of God,
      … then we wait for an answer from God
      and as often it seems that nothing is happening,
      … and that God also is not saying anything!

NOT TRUE…
God always answers,
and He will supply our need according to His riches.
So why then do I not hear?
Why is nothing happening?

God’s Kingdom is based on the principle of
… seedtime and harvest (Gen. 8:22)
As Jesus explained in so many of His parables,
… and He even compared faith to a seed.

      if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,
      you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’
      and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you
      Matt 17 20

It seems that God mostly answers our prayers
… and our request, by giving us a seed.
A seed, that if we receive it and plant it
… then He will take us to the next step of His answer!
As the Bible also says,

      Now may He who supplies seed to the sower,
      and bread for food,
      supply and multiply the seed you have sown
      and increase the fruits of your righteousness
      2 Cor 9:10

The absence of…

Posted on 16 September, 2020 by papajan

…what is real!

There are many things that actually are not,
… yet are perceived by us as real.
Such as for instance darkness.
We so often even say this darkness is so thick
… you can cut it with a knife!

      However, darkness is a non-entity,
      … and if you don’t believe that,
      … then go ahead and prove it as being real!
      Well at least you can try!

Go into a room that is full of light,
… and switch on darkness!!!
You cannot, no matter how you try,
… it is simply impossible,
because there is NO switch to turn darkness on or off!

So, what then is darkness?
Darkness is quite simply the absence of light,
and therefore, if you want darkness,
… you have to switch off light!
In other words, you have to remove light,
… or remove yourself from the light.

Look up at the sky at night,
… what do you ‘SEE’?
Nothing – except where something actually reflects light,
… like the moon, stars, etc.
Otherwise all there is, is NOTHING,
… a nothing that we call darkness!

      Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you;
      he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.
      John 12 35

      But if we walk in the light as He is in the light
      we have fellowship with one another…
      1 John 1 7

What is the difference between…

Posted on 2 September, 2020 by papajan

capitalism, socialism & Love?

What is the difference between
… capitalism, socialism and Love?

      Capitalism is about what I can benefit from what I do!
      Socialism is about what others do for me!
      And love…?
      Love is about what I do for others!

Now on the surface it would seem that
… capitalism is most beneficial,
and even socialism
… seems to be a wonderful option as well.
But what about love?
… It seems only others benefit from it.

But is that true?
Actually … NOT!

There is a physical principle or law,
… that is based on a spiritual principle,
that governs our lives and most everything on earth,
… what we eat, our relationships, etc…
It is the principle of – seedtime and harvest!

Capitalism uses this principle,
… but mainly for personal benefit.
Socialism demands this principle from others
… specifically for personal benefit.
Love, lives this principle,
… applying and thereby benefiting from this principle
and therefore able to receive simply because it gives!

      Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down,
      shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.
      For with the same measure that you use,
      it will be measured back to you.
      Luke 6 38

Walking on water…

Posted on 24 August, 2020 by papajan

There are times when we may need…
… to walk on water!

There are times when we may need to walk on water,
… but we can only do that
if we have come to know and trust God.

      Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
      And lean not on your own understanding;
      Prov 3 5

If you don’t trust God,
… you will not be listening for His voice.
Therefore get to know God,
… spend time with Him,
… talk to Him
and learn to trust Him.

As it is written in Proverbs …

      In all your ways acknowledge Him,
      And He shall direct your paths.
      Prov 3 6

God is faithful!
Start trusting in Him,
… and step out on His word!

      As you do that,
      you will find yourself dealing with your challenges
      … as if you are ‘walking on water!’

      ‘Jesus’ said, ‘Come’
      And Peter … walked on the water to go to Jesus.
      Matt 14 29

An ingenious ability…

Posted on 13 August, 2020 by papajan

…a unique ability!

Human beings are not only unique in their make-up and ability,
… but they are also unique in their needs and demands!
So how do we deal with or respond to this uniqueness?

Well… in our toolkit of unique abilities,
there is that thing called … ingenuity!

Imaginative, creative, inventive, original, resourceful, skilful …
simply – ingenious!

And it is this ability that we have that enables us
… to make use of natural elements,
… to utilize available resources,
… to beneficially apply natural laws,
that challenges us to look beyond the problem,
… to visualise and find a resourceful solution,
in order to meet or satisfy our unique demands.

In other words,
      we are not only ingenious in the way we solve problems,
      … but we are also ingenious in unearthing challenges.
      Why?
      Because of our desire to live, grow, develop and increase,
      … and therefore we are constantly looking into the unknown,
      wanting to use and express what is in us
      … that ingenious, unique ability to visualise
      … and get to materialise our unique pictures!
      To do more, better, develop and uncover the unknown.

      I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
      Marvellous are Your works,
      And that my soul knows very well.
      Ps 139 14

What has -Covid- changed?

Posted on 15 July, 2020 by papajan

…actually very little!

Since the spread of the Covid-19 virus,
… everyone has been saying that things are changing,
and that nothing will be the same as it was before!

Yes, we may be wearing masks, washing our hands more,
… but since the first easing of restrictions
people have shown themselves to be
… as self centred as they were before!

How come?
As so often is the case, when there is pressure,
… whatever is inside comes straight to the surface.
FEAR…
A fear that is based on … Me!
It’s all about ME!
What I want! What I may lose!

What we put our eyes on, is what influences our lives,
… and if we limit ourselves to ME
what will we influence or positively impact?

      Instead we should be resisting that fear
      … by dealing with its root cause, ME!
      Because when we put our eyes on others,
      … on what we can do for them,
      … to improve their lives
      a potential is released that can move mountains!

Want to be a mountain mover?
Put your eyes on the One who can move mountains,
make Him your source, your strength and your future.

      And my God shall supply all your need
      according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
      Phil 4:19

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