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By fasting Last time in Part 4 we looked at the Lord’s prayer and saw that we must forgive people who have done us wrong, otherwise we ourselves will not be forgiven. I n this our 5th and final part we consider fasting. Generally fasting means going without food for a period of time for spiritual purposes. We can also fast from other things that give us personal pleasure such as watching television etc. Matthew 6:16 “When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. v16-18 Motive is crucial here, if you outward appearance is to let people know you are fasting than there is no further reward from God. Like giving and praying, fasting is best kept secret and hidden from people. All forms of our self denial should be covert and not paraded before men but rather done directly before the gaze of our Lord. Matthew 9:14-17 Time to fast? 14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." v15 Jesus the bridegroom was still with the disciples at this point of time. This was not the time for mourning and fasting but that time would come later. A good general guide as to when to fast is when you feel that the Bridegroom (Jesus) is absent or distant. v17 We need to be born again so that our new wineskin can accommodate the new wine of the Holy Spirit. Do you fast on a regular basis my brother, my sister? I must confess that I find fasting exceedingly difficult to do, so I tend to fast only when the chips are down, and I need clear direction from the Lord (please pray for me). Things to remember about fasting Our fasting does not move God Our fasting does not impress God Our fasting simply helps us put our flesh under so that we can hear what God is saying! Our fasted prayer may help us to do correct actions that may lead to a better witness for Jesus Christ. Amen Personal Prayer

By forgiving others In Part 3 we considered how we ought to pray as part of our storing up treasure in heaven. Today in Part 4 we consider the importance of our forgiveness to others. Matthew 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. v12 Forgiveness moves in cycles which means as we receive our forgiveness from the Lord so must we express that same forgiveness to those who have wronged us or our loved ones. The cycle stops when we refuse to forgive so we stop the flow of God's forgiveness to ourselves. Matthew 18:23-35 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[ a ] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt, and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged, went, and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” v26-35 In this parable we become the wicked servant whom, when the master has forgiven all our huge debts, yet we still refuse to forgive the comparatively small debt we are owed by our fellow human beings! God forgives us all our countless debts/sins. We must do the same for our fellow human beings and keep the cycle of blessing moving! Amen Personal Prayer

By praying In Part 2 we looked at how we should give to poor and saw that secrecy was vital and not to look for the approval of other people. Likewise today in Part 3 your prayers ought to be strictly between you and the Lord. You motive is crucial. Matthew 6:5-8 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. v5 If your intention when you pray is to be publicly noticed by man then you are a hypocrite. The praise of man is all you can expect. Pray in secret and store up treasure in heaven. v6 Your prayer should be done in private place away from the gaze of others. This is the kind of prayer Abba Father delights to reward. v7 God is not impressed by our babbling prayers like the unbelievers nor is he impressed by repetitive prayers because he heard you first time. v8 Abba Father knows exactly what you need, even if sometimes you don't. He already knows. Secret praying is seen by God. Public praying is seen by man. Like our giving, our praying seems to work best when offered in private not public. Behaving religiously in public does not impress God one bit! Amen Your personal prayer

By secretly giving to the needy Matthew 6:1-4,19-21 Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. v19-20 The only place your treasure is absolutely and eternally safe is in heaven. v21 What is your treasure today, what do you treasure? Can your treasure be taken to heaven? Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. v1 You can either have your reward from God or the approval of men. You get to choose! v2 People that publicise their giving are hypocrites and their reward is only the approval of men. v3 Keep you giving/alms secret so that no-one except God knows about it. Do you sometimes find like me that when we give to the poor we want to tell someone about it? Lord forgive us. v4 What we give in secret is what the Lord loves to reward. Don't miss out on this type of reward. James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. v27 God considers our religion to be at its best when we give to helpless widows and orphans who are close to his heart. Somehow the Lord increases our witness because we have kept our kindness secret and visible only to God himself and not man! Secret giving helps keep us pure from the stains of the world. Amen Testimony Someone once told me that it is a real thrill to secretly give to those in need but telling absolutely on-one. Perhaps you consider it as the Lord leads you! As your needy person thanks the Lord, He will bless you and probably in a public way. No person can out-give God, his blessings will surely overtake you ( Deuteronomy 28:2 ). Amen Closing prayer

What can we take to heaven with us? Matthew 6:19-21 (KJV) 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: Worldly mindedness focuses on material things Heavenly mindedness dwells on the invisible and should in the main be hidden from public view. What earthly treasures does this scripture refer to? What can be destroyed by moths and mice? What can be stolen by thieves breaking into our property? It seems to me that the only thing we can take to heaven are people (especially our families), and this is only achievable by our love as exercised in its many and various forms…prayer, giving, sacrifice, fasting, kindness and forgiveness etc. These are the types of action that will help us tostore up treasure in heaven. These actions when empowered by displaying your love ( see 1 Corinthians 13 ) will influence the people who we meet in life e.g. When you love, you show mercy. When you love, you forgive. When you love, you forbear. When you love, you are kind. When you love, you are patient . Where does this love come from? Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us . Day by day, minute by minute the Holy Spirit is pouring God's agape love into each believer's heart. Let it show! Let it flow! Let it produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life! Amen Your closing prayer. Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy Louisa May Alcott , Little Women (1868) In Parts 2-5 of this study we consider how we might practically go about storing up treasure in heaven.

Psalm 56:8 by guest author Helen Draye Psalms 56:8 NLT "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." None of us enjoy experiences that cost us tears and often the enemy tries to use these experiences to discourage us and tell us what a mess we've made of everything. Have you been there? Well, God reminded me of these verses, whilst sharing with a friend who is going through a hard time. It’s so encouraging to see how the Psalmist turned it all around and instead of letting the enemy gloat over the situation he was able to see what God was accomplishing through it! What a blessing that the Psalmist shared these things and how we can read ourselves into the same victory that God intends for His children because Jesus has paid the price already for our victory! The enemy IS already defeated!! PSALM 56 GNBUK A Prayer of Trust in God "1 Be merciful to me, O God, because I am under attack. my enemies persecute me all the time. 2All day long my opponents attack me. There are so many who fight against me. 3When I am afraid, O LORD Almighty, I put my trust in you. 4I trust in God and am not afraid. I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me? 5My enemies make trouble for me all day long. they are always planning how to hurt me! 6They gather in hiding places and watch everything I do, hoping to kill me. 7Punish them, O God, for their evil. defeat those people in your anger! 8You know how troubled I am. you have kept a record of my tears. Aren't they listed in your book? 9The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side — 10the LORD, whose promises I praise. 11In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me? 12O God, I will offer you what I have promised. I will give you my offering of thanksgiving, 13because you have rescued me from death and kept me from defeat. And so I walk in the presence of God, in the light that shines on the living." Hallelujah! We can be people of victory! Pastor Colin Urquhart loved to remind us: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!”. If we are " in Him " we can live in His victory through every experience! He used to demonstrate this using a book, and if you have something enclosed in the pages of that book you are included wherever the book goes and in whatever happens to the book. We are secure in Him! Hallelujah! Amen Prayer Further information: A short history of tear bottles Tear bottles were prevalent in ancient Roman times, when mourners filled small glass vials or cups with tears and placed them in burial tombs as symbols of love and respect. Sometimes women were even paid to cry into "cups", as they walked along the mourning procession. In the Old Testament of the Bible, a reference to collecting tears in a bottle appears in Psalm 56:8 when David prays to God, "Thou tellest my wanderings, put thou my tears in Thy bottle; are they not in Thy Book ?" David is referring to the belief that God keeps a record of human pain and suffering and always remembers our sorrows. Tear bottles reappeared during the Victorian period of the 19th century, when those mourning the loss of loved ones would collect their tears in bottles ornately decorated with silver and pewter. Special stoppers allowed the tears to evaporate. When the tears were gone, the mourning period would end. In some American Civil War stories, women were said to have cried into tear bottles and saved them until their husbands returned. Their collected tears would show the men how much they were loved and missed. The tear bottle tradition has endured for more than 3,000 years. Tear bottles, or lachrymatory, were common in ancient middle Eastern societies. Even today they are still produced in that region. Tear bottles were prevalent in ancient Roman times, when mourners filled small glass vials or cups with tears and placed them in burial tombs as symbols of love and respect. Sometimes women were even paid to cry into "cups", as they walked along the mourning procession. Those crying the loudest and producing the most tears received the most compensation, or so the legend goes. The more anguish and tears produced, the more important and valued the deceased person was perceived to be. Today, lachrymatory tear bottles are given on many occasions - to show joy and delight upon the wedding of a friend or the birth of a new child. To convey love and admiration between a mother and daughter, representing the tears that have been shed between them. To express sympathy upon the loss of a loved one. Tear bottles communicate feelings that few other gifts can. And what's so wonderful is that unlike flowers, a tear bottle will last for years and be a precious and powerful reminder of your love. Guest author/blogger Helen Draye For a print copy and much more please click on the link below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/all-your-tears-are-in-god-s-bottle

What can happen when we fail to consult the Lord We now consider two instances where the Israelites did not consult the Lord and created serious problems for themselves The deceit of the Gibeonites Joshua 9:15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. 16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours who dwelt near them. 19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them.  21 And the rulers said to them, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them." The Gibeonites' deception is a story about the Gibeonites tricking the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them. God had told Israel to destroy all the Canaanite tribes. The Gibeonites were Canaanites who disguised themselves as travellers from a faraway land to save themselves from Joshua's army. They wore old clothes and sandals, loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and wineskins, and brought dry, mouldy bread. They then asked Joshua to make a covenant with them. Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites and guaranteed their safety. Three days later, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites were their neighbours. Joshua couldn't break his promise to the Gibeonites, but the treaty threatened Israel's covenant with God. The Gibeonites eventually became fully assimilated into Israel as slaves The Israelites did not do an ID check with the Lord to see where the Gibeonites came from. Israel had to make do with the situation they had gotten into-by not consulting the Lord! The defeat of Israel at Ai There were two battles at Ai (see Joshua Chapters 7-8) Israel was defeated in the first battle – due to the sin of Achan However, after repentance Israel, won the second battle Another example where Israel did not consult the Lord was their military defeat at Ai (pronounced as Ai or eye). Israel is defeated by the inhabitants of the city of Ai, and it is revealed that the reason for the defeat is because one of the Israelites has sinned and kept some of the “devoted things” from the spoils at Jericho. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, is found (by lot) to be the guilty party, and he and his household are all executed according to God’s instructions. We need to pay attention to what the Lord is saying in any given situation and of course be obedient to what he has said. Take away points We need to consult the Lord before our battles, major decisions, projects and everything else that is important. Do you consult the Lord in this way? Amen Prayer In Part 4 (our final part) we consider what it means to be totally committed to the Lord.

The Apostle Paul knew where he was headed in life, what about you? Everyone’s life is driven by something! A dictionary definition of driven includes guided , controlled by , or directed by . Think of your car when it is driven by you, hopefully you are guiding it and controlling it every moment you are driving! Today a problem, or a pressure or even a deadline might drive you. You could also be driven by a painful memory, an overwhelming fear (phobia e.g. fear of failure) or even an unrecognized belief or mindset. What would your closest family and friends say drove your life? There are literally hundreds of circumstances, values and emotions that can drive our lives. Here are 5 examples of common ones. Many people are driven by Guilt . They spend most of their lives running away from regrets and trying to hide their shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated and controlled by their memories. They allow their past to control their future! They often unconsciously punish themselves and even may try to sabotage their own success. After Cain murdered his brother, his guilt caused him to become a restless wanderer. This is perhaps a good description perhaps of many people who wander through their lives without a purpose. We may be products of our past, but we do not need to be prisoners to it. God’s purpose in your life is not limited by your past. God turned Moses from a murderer into a national leader and the timid Gideon into a valiant warrior. I wonder what he is going to do with you and me? God specializes in giving people a fresh start. Oh the joy of whose sins have been forgiven (that is us). Many people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold onto their hurts and wounds and never get over them, instead of dealing with the hurt by forgiveness they replay the offence in their minds. Instead of dealing with the hurt by giving forgiveness they replay the offence over and over and keep it a fresh source of negative emotions. Some people repress their anger and pain whilst others explode with rage. Both responses are unhealthy and unhelpful. Resentment gnaws away at us (like a rat in your soul) and has more effect on the ‘offended’ than the offender. The offended person just stews in their own juice. We must learn to let go of all bitterness and resentment with God’s help and forgive people with His forgiveness. Easier said than done, you might say, but doing the right thing surely leads to health and peace of mind. Many people are driven by fear. Fears come upon people in many ways. Some traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, superstitions, growing up under dominating people or perhaps some people may be more fearful than others by nature. Many fear-driven people miss out on great opportunities because they are afraid to go out or step out into the unknown. Instead they play it safe every time, avoid every risk and always vote for the status quo. Fear is a self-imposed prison which holds you captive from finding God’s purpose for your life. Perfect love casts out all fear and we have the full armour of God to help us deals with its attacks. Many people are driven by materialism. The acquisition of material wealth becomes the overriding purpose of their lives. Remember the parable of the wealthy man who built bigger barns and planned the good life not realizing his time was up. There is the underlying misconception that more material wealth will bring more happiness, more security, and more importance. It would not take to you too long to find examples of many people who could tell you otherwise. Possessions only bring a temporary happiness, then we get bored with them and want newer, better (or even younger) replacements. Your value to God does not lie in your possessions but in your very life, you are his treasure. What is your treasure? Wealth does not make you secure; you can have a billion in the bank but a need for 1.1 billion arises. Wealth can be lost in a moment e.g. the Wall Street crash. We find our security in our relationship with the living God (we have a written covenant with him that is fireproof, waterproof and event proof). Many people are driven by the need for approval. Some people allow the expectations of their parents, spouses, or teachers or even their friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to win the approval of their unpleasable parents (can even happen when the parent is dead). Others are driven by peer pressure to conform to the group or gang. We will never succeed in life by trying to please everyone! Jesus said no man can serve two masters, either we will please God or man. Being driven by the opinions of the others will result in us displeasing God. I am sure you will agree that it too high a price to pay. We must be on our guard for anything driving our lives that would lead to our unfulfilled potential or destiny. We need to live our lives guided and controlled and directed by God’s (and only) God’s purposes for our lives. Nothing matters more than to be in his will and purpose in your life and nothing this world has to offer us can really compensate us for missing his purpose for our lives. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning . Without a purpose, life is activity without direction . Without a purpose, life has no reason . Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty, and pointless . Benefits of living a Purpose Driven Life Here are 5 great reasons of living a purpose driven life. Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your Life. Life without God and hence without purpose is meaningless. Where there is no meaning there is no significance or hope . Live without purpose is a terrible burden. What hope do the godless have? Nothing really matters. Why should anyone care about anything? Each day would drag on and on! Cancer patients with a strong life purpose and desire to live do better generally than those who do not. God has plans for your life, plans to bless you, and prosper you. Is anything too difficult for him? Knowing your purpose simplifies your Life We can simplify our lives into doing either things that… Please God or do not Glorify God or do not Things that are in obedience to God’s word or not. Any new project, plan or proposal can be measured up against your life purpose by asking will it help or hinder my God given purpose. Without a clear purpose we base our decisions to allocate out time and resources on momentary things such as mood, pressures etc. Isaiah 26:3 You Lord give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you. Knowing your purpose focuses your Life We can become effective by being selective. It is all too easy to become distracted by minor issues. We usually major on the minors. Thoreau said many people live lives of quiet desperation , but Rick Warren has suggested it might be more apposite to say they live lives of aimless distraction like gyroscopes spinning fast but going nowhere. Without a clear purpose we will change relationships, jobs, houses, churches etc. hoping that the next change will make everything all right, but it usually does not. What will help you, will be focusing clearly in on God’s purpose for your life then making any changes based on that. Being focused is more important than being busy. White light is diffuse and not focused and needs a magnifier to get focused, but a laser is highly focused and can cut through steel! God wants you to live your life focused like a laser . Look at Paul, Philippians 3:13, I am focusing all my energies on this one thing, forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Knowing your purpose motivates your Life Purpose produces passion . Nothing energizes like a clear purpose. Passion dissipates when there is no purpose. Meaningless work wears us out quicker than overwork. G.B. Shaw wrote “ This is the true joy of life; being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ” Which one of these is most like you? Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity Most people want to be remembered when they are dead. Yet, at the end of the day it is now that what our fellow men think and say of us really matters. All our records, trophies and achievements will eventually be surpassed. Living to create an earthly legacy is a shortsighted goal. We need to build an eternal legacy . We were put on earth to prepare for heaven. Each one of us will give a personal account to God for us our stewardship of our lives [ Romans 14:10]. He will ask you ‘ What did you do with my son Jesus Christ’ ? Did you accept him and what he did for you? Your answer will determine where you will spend eternity. ‘ What did you do with your life ( health, strength, gifts, talents, resources etc .)? ’ Your answer will determine where you will be for eternity. Knowing your purpose will give you the right answers to these questions. Summary Living with purpose is the path to peace and faithfulness. Let us forget what lies behind and focus in like lasers on God’s purposes for our lives. Amen Prayer

How can we commit our ways and our works to the Lord: practical suggestions 1.Start with prayer of committal that draws on your knowledge of God’s character (bible). 2. Let go of how you think the plan should be executed 3. Expect the unexpected 4. There may be a battle for God’s plan to be implemented 5. Keep trusting God for He knows best Practical example for a new children/youth ministry Prayer: Lord, we know that you love children and young people, and you suffered the little children to come unto you. You tell us to bring up our children in the knowledge and admonition Lord we now hand over all our ideas and thoughts of how we can achieve this to you acknowledging that you alone have the right plan. Watch out for unexpected developments e.g. a gifted worker in these areas may suddenly turn up or a facility may be made available. There may be difficulties and problems appearing just when it looks like we have Gods plan Keep believing, keep trusting, God has our prayers covered and will bring his answer at the right time. Abba Father knows best. Amen Psalm 127: :1 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labour in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Whatever we do in any sphere of life we must understand that all our undertakings require a total dependence upon God for without the Lord being in charge, all efforts will be frustrated, and all activities will be rendered unsuccessful. Even in terms of our security in all the areas of life we do all that is prudent, but our trust must be in the Lord. A biblical example of Commitment to the Lord: Noah The account of Noah’s commitment was particularly clear. Yes, you know Noah, the man who preached for (120) years about a thing he’d never seen before. If there’s a man that can teach us about how to be committed it would be him. We read his story in Genesis 6:13-9:29 . From Noah we learn three key things: Faith : God says to Noah, “I’m going to destroy the earth, and I want you to build a boat to save all the people who want to be saved as well as, the land animals and birds. Oh, don’t forget and you will also be saving your three sons and their wives.” Investment : The Bible doesn’t tell us what Noah’s day job was. Noah had to source and procure all the things that were needed to build the ark that was estimated to be 450 feet x 75 feet x 45 feet. It would have taken many tons of wood, gallons of pitch and a whole lot of hours to get this project completed. Persistence : Biblical commitment is often called faithfulness-–it’s because we can’t truly commit to something without faith. We have to believe before we can start investing in something. What about our commitment to what God is building in your church fellowship today? Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. In a sense delighting in the Lord also involves him in every situation. Delight in the Lord can be interpreted to mean that: Enjoying God brings contentment: When we delight in God, we find complete satisfaction and contentment in Him. God gives us what we want: God gives us what we want because He gave us the desire to want it. Godly desires are placed in our hearts: When we delight in God, He places godly desires in our hearts. Our desires are fulfilled: When we delight in God, our desires are fulfilled because our contentment is satisfied in Him. The Hebrew verb for "delight" in Psalm 37:4 is a command that charges us to find enjoyment in the Lord. Another Hebrew word for "delight" means to bend toward or incline toward, which is a fitting description of what our attitude should be toward God. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we consider what happened to God’s people when they did not check with the Lord or consult with Him.

If you want to be successful in anything you must get God in it at its inception. Whatever we do for the Lord we must get God himself in on the act. The Lord must be the first guest at any celebration for he is the life and soul of the party. We must seek the Lord for both the direction and the execution of any task he has given us. Unless God is in the task from its inception our plans are going nowhere and will eventually fail. Also, unless the Lord is sustaining all our ministries and service then we are just wasting our time. If God is not involved in any project, then why should we be? Psalm 37: 5 Commit [a] your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. [a] = Lit. Roll off onto. Way= plans and purposes The Amplified Bible Classic (AMPC) edition renders Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. David wrote this Psalm in his old age and so he is talking from experience. Commitment: Committing to the Lord means to hold nothing back and to trust God completely. Trust: The verse emphasizes the importance of trusting God and placing one's faith in Him. Action: The verse assumes that faith is inseparable from action, and that those who trust God will continue to do what He says. Rolling with God: The Hebrew word for "commit" literally means "to roll". This concept is similar to the idea of "rolling with God". God's care: God can take better care of us than we can do for ourselves. Psalm 37 encourages people to not respond to evil with yet more evil. This psalm is especially relevant when things don't seem to be going our way, and we are struggling forward through a fight of faith Commit your works to the Lord Proverbs 16:3 Commit [a] your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. Pledge or dedicate your use of energy, mental and physical effort to the Lord, and your way of thinking and intentions will be set up on a permanent basis.   [a] = Roll all your actions–good or bad–unto God and He will arrange your thoughts, purpose, and intentions. The AMPC renders Proverbs 16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. Plans should be aligned with truth. The best chance for success is when plans are aligned with truth. Those who submit to God's will are in a better position Those who submit to God's will and seek Him are in a better position than those who ignore or reject Him. Plans should glorify God Plans should include serving other people and using gifts to bring God glory. Trust in God The proverb assures those who worship the true God that their plans will be successful if they place their trust in him by seeking and following his guidance. The word translated into English as "established" conveys the idea of laying a foundation. Amen Personal prayer In Part 2 we consider the practicalities of how to commit our way and our works to the Lord

Jesus is a superconductor of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38; God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went around doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. In Luke 4:18 Jesus spoke these words “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Jesus' mission statement or manifesto was as follows. Jesus came to meet people’s needs Jesus came to meet their need for Salvation Jesus came to meet their need for Deliverance Jesus came to meet their need for Healing Jesus came to meet bind up broken hearts, open blind eyes, and deaf ears, to heal their bruises and to tell them “today is the day of Salvation, if you hear His voice don’t harden your heart”. Jesus came to meet people’s needs and he had the anointing of the Holy Spirit to give the power to meet those needs of the people. Isaiah 10:27 tells us that is the anointing that breaks the yoke (of bondage).  In other words, the Holy Spirit (in believers) supplies the power to change, to save, to set free, and to heal. The ‘anointing’ in a physical sense means a perfume prepared from oil and aromatic herbs and this perfume was poured on the head of the High Priest, setting him apart as holy unto the Lord. This perfume is a picture of the Holy Spirit being poured out onto the head of the believer. Jesus Christ - The Anointed One (Luke 4:18) And we are the Christians the ‘little’ anointed ones. The power of God comes with the anointing. Every good work needs power, from Salvation to healing and deliverance. In the New Testament a miracle is literally a ‘Dunamis’ a working of power. Only God himself, God the Holy Spirit can supply this power to change, heal, to set free and to have this power available to meet the needs of people so we must have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Summary God wants you and me to meet these same needs in the lives of people, for salvation, healing, deliverance and will give you and me the anointing to perform these works.                 So, what is the limiting factor?                 So, why don’t we see more miracles?                 So, what is the problem? Why was Jesus able to always be successful in meeting the people’s needs? He led a Holy sinless Life. (Psalm 5:4; 66:18) Electricity can flow down wires, but its flow is impeded (we call it resistance) by non-conducting components. Non-conductors produce unwanted heat and so reduces power. Water flowing through a pipe is greatly impeded by blockage in that pipe. The liquid flow can become a trickle if there are leaves and debris in your petrol tank. Such debris will eventually find their way into the pump and stop all power to move in your car. If we consent to evil, give regard, allow, nurture it so will the sin in our lives reduce the power of the Holy Spirit which is able to flow in our ministries and we will not be able to meet the needs of people. God hates sin in all its forms and must turn away from it. Testimony God drew certain mental sins in my life, attitudes of not giving up something that wasn’t right. But the moment I repented and forsook these attitudes (with God's help) I knew a new power and anointing in my ministry. In retrospect, it seems clear these unforsaken sins were significantly hindering the flow of God`s power through me and as a result people`s needs were unmet or not fully met. Dead flies in the ointment Ecclesiastes 10:1 KJV: Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. In this scripture the ointment represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. The dead flies represent our sins/folly that produce a bad smell so that the perfume cannot perform its function. When the perfume of the Holy Spirit is removed than we have no power to perform the good works commanded by Jesus. We should avoid any foolishness in our lives and maintain a good reputation.                          King David came at this issue in a similar way, speaking of the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15). Application Now, is the time to identify any dead flies in your ointment, asking God to reveal to you, what sins/foolishness that need be forsaken. If you do repent you will experience a new power of the Holy Spirit present within your ministry and that God will use you to meet the needs of people. Such an anointing, when you ask for it, will be available for each circumstance, see the example below. Me: Lord, I have no power of my own, and unless you provide the anointing for this person nothing will happen. They will be disappointed so you so will I. Dis-anointment causes disappointment. Lord: My son and daughter, will you forsake the sin in your life, for I cannot flow through an unclean vessel. Me: Lord, I will, I name them now and with your help I forsake them, thank you for blood of Jesus Christ. Lord: My son, what do you want? Me: Lord I want an anointing of the Holy Spirit with the power to meet this person’s need. Lord: My son, go in faith. God wants you to be vessel for meeting people`s needs. Purge and cleanse your vessel and cast the dead flies out and be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. See the power of God flow through you and meeting people`s needs, Glory to God. Amen. Personal Prayer

Luke chapter 1: A case study Luke was a Gentile physician, a companion of the Apostle Paul. Luke also wrote the book of Acts. His books give insight into the ministry of Holy Spirit. Luke Chapters 1 and 2 are popular texts at Advent. Today we look at Chapter 1 to see the events preceding the birth of the Messiah but with special emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. We ask you to consider what are the described effects on men, women, and babies of being filled with the Holy Spirit? Chapter 1 Verse 1-4; Here is the exact truth of the Gospel as carefully investigated by the Apostle Luke. Verse 5-25; The baby carried by Elizabeth was prophesied by the angel Gabriel to have a mighty ministry of reconciliation, preparing the way of the Lord. V15 John will be filled with the spirit in his mother’s womb. Verse 26-38; Mary gives her consent Verse 39; Elizabeth welcomes her relative Mary into her house. Verse 40; The fulfilment of verse 15, the baby leaped in her womb as Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit Verse 42; Elizabeth cried in a loud voice recognized Mary’s calling and announces the great favour of God on Mary. Verse 43; Elizabeth recognized her own honoured position that Mary the mother of Jesus should come to her. Verse 45; Elizabeth recognized Mary’s belief in what God had told her. Verse 46; Mary exalts God, her soul proclaiming his glory. Verse 47; Mary’s spirit greatly rejoiced in God her saviour. Verse 48; Mary recognizes God’s high favour upon her, and prophetically recognizes all generations will called her blessed. Verse 49; Recognized of God’s great plan and purposes. Verse 50; Mary under the influence of the Holy Spirit quotes from the books of the Psalms and Job Verse 54-55; Mary remembers the covenant, by which God continues to show mercy to Israel. Verse 67; Zechariah filled with the Holy Spirit now prophesies. Verse 68; Zechariah recognized God’s plans concerning the redemption of his people. Verse 69; Zechariah continues to prophesy concerning Messiah and quotes Psalm 18:2. Verse 72-3; Zechariah declares that the Lord remembers his covenant with Abraham. Verse 76-79; Zechariah now prophesies that his son John will be called a prophet of the Most High, then goes onto prophesy outlining about the Messiah’s ministry. Verse 78; Zechariah now quotes Malachi 4:2 Verse 79; Zechariah now quotes Isaiah 59:8 These scriptures and many more showing the many and varies effects of being filled with Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Gives several examples of what can happen when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. The connotation here is that these examples, are not all inclusive or separate. So here is a recap from Luke Chapter 1. 1. Spoke in loud voice 2. Exalted God 3. Recognizing God’s plan 4. Recognizing God’s calling on lives 5. Recognizing the honour involved 6. Recognizing others obedience 7. Great rejoicing 8. Quotation of scripture 9. Remembers covenant 10. Prophecy concern ministry The purpose of this study is to recognise Spirit filled ministry and learn to participate in it! Amen Prayer