What did you do with your hardships?

Romans 4:20-22 NLT
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.

Abraham is known as the father of faith. He did not ever doubt God. Even in the most trying times, he had a sure knowledge and faith that God’s promises is true. He waited many years for Sarah to have a son. He did make many mistakes along the way, but he never doubted God. He looked to God and not to his circumstances. He used his obstacles to grow in relationship with God.

As we exit 2020 and enter the new year, I feel God is asking us what we are doing with the hardships we faced this year? Are we grumbling, did we take offence and criticized? Or do we, like Abraham choose to trust God in the midst of our circumstances?

The way our hearts exit 2020 is the way you will experience 2021. So let us examine our hearts today, let us choose to trust God fully and grow in our faith. God is calling us all into the new thing, but if our hearts is not ready and cleansed, or if you still blame God or even other people, you are not going to move into the new things God has got planned for you. I pray we all examine our own hearts and choose to trust God that we grow and experience Him more in the year to come.

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Have your religious practises become empty actions?

Luke 22:47-48 NLT
But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

As I am reading and reflecting on Christmas and the year end I wonder, have we examined our own hearts recently? Are our ways we practice our Christianity still pure and are our hearts totally committed or have we become so used to doing what we are doing that we do not think about it anymore?

Judas greeted Jesus with a kiss. That is an appropriate way to greet in many cultures. But this time, the kiss was one of betrayal. We can so easily do the same. How many times do we say the right thing but our heart is not in what we are saying? For instance, we stand in worship, singing the songs, but we are not paying attention to the words. So we are “worshiping” but actually it is empty words because our heart is not in it or we are not truly connecting with God and worshiping Him. So easily we can get caught in these “rituals”.

Can we re-examine our hearts this Christmas? Can we commit to seek Jesus with our whole heart and let our words ans actions be truthful and in unity with our hearts? I believe God is calling us closer. He wants our attention. At the same time, the enemy is trying to distract us with busyness, stress, etc. May this be a time of drawing near to Jesus and seeking His face.

Keep praying!

Luke 11:5-10 NLT
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, [6] ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ [7] And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ [8] But I tell you this-though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. [9] “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Have you ever wondered if you should ask once in prayer and leave it with God or should you persist in praying until you see breakthrough?

According to this scripture it is important to be bold and “keep knocking “. You see, it is not God who needs us to keep praying to see a breakthrough. But He wants us to pray and speak to Him. He wants relationship and relationship comes by communicating regularly. We need to keep praying and push through. When we do this, barriers and assumptions in our own hearts will start to break down. Our whole relationship with God will change. Also how we communicate, as our mindset will shift and we will move into a deeper relationship with Him.

How incredible that God want to have such an intimate relationship with us? So let’s keep praying! Be bold, as we are His heirs and He wants us to spend more time with Him and talk to Him more.

Warfare for this season

“Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph. He said, “Listen carefully, all [you people of] Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: ‘Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Go down against them tomorrow. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the river valley, in front of the Wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; take your positions, stand and witness the salvation of the Lord who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.’ ” Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord , worshiping Him. When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were struck down [in defeat].
2 Chronicles 20:14‭-‬18‭, ‬22 AMP

This is a call for South Africa to stop, stand, pray and seek God’s face. He will lead us to revival and heal our land if we repent, turn away from reacting in a worldly manner, and seek Him. If we move forward without seeking Him, we will not be protected. But if we seek Him, focus on the heavenly realm, where we are sitting with Him in heavenly places, He will fight for us (all His children), we will see revival and a turnaround in our country. Change will not happen if we try to do stuff in the flesh.

This is also a call to put on the belt of truth, start speaking the Word, soak yourself in the Word of God and do not speak negative with the rest of the world. This is the key to revival. This will change hearts and circumstances.

And lastly, let us focus on Jesus, worship Him in spirit and truth, and He will fight for us and bring chaos in the enemy’s camp. The enemy is everyone who opposes God’s plan for this country. Lets pray for revival and hearts to turn back to God!

Shift position

“Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer. Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:7‭-‬8 TPT

We see so many shocking things happening in the world around us, from children’s toys being used for evil intent to corruption, love of money, etc.

This morning I believe God is calling His church to rise up, spend time in the Word. The enemy is walking around like a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour. We need to spend time in God’s presence to grow in discernment. We get so distracted with all the bad news, that we forget God has told us in His word that it will happen. So why are we so shocked when we see it happening? In 1 Pet 4 He even tells us what to do.

We need to be focussed on what God is doing right now. Cover everyone with His love. We need to stand out, bring hope to a hopeless world, pray for the world. Do not be ignorant, but be seated in heavenly places with Jesus. From that position you will have a different perspective, you will see with Jesus’ eyes. We need to be very careful not to sit in a place where we see the negative things happening and look from the enemy and the world’s perspective.

My prayer today is that we will shift position, perceive from a heavenly perspective and be Jesus’ hands and feet in this world. Bring life and hope!

Holiness

That each one of you should know how to possess (control, manage) his own body in consecration (purity, separated from things profane) and honor, Not [to be used] in the passion of lust like the heathen, who are ignorant of the true God and have no knowledge of His will, (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5 AMP)

Many christians today have become so used and intermingled with the world that their focus have in many ways became the same as the world. God is challenging us today to test ourselves – what is your priority, is it pleasure and entertainment or reaching the lost and the poor? How do you spend your spare time or your money? Is it honouring the Kingdom of God or is it honouring our own desires. God is calling us today, saying, time is running out. What do you do with the time He is giving you? Come out of the world child and of God and seperate yourself in your thoughts and actions. Be holy as He is holy. God want to take you into a deeper relationship with Him, He need you to make an impact on the world and change the atmosphere of your community. But some thought patterns and priorities need to change for that to happen.

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
I Timothy 6:11 NKJV

Pentecost 2020

Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful]. There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.
Ephesians 4:3‭-‬6 AMP

This is a time where the church will not be as we knew it in the past. There will be a birthing of one of the following: (1) excellent spiritual vision and understanding, or (2) spiritual blindness and worldly wisdom.

The difference will be in our commitment to spend time in prayer and worship. From today the seperation of the two groups will begin to be visible. There will be a mighty outpouring in people’s spirits who are following the soft voice of the Holy Spirit.

There will no longer be time to be pew warmers. This is a season for the church to meet people in the street and in the market place. Step out and step up. The fields are ready for the harvest. Hearts have been prepared in the shaking. I see as we step out in boldness, it is like a tsunami hitting the world, there will be multiplication, healing, new life!

God is coming back for the active, obedient church. Our instructions can be read in Ephesians 4. Firstly there need to be unity between believers. The 5 fold ministry have to be active, working in unity, to bring maturity to the believers. We need to have a renewing of our minds and thinking patterns. I believe God is about to work outside the boxes that we think in. We will become more and more like Jesus. There will be a shift in how we do live. The shift in the heavenlies is already happening. There will be more revelation of Jesus’ love and forgiveness and a draw to more holiness. Let’s keep our eyes focussed on Jesus and the Holy Spirit and keep our minds and hearts open for change. (Melanie Taljaard, May 2020)

You are standing on Holy ground

Now when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his drawn sword in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” He said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the Lord .” Then Joshua fell with his face toward the earth and bowed down, and said to him, “What does my Lord have to say to his servant?” The captain of the Lord ’ s army said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy (set apart to the Lord ).” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13‭-‬15 AMP

This is a time where many people have so much questions and are feeling unsettled. But as I read this scripture, I felt the holy awe for our God come over me.

Do we realise where we are? That God has set us apart in this season as preparation for the new season to come? Are we so full of fear for what is happening and of our self sufficiency to provide financially that we are missing that, like Moses and Joshua, we are standing on holy ground. Take off your shoes. What is your shoes? It is your calling, who you are created to be. God is asking us in this season to lay it all down and to focus on Him and what He is doing in our lives and in the world around us. There will probably never again

be a time such as this. God is urgently calling us to stop and dig deeper into Him. THIS IS HOLY GROUND. This is not a time to continue life as normal.

Do you trust God enough to stop and seek Him for the new season. He is preparing us as the harvest is ready and we need to be focused on Him and His purposes, which will mean there is some cleansing and laying down of old things and mindsets. But what is to come is way better than what we could even fathom.

Be blessed and quiet your mind in this season. You are about to see God move mightily.

What is happening

God also gave me 2 scriptures last night.
But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.
Daniel 10:13 NLT

The 21 days have passed. There is a release in the spirit. Now is the time to push through in prayer and declarations. The physical manifestation of this is everything that was hidden starting to come to light.

The second scripture:
So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down. He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them.
Genesis 26:17‭-‬18 NLT

I saw we need to reopen the wells of our heritage. Many people got so drawn into worldly ways and wordly thinking patterns even in the church. We have to go back to the ancient paths – God’s way of thinking and doing. Please pray for this shift especially with believers and let us get back to having the mind of Christ.

(Melanie Taljaard – April 2020)