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How do you Measure your Success?

This is probably one of those age old questions which has been asked many times before.

As a Christian, I can also bring in the, “Who am I trying to please?” aspect. (We are all trying to please Father, I can almost hear my all my fellow brothers and sisters call out together.)

OK, that’s all sorted then. Is this going to be one of the shortest posts ever then ???

I do believe there is a bit more to be said.

We are in the world and as such are influenced by the world.
Hopefully, if we do indeed follow Jesus, then his input to our lives is greater than the input of the world.

If this is truly the case, then why are we so quick to look for what the world thinks?

In this digital age we can post almost anything at anytime.
When we do, what is our next instinct?

Does anybody like it?
Has anybody even seen it?
Am I looking like a fool here, or do people agree with me?

Basically, we are looking to be validated.
Always asking, do you agree with me?

If we are asking any of the above questions, then what the world thinks matters to us.
It is how the world measures success.

There is nothing wrong in receiving praise for doing something well.
But if praise is what you are looking for, then it can direct your steps, possibly leading you in a wrong direction.

The crowd (world) can be very fickle, loving you one day and hating you the next.

Father is consistent.
He Loves us with an everlasting Love that does not change.
He will rebuke us, when we need to be brought back into line, but his Love for us remains the same.

Hopefully, I’m stating the obvious for all who know and love Father as I do.
So, can we measure our success by what Father thinks of us?

I can remember what a church leader said to me once.
“Won’t it be great, when I come face to face with Father for Him to say to me, well done good and faithful servant, I am pleased with you.”

At the time, I kind of thought, “That sounds nice.” But I didn’t think anything much more than that, at that point in time. (I was a young Christian at the time.)
I have since moved to the position of, “Yes, wouldn’t be good for Him to say that about me, also.”

So yes, I do want Father’s opinion of me to matter more than anything else, but it still doesn’t stop me from looking for all those likes.

Why is this?
Because I’m still in the world and what the world thinks still has an impact on me.

I do try to look to Father first.
This can put you in an unpopular position.

Jesus knew all about this.

Jesus followed His path to the cross.
He suffered, was rejected by all, was crucified and paid the ultimate price, he died.

Did that look like success? …..at the time?

The world (and the enemy) all thought that He was defeated.
We won’t hear anything else from Him. No more likes for Jesus….so the world thought.

But at the cross, SIN was DEFEATED!!!!!!!!!! (not enough ! can ever be put after that statement.)

What the world saw as failure, was in fact VICTORY and SALVATION for the world.

When He died, he paid the price for ALL that we have done wrong, and made a way so we can now enter into His presence. (If we accept and follow Jesus.)

What God saw at that moment was so much better than what the word saw at that moment.

Can we truly take this thought forward with us?
Can we truly be more concerned about what Father thinks of us instead of the what the world does?

We may fail in our own eyes, but if we are following Father, then have we failed???

I think of Daniel Wilkson (The Cross and the Switchblade) when he went to court to try and speak up for gang members who had committed a very nasty act and were being punished for it.
He went in with his bible in hand and tried to speak up for them.
The press said, what’s that in your hand, a bible, well hold it up then.
He did, and the press took there photos and his face was plastered all over the newspapers, but not in a good way.
He was ridiculed and he felt that he had brought that ridicule to the church and God as well.
Failure, in his own eyes. (At the time.)

It was an open door though!

From that open door, Teen Challenge has emerged.
A world wide organisation that helps those in great need.

Failure for man, but success for God.

So again I ask, can we measure our success by what Father thinks of us?
Can we look to Him first, before we look to the world for validation?

The lady who danced in the park, has stayed with me (since Father spoke to me about her).
https://wannabechristiandoorman.com/2021/03/28/the-lady-who-danced/

When she danced, she did it for Father.
She wasn’t worried about what the world thought.
She was not concerned (and probably not even aware) of the onlooker who was wrongly judging her.
She did it for Farther, and made His heart smile.

I try to remember this, and also try to put myself in the same place of being more concerned about what Father thinks and less concerned about what the world thinks.

Could you do likewise?

Father,
You are Lord God Almighty!
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
There is no one greater than You.
Help me to always look to You.
Help me to be more concerned about what You think of me and less concerned about what the world thinks of me.
Help me to be in the place where You can say to me, well done good and faithful servant, I am pleased with you.
Thank you that You do Love and care for me, and every one else.
Amen.

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An Open Door.

We have just had a week of prayer at my church, recently.
One word which came was, “I have placed an open door before you, you just need to step through it.”

It’s always pleasing to hear words of this nature, but do we truly know what a word like this can mean?

I opened a door in my house just recently.
It was the door to my side extension.
There was a mess behind it. I kind of knew that the mess was there. I was the one to close the door on the mess in the first place. But I had conveniently forgotten about it, right up until the moment I opened the door again.

This time, rather than just close the door I did do a bit of clearing up.

As I was clearing up, I was thinking about the word that was brought during our week of prayer.

Are all open doors going to lead to happy blessings, or are they going to lead to a task (work) that needs to be done, in order to see the blessing that will come from doing said task?

You do know that blessings come from being obedient to Father?

The Israelites had an open door offered to them after they left Egypt.
You can read about it in Numbers starting at chapter 13.
They just needed to go and take the land that was being given to them.
But they didn’t take it. Instead they listened to a report that said there are strong people in the land and they became afraid.

They should have listened to God and gone forward. But because the open door meant going up against the strong people, who they were focusing on instead of their God, they didn’t.

Do we treat open doors in the same way?

If we look at it, and don’t like what we see, do we then turn away? Only to miss the growth opportunity and blessings that could have followed?

I sometimes think that we expect things to be easy, and when they turn out to not be so easy, we can then turn away from whatever it is that is not so easy.

One of the scriptures that I’m often drawn to is Matthew 11 28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Even in this scripture which speaks about rest, the rest is found in doing something.
It says, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” A yoke implies work that needs to be done, but it is light and easy.

In other words, it is a task that you are able to do.
How many times have we missed a blessing because we didn’t want to engage in a task that was in front of us, that we could do, if we would only chose to?

You might find an enemy behind the open door to you, just like Israelites did. But if the door has been opened by Father, then He will be with you!

If He is with us, then who can be be against us?

If He is with us, then the swords that the enemy hold have the strength of paper swords.
They are able to shout and wave them about, but that is all that they can do. The enemy will do all they can to intimidate us, but that is all they are able to do, if Father is with us.
If Father is for us, then the paper swords will melt away and we will take the ground that Father is giving to us, as we step into what He has for us.

So when you are given an open door, will you step through it, in Father’s strength and face all that is before you, together with Him who is Lord of All?

Father,
Thank you that you do place open doors before us.
Help us to see them through Your eyes.
Help us to see the victories that You will lead us to.
Help us not to be intimidated by the enemy, but to listen, and to trust in You.
Our Lord God Almighty.
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Amen.

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Be Fully Filled

I finished my shower gel this morning. (I am going somewhere with this.)

I then tried to clean out the last of the shower gel, before placing it in the recycling.

I put a small amount of water in the bottle, shook it and emptied it.
Soap bubbles were left behind.
I did this a couple of times, but soap bubbles were always left behind.

Lets try something different.
I then filled the bottle with water.
No shaking was needed this time as the soap bubbles were all pushed out by the water that was taking the space up.

Then I got the sense that Father was saying to me.
“This can be just like you at times, you take on a little bit of Me and then try to clean all the little bits you don’t like out with a great amount of effort, just to find that there is always a little bit left over.
Instead of only taking on a small amount of Me, why don’t you try being fully filled with Me, just like you filled the bottle with the water?
You will then find that as I take the space up, then everything else will just be pushed out without the need for all that shaking about.
So just open up to Me and be fully filled, with Me.”

Father,
I’m sorry for all the times when I don’t let you in fully.
Please help me to open up to You completely.
I ask You to fill me completely so that You then overflow from me.
Help me to remain in You, so that I will always be continually filled by You.
Amen.

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You are what you eat.

Healthy food leads to a healthy body.

But what about the spiritual food you eat?

Do we look after our inner self by taking hold of the truth that Father has, and speaks to us?
Or do we listen and give to much attention to what the enemy tries to speak and feed to us instead?

When put in this simple way, then hopefully we all can say that we want what is good for us.
But will our actions follow this thought through?

When we are feeling tired and a bit (or a lot) run down, it is at these times that the enemy will redouble his efforts to make his voice that much louder.
He may try to tell you that you don’t matter, that nobody sees or even hears you and all the other untruths he will endeavour to speak to you.

If we feed on the lies of the enemy, then it’s not going to be good for us. An unhealthy appetite leads to an unhealthy body.

So how can we try to have a healthy spiritual body?

First we need to know that we have a choice about which food we feed ourselves on.
The enemy may well want to hide this simple fact from us, but we do indeed have a choice as to what we take into our hearts and minds.

We then need to try to choose the things which are good for us.

We need to take on Father’s words to us.
His written word, and also His promptings He gives to us to follow His ways.

We need to spend time with Father, otherwise known as prayer.
We need to spend time speaking, and listening to what Father has to say to us.

We need to spend time with other believers, otherwise known as fellowship.
We need to spend time building others up as well as allowing others to build us up.
When believers come together, it is at these times that father can show His Love, to His people, through His people.

In short we need to try and have prayer, word and fellowship in our lives in order to have a healthy spiritual appetite.

I have heard these three disciplines described as a three legged stool.
With all three legs in place, you then have a solid base on which you can sit on.
Take one of the legs away, and you you then have something which just falls over.

Having a healthy appetite when times are good should put us in a good position for when times are not so good.
Knowing the Good food that Father has for us, can mean that we know where to go when times are pressing in on us, so that we can then ignore the words of the enemy and instead feast on the goodness that Father has for us.

But what if you don’t have a healthy appetite?
What then, if you are in times of trouble and you are feeding on the wrong things?

The good news is that you can always change your diet!

Remember the first point I wrote about.
You can choose what it is, that you take in.
You can choose to take in and believe what Father says to you.

He says that, YOU ARE IMPORTANT!!!

You are so important that God sent His only son to die for you on the cross!
As God’s word States in John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We need to try to take on the truth that God speaks to us.

When I was struggling in the past, I used to have a song that I would listen to.
I used to think that it would comfort me as it spoke to me the reality of where I was.
The truth is though, that it was not a good song to listen to.
It was a depressing song.
One that spoke of no change and loneliness.
Instead of comforting me as I thought it was, it was only compounding and confirming to me that I was lonely and telling me that it wasn’t going to change.
Very Bad food to be feeding on when you are feeling low.

I now have a much better appetite of listening to praise and worship music instead!
Good praise and worship music. Yes, there is such a thing.
Bethel church music and Elevation Church music are very often played, via YouTube in my home. Revival in Belfast by Robin Mark is another great album to listen to.
I’ve even had the US marines singing these are the days of Elijah in my home (courtesy of YouTube). When they get to the part of “lift your voice”, they then give a BIG shout. You need to see it at least once. Have a search for “America’s Marines Singing “Days of Elijah”” if you haven’t seen it.

There is so much good food out there to feed on.
We just need to make the choice to choose the food that is going to be good for us, instead of the lies that the enemy tries to feed to us.

Try to seek out Father and all the goodness that He has for you.
It is the better choice.

Father,
Thank you that we do matter to You.
Thank you that we matter so much to You that you sent your only Son to the earth to die for us so that we can know You.
Help us to feed on the goodness that you have for us.
Help us to always look to you first and foremost.
Thank you that You do Love and care for us.
Amen.

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The Church on the Cliff Top

There was a church which met on a cliff top.

One day God clearly spoke to this church.

He said to them…

“Look over the edge of the cliff.
That is Promised Land!
It is a Land of Goodness and blessings.
I am giving that land to you.”

Well, this excited the church!

Promised Land, we’re being given Promised Land!

So the church looked at the situation, and then thought to themselves, we need to take hold of what God has promised us.

We need to build a boat so that we can reach the Promised Land and we also need to build a lift of some kind to get the boat to the water.

God just thought, I didn’t tell you to do that.

But it was no good.
The church had set up it’s work groups and set roles and tasks to be completed, all the while looking at the island and saying to themselves.

God has given us the Promised Land, now we just need to take hold of it.

All there efforts did not go so well.

The cliff top was prone to erosion.

When ever the church started to build there lift, the cliff top would just give way and they would see all there efforts fall into the sea.

Eventually they noticed that the waves were always crashing against the rocks at the base of the cliff.

So even if they could have got the boat down the cliff, then it was only going to be smashed upon the rocks if anyone tried to sail it.

Eventually, disheartened, they sat down on the ground.

While they were still, God spoke again.

“Church, you see that road which leads away from the cliff, I would like you to walk down it.”

The church was nearing total breaking point at this.

“But GOD, you said that you were going to give us the Promised Land!
That’s the wrong way.
Look, the promised Land is over there.”

God answered…

“I know what I said.
Now, will you just trust me and take the path I have shown you.”

The church had little choice.

They stood up and took the path God had told them to take.
They were not to happy.
They kept looking back at the Promised Land, which they were walking away from.
There was a number who were grumbling, is this really the way to go???

As they walked along the path, the hedges grew taller on both sides of them so that the light grew dimmer.

After a while there was a break in one side of the hedges.

God spoke again.
“You see the hole in the hedge, step through it.”

As the church stepped though the hole they found themselves in an open field with a large helicopter in the middle of the field.

The pilot was by the helicopter and greeted the church warmly.

Ah, you must be the party for the Promised Land, I’ve been waiting a while for you to turn up.

____________________________________

You see, God had it all worked out in advance.

He Knew that a boat was not going to work and as such had another plan already laid out.

Yes, the church did hear God correctly when he told them about the Promised Land that he was giving them.

But they needed to hear His instruction on how to take hold of the Land, instead of trying to work out all the details by themselves.

Can we sometimes be like the church on the cliff top?

Can we hear the vision of what will be, but then miss the instructions of how to achieve it?

Do we sometimes try to work the details out ourselves?

And if what we hear from God, appears to take us in the wrong direction, then will we still follow His promptings?

Will we trust Him with the small steps, as well as the vision?

John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

If there ever was a church on the cliff top, then how many times would God have been saying to them.

STOP! Turn around and take a different path.
What you’re doing is no good for you.
Come to Me and I shall lead you.

There may well be times when God is happy to let us carry on with what we are doing as it’s already in line with His will.

But there may be other times when He is saying to us, “Come to Me because I have another path for you.”

Will we be willing to follow His ways, where ever they lead us?

Father,
Thank you that you do Love and care for us.
Thank you that You are for us and that You want to bless us.
Help us to always hear Your words to us, so that we can, and always will follow You.
You are The Lord God Almighty.
The One we can trust.
You are our Good Father.
Thank You, Praise You, All Glory to You.
Amen

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The Something Special in the Christmas Tree

We were putting up our Christmas tree just recently, with it being Christmas time, it just seemed like the thing to do.

As we were putting the Christmas tree up, my wife said to me,
“Do you realise that the bare Christmas tree is just like us before we ask Jesus into our lives. It’s missing something. When we ask Jesus into our lives we then take on something special. It’s like the decorations make us that much better.”

I do fully agree with that idea.

We do have two ways to live.
With or without Jesus.

I do think that all those who choose to live without Jesus are like the bare Christmas tree.
Just missing something.

Where as those who have asked Jesus into their lives have clothed themselves with that something special and as such, now appear to be as the decorated Christmas tree.

So which tree do you look like?

Do you have Jesus with you, or not.

If you haven’t asked Jesus into your life yet, then this Christmas as you enjoy your Christmas and the decorations on the tree then consider asking Jesus into your life.
Then you too could have that something special about you as well.

Jesus,
Thank you that you came into the world.
Thank you that you came to show us the way to know you personally.
Thank you that if we ask you into our lives, then you do say yes to us, and you do then make us that much better.
Help us all to say yes to you that much more, so that we can all be that much more special.
Amen.

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Something Good Is Coming From This!

This is the title of the latest sermon from Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church.

It took me two viewings to actually understand what he was saying.
That might sound a bit silly, as it’s a very simple message, but the bit I missed was ….the who, he was saying this to.

It makes a big difference when you realise just who, the who is.
Yes, Steven did effectively say that, this is a statement for those who are Christians.
But I do believe that the statement applies most to those who are actively seeking Father.

I do think that it’s not so much for those people who go to church on a Sunday and do all the right things on a Sunday, to then go and forget it all on the Monday, and the rest of the week, only to begin the process on the next Sunday. (I do hope that I’m not describing myself here 🙂 )

I do believe that the statement applies, most of all to those who take the Lord with them, all throughout the week.
The ones who try to apply what Father is speaking to them at all times.
(I did say try and not do, I fall short on this one as well.)

When you understand the who the statement truly applies to, then it starts to make sense.

It applies to those who are looking to follow Fathers promptings!

Lets look at the Israelites as they left Egypt.
Steven did speak about the Israelites plundering Egypt, when they left.

How did they plunder Egypt?
They were told to ask the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. Exodus 12:35
The Lord had made the Egyptians favourably disposed towards the people, and they gave them what they asked for.

The Israelites were given an instruction….(and here’s the important bit) they followed the instruction.

Simple, really, isn’t it.

The Israelites could have been told, whilst still in Egypt, under bondage,…. Something Good Is Coming From This!

How many would have believed it, if they were told this message?
We are in bondage.
We now also have to go and get our own straw (and the like) and your trying to tell me that something good is going to come from this???
Are you sure???

For those who DO TRUST and OBEY, then the answer is a resounding
YES and AMEN!!!

If there were some Israelites who were too frightened to ask the Egyptians for the the silver and gold….. then how much would they have left with.
None, most probably.
I wouldn’t want to be that person.
Could you imagine the conversation on the way out.

Wow, look at all that the Lord has given to me, What did you get?
Nothing, I was too frightened to ask for anything .  😦
Oh dear, looks like you made a mistake there then…???

Obedience leads to blessings whilst disobedience can lead to missing the blessings.

This is why the who he is saying, “Something Good Is Coming From This!” matters so much.

So going forward, what can we take from this?

Seek the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body, strength and soul, and then, know that, ….
Something Good Is Coming From This! (What ever this may be.)

If you are in a place where you feel that your all is next to nothing, and worth very little, then you need to know that, that thought is a lie from the enemy!
It doesn’t matter how big your all is, it’s what you do with it that matters the most.

I think about the widow who put in two very small copper coins into the offering. Mark 12:41-44
Jesus himself praised her, for her actions, because out of her poverty, she gave her all.
Father is not looking at the size of your gift.
He just wants all of you.
He wants you to Trust and Obey Him.
If we can do that, then blessings Will follow, …. and then ….
Something Good Is Coming From This!

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

___________________________

I have just re-read and re-thought about what I wrote yesterday.
I do still think that it is valid, but I also now understand that it is not what Steven said.
He said “Something Good Is Coming From This!” and he applied it to all who are Christians.
That was his only validation for who the message was for.

So am I wrong in what I have just written???
I think yes and no.
I may be wrong, in that Steven was claiming the statement as a promise for all Christians, where as the above thinks slightly differently.
Steven did claim it for those Christians who felt that they could not claim it for them selves.
But I do still stand by the idea that Father will bless you that much more if you will seek and follow him.

I do think that this is one of those cases where Steven is correct and so am I.

I can say this as, I have been in the place where I couldn’t claim Gods promises for myself.

I thank Father for all those who stood by me (the seen and unseen) and kept me standing, when I didn’t have the strength to do it on my own.
I am thinking about the time when me putting my two small copper coins into the offering was to just turn up on the Sunday morning and then just survive the rest of the week.

I thank Father for the people like Steven who will claim Gods promises for others when they are unable to claim them for themselves.
I am here to tell you that no matter how dark it looks to you, it can and will get better.
So please, just try to put your two small copper coins into the offering, whatever they may be.
They are acceptable and Father will honour you for it.

Father,
Thank you that You are for us.
Thank you that You Love us.
Help us to trust You with all things.
In good times and also not so good times.
Help us to look to You in all things and to be able to Trust and Obey You. Our Lord God.
Amen

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Accept, Repent and Forgive (a practical example)

My phone screen is broken.

It just happened. One minute it was fine, the next it had a short drop (about 2 to 3 feet to the floor) and the next it was broken.

All peace has left me.

AAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Now why did you do that?

Not even two months old, and you are now broken!

Why did you have to land on that sharp edge and crack the screen?

What have I done to deserve this?

OK, it’s pity party time for sure.

As I then spent most of my energy trying to work out what to do next, I just couldn’t stop the thought of, “I’m just going to sit here now and sulk.” (Boo Hoo.)

I know, not very grown up. But there I was. Having my own little pity party, when a thought came to me.

You wrote a post a short while ago, “Accept, Repent and Forgive, there is power here.” Well, are you going to put it into practice now?

At the time I was not to pleased with that thought.
My phone is broken, was my recurring thought.
This is going to cost me money. (No I don’t go in for all the insurances you can get.)

And I just have to accept THAT!!!

Well, what else can I do? Just carry on with a pity party? (Not a good option.)

OK then, here goes.

I ACCEPT THAT MY PHONE IS BROKEN!!!

Try again.

I ACCEPT that my phone is BROKEN!

One more time please.

I accept that my phone is broken. (Hopefully you get the idea, it took a few tries to actually accept it.)

I’m still not OK with it, but I do accept it.

I am still upset, but funny thing, a lot (or a bit) of the anger has gone.

Now Repent.
I’m sorry I got so annoyed.
I’m sorry I was sulking.
I’m sorry I chose to jump into pity party mode so quickly.
Please Lord, help me to do better.

Now Forgive.
I forgive myself for dropping the phone.
I forgive myself for not have a decent phone case or screen protector on the phone.
I forgive the manufacturer for selling me a phone that so easily breaks. (Yes, I needed to do that one as well.)

Well OK, I’ve done all of that.
So now, how am I?

My phone is still broken, but, I’m starting to feel a bit more OK.
Not OK that my phone is broken, but I am starting to feel OK in myself.
Is that a trace of a smile I can feel at how silly I have just been?
Pity party, indeed. Who needs one of them?

I still need to deal with my phone, but at least now I can do it on an even keel.

I guess that there really is power to this Accept, Repent and Forgive idea.

One question though Lord.
Did my phone really have to die for me to learn this lesson all over again.

Father,
Thank you that there really is power to this Accept, Repent and Forgive idea.
Thank you that it works with the little things as well as the big things.
Thank you that we can come into Your presence if we are quick to follow Your prompting.
Help me to always hear Your prompts, and then to be quick to follow You.
Amen.

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A Diamond in the Dirt is still a Diamond

I see a diamond, but it’s covered with dirt and general mess.

When the light falls on the diamond there is very little sparkle to be seen.
The dirt and general mess is the part that is mostly visible.

But the diamond is still a diamond, even though it is hidden by the dirt and mess.

When the rain comes and washes the diamond clean….then it’s a different story!

Then the light falls on the Diamond and it SPARKLES!!!

The beauty of the Diamond is clear for all to see!

_________________________________________

The Diamond is Jesus is our lives, as we allow Him to lead and direct us.

The dirt and general mess is all life’s struggles and troubles which would try to hold us down.

The rain is Fathers time of cleaning, when he washes away our struggles and troubles.

There will be a day when ALL our struggles and troubles are washed away.

But in the here and now we might only see a partial rain fall, (Father is able to send heavy rain fall in the here and now as well.)

Even though we might be covered in the dirt and mess, if we have Jesus in us and allow him to be our guide and lead us, then we have the Diamond within us.

It might be hard to see at times, but if he’s there, then He’s THERE!!

Small sparkles of the Diamond will show through, even though it’s covered in the dirt and mess, if we allow Father to lead and guide us through life’s struggles and troubles.

Father,
Be the centre of all our lives.
Help us to keep looking to you, for our help and guidance.
As we look to You, then please lead us.
You are Lord God Almighty and are able to help guide us in all things.
Thank you.
Praise You!
All Glory to You!
Amen.

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Forgiveness and Reconciliation are Two very Different Things

Forgiveness and reconciliation have been on my mind for a while now. It has probably been working round my mind since I wrote the post, forgiveness is key.
https://wannabechristiandoorman.com/2021/09/03/forgiveness-is-key/

When I went through the process of forgiveness one time, I was then left with the thought of… I now need to make contact with the person I have forgiven.
After all, I have now forgiven them, so I shouldn’t have a problem with them anymore.

I now look at that thought and think that it could possibly be a lie from the enemy.

In order for a relationship to be restored there may be a need for reconciliation.
I do believe that need was present for me, but at the time I didn’t see it.

Instead I effectively thought that I had to restore the relationship.
Again, I now think that was a subtle lie from the enemy.

For a relationship to be restored then both parties need to come to the party in order to work at reconciliation.

Hence the reason for this post of, Forgiveness and Reconciliation are Two very Different Things.

So, if we have gone through the process of forgiveness, does that then mean that we then need to go through the process of reconciliation?

I do believe that all situations are different and there is only One Person who can answer that.
And that Person is ….
Lord God Almighty,
Our Father in Heaven,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
The One who Loves you with an everlasting Love.

As Wannabe Christian Doorman I just have to shout that out every once in a while.

Back to the post, and yes, I do think that we should always be seeking Father when we have a question of where do we go next.

Reconciliation is always going to be a good thing to hope for, but sometimes, it just might not be possible or even safe to consider. (Especially in the instance of abuse.)
Again, I’ll say, please, let Father lead your steps.

Even if we can’t be reconciled, then I still believe that we need to forgive. If you are struggling with forgiveness then please consider reading forgiveness is key, (a link is at the top of this post).

So if we have gone through the process of forgiveness and we now want to tackle reconciliation, then how can we do this?

Have you guessed the answer yet?
All situation are different and you need to be lead by Father. (There seems to be a running theme here 🙂 )

A picture does come to mind though.

I see two lands, who were at war with each other. There are two borders with a no man’s land in the middle.

There are many choices of what you do next.

Running away from your border and hiding is a choice.
As I have already said, this could be a valid choice for some.
For safety or other reasons.
Listen to Father’s voice for his guidance.

If Father directs you to go up to your border and wave, then try that.

Father could direct you to find the middle ground.
That would be entering into no man’s land.

Father might even direct you cross past no man’s land and enter on into previously enemy land.
If you feel lead to do this then please, be sure it’s Father who is directing you. Finding yourself in enemy land when your not wanted without any back up is not not a good place to be, but if Father is directing you, then you will have back up.
He is Lord of Lords after all.

When all is said and done, seeking Father and his guidance is always going you be the best option.

We can always seek others for help and prayer, but do let Father lead in this also.
Share what needs to be shared.
It’s a case of not everyone needs to know all the details in order to pray for you. They might only need to know, “I have an issue with something, please pray for me so that I’ll know what to do.”
Having one or a few people who know some or all the details could be helpful, but (and I’m saying it again) seek Father for who this person or people should be.

Father,
Help us to keep you at our centre at all times.
Whether we have big thing or small things to deal with, help us always to look to You.
Thank you that you do care for us and Love us and that you will guide us if we come to you.
So help us always to look to You.
Amen