Before you were born - God saw you. He knew the specific purpose you were designed to fulfil, so He provided the gifts you'd need and the environment required to put it all together. Then He looked at you and said, "Very good."
It's important that you can say that too, because others will only treat you according to how you treat yourself. If you don't like the way people respond to you, stop and ask yourself, "What's the message I'm sending out?" For people to treat you well, you've got to send out a message that says, "I'm somebody, because God made me somebody!"
We're talking about an inner strength that makes you attractive when you walk into a room, and causes others to say, "Who's that?" And they won't be asking because your appearance is stunning. No, they'll be asking because your character is magnetic and your presence has impact. This is not pride - it's just healthy self-esteem based on God's opinion of you. When you have it, it affects the way you... talk to others... sit in a classroom... apply for a job... perform the ministry God gave you... and even the way you pray. That's right; if you think you have no value, you'll pray with less confidence and conclude that the promises of God are for everybody but you! (1 Jn 3:21)
Line up your opinion with God's! Appreciate who He made you to be. Develop what He gave you. Stop wishing you were somebody else. If two of us are identical, one of us is unnecessary. You are a unique blend of gifts and character. You have a special destiny on this earth. You are somebody - remember that today!
Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. Go To: http://www.rhema.co.nz
Blessed are those who believe without seeing. - John 20:29 NLT
Asking for proof before you believe something can stop you from receiving what God wants you to accept based on His Word. Thomas watched Jesus die. That's hard evidence to refute. As a result Thomas decided to believe only what he could see and verify. When your faith's been shaken, you're inclined to cling to things that are practical, absolute and tangible. Jesus graciously gave Thomas the proof he needed, and said, "You believe because you have seen...Blessed are those who believe without seeing."
The fact remains, however, that if Thomas hadn't been permitted to see and touch Jesus it wouldn't have changed the reality of the resurrection one iota. Thomas' problem wasn't lack of faith, it was misdirected faith. He trusted only what he could process on a human level. Sound familiar?
By contrast, when Mary Magdalene met Jesus at the tomb He told her, "Don't touch Me...But go find My brothers and tell them" (Jn 20:17). Mary once washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair; touch was important to her. And touching Jesus at that moment would have confirmed what she'd seen and heard. This time, however, Jesus asked her to trust His Word and not His flesh; to be willing to testify without a touch.
Sometimes we feel "the touch of God" calming us, strengthening us and reassuring us that He is still in control. The truth is, His touch has often kept us from giving up or going over the edge. But sometimes He asks us to trust Him without the crutch of sensory perception. That's faith at its highest level.
SoulFood Bible Readings: 1 Co 15, Mt 28:1-10, Lk 24:1-12
Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. Go To: http://www.rhema.co.nz
Re:Somebody is fighting the BIBLE!! 8 Months, 1 Week ago
Ooooh Pastor Rambuka and Rev Tonto, I am impressed, you two have a calling. I have a confession to make............... C'mon not in public. Where do you carry out your pastoral calling? I need to speak to you both in confidence, ofcourse individually and in isolation. Don't worry it won't be out of context.
On a serious note am impressed by the variety . We need soul food occasionally.
[i]Many of life\'s circumstances are created by three basic choices: the disciplines you choose to keep, the people you choose to be with; and, the laws you choose to obey]
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How would you describe your prayer life? Is it focused on hearing and doing God’s will, or is it centered on getting what you want? In his sermon “Are You Limiting God’s Blessings?” Dr. Stanley taught that God desires to bless us abundantly, but our role is to ask expectantly. In faith, we should “ask big; anticipate big; prepare for big; trust big.” God desires to shower us with prosperity—not necessarily always a surplus of material goods, but spiritual fruitfulness.
Are you “asking big”? I certainly don’t always. I might ask God for an affordable house, the salvation of a family member, or healing for a co-worker. Does God want me to come to Him with petitions like these? Of course. But if my requests never go to the next level, I’ll miss much of what God wants to accomplish. Prayers like these can be a reaction to my environment instead of a response to my Creator. I’m fighting individual battles but not necessarily taking my place in the spiritual war God invites every believer to join.
“Asking big” involves lifting our eyes off the mundane to see life from God’s perspective. It’s reminding ourselves that we aren’t here to live comfortable, unremarkable lives. We weren’t designed to focus on excelling in our careers, gathering newer or better toys, raising successful children, or having enough money to retire in style. These things aren’t bad in themselves; they just aren’t enough. Ultimately, they can’t fill our hearts with the satisfaction and contentment that comes from knowing and doing God’s will.
Every believer needs to ask, “What great thing does God want to do through me?” Notice the question isn’t, “What great thing do I want to do for God?” The plans must stem from God’s heart, or we will be on our own agenda, however spiritual it may appear. Only when we know the Father’s plan for us can we most effectively ask Him to do the incredible through our lives.
When was the last time you allowed yourself to dream about what the Lord wants to do through you? If you’re like me, you may need to spend some time with Him, asking what He wants to do through you to impact your family, neighborhood, workplace, and the world. You may be called to be a well-known leader, or your role may be far more humble—faithfully assisting someone else in his or her calling.
I think God desires us to approach dreaming about our future like children, believing anything is possible. When children dream about their future occupation, they don’t typically worry about how obscure their job will be, how tough it will be to succeed in that profession, or how much money they will make pursuing that dream. Remember how confidently you told people what you wanted to be when you grew up? With a similar attitude, we can take a faith-filled, yet realistic, look at our abilities, gifts, and talents and ask, “God, how should I invest my time so that I am accomplishing Your will?”
You may discover the Lord’s direction through a Scripture that comes to life for you, through His words spoken to your heart, or through a mental picture of what He’d like you to do. After allowing yourself to dream, be sure to evaluate your goal to be sure it’s feasible. For example, if you weigh only 125 pounds, you probably need to let go of your dream to play professional football and impact the NFL™ for Christ. But if you have writing talent, perhaps God will use you to compose articles about the lives and faith of Christian athletes, sharing the gospel that way.
Once you’re sure the dream is realistic, begin taking small steps toward it. Someone who feels called to be a missionary could first take a short-term mission trip. A person who wants be a high school principal could work towards a career as a successful teacher. Someone called to be an entrepreneur could start small and let the company grow little by little as profits rise.
Small victories over time prepare us for God’s best. Rarely will God shower a big blessing on someone who is unwilling to follow Him in small steps of service and obedience, often over a long period of time (Matt. 25:14-30). But He will use those seemingly unimportant steps to prepare us for the fulfillment of His plans for us.
What is God’s big dream for you? Ask Him to reveal it and then boldly anticipate that He will accomplish it through your life.
As Dr. Stanley says, “Be sure that you’re continually listening and walking in His ways, and you’ll get more than you could ever expect.”
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C'mon not in public. Where do you carry out your pastoral calling? I need to speak to you both in confidence, ofcourse individually and in isolation. Don't worry it won't be out of context. 
