A message from Mozambique

Dear friends, I write this from Beira Mozambique where the major disaster stuck only a couple of months and as we walk around and see the effects of the damage but also the resiliency in people, we realise just how blessed we are in so many ways that we take for granted on a daily basis.

A word that the Lord has given while here is one from Genesis 21:14-20. It is the story of Hagar and her son Ishmael being sent away into the desert from Abraham and Sarah. It must have seemed for Hagar that everything that she had believed in, hoped for in the promise of her son, had just fallen apart as Abraham sends her away. In verse 15 the water she had was gone and she sat down away from her son so she wouldn't see him die. Because to her there was no hope left.

But in v17 God hears the boy crying and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, " What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Life the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink."

So often in our grief and pain of loss we cannot see what is right in front of us. Like Mozambique going through such loss, it's easy to focus on what was lost without looking forward to what could be. Hagar was in grief she could not see the provision or the hope of what might be ahead. She had her eyes closed, unable to see what could be, but then an angel of the Lord comes, not because of her cry, but because of the boys cry. What at one moment would seem hopeless, despairing even of life, was in the next moment given the promise of becoming a great nation and provision.

For so many of us, it's easy to focus on what in the natural can seem like nothing good will come out of it, but in the next moment God comes and changes everything. So if you feel like this today be encouraged that God hears the cries of his people and he rends the heavens and comes down because he delights in you. (Ps 18)

Prior to coming to Africa I saw a picture of new plants in the garden, I saw asparagus shooting up out of the ground and I didn't even know it was in the ground but it had been planted there years before. I believe we are coming into a season of abundance even though it might seem that there is nothing left at times, there is a promise that is about to spring forth and we need to be a people who keep looking forward, not dwelling on the loss and the grief and what could have been, but looking to what could still be ahead. Keeping our eyes open to what the Lord would show us that is right in front of us. Bless you all in what the Lord has for you.

Obedience and Commitment are big things in Gods Kingdom

Reading in Acts 7 this morning the story through Stephen of Abraham being told by God to " Leave your country and your people and go the the land I will show you" So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child." As I reflected on this and the journey of Abraham stepping out in faith into a land that he received no inheritance in but a promise of what was to come for his descendants of which we live in the fruit of that, I thought of todays generations in which often is only doing things that we want to do or that will benefit us personally as we live for 'today' not worrying about tomorrow. A sense of if it feels good then do it, if it doesn't then we will move on - perhap

6 legged sheep???

In the weekend I saw a vision of a sheep that had six legs. And what I believe the Lord is saying, there are many sheep, (followers of Christ), but they are trusting in their own strength and not in mine. When we trust in our own strength and abilities we forfeit the grace that can be ours, the enabling that comes from stepping out in faith in the impossible, the testimonies that give God the glory rather than the expectation of what should be because we have put our hand to something. God is the God of the impossible and in order for the miracles, the testimonies, we need to be a people that step out in what we can't do and allow God to come in and do the impossible. That may simply be asking the Lord to help you to forgive someone that has hurt you so much, to getting on a plane with no finances because the Lord has asked you to, to continue to stay in a job/church/marriage/relationship you don't want to because that is where God has placed you, to praying for a

The baby's been handed over

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Don't worry, you wont miss the bus.

Last night I had this dream and there were a bunch of people at my house and we all decided to go somewhere by bus. Because we had to lock up the house, Jim and I missed the bus, while the others managed to make it. I found myself getting a little frustrated with Jim as he seemed to be so slow in locking everything up. Jim & I got there just in time to see their bus drive away. We were left standing in the rain. But then the thinking came, its alright, we will just catch the next bus. Some of us may feel at times like we have missed our opportunity. That we have missed what The Lord would have us do, and in that we can get a little frustrated by people around us and even perhaps blame people for where things are at, at least I know I do at times. :) But I believe The Lord wants to encourage people today, including myself, that you don't need to worry, just rest and be at peace and you will soon get another opportunity. Like waiting for a bus at a bus stop, they come

Do you feel like you are being tossed around in the wind?

I believe there are some out there who feel like they are being tossed about from one thing to the other, not sure where they are heading or what they are believing for and this is a time when you just want to give up and walk away from the promises God has put inside of you. I want to encourage you to keep going and as it says in James 1:2 " Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." I know that sometimes you don't consider it all joy when you go through trials but believe me, it develops things in you that you will be grateful for if you don't give up and you will see fruit in your life and those around you should you learn to walk in patience and perseverance. These are times you don't want to be a lone sheep but instead get yourself around people of faith wh

Do you feel alone or discouraged today?

I was greatly encouraged this morning as I read 2 Timothy chapter 4. This chapter outlines some of Paul’s struggles and how people loved the world and followed their ways and in so doing caused much harm towards Paul and his ministry, but his hope remained in the Lord and His reward comes from Christ alone. Verse 10 “Demas has forsaken me” Verse 14 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm” People can come and go out of your life. People can cause trouble, but we are called as Christians to endure hardship as it says in 2 Timothy 2:3 “Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a solider”. 2:10 “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.’ We go through many things in life, many challenges and it is easy to look to man, to get discouraged b

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