ONE MONTH TO LIVE - DAY THREE (DISCOURAGEMENT)

Let's face it.  Everybody faces discouragement.  Whether you are Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or the guy down the street.  Life is full of disappointments and discouragement.  People irk us all the time and when those whom are closest hurt us, we have nowhere to turn to.

Or do we?  We have a Saviour named Jesus who died on the cross and paid the price for our sin so that we would become conquerors and victors in Him.  When Christ comes into our lives, He supernaturally empowers us to overlook offenses, to see beyond the evil, and to love and forgive just as we have been.

It is only through Christ that we can face and overcome discouragement in our lives.  I face discouragement all the time.  In my marriage, in 'my' relationship to God, my family and friends, and my church.  I also am realizing that God places those discouragements to give me opportunities to practice love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control.  It's for this reason, I am grateful for discouragement.  How then can we grow in Christ?  How then can we learn to depend on our Master?

Thank you God for discouragement.  I am the potter.  You are the clay.  Mold me and make me, this is what I pray.

ONE MONTH TO LIVE - DAY TWO (PRAYER)

In Mark 9:17-29, a man in the crowd is wondering why Jesus' disciples could not drive out the evil spirit from his son.  Jesus says, "Everything is possible for him who believes."  Jesus also mentioned in verse 29 that "This kind can come out only by prayer."  In your Bible you should see a superscript which is in the footer at the bottom saying "Some manuscripts prayer and fasting".

I once asked an elderly Jamaican woman, who was a neighbour of mine, what the secret to God's power was in her life.  She answered without hesitation 'prayer and fasting'.  She mentioned that God's power was displayed constantly and continually in her life as she practiced the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting.

Perhaps the question we need to ask ourselves today is do we really have faith to believe that Jesus answers prayers?  Do we truly believe that Jesus fed the 5,000, raised Lazarus from the dead, healed the blind, sick, deaf, and mute?  Or was it some sort of made-up fairytale story?

Whatever your opinion is, Jesus says EVERYTHING is possible for him who believes.  I've prayed for family and friends with cancer and believed that Jesus could heal them but He didn't.  That didn't change my belief in God's power to heal nor did it shake my faith in Christ.  I still believe that God can and will do what is according to His will.

Today we put an offer on a house which if we got it, many would consider it an impossibility.  I'm not praying that we win the house.  I'm praying that God's will be done.  If this is the house, so be it.  If not, God is preparing a better place for us.

Do you believe everything is possible...according to HIS will?  I do.  So start praying and fasting for your family, friends, workplace, and neighbours.  Start the morning on your knees and end the night on your knees.  Prayer and fasting is the means in which the supernatural power of God is unleashed.  I believe!

ONE MONTH TO LIVE - DAY ONE (LIFE)

Let's face it...life is short!  If God were to end your life right now, could you say that you have fulfilled God's purposes in your life?  Would you be satisfied with your life?  What if you only had 30 days to live, how would you spend that time?  Would you live life differently?  

Many people are dissatisfied with their jobs, finances, family, friends, and churches.  Yet Jesus says in John 10:10b in the Message version of the Bible, "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."

Imagine that!  Whatever life you're dreaming of, Jesus promises a life that is BETTER and BIGGER!  That's HUGE! 

The way to live that better life is continued OBEDIENCE to His Word.  God presents open doors everyday for you and I, these God moments in which we can act in faith to His Word to see His purposes fulfilled in our lives.  I don't ever want to miss "God moments" but I know I have in the past.

I am praying for the next 30 days to hear the whisper of His voice and for the sensitivity to His Spirit that I may be obedient to live life as He has designed for me!  Life is short!  Let's live it for Him!

House Hunting

Who would have guessed what the housing market would be in September 2009?  We sold our home in Castlemore (east side Brampton) in December 2008 in hopes to grab a home closer to the city (Toronto) in the recession that was coming in 2009.

We were excited to get a bargain while house hunting in 2009.

Much to our surprise, it has been nothing but a SELLER'S market and 9 months of searching for a home has never been harder for us.  This will be our 3rd home since Viv and I got married and has been a test of patience and prayer.

We finally found a home that we like but heard that 120 other people also liked the home and there were 9 offers including ours.  We heard that the house needed a new roof.  $15,000 for a new roof?  Makes you think twice?  It did for us.  We were highly outbidded by one person who went WAY above asking price.  So for now, we will continue to "be still and know that He is God" and wait for the right place and the right time.  Back to house hunting again!