Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson

When did you last do an audit of the words you speak? Are you speaking “faith and life” or “fear and death”? Late last year we were facing another challenging medical situation with our daughter, Victoria. I found myself going down that path of fear. I was spending time with God, a lot actually due to a broken wrist slowing me down! In these times I was primarily looking for reassurance and comfort. I was not speaking faith into Victoria's situation. Something changed in the Be Still moment But then something changed. During one of those quiet times with God, I was sitting on a seat in the park, asking Him for a word for our family for this year, 2024. Yes, another Be Still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) moment. He drew my attention to an image that was directly in front of me - two rectangular sandstone blocks, with a narrow gap in between.   Beyond the gap, the grass ran down to the wide open expanse of the lake. As I looked at this image, God gave me these words, “I am the Way Maker.”  Don't we all love the Way Maker song "Way maker Miracle worker Promise keeper Light in the darkness My God That is who you are" What a powerful declaration of Who God is. God's Word speaks life God gave me three scriptures to go with the image: “This is what the LORD says - he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,” Isaiah 43:16 NIV “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NIV “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.” Matthew 7:13-14 NIV Three life-giving scriptures, asking of us, Do we have the faith to believe that God made a way through the sea? Do we trust that He is making a way in the wasteland? Do we have the courage to keep walking on the narrow road that leads to life? God in His graciousness had given me a way to speak faith and life into Victoria's situation.  God encourages each one A bit more on this story about the way maker word …. At the beginning of each year when I get a word for our family, I make an A4 poster, laminate it and give a copy to each family member, so they can have it ready on hand for encouragement throughout the year.  I'm under no illusion as to what has happened to these posters in the past - I've seen them peeking out from under a pile of papers on desks! But this year was different - perhaps because it had the photo of the sandstone blocks and the way through. This year some chose to put the poster on the wall above their desks, some on the wall near their beds. But all put it in a visible, easily accessible place. I need that extra bit of encouragement so I have two posters - one near my desk, and one near my side of the bed!  The Way Maker makes a way Since the beginning of January, there have been at least 8 significant crossroads for people in our family, and each time, we have called on this word from God, declaring, “God you are the way maker, we are trusting that you will make a way through this - Your will be done, in Jesus Name.”  God knew that each person in our family was going to need to speak ‘faith and life' into situations this year, and that each would need His encouragement to do so. God always knows! In each circumstance God has clearly made a way, showing us that He is sovereign, powerful, gracious and kind. Often too in these situations, it has felt like God has been asking us these questions, Do you trust Me in this situation? Do you have the patience to wait? Will you humble yourself and acknowledge that I am Lord of All? Oh God so wants us to mature! Maturing in our faith James speaks to us about this maturing process,  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 NIV I'm not always a fan of the maturing process, even though it always yields good fruit - I just have to remind myself of that. Joyce Meyer says,  “The Bible talks about purification, sanctification, sacrifice and suffering. These are not popular words; nevertheless, if we are to be Christlike in character, we must sometimes go through difficult circumstances to learn His ways. I struggled with this process for a long time, but I finally realised that God was not going to do things my way. He placed people and situations in my life that caused me to want to quit this whole process, and He did not want an argument from me. He only wanted to hear, “Yes, Lord. Your will be done.”" The Everyday Life Bible, Joyce Meyer, Page 2060 It is only the beginning of March, so it is going to be very interesting to see what the remainder of the year brings with a word like “I am the Way Maker” The power of the tongue So getting back to the words we are speaking, are they “faith and life” or “fear and death”? Further on in James Chapter 3, we read about the power of the tongue. Verse 5 says, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze!” (James 3:5 AMPC) Funnily enough, I was listening to my husband doing his Sunday morning radio program on Rhema 99.7FM yesterday morning, and I heard him sharing on this scripture too. God must really want to say something about the power of the tongue this week. I know there are times when I have said things, mainly to my family, that I have regretted as soon as they have come out of my mouth.  The tongue can spark a fire It's an interesting analogy that James draws with the tongue and the starting of a forest fire. I have certainly experienced the power of my tongue starting a war of words in our home, and it hasn't been pretty. I have regretted the words as soon as they have come out, but like that spark in the forest - once it is out, it is very difficult to contain! Of course in hindsight, I know it definitely would have been better to leave the room, or at the very least take a long pause and count to 10 (or maybe 100)! Warren W. Wiersbe, in his commentary on James, Be Mature, Growing up in Christ, reminds us that Jesus experienced the wrath of the tongue, “Fire burns and hurts, and our words can burn and hurt. One of the sorrows our Lord had to bear when He was here on earth was the way His enemies talked about Him. They called Him a “man gluttonous and a winebibber” (Matthew 11:29) because He graciously accepted invitations to dine with people the Pharisee did not like. When He performed miracles, they said He was in league with Satan. Even when He was dying on the cross, His enemies could not let Him alone but threw vicious taunts into His face.” Be Mature - Growing up in Christ, Warren W. Wierbse, Page 102 Can we tame the tongue? So can we tame the tongue? Yes we can. But not by ourselves. We need God's help. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can develop the fruit listed in Galatians. We can display that fruit through our speech and communications: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV Imagine if every word we spoke came from the place of love, loving Jesus and loving people, with our selfish desires nowhere to be seen (or heard!). Imagine if our words brought peace into a situation, rather than adding fuel to it. Imagine if the way we communicated was always from a place of forbearance, exuding patience and never with that, ‘Will you just hurry up' tone. Imagine if we had self-control and chose not to speak on occasions and let the Holy Spirit bring conviction. The Holy Spirit can help us The good news is that with the help of the Holy Spirit, these things can become a reality in our lives. It probably won't happen overnight (that certainly hasn't been my experience), but rather little by little as we let the Holy Spirit do transformative work in our lives - the consecration process. Here are a couple of specific scriptures that have helped me in this area -  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NKJV Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3 NIV I have found both these Psalms are wonderful prayers to pray regularly, especially before any tricky conversations. Are you speaking "faith and life"? So back to those two questions I started with, When did you last do an audit of the words you speak? Are you speaking “faith and life” or “fear and death”?   If, in considering the answers to these questions, you feel the Holy Spirit is nudging you to make some changes, so you can speak more "faith and life" into your life or those around you, then let's pray and ask Him for that help. Holy Spirit, we thank you that you are a gift in our lives to help us become more like Jesus. Please help me to mature so that Your fruit, love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, are very evident in my life, especially in the words I speak and how I communicate. Thank you that you will help me so that the words I speak will be acceptable to you. Thank you that you will put a guard over my mouth in those moments when I want to say something that is going to inflame a situation or hurt someone. Thank you for your graciousness towards me, and that you will continue to help me, even when I get it wrong. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen. Looking for more encouragement? Are you looking for more resources to help you draw closer to God, please check out my other blog posts and podcasts.

Have you ever said to yourself, “There is not enough time to do all this.”?  I have and it's normally followed up with a huge sigh of exasperation! Then the Holy Spirit reminds me of something I heard a few years ago, “God will always give you enough time for what He wants you to do.”   Press pause! Does that mean I am doing things that God doesn't want me to do? Does that mean I am doing things differently from how He wants me to do them? Sounds like it is time to check in with God and find out.   Getting direction from God   Let's look at those questions again, firstly "Am I doing things that God doesn't want me to do?" Or it could be asked this way, "Am I going in the direction God has for me?" In Psalms, we read,   “The steps of the God-pursuing ones follow firmly in the footsteps of the Lord, and God delights in every step they take to follow him.” (Psalm 37:23 TPT).   So when we have those thoughts of "There is not enough time" perhaps it is a good idea to pause and check in with God on the direction we are taking. Oh! there is again, that "Be Still and know that I am God" attitude. Maybe a prayer like, "God, am I doing what you want me to do? Am I following the path you have for me? Please show me if I have gone off track and am doing things that are outside your will for my life."   Jesus is a wonderful example of only doing what His Father, God, our Heavenly Father, told him to do. In the Gospel of John we read that Jesus said,   "I do what my father tells me to do. I do that so that the people of this world can know that I love my father.” (John 14:31 PEV) An aside: Jesus had complete clarity about why He was being obedient to His Father, "so that people of this world can know that I love my father."  The Passion Translation says it this way, "I am doing exactly what the Father destined for me to accomplish, so that the world will discover how much I love my Father." (John 14:31 TPT) So a question for us - "Do we have that level of clarity about the motives of our actions?"   Right direction, but not sure on the "how"   Perhaps the answer is "Yes," we have clarity on our motives. We are confident we're being obedient to God and going in the direction He is leading us. However, we are still feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be done, "There is not enough time to do all this!" So then we need to look at the "how" and ask the question, "Am I doing things God's way?"   We have the direction, but we need more of God's wisdom on how to take each step. In the book of Proverbs we read,    "A man's mind plans his way [as he journeys through life]. But the LORD directs his steps and establishes them." (Proverbs 16:9 AMP).   We know there are often many ways to get to the end goal, but not all are efficient, and not all are the ways God wants it done.  We need to remind ourselves that God's ways are higher,   “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV)   God's ways are higher - always - not just sometimes. God knows the bigger picture.   God has the bigger picture   We don't even know what will happen later today, or tomorrow, or next year. Receiving a ‘surprise' medical report or receiving an unexpected promotion at work, reminds us of that.   James 4:13-15 tells us,   “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 NIV)   And so it is with the plans we make, we might have some ideas on the outcomes, but we don't know for sure. But God knows.   Ask God for wisdom So getting back to the question, "Am I doing things God's way?" James also tells us we can ask for God's wisdom and He will give it to us,    "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault; and it will be given to you." (James 1:5 NIV)   We need to ask God for His wisdom on the "how."   Recently my days have been very full, and I have been asking God each morning to order the tasks I have on the list. I knew my plan wouldn't be the best for me or my family, but I had confidence in God, that He has the bigger picture and He would fit it all together perfectly. And He has - leaving me very surprised at the end of the day with what had been achieved. Thank you God - your ways are astronomically higher than mine!   God's plan vs AI   Interestingly, last week I was talking to someone about the busy-ness of the week. During the conversation I asked her if the Holy Spirit brought me to her mind, could she please pray for me, that I would clearly hear from God on what tasks to do each day. She agreed and then told me about electronic calendars now using AI to order people's schedules.    I don't know about you, but I would much prefer to trust God, the creator of Heaven and Earth, to order my day, rather than a man-made algorithm. As we read in James 4, God alone knows what the day will bring, and what tomorrow will bring, and how we need to prepare for it.    Pride and casting our cares on Jesus   So why is it sometimes that we don't go to God to get His wisdom, but rather we press on, doing things our own way and often ending up in a pickle?   For me the answer is simple, Pride! I take pride in being independent, knowing the best course of action, not having to ask anyone for help. Yes, I know - plenty to repent of in that list! God has been helping me in these areas for the past 30 years, gently, and sometimes not so gently, showing me that I need to be totally dependent on Him.   When are feeling overwhelmed we always have the option of pausing, acknowledging God, yes, there it is again, "Be still and know that I am God." and asking for His help. We can give all of our cares to Him as it says in 1 Peter 4,   “Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1 Peter 4:6-7 AMPC)   Humility is key   Humility is a key here, because it is us saying that we can't do this alone. We don't have what it takes. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Humility as, "freedom from pride or arrogance: the quality or state of being humble." (Merriam-Webster) I recently read this about humility in one of John Maxwell's books, "What is humility? My friend Rick Warren says, "Humility is not denying your strengths. Humility is being honest about your weaknesses. All of us are a bundle of both great strengths and great weaknesses and humility is being able to be honest about both." My belief is that humility is a choice every day to give credit to God for our blessings and to other people for our successes." (Good Leaders ask Great Questions, John Maxwell, page 33).   Humility gives us freedom. As we acknowledge that we need God's help, we take the pressure off ourselves.    A matter of trust We don't need to have all the answers anymore, rather we trust God and His wisdom.   Proverbs 3:5-7 says,   "Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions, with all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don't think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion. and avoid everything that's wrong." (Proverbs 3:5-7 TPT).   So today, let's choose to trust that God has the perfect plan for our lives. Let's choose to trust that when we ask Him, He will give us the steps to follow His path.  And trust that He will always give us enough time to do what He wants us to do.   Looking for more encouragement? Are you looking for more resources to help you draw closer to God, please check out my other blog posts and podcasts.

Saturday morning was damp and humid, perfect mosquito conditions. Sometimes walking in this place can feel like mosquito feeding time! However, this morning I realised no mosquito had come near me. My thoughts moved to the insect repellent I had put on before walking. I have two types of repellent I use, a spray from one brand, and a roll-on from a different brand. Today I applied the roll-on and it was definitely providing the full protection and I was grateful. God's protection Oh, my brain suddenly started going off, thinking about all the parallels between putting on the protection against mosquitos and putting on the protection God gives us to keep us safe from the enemy in the spiritual battles we face each day. Ephesians 6 is one of the chapters in the Bible where the Apostle Paul gives us some very clear directions about putting on the armour of God. He says, “Put on God's whole armour [the armour of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 AMPC Is the protection effective? The armour that God supplies is the best! No questions there.  But with the mosquito repellent, from my revelation on Saturday, I know that there are different levels of protection. I wonder if it is the application method (ie roll-on vs spray) or the repellent content that makes the difference? or both? Perhaps I might have to do a test on that! But in the interim, I will make sure that I am prepared and have the roll-on repellent with me for future walks.  Protection preparation So that brings up another question, how prepared are we when it comes to protection on our spiritual walk? How many times have you heard someone say "we are in a spiritual battle"? What does that mean to you? The Apostle Paul explains about the spiritual battle, “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly [supernatural) sphere.” Ephesians 6:12 AMPC The spiritual battle is real Just as mosquitos and the impact of their bite is very real, so are the spiritual enemies of God. This week someone shared with me about a dream they had where a demon came into their room and said “I am real”. This person's response was to go to God's word and seek after the truth. The truth in God's word is one of the pieces of armour God has given us - “the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17).  We need to know about the spiritual armour we have access to and be daily putting it on.  Joyce Meyer says, “It is important for us to see that we cannot fight darkness with darkness. I believe the best way to resist and overcome our powerful spiritual enemy is not by venting our anger and frustration in some fleshly manner. Rather, we need to put on our spiritual armour as described in Ephesians 6:13-17 and yield ourselves to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit within us as we pray (see Ephesians 6:18).” The Everyday Bible - Joyce Meyer, p1945 Gaps in the protection lead to distraction Sometimes I am in a hurry to get going on my walk. I forget to apply the repellent to my neck. When I have my hair up the back of my neck can be vulnerable to mosquito bites. I can hear them buzzing around my neck and I spend my walk continually shooing and slapping them away. They become a distraction, impacting on the purpose of my walk, which often is to have conversations with God - talking and lots of listening. And so too it can be for us if we are not putting on the full armour of God daily. Each part of God's armour has its purpose. We don't want any chinks in the armour where the enemy can come in and distract us. The Message Bible says,  “Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way prayer is essential for ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” Ephesians 6:13-18 The Message We are called to pray for one another, as each one of us is in this spiritual battle - some days it is just more evident than others. The Passion Translation says, “Pray passionately in the Spirit, as you constantly intercede with every form of prayer at all times. Pray the blessings of God upon all his believers.” Ephesians 6:18 The Passion Translation. The indispensable weapon A final word about God's Word, the indispensable weapon. One of the first books I bought when I became a Christian, aside from a New King James Bible, was The Spiritual Warrior's Prayer Guide by Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock. It helped me to understand the spiritual battle we are in and the armour God has given us. They say, “The only piece of the spiritual warrior's armour which is both offensive and defensive is named last on Paul's list: “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). William Gurnal aptly describes this piece of armour: “the sword is the weapon continually used by soldiers to defend themselves and to rout their enemies. Thus it illustrates the most excellent use of God's Word, by which the believer both defends himself and cuts down his enemies.” The Spiritual Warrior's Prayer Guide - Using God's Word in prayer and spiritual warfare; Quin Sherrer & Ruthanne Garlock p41. Build up your storehouse of scripture So I encourage you to build up your storehouse of scripture. Meditate on it day and night. Ask God for Scriptures and Rhema words you can wield into the atmosphere. They both protect and attack - reminding the enemy of the authority you have in Jesus Name. They are God-breathed words that build faith as you declare them over yourself, your family, your community and nation.  One of the scriptures I regularly declare over our family is:  “No weapon formed against you (any member of our family) shall prosper” Isaiah 54:17 NIV We live in a spiritual world, so let's not be naive and apathetic, but rather be equipped and prepared for each day, putting on the full protection that God has given us.  So we can do all God has called us to do without distraction!   To hear more encouragement from Wendy visit https://drawingclosertogod.org/podcasts

Do you need some encouragement to finish that project? How many times in your life have you started a project and struggled to complete it? Perhaps you are in that situation right now! Where do you go to get the encouragement you need to finish a project?  Striving to find a way So many times in my life I have been unable to find a way through. I strive to find the strategy, to find the key to moving forward. When I feel myself striving this way, I know there is only one action to take - Be Still. Yes, Psalm 46:10 again! I keep coming back to that very clear command from God - Be Still. Just “Be Still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). It's as though God is saying, “Will you just stop thinking all those thoughts and listen to Me.”  Not by might nor by power Often too God reminds me of the words the angel said to Zechariah to encourage the Israelites to complete the rebuilding of the temple after their return to Jerusalem from exile. The angel said to Zechariah, “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV) It was a challenging time for the Israelites, they were returning to a city that had been decimated. One commentary says, “Although the archaeological data is fragmentary, there is enough to suggest that the exiles returned to a shattered urban landscape where considerable effort was needed to simply survive.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, p1555). Encouragement to complete the project The rebuilding of the temple project seemed impossible to the Israelites. There was so much to be done and limited resources available. The Israelites needed some encouragement to keep focused and complete the project God had given them to do. So God provided that encouragement through Zechariah. Here is what one commentary says about their struggle: “The community was struggling to rebuild a sustainable economy, and severe limits on resources made rebuilding the temple an almost unthinkable task. For this reason, both Haggai and Zechariah needed to remind their audiences that God controlled the resources.”  (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, p1555).  Who controls the resources? An aside (or perhaps a key point!), in the economy we are living in today, it is important to remind ourselves that God still controls the resources. I remember one day last year I was walking and talking to God about my concerns about our finances, a Philippians 4:6-7 prayer. As I prayed a flock of cockatoos flew over, probably about 30 of them, and the Holy Spirit reminded me of Matthew 6:26,  “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NKJV).  Yes, God is in control and He is trustworthy. By My Spirit says the Lord Getting back to completing projects and the need for encouragement, let's have a look at  Zechariah 4:6 from the Amplified Bible, Then he said to me, This [addition of the bowl to the candlestick, causing it to yield a ceaseless supply of oil from the olive trees] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 AMPC  I love how the Amplified Bible gives that fuller picture to help us understand more of what God is saying. Read it again and listen out for which words the Holy Spirit quickens to you,  Then he said to me, This [addition of the bowl to the candlestick, causing it to yield a ceaseless supply of oil from the olive trees] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 AMPC  A Ceaseless supply These words are quickened to me “ceaseless supply of oil”, followed by "“My Spirit” [of Whom the oil is a symbol]."  Who is the Spirit? He is the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes and indwells in us. Jesus tells us this in John 14:16-17, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."  John 14:16-17 NIV So with the Holy Spirit living within us we then have a ceaseless supply of God's power. The Holy Spirit The Passion Translation footnote on John 14:16-17 explains some more about the Holy Spirit,  “The Greek word used here is parakletos, a technical word that could be translated “defence attorney.” It means “one called to stand next to you as a helper.” Various translations have rendered this “Counsellor,” “Comforter,” “Advocate,”  “Encourager,” “Intercessor,” or “Helper.” However none of these words alone are adequate and fall short in explaining the full meaning. The translator has chosen the word Saviour, for it depicts the role of the Holy Spirit to protect, defend, and save us from our self and our enemies and keep us whole and healed. He is the One who guides and defends, comforts and consoles. Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, our Saviour.” (The Passion Translation p630). Ask the Holy Spirit for help So what do we do when we need encouragement to finish the project, or perhaps we need some wisdom on how to finish the project? We ask the Holy Spirit for His encouragement and help. Joyce Meyer says,  “Are you faced with a difficult obstacle? Like the Israelites, you cannot overcome any situation with determination alone. You do need to be determined, but as Zechariah 4:6 teaches, be determined in the Holy Spirit - not in the effort of your own flesh. The Holy Spirit is your Helper; seek His help. Lean on Him. You cannot make it alone. You need Him.” (The Everyday Life Bible - Joyce Meyer (p1451)) No project is too big or small for the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is there available to help with all sorts of projects and problems - nothing is too big or small.  Last week I was having difficulty doing some formatting in a word document. I tried a few things but they didn't work, I could feel myself getting frustrated. So I paused and asked the Holy Spirit for help and then I felt a quiet prompting, “Try this,” I did and it worked. Perhaps I should have asked sooner for His help!  As the year ramps up and the days get busier, sometimes it is a challenge to fit all the tasks and activities into one day and I can once again feel myself getting frustrated and impatient, saying things to myself like, “There is not enough time to get this all done.” But again, a simple inquiry to the Holy Spirit as to what is actually necessary to do today always makes the day flow better. He knows which jobs can wait, and even which jobs are completely unnecessary.  On the bigger scale, there may be a situation that I have been asked to pray for - a situation where there appears to be no human way for things to change. So people pray, the Spirit moves, miracles occur and situations change. I've been blessed to witness this more than a few times in my life.  These are only a few examples of surrendering something, some project, to the Holy Spirit and trusting that He will bring the right resolution,  “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV) The parenting project A final note about a slightly different type of project - parenting. It is a project I find I often need encouragement for!  Parenting is a major area in my life where I have found this truth, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit"  to be revolutionary. So many times I have wanted to yell and scream and jump up and down and say to our children “Just do it this way!” And honestly, there have been occasions, to my embarrassment, when I have done that and it didn't end well! I quickly learnt that “Might and Power” wasn't a good strategy with teenagers! Yes, boundaries are necessary but the implementation has to be right - love, grace and truth is a good starting point. And who is best-placed to give you the specifics of that implementation - the perfect approach for each child? Yes, that is right - the Holy Spirit! A challenge for this week So I'll leave you with a little challenge for this week. The next time you need encouragement with any project, big or small, and you are tempted to just ‘get in there and fix it' or perhaps even thinking of giving up, then pause, take a breath and declare that this situation won't be resolved “by might nor by power, but by the Holy Spirit,” and then ask the Holy Spirit for His guidance, making sure you be still so you can hear His answer! To find out more please visit https://drawingclosertogod.org

Christmas was over a month ago. We were a little late putting our tree up this year, 23 December, but we did get there. Perhaps we will leave it up until February as it adds so much colour to the room. When we take the tree down the room looks very bland.  It's a bit like the tree in our garden I shared about a couple of weeks ago, stunning hot pink flowers and fresh green leaves in the summer, and then in winter - just plain brown branches. That thought leads me to a question, what brings colour into your life? What brings joy into your life? What dulls the colour in your life? Or what about these questions, what dulls the colour in your life? What steals your joy? Ken and I were recently reflecting on our almost 26 years of marriage, talking about the many times we have faced battles that have come to not only steal our joy but to steal our marriage and our family - the physical health battles; mental health battles; financial battles and relationship battles.  We know that Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;" The Thief comes to steal And we know that reading something and thinking that we understand it, is very different from the reality of living it! Ken and I have no doubts about why we are still “standing” today. We have a hope in someone so much greater than ourselves. A hope in Jesus Christ and faith to believe His words in the second part of John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus comes to give us life Life. Over the years, especially with the journey with our daughter and cancer, my understanding of that word ‘life' has changed. Often we are so focused on our life right here, right now. But God tells us in James 4:14 that our life here is fleeting,  “But you don't have a clue what tomorrow may bring. For your fleeting life is but a warm breath of air that is visible in the cold only for a moment and then vanishes!” James 4:14 TPT Life on earth is fleeting What we experience here today on earth is only one part of our life - the fleeting part of our life, perhaps even the dull part of our life when one considers eternity. The apostle Paul knew and understood this well. While in prison he wrote to the Philippians, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:13 NIV. Life here on earth is not the end game! There is more. Heaven. Eternal life. There is more If you are interested in finding out some more about Heaven, I can highly recommend this book that a friend gave me some years ago, Imagine Heaven - Near-Death Experiences. God's promises, and the exhilarating future that awaits you, written by John Burke.  Our access to eternal life is faith in Jesus Christ, as Romans 6:23 tells us,  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I don't know what is happening in your life right now, but I do know that there is a God in Heaven who loves you. I know that life here has many challenges and we face many battles. But I also know this, as a person who has been living with faith in Jesus Christ for 28 years, Jesus is our only hope for living life to the full both here on earth and for eternity. There is no other way.  “This is the true testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son. Whoever has the Son has eternal life; whoever does not have the Son does not possess eternal life.” 1 John 5:11-13 TPT Jesus brings the colour into my life Jesus brings the colour into my life - now and forever.  He can do the same for you if you choose to receive Him as your Lord and Saviour. If you want to do this now, please pray this prayer* with me: Father, You loved the world so much that You gave Your only begotten Son to die for our sins so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).  Your Word says we are saved by grace through faith as a gift from You. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). I believe and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Your Son, the Saviour of the world (Romans 10:9). I believe He died on the cross for me and bore all of my sins (1 Peter 2:24), paying the price for me (Isaiah 53).  I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead and that He is alive today.  I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sins and I ask You to forgive me. By faith I receive Jesus Christ now as my Lord and Saviour. I believe that I am saved and will spend eternity with You! Thank You, Father. I am so grateful! In Jesus' name, Amen. Next steps If you prayed this prayer for the first time, I encourage you to do three things: 1.       Start reading God's Word (The Bible) today. The book of Matthew is a great place to start. 2.       Find a local Bible-based church and commit to attending each week, so you can grow in your faith, be encouraged and encourage others, and learn more about the purpose God has for you on earth. 3.       Tell a family member or friend about the decision you have made today to receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. I pray that they will rejoice with you and encourage you. *This prayer is based on a prayer in The Everyday Life Bible.  To find out more please visit https://drawingclosertogod.org

What's your 'go-to' when things aren't working out how you thought they would? Does frustration take over? For me, being a planner and organiser by nature, frustration is definitely my 'go-to' when things aren't working out as I'd planned.  The broken wrist In early December I broke my wrist while renovating a room in our home. Standing on a kiddie step to sand a cornice, I stepped off awkwardly and fell. I screamed. My daughter came running and helped me get up off the floor. Immediately I started planning how I could continue the sanding. I attempted to pick up something with my left hand - but couldn't. My daughter looked at my left wrist and said, "Mum, you need to go to the hospital." I started crying, all these thoughts going through my head, the waiting at the hospital, the thought of not being able to drive and the implications on all the plans around Christmas. I could feel the frustration building. Be Still moment Then I took a moment to Be Still and to acknowledge God, as it says in Psalm 46:10. I asked Him what He wanted me to do in this situation, and I had a sense of a 'Slow down Wendy' message (Obviously!).  Choose to yield At that moment I could have continued with the negative thoughts about all I wouldn't be able to do due to this injury.  But over many years of having many unexpected medical situations in our family, I've learnt enough from God to know that when He speaks it is best to quickly yield, receive and embrace His words. The "just do it" and in this case it was "Slow down Wendy".    Yielding quickly Another key God has taught me to yielding quickly is thankfulness. Look for the things to be thankful for, as it says in Thessalonians 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Thessalonians 5:18 NIV In the situation with the broken wrist, I was thankful that I could get up and walk - I didn't injure any other part of my body. I was grateful that I was now going to get the rest I needed - I didn't have to ask anyone's permission to stop! Now, the cast is off, the bone has healed, and I can drive again. There are movement and strengthening exercises to do but life is back to normal. But I am so grateful that for 6 weeks I had a slower-paced life. Frustration brings limits And I am so grateful for all the years that God has been teaching me how to yield and not let frustration overtake me. James 1:2-4 tells us that these trials we face have a purpose, "My brethen, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 NKJV God matures us through our trials. But I must say, I find it really hard to "count it all joy" when I'm feeling frustrated. The frustration seems to take all my energy, so much so that it limits my ability to think and hear clearly. I can't hear clearly from God or other people who are trying to help me process the frustration. I need a circuit breaker to stop the moments of frustration turning into hours, days, months and years! The Circuit breaker With each trial I go through in life, complete with its frustration, something interesting happens - my understanding of God's trustworthiness grows. My ability to go to that place of "Okay, this is frustrating and annoying, but I am going to choose to trust that God has a plan and purpose here." has increased over the years and most times I can relatively quickly yield and go to the place of trusting God.  Of course, sometimes there is still that wrestle and it takes a bit longer - I am a work in progress - and thankfully God is patient and kind. ... is trust! So my circuit breaker to being overwhelmed by frustration is - Trust! And not trusting in myself and my abilities, but trusting in God. Proverbs 3:5-6, I'm sure you know it, says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path." (NKJV) Trusting God with all your heart For me, as I said, learning to trust God with all my heart is a journey. It didn't just happen like the flick of a switch when I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, at age 24. No, it has been and still is a gradual process of letting go of my plans (difficult when a lot of my career was about project planning!); letting go of the trust I have in my wisdom and knowledge (ie I know best); letting go of being led by my feelings, and letting go of the expectations of myself. Basically, it is the process of dying to oneself, and as Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23 NIV Surrender to His Ways The Passion Translation says it this way, "If you truly desire to be my disciple, you must disown your life completely, embrace my 'cross' as your own, and surrender to my ways." Luke 9:23 TPT Surrender. Letting go of my ways and following Jesus' ways. Trusting God. The catalyst for me to learning how to let go has been the trials of life, those trials that James talks about. With each trial that Jesus helps me overcome I learn more about His character. I grow in my understanding of just how trustworthy He is.  And I learn more about my character and that my frustration at the circumstances I didn't like or want, is highlighting to me the areas where I need to trust God more. Getting frustrated? Trust God So next time you feel yourself getting frustrated at a situation or person, take a breath and tell yourself that this is the time to, "Trust in the LORD with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding; In all my ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct my path." And perhaps if you haven't already, start writing in a journal about every time you make that choice to trust God and then record what the outcome is. It will become your book of personal testimonies to remind yourself that God is trustworthy. To find out more please visit drawingclosertogod.org

What are the first words you say to yourself when you wake up? Over the last few months, I have been purposefully saying to myself these words from a childhood Sunday School song (actually Psalm 118:24), "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." (NKJV).  It is a declaration to my soul. Me, telling myself that God is in control. He made this day (Psalm 118:24). He knows what is to come (Psalm 139:16). He will not leave me to do this day alone. (Deuteronomy 31:8). Speaking faith  Essentially I am speaking faith into my day.  Faith that no matter what happens, whether is it no drama (we don't actually have many of those days) or a little bit of drama, or some massive drama (we have had too many of those days!) - This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it! I'm telling myself that I will choose to keep my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)... Be thankful ... and I will keep looking for things to be thankful for. In fact, in The Passion Translation, Psalm 118, where the scripture, "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it" comes from, is titled, "Glorious Thanksgiving".  Its first few verses say, "Keep on giving your thanks to God, for he is so good! His constant, tender love lasts forever! Let all his princely people sing, His constant, tender love lasts forever!" Psalm 118:1-2 The Passion Translation Awake, my soul As someone who often speaks to themselves, I always find it reassuring when I hear of someone else who speaks to themselves too. In Psalm 108 we hear King David speaking to his soul as he prays to God for help, "My heart, O God, is quiet and confident, all because of you. Now I can sing my song with passionate praises! Awake, O my soul, with the music of his splendor. Arise, my soul, and sing his praises! I will awaken the dawn with my worship, greeting the daybreak with my songs of light." Psalm 108:1-2 The Passion Translation Yes, here is King David at dawn, speaking to himself, telling his soul to sing praises to God.  King David is speaking faith as he asks God for His help in the battle, "Save us and help us with your right hand, that those who you love may be delivered." Psalm 108:6 NIV An aside ... You may have heard Hillsong's beautiful worship song, Awake My Soul, which has some lyrics based on Psalm 108.  Words Matter We all know that the words we speak matter. We are often so careful with the words we speak to others. But for those of us who are often speaking to ourselves, we can easily forget to consider what we are saying to ourselves. Just as we need to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), we need to remember the truth of Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]." Proverbs 18:21 AMPC This truth applies to the words we say to ourselves and others. Joyce Meyer often speaks about the power of words and she says, "We have heard the phrase, "You're going to have to eat your words," and Proverbs 18:21 confirms this truth. The words we speak have power to influence our lives. In fact, you may be eating your words right now, and that may be why you are not happy with your life. Your mouth may be getting you in trouble with yourself!"  (The Everyday Life Bible, P993). What words will you wake up with tomorrow? So I'll leave you (and me) with a little challenge ... what words will we wake up with tomorrow? Will it be the 'Ugh, I wonder what's going to go wrong today,' with a generally unenthusiastic tone? Or will it be a statement of faith, such as "This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it," combined with a thankful attitude that His grace is sufficient for us today. To find out more please visit drawingclosertogod.org

In our garden we have a hot pink Crepe MyrtIe (I had to google to find out what type of tree it was!). It blooms in the height of summer, bringing a huge splash of colour to our garden. I love it, often exclaiming to the children as we drive in the driveway, “Look at the tree, look at the tree, it is so beautiful.” Of course in the winter it looks very different. Just a trunk and branches. No leaves. No hot pink flowers. Seasons God tells us in Ecclesiastes that there are seasons, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV. In September 2020 I felt that nudge from God that my season for writing this weekly blog had ended - Permanently or temporarily - I didn't know, but I obediently stopped. A few weeks later in October 2020, we found out that Victoria would have to re-commence chemotherapy treatment for a year.  Is it time to start again? Midway through 2022 I wondered, is it time to start again? But I didn't get a clear “yes” from God so I just waited. And then in Oct 2022 we received the news Victoria was going to need brain surgery, so clearly not the right time to start writing again - there were other priorities! Maybe now? Then in May 2023, it seemed as though it may be the right time to write so I put together a plan for the first couple of months of blog posts, planning to start in July. However, that timing wasn't right either, as some new health challenges appeared for Victoria in June of which she is still contending with. Or maybe now? But here we are today, the first Sunday in 2024. My husband has recently started as the Sunday morning announcer at a local Christian radio station. He is up and out of the house early so I have a quiet few hours to myself. Victoria's health continues to be challenging, but God is giving us each the daily grace we need to do that journey well. So I am sensing that it seems as though my next season of writing is finally here! Now, where to start? So where to start? I have read over the blog post plan I wrote last year and it still seems relevant - thank you Jesus for going before me and making a way! When I reflect on the past three years, particularly with the challenges of Victoria's health, there are many questions one could ask, but how about this one … “How does one live a life of hope when we are faced with so many unknowns?” That word ‘unknowns' means different things to each of us. For me, with the unknowns of life, I need something unchanging that I can rely on - a firm foundation. A firm foundation A firm foundation - a place that I can go, no matter what is going on in our lives, and it will give me strength and faith to get up the next day and keep moving forward. For me, that firm foundation is God's word - the Bible. That is the place I go to, reading it daily, fully expecting that God will speak to me through it, giving me His wisdom; reminding me that He loves me and that He will never leave me; encouraging me that He works all things together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose; reassuring me that because of Jesus Christ we can have eternal life. The Bible - the word of God So over the next few weeks, I'm going to write about some of my favourite scriptures and how God has used them in my life. Today I will leave you with this one … He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 NIV. I encourage you today, to find a physical space, perhaps it is sitting under a beautiful blooming tree like our Crepe Myrtle, and take five minutes to be still and meditate on the truth that there is a God in heaven and He loves you.  PS: Don't be surprised if tears come as you receive more of His love.  Needing some help to 'Be Still?' Here are some beautiful worship songs that have helped me come to that place of 'Being Still' before God: Be Still - Kari Jobe Be Still - Live - Hillsong Worship To find out more please visit https://drawingclosertogod.org  

In my lifegroup we are studying Romans. What a wonderful time we are having getting greater revelation of God's grace, learning more about why and how Jesus set us right with God. Every week we are reminded that it's all about God. Not us. It's all about Who He is, and what He says about us. Our justification We are up to Chapter 4. Warren W. Wiersbe in his book, Be right - how to be right with God, yourself, and others, says the following about this section in Romans and our justification ... Paul's theme in the second section of his letter was salvation - righteousness declared. He proved that all people are sinners; so his next goal was to explain how sinners can be saved. The theological term for this salvation is justification by faith. Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Christ on the basis of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Each part of this definition is important, so we must consider it carefully. To begin with, justification is an act, not a process. There are no degrees of justification; each believer has the same standing before God. Also, justification is something God does, not man. No sinner can justify himself before God. Most important, justification does not mean that God makes us righteous, but that He declares us righteous. Justification is a legal matter. God puts the righteousness of Christ on our record in place of our own sinfulness. And nobody can change this record. Warren W. Wiersbe, Be right - how to be right with God, Page 45 God does it all What truth. How many times to do need to hear this to get the revelation that it is all God's doing, and nothing to do with us. He declares us righteous .... And nobody can change this record. Those words that God said about Abraham, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," apply to us too, as Romans Chapter 4:24, 25 tells us ... But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our aquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God]. Romans 4:24,25 AMPC Jesus set us right with God The Message Bible says it this way ... But it's not just Abraham, it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God. Romans 4:24,25 The Message When I read this scripture, two songs came to mind ... Clean by Hillsong United Nothing but the blood by Hillsong I don't have much more to say today, other than that - that life-giving truth... The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God. And that is more than enough. Thank you Jesus. Are you right with God? If you want to be set right with God, and accept what Jesus did you for you, making a way for you to be right with God, then simply say this prayer from your heart, surrendering your life to Jesus Christ. Then seek out a local bible-believing church and connect with other followers of Jesus who can help you on your journey. Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. I believe that You became man and died on the cross for my sins. I believe that God raised You from the dead and made you the Saviour of the world.  I confess that I am a sinner and I ask you to forgive me, and to cleanse me of all my sins. I accept your forgiveness, and I receive You as my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. Please note, this prayer came from Gerald, K 1997, The Proving Ground - Nine tests that prove your personal potential,  Insight Publishing Group, Tulsa, OK, 106. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What does worship mean to you? Recently I read this statement about worship. It reminded me that worship is not about us. "Sometimes worship is difficult. We don’t want to praise God or hear God’s voice. Sometimes worship grabs us by the nape of the neck and shakes us up as we come face to face with an ineffable God. Sometimes worship is comforting as we bow down before a God who loves us and gave up everything for us. Sometimes worship is joyous as we praise God who does great things for our world. And sometimes worship is all those things at once. Worship should never be a passive experience, and it is never about us." Postmodern Children’s Ministry – Ministry to children in the 21st Century, Ivy Beckwith, Page 151. Let's consider this phrase again ...Worship should never be a passive experience, and it is never about us. What did Jesus say? When Jesus was being tested in the wilderness by the enemy Jesus reminded us of Who we are to focus our worship on. Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Luke 4:5-8 NKJV Jesus' words are very clear ... 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.' The Message Bible says it this way, Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.” Luke 4:8 The Message What is worship? We can think about worship in many different ways. One of the ways we are probably most familiar with is the 'singing time' in church, which at the moment, due to COVID-19, has greatly dimished in the wake of social distancing rules. I'm so grateful that our church has been able to meet again, in smaller numbers, and have a time of worship, albeit quite differently to what we are used to, but still a beautiful time of worshipping Jesus. With the absence of the familiar corporate worship time during COVID, we have had to purposefully seek out and embrace alternatives to continue fellowshiping and drawing closer to God. So as with many aspects of our faith during this time of COVID, the small group gathering and our individual devotion time with Jesus has taken on a more central role. Worship in the small group For me, my early experiences of home-group / life-group involved a time of worship. While there was some singing during the worship, mostly it was a time of sitting in the presence of God, focusing on the words that declared truth about our Saviour. For example, Lord of All, Hillsong Worship 'Lord I long to see you glorified In everything I do All my heartfelt dreams I put aside To see your Spirit move with power in my life. Jesus, Lord of all eternity Your children rise in faith All the earth displays your glory And each word you speak brings life to all who hear.' I'm grateful for those experiences and what I learned. They were one aspect of the equipping that enabled me to start a life-group in 2019, where we normally include a time of worship, sitting in the presence of God, with our heart and mind focused on Jesus, Lord of All. God prepares the way How perfect is that for today's scenario of COVID-19 when singing has so many restrictions around it. I love how God goes before us, preparing us for what we need, before we know we need it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV Despite the social distancing restrictions, we can still listen to some anointed worship songs, lay down our concerns from the day and turn our hearts and minds towards God. Here are a few of worship songs we play: Find me at the feet of Jesus- Christy Nockels What A Beautiful Name - Hillsong Worship Breathe/Rest (Spontaneous Worship) - Cory Ashbury Goodness of God - Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson You are for me - Kari Jobe Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth In these times though, when our experience of 'church' is a little different, I think it is important to pause and consider the wider definition of worship, and how we are living that out in our lives. CompellingTruth.org has an interesting article, How can I worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth, refering to our response to John 4:23-24. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 NLT And here is the same scripture in The Passion Translation ... From here on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with the right heart. For God is a Spirit*, and he longs to have sincere worshipers who worship and adore him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 TPT A side note, or perhaps the key note when it comes to worshipping Jesus, ... the footnote in The Passion Translation says, *Or “God is breath,” or “God is wind.” Jesus refers to “Spirit” more than one hundred times in the four Gospels. The transforming power of the Holy Spirit The power of the Holy Spirit transforms us, over time, into more sincere worshippers of Jesus. His power transforms our lives so we become a reflection of God's love - ie the fruit of the Spirit grows in us ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV Here is a more contemporary translation from The Message: But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22-23 The Message Worship is not about us So we have meandered from that original statement by Ivy Beckwith .... Worship should never be a passive experience, and it is never about us." ... to Jesus' words in Luke 4:8 ... 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.' Luke 4:8 NKJV ... to Jesus' words in John 4:24 ... For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 NLT ... to Paul's words about what happens in us when we allow the Holy Spirit transforms us ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV We need to choose to engage in worship So yes, worship is not about us, but we need to choose to engage in worship. We need to fully engage and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us through worship. Fully engaging means we continually choose to put Jesus first in our lives, acknowledging that He is Lord of All. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV Today, let's choose to engage fully in worship, however that looks for us - singing, loving, serving, and through that worship allow the Holy Spirt to transform us to be more and more like Jesus in this place. To find out more, please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

During COVID-19 our business slowed down, so Ken and I took the opportunity to learn some new skills, specifically in relation to video recording. A week ago Ken told me about a one month challenge he was going to do with a group Live Streaming Pros, about telling stories and listening to stories. The 31 Day Challenge The challenge, 31 Days to being Youniquely you on camera, involves doing a live stream to a private Facebook group, speaking to a question/topic provided by Live Streaming Pros. For example, 'What is holding you back?' One of the important aspects of the group is the giving and receiving of encouragement to other group members, of which there is 543 globally. It is a fascinating environment with plenty of stories to listen to. There are lots of Christians in the group, learning how to tell their stories in a more effective way. Actually that's why I decided to join Ken in this challenge, to improve my communication skills on video so I can more effectively share stories about Jesus. However the other morning after I had completed a live stream, I was doing the dishes (because the mundane activities of life have to be done!) and was thinking about how interesting it was listening to people learning how to share their faith and their dreams etc in this group. And I felt God say to me, "I want you to listen to the other stories too and learn from them." Listen to the other stories By 'Other stories' I knew God was referring to the people in the group who were obviously from other cultures and religions - remember this group has 543 people from all over the world who want to tell their stories more effectively, mostly with the goal of helping others. This instruction from God about listening to the stories and learning from them, reminded me of recent messages I had heard at church in relation to The Stolen Generation (Donna Meehan) and Gender-related issues. How easy is it to only listen to the things that make us feel comfortable, rather than the stories that challenge our thinking and hopefully our actions. So my response to God was, "Okay God, I will listen to the other stories too. Give me insight to hear what is being said and understand more about people. Please help me to listen with my heart." Of course this 'listening' doesn't only apply to the videos in the lifestreaming group, it applies to all areas of our lives. Listening to my children As a mum I haven't always been a good listener, either because I have been too busy to listen, or I have already made assumptions about what I would hear from the mouth of my child, or about the scenario that has played out. Over the years though I have learned that when I hear the words, 'Mum' it is best to stop and completely shift my attention to the person. Even if sometimes only to say, 'I will just finish this job and then I can speak with you.' Of course I am not perfect at this and sometimes its a couple of hours until I 'finish the job!' But most times I do try to respond with that initial acknowledgement. Stopping making assumptions has been a little bit more challenging for me, especially as the children grow and change. Sometimes after my 'assumption response' they have had had to say to me, 'Mum, I'm not like that anymore. I don't do that now.' And I've had to say sorry, and make a mental note to myself that they have changed. We can all be better listeners, especially with those closest to us. But who is going to listen to me? On the flipside, have you ever felt like, 'Who is listening to me? I am listening to my husband, my children, etc, but who is taking time to listen to me?' There is One who is always available to listen to us, and doesn't make assumptions about what we are going to say. Yes, He knows us completely, but He listens graciously and loves us unconditionally. Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book And you know all the words I'm about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. Psalm 139:1-4 TPT How wonderful is it to know that. Before I go to sleep I can chat with Him, leave my concerns with Him ... Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 TPT When I wake up I can ask Him for direction for the day ... Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5 NKJV And then the onus is on me again - to listen to God's teaching and instructions. God, please help us to listen well I wonder how much have we missed about life and people because we haven't listened properly? At home? At school? At work? At church? In social settings? Are we listening to stories people want or need to tell us? Let's ask God today to help us to listen well, listen with our heart (bypassing all the assumptions), and listen for the actions God wants us to take in response to what we hear. To find out more visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

In these interesting days, how are you going with being content when things keep changing? Restrictions tighten and restrictions ease. We are unsure what tomorrow will look like. Memories and grief surfacing When the Coronavirus started impacting on Australia there was a few days where I struggled as grief surfaced from our daughter's cancer journey. The continual hand santising was the trigger, a familiar practice during her 15 months of receiving chemotherapy. And now when we are again on 'high alert' and restrictions are tightening, I am reminded of when we as a family were on 'high alert' or hypervigilant in relation to Victoria getting a high temperature (over 38 degrees) and having to go to hospital for at least three days. These emergency hospital visits happened many times and caused much anxiety and turmoil for each member of our family. Warning: unashamed promo - if you want to read more about this part of our story, and God's faithfulness throughout it, my book is available at wendyrobinson.com.au What does it take to be content? The current situation and memories of the past had me thinking about contentedness. How does one get to that state of contentedness regardless of what is going on in their lives or around them? The Apostle Paul seemed to have found that place, as he explains to the Philippians... But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:10-13 NKJV There is so much to meditate on in this passage of scripture. Let's not forget where Paul was when he wrote this letter - prison, with the exact location unknown. He himself was undergoing hardship, however he was still able to maintain his focus on Christ and on others. Keep focussed on the goal Paul was focussed on a goal, regardless of his circumstances. He explains this to Philippians earlier in his letter. I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14 NLT Remember, Paul is in prison when he wrote this letter. Plenty of restrictions and unknowns in his life at that time! But he keeps his focus on Christ and his mission. John Maxwell says, This letter proves that even while the apostle Paul sat in a foul Roman prison, he never lost his passion, his sense of mission, his sense of direction, or his command of the situation. While Paul remained an inmate of Rome, he couldn’t plant new churches as he felt called to do. Instead, he sat in chains, attached to a Praetorian guard, awaiting a trial that he thought could end his life (1:21). Yet even in the midst of all of this, he never abandoned his role of leadership. NKJV Maxwell Leadership Bible Page 1470) Rejoice in the Lord Not only is Paul focussed on the mission despite the apparent hindrances, he is encouraging others to maintain their joy. Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 GW A supernatural joy that only comes from knowing the Lord and trusting that He is in control. Remember the scripture, Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord will be your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 NIV Why was Paul content? So how is it that Paul could experience that joy and continue to exhort others, in the midst of this trial? Perhaps it had something to do with his first meeting with Jesus, which we read about in Acts 9. During those days, Saul, full of angry threats and rage, wanted to murder the disciples of the Lord Jesus. So he went to ask the high priest and requested a letter of authorization he could take to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, requesting their cooperation in finding and arresting any who were followers of the Way. Saul wanted to capture all of the believers he found, both men and women, and drag them as prisoners back to Jerusalem. So he obtained the authorization and left for Damascus. Just outside the city, a brilliant light flashing from heaven suddenly exploded all around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a booming voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” The men accompanying Saul were stunned and speechless, for they heard a heavenly voice but could see no one. Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, the Victorious, the one you are persecuting. Now, get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you are to do.” Saul stood to his feet, and even though his eyes were open he could see nothing—he was blind. So the men had to take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus. For three days he didn’t eat or drink and couldn’t see a thing. Acts 9:1-9 TPT Well Jesus certainly got Saul's attention. One moment Saul was on a mission to persecute the followers of Jesus. Then suddenly he has an interaction with Jesus and finds himself completely blind and having to be led by the men with him. Saul was in a very vulnerable position, and yet that encounter with Jesus was so powerful, he did exactly what Jesus told him to do. God the Mastermind Around this same time Jesus was preparing the way for Saul, to become one of his 'chosen vessels'. This preparation involved a disciple, Ananais. For completeness, and because it is a wonderful example of how God brings restoration, purpose (and perhaps contentment?) into our lives, we will read Acts 9:10-19. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Acts 9:10-19 NKJV Knowing Christ We know from the Bible that Saul, now Paul, went on to spread the Gospel throughout the known world at that time, experiencing many hardships including prison and shipwreck, but always staying focussed on the goal. Paul had met Jesus and experienced the power of forgiveness. He had been transformed by Jesus and knew His power and authority. Paul had been filled with the Holy Spirit and he knew what his mission was. These Christ centred experiences enabled Paul to be content, no matter what. He knew Jesus intimately and trusted Him completely. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Philippians 4:12-13 The Message So how about us? Are we content? Is our relationship with Jesus so intimate that we are content regardless of what is happening around us? This is a challenging question. And the answer probably involves a journey, some movement from where we are today, to a closer relationship with Jesus. How to do we do that? There are many ways, but perhaps the first step is talking to Jesus, asking Him to show you what your next step is. So why not ask Him now. To find out more visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Are you a praying person? If not, perhaps today is a great day to start. Keep reading and hopefully, if I've communicated well, you will learn a little about prayer. If yes, then I really want to encourage you that prayer matters. But remember, the 'how', 'when', 'where' of prayer doesn't matter. Any-way, any-where and any-time is suitable for praying. Even the 'why' doesn't really matter, as God sees our heart. He knows our motives and will respond accordingly. God is gracious. But the 'who' does matter. Who are you praying to? John 14:6 tells us that we are to connect with God the Father, through Jesus Christ, his Son. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NIV Hence we pray, 'In Jesus Name.' So a few thoughts on prayer ... Praying for our nation Now is the time to pray for our country, if you haven't been already. There is so much need, and so many hurting people, what do we pray for? Protection? Provision? Forgiveness? Yes, all of those things, and perhaps a prayer for everyone in this nation to have greater revelation of God's great love for them, because remember the Bible says, Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us. 1 John 4:19 TPT Imagine what our country would be like if we all loved each other as God loves us. To help me pray for our nation, I have set up a music playlist 'City and Country'. It includes God of this city (Chris Tomlin) Good Grace (Hillsong United) Revival's in the air (Bethel Music & Melissa Helser) Here is as in Heaven (Elevation Worship) The Blessing Australia (Churches UNITE to sing the blessing over Australia) Pray for our Governments A little story... since March 2020 when COVID-19 started to impact more and more on our life in Australia, I began my day with praying for our Prime Minister. Praying for things like wisdom, protection and rest. Then one morning God said to me, 'Why aren't you praying like that for your husband?' So now, I pray those things for Ken, and then our Prime Minister and State Premiers. But back to God's word and what it says about praying for our governments... 1 Timothy 2:1, in the NIV says, I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1 NIV The following verse then tells us that it is pleasing to God when we pray for people in authority. Here is The Passion Translation ... Most of all, I’m writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God. Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts. It is pleasing to our Saviour-God to pray for them. He longs for everyone to embrace his life and return to the full knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 TPT Yes, God wants hearts to return to Him and His truth. Praying for our Christian brothers and sisters We can also be praying for our Christian brothers and sisters. The Apostle Paul is a great example of praying regularly for those who love Jesus. We know this by what he writes in his letters. Here are a couple of examples. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. Romans 1:9 NLT Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called - his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. Ephesians 1:15-19 NLT AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! If the Holy Spirit prompts you to pray for someone and you don't know where to begin, perhaps Paul's prayer is a good starting place! With some churches still unable to practically meet for 'normal' Sunday services due to COVID-19, it is important that we pray for each other, encourage each other and keep finding ways to stay connected, just as Ephesians 6:18 reminds us. In the same way, prayer is essential in the ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. Ephesians 6:18 The Message Another little story ... when our lifegroup (homegroup) meetings had to transition to online due to the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, the Holy Spirit prompted me to invite a friend from church, who wasn't currently in a lifegroup, to join us. She doesn't live close to us, and it was too far for her to come to our home each fortnight for the meeting. However, the establishment of the online lifegroup provided an opportunity for her to join and connect regularly with other women from church. Now as the social distancing restrictions have eased we are using a hybird approach with both face to face and zoom meetings (as I am sure many other groups are too) so she, and others who are unable to physically attend, can be at the meeting. That's our God - always working things out for good. So let's be asking God to show us ways to keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out, especially in these interesting times! Praying for yourself There comes a time in life when we realise we can't do this life well alone. We need help, someone bigger than ourselves and our world. I recently watched the movies of the true story of Louis Zamperini in Unbroken and Unbroken - the path to redemption. They were a great reminder of this truth. I remember the day when I had that revelation, almost 24 years ago. And most days since, probably at least once a day, these words have come from my lips, 'God I need your help' for many different reasons, including relationships, finances, health and peace. We need to be honest in our prayers and ask God for His help. Because of Jesus, we have direct access to God, our Heavenly Father. Hebrews 4:16 says, Let us therefore come boldy to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in the time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NKVJ The Psalms are full of examples of David telling God how he feels, oscilating between fear and faith, and acknowledging where his help comes from. Here is one of my favourites, Psalm 121:1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength come from GOD, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. Psalm 121:1-2 The Message. So if you are wondering if God really understands how you are feeling, I suggest that you take some quiet time to read through the Psalms. There will be at least one Psalm that will reasonates with you. If you are wondering where to start, here is a helpful resource from Jennifer Rothschild, Four Psalms to pray when you need God's help. And remember, Jesus is praying for you! Always remember, just as we are praying for others, there are people who are praying for us! And that includes Jesus. Romans 8:34 tells us, Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:34 ESV Yes, Jesus is interceding for you and me. The Passion Translation says it this way, "Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph? Romans 8:34 TPT What a glorious thought, Jesus is praying for our triumph! The Holy Spirit is also praying for us, as The Passion Translation's footnote for Romans 8:34 reminds us ... Not only does the Holy Spirit pray for us, so does Jesus Christ. Two divine intercessors are praying for you each day. Two-thirds of the Trinity are actively engaged in intercession for us. This is typified by the incident of Moses interceding on the mountain for Israel’s victory with one hand held high by Aaron (the high priest, a type of Jesus, our High Priest) and Hur (or “light,” a metaphor for the Holy Spirit, who prays with divine illumination for our good). See Ex. 17:9-13; Heb. 7:25; 9:24. Are you feeling encouraged? I sure am. Are you a praying person? So I'll ask again, 'Are you a praying person?' If not, perhaps today is a great day to start. Begin by saying hello to Jesus and telling Him how you are feeling, and asking for His help. If yes, you know that there is no shortage of situations and people to pray for, so let's continue to pray feverently and be expectant that our God will answer. Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 The Voice To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Have you experienced a time when you thought to yourself, "I wish Jesus was here with me." I remember a friend, who was having radiation treatment for cancer, saying to me, "Before I go into the treatment room, I stand at the door and say, 'Okay Jesus, in we go together.'" She was declaring that Jesus was going with her into that room, acknowledging that she was not going alone. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that "I am not alone." Jesus walks with me That story reminds me of a song, "He walks with me" from Merle Haggard. The lyrics are simple but beautiful ... I come to the garden alone While the dew is still on the roses And the voice I hear falling on my ear The son of God discloses And he walks with me and he talks with me And he tells me I am his own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known He speaks and the sound of his voice is so sweet The birds hush their singing And the melody that he gave to me Within my heart is ringing And he walks with me and he talks with me And he tells me I am his own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known You know that feeling you have after spending time with someone who loves you. You feel heard, encouraged, safe and secure. Well that is how we can feel after spending time with Jesus. But first we have to recognise that He is with us and acknowledge Him. Recognising Jesus Let's take a look at a couple of stories where Jesus wasn't immediately recognised. At the empty tomb Firstly, at the empty tomb after Jesus' resurrection ... But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?" "They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognise him. Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?" She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him." Jesus said, "Mary." Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!" John 20:11-16 The Message But she didn't recognise Him In regards to Mary not recognising Jesus, let's look at the way other translations say verse 14, The Passion Translation - Then she turned around to leave, and there was Jesus standing in front of her, but she didn't realise that it was him! The New King James Version - Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Recognise, realise and know According to the NIV Study Bible, we don't know why Mary didn't recognise Jesus, "He may have looked different or he may intentionally have prevented recognition." NIV Study Bible, Luke 20:14 Commentary, page 1633. What about us? I wonder how many times things have happened in our lives and Jesus has been there and we haven't recognised, realised or known. Or why we sometimes don't recognise Jesus, or realise what He is doing in our lives? Perhaps this is the moment to ask Him. Jesus calls us by name An aside, or maybe one of the main points ... notice that it is when Jesus calls Mary by her name that she recognises him. In the TV series about Jesus, The Chosen (available at the App Store or Google Play), there is a beautiful scene in Episode 1, when Jesus calls Mary by her name and she is redeemed. The road to Emmaus Let's have a look at another interaction on that same day, when Jesus was not recognised. He is walking with two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking about all these things that had occurred. And while they were conversing and discussing this together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognise Him. Luke 24:13-16 AMPC In this story it is clear that the disciples did not recognise Jesus because of divine intervention. The Passion Translation says it this way ... They were unaware that it was Jesus walking alongside them, for God prevented them from recognising him. Luke 24:16 TPT Jesus is recognised when He broke the bread In fact, the disciples didn't recognise Jesus until that evening at supper... Joining them at the table for supper, he took bread and blessed it and broke it, then gave it to them. All at once their eyes were opened and they realised it was Jesus! Then suddenly, in a flash, Jesus vanished before from their eyes! Luke 24:30-31 TPT Oh my, there certainly was a lot of mysterious things going on at the time, and I don't pretend to understand any of them. But it is good to ask God what He wants to show us through these stories. Current events - what's going on? An interesting aside about the conversation on the road to Emmaus, the disciples were discussing the current events of the day ... And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?" Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened in there in these days? And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel....... ....Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ have suffered these things to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:17-27 NKJV Jesus explains the bigger picture In our world today, there are certainly many interesting current events to discuss. But notice what happens in this conversation on the road to Emmaus, who brings the wisdom and explains what is going on? Jesus. John Maxwell comments on this conversation, "As two grieving men conversed about Jesus' crucifixion, they struggled to understand what it all meant. Jesus saw their confusion and could tell they needed someone to guide them. So He joined them and began to explain His resurrection in light of Scripture (Luke 24:27,45). By the end of their time together, it all made sense." John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Page 1299. Listen to how The Passion Translation explains the disciples' response when they realised they had been walking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, Stunned, they looked at each other and said, "Why didn't we recognise it was him? Didn't our hearts burn with the flames of holy passion while we walked beside him? He unveiled for us such profound revelation from the Scriptures!" Luke 24:32 TPT What is God showing us? So what profound revelation does God want to give us today through these stories from Scriptures? Possibly some of these things, and probably a whole lot more! Jesus will reveal himself when He chooses. When Jesus asks us questions, we need to search our heart and give an honest answer. If we spend time with Jesus and learn to know His voice as Mary did, we will recognise Him when He speaks to us. Jesus knows when we are struggling and will walk alongside us and help us, if we let Him. Sometimes Jesus will do the unexpected, like vanishing at the supper. We won't always understand what He does and that's okay. We have to trust that His plan is good. Only Jesus has the complete picture, understanding how each part of the puzzle fits together, so we need to listen when He speaks. Jesus walks and talks with us today To finish today, let's just revisit the words of that song again, knowing that Jesus is with us and we are not alone. And he walks with me and he talks with me And he tells me I am his own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Have you had the experience of crying out to God for many years, and then as the busy-ness of life takes over, the cry is still there, but not so loud? Then one day you have this moment, where the Holy Spirit nudges you and says, 'Look.' You look and see that God is answering that prayer. A smile comes over your face, and your heart feels full. The blindness of busy-ness is lifted. The blindness of busy-ness When this recently happened to me, I started thinking about how we often get so focused on other things, that we miss what God is doing. Proverbs 29:18 in The Message Bible says ... If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. Proverbs 29:18 The Message When I obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and looked and saw what God was doing, I did indeed feel and know that I was most blessed. The Amplified Bible says Proverbs 29:18 this way, Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God]. Proverbs 29:18 AMP Ummm ... No revelation of God and His word ... the people are unrestrained... The blindness in our thinking Let's look at this scripture for a moment in the context of our thought-life. That is, when our thoughts are not focused on God's truth they can wander wherever they desire. This happens when we are not actively taking our thoughts captive, as God says to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV This is another blindness, not towards what God is doing, but in relation to what we are thinking! Negative thoughts causing blindness I experienced this type of blindness recently when I let negative thoughts overwhelm me. They caused me to lose sight of God's word. I couldn't see the good. I couldn't see a positive path forward. The story Over the past month our daughter has had nine medical appointments in relation to her left leg, and there are two more this coming week. Attending all these appointments brought back the memories of the multiple hospital visits from her time of having chemotherapy treatment. Late last week, both my daughter and I were at the point of sighing, crying and thinking, 'No, not another appointment,' and 'Will it always be like this?' So strong is the emotional pull of old memories and feelings of despair - grief. For our daughter during recent years the negative experiences around these ongoing appointments have been offset by the joy and excitement of swimming training and competing at sporting events. But due to COVID-19 restrictions and other factors beyond our control, those activities are currently not happening. So, the question she now often asks is, 'What is there to look forward to?' What is there to look forward to? What is there to look forward to? Yes, blindness can stop us looking forward and it can stop us looking to Jesus. The blind beggar These thoughts about blindness led me to reading the story of Jesus healing the blind beggar Bartimaeus, recounted in Mark 10 and Luke 18. Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]! And many severely censured and reproved him, telling him to keep still, but he kept on shouting out all the more, You Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!" And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, telling him, Take courage! Get up! He is calling you. And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, What do you want Me to do for you? And the blind man said to Him, Master, let me receive my sight. And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has healed you. And at once he receive his sight and accompanied Jesus on the road. Mark 10:46-52 AMPC What did God speak to you about as we read that story? For me, there were four things which I share below. But first, lets give thanks for the revelation God brings to us through His word. Remember Proverbs 29:18 that we read earlier, Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God]. Proverbs 29:18 AMP Keep asking. Don't give up Firstly, Bartimaeus called out to Jesus not once, but twice. He didn't give up. Interestingly when this story is recounted in Luke, earlier in Chapter 18, Jesus is teaching the disciples about prayer, saying, Don't you know that God, the true judge, will grant justice to all of his chosen ones who cry out to him night and day? He will pour out his Spirit upon them. He will not delay to answer you and give you what you ask for. God will give swift justice to those who don't give up. So be ever praying, ever expecting, just like the widow was with the judge. Luke 18:7-8a TPT Jesus finishes this teaching about prayer with this question, a challenge to me and you ... Yet when the Son of Man comes back, will he find this kind of persistent faithfulness in his people? Luke 18:8b TPT Revelation (or reminder) Keep calling out to Jesus. Let's be people of persistent faith.   Courage to respond Secondly, when Jesus responded to the blind beggar's call, it appears from the disciple's words that Bartimaeus was a little hesitant to go to Jesus. So they went to the blind man and said, "Have courage! Get up! Jesus is calling for you!" Mark 10:49 TPT As we know Bartimaeus did muster the courage, get up and go to Jesus. Imagine if he hadn't. He would have missed that opportunity to receive healing. The Message Bible says, They called him. "It's your lucky day! Get up! He's calling you to come!" Mark 10:49 The Message His lucky day indeed! Revelation (or reminder) Sometimes it takes courage to respond to what Jesus asks us to do, but that is part of the faith adventure. Note: there is a great song that reminds me to take courage: Take Courage by Kristine DiMarco.   Throw off the old cloak Thirdly, look what Bartimeaus did when he responded to Jesus ... And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and came to Jesus. Luke 10:50 AMPC It seems like, that to get up, Bartimeaus had to throw off something - his outer garment. The Passion Translation says, So he threw off his beggars' cloak, jumped up, and made his way to Jesus. Luke 10:50 TPT He had to throw off the cloak that represented his old life, before he could receive the new life Jesus had for him. Revelation (or reminder) This was one of the main points of the story God wanted me to understand. I had to throw off the old memories of years of medical appointments. I had to take those thoughts captive and remind myself that we are in a new season now. This is not the past. God is doing a new thing. Some serious talk to self, declaring God's truth and promises was required. For both me, but for our daughter.   Confidence in Jesus' power Finally, Bartimaeus had confidence that Jesus could make him well. Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road. Mark 10:52 AMP So a question for us, "Who or what are we putting our confidence in today?" Revelation (or reminder) There is only one answer -> Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." John 14:6 NKJV   The Blindness and Jesus So just remember to keep a look out for blindness in your life. The blindness of busy-ness can cause us to miss seeing what God is doing in our lives. The blindness of negative thinking can stop us looking to Jesus, the One we need to have our confidence in. The importance of confidence in Jesus Three final thoughts on the importance of confidence in Jesus, and accompanying scripture, because remember what the Amplified Bible says in Proverbs 29:18. Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God]. Proverbs 29:18 AMP 1. We need to have confidence that with Jesus we can do all things. I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfil His purpose - I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.] Philippians 4:13 AMP 2. We need to have confidence that with Jesus we can more than overcome. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NKJV 3. And when we can't find that confidence, we need to remember. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power my rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 NIV To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What has God put on your heart to do today? Is it something you regularly do, or is it a little 'out-of-the-box'? This is a story about having the courage to do what God says, no matter how 'weird' it seems, and then witnessing how God blesses others through that obedience. I pray this simple story encourages you to follow through on promptings from the Holy Spirit, trusting that your obedience will bring blessing to yourself and others. Walking and praying One of my weekly activities is twice a week walking and praying around the school grounds, normally with a couple of other mothers from school. Most of the time we have no idea how God uses our prayers. We just walk and pray in faith that He is at work in the supernatural. We may never know the outcomes of those prayers, but we trust that in this season it is what God has asked us to do. Plans change The presence of COVID-19 put a stop to the walking around the school grounds. But it did not stop us praying together, as we like many others around the world quickly worked out how to pray together online. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. Isaiah 54:17 NKJV And, again, as I'm sure many people found during this time, the stretching and having to do things a little differently, actually became a blessing. In our school prayer example, praying online enabled more mums to pray than could usually be present at school, which led to more conversation and deeper relationships. It's a bit like, the enemy had a plan, and God used it for good, sound familiar ... And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NKJV More changes Now as the restrictions from COVID-19 are slowly reducing, we can walk and pray at school again, albeit in a specified area, the school oval, and with a maximum of three prayers. We are just so grateful to be allowed to pray on school grounds again. Normally we commence our prayer walk by going around the boundary of the school. Our starting place is the oval. For the past couple of years we have done this on Friday afternoons when sport is on, so the children and teachers were used to seeing us walking and praying. Last Friday was my first time returning to pray at school, and I was by myself. When I completed my first lap of the oval I thought, "How silly is this going to look, when I walk around the oval again?" As I couldn't go on our normal route around the school due to the COVID-19 restrictions. It's not about me! But then, with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I remembered that it wasn't about me! But rather it was about what God wanted to do in that moment. And I had no idea what that was, so I asked Him, "God, why is it that we are allowed only here, on the oval? I know from a COVID-19 safety perspective why we are here, but why have You got us only here? What is it that You want me to do?" Pause for a moment and picture this - a sports oval filled 7 classes of children and their teachers, and one woman walking around the perimeter of the oval praying. What do you think God wanted me to do? We have all been impacted by COVID-19 in different ways, especially teachers who had to completely re-think the way they deliver education very quickly, and implement new strategies effectively and efficiently. Pray for the teachers So God's answer to me was simply, "Pray for the teachers on the oval." So I started on my second prayer lap of the oval. As I walked past each teacher, God gave me a word of encouragement, very specific, which I madly scribbled on a piece of paper. As much as I wanted to, I knew it wasn't appropriate to walk up to them in the middle of their sports activities and say, 'Hi, I felt God wanted to say to you .... ' Previously I had received specific words of encouragement for teachers, normally one or two, but never seven during one prayer walk. This was a little unusual. What was God doing? What next God? As I drove home from school I asked God about those words of encouragement, and how specific they were, and what to with them. Do I email each teacher individually, or send a group email including everyone's word of encouragement? You may think, what does it matter how you deliver the words of encouragement? But more and more I am learning that God is interested in the details. It mattered to Him how they were delivered, because, as He was about to tell me, He had another message to deliver to these teachers. God's response to my question about the specificity was something like, "This is My body – each one with a role to play and a gift to bring." The diversity of the body of Christ I got it! God was wanting to not only deliver a word of encouragement to each teacher, but He wanted to send a message about the wonderful diversity of His body. It is the same Holy Spirit who continues to distribute many different varieties of gifts. The Lord Yahweh is one, and he is the one who apportions to believers different varieties of ministries. The same God distributes different kinds of miracles that accomplish different results through each believer's gift and ministry as he energises and activates them. Each believer is given continuous revelation by the Holy Spirit to benefit not just himself but all. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 TPT God's response to the 'How' question was 'send as a group email' to illustrate the diversity of the body. Later in the afternoon I sent that group email with the words of encouragement and supporting scriptures. The responses I received confirmed that God's message had been delivered and understood. All glory to God, He knows what we need and when we need it. The 'takeaways' from this story So there are plenty of 'takeaways' from this simple story. I've listed them below with the supporting example. Make space in your life for God to speak to you (e.g. purposefully set aside time to pray and listen to God) Trust that God is at work in the unseen (e.g. praying for people, students and families, that we don't know) When seemingly barriers arise, be expectant that God will use it for God (e.g. temporary move to praying online) Take your eyes off yourself and put them on Jesus (e.g. worrying about what others will think about repeatedly walking around the oval). When plans change, ask God what He wants to bring from the change (e.g. What were God's plans for us praying only on the oval?) Be ready for God to do things differently (e.g. God's words of encouragement for each of the seven teachers on the oval) Keep asking God for the next step (e.g. how to deliver the words of encouragement to the teachers) God has a bigger plan (e.g. this was about more than words of encouragement, it was about giving a picture of Christ's body - unity through diversity) Obeying leads to blessing others (e.g. obeying God's call to take time to pray lead to His word of encouragement for others). Obedience will bring blessing This is a very simple story of how when we obey what God asks us to do, we can be a blessing to others. Just as God wanted to encourage these teachers that they all have gifts and are part of one body, it is the same for us. We all have gifts, gifts to bless others with, however sometimes we just need a little bit of encouragement to get out there and use them! So I pray that this story encourages you to do what God has put on your heart, and know that He has gifted you for a purpose, far greater than you could have imagined. And whatsmore, you may never know how far the blessing ripples will travel from your step of obedience. But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires. A diversity is required, for if the body consisted of one single part, there wouldn't be any body at all! So now we see that there are many differing parts and functions, but one body. 1 Corinthians 12:18-20 TPT To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Do you remember your most recent dream? What was it about? What did it mean? I only remember a few of my dreams, mainly because they were delivering very clear messages from God. Messages that helped me to re-focus rather quickly! Dreams and messages - don't ignore them. One of my dreams that I remember most clearly came soon after Ken and I were married. One night we had an argument. Ken went for a walk. I was emotionally exhausted so went to bed, and promptly fell asleep. I had a very vivid dream, with one lasting image - our bed, Ken lying on one side, me on the other side, and a huge snake lying in between us. On seeing this image I woke up, phoned Ken asking him to come back immediately. He did. We apologised to each other, forgave each other and prayed. I believe that dream was from God, a warning that there needed to be unity in our marriage as the enemy was already planning on how to cause division, after only a few weeks of marriage. Yes, God can speak to us through dreams. And He wants us to listen. King Nebuchadnezzar's dream A friend recently shared a link to one of Ravi Zacharias' last sermons. In the sermon he illustrated the importance of seeking God's wisdom by recounting a story from the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar's request for the Chaldeans to make known to him his dream and its interpretation. It's a great story of how God delivers messages through dreams. In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams by which his spirit was troubled and agitated and his sleep went from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, the enchanters or soothsayers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans [diviners], to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, I had a dream and my spirit is troubled to know the dream. Daniel 2:1-3 AMPC However, the Chaldeans wanted the king to tell them the dream first, and then they would respond with the interpretation. Then said the Chaldeans [diviners] to the king in Aramaic [the Syrian language], O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. Daniel 2:4 AMPC No man on earth can do that But Nebuchadnezzar insisted - both the dream and the interpretation. And the Chaldeans continued to resist. They knew they had no way of knowing what Nebuchadnezzar's dream was because, as they expressed, they had felt only the gods could reveal that to the king. The Chaldeans [diviners] answered before the king and said, There is not a man on earth who can show the king this matter, for no king, lord, or ruler has [ever] asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. A rare and weighty thing indeed the king requires! None except the gods can reveal it to the king, and their dwelling is not with [human] flesh. Daniel 2:10-11 AMPC The Chaldeans did not have a relationship with the one true God, the living God. They didn't have access to His wisdom. The Message Bible says it like this, The fortunetellers said, "Nobody anywhere can do what you ask. And no king, great or small, has ever demanded anything like this from any magician, enchanter or fortuneteller. What you're asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it - and they don't hang around with people like us. Daniel 2:10-11 The Message Nebuchadnezzar wants answers Nebuchadnezzar obviously wasn't very happy with the response from the Chaldeans. He wanted answers! That set the king off. He lost his temper and ordered the whole company of Babylonian wise men killed. When the death warrant was issued, Daniel and his companions were included. They also were marked for execution. Daniel 2:12-13 The Message Daniel did have a relationship with the living God, and he had confidence that God would give him wisdom to respond correctly to the king's request - providing both the dream and the interpretation. So Daniel asked the king for a little extra time to provide an answer to his request. The mystery is solved Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel that night in a vision So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel 2: 17-19 NKJV Daniel then went back to Nebuchadnezzar and gave him the answer. He prefaced his response with acknowledgement of where the wisdom came from. Daniel answered the king, "No mere human can solve the king's mystery, I don't care who it is - no wise man, enchanter, magician, diviner. But there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and he has solved this one. He is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in the days ahead. This is the dream you had when you were lying on your bed, the vision that filled your mind. Daniel 2:27-28 The Message Godly wisdom This story makes me think about James 1:5, a scripture I have posted on the wall near my desk, If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5 NLT God speaks to us through dreams So dreams and messages ... God uses dreams to tell us about our future, just as He did with King Nebuchadnezzar. And God can give us wisdom regarding the interpretation of our dreams, just like He did for Daniel. We just need to ask Him for His wisdom. Sometimes God uses dreams to give us information about situations, to give us greater understanding and essentially encouraging us to trust that He has got the situation sorted. God did that for Joseph when he found out Mary was pregnant. Her fiance, Joseph, was a righteous man, full of integrity and he didn't want to disgrace her, but when he learned of her pregnancy he secretly planned to break the engagement. While he was still debating with himself about what to do, he fell asleep and had a supernatural dream. An angel from the Lord appeared to him in clear light and said, "Joseph, descendant of David, don't hesitate to take Mary into your home as your wife, because the power of the Holy Spirit has conceived a child in her womb. She will give birth to a son and you are to name him 'Saviour,' for he is destined to give his life to save his people from their sins." ... When Joseph awoke from his dream, he did all that the angel of the Lord instructed him to do. Matthew 1:19-21, 24 TPT God warns us through dreams Sometimes God uses dreams to give us warnings. Again He spoke to Joseph via a dream, warning him about Herod's plans to kill Jesus. Now when they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt. Matthew 2:13-14 NKJV Note, the 'they' who had departed, were they wise men, who had also received a warning from God in a dream. Afterward they returned to their own country by another route because God had warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. Matthew 2:12 TPT Note 2: What is it with these Kings who get angry, albiet for different reasons, frustration and fear, and then respond with killing - Nebuchadnezzar and all the wise men of Babylon; Herod kills every baby boy two years old and younger in Bethlehem. This is the fallen world we live in. God uses dreams to give us directions In Egypt God speaks to Joseph again in a dream, this time, to give Joseph clear direction on where to go next. Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead. Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. Matthew 3:19-21 NKJV But then Joseph is concerned because Herod's son is now in control in Judea, so in another dream God gives Joseph further instructions. But when he heard that Archelaus, Herod's son, had succeeded him as ruler over all the territory of Judah, he was afraid to go back. Then he had another dream from God, warning him to avoid that region and instructing him instead to go to the province of Galilee. So he settled his family in the village of Nazareth, fulfilling the prophecy that he would be known as the "Branch." Matthew 2:22-23 TPT God's instructions and our obedience How obedient is Joseph? After each of these dreams where he received the information, warnings and instructions from God, Joseph did what God asked of him. Furthermore, some of those actions fulfilled prophecy from the Old Testament. So how important is it that we consider our dreams, asking God if He is giving us a message in them. And how important is it, to do whatever He asks us to do. God has the big picture Remember God has the big picture. He has the plan and He will reveal our next step, maybe via a dream, at the right time. To finish, let's meditate on what Daniel said when God revealed the mystery of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream to him ... That night the answer to the mystery was given to Daniel in a vision. Daniel blessed the God of heaven, saying, "Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows all, does all: He changes the seasons and guides history, He raises up kings and also brings them down, he provides both intelligence and discernment, He opens up the depths, tells secrets, Sees in the dark - light spills out of him! God of all my ancestors, all thanks! all praise! You made me wise and strong. And now you've shown us what we asked for. You've solved the king's mystery." Daniel 2:19-23 The Message To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

When do you get impatient? I remember years ago someone saying that you know when you are in a hurry when you put a frozen meal in the microwave, turn it on, and then get impatient because it takes 4 minutes to defrost and cook a meal. When I heard that I gained some insight into myself!!!! Yes, it seems like I'm continually on the patience journey. I wonder if we did a little stock-take of our patience levels for one week what the results would show. For me I'm sure there would be some impatient moments related to technology, my husband and our children. Although by the grace of God, thankfully not as many as there used to be! If we let Him, God will continually transform us. But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the "Lord" I'm referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 TPT The Holy Spirit The New King James Version says it this way, But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed in to the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV On this patience journey, there has been one scripture that the Holy Spirit often leads me to when I can feel myself getting frustrated and feeling like I want to step in and take control ... So he answered and 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 of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 NKJV This scripture always stops in me my tracks. And I am reminded of a situation a few years ago with an organisation I am connected with, where there was a lot of might and power happening, it was very ugly. After months the situation was resolved, not by the might and power, but by the Spirit. And I am reminded of situations in our family, where using my own resources and wisdom (my might and power) I have tried and tried and tried to resolve issues. But then one day, by the Spirit, change comes and the issue is resolved. Developing patience In this season with three teenagers and one pre-teen, patience is certainly a virtue, and one I am relying on the Holy Spirit to develop more within me. But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless. Galatians 5:22-23 TPT Mary, the mother of Jesus As a parent, I want patience that endures. I was thinking of a couple of parents we read about in the Scriptures, such as Mary the mother of Jesus. She knew before she became pregnant that the child she was carrying was the Son of God. But the angel reassured her, saying, "Do not yield to your fear; Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on his ancestor David's throne. He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit." Luke 1:30-33 TPT How patient would Mary have been, knowing that her son had this future ahead of Him, but having to wait on God's perfect timing. I'm sure I would have had many moments of impatience and frustration thinking, "Why don't you just get on with it and do your job now!" God's timing We know from John 2, that eventually Mary does ask Jesus to do a public miracle when the wine runs out at the wedding in Cana. And when Mary realised it, she came to him and asked, "They have no wine, can't you do something about it?' John 2:3 TPT The footnote from The Passion Translation says, "This is a dilemma that Mary is hoping Jesus will solve by performing a miracle. Mary has no doubt about the power and anointing of her Son." The story goes on ... Jesus replied, "My dear one, don't you understand that if I do this, it won't change anything for you, but it will change everything for me! My hour of unveiling my power has not yet come." John 2:4 TPT Again, lets read the footnote from The Passion Translation, "For Mary, it will change her very little, but for Jesus, this will be his first public miracle and will dramatically change his ministry from this moment on as the crowds see the power he possesses. Jesus knows his miracle ministry will "come out of hiding" by performing a miracle. Yet with Mary's encouragement, Jesus proceeds to do just that." God knows all the implications There is so much for us to learn from that story. In relation to patience it shows how important it is that we gain understanding that God's timing is perfect. He has the full picture, and knows all the implications for everyone involved. For me as a mum I am always learning that God is at work in our children's lives, even when I can't see the physical outworking. Not by my might or my power, but by His Spirit, the transformation is happening. My role is to love and encourage - often with no words, just actions, and sometimes no actions either, but just interceding for them in prayer. The father of the Prodigal Son Another story in Scripture that came to mind is the parable Jesus told about the prodigal son. I wonder how long the son was away from home, and how often the father thought to himself, "Come on son, why don't you just come home!" But the father knew the son had to make his own decision to return home. It was another 'not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit' time. I found this commentary from Oosterzee, regarding the father ... "The father has, however, been indirectly working for his recovery, by allowing him to bear all the consequences of his transgressions; he has, besides, been waiting patiently, and keeping both his heart and his house open to him." -Theological and Homiletical Commentary on the Gospel of St Luke, Volume 2. Johannes Jacobus van Oosterzee, edited by Johann Peter Lange and translated by Sophia Taylor. Edinburgh, 1867. The father in the parable is just like our Father in Heaven, who keeps His heart and house open to us. He allows us to make our own decision to return to Him, first through salvation, and then each day as we continually yield to Him in different areas of our lives. God is love, and love is patient. Love is ... I'm sure you know this scripture, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, often read at weddings (how interesting that Jesus did His first public miracle at a wedding, an event celebrating love) ... Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one's achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honour. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, it never gives up. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 TPT When I read this scripture and think about God, these are all the qualities I picture in Him. And these are the qualities He wants to develop in us, including patience, not by our might, not by our power, but by His Spirit. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognised as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 The Message The patience journey, only made truly possible when walking in His Spirit. Let's walk that way today. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

It is always worth taking the time to read The Bible. God constantly wants to show us something. Earlier this week I was reading about Jesus feeding the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21. As I was reading God reminded me that often Jesus does the unexpected. Let’s take a look at the story. Getting bad news Jesus has just heard that his cousin, John the Baptist, has been beheaded, thanks to King Herod. Jesus is obviously upset by this news and seeks out some time alone. When Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there privately in a boat to a solitary place. Matthew 14:13a AMPC. I don’t know about you, but for me, when I hear some devastating news, I want to be by myself to process what I've just heard. I remember those first couple of days after Victoria was diagnosed with a brain tumour. In the hospital I'd often escape to a small room attached to the Ronald McDonald Family Room, and spent a lot of time there crying and praying. It was called ‘The Quiet Room.’ I was very grateful for that space. But Jesus didn’t have the luxury of that quiet processing space. Everyone wanted to see Him and speak with Him. But when the crowds heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. Matthew 14:13b AMP. No time to process the grief The story goes on ... So when Jesus landed he had a huge crowd waiting for him. Seeing so many people, his heart was deeply moved with compassion toward them, so he healed all the sick who were in the crowd. Matthew 14:14 TPT Jesus barely had any time alone to start processing the grief of losing someone He loved, but He doesn’t appear to be bothered by it. Jesus does the unexpected. He continues to give practically to the people, meeting their needs. This is a wonderful example of Jesus' capacity to love others when He is in suffering. John Maxwell says an interesting thing about Jesus' actions, "One of the greatest remedies for our own suffering is serving others. Servant-leadership becomes a solution for both the one serving and the one being served." (The John Maxwell Leadership Bible, Page 1198) After Jesus had healed many people, the disciples thought it was time for the crowds to go so Jesus' could have some space and rest. Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper. Matthew 14:15 The Message The crowd is still on His mind But Jesus still has the crowd on His mind, and is ready once again to do the unexpected. "They don't need to leave," Jesus responded. "You can give them something to eat." Matthew 14:16 TPT The disciples are a little perplexed as they know they don't have enough food to feed the people, which we find out later in the story numbered more than 5000. And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." Matthew 14:17 NKJV The disciples, probably like me if I was in that situation, could only see what they had in the 'natural.' But Jesus saw the potential in the supernatural. Jesus said, "Bring them here." Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their full. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed. Matthew 14:18-21 TPT Jesus does the unexpected Jesus does the unexpected. He feeds more than five thousand people from the starting ingredients of five loaves of bread and two fish. How? I don't really know, other than what the Scriptures tell us: He looked up to heaven (showing His complete reliance on His Father - God). Note; The Chosen a historical series, beautifully depicts Jesus looking up to heaven before He does a miracle. He gave thanks to God (acknowledged that everything He has comes from The Father). He broke the bread into pieces (Jesus took action with what was in His hand) Jesus is still doing the unexpected today Jesus does the unexpected in how He provides food the five thousand. He is still doing the unexpected today in our lives, especially in this season of living with COVID-19. For example, lets take a look at one of the things God values most, relationships. In my world, since the arrival of COVID-19, I have seen and experienced relationships that have deepened through shared experiences; relationships that have been restored as priorities shifted, and relationships that have become more authentic as pain surfaced and is processed. Jesus has done the unexpected. Once again. What have you seen Jesus do, unexpectedly, in your world in this season? Lets continue to keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting that He will carry on doing the unexpected, with provision, healing and restoration. I'll finish with these lyrics from Hillsong United's Song, Shadow Step. In every way, You never fail So have Your way, here God And I'll sing Your praise Fix my heart to Yours Ready for the unexpected Ready for what you will do next To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

When the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions were implemented in March 2020, in Australia, I asked God what He wanted me to do during this time. He simply said, 'Tend to your garden." I knew He meant literally, as our garden was long overdue some TLC. But I also knew He was speaking metaphorically about areas in my life, family relationships and other activities I'm involved in. What has God been saying to you during COVID-19? Tending the literal garden For me, tending to the literal garden wasn't going to be a complex activity. It just involved a plan - with achievable goals, time, a little money, and sunshine. Over the past six weeks we have transformed our front path, planting seeds to create a border of white cottage flowers. What a joy it has been each morning to walk out the front door and see the growth. Another section of the garden has been weeded and had turf laid. In the midst of those improvements a stunning white Camellia tree has bloomed, dropping petals white as snow on the newly laid turf. So beautiful. Our youngest daughter has planted seeds to create flower borders around two trees. The shoots are starting to come through now. Doing this gardening together with her is part of the other 'tend to your garden' that God was speaking to me about. Tending to relationships Through our journey of having four children and one with cancer who obviously required more attention, understanding the concept of love languages has been essential. They have helped immensely in working to restore relationships with our other children. For more information on love languages, see 'The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell.' Over the years we had purposefully implemented routines and strategies to increase the frequency that we 'spoke' each child's love language. Strategies that God used to bring healing into relationships. For example, for those with a love language of Quality Time, we identified specific times during the weekly schedule. They often happened in the car on the way to sporting activities. So guess what happened when the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions came in? Sport stopped, and along with it those precious Quality Time moments. The flow on-effect? Increased tension and frustration as the love tanks were suddenly running very low! How do we do this now? There was frustration for me as well as the children. I was so angry with the enemy for attempting to destroy what God had restored. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV However, I am grateful for all God has taught me over the years about the enemy's attempts to steal, kill and destroy. A couple of key scriptures that help me in these times of frustration - although sometimes only after I have loudly expressed my frustration! .... For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV So he answered and 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 of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 NKJV God says, 'Do it this way.' So with the help of the Holy Spirit we have created new ways of 'speaking' each child's love language in this COVID-19 season and possibly beyond. And yes, for one child, that does include time in the garden. Praise God. He always has a plan and it is good. Another area that I knew God was referring to with the 'Tend to your garden' response was a ministry group I am involved with. In January this year God spoke to me about doing something new with the group. I was excited about what He had said, but did not know how to implement it. Sure I had ideas, but none of them seemed to be feasible, so I did nothing. Yesterday I was outside at sunrise preparing the ground for laying the turf before the forecasted rain came, when God spoke to me about that new thing. He said something like, 'Now is the time to do that, and do it this way.' The strategy was brillant, masterful! Thank you God. In January, how could I have known that COVID-19 would impact our country in this way? And that there would be a flow-on affect impacting the way our group operated? How could I have known that this would be the perfect time to implement what God had spoken to me about? The answer to all these questions is, 'I couldn't have known.' Only God knew. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV Make space to hear what God wants to say So why am I sharing these stories? Because I really believe God has at least one thing, probably more, He wants to say to each of us during this time. And His words to us, as always, are critical for our future. They give us purpose and the strategies on how to achieve that purpose. How are you going to make space in your day to hear what God wants to say to you? For some more thoughts on hearing from God please visit these posts at https://wendyrobinson.com.au God hears our heart's cry God's timing and our patience God is listening - Day 22 - Drawing Closer to God devotion

Today is a fabulous day to draw closer to God. With so many unknowns in our world, how good is it to know that there is one constant, one that does not change - yesterday, today or tomorrow. Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 TPT It can be so easy to let our thoughts be consumed by the news reports and let the Word of God take a back-seat. But now is the time to be more purposeful about spending time reading the Bible, ensuring that it is the first thing we read each morning - not the news feed. In fact, we need to have our focus right from the moment we wake up, an immediate conversation with God - perhaps even before you get out of bed. A short prayer of, 'Thank you God for this day. Thank you that you are sovereign and you know what this day will bring. Thank you for your Godly wisdom for all leaders in this world, and courage to do as You ask them to do. Please help me to trust You in everything. Thank you for your peace and protection over those I love. Thank you that You have the victory, in Jesus Name.' Make your life a prayer. And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 TPT If you have a yearning to improve your relationship with God, this is a great opportunity - don't waste it, embrace it and go for it. Every time you feel fearful or anxious remind yourself that God is with you ... Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV And that God has not given you a spirit of fear ... For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV The Passion Translation says ... For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 TPT Another way to daily draw closer to God is to make room in your day to have some time to worship God. Here are some worship songs that have helped me lift my eyes to Jesus when I have been struggling ... You're Gonna Be Okay - Brian and Jenn Johnson Be Still - Hillsong Worship Who can compare - Christy Nockels 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) - Matt Redman When we have our eyes on Jesus, and purposefully draw closer to Him we will find that through the love we receive from Him, we have greater capacity to help others in these challenging times. Look at how much encouragement you’ve found in your relationship with the Anointed One! You are filled to overflowing with his comforting love. You have experienced a deepening friendship with the Holy Spirit and have felt his tender affection and mercy. Philippians 2:1 TPT We will have a greater capacity to put others first - perhaps other family members or someone else in your world. So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy. Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests. Philippians 1:2-4 TPT So I really really really want to encourage you in these 'unprecedented times' (a phrase that I have seen often recently in all the cancellation emails!), times that are not a surprise to our God - that every moment we choose to draw closer to God rather than focus on our circumstances, will give us the strength and peace to finish this season well. I'll finish up with a quick summary Have a conversation with God before you get out of bed. Remember to thank Him for something - your salvation is always a great place to start. Read your Bible before your news feed. Set aside time to pray and worship Seek out someone else you can help and encourage in these times. How great is our God!There’s absolutely nothing his power cannot accomplish,and he has infinite understanding of everything. Psalm 147:5 TPT For some more thoughts on the overcoming fear and having the courage to keep standing, please visit these posts ... Are you feeling fearful? Courage to keep standing In the Battle Be strong and of good courage Courage to do the little things To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Are you feeling fearful today? There is so much going on in this world that can cause us to experience fear. But what is it that we are afraid of? And what does God's word say about those fears? Are you fearful of 'not having enough?' With all the media reports about our economy, are you feeling fearful about not having enough? God's word says ... The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough. Psalm 23:1 TPT And in Matthew 6:31-33 So then, forsake your worries! Why would you say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For that is what the unbelievers chase after. Doesn’t your heavenly Father already know the things your bodies require? So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. Matthew 6:31-33 TPT I know sometimes it can be really hard to believe the truth in this scripture, but I encourage you to meditate on it and ask God to give you faith to believe it. Are you fearful of anxiety overtaking you? Are you feeling fearful, that you are loosing your grip on reality, that anxiety is taking over? God's word says ... He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name. Psalm 23:2-3 TPT And remember Jesus left us with His peace ... Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 NIV Are you fearful of loneliness? Are you fearful of being alone and having to face things by yourself? God's word says ... Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near. Psalm 23:4 TPT God tells us He is always with us. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV Are you feeling fearful of the enemy? Are you feeling surrounded and powerless? God's word says ... You become my delicious feast even when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit; you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows. Psalm 23:5 TPT You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see 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. 2 Chronicles 2:17 NKJV Just a note about 'positioning' ourselves. I can think of at least four ways we can position ourselves well today .... In God's Word In worship - having an attitude of worshipping God Having quiet time with God In the company of believers   Are you fearful about the future? Are you feeling fearful about the future? God's word says ... So why would I fear the future? For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you! Psalm 23:6 TPT Our God has the victory, and we are more than overcomers in Jesus Name. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NKJV No more fear in Jesus Name. Our eternal destiny is heaven. AMEN! So while it is important to be aware of what is happening in this world, let's always remember to keep reading God's word, meditating on it and declaring His promises. For some more thoughts on the overcoming fear and having the courage to keep standing, please visit these posts ... Courage to keep standing In the Battle Be strong and of good courage Courage to do the little things To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Something wonderful has happened in our garden. After receiving the beautiful life-giving rain the plants are growing again! Thank you God. The boundary hedges are expanding upwards and outwards. So much so, that our gate had difficulty opening. The power from the protruding branches was almost too great for the electric motor. The gate shuddered as the electric motor pushed against the branches. Finally the breakthrough came and the gate continued on it's path. When I observed this struggle I realised some pruning was required to ensure with the longevity of the gate motor! So out came the pruning shears and off came the branches. The gate is running smoothly now. There are a few things we can draw from this gardening story ... God makes things grow Firstly, while we planted the hedge plants, it is God who makes them grow, just as it is God who makes us grow ... After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.  It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NLT We are God's workers, working together for His purposes. The Passion Translation says it this way, I was the one who planted the church and Apollos came and cared for it, but it was God who caused it to grow. This means the one who plants is not anybody special, nor the one who waters, for God is the one who brings the supernatural growth. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 TPT And we always need to remember that truth and as Micah 6:8 says, Walk humbly in the company of your God. Micah 6:8 ISV God knows the pruning plan Secondly, God will discern when and how our pruning is required, and it will always be at the right time and in the right way. We need to trust Him. I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. John 15:1-2 NLT How important is that cutting off of the branches that don't produce fruit? In my garden example, if those branches hindering the gate's movement had not been chopped then we would not have been able to get into our property. In a spiritual sense, we need that tidying up - cleansing - so we can enter into all God has for us - a relationship with Him for now and all of eternity. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV Jesus enables us to live again Yes, Jesus has done that cleansing for us. He enables us to live fully again, so we need to stay connected to Him. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. John 15:5-8 The Message As we stay connected to Jesus, and allow God to do the pruning, we can then confidently run the race set before us. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV And that race may not be run quite as smoothly as my electric gate is running now, but with perseverance and the power of God, we will complete the race, in Jesus Name. For some more thoughts on the benefits of pruning please visit this post ... who likes pruning? To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

God has given me a scripture to start today's post, Proverbs 8:14. But I have no idea what will happen after that, so I am trusting the Holy Spirit will guide me and bring revelation. Let's see where He takes us. "You will find true success when you find me, For I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you. I hold in my hands living-understanding, courage, and strength. They're all ready and waiting for you." Proverbs 8:14 TPT I read this scripture last week. It encouraged and challenged me. It encouraged me with the thought that God has a wise plan designed just for me. And He has a wise plan designed just for you too. It challenged me with "You will find true success when you find me" - what is "true success?" And what does it mean to "find God?" I don't have a succinct answer to what is 'true success,' but for me, I know that is has something to do with the closeness of my relationship with God. My heart is to keep drawing closer and closer to God. Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting. James 4:8 TPT Oh look, there are another few challenges .... cleanse your life... keep your heart pure... stop doubting. I need some help with those actions. Thank you Holy Spirit that you are my helper. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 NIV And thank you God that your grace is sufficient for me every time I get it wrong. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV Going back to Proverbs 8:14, God has a wise plan that is perfectly designed for each of us, and when we are weak and rely on God, we have more of Christ's power is us. The power that raises the dead to life. Here is Paul's prayer for the Ephesians, asking God to give them wisdom, revelation, and to experience the power of God. I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him. I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones! I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given him the highest rank above all others. And now we, his church, are his body on the earth and that which fills him who is being filled by it! Ephesians 1:17-23 TPT AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! WOW! When I started writing this post, I had only two things, firstly the scripture from Proverbs 8:14, and secondly a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide in writing this post. And look where we ended up - with a declaration about Jesus and His power .... And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! Ephesians 1:21 This is exactly where we need to be - focusing on Jesus - the author and perfecter of our faith. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV So what is the purpose of this post? To encourage you, on occasions, to wander through the scriptures, don't stop at the first one you read, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in where to go next. Let Him direct your time in the Word, and be open to what He wants to reveal to you. Time spent in God's Word, with an open heart, will always be a blessing to you. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Have you ever thought 'Who am I?' Often we are identified by our relationship to other people. For me, some of those relationships are ... Ken's wife, Marshall's Mum, Charlotte's Mum, Victoria's Mum, Alexandra's Mum, Betty's daughter, etc. Or we can be defined by the roles we undertake ... the coach, the teacher, the doctor, the pastor, the writer, etc. Or by where we live, where we were born, what we eat, what we wear, what we didn't do and the list goes on and on and on. So many things in this world to define ourselves by. Sometimes the world defines us, and it doesn't always do it in ways that are empowering. There are some great examples in the movie The Greatest Showman. But if all those people and roles were stripped away, what then is the answer to 'Who am I?' I am Wendy. So what? Who is Wendy? For me, there is one simple answer to that question. God reminded me of it yesterday, when I had the blessing of sitting by myself in the shade of some trees. No other people, no other roles. Just me, the trees and God. He reminded me that when everything else is stripped away, there is only one answer to the 'Who am I?' I am a child of God. What peace there is in knowing that truth. Regardless of whatever happens or doesn't happen in my life, I am loved by my Heavenly Father and I have an eternal destiny in Heaven with Him. You can have that peace too. A simple prayer of surrender and accepting of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between him and me!” Romans 10:9-10 The Message If you have prayed that prayer, don't stop there. Keep communicating with God, tell Him everything, and listen for His wisdom and direction. Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life,  then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:6-7 TPT No matter what you face each day always remember, 'I am a child of God and He chooses to lavish His love on me.' See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 NIV To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What do you believe God is capable of? Maybe your answer is, "Everything. In Luke 1:37, the angel Gabriel told Mary, 'For nothing will be impossible with God.' " That's a great answer. Now, let's write a list of all the things you would like the 'God of the impossible' to change in your life or the lives of those you love. What's on your list? Re-read it. Is the list complete? Is there anything you have subconsciously put in the 'That will never change' basket, so you haven't bothered to put it on the list? Things like ... ... the medical condition that doctors said would never improve or change? ... those areas of deep emotional pain that you don't dare to think about? This week I wrote a list with some of these 'This will never change' items, and it really challenged me. Yes, I believe God is the 'God of the impossible.' I have witnessed Him change many circumstances in our lives over the years. But perhaps now, with some of the things on my list I have become complacent, even apathetic, with the thinking that it will be okay if that doesn't change. And perhaps it will be okay. But is that how God wants us to live? in the okay? I'm not so sure. The apostle Paul tells us... I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13 NIV Content - is that content for the status quo? Or is that content knowing that God is in control, He is at work in the unseen and that He has a plan? For me, I'm going with the second idea of contentment. I remember the time in 2015 when we found out the tumour in Victoria's brain had grown for the third time. We were devastated. During the following three months there were many tears, conversations with God, reading of His Word, declaring of His promises and building faith to once again believe His promises. Around that time a friend sent me a message with Ephesians 3:16-21 ... May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; That you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] – To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3:16-21 AMPC I had never read this scripture before. When I read it for the first time, I was in a place of absolute desperation, not knowing what would happen to our child. It was one of those moments when I knew without a doubt that God was speaking to me through His word, reminding me of His power and that He was indeed the 'God of the impossible.' That truth helped me to move back to a place of faith and that contentedness knowing that God was at work in the unseen. And indeed He was at work. The next routine scan showed the tumour had stabilised without any human intervention. And whatsmore it has remained stable for four years. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen! Ephesians 3:21 TPT So today let's take each of the supposedly 'unchangable' items on our list and declare that we will ... Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. Ephesians 3:20 TPT Let's dare to dream the impossible, in JESUS Name. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

We all have times when we struggle to stand strong in our faith. The times when we start to ask questions like, ‘God what are You doing?’ and ‘God, what do I need to do?' Paul, in his letter to the Romans, says he is longing to visit and equip them to keep standing in their faith. I yearn to come and be face-to-face with you and get to know you. For I long to impart to you the gift of the Spirit that will empower you to stand strong in your faith. Romans 1:11 TPT The Amplified Bible says it this way, For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you. Romans 1:11 AMP The Message Bible says it this way, The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! Romans 1:11 The Message Paul talks about the gift that will help the Romans to stand strong in their faith, and strengthen and establish them. What is this gift? I found this explanation in the MacArthur Study Bible …. Romans 1:11 Spiritual gift. The Greek word translated “gift” is charisma, which means “a gift of grace” – a spiritual enablement whose source is the Spirit of God. Romans use this same term to describe: 1) Christ Himself (5:15,16); 2) General blessings from God (11:29; 1 Timothy 6:17); and 3) specific spiritual gifts given to members of the body to minister to the whole (12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 1 Pet 4.10,11). Paul probably intends to encompass all 3. Going with the ‘encompass all 3’, let’s explore the concept of 'the spiritual enablement whose source is the Spirit of God.' Recently in a radio interview about our journey with a child with cancer I was asked about “Finding meaning when things don’t go the way you had dreamed.” "Finding meaning" could also be expressed as ‘How do you come to a place of standing strong and trusting in God when you are overwhelmed with disappointment and grief?” For me, the answer is about the processing of disappointment and grief. A processing, that to get the best outcome, must be facilitated by the Spirit of God.  In my experience that processing involves many aspects including: Having authentic conversations with God, expressing my inner most thoughts, heartaches and fears, and then giving Him time to speak and minister to me. Having authentic conversations with people God brought into my life, close friends, counsellors, support groups. Gaining an understanding of the stages of grief, which helped to normalise the process for me. I can  highly recommend a short but very informative book, Good Grief – By Granger E. Westberg. Regularly reading God’s Word, expecting that He would speak to me through it, helping me to understand that He did understand the pain I was in. The Psalms so often reflected all my emotions! When I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure what to do next, the declaring of this scripture brought peace. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV Constantly surrendering my plans, my dreams for me and my family to God. For me, this mostly happened during times of worship, usually when I was in my car by myself. Increasing the ‘closet’ time I spent with God by, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, getting up earlier to have that daily quiet time with Him. That was truly a spiritual enablement whose source is the Spirit of God. Getting up an hour earlier, having a more focused time of worship, prayer, listening and reading God’s word transformed my relationship with God. So there are some of the key activities I did that enabled me to stand strong in my faith during challenging times. Easy! But no, it is far from easy. Mainly because we have our own thoughts and ways of doing of things, and processing disappointment and grief with the spiritual enablement whose source is the Spirit of God, is all about doing it God’s way. It is a continual surrendering of all we know and letting God have control. It is repeatedly choosing to say “Jesus, you are Lord of my life, all of it!” Every activity we undertake in this process must be accompanied by that desire to believe that God is good, He is faithful and that He has a plan. I say desire because sometimes the reality is we don’t believe that God is good, but we want to believe it. We need God’s help to get back to that place of belief. Remember the father’s prayer in Mark 9:24…. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24 NKJV. It is the spiritual enablement whose source is the Spirit of God, which really does enable us to process disappointment and grief well, bringing us back to that place where we can declare with certainty in our heart scriptures like Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 NIV So today, if you are having trouble standing firm in your faith, I strongly encourage you to make the time to sit quietly with God, tell Him how you really feel, ask Him for His help to enable you to believe that He is at work in the unseen, declare His word and then choose to worship Him in faith. And we know that in all things God works for the good for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

This morning I had no thoughts on what to write. My heart is heavy for the suffering this country is going through with the bushfires, and I have a great sense of helplessness. Last night I struggled to pray, 'Please bring rain God.' So my words shifted to 'Please make it not be as bad today as predicted. Please give the firefighters strength. Please protect people.' Earlier this morning I was frustrated by a technical issue with my PC. And then I remembered the people who will be wondering if they will have a home by the end of the day. And the people who have chosen to stay and protect their homes. Perspective came. But still the question is there, 'What do I write about today?' So I ask God, 'Please tell me what to write about today.' He simply responds, 'Me.' Start at the beginning .... In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 NKJV The earth. Our temporary home. Heaven. Our eternal home. Then God said, 'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27 NKJV God forgive us for not taking care of all you have given us. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV When we are seemingly hemmed in, help us to trust that you have gone before us, you are with us and you will not leave us. God, you're such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You're a proven help in times of trouble - more than enough and always available whenever I need you. Psalm 46:1 TPT Sometimes your help comes in ways we don't expect. You are always more than enough. Thank you. For this how much God loved the world - he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. John 3:16 TPT Jesus Christ. Choose to believe in Him. And since we now have a magnificent King-Priest to welcome us into God's house, we come closer to God and approach him with an open heart, fully convinced by faith that nothing will keep us at a distance from him. Hebrews 10:21 TPT We open our hearts to you God. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,     neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,     so are my ways higher than your ways    and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV We choose to trust that your ways are higher than ours and that you are at work in the unseen. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and eliminate death entirely. No one will mourn or weep any longer. The pain of wounds will no longer exist, for the old order has ceased. Revelation 21:4 TPT We know the end-game. Eternity with You, our Heavenly Father. Thank you. Let's finish with the prayer Jesus suggested we pray, from The Passion Translation .... Our Father, dwelling in heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the centre on which our lives turn. Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is fulfilled in heaven. We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day. Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us. Rescue us every time we face tribulation and set us free from evil. For you are the King who rules with power and glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13 TPT Today is a good day to 'pray without ceasing' for this nation. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

"You love me as you find me ... Your love's too good to leave me here." These lyrics are from Hillsong United's recent song, "As you find me." The 'you' in these lyrics is Jesus. Jesus, who today, willingly lavishes us with His love - no matter where we are, what we are doing or not doing, what we are saying and thinking. A love that says, "I know you aren't perfect and that's okay." A love that says, "I'm standing in the gap between you and your Heavenly Father, so your relationship with Him is restored." A love that says, "I have plans for you. Let my love take you into your future." A love that has transformed my life, given me love, purpose, strength, healing, joy and peace. What a gift! What's on your gift list for this Christmas? Is love on your list? Is purpose on your list? Is strength on your list? Is healing on your list? Is joy on your list? Is peace on your list? Where do you start shopping for these gifts? On your knees. Confess that Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) You may say, "Oh, I can't do that, I'm not good enough." And I would reply, "Well, neither am I, and Jesus knows that. He loves us as He finds us. There is no checklist to see if we measure up, because we don't, and we never will without Him. He loves us as He finds us. We just need to respond to His love and choose to make Him Lord of our lives." You may say, "But if I do that, won't I need to change the way I live?" And I would reply, "You don't need to do the changing. Over time as you understand more of Jesus love for you, the changes will happen. His love's too good to leave you here. Just plan some one on one time with Jesus every day, and see what He will do in you." You may say, "Oh I'm still not sure this is for me." And I would reply, "There is a God in Heaven Who loves you. He knows your heart's desires. He knows your pain. He's made a way for you to be lavished with unconditional love, know your purpose, have strength, receive healing, live with joy and peace. That way is Jesus and He knows your name. Just talk to Him." Jesus ... "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." John 10:10 The Message The gift of love - Jesus. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

So many sad things going on in this world we live in. It's so important that daily we look for things to be thankful for. For me every time I read about someone who has passed away from cancer, or more specifically a brain tumour, (this week it was Roxette singer, Marie Fredriksson), my heart aches for the ones who have lost someone they love, and at the same time I am so grateful to God that that was not our story. And I am grateful for the way that God has continued to bring healing and wholeness to our family over the past 9 years. We have grieved (and sometimes surprisingly find we are still grieving) the expectations of how we thought our family would be. For me every time the tears have surfaced the Holy Spirit has given comfort and restored peace. But the [Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. John 14:26 AMP Over the last few years the ability to dream about the future has returned. What a blessing it to be able to dream again! Dreams for me, dreams for our marriage, dreams for our children, all wrapped in God's love and purposes. I didn't realise how important dreams were until I was in an emotional place of being unable to dream of the future. When there is no clear prophetic vision, people quickly wander astray. But when you follow the revelation of the word, heaven’s bliss fills your soul. Proverbs 29:18 TPT I am grateful for a God who doesn't abandon us, but rather carries us when we need to be carried. He is always there in the midst. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3Though its waters roar and be troubled,Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. Psalm 46:1-5 NKJV I am grateful for a God that tells us He has plans to prosper us, give us a hope and a future. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV I am grateful for a God who sacrificed His son Jesus, so we could have life to the full, and life eternally with Him in Heaven. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 I am grateful for a God that is no respecter of persons. His gift of eternal life is freely available to all of us when we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord. Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between him and me!” Romans 10:9-10 The Message So today, when you consider your life, what is that you are grateful for? To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

There is a scripture that the Holy Spirit often quickens to me when I am unsure what to do about a situation. I have some thoughts about the action I want I take - but often those actions are rooted in my own hurt and strong desire to see change. They are not necessarily the actions God wants me to take. That scripture is ... And he answered and said to me, “This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by strength and not by power, but only by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 LEB A recent example. Without getting too specific this week I was concerned about a situation and what it would mean for 2020. I didn't want a repeat of what had happened in 2019. I had a plan of action, but I wasn't entirely comfortable with it. Notice all the I's in those few sentences! That feeling of uncomfortableness made me stop and take a moment to speak with God, "God, please help me, I'm not sure if I should do this." And then this scripture came to mind, thank you Holy Spirit. 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. Zechariah 4:6 NIV "Not by might Nor by power But by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty My next words to God were something like this, "Okay God, by your Spirit. I will do nothing. I'm going to trust that if You want this conversation to happen, then you will orchestrate it." And within an hour I found myself with an opportunity to speak to the exact person, able to say what I wanted to say, knowing that I was being heard, and that 2020 would have a different outcome to 2019. Thank you Jesus. This was not the first time that God has used this Scripture to remind me that His ways are different to mine, and always much better! But it's more than a reminder, every time it has been a call to action. Actually it has been a series of actions that involve me: surrendering my plans examining my heart regarding my motives for wanting to take that action, repenting when necessary waiting on the Lord to see what He was going to do being ready for what God would ask me to do In every instance of this happening God has worked in His mysterious ways, resolved the situation and brought about the change - all glory to Him. Perhaps I need to add this scripture to my daily prayer ... "Thank you for this day Jesus. Thank you for loving me. Help me today to remember that it is not by might, not by power, but by Your Spirit, that all things will work together for good. ....." In our world today we are surrounded by the narrative, "You can do it. You can make it happen. You are in control of your destiny." I disagree with these statements, from the perspective that they are all relying on us - you and me to make it happen. We are imperfect. We don't have all the answers. We don't know what is going to happen in the future. We don't know all the intricacies of people's emotions and motives. But God does. And when we surrender our life to Jesus, and change the narrative and acknowledge that He is the one that empowers us to do it; He is the one who makes it happen; and that Jesus is the one who offers us an eternal destiny, only then we will live a fulfilling life here on earth. A life where we are not forcing change, we are not living by our inadequate efforts alone, but instead day by day we are becoming more dependent on our Heavenly Father and His ways. We are growing the fruits of the Spirit and becoming the blessing to others that He has called us to be. Only by His Spirit. Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 4:6 NLT To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Those who know me, know I love to pray, spending precious time with God, sometimes talking, sometimes listening; in the quiet of the early morning, in the hustle and bustle of life, in the office with my husband, in the car with my children, in the cafe with friends, walking and praying around the school, at church, well really wherever I am, for me it is always a good time to pray. Over the years I have seen God answer many of these prayers, in many different ways, and mostly not in the way I expected! God is faithful. But then there are the other sort of prayers. The prayers that come from that deep place in your heart, knowing that man cannot fix it, only God can bring the change. We leave the request at the foot of the Cross, genuinely believing that one day, God in His wisdom and timing will answer it. Life goes on and that prayer is no longer on our lips. It hasn't been forgotten, it just isn't the main focus anymore. Occasionally it is brought to the surface again, triggered by a situation or a conversation, and that cry of your heart comes out again, "God I am choosing to trust You, that You have heard the cry of my heart and You have got this sorted." Lord, you know and understand the hopes of the humble and will hear their cries and comfort their hearts, helping them all! Psalm 10:17 TPT And then that "one day" comes, and the prayer is answered. God is faithful. There is an overwhelming sense of God's love and a deeper understanding that He is always at work in the unseen. By His grace we move a step closer to the maturity that He is calling us to. He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 NKJV To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Have you found yourself saying that phrase, 'Where can I get some peace around here?' or, 'God I just need some peace, please!' Or perhaps you have been trying to go to sleep and that concern keeps going over and over in your mind, and you just want it to stop so you can get some peace and have a good night's sleep. Peace. We want it. We need it. I'm still on my sojourn through the Old Testament, now in Numbers, and I read this scripture this morning ... And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." ' "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them." Numbers 6:22-27 NKJV Reading it reminded me of a beautiful song by Matt Redman, Benediction, that starts with lyrics relating to this passage of scripture ... May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord smile on you, Shine His light upon you. May the Lord lift you, Turn His face towards you. Give you His peace, Give you His peace. Perhaps this is a song to play if you find yourself tossing and turning unable to sleep. I remember hearing this song at lifegroup. The Holy Spirit would minister to me every time it was played. With open hands and an open heart it was as if the Lord poured His peace in everytime it was played. Or maybe it was more that it reminded me that I already had His peace in me, as Jesus tells us ... I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous! John 14:27 TPT As I've said before I'm not a Bible scholar, but I do know this, there is a peace that Jesus gives that really does surpass all understanding. Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life,  then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:6-7 TPT Let's have another look at the first part of verse 6 .... The Passion Translation ... Don't be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing New King James Version ... Be anxious for nothing New Living Translation ... Don't worry about anything The Message ... Don't fret or worry The Amplified Bible ... Do not fret or have anxiety about anything Maybe your response to this command, is 'Yes, but you don't understand .....'   But God's response is still .... Don't be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing ... Be anxious for nothing ... Don't worry about anything ... Don't fret or worry ... Do not fret or have anxiety about anything   And whatsmore God doesn't just tell us what NOT to do, He tells us what to do ... The Passion Translation ... Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. New King James Version ... but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. New Living Translation ... instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. The Message ... Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. The Amplified Bible ... but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. Yes, God tells us to pray, but we need to pray with faith, not double-mindedness. And always give thanks for all He has done. And what happens when we do that? Philippians 4:7 tells us we will experience God's peace, as our focus shifts from our circumstance to Jesus and Who He is. then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. The Passion Translation New King James Version ... and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. New Living Translation ... Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. The Message ... Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life The Amplified Bible ... And God’s peace [shall be yours, that [b]tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall [c]garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. I've had many opportunities in my life to fret and worry, and I have fretted and worried. But Philippians 4:6-7, one of the first scriptures I learnt when I became a Christian, has always been a 'go-to' scripture in those circumstances. Sometimes I haven't gone there immediately, but eventually I do get that place of petitioning God in prayer, thanking Him for what He has done, then experiencing His wonderful peace. And I am able to face the next day. You may be thinking, "I have prayed about this before and nothing has changed." Well, I really encourage you to pray again. There is an enemy who wants you to stop praying, as Jentezen Franklin says .. "The devil knows your greatest weapon against his kingdom is your voice, your prayer life. Prayer will usher you into the presence, power, and purpose of God." (The Spirit of the Python, page151) So today, if you are wanting peace, take some time, perhaps play that beautiful song, Benediction, offer up a heartfelt prayer to God, your Heavenly Father, remember to thank Him for what He has done, keep your eyes on Jesus and be expectant that you will experience His peace. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Earlier this week I was having a conversation with one of our children and she said to me, "Mum, they just need to know that God loves them." God's love. It's freely available for you and me. It is the love that doesn't come with strings attached. It doesn't change depending on what you do or don't do. It doesn't stop and start depending on how God feels. It is complete and forever love. It's available to us because of what Jesus did for us. It is comes to us via the Holy Spirit. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us! For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate his love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves. Romans 5:5-6 TPT Derek Prince, in his book, The Flow of Divine Love, says, "Hope, or love, is never disappointed when it is fixed in God because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts - the totality of God's love. God withholds nothing. He just turns the bucket upside down and pours out the whole thing when He gives us the Holy Spirit." page 39 There are so many things in our lives that cause disappointment. We can be disappointed in ourselves - our reactions, our choices and our inability to change (probably because we are trying to change in our strength, without letting God lead the transformation). We can be disappointed in other people - their reactions, their choices, and their inability to change! Oh yes, many opportunities for disappointment to set in. But when we get a revelation of God's love for us... This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. John 3:16 The Message His grace given to us .... that is sufficient for every situation And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV His mercy available to us ... as an on-going daily gift The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;     his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;     great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV Yes, when we have that revelation of God's love, grace and mercy, then we can process disappointment in ourselves well. The more we understand that God's love for us does not change, we are able to have authentic conversations with Him, hear His guidance for our lives and act on that advice as best we can. His still small voice oozes love for us, and our acceptance of that love, helps us to better love ourselves, and ultimately move from that place of disappointment. And when we get that revelation that God loves everyone in the same way - unconditionally, and that His grace and mercy is available for everyone, then it becomes easier for us to process our disappointment with other people. We are all sinners. For we all have sinned and are in need of the glory of God. Yet through his powerful declaration of acquittal, God freely gives away his righteousness. His gift of love and favor now cascades over us, all because Jesus, the Anointed One, has liberated us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin! Romans 3:23-24 TPT But before we can love others well, our personal revelation of God's love for us has to come first ... Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us 1 John 4:19 TPT Once we understand God's love for us, we are more able to love others well and let go of the disappointment because we know that they, just like us, are in that transforming process. His grace is sufficient for everyone; His mercies are new every morning for everyone. And when we are in that place, our heart is more aligned with God's heart for people, what a beautiful place to be. A place of love. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Have you been in that place where you feel like the enemy is tempting you to cross the line, to say the thing that is going to bring death, not life? Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NKJV I've been there this week. It has taken every ounce of worship in my body to keep my focus on Jesus, and not let fear take hold and cause me to say something that would be destructive. Every thought needing to be identified and categorised. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV Fear or faith? truth or lies? What are the promises God has spoken in the past? What does His word say? What do I know about God's character? What is the long, very long, list of testimonies of all God has done for us? It has literally felt like there was a battle going on in my mind. And it has been just a little bit exhausting! But because of who God is, there has been no choice but to stand firm and trust Him. Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT Standing firm can be tough going. Thankfully God always goes before us, equipping us, if we remain teachable, with what we are going to need in the future. Example ... Two weeks ago I started listening to a podcast from the series - 'Elevation with Steven Furtick'. However I only had time to listen to the first ten minutes or so. This week, in the midst of the mind battle, thanks to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I continued listening to the podcast. The title of the podcast? 'I caught a thought.' A good dose of God's truth, helped me to keep standing firm. And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!” John 16:33 TPT There it is again, that word courageous. I wonder how many times it is written in the Bible. This week I needed courage to stand, to keep my mouth shut, to keep believing, to trust that God had a plan and it was unfolding even though I couldn't see it. Where does courage come from? From choosing to believe that God is God, and Jesus has conquered the world - no matter what we think, see or don't see. Our courage comes from having confidence that God is good and He loves us. Praise God, this week I was able to stand firm until the breakthrough came. However, an interesting thing happened after the breakthrough came. I was doing a task that should have only taken ten minutes, however due to a software issue an hour later the task still wasn't completed. Frustration bubbled to the surface and out it came! How disappointed was I in myself, to have stood firm on the major thing all week and then be broken over the minor thing! The lesson for me - when the breakthrough came, I should have stopped, taken time to give thanks to God, not only for the breakthrough, but for the strength He gave me to keep standing. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT Pausing and giving thanks, possibly combined with a few minutes of worship, would have allowed me to process well, giving the Holy Spirit space to minister and dissipate the underlying frustration that was there, but had not surfaced prior to the breakthrough. Let's pray, Thank you Jesus for who You are and what You did for us, giving us victory over sin and death. Thank you God that You are at work even when we can't see it. Thank you that the confidence we have in You and Your ways, confidence that gives us courage to stand firm. Thank you that you are always going before us, equipping us and making a way. Forgive us for when we stray into fear, doubt and unbelief. Please help us to identify the thoughts that are not from You, taken them captive and replace them with Your truth. Please help us to always remain teachable, open to the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for Your love and desire to see us become all that You have called us to be. In Jesus Name, Amen.   To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

It can be so easy to read or hear about a situation and think I wouldn't have done that! It's easy because we are reading or hearing about it after it has happened. We are not the ones in the moment having to make decisions under pressure. We rarely know the full story, yet we judge. This morning I was reading Matthew 27:11-26, the story where Jesus stood before Pilate. Here is the story ... Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”  But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Now I am no Bible scholar, but as I read this story I thought about the pressure Pilate would have been under in this situation. Pilate knew the outcome that was expected of him from the religious leaders. (Now, Pilate was fully aware that the religious leaders had handed Jesus over to him because of their bitter jealousy). Matthew 27:18 TPT He watched them persuade the crowd to choose to free Barabbas. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. Matthew 27:20 AMP He even had his wife giving him advice. Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.” Matthew 27:19 NLT But he also knew in his heart that Jesus was innocent, and he didn't want to take responsibility for Jesus' death. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. You’re judge and jury.” Matthew 27:24 The Message I guess you could say that Pilate abdicated his responsibilities to the crowd. Other than Pilates thought a riot was imminent, we don't know what other thoughts he was having at this time. Clearly he wasn't listening to his wife (joke!). And this it the point of today's post, to remind each of us, including me, that we don't know the full story behind people's decisions, and it is not our place to judge them. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? James 4:12 NLT Also keeping in mind that Jesus came to so that none may perish ... For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT It is not our job to judge, but it is our responsibility to pray for others including our brothers and sisters in Christ ... And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 NIV ... our political leaders .... Most of all, I’m writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God. Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 TPT ... and those who persecute us. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44 NKJV Just as Jesus prays for us. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:34 NIV So today, let's take hold of those thoughts that want to judge others and instead say to ourselves, "No, I am not going down the judging path. Instead I am choosing to pray for that person today, Jesus bless them and draw them to Yourself."   To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

There is as phrase I heard a long time ago, something like, "Always keep the main thing, the main thing." I can't remember exactly where I was, but it was in a church, and the 'main thing' was 'living our lives Jesus' way.' This week I thought about that phrase again as I was reading a passage from James: Instead you should say, “Our tomorrows are in the Lord’s hands and if he is willing we will live life to its fullest and do this or that.” James 4:15 TPT Beth Moore, in her book, James, Mercy Triumphs, discusses this scripture in conjunction with Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV And then she poses some interesting questions... “What if we understood down to the marrow of our bones that His is the only plan that really does end up prospering us? What if we really believed Jesus when He said that those who insist on finding their own lives will lose them and those who lose them for His sake will find them (see Matt 16:25)? What if we really believed that, if we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, everything else of true value would be given to us, too (see Matt 6:33)? What if we really believed that, “He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with him grant us everything” (Rom 8:32)? What if we really believed that “godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8 NASB)? What if we really believed that God is not only great, He is good?" (Beth Moore, James, Mercy Triumphs, Page 153) These are some very thought-provoking questions. Try substituting the 'What if we really believed that...' with 'Do I believe that...' Then, lets take the questioning a step further, ... not answering with words, but rather with an inventory of our past actions ie Does what we do line up with what we say we believe? Please understand my intention is not to bring condemnation, but rather to encourage us (definitely me too), to pause and consider how we are travelling with 'living with Jesus as Lord of our lives.' There is always room for improvement, an area in our lives that the Holy Spirit wants to help us with - greater trust, quicker obedience, greater evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, just to name a few. So today, let's determine to let God have His way in our life, helping us to keep 'the main thing, the main thing' as He alone knows what tomorrow will bring. To find out more, please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What happens when God gives you a vision for something in your future? What is your response? Maybe there is an excited exclamation of 'Yes!' Maybe there is a 'Wow God, really?' Maybe there is an acknowledgement of our inadequacy, 'This will have to be all you God, as I have nothing.' Whatever our response, one of the big lessons I have learnt is that God controls the timing of when that vision comes to pass. There is nothing we can do to speed up the process. To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 AMPC We have the option of ignoring this truth and toiling away in our own strength to make things happen in our perceived perfect timing. I have found that this option always leads to disappointment, frustration and often exhaustion. And to make matters worse, most often the vision doesn't actually come to pass, and if it does, it doesn't happen the way that God intended! The other option is that we choose to let God be the leader, submit to Him and practice patience. Patience is a supernatural fruit of the Holy Spirit. But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless. Galatians 5:22-23 TPT What does practicing patience look like? Here are a few of my thoughts ... Asking the Holy Spirit for help to practice patience Removing all our expected time-frames. This means not just erasing them from our plans, but saying to God, "I let go of my time-frame and submit to Yours." Recognising that even though you prayed the prayer in #2, you may still be operating with your expected timeframe. So keep a careful watch on your reactions when something doesn't go as you thought it would. Are you disappointed? Is there frustration? When you think about what happened, does your body tense up? If you are having these type of responses, take some time to ask the Holy Spirit a few questions ... Why am I are responding this way? What is it that I haven't completely surrendered to God? Holy Spirit, what do You want to teach me through this experience? Regularly remembering that God has the big picture. Reflecting on all the times when God's time-frame was different to yours, but unsurprisingly, it turned out that His time-frame was always perfect. This scripture always helps me to put my plans and thoughts in their rightful place .... “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV The project God gave me to write a book about the first three years of our journey with Victoria and the brain tumour, has taught me many things, including patience. My time-frame for completing the project was completely unrealistic in many aspects, from overestimating the actual time that I had available, to the unanticipated time for the emotional processing that would be required for me to complete the project. As I missed each of my self-imposed deadlines, the more aware I became that this project wasn't really my project at all. Yes, God had birthed the book project in my heart, but, as I now know, that did not mean that He had handed over the managing of the project to me. With each of my missed deadlines over the years, God was subtlety changing my mindset showing me that it was His project, and He was going to do it His way and in His timing. And I would just have to be patient. Years on, I understand just a little bit of His plan. But that little bit is enough to know that His plans will always be better than mine. And that the more I practice patience, the more I am able to enjoy the time that it takes for His plans to unfold. It becomes like an adventure, not knowing exactly when the next step will happen, but making sure that I am listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to ensure I am prepared and equipped for when it does come to pass. So if you are in the waiting season and finding it a bit frustrating, I encourage you to have those authentic conversations with the Holy Spirit, let Him guide and be open to what He wants to teach you. To find out more, please visit https://Wendyrobinson.com.au

At the start of the year I began reading The Bible from the beginning. It's almost the end of September and I am up to Chapter 22 in Leviticus, the third book of The Bible! Just so you don't think I am a complete slacker, I have been reading other parts of The Bible too - Proverbs, Psalms, and various books in the New Testament. But I have struggled with reading the Old Testament. I've just calculated that it has taken me about 300 days to read 141 pages, so at that rate, I should finish reading the Old Testament by 2030! I have this mindset that that says 'Some of the Old Testament is just not that interesting, so why should I read this.' Now I know that mindset is wrong. So I have pressed on and will continue to read it, simply because God has been speaking to me through each passage I've read from the Old Testament. This morning I read from Leviticus 21 .... "He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy; only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the LORD sanctify them." And Moses told it to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel. Leviticus 21:22-24 NKJV Now I don't pretend to understand much in these three verses, but these seven words stood out to me, 'he shall not go near the veil.' As I was reading those words this passage in Hebrews came to mind, thank you Holy Spirit. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23 NKJV Today because of what Jesus did we can approach the altar. Because of Jesus' blood we can commune with a Holy God. Because of Jesus, we have faith, hope and love. The Passion Translation says it this way, And now we are brothers and sisters in God's family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come right into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm - boldly and with no hesitation. For he has dedicated a new life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus' body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to him! And since we now have a magnificent King-Priest to welcome us into God's house, we come closer to God and approach him with an open heart, fully convinced by faith that nothing will keep us at a distance from him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity and we have been freed from an accusing conscience and now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out! Hebrews 10:19-22 TPT Aside, there is a beautiful song, Clean, from Hillsong United's People -Live album, that simply declares that 'because of Jesus my heart is clean.' If you have a spare couple of minutes I think it is worth listening too, it very quickly centers your focus on Jesus. Back to the scripture, let's read these words again ... He welcomes us to come right into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm - boldly and with no hesitation. I remember hearing these words soon after I became a Christian 20-plus years ago, and I took these words literally into my heart - because of Jesus I am welcome at the altar. How precious is that truth! This truth gave me the confidence to come, just as I am and ask. The Amplified Bible translates verse 22 as ... Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 AMP So today, let's acknowledge that Jesus has opened the way for us to go to the Father. Let's draw near with confidence, not because of who we are or what we have done, but because of who our God is and His unconditional love for us. Finally, just referring back to my Old Testament reading, lets encourage each other to read God's word, even when it doesn't seem very interesting to us. God is always wanting to reveal something more to us and remind us of His great love for us. He desires us to be purposefully drawing nearer to Him. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What a beautiful thing it is to watch someone fall more and more in love with Jesus, being vulnerable and opening their heart to Him. With each taste of His love, the more open they become. Gently with every moment of surrender God responds with an act of loving transformation. The mercy of God in action. To see this happening in someone else's life is a privilege and a blessing. But then when you realise that God has been doing the same thing in your own life for 20+ years, the overwhelm moves to a new level. For only we know just how undeserving we are of His love, the thoughts we have that would make others cringe; the words we say sometimes that don't illustrate love and grace; the actions that are clearly of the flesh. God knows all these things about us too, yet He continues to offer His transforming love to us through Jesus. Paul understood about being undeserving of God's love. He wrote about it many times in his letters, like this letter to Timothy. Mercy kissed me, even though I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor of believers, and a scorner of what turned out to be true. I was ignorant and didn’t know what I was doing. I was flooded with such incredible grace, like a river overflowing its banks, until I was full of faith and love for Jesus, the Anointed One! I can testify that the Word is true and deserves to be received by all, for Jesus Christ came into the world to bring sinners back to life—even me, the worst sinner of all! Yet I was captured by grace, so that Jesus Christ could display through me the outpouring of his Spirit as a pattern to be seen for all those who would believe[jin him for eternal life. Because of this my praises rise to the King of all the universe who is indestructible, invisible, and full of glory, the only God who is worthy of the highest honors throughout all of time and throughout the eternity of eternities! Amen! 1 Timothy 1:13-17 TPT Let's look at verse 14 again, I was flooded with such incredible grace, like a river overflowing its banks, until I was full of faith and love for Jesus, the Anointed One! 1 Timothy 1:14 TPT The Message Bible says it this way, Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14 The Message Bible Grace, faith and love for Jesus, with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives brings transformation. Continual transformation. Transformation that only produces good things in our lives. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 TPT Transformation that enables us, just as it did Paul, to fully do what God has asked us to do - love Him and love people. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus answered him, “‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’ Contained within these commandments to love you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40 TPT Today, lets be open to letting God do more of His wonderful transforming work in our lives, so we can be the blessing to others that He has made us to be. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

"Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you'll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door." Matthew 7:7 TPT Have you got a longing in your heart? I have many. Many longings for God to move in people's lives, both people I know, those close and those not so close, and those I don't. A longing for people to know in their hearts that God is good despite what is happening in their lives. A longing for people to know that God knows them, and He has always known them. He hears the cries of their heart and He is working all things together for good for those who love Him. Psalm 139, so often we hear verses 12 onwards. But lets read the preceding verses: Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every moment of my heart and soul, And you understand every thought before it even enters my mind. You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book And you know all the words I'm about to speak Before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You've gone into my future to prepare the way, And in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. With your hand of love upon my life, You impart blessing to me. This is just too wonderful, deep and incomprehensible! Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength. Where could I go from your Spirit? Where could I run and hide from your face? If I go up to heaven, you're there! If I go down to the realm of the dead, you're there too! If I fly with wings into the shining dawn, you're there! If I fly into the radiant sunset, you're there waiting! Wherever I go, your hand will guide me; Your strength will empower me. It's impossible to disappear from you Or to ask the darkness to hide me, For your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night. There is no such thing as darkness with you. The night, to you, is as bright as day; There's no difference between the two. Psalm 139:1-12 TPT This passage of scripture describes the intimate relationship between each of us and our Creator. Let's read it again, just one line at a time. At the end of each line remind yourself that this is not just some pretty poem written thousands of years ago. This is a description of God's love and plans for you and me. A few years ago we were on a family holiday. There was something in our lives that needed to change. Some days we felt like it was a hopeless situation. Other days we would be full of faith. It was an emotional rollercoaster. But the cry of our hearts were always the same. We kept asking God to bring the change. It was something only He could do. “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." Matthew 7:7 NLT Those desires of our hearts haven't fully come to pass ... yet! But there has been movement. Lots of movement. Things that a few years ago would have seemed impossible are happening. God is bringing restoration. He is doing a new thing. So why am I sharing this story, because sometimes we need to be reminded to keep asking, don't give up on God. Keep Ephesians 3:20-21 written on your heart .... Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energises you. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ - and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity Amen! Ephesians 3:20-21 TPT For more information please visit https:/wendyrobinson.com.au

I saw something this week that made me cry. I seem to spend a lot of time at the pool these days, with three of our four children involved in regular squad training. As I may have mentioned before I have found it to be a blessing as I have uninterrupted time to pray, read and write - time for me! Most other parents appear to be enjoying some 'me' time, or having a chat time with other parents or going swimming too. But this week I saw something different, a vision impaired swimmer training. His father wasn't sitting down having 'me' time. Rather he was walking up and down the pool with each lap his son swam and tapping him with the cane just before he reached the end of the pool. I cried when I watched them. I cried because of the selfless act I was witnessing. I cried because it reminded me of the hours and hours that went into Victoria's rehab, especially the physical therapy for her left hand and arm. I cried because I was seeing the love of a father in action. And it made me think about how much our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to help us, including 'tapping' us before we 'hit the wall,' or 'tapping' us so we can start getting ready for the next 'lap'.' The prompting of the Holy Spirit, always wanting to guide and direct us. Paul allowing the Holy Spirit to direct his travels through Asia is a great example of listening to God's guidance. Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10 NKJV So what about in our lives? How good are we at recognising the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Especially when it is something unexpected that we are being asked to do or say. It takes courage to move to that new level of trusting that what we are hearing or sensing is actually from the Holy Spirit. Someone challenged me earlier this week about being bolder in a certain area of ministry. It was an area that I knew I had been growing in, and I was seeing how God was using it to help and encourage others, and bring breakthrough. But it did not always sit comfortably with me, as I didn't always understand what God was doing (surprise surprise). I needed to move to a greater level of trusting God, and understand that when the 'tap' came from the Holy Spirit, I needed to just do it, otherwise it would have implications for other people. And I certainly don't want to get in the way of what God wants to do in people's lives. He loves each of us and wants to see us all moving forward into His purpose for our lives. But that takes trust and obedience on our part. Let's determine to continue to keep moving forward, growing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and God's word. In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life — especially now that you have had a taste of the goodness of the Lord Jehovah and have experienced his kindness. 1 Peter 2:2-3 TPT Let's not settle for where we are now, but rather let ourselves be 'tapped' by the Holy Spirit, listen and obey, so that we can be vessels for our Heavenly Father's love, showing His kindness to others. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

For a long time, actually years, I would ask the question of God, 'How did we get here?' with here being a not so good place. Now I find myself asking Him the same question, 'How did we get here?' but with a heart overflowing with gratitude. So many things to be thankful for. But in those challenging years, when I asked that question from the not so good circumstances, I knew it was important to also actively be seeking something to thank God for. Sometimes the only thing that came to mind was what Jesus had done on The Cross - the gift of salvation. Of course that is no minor thing, it is a life-changing gift Jesus gave to each of us. But when your world appears to be falling apart, it can be so easy to focus on all things negative and even lose sight of Jesus' gift of eternal life. In those times of trauma and crisis, our perspective can, I have found, become easily distorted. Finding those one or two things to be thankful for enables us to come to the place where we remind ourselves that there is a God in Heaven, and He loves us. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 TPT This week I was preparing for a talk an event in a couple of weeks and God reminded me about the importance of thankfulness. It was a time almost nine years ago, only three days after I had been told, "There is a mass in your child's brain." Here is an excerpt from my book about that morning when I came to a place of thankfulness, enabling me to see that God had gone before us, and He was with us. How wonderful it was to wake up at home on Saturday morning, rather than in the hospital. We were confident that the surgeon would do his very best for our daughter, and even more confident that our God would get us all through, no matter what the outcome. However, in the midst of this trauma, I was still a mum with very raw emotions. It was my daughter who was in a fight for her life. It was a beautiful summer morning and I went for a ride on my bike. As soon as I rode down the driveway, the tears began to flood. I called out to God, with an ache in my heart, ‘She is only three years old, why does she have to go through this?’ I spent the next thirty minutes riding around our local streets, pouring out my heart to God. I returned home with peace in my heart and the strength from God to continue through the day. The rest of the family was still sleeping when I returned from my ride. So I sat down with my journal and began thanking God for all the good things about this horrendous circumstance. I came up with a list of twenty two things to thank God for. My list included things like friends with the specific knowledge needed for the diagnosis after the initial doctor’s misdiagnosis. My mum’s renewed passport arriving on the day of diagnosis, so she was able to be with us on the following day. Victoria’s health and well-being, aside from the impact of the tumour, she was healthy and not in any pain. My sister and her family, who lived in New Zealand at the time, just happened to be holidaying in Byron Bay, Australia. They had planned to visit us the following week, so they came down a week earlier. Marshall’s school teacher had already been in contact with parents via email, two weeks before the first term of 2011 commenced, which meant I was able to email her about our situation, and she called on the Junior School teachers to pray. I had finished breastfeeding Alexandra in December, so didn’t have to do a quick painful wean. Earlier in the week I had done a lot of cooking for school lunches. The freezer was full of muffins and cupcakes. Now, when I think about that time, I wonder how I was able to only three days after hearing some devastating news, come to this place of finding so many things to be thankful for? I believe the answer is two-fold; Firstly, God's grace - it really is sufficient for every situation we find ourselves in. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV Secondly, years of practice (prior to hearing that news), of choosing in the times of disappointment and anger (eg miscarriages; marriage challenges; business difficulties) to process with God, drawing closer to Him and growing in my understanding that God is good all the time. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 NKJV Through each of those previous circumstances I had cried out to God, told Him exactly how I was feeling, found comfort from that still small voice, and His promises. Little did I know that all those experiences were preparing me and my heart for this situation with Victoria. And for whatever else our future holds. God is continually equipping us for our future. And learning to be thankful in all circumstances is a key aspect of that equipping. In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMP Thankfulness brings us to that place of knowing that God is with us, He has not abandoned us. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV Finding at least one thing to be thankful for, especially our salvation, enables us to lift our eyes to Jesus, our Saviour. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking unto Jesus, the author and [finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV So today, lets take some time to be still and consider what it is that we have to be thankful for, lift our eyes to Jesus and offer a prayer of thanksgiving. To find out more please visit https:/wendyrobinson.com.au

A couple of months ago at church we had a Pastor from overseas visiting. In the morning service at the end of his sermon he asked who would like to receive from God what he had been preaching about. I felt the Holy Spirit say "Put your hand up." So I did. In the evening service, the visiting Pastor was preaching again. After the sermon he invited people to come out for prayer. I felt the Holy Spirit say, "Go out for prayer." So I did. When it was my turn to be prayed for I explained what had happened in the morning service, and why I had come out for prayer. He said something like, "Okay" and started the praying for me. One of the things he said during the prayer was, "You have been holding God's hand, now let God hold your hand." And then he demonstrated it, taking my right hand reaching up to hold God's hand; then with a hand reaching down to hold my hand. I was perplexed. What does that mean? How do I do that? Here is my processing over the next few days ... Start with a simple prayer, "God, I don't know how to do that, please show me." Then search for scriptures about God holding our hand. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ Isaiah 41:13 NKJV That's a good start, meditate on that scripture Still having difficulty understanding, so I think about what it is like for me as a parent when I reach out to hold my child's hand. What is their response - they take my hand, and let me gently guide them with a firm and safe grip. Okay, now I am starting to understand, a little. I need to release my grip, re-position my hand, so God is doing the guiding, not me. But what does that look like practically? Literally a laying down of my plans and only acting when the Holy Spirit prompts. This is the strategy I have been using with my book project, and I have seen the fruit of doing it God's way - the doors opening easily in His timing. Now God was telling me I needed to use the same strategy with this children's creative ministry - only plan as the Holy Spirit prompts; only do what the Holy Spirit shows me to do, and when He shows me to do it. Because I, your God,  have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you.’ Isaiah 41:13 The Message With the children's creative ministry, due to a change in circumstances with some members of our team, we were going to have to change the way we were running the program. So, the first step, "God, we have to change this, how do we do it?" His practical answer, "Use this format, invite these people to help." We have done as He said, and He has breathed something fresh upon the children and we are seeing their creative gifts coming forth in new ways. It's so good! Thank you God for speaking to me, telling me how I needed to change, so we could then change what we are doing with the program and have a greater impact on this next generation. For the past year I have had a book (well actually 4 books) sitting on my bedside table, and I haven't started reading any of them. A couple of weeks ago I was prompted to start reading one of them, a compilation of 9 of Derek Prince's books, Derek Prince on Experiencing God. The first book in the compilation is The Holy Spirit in You. Very interesting God, You are making sure I really get the message about relying less on my abilities and more on the Holy Spirit! Here is a passage from the chapter 'Our indwelling helper'.... "What does it mean for us, practically, that the Holy Spirit has come to be our Paraclete? We will being by looking again at the passage in John 14:16-18 where Jesus gave this specific promise: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor [Paraclete] to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [You can see that this is a promise only for believers, not the world.] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (NIV) "The word paraclete, derived from a Greek source, was simply transliterated into English. It literally means "someone who is called alongside to help." A Paraclete is someone who can do something for you that you cannot do for yourself." Page 27 Wow, that is who is available to us as believers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, someone, the Holy Spirit, who can do things for us that we cannot do for ourselves. It is so important that we are regularly reminded of this truth so we can be as effective as possible in doing what God has called us each to do. And if you are like me, a planner, that reminder might just have to come from God via another believer from another country, in a very direct manner. Just as it did for me in this example with this visiting Preacher from overseas. Praise God for the freedom in this country to gather, hear the word of God and pray for one another in Jesus Name. One final thought, let's always be open to learning more of God's ways and giving Him time and space to speak into our lives. To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Over twenty years ago most Saturday mornings, Ken and I would travel by public transport (we were newly married and didn't have a car) from Elizabeth Bay, inner Sydney, to Chatswood. Why? For Ken to pre-record his radio show, 'Arts in Review' at a community radio station During the week he'd contact his interviewees and assign a time for an over the phone interview on the Saturday morning. On those Saturdays I'd sit in the chair outside the studio and often fall asleep after a long, sometimes challenging week working on an IT helpdesk. Why am I sharing about Ken's community radio show? Well, because yesterday God reminded me about it. I was sitting in my car having just finished a phone interview with a Christian radio station in Perth about my book and God's faithfulness. Aside; I was in my car so I wouldn't be interrupted by any of the family - but I forgot to turn off call-waiting on my phone! Thankfully the interview was being pre-recorded! Anyway, as I sat there giving thanks to God for how well the interview had gone (from my perspective anyway), He gave me a picture of Ken and I in the studio in Chatswood, and Ken interviewing people over the phone. He was reminding me of a few things ... 1, God always goes before us, preparing the way. In this case, over 20 years ago, unknowingly, I was being immersed in an environment that I would need to know about today! And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV 2, God will always make sure we are prepared for what He wants us to do and will fill the gaps that need to be filled. In this example, Ken with his radio experience, was able to coach me in the preparation for the interview. Now may the God who brought us peace by raising from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ so that he would be the Great Shepherd of his flock; and by the power of the blood of the eternal covenant, may he work perfection into every part of you giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny. And may he express through you all that is excellent and pleasing to him through your life-union with Jesus the Anointed One who is to receive all glory forever! Amen! Hebrews 31:20-21 TPT Giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny. Even when we don't realise it at the time. Thank you God that you are the Master planner! 3, God knows the end of the story and He knows the part He wants us to play. He knows that He is working all things together for good ... So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. Romans 8:28 TPT So, despite all that has come against us over the years, in the words of a wonderful, life giving song, Raise a Hallelujah, by Bethel Music .... I raise a Hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies. Remember, our God, the one who goes before, equips us, and knows how the story ends, He will always have the last say ... Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He's standing right alongside God, and what he says goes. 1 Peter 2:33 The Message To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Once again this week I have been reminded of the importance of taking time to give God space to do what only He can do. Picture this... a group of women silently communicating with God. Writing messages to God, including things they want to be set free from in their lives and their family's lives. I write something on my paper, and then throw it in the fire (literally), declaring quietly, "God you've got this.' Then about five minutes later I see a child peeping in the door. So I leave my cosy chair near the fire and go to her. The tears come and she confesses the exact sin that only minutes before I had written and thrown into the fire. What's surprising to me, is that I had no idea that this particular sin was an issue for that child! I was completely overwhelmed with God's love for us, how intimately He knows us, and how mysteriously He works. The seed for this night of group quiet time with God, confession and throwing in the fire, was planted over month a go. God knew then what He was going to do on that night. It is good and right to remember that His ways are always higher than ours. “I don’t think the way you think.     The way you work isn’t the way I work.”         God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth,     so the way I work surpasses the way you work,     and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Isaiah 55:8-9 The Message God hears our prayers. Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before him, for if we present any request agreeable to his will, he will hear us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we also know that we have obtained the requests we ask of him. 1 John 5:14-15 TPT God wants us and our family and friends to experience the freedom that only He can give. The next part of this scripture explains the importance of prayer in that process. If anyone observes a fellow believer habitually sinning in a way that doesn’t lead to death, you should keep interceding in prayer that God will give that person life. 1 John 5:16 TPT I was not expecting what happened in our daughter's life that night, that she would have greater revelation of the truth that she is fearfully and wonderfully made. I had expected God to do some heart work within myself (that is always necessary!); and to see some answers to the other prayers over the coming weeks and months. But not within the following five minutes. Clearly I need to take all my delivery timeframes off my prayers! So let's remember that we have a God who can do the unexpected, the unimaginable, but always the best. I believe we do have a part to play in that too, just as 1 John 5:16 said ... you should keep interceding in prayer that God will give that person life. If I analyse what happened on that night and the choices that I made (prompted by the Holy Spirit), there were six distinct actions. Now this is not a formula to follow, rather some principals that could be applied when wanting to be more intimate with God and see breakthrough in our lives and the lives of those that God connects us with. 1. Make time to hear from God - Prioritise time with Him Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. Psalm 55:17 NKJV 2. Being silent so can hear - Quieten your voice so you can hear His Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:10 NKJ 3. Confession - Be real, God knows everything anyway But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 NLT 4. Awareness - Look around, observe what is happening around you "Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38 NLT 5. Obey the prompting - Act on what the Holy Spirit is nudging you to do “Yes,” said Jesus. “But God will bless all who listen to the word of God and carefully obey everything they hear.” Luke 11:28 TPT 6. Love and reassure - That's what Jesus does, everyday. But Lord, your nurturing love is tender and gentle. You are slow to get angry yet so swift to show your faithful love. You are full of abounding grace and truth. Psalm 86:15 TPT So those are some choices we can make. But ultimately God is the one in control. His perfect love manifests in so many different ways, bringing freedom into our lives. Remember our salvation. Let's never underestimate what He can do. But God still loved us with such great love. He is so rich in compassion and mercy.  Even when we were dead and doomed in our many sins, he united us into the very life of Christ and saved us by his wonderful grace! Ephesians 2:4-5 TPT To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

I remember years ago sitting on the toilet, feeling battle weary (in a spiritual sense), feeling like there was this unrelenting push to make me give up on God. But then I lifted my head and read this scripture that I had put on the wall a few weeks earlier... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 NKJV As I spoke those words out aloud, I felt the fight of faith rise. Nothing was going to separate me from the love of God. The Passion Translation says it this way ... Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything. So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in universe with the power to separate us from God's love. I'm convinced that his love will triumph over death, life's troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us - no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God's passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! Romans 8:37-39 TPT What happens when you speak this truth out into the atmosphere? For me I can sense courage and boldness rise up and it reminds me of the power of God. The power of His victory. That same sense of courage and victory rises up when I declare this scripture too ... Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] - To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3:20-21 AMPC This scripture reminds me that while there is an enemy that is trying to get us to give up on God, God has an amazing future for each of us. We need to not lose sight of that and continually choose to stick with Him. With God's power at work in us the possibilities are ... just as the scripture says, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams. Let's think about that for a moment. What is the highest prayer you have ever prayed? What is the biggest dream that you have? What does infinitely beyond those look like? Can you see it? Can you see it for your life? The Passion Translation says ... Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. Ephesians 3:20 TPT It comes down to that action again, that I often find myself thinking and writing about ..... TRUST! Trusting that God is here and He is working all things together for good, even when we can't see it. Recently I have started re-reading Joel Osteen's book, I declare - 31 Promises to speak over your life. Each day has a story and a declaration. It has been good for my soul to read about waiting and victories. You may think that sounds odd given all we have been through as a family. But the reality is, there is normally always something going on in all our lives that requires waiting for the victory, and sometimes it gets a little wearying. Here is one of the declarations I read this week from his book ..... "I declare that God has a great plan for my life. He is directing my steps. And even though I may not always understand how, I know that my situation is not a surprise to God. He will work out every detail to my advantage. In His perfect timing, everything will turn out right. This is my declaration." So if you are feeling like you are in the battle right now, get armed with God's word, and declare His truth into your future. Choose to trust God today. He loves you and will not forsake you. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:37-39 The Message For more information please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Seasons. As we transition to a new season I have been reflecting on all God has done, and all that we have learned, the times when there has been no other option but to trust God, and the depth of relationship that has come from those times of great need. Whom have I in heaven but you? You’re all I want! No one on earth means as much to me as you. Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace. But when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence protecting and anointing me. Forever you’re all I need! Psalm 73:25-26 TPT Our God is a God of order, not confusion. He does not ask you to do things before you are ready. At the time of Victoria's diagnosis our emotional capacity to engage with other people shrunk dramatically. Gradually that capacity has returned. For me, initially it was a complete focus on Victoria, then my own mental health, then our marriage, then our children, and after about 6 years I was ready and able to connect more fully with the wider world. That isn't to say that I isolated myself for 6 years, no I was still engaging with people, but not at the emotional level that I was prior to Victoria's diagnosis. Earlier this year when I was having some quiet time with God down at the lake He showed me three things ... a flock of black swans moving in unison on the water .... a flock of seagulls flying together just above the water .... a school of fish swimming close to the surface in the lake. Then He said, 'Wendy, don't forget about the gathering.' God knew it was time for me to expand again. And of course His timing is always perfect. Just reflecting on this week .... Monday we received fantastic news regarding Victoria and no more routine scans being required; And then we had three separate unrelated fellowship gatherings at our home, Monday night; Wednesday night and Friday morning. After each one I felt so excited to have the emotional capacity to once again be hospitable and open our home to people. So why am I sharing this story? Well, perhaps you are in a season where you are unable to fully act on the desires of your heart. So I want to encourage you that this season will change, and God will bring you to that place again. But it won't be the same as before, it will be different, because you will be different. Your motive will be more aligned with God's heart. The execution will be better because of your greater dependence on God to make it happen. The blessing to others will be greater as God has enlarged your capacity to love. Our God is faithful. He does work all things together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. Let's give a shout of joy to the Lord, in the words of Psalm 100 from The Passion Translation. Lift up a great shout of joy to the Lord! Go ahead and do it—everyone, everywhere! As you serve him, be glad and worship him. Sing your way into his presence with joy! And realize what this really means— we have the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For he is our Creator and we belong to him. We are the people of his pleasure. You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name! For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation! Psalm 100 TPT For more information please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

Standing in the supermarket. The phone goes. It's my husband. I just start crying, and eventually manage to say, "I'm not coping." He says, "Where are you? I'll be there soon." Wow, this whole morning has taken me by surprise. I thought I'd be okay, that I'd just push through as normal. But apparently no. Tears. Tears. And more tears. I'd already cried a couple of bucket fulls earlier during my prayer time, then while doing the ironing, and then when driving children around - thank God for sunglasses! In the middle of these unexpected tears I receive a text from a friend saying she was praying for me. When I responded with how I was feeling she shared this scripture ... You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 Praise God for family and friends. He knows that we cannot do this life alone. We need Him. We need other people. We need love. We need peace. It was the morning of Victoria's scan, number 26! And potentially the last one ever! The tears were another level of the grieving for a childhood that has not been not as it should have. We are so grateful that she is still with us, as we know that is not the outcome for all families on the cancer journey. But there has still been loss. Loss of a carefree childhood. In these times of unexpected tears I know where I have to go.... to that place where I am close to God. The place where I can be still and know that He is God, and that He will be exalted. The place that is the shadow of His wings. When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. Psalm 91:1-2 TPT It is not a tangible place. Rather it is a posture of my heart. Me knowing in my heart that God is real and that He cares about every aspect of my life, our marriage and our children's lives. It is a place where I can grieve but still know that there is hope and that it is good and right to have confidence in my God, the creator of Heaven and Earth. [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. Jeremiah 17:7 AMPC We will all have those days when the tears unexpectedly come. Those times are an opportunity to be still and experience more of God's great love for us, His children. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are. 1 John 3:1 NIV So let's not fight back the tears, but rather embrace them, and let our heart soften and lean a little further towards our Heavenly Father. For more information please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

In this full life lingering isn't something that I often do. But this year God has been teaching me about the power in lingering. Being more of a Mary and sitting at the feet of Jesus just a little bit longer. I'm sure you know the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 ... As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home. Her name was Martha and she had a sister named Mary. Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared. But Martha became exasperated by finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, "Lord, don't you think it's unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me." The Lord answered her, "Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Are they really that important? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won't take this privilege from her." Luke 10:38-42 TPT Over the years God has shown me the importance of sitting undistracted at His feet. This year He has been saying, stay there just a little bit longer. More of the 'Be still, and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10). This lingering has played out in three different ways, firstly in my own prayer time; secondly when praying for people at church or healing services; and thirdly when praying at the school our children attend. In my own prayer time, when I am sitting, being still, not asking God for anything, just listening for what He wants to say, after I have heard something from Him there is a great temptation to say, "Thanks God, that's good. I'll mediate on that and I'll talk with you some more later." I guess that is not unlike when I am speaking with one of my children, wanting to communicate a few key things to them, and once they've heard the first one, they get up ready to leave saying, "Thanks Mum, got it." And I say, "Hold on, there is more." They stop and listen, albeit sometimes reluctantly. However in these conversations with God I have noticed that sometimes my fleshly desire to 'get on and do things' means that I completely miss the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit telling me, "Wait, there is more." And so I have learnt to linger a little longer once I have heard something from God, and most times there is something else that He wants to say. Something just as important as the first thing. Or maybe it is something else He wants me to see, as I'll share further on in this post. So now I am at the place, where after hearing two things, I will ask the question, "Is there something else God you want to speak to me about today?" Sometimes there is silence and I know that I have received all that is required for this moment. Sometimes there is more. I have taken what I have learnt about this 'lingering and listening a little longer' in my own prayer time, and applied it when praying 'face to face' for other people. Before bursting into prayer, most times now I just take time to wait on the Lord. Simply waiting for His prompting on what to pray, not afraid of the silence, because that gives Him space to speak and be heard. And then again, when the time of prayer seems to becoming to a close, I ask Him, "Is there anything else for this person God, specific healing? a word of encouragement from you? a prophetic word? a picture?" Often there is, and it is the thing that brings the touch of God and often the tears start to flow. Lingering and listening can open the way for God's love to flow to others. The third realm where God has been teaching me about lingering a little longer is in the playground, literally. A couple of times a week, I along with some other mums, with the permission of the school, walk around the school grounds praying. Sometimes the students are all in class, sometimes they are out and about on the grounds. This week I was at an assembly. The assembly had finished and as the children were going to their classes, I felt the Holy Spirit say, "Sit a while longer." So I waited until there was only one class left, and then I saw what He wanted to show me. A child for whom I know that school has not been easy, and there she was laughing and interacting beautifully with the children in her class. A child, one of many, that we had prayed for as we regularly walked through the school corridors. I was so grateful to the Holy Spirit prompting me to linger so that I could see that joy, a tangible reminder that God is continually at work in each of our lives, wanting us to live with the freedom and joy that only He can give. So today let's linger a little longer in His presence, listen to what He wants to say, see what He wants to show us, so we can do what He wants us to do. We carry this confidence in our hearts because of our union with Christ before God. Yes we don’t see ourselves as capable enough to do anything in our own strength, for our true competence flows from God’s empowering presence. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 TPT For more information visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au

What happens when you are in that place where there seems to be no options, no obvious solutions? This week I was reminded once again that there is an amazing God of the universe who is able and willing to intervene... Let everyone give all their praise and thanks to the Lord! Here's why - he's better than anyone could every imagine. Yes, he's always loving and kind, and his faithful love never ends. Psalm 107:1 TPT But how difficult is it when we are in the waiting? We know that He is able and He will. We just don't know when and how! These are the times when we have to choose to trust Him, and keep choosing to trust Him, and keep choosing to trust Him. When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3 NIV It sounds so simple to do - just put your trust in God. It's in these times that we need to keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus. We can't look to the left or to the right as there are distractions all around. We need to do whatever it takes to keep God's truth front and centre in our minds. His promises, His rhema words to us, that is what we need to be meditating on. Not the 'I don't know,' the 'What if,' the 'It's not going to work.' And I am reminding myself of this now too! I set my heart on your precepts and pay close attention to all your ways. My delight is found in all your laws, and I won't forget to walk in your words. Psalm 119:15-16 TPT A couple of weeks ago someone asked me if there was a prayer in my book they could pray during a family member's major operation. There wasn't a prayer as such. However I spent some time reading through the scriptures that I had included, scriptures that had breathed life and hope into me in some very dark moments, and compiled them into this prayer. So let's pray and declare God's truth over our lives and circumstances.... We give thanks to you Lord, declaring Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night. (Psalm 92:1-2) We are choosing today to approach Your throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) We look at the mountain in front of us and declare that our help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2) Thank you Jesus that you are here with us. We will not be afraid. (Joshua 1:9) Your grace is sufficient for us today, for Your power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Thank you Jesus that we do not have to fight this battle. We will take up our positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give us. We will not be afraid. We will not be discouraged because we know that the LORD is with us. (2 Chronicles 20:17) Thank you Jesus that by your stripes, ______ is healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:5)  We know that you Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and out-stretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. (Jeremiah 32:17) Help us to not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (with definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make our wants known to you God. Thank you that Your peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) Thank you Jesus that as we wait upon You, You will renew our strength. (Isaiah 40:31) We will hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23) We declare that in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. (Romans 8:37) And we declare that Jesus came that _____ may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (John 10:10) We give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34) Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God of our salvation! Selah [pause and think calmly of that]! (Psalm 68:19) In Jesus Name we pray, Amen. For more information, please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au