TRANSFORMATION.

Romans 12v2

2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

True Transformation can only come when I renew my mind. And how can I renew my mind from what I am already used to? By reading my Bible day and night and doing what it says. Joshua 1v8 says, Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

My transformation can only come when I study the word so much so that it changes me, prior to now I studied the word to know more about God and my faith. From now, since I want to change and truly be transformed, I will study and meditate to truly change and be transformed.

I truly want to serve God because he made me, gave me this beautiful experience full of possibilities called life. It truly is a privilege and an honour to serve His Majesty.  

PRAYER

Dear Father thank you for the gift of life, for life in Christ Jesus and for your Word. I want to serve You in Spirit and in Truth. I want to esteem You higher than anything and everything You have given to me for I recognize that without You there is no me. It's because You gave me life that I am able to live. I don't want to get carried away with things you have given me neither do I want anything to take your place in my life. Please help me to truly change into what You want me to be. Grant unto me Dear Lord the grace that makes serving You, easy and a delight. As I read Your word let it change me. Please help me Lord, for I pray in Jesus Mighty name. 

"Not by power nor by might"

Zechariah 4v6
⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power,but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

It is by the Spirit of God that we can truly serve Him. John 4v 23-24 says ²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

I want to serve God the right way but I discovered that just wanting to and also going all out in my strength and understanding left me frustrated, exhausted and almost uninterested. At this point I knew something was wrong. The only thing that kept me from quitting altogether was how lost I felt, how naked I felt how vulnerable and scared I felt. Still hungry and thirsty. A gap, a space, a vacuum that only God could fill. I thank God for that. I can only serve God by His Spirit.

Now how can I truly be filled and remain filled truly by Holy Spirit? I have been here many times. I don't want to come and go I want to dwell here daily in His presence. Not pretense, not acting, but a TRANSFORMATION. 


PRAYER
Dear Lord, please show me how to die to my flesh and live by your Spirit. Show me life in Christ that I might die to life in Adam. Help me to serve you in Spirit and in Truth. For I ask in Jesus Mighty Name I pray Amen.

Romans 8 v 6-8

"So letting the sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is already hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God."

The word of God truly is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119v105). The word of God truly is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4v12).

I just got first hand direction to how to overcome my challenge. it is letting the Spirit control my mind and that leads to life and peace.!!! Ah! peace of mind I didn't have peace of mind I was worried that I could never please God and I knew I couldn't with the way I was going. Now I have found my life line! LETTING THE SPIRIT CONTROL MY MIND!!!! Thank You Heavenly Father.

PRAYER
Father Lord thank You for hearing and answering my prayer and question. Thank You for I know You are able and You want to save me. Please Lord how do I allow the Spirit to control my mind? I know I want to please you Lord and I can never do so if I allow myself to be controlled by my sinful nature.  Lord lead me through practical ways and don't leave me there Father, for I know myself, I am not capable of doing it on my own help me too!!!! Help me make it Lord for I pray in that name that guarantees an answer! the name that is above my limitations shortcomings and all other names in the Mighty Name Of  JESUS I pray! Amen.

My Greatest Fear....

My greatest fear is that I might sin and make You angry with me Lord. That I might disobey and make You disappointed in me Lord. Yet I know the only fear I am allowed to have is the fear of God and not the fear of doing wrong but can I hide my true feelings from You Jehovah God? You ready know me You can see through my heart. Who else can I run to but You. You created me, You can fix me here I am Lord,
I'm afraid!!!!

I read my Bible today and I saw where Solomon prayed to You after building the temple and making sacrifices to You in 2chron 6v14. He prayed saying that You show unfailing love to all who walk before You in wholehearted devotion. I used his words to reflect on myself; do I walk in wholehearted devotion consistently? I want to do what is right but sometimes, I fall short and when I fall short, am I not being halfhearted? When will I ever fully please you in all my ways? I know my faults and I am very far from perfect.

Only you are perfect lord. yet you make me know that you created me in your image this gives me hope that I am capable of walking uprightly and in wholehearted devotion to You Lord.

Merciful and Eternal God I desire to be Holy as you are Holy; here I stand looking up to You. I desire to have an excellent spirit, to be a shining light, help me make it Lord, so that people will see me and have hope that they also can live Holy lives pleasing in Your sight worthy of your blessings and promises. Help me please You in all my ways, to come before You with a pure and innocent heart. help me peel off permanently old habits like being judgmental, bitter, jealous, lustful,lazy, foul with my tongue, prayerlessness just to mention a few.

I know you will not call me to do the impossible because you said in 1corr10v13, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
 Dear Father I am asking that You help me for You are God and there is no limit to Your power please make every crooked path in my life straight. Purify me and wash me with your blood that washes whiter than snow. Mould me and make me into what you want me to be that I may forever bring glory to Your Holy name

Thank you Lord for always listening to me when I call. You are a God like no other and I bless your Name! 

I WON'T GIVE UP!!! STARTING AGAIN, AGAIN!!

I have noticed a trend in my life that when i make up my mind to achieve something its almost as if some force also makes it a point of duty to see to it that I don't. I have noticed this not once not twice not three times. I now know that it is one thing to will and another to do..... But I also discovered another thing... which is the fact that I have the luxury of starting all over again and again as long as I am alive, everyday is a second chance and though it sounds like a cliche I can only fail when I tell my self I have failed and then give up.

Though it seems tough, I HAVE THE GRACE OF STARTING ALL OVER, AGAIN AND AGAIN.
Loosing does not necessarily mean outright failure but it giving up surely means failure.
I'll forever be grateful to God for new days, new weeks, new months, new years because it truly is another opportunity to start afresh on a clean slate.

Here are a few of my goals for the month...

1. Make more time for my GOD, spend quality time with HIM and work on strengthening our relationship.
2. Be more there for my kids
3. I have been trying all year to loose 5kg  (or 3kg) and keep it off. If I can do this i'll be very happy.
4. Get serious with learning French.
5. Sleep and wake early.
6. Exercise everyday..

They seem so simple but sometimes it seems like the hardest thing to do.


PRAYER

 Dear Lord according to your word that says 'cast all your cares upon me for I careth for you, take my yoke and learn of me for my yolk is easy and my burden is light' please Lord I come to You naked and unashamed please help me for you are an ever present help in the time of need and You oh Lord will never forsake those who come to you for help. Help me Lord. and break through like only you can do.
Thank you Lord because I don't have to do this all alone. I bless your Holy Name in Jesus Mighty name I pray. Amen. 

  

How to feel closer to God

How to Feel Closer to God
I just stumbled over this on wiki it helped me alot ;)
Life can be hard sometimes, but that doesn't mean that you have to go through it alone. Even family members or friends can put you down by just not understanding enough, but there will always be one Person who will and that Person is God.

Steps/Tips and Warnings
1
If you are unfamiliar with God and don't know Him very well (ie: vaguely by name) then perhaps you should start by just locking yourself in your room. This will help you to feel that you are now alone with the Sustainer.
2
Take a deep breath and try to clear your mind of all things that trouble you. Then, say aloud, "Hi, God. I saved this time for You. Will You please come and talk to me?" This may feel absurd at first but know that God truly listens and cares. Remember, "Ask and you shall receive." There is nothing wrong with asking for God to talk to you.
3
Then, as you would speak to a friend or someone you really trust, unloosen your tongue and tell God all that bothers you. Or, tell Him something great that's just recently happened to you (ie: your team just won a game, someone you like asked you out, or you made a new friend). God listens and understands--always--so you won't have to feel silly.
4
Another great way to feel closer to God is to get to know Him. What does He like? What does He dislike? What makes Him happy, sad or angry? What does He value? What does He think is foolishness? All these answers are in the book He gave to us through men He loved so we could know Him better. We call that book the Bible. He knows it very well. It has His promises in it that He makes for all of us. It has the story of Jesus (The Gospel of St John)and how He came to the earth and died on a cross, even though He didn't do anything wrong, so that we would be forgiven for our sins. It tells us what a "sin" is. As we learn about our Creator and our relationship with Him, we will get closer to Him.
5
We can feel closer to God if we try to do the things He likes. If you came home from work and ignored your wife and brought home a girlfriend or two, you wouldn't have a very good relationship with her. You wouldn't feel very close to her even when you were alone with her. Relationship takes time and effort, and maybe a few flowers! God likes flowers too. He created them and He likes to hear about your enjoyment of them. In fact, God loves a thankful heart. If you don't know what else to say to God, tell Him how much you appreciate all the things He's made, all He's done for you, all He's given to you.
6
Don't make promises to God that you can't keep. And if you fail on a promise, go back and make amends with Him. Maybe He will want you to make amends to others. Maybe not. Recognize, when you pray, what your feelings are so that you can understand Him better. Open your heart and be honest-He already knows whats in your heart. YOU need to see whats in there-and be honest about it. If you lie, you are only lying to yourself because He already knows the truth.
7
Be aware that He can and will talk to you through your day to day life. He may talk into your heart during prayer ("Wow-I wouldn't have ever thought of that!") or throughout the day through other people who never knew what you said in prayer, or circumstances that are so very unusual. Also, He is usually more interested in answering the "Why?" instead of the "What?" or the "When?" Sometimes He answers "Yes", sometimes "No", sometimes "Not now".
8
Enjoy the walk with your new friend.


How to Become Closer to God as a Christian
If you feel as a Christian that you could be closer to God, here are some ideas and activities to help you glorify God and be closer to God. God loves you more than any other living thing. He created you and by doing the following, you are becoming closer to Him.


StepsTips and Warnings
1
Pray. Though this may seem obvious, pray twice or more a day to God. When you don't feel like praying: PRAY. Imagine yourself coming before him and seeing his majesty as you pray. Worship his majesty! Yet, He wants to be your best friend [bf], who is more than just and right, Holy God, The Judge, for "He is [perfect] Love".


2
Don't try to be proud/boastful, or pray anything fancy: just try to address everything big in your life -- but nothing is too little to ask about or for help and wisdom.


3
Confess your sins to Him. Pray for all your problems in your life right now, and other stuff that is really important to you. You can try making a prayer journal, if you aren't comfortable with praying, or you would like to record your petitions and their results.


4
Ask your Christian friends about prayer, if you aren't the best at prayer, or look around and read articles online. 1way2God.net has a great prayer system that tells you how to pray for yourself, other believers, etc.


5
Imagine God is always right next to you, (He is always with you) almost like a really close friend. If you do this, you'll probably find yourself talking to God more. This automatically brings you closer to him. You will really benefit by worshiping God and seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit.


6
Talk to your church's youth minister, priest or pastor about questions you have. In general, they have studied the Bible and likely have asked many of your questions themselves. Ask that person things you want to know about God: why does He allow the choice for us to sin; why does He allow/or make His people suffer; how are troubles for "our good"; why did He let His Son suffer, bleed and die on the cross; why did Christ need to return to the Father in Heaven; why did He send the Holy Spirit, etc. You will learn many things about God that you didn't know. This information, also, will help you to explain God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to your non-Christian friends.


7
Read the Bible. The Bible is the written word of God. Try to read your Bible daily through a reading plan. You can find tons of reading plans online, try to find one that you find works for you. This one is amazing, and will have your devotional readings aligned for learning something new every day:here is your list. Devotionals help so much, they explain passages in ways that relate to our lives, and explains a lot! You can buy your own, our find some online. A great book that spells out the promises of God, which are true even in the difficult times of life, is "Always True" by James MacDonald. He directs you to Scriptures that will encourage you and give you hope in tough times.
8
Pay attention in church. You'll learn a lot more and feel more in tune with God. Take notes in church!!! This helps tremendously and later on, you can review them and figure out how to apply principles to your own life.
9
Participate in church. Singing in church, and doing the actions you're supposed to do (bow your head, stand up, sit down, etc.) is not enough. Volunteer as much as you can, help others, etc., and be blessed.
10
The best way is to be honest in your thought, feeling, action. God is purer than any person, so the more you are pure, the more, not only you, but God will touch your heart and fulfill your deepest desires.
11
Resist violence and fights. Stay balanced and ethically serene. Read the Bible for help on keeping an eternal cool.
12
If you are Catholic, go to Confession at least once every 2-3 months. It will help you to live a more Christian life, and become closer to God.
13
If you are a child or teenager try to hang around people with the same faith so your faith will grow stronger. This doesn't mean you can't hang around people that don't believe

Procrastination Is a Thief !!!

Procrastination is a thief......
it stole days weeks and  months from me. I'm just so grateful that each day means another chance, another opportunity, a fresh start a new beginning. I want to seize it. I'm sick of the waste. Procrastinators don't succeed and I want to succeed.

It's amazing how it ropes one into a well of waste! I blinked and the whole of June was gone. I often find my self excited about so many new projects so many opportunities for growth ahhhh. but its one thing to 'will' and another thing to 'do'. hmmmm. such that i notice a trend in my life... its sooo full of a series of repetitive starts.

I honestly don't want to continue this way.


PRAYER

Dear Lord, please help me, your word says you are a very present help in the time of need. Please pour out more grace help to peel of this garment of laziness and procrastination. Dear Lord I'm ready for a change. Please help me Lord for I pray in Jesus mighty name. Amen.