It’s Time - The Ultimate Prayer Meeting

Good day, I will continue with the topic 'Live like a King' later this week. Today I have a special treat for you.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land,” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

I want to tell you of an amazing event that we attended on Saturday 22 April

2017.

As many of you know South Africa has her problems, but South Africans across all races are not scared to believe in the Almighty God. Regularly South Africans will get together in their thousands to pray for particular needs in the country. One of the most recent needs was rain for the desperately dry country, but the people prayed and God supplied rain in abundance.

One more pressing need of most South Africans is a well governed country where we can live in peace and free of violence. Communities suffer under the oppression of gangsterism, farmers are being murdered, women are being raped, children are being trafficked, and continuously reported corruption and other government irregularities disrupt the inner peace of the people of the nation and impoverish the country.

I know that in many of your nations you experience similar issues, since Satan rules this world and Jesus did call him a thief, a murderer, a destroyer, and the father of lies. But the good news is that we don’t have to tolerate his activities and allow him to have free reign. Jesus has defeated him at Calvary and if we can get to a point where Jesus is acknowledged by the government and His values applied, His power of love and joy will reign, and peace will be the result.

In February 2017 a farmer, called Johan, distributed a little video on WhatsApp where he suggested that the same great God, who answered our prayers when we needed rain, can answer our prayers for peace and stability for the country. He, however, felt the Lord called us together as a nation to pray. He did not feel the Lord wants each church and individual to pray at home, but to rather get together. He also felt that Angus Buchan, a well known preacher and teacher in South Africa, should call the nation together.

Angus said that when he prayed about this call, the Lord laid it upon his heart that at least a million people, representing the entire nation, should get together at our most central city, called Bloemfontein. Local radio stations and churches got sniff of this and within six weeks everything was organised. People travelled from all over the country to attend, as far as 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away. Around 350 000 cars needed place to park and a friend of ours, who works for a coach company, said their company alone sent 35 coaches filled with people from Cape Town, not accounting for the countless other coaches that arrived. It was reported that 400 helicopters brought people to the event and that the

airports lacked parking space for all the aeroplanes.

The area where we sat stretched over 1.4 kilometres (nearly one mile) in length

and around 800 metres wide and was divided in 28 sections; each serviced with a set of powerful speakers and a big screen television. This was organised by faith and God provided. He prompted a number of farmers who made their farms available and had the grass cut. The Lord provided from outside sources without cost the diesel required for the job as well as for the generators. He provided through a company 1,000 external toilets with their service teams and vehicles as a gift. The Lord sent someone to drill for water for free, as well as a specialist to help them roll up the fences. The organisers gave all the glory to God, for they reckoned an event of such a scale in such a short time was impossible to man alone.

The organisers felt it should not be broadcasted because they believed God

wanted the nation to get together in one place to pray. However, all over South Africa Christian communities joined in prayer at the same time for those unable to attend. It will soon be broadcasted by TBN though (see link below). Below are a few links to video clips of the event.

At the event we certainly experienced a powerful visitation by the Lord Almighty.

The worship was mightily anointed and personally I was on my face before the Lord, receiving his cleansing and whatever He had available for me. The Lord’s presence was overpowering and well over a million people literally prayed together, led by Angus Buchan who definitely was led by the Holy Spirit in his approach (see links below). The rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12) definitely shuddered and fled in fear on Saturday 22^nd April 2017.

From an outside perspective I saw how the Lord called the farmer Johan, who called on Angus Buchan, who called the nation together. Then the Lord provided everything needed for the occasion. Why has the Lord worked in this way? Why has He not just responded to individual prayers offered to Him from wherever people found themselves?  As per many occasions in the Bible the Lord called the people together. He wanted to see faith and sacrifice. He wanted to hear confession of sins. He wanted to move in power. He arranged everything required for His people to get together in obedience, to humble themselves and pray, so He could heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Now it was only necessary for His people to sacrifice time, resources and effort to get to the event to pray together as one man on behalf of the nation. And even this the Lord provided. Many people made a great effort and travelled very far to get there. It was even a greater sacrifice for the thousands of cars to get out of the premises. It took us six hours to get out, and after we had left there were still many cars waiting their turn. The patience displayed by the individuals was definitely by the power of the Holy Spirit, for everybody was incredibly peaceful about this delay.

This was not an Angus Buchan initiative. This was a God initiative for He wants

to redeem South Africa. On this occasion He wanted to see faith supported by sacrifice, so He can have the mandate to do what He desires. He wanted the nation to prove to Him how desperately they needed His help.

The basis of the message on Saturday 22^nd April 2017 was repentance, confession of sins, bondages and weaknesses, and supplication (intercession). As one person the entire gathering of over one million people committed/re-committed their lives to Jesus. Then we had five minutes to confess our individual impurities to the Lord, after which we prayed as one person for the country as led by Angus (see link to prayer).

In South Africa we look forward to see what the Lord is going to do! He wants to heal your land/city/community as well. Why not join us in returning to Him this way and see what He will do.

Thank you, Father God, for what you have done and begun on Saturday at Bloemfontein in South Africa. We look forward to seeing the results and wish for you to do it for the entire world as they call on you.

Details about when this event will be broadcasted on TBN TV, as well as continual updates can be found on www.tbninafrica.org.

Here are some video clips from You Tube:

The Actual Intercessory Prayer

An Amateur Summary of the Event

A Shorter Amateur Summary of the Event

A Professionally Produced Remembrance

Live Like the King (Part 1)

I don’t know about you, but when I was still young and naive a king to me was an honourable person. He had to be educated and be an example to his subjects. To me the king had to be morally sound.

But as I matured and got to know life, I discovered that this was certainly not the case. A king was just a human being in whom the inborn lust for power and wealth was often very prevalent and within easy reach. The record of kings of Israel in the books of Kings and Chronicles in the Bible portrayed this fact vividly. We see the same tendency in the modern history of kings and presidents of countries.

One King, however, did the job perfectly. Sadly His crown was not made of gold, but of thorns, and his palace were the dusty streets among the poor. He was truly honourable and impeccable in the area of morality. This He lived and taught while He was on earth and had it recorded in the Handbook of life, the Bible.

Look with me at one teeny weenie part of the Bible; one verse out of 31,173 verses – a verse that, if you live it, will make you a person living like the King.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” (Philippians 4:8).

This is the thought pattern of the King of kings and He revealed it to us so we can share in it, in order to live like Him.

Think about whatever is true.

Filter the truth out from the information you receive and live by it. Challenge lies from others and determine to resist lies from your own mouth at all cost. Reveal the truth. Stand for the truth. The Holy Spirit has given the gift called the ‘Word of Knowledge’ to help you distinguish the truth. If you desire it, you will get this Word of Knowledge when you need it. You will just know when something is not true. Use it with wisdom.

You are the salt of the earth. You need to be instrumental in purifying your world from the lie, as salt purifies meat and prevents decay. Think and pray about truth at all times. The ultimate truth is the Word of God -meditate on it and proclaim it.

Think about whatever is honourable.

Another translation uses the word ‘noble’. Are you proud of your behaviour and conduct? One hundred years plus ago honour was important to some societies. A nobleman was a person to be respected and honoured. To be honourable means to be honoured by others and by God because of your behaviour and not due to your social position.

As a believer you serve an honourable or noble King and, as His image bearer and representation, we need to be equally honourable. Is it not exciting to think of yourself as honourable or noble? So let’s live up to it?

Think about whatever is just.

You only need to see the news to be aware of all the injustice in the world. Inherently people are selfish and as a result act unjustly. We should monitor ourselves to see whether our conduct is always just. You may feel that you are always fair, but need to be aware that injustice comes in many forms. Do you think, for example, it is just to gossip? The moment one gossips, the listener has an impression of the person one spoke about. This is unfair to both the listener and the victim, since the listener will now probably regard the person based on what the gossiper told them. Their first impression of the person was not formed through interaction with him/her, but through what the gossiper said. It is also unfair to the person one spoke about for the same reasons. Can you see the subtle ways in which injustice puts out its ugly head?

We also need to be the salt of the earth where it comes to injustice. We need to address it wherever we have the opportunity. You may be in a position to address major injustices, or you may simply reprimand a gossiper and refuse to listen to gossip to prevent you from forming inaccurate opinions.

Father, please guide my thoughts and behaviour to meet your standards.

To be continued.

Return to Me

Jeremiah complained to the Lord God in Jeremiah 15:15-18: “O Lord, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.  Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. I did not sit in the company of revellers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?”

We immediately have sympathy with Jeremiah, don’t we? He seemed to have done everything right. Don’t you often feel the same? You do the best you can. You read your Bible, go to church and live a life that cannot be faulted. Yet the Lord feels so distant. You don’t seem blessed; you get a lot of flak from life and don’t feel the prosperity you’re supposed to have. ‘What is wrong,’ you ask just as Jeremiah asked. Let us see what the Lord answered Jeremiah.

“Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.  And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless,’ (Jeremiah 15:19-21).”

From Jeremiah’s words above he seemed to have been in a good relationship with the Lord. Yet the Lord found it necessary to urge Jeremiah to return to Him, or repent as other translations put it. The Lord wanted him not to waste time on being self-focused, but to make every word he spoke count for His sake. In other words Jeremiah seemed to have used the available time to mull over his own feelings, and therefore ‘uttered what is worthless’, instead of encouraging and reinforcing others by ‘uttering what is precious’.

The Lord is always there for you. He reminded Jeremiah a little further on that He made him to be a fortified wall of bronze. In other words, Jeremiah was safe in the Lord’s hands regardless of how he felt. He therefore had no excuse not to focus solely on God’s interests. Satan loves to distract you. If he can get you to waste time by focusing on yourself, your feelings and your problems, he has managed to render you useless to God’s purposes during that time.

The Lord is patient with immature baby Believers, but from mature son Believers He expects results. Sons have learnt to trust Him to care for them. Sons know who their source, their protection and their guide are. They need not spend time to look after themselves (Matthew 6:33).

This is why God had to be firm with Jeremiah.

You will be tempted with distractions and feelings of self pity. You will be ridiculed, ignored and made to feel worthless by those self-centred enemies of God. This is why you have received the fruit of the Spirit called self-control. Life in Christ is not founded on feelings, but on faith. In other words, what you feel like does not determine your actions, but what you know and believe about the Lord from His Word.

You may for example not feel safe or you may feel unsure where your money will come from, but Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:4-6). Therefore you are safe and provided for, based on what you know about Him and not on what you feel or hear. Self-control reprimands your negative feelings and thoughts, and consciously turns your focus onto faith in the Lord. It is something only you can do in collaboration with the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah was a great prophet of the Lord, yet he was only a man. He did feel worthless at times and was certainly tempted to muse too much about his circumstances. In order to keep him on track and useful to His purposes, the Lord had to deal with those things that distracted Jeremiah from his calling.

You are also great in whatever you are called and gifted for. In Christ you already have everything you need to live the life in Christ (2 Peter 1:3). You simply need to know it from the Bible and apply it. Pleasing the Lord means keeping faith in God’s abilities and act accordingly (Hebrews 11:6). King David trusted in the Lord unwaveringly and, as a result, did everything the way the Lord wanted it done. Through the centuries God has used David as His model by which He judged kings.

How about becoming a person after God’s own heart (like David) and trust Him steadfastly (Proverbs 3:3-8). One day you will find out how He actually boasted about you doing everything the way He wanted it done.

Lord, please show me when my focus is wrong.

Help! Save me Out!

Recently I picked up a hiker on my way to work. My drive to work takes me forty-five minutes, which leaves ample time for conversation.

Among the light conversation we made, I asked him whether he knows Jesus, which he confirmed as most South Africans would. I left it at that for a while, making other conversation.

Then I returned to the topic asking him whether he is sure he would go to heaven should he die, which he denied.

Now you should know this was not planned - this was a divine appointment. Therefore when I asked whether he knows that he can be certain, the Holy Spirit led me to follow my question up with the passage from 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

As I explained this to him an interesting revelation started unfolding in my heart. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:15-16 that whoever believes in Him will be saved.

We are led to think that if we believe in Jesus' existence we shall be saved and inherited eternal life. But consider this for a moment.

·         Why do you trust your doctor with your health?

·         Why do you trust your financial consultant with your money?

·         Why do you trust the restaurant to provide you with safe and tasty food?

·         Why do you trust your spouse to support you in various ways?

·         Why do you trust the shop you purchase from?

Is it not because you believe in them?

There are various reasons why you believe in them.

·         They have given you excellent service.

·         They have proven themselves.

·         They have shown they care.

·         They have displayed love towards you.

So believing in a person means you are going to trust them to look after you in whatever you need from them, does it not?

What did Jesus mean when He said that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life?

James 2:19 states: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

Believing in Jesus’ existence is not sufficient, even the demons do that. Declaring you are a believer and going through the religious motions of Bible reading, church going, weekly home group meetings, and so on are not sufficient. Jesus spells out the terrible reality in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

In James 2:17 we read: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Believing in the existence of God and of Jesus’ sacrifice is not enough. Your life needs to demonstrate by means of your actions and your relationship with Him that you believe in His ability to control your life. Also that His commands and Word are true and the only way by which you’re prepared to live. That is where holiness comes in – being set aside for the Lord.

Believing in Jesus is therefore an active trust in Jesus and his abilities and a proof of your love and devotion. “‘Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me, (John 14:21-24).”

This is what will reserve your place in His presence – loving Jesus actively through a relationship of obedience.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:12-13: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Note He said ‘most’.

Are you just religious, having added Christianity to your portfolio of success, or do you have an active love relationship with Jesus and His Father?

Father God, I seek an active relationship with you in Jesus. Please guide me.

Where is God?

The Lord describes Himself quite often as having hands (e.g. Isaiah 64:8), feet (e.g. Psalm 110:1), and a face (e.g. Numbers 6:24-26). Isaiah 40:10-12 mentions His mighty arm and asks who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?`

He identifies His dwelling as heaven (Matthew 6:1, 9).

Yet, He is omnipresent - everywhere at the same time.

How can the Lord have the figure of a person and be everywhere at the same time? Which part is where?

So, where is God?

I was in prayer one day contemplating the question how the Lord can minister to the needs of millions of His children all at the same time. He also knows everything about everybody all the time.

I don't believe the Lord intends to remain a mystery. He has always revealed Himself to the people who took Him seriously and He promises in John 14:21: “The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

During my time of prayer I had a vision. We said the Lord is omnipresent, in other words He is everywhere. Acts 17:27-28 tells us: “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.  ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’”

God is everywhere and we are in Him, and that is what I saw in the vision. I saw a person in God to whom the Lord was complete. Although God, who is Spirit, is everywhere and have billions of people living in Him, He is everything to each person. To each person in the vision He had hands, feet and everything He reveals in the Word He has. This is how the Lord ministers to everybody’s needs. I believe the Lord shows it to our limited brains this way, so we can grasp it. It does not necessarily work like that in reality.

We cannot see the Lord and therefore no-one can have an accurate idea of how He works. We can just go by what the Bible says. It is important though to be aware that the Lord does not sit somewhere away in the heavens. Yes, He is there as well, for He is everywhere. But you are in Him and there cannot be a ceiling between you and Him from which your prayers can bounce. He hears all your prayers and answers every single one, although some answers are “wait” and some are “no” and others “not now”.

Why do you then feel your prayers bounce from the ceiling or that the Lord does not hear or answer you? Why not consider this scenario? You are busy with something that demands your attention. Maybe you’re watching television, listening to your music and/or are busy with whatever is important to you. Your best friend walks into the room and tries to communicate to you. You may or may not hear them, but are too busy to attend to them. You may even ask them a question, but do not listen to the answer.

Would you consider this to be rude? How would you feel if someone treats you like that?

How do you think the Lord feels when we treat Him like that? He is everywhere. You live inside of Him. How attentive you are to His presence though makes the difference. From experience I know it is possible to be extremely busy, but to still be aware of the Lord all the time. You just need to be tuned into His voice and nearness.

That was why David was called a man after God’s own heart. To him the Lord was everything. It was important to him that the Lord be honoured.

If you have your focus on the Lord all the time and not on your own desires, ambitions, dreams, status and honour, you will be intently aware of His will and desires for your life, and His power and love will be made manifest in you.

This is why Matthew 7:13-14 states:  “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The Christianity culture is vast. Billions of people live the Christian way of life. But only a few are willing to sacrifice their idols for a dedicated and focused life in and with their Lord and Master.

Throughout the entire Bible the Lord cried out for this kind of relationship with the crown of His creation. He spoke through the prophets and apostles, He punished and corrected, but only a few people yielded to this focused and dedicated relationship.

Where do you stand? What are you prepared to sacrifice for an intimate and focused relationship with your Lover who is there for you twenty-four-seven?

Lord, I want to find the narrow, focused and dedicated way that leads to Eternal Life. Please lead the way. Help me become intently aware of your nearness to me all the time.

Perfect love drives out fear

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love, (1 John 4:16-18)."

What is perfect love and why would it drive out fear?

Do you think the Lord God loves you perfectly? Yes? Okay, now for the next question. Are you sometimes afraid? Do I hear you say quite often? So, do you maybe wonder why you are still afraid quite regularly if the Lord loves you so much?

If God's perfect (Greek meaning: complete) love is supposed to drive out fear, why are we still afraid? Is God not supposed to miraculously wipe away our fear with His love?

Consider a little child. If she is afraid of something in her room, what does she do? She screams out or calls her dad or mom. Why would she do that? It is because she knows they love her. How does she know it? They often told her that.

Would having told her be enough to give her confidence to call on them for help? If I were in her shoes and had no evidence of my parents' love apart from their words, I would probably have screamed for help in any case, testing whether they would respond. This would prove that their words meant something.

What is it that gives a child confidence to sleep alone in a dark room? Is it not her parents' assurance of her safety, backed up by their nearness? She has learned through a relationship with them to rely on their power to make her feel safe. Their love and protection have always been there, but her faith in them grew as she learned through relational experience that they can be trusted.

The Lord's love and protection are always active. It is however your believing it that activates it for you. Jesus said in Mark 11:23:  “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." This faith comes through a relationship with the Lord. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, (Romans 10:17)."

Just like a child develops faith in the parents' abilities through a relationship that creates confidence with the child, so you will develop faith as you receive revelation from the Lord through your relationship with Him. This revelation comes through the Word of God as you study it to get to know Him better. As you study the Bible, the Lord highlights passages for you that increase your faith and forms the basis of it.

Through the years the Lord has blessed me with much revelation in the form of passages from the Bible that became real to me and brought me faith. Recently Psalm 23 became very real to me, and removed any doubt I may still have had in His abundant care.

You can have the same. When you're fearful and quote Psalm 23 (or any other passage you may have received) in prayer, once the Lord has made it real to you, faith in God's love rises up and drives out any fear.

The result of this faith relationship is peace in your heart that He will never leave nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). You learn to quote His promises of perfect love through prayer, asking, and thanksgiving in times of fear until His peace fills your heart (Philippians 4:6-7).

Love and adore the Lord and you will not fear, for you will have insight into His character of love.

Lord, please fill my heart with revelation from your Word to replace my fears with faith.

What Do You Hope

In Psalm 37:4 we read: Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

What are these desires? Is it a mansion of a house, a sports car, and loads of money? Is it fame or power? I believe the Lord has shown me that the desires mentioned in this passage are His desires for your life and for His Kingdom. In other words, if the Lord is your delight, if He is your main source of pleasure and fulfilment and is the one you live for, He will put His desires in you. You will then desire what He wants you to desire.

This has a number of advantages, which is not the aim of this message today, but I will mention one. If you delight yourself in the Lord and seek His will for your life, you simply need to look at what you desire, for that desire would be the Lord’s desire that He put in you. By doing what you desire you are doing His will. Obviously the desire should be in line with the Word of God.

This desire you have creates hope in you. This is not the kind of hope in the context we often use the word hope; “I hope this and that will happen”, in other words a sort of despondent attitude. No the word hope in Biblical context denotes a glad expectation that you will get the desire you have if you ask it from the Lord. This is why Hebrews 11:1 declares:” Now faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.”

The Lord has put the desire in your heart. You have an exciting expectation that it will be fulfilled, but it has not happened yet. So what now? You display an assurance that your expectation will be fulfilled and you act under a conviction that it will come about, even though you cannot yet see it manifest. This is faith that pleases the Lord (Hebrews 11:6). Then you take whatever steps needed for this hope to manifest, for James 2:17 tells us that faith without works is dead.

For example; 22 years ago a certain pastor had a desire to begin a radio station to reach the thousands of souls in his city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. After the station had been going for a while, he got the desire to have a building to house the station in. He put this hope to action and started to look for a property. When he found what he wanted and heard the price, he realised he did not have the money... but he had the glad expectation – the hope. The seller told him he would be happy if the pastor could give him a third of the money as a deposit. Even though the pastor knew he did not have the money, he agreed that he would bring it the next day – putting action to his faith. He then went to his treasurer asking him to write him a cheque for the said amount of the deposit.

Next, he went to his bank in the hope the bank would settle for an arrangement, but on the way there he had the desire to first get their mail from the post office, since he was in the area. Guess what; in the mail was a cheque for the exact amount he needed. He still went to the bank, but this time not as a beggar, but as a conqueror to deposit the cheque. Twenty-two years later this radio station is still reaching millions with the Gospel.

Can you see how he responded to his desires, even the simple desire to get the mail? He had no proof that the money would be available, but he had a cheque written based on his assurance that God will somehow honour his faith.

This is what pleases the Lord as per Hebrews 11:6. If you act on the desire He put in you, even though you have no physical assurance, it will happen.

Is the Lord your main or only delight? What is it you desire? What is it you hope?

If we live only according to the sinful nature, our desires would be determined by the sinful nature – greed, lust, and pleasures that please the sinful nature. If we live a little by the sinful nature and a little by the Holy Spirit, we will have a little of both kinds of desires. This is why we are often confused, for we have to distinguish between our desires and the Lord’s desires,

But if we are holy (set aside) and focused on the Lord alone, His desires will determine our faith and actions.

So what do you hope? If it is anything that can further the Lord’s Kingdom and interests, then start acting to your convictions by faith. This can be something to meet your personal needs as well, for after all if you are wanting you cannot be effective in the Kingdom of God.

Lord, please teach me to live by faith.