Enjoy today

I recently celebrated my birthday. One of my daughters surprised me with a painting of a ‘vision’ I had some time ago. At that time I saw a dense forest of white leafless trees. Brightly colored spheres, like balloons were rising from the branches and floating up to heaven. As I look at my daughters painting tonight it strikes me that these spheres of praise and thanks to God are creating the atmosphere that exists around and over the trees. It is a ‘party’ atmosphere – with much Joy, happiness, peace and celebration.

Praise and thanksgiving to God change the atmosphere in which we live. The bleak, black background in my daughters painting is pushed back into the distance by the brightly colored praise spheres on the trees. The life of the tree is not in the seasonal conditions it experiences. Rather the life of the tree is in the heavenly fruit it produces. This fruit changes the atmosphere.
Your life is not dictated by the circumstances in which you find yourself today. Rather it is the heavenly fruit rising from your life that sets the atmosphere. Enjoy it.

Bob Lipsys, Australia

Seeing beyond the storm

Many times we get so caught up in the storm
that we forget our destination. The devil always
wants the storm to be the paramount story
that you tell, rather then the victory that awaits
us on the shore across the storm.
……...A quote by Tom Messer. Founder and former Senior Pastor of Mt Zion Church, Arizona.

I love being with faith-filled people. I love reading
the Bible and hearing good preaching. All these let
me leave my negativity, my storm focus behind, and
point me to what the Lord is doing and will do in the
future. They point me to the promises of God rather
then to the disappointments of life. When we focus
on the storms of life we lose our perspective in God.
We lose our hope. Depression builds. That’s why
you need to get together with positive, faith talking
people this week. It is not that they do not have
storms and disappointments. They do. But together
with others and the Lord, they have “the eyes” to
see beyond these, The storms don’t last forever.
The shore is coming closer.
Bob Lipsys, Australia.

You’re not talented enough, gifted enough, smart enough.......

“You’re not talented enough, gifted enough, smart enough, educated enough, equipped enough, good looking or beautiful enough to carry out God’s cause or purpose for your life!” ….However,.. “God is not looking at your ability” but at your heart
Paul Kafentzis http://www.finishingstrong.co.za/

Too often I’ve shrunk back from God’s call on my life because I’ve looked at my natural gifting. I know that I just have not got what it takes to do what God is calling me to do. His “vision” is beyond my abilities.

Paul Kafentzis however got the point across to me in the great quote above. He is right. In our natural selves, we just don’t have what it takes. But, serving God is not about having the abilities or “the look.” It is all about having a heart that is firmly set on God. That is why we are told to “Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.” We can’t fulfil our vision in our strength and abilities.

God’s vision for our lives is a God sized vision. We need to work closely with Him to fulfil it. Soak up the Bible reading below, then check out Paul Kafentzis’ site.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV)
Bob Lipsys

Submission to God is a beautiful thing

At Church today I saw a 'person' at the front of the Church. They were glowing so white that I could hardly look at them.(I knew I was seeing the spirit of someone, the 'redeemed spirit' of someone. I thought it was a woman, but don't know how I knew as there were no identifying features.) The person was kneeling in submission to God. While still kneeling they leaned forward and looked like they were laying themselves (folded over) into a grave. The thought hit me, "They are laying down their life for God". As they 'melted' into the grave a shell of a seed unfurled from below them and wrapped around them. They turned into a seed. The seed was ornately carved. I thought "I can't wait to see what it grows into."

The whole 'event' was one of the most beautiful things I've seen. Laying down your life in submission to God is a beautiful thing. Seen by God's perspective wow. I am still awed by the vision.

Staring intimidation in the face

One Sunday Morning, as I was worshiping in church, I saw in a vision, a very angry cat looking directly at me. I could see the eyes trying to stare me down. The eyes were angry yellow and the pupils were very narrow black slits.

So I am standing in the Church and these large eyes are right in front of me. I am face to face with this angry cat. (I could only see its eyes.)

I asked God about the cat and He said "The spiritual being is trying to make people afraid. It is a spirit of intimidation."

As I stared at the cat I felt it trying to stare me down to intimidate me. I however was not fearful at all. I was being filled with faith, the Holy Spirit was being poured on me.

The Lord spoke to me and said " How do you get rid of a wild cat?" I was some-what surprised by the question. Then, I saw a huge bucket of water thrown at the cat. The cat disappeared - it was gone. I knew the water was the Holy Spirit

To get rid of the fears (and demons) from your life, family, workplace or community; ask God to pour out His Holy Spirit in vast quantities.

Lord soak our lives in the Holy Spirit “Please turn on the Light and let the darkness flee"-
Blessings
Bob Lipsys
ps Throw another bucket of the Holy Spirit on us Lord, Amen.

Perhaps your vision is too small

God promises many times in the Bible that He would provide for the needs of His children. When finances are delayed, I’ve often heard people say statements like this: “God provides for our need not our greed.” Words like this lower our expectations of God. I find that most people looking to God for finance have good hearts and want the resources to extend God’s kingdom and not to feather their own nest.

Want to hear a radical thought I had:

“Sometimes God delays finances when our vision is too small for His purposes. God may be waiting for us to ask for something greater. .........”

Too often when finances don't come as expected, we reduce our expectations. But what if God is actually giving us a chance to raise them .... We may be asking for a house when God wants to give us a city....

When Jesus fed 5000 hungry people with only 5 bread rolls and 2 fish he told the disciples to collect up what was unused- 12 large baskets full. That was a basket each to take home. Our God is “the God of more then enough” not “the god of just enough.”

“Lift up your eyes...... and rejoice.”

Never, never lower the vision God has given you.

Rather, lift up your eyes and get an even greater vision.

Blessings are falling all around you

Robert Lipsys

Tiny Glimpses into the Future

Occasionally God gives us a tiny glimpse into the future – a dream or vision or a word, He places deep in our hearts. But for the most part it is one step at a time. He does this so that we will come to Him every day and get to know Him better each day. As we go along the path of life He will light up our very next step.
John Scotland explains this well below
Do you know God as the best Father? "Son, Daughter, lets go for a walk together."
Blessings are yours in Jesus, Bob Lipsys
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It is Daily Bread
by John Scotland

http://web.mac.com/jsm2/JOHNSCOTLAND2/Welcome.html

The Psalmist wrote, “thy word is a lamp unto my feet!” the operative word being feet. He did not write thy word is a floodlight to my horizon! It was to his feet. God directs our feet, one step at a time. Yes its good to make long term plans, but we do not own tomorrow, and one of the secrets of a contented life is to learn to follow Jesus, one step at a time.

Jesus taught us in what is known as the “Lord’s Prayer” to ask for our bread on a daily basis. The writer in the book of proverbs wisely instructs us, that we can make our plans but it is the Lord who determines the outcome.

Help us Lord as we seek to follow you, not to run ahead of you, we commit tomorrows to you, but ask that you will give us our daily sustenance, whatever we need to guide, direct, encourage us through life’s ups and downs.

by John Scotland

http://web.mac.com/jsm2/JOHNSCOTLAND2/Welcome.html

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