The Unchanged in Changing Times

It has been a very long time since I have written anything on this blog! Wow. How time flows; steady sure and ever more speedily it seems these days. I just scanned through some of my previous posts and I am reminded of the unchanging, faithful love of God. Things are always changing in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Everything! Even the foods that we enjoy and indulge changes. Yet God may be relied on to be constant in and out of every season of our lives. Right now I am in the autumn of my current season. There has been so much happening. Everything that can be changed it seems is changing. Relationships are maturing and therefore changing or just deteriorating and yes, changing.

It takes time to accept these differences that reshape our landscapes emotionally, physically and especially spiritually. Take for example being an "empty- nester." Now don't get me wrong I am delighted that my youngest has now completed his first year in university. I had 2 semesters to adjust to him living away from me. But Lord knows it is good to have him home for the summer holidays. The weird thing is that we have both changed! He doesn't want me to "fuss" and that's just as well. The truth is that I have misplaced the habit of fussy mothering the way I have done for many years. For example, planning meals in advance or shopping for extras that are son-friendly. So when I get ready to leave work at the end of the day which is usually late, really late, I remember that he is home! It is then that I am very thankful; this more grown up, no-fuss son is such a blessing. This change works very well for us both I think.

However there are so many changes that are sad, disturbing, unsettling, surprising or even outright bad. They cause upsets, hurts, distress, disappointments and even pain. I am dealing with that kind of change too. But I thank the Lord that I am not going through my experiences alone. He is always right in the middle of everything with me. I am not alone. Best of all His grace and mercies are amazing, sufficient and new every morning. He is my Strength, my Shield and my Refuge. I have a Place of security, peace and joy. I can rest in Him and enjoy total confidence that He will work all things together for MY good!! And He has, is and always will.

It's not possible to ask for a greater assurance than this; our God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His love never changes, it never fails and it is enough, always. So whatever the changes are that are happening in your life right now, remember that change is inevitable. It is one of very few certainties! But there is one unchanging Truth that will help you through it all - God is always our Father. He loves us beyond our understanding and He is always with us, regardless. This, my dear friend is an unshakeable, unfathomable, unbreakable, unchanging guarantee. Count on it! Take comfort in it! Rejoice in it! Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8 & Revelation 1:8

As I was going through some old papers, I came across this piece of writing that I did many, many years ago. It was written as an exercise but although it is in need of work I remember well the experience I was trying to communicate - a wonderful late evening at Pedro Bluff! Just thought I'd share it - nostalgia!

The pregnant moon sits content on the distant horizon
Contemplating the comfort of being crescent slim again.
The full bloom of a whole cycle casts a luminous glow
Creating a silvery highway across the gentle seas
Bidding the wandering soul to skip along her street
And complete the amazing Christ-like feat.
How deceptive the enchanting invitation
What a wondrous sight indeed.
Then shattered in an eternal moment
White crested waves in unholy haste
Roars and pounds with fierce devouring
Against the eternal sentinel that confines their fate.
Huge rocks within the breach stand guard
Battered, bruised and broken in parts
From centuries of assault by the salty attackers
Positioned by the Great Commander
He ordered 'This far and no further!"
They stand their ground, faithful and true
And for the waves there will be no breaking through
With solemn reprimand they retreat once more
To await another current, another opportune storm
To launch at the dreaded enemy that always holds them back.
I wonder how it is that I have never seen
The majesty of these timeless guardians
Whose task has been to separate the sea from the land
That humankind may enjoy safe haven
Yet dream of escape into a liquid lunar fantasy.

No More Shame!

The very first emotion that Adam and Eve experienced after their disobedience in the Garden of Eden was shame! According to the Free Dictionary online "shame" is: 1. a. A painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. b. Capacity for such a feeling: e.g. Have you no shame? Shame is often confused with guilt, which is a related but distinct emotion in which a specific behavior is viewed as unacceptable or wrong, rather than the entire self. Many people are prone to shame particularly if they blame themselves for an event that causes harm or a negative outcome. Shame can be a particularly problematic emotion because it relates to how one feels about one's personal worth and value. It is associated with an overwhelming desire to hide, disappear, or in severe cases even die. "I'm so ashamed I could die" is an expression with which we are all familiar.

Shame is self-condemnation and therefore it is not necessarily based on external pressures, comments, actions or disapproval. You know what you've done and you condemn yourself. It impacts the way that a person feel about themselves as a result of stuff that's happened. It is often hard to see that someone is ashamed, that is, experiencing shame but avoidance of contact is one of the signs that can alert us. In some situations a person might even go into self-denial rather than face their own shame. When God came into the Garden of Eden to meet with Adam and Eve as was His custom, the two decided to hide from Him. When they eventually realized that they had to face their Father, they explained that they hid because they were ashamed of their nakedness. In other words, the loss of innocence and purity, meant the loss of their covering of righteousness. I believe that covering of righteousness causes a holy being to shine with beauty and brightness and its loss made Adam and Eve look so different,so "ugly" in fact that they were embarrassed. They no longer looked like their Creator. Sin had tarnished their very soul and they felt unworthy to be in His presence. Feeling ashamed is a horrible, self-destructive emotion and can lead to some very negative outcomes. But if we could get pass the shame, pass the feeling of unworthiness and turn to God, He can and will help us to move on from our shame. He will help us see where we have gone wrong and through Jesus Christ, will provide us with new covering, a cloak/coat of righteousness.

God's love for us pre-empt our shame. Before ever we have done a wrong thing, before we sin against Him, He provided for our forgiveness. He planned for our redemption before the foundations of the earth was laid! He sent His only Begotten Son to die in our place. Jesus took our sin and shame and gave us His holiness and a place in the royal family of God again! We just have to ask, be genuinely sorry and turn away from our past. When we accept God's gift, Jesus as our Substitute, our Redeemer and personal Savior, there is no condemnation. He purifies us and makes us a whole new creature from head to toe! Paul explained rather well in Romans 8:1, "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." That is, no condemnation by any person, by Satan, or by oneself! If Jesus does not condemn us - "And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more'" - then we can surely get pass the shame of any thing we've done wrong, ANYTHING!

We need only to run to Jesus and cast all our cares upon Him knowing that He always cares for us and longs to save us from our shame and our sins. Friends, brethren,we do not yet know what we shall be like when Jesus returns and we join Him in glory but "we know when He shall appear, we shall be like Him and we shall see Him as He is" in ALL His blazing glory. Revelation 21:3 tells us that "The city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light." This is truly an awesome future! And what's more we too shall shine, reflecting His glory as the moon reflects the Sun! What a wonderful end to shame! Give it to Jesus and share in this divine destiny! Blessings Forevermore. LadyZaidie

Heart Surgery

One of the things that is often said as a negative comment and sometimes even in a derogatory way is that girls /women are emotional. I cannot disagree with the comment but I do disagree that it is a negative. Of course like so many other things in life too much can be too much at times! But I also know that God is emotional. The best example;He loves!He so loved us that He sent Jesus to die for us so we can be in relationship with Him again! John 3:16 reads:"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Being made in the image and after the likeness of God, all human beings have emotions. The thing is to not be ruled by them to the exclusion of God-given principles and commandments. God is first and His laws must overrule all personal emotions, reasoning, philosophies, ideologies, choices and preferences that seeks to exalt itself above God. The most important emotion that we should and need to embrace, experience and exhibit is love. But love is not just an emotion, it is a principle and therefore it is a choice. Now some people make excuses for their emotions by saying they have no choice;it's just how they feel. Wrong! The truth is we can choose our feelings! We can choose to love or not and we can choose to hate, to be angry or to be happy. It may be difficult at times in certain testing situations but we can! I will tell you how in one word;JESUS. He lived as a man;tempted in every way like all of us but He never allowed His emotions to cause Him to sin! You see that's the main problem with our emotions; we use them as an excuse to sin against God! But Jesus can make us to be like Him so that although we experience emotions,they do not dictate our choices,actions and character. In the next few blogs that I post, I am going to spend time looking at some of our different emotions and how we can deal with them with the help of the Lord.  

The first emotion I will consider is Irritation: Some individuals get irritated at the slightest thing and pretty soon they are angry and going off the deep end. They have no tolerance for anyone and very soon anger takes over and they are sinning against the Lord. By the way, let me just say right here, right now, it is possible to be angry and yet, not sin! Jesus was angry [see John 2: 13-22] but He did not sin. What is His secret? It is His heart! What I have observed over the years is that people who fly off the handle so easily are irritated in themselves, with themselves! It is not who or what that causes the annoyance, it is that their hearts are consumed with so much negativity that anything that is said, acts like scraping nails on a chalk board and immediately sets their emotional teeth on edge. The Bible tells us that the issues of life flows out of the content and substance of our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 reads; "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life". Having said that,before we start guarding we need to be sure we have a heart that is worth protecting. We have to be sure we are not being precious about a heart that is in need of treatment. we have a duty of love and care to ourselves to get a new heart; a heart like the heart of Jesus.

We do so by asking God to give us this new heart; "a heart of flesh" on which the commandments of Love may be inscribed; love for God first and love for our fellow man. "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh" Ezekiel 11:9. But for heart transplant surgery to take place we need to ask the Great Physician for His services. David in Psalms 51:10 demonstrates one such request. He starts by saying;"Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me." But there is just one warning;unless we recognize our need and genuinely seek for help,there will be no changes. We can resolve to do better by ourselves but that will only be a temporary, band aid solution. Permanent change and wholeness comes only from the nail pierced hands of the Physician. Every person who has not yet accepted Jesus as personal Savior is a sinner and every sinner is in need of a new heart;the 'one heart' that is like Jesus' heart.

Once our heart transplant is complete, we must be on our guard, watching and making sure that the wrong things are not getting into our hearts to infect and corrupt it again! We have to guard against infection/corruption from such things as hatred,unforgiveness, envy, malice etc. These are from the enemy and the accuser of the human family and God. When a person has major heart surgery they have to change their total life style. They must change their diet, get daily exercise and ensure that they take the prescribed medicine every single day for the rest of their lives. It's the same with spiritual heart surgery. What you nourish your soul with must change; your daily dose of medicine and the things that you do must all conform to the Divine prescription. Manna which is the word of God, needs to become your source of nourishment. Living water that satisfies your thirst and never runs dry is essential for Life and that is the Holy Spirit. The intake of these are the daily requirements of the new heart's,new diet. So is exercise. Prayer is the perfect exercise that will maintain connection to the Physician, build strong spiritual muscles and strengthen the patient to "walk and not faint, run the race and not get tired, fight the fight of faith" and win. All the while Jesus is in constant attendance, right alongside you. Your personal Physician.

Understand that the important thing that we need to take on board is not to use emotional responses or outbursts as reasons and excuses to sin. In our example of irritation, we see that it can lead to anger which of itself is not a sin . However, depending on the heart content and intent, it can result in sin. Ephesians 4:26 tells us; "In your anger, sin not". “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20). Jesus did not exhibit man’s anger, but the righteous indignation of God. He was angry over the lack of faithfulness to God's law, the lost condition of the trading Pharisees, and the defilement of the House of God. His anger came from the wellspring of a heart filled with love and concern for lost, misguided children of His Father in heaven! Out of the heart flows the concerns and the substance of our being! Note also that Jesus had control over His emotions; they did not get away from Him.

Controlling our emotions comes with a heart that is grounded in love and loyalty to God first and last! If you have had a heart transplant you need to keep up the regimen prescribed by the doctor and have regular checks, just to ensure everything remains Okay with you. It is the same with spiritual heart surgery. We all need to check in with the heart Doctor who is available daily - no cost to us! His divine Rx, when followed faithfully ensures that we stay heart-healthy. Love & Blessings. LadyZaidie

Looking Back To Look Forward

Have you ever found yourself reflecting on the path that your life has taken and wondering how different things might have been if you had gone right instead of left, stopped rather than kept going, spoken and not kept quiet? Yesterday I found myself in a situation with an hour or so to wait for some family members to join me for an appointment. As I looked around I saw people going about doing their jobs, one for which I had studied very hard for a number of years. I had decided to change course after a couple of years and ended up with a totally different career. I reviewed the outcome of my decision to change direction and wondered how different my life would have been if I had stuck to my first choice. "Hmmm", as a good friend always says spelling it out!

When I was eventually joined by my party, a younger sibling also had occasion to reflect on her life choices and voiced her questions about how different the day would have been if she had made different decisions also. "Ditto" I thought. But there is no way for us to know whether our positions would have been any better than they are presently. We know for sure things would have been different but the question becomes different good or different bad; there's no way of knowing and perhaps that's as it should be. It would be impossible to live with complete knowledge of every possible outcome for simple minds such as ours!

Then I got to thinking; Isn't God just awesome! He knows every possible outcome. He also knows exactly which road we will choose and how our lives will be lived out in the final analysis! He knows what is good for us and better still, exactly what is best for us. He knows when we have made a wrong turn, a wrong choice because we fail to consult Him or listen to Him. Yet He never leaves us nor forsake us! He is with us to the uttermost; even if we "make our bed in hell",He is there with us.

So why do we not realoze and accept that God Knows All things, sees everything from the beginning to the end, wants to guide us in the Way, the Truth and the Life, Has a love so deep and wide that He gave His Son to die for our restoration to an intimate, Father-walk with Him through every situation, every step of life's journey? Why do we make decisions without consulting Him, why do we ask but not listen and obey our Father's direction?

Isaiah 30:21 is a reminder by the prophet that the Lord is with us, not just as a passive Bystander allowing us to make poor choices but He is actively encouraging us to become all that He has planned for us; planned and destined before we were born. The text advises us: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left". This is a promise from our Divine Creator, Our Father God!

Over the years I have accepted that I mess up all the time, making decisions and choices for the wrong reasons. Or,for the right reasons at the wrong time and a million variations that all come down to one thing; they are MY decisions to have My own way - Zaidie-centred thinking for Zaidie-centred benefits that leads to Zaidie-centred problems! I am thankful that God is patient, long-suffereing, merciful and kind to His wayward daughter. I am thankful that I have learnt to trust Him more and more. I am thankful that I have leant to rest upon His promises because of His grace in giving me greater undertanding and divine wisdom.

I am not sorry about the road I have chosen to travel in my life. I do not regret the decisions I have made at my various crossroads because I Know that my Lord walks with me today and He will be with me to the very end of time! I know that every experience is a lesson to be learnt, a message to be shared, a testimony to be published abroad by words, deeds and thoughts. I know that Romans 8:28 is the whole truth and nothing but the truth: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose".

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is indeed out of sight;it's difficult to know what will be the consequences of today's choices on tomorrow's outcomes but we know Someone who does! That Someone is Jesus! Let's depend on Him to guide our decisons as well as our footsteps because He cares for us. He not only knows what's best,He desires only the best;His best for us. Love & Blessings. LadyZaidie

A big little word

"But" is a big little word that can destroy lives, destroy one's future, ones's dreams, hopes and salvation. Let's look at a few of the situations that this little word controls. A motorist says to a group of pals:"I was gonna take a taxi but I can't be bothered with the hassle to come get my car tomorrow so I'll drive us home; I'll be careful". There was only one survivor when his car filled with 3 friends collided with the SUV of a couple refturning from a week's holiday.The family of 4 died and so did the driver and 2 of his friends!

"Mum and Dad would kill me if they knew that I am having sex with a boy I just linked with on facebook but it's just some harmless fun; I'm not hurting anyone", said the young teenage girl. Sometime later as she lay dying from AIDS; her family is devastated, Mom and Dad are blaming each other for not being better parents, and she realises that she will not live long enough to celebrate her sixteenth birthday.

"Doing homework is just too boring. I should really do it but I'll just play on my PS3 for a while". The homework never got done and that was just the beginning of a pattern of behaviour that led to a failure of all exams and no high school diploma!

"I would like to be a doctor but..." "I wish I could ... but..."

"I want to commit my life to God but..."

Think about the power of that little word "but". It has the power to determine what kind of life one lives, how one lives, and even if one actually keep living at all. Even more importantly, whether one has eternal salvation or not often depends on whether we find an excuse to say no to God. "But" so very often really means "no". The Apostle Paul says that he desires to do good but he finds himself doing the wrong that he does not want to and all of us can relate to this sentiment.

In truth there is a war that wages for our minds, bodies and spirits. Our sinful nature is at war with our Creator; we joined the rebellion against His Kingdom when our first parents choose to break the Father's command in Eden. Yet this has never caused Him to stop loving us; wanting us to "come home" to Him. He implemented His Plan of our Redemption; giving His only Begotten Son to die for us on the Cross of Calvary. Jesus obediently suffered crucifixion and death to save us even while we were the ones killing Him! Greater love is not to be found in this or any other world.

"But" is a big little word indeed but there is an even bigger little word and that is "love". If we love God with all our hearts; if we love each other; if we make a choice to accept the gift of salvation and be like Jesus, then love, God's love will assure us an eternal inheritance as sons and daughters of the Most High God; Sovereign Lord of Heaven and earth and all creation!God is Love! "But" may be a big little word alright but surely there is no bigger little word than "love" - it is the greatest!

1 Corinthians 13:13 - "And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." Meditate on Love. Blessings to you all. LadyZaidie

Undercover Love

Are you one of those people who has to pararde every emotion, every thought, word and deed to the whole world to get a response, validation, affirmation whatever? Do you wear your heart on your sleeve occasionally or all the time? If you hurt, do you want everyone around to know and notice? How about when some good stuff is happening with your life; are you one of those individuals that want all your friends to celebrate with you? What about if you do something you are ashamed of, what then or if you do a good deed?

We all have our own way and we all do things for different reasons. But I think we should be sure that we do not risk living our lives for other people's approval or disappoval. We need to examine why we do the things we do, and what is the benefit of our actions and approaches to the experiences of our life's journey. There should be careful choices about the things we share, the things we publish and the things that we keep under wraps. Equally, we should choose our audience very carefully. There are some matters where the Jesus advises us to perform for an audience of One.

For example, when you help a person in need you should do so privately even anonymously if at all possible. Don't do it so that others can applaud you or the recipient can heap praises on you. Show your love, do your good deeds for the love of God only; for the love you have for Him who first loved you and have so blessed you. Do your good deeds in SECRET and the only One who sees and knows will reward you openly! So keep your love and your acts of love UNDERCOVER. God Bless you OPENLY! LadyZaidie

Choose To Be Chosen

Do you feel at peace with yourself? Do you question your purpose,wonder what's next, try to see just where the road ahead is leading? How do you choose?

I have been thinking about the matter of being chosen by God. When we give our lives to God,make the wisest possible choice to serve Him,it is not because we have been smart enough to figure that it is the best thing to do and the best person to be and the best road to take.

The truth is that we of ourselves would not, cannot choose the best life which is in Christ Jesus. In our sinful state we never seek after the Lord;it is He that seeks after us!He is the Good Shepherd that seeks after the one lost sheep that strays into danger.He is the King that steps down from His throne and exchange place with a degenerate rebel in order to restore him to an eternal life of perfection, peace and prosperity in the Kingdom of Love and Righteousness.He is the One who stands at your heart's door knocking;asking you to hear His voice,receive His love,return to your position and your inheritance as a child of the Most High God;the Supreme Ruler of the universe!

In other words, you are called and chosen by the Lord. You have not chosen Him, He has chosen you and He will keep on choosing you every single day of your life! You are special.You are royalty.You are worth more than all the silver and gold in the world.You are valued so much by God that He became a man and died in your place;in my place.You and I are so special not because of our choices.Not because of our self esteem or pride.Not because we are smart and make smart decisions.Not because we are wise and stay out of trouble.Not because of our parents,where we are born or when. Not because we have earned anything of such great value.Not because we've got it all together.We are special because God considers us to be special!So very special!!

He chose to create us.Then,He chose to save us when we rebelled against Him,went to war with Him,turned our backs on Him,disobeyed and continue to disregard Him.He chose us to be His very own children;sons and daughters.HE CHOSE so that You and I can CHOOSE life or death;eternal life with Him or eternal death and non-existence. CHOOSE TO BE CHOSEN.

In order to be sure of our identity,our purpose,our place and our destination we only have to make one decision.That decision is to accept that God has,is,choosing you right now and He will always choose you as His own.Choosing to accept that God chooses us will settle all the questions that I started out asking,perfectly. So whether you are living with certainty or confusion is not the first or most important question.The first thing is to choose to be chosen by God and then all your answers will line up with that fundamental reality.You will live a divinely chosen life designed by the Divine Himself for us.I like to be special.I want to live a special life.I choose to be a Chosen of the Lord!What is your choice?

Love and Blessings
LadyZaidie

A Mission Field Beside You!

So as usual, I get talking to anyone that is near me while I am out and about. That's just me. I like talking to people. I call it my TalkTalk Ministry. Today, I am in an excellent frame of mind waiting to collect some money from Western Union sent by my niece for Christmas presents. It was not just the fact of the money that I was in a good mood;it was really a very beautiful day. I was just in a sweet communion with the Father on my drive to the store - I find that when I am driving it is the perfect time to just pray and praise! - So now I was full of the joy of His love. And as we all know,love is liquid, it flows and it increases exponentially as it flows. One just cannot keep it bottled up inside. It has to flow out. I say a bright and cheery hello and enquire into the well being of people who cross my path. I strike up conversations every chance I get. I share a word of encouragement in and out of season as the Spirit leads.

So here I am in the queue and there are two people waiting behind me. Two gentlemen. The second announces to the Assistant that he is there to collect his winnings from the lottery. Two winning tickets, he said. Then he says the amounts. I chuckled and said I thought he was about to say a much larger sum to which he replies "From your mouth to the ears of the gods". I immediately noted in my mind; "the gods". Well OK. After all my God is not into the gambling thing so its no wonder he said the gods. Alright.

The conversation continued about the eclipse that had just taken place. It was agreed by all that we were unable to see it due to the cloud coverage. This was apparently the first time in around 400 years that this kind of eclipse had taken place - a full lunar eclipse on the night of the winter solstice - and it was not expected to occur again for another 300 plus years. OK.

Then the same gentleman went on to say, it was a very good night for magic rituals as the power of spells etc would be greatly multipled. It is never my wish to cause offence but without thought I responded that the world does not need the power of magic to be increased any more.

He kinda laughed and quickly said by way of explanation I guess; "But we were doing healing magic - the good kind". "The good kind of magic, what is commonly referrred to as white magic?" I asked. "Yes, a friend had a double mastectomy and had developed an infection so we were performing healing rituals. We are very confident of a good result because of the special powers that were in the atmosphere on the night of this special eclipse", he explained.

Well, what does one say without offending or is it to be accepted by Believers that the truth will cause offense?

My heart became heavy. The singing in my mind was silenced. I began to pray, to intercede for this man. I was so saddened by this conversation. I was sad for the lady who needed healing, sad for her friends, sad for the deception and lies of the enemy that twists the magesty of God's creative power and turn it into a means for the magnification of evil. The devil sure is a liar. Satan is still trying his every effort to steal God's glory and to destroy mankind's faith in God. Healing comes from the Lord; it is freely given to those who believe, who trust, who ask in His will.

But instead people are misled into seeking and believing in a counterfeit. Our inborn need to worship is perverted and the enemy of the human race seeks to take God's place in our hearts, minds,body and spirit. He seeks only to destroy our chance of restoration to the family of God. The family that he walked away from and can never get back into because he desired to exalt himself above the Lord, who is the one God!

The work of declaring the gospel among our family, friends and neighbours;in our communities and our countries is still urgent and it is needed now more than ever before. The enemy knows that his time is running out and he is intent on taking as many souls to hell with him as he can,just to hurt and defy God. We like to refer to ourselves as living in a Christian country but truthfully we need to look and see that the harvest is plenty and ready for labourers right here and right now. There is pseudo-christian mentality that has become very pervasive - we have a form of godliness but we live in denial of the power that it has unto salvation in Jesus Christ our Saviour!

We must share Jesus and Him crucified for our sins, resurrected with the key to death,the grave and hell and now seated at the Father's right hand. He is ready to intercede for us, plead for us, advocate on our behalf so that we might share His heritage as sons and daughters of the Most High, Jehovah God. We need to recognise that the mission field is right here in our families and our communities, not just in distant lands.

The Lord has commissioned and commanded us to share the good news right where we are, right now. And do not for a minute think that everyone around you knows the truth already. That is what the devil would like us to believe. He is the deceiver and he is the master counterfeit artist. Speak the truth of salvation and the Holy Spirit will bring conviction. Sow a seed even, the watering will be done by another of God's children and the Holy Spirit will bring about the increase; a harvest of righteousness.

All hail the name of Jesus; let us adore and worship Him and only Him for He is the Creator, the Healer, the Redeemer, the Lover of our souls, the one true God. Beware the Counterfeit. Look to the Son of God and serve only Him. Share these truths every time the opportunity arises; seize the moment to minister the love of Jesus to our misguided, mistaken fellow human.

If anyone or anything is getting the glory, the honour and the praise other than the Lord, that is the work of Satan. No two ways about it. "Give unto caesar the things that are caesar's and unto God the things that are God's". Worship is God's. Awe, respect, honour, glory, exhaltation, praise, thanksgiving, authority and dominion all belong to Him. Spread the gospel to everyone; Share the Love every chance that you get. Let God be praised by everything that has breath. AMEN,AMEN AND AMEN! LadyZaidie

5 HOURS AT THE AIRPORT

Recently, I spent 5 hours at the airport waiting. You might immediately think "oh no!" But actually it was such a lovely experience. I had an opportunity to speak with so many people. I was in such a good place that I was able to actually enjoy the break. It was a mini holiday in itself really. You know, I actually think that people watching is one of the most interesting ways to spend time that you have to spare and circumstances allows.

I had a book with me, I had my my word search magazine - I love word search - I had my music. But for some reason I had a desire for human interaction one on one or even as an interested bystander, seeing people living. Human beings are just so diverse, so colourful, so interesting, so beautiful. Didn't our God do an awesome job when He made us?!

As you can imagine, being at an airport meant there was such a representation of the many nations and cultures of this world. But they all had one thing in common; that one thing was love. As friends and families greeted each other or said goodbye, one could almost touch the love that enveloped the atmosphere. "Parting is such sweet sorrow" as Shakespeare says and there is such joy in meeting after periods of separation! People watching affords vicarious pleasure and pain. It also gave me the chance to pray for so many people as I had the privilege to share, albeit remotely, in a few moments of their lives.

During my five hours I was also fortunate to chat one on one with some very interesting individuals. I was even more fortunate that they shared their life stories and we had the chance to talk about the mercies and the favour of the Almighty. One gentleman was Jewish and became a christian when he met and fell in love with a christian woman. He accepted Jesus as his Saviour and 20 plus years later is still rejoicing in his salvation. His children are growing up in Christ and they have been on several mission trips to developing nations including Jamaica. Wow!!

I met a man of God, a pastor who has a ministry that involves running a Bible College, training workers for the Kingdom. Our conversation brought confirmation on a major issue that I was interceding with God about. In that place at that particular time, God knew what I needed and He provided the right person to pour into my spirit. Glory to God!

I shared some good laughs and discussed some observations that raised questions of national security and by implication personal safety with a couple waiting to meet relatives. We live in very uncertain times and people are scared. Scared it seems of almost everything. Scared for their future, their family, their faith in man and God. But the word of God exhorts us not to be afraid but rather to place all our trust in the Lord who is able to keep us through it all. I was blessed to be a blessing to this couple.

It was good to be able to take time out from myself. It was good to share the love of Christ. It was a blessing to meet the Lord in the people that came across my path. It was an honour to worship in this way, at that place; It was great to spend five hours at the International Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta - It was great because the Lord was there too!! Love your neighbour as you love yourselves and pray without ceasing for them even as you pray for you and your own!!

The "Good Ole Days"!

This morning I was thinking about the "Good Ole Days".Days gone by when I was a girl. I lived in the best parish and the best neighbourhood in Jamaica; South St. Elizabeth! I am of course totally entitled to my own biased opinion and since it's the truth anyway?!!

Well I was remembering that 'round about this time of year many of us whose parents were small-holding farmers,had to stay out of school for a couple of weeks,to help with farm work. It was and still is the planting season and every hand was necessary to help. The very survival of the family and the community depended on the harvest. Despite the hard work it was always a good, happy time. There was a feeling of family and community camaraderie that prevailed.

Neighbours helped each other to get the planting done within a set window of time. Children learnt to work together with their parents and we also learnt the importance of taking care of our own to the best of our ability. "Many hands make light work" was a common saying by the old people and it was certainly true in our community. People cared about each other; we shared each others' joys and sorrows,we would laugh together and cry together. Neighbours were usually extended family members anyway and even those who were not,were treated as if they were.

We were not rich in material goods but we were rich in many other ways; ways that mattered most. There was consideration and compassion,there was kindness and kinship,care and concern for even the least among us. There was a bond of family and friendship that tied people together over many generations. It was a community in which decency and good morals were encouraged,poor manners and bad conduct was discouraged,and honor,integrity,respect,and godliness were highly valued.

I wonder what made the difference in our community? Was it because we were a poor farming community and we understood the divine principles of sowing and reaping,of springtime and harvest? Or because so many of our men were fishermen and they shared an awe and appreciation of God's mercies - "they that go down to the sea,witness the power and the glory of the Lord God up close and personal"?

We were a community that confronted life and death as part of the natural process of existence. Children shared in the reality of life experiences. We worked with our parents. We suffered through the loss of crops and the resulting hardships that would follow. The children of the community knew that a father may not return from sea if there were extremely strong winds, a storm or hurricane. We were not shielded from the everyday events that made up a whole life experience. And I believe that these were character-building for all of us.

Today, I am convinced that by and large most of us are strong,determined,hard-working,ambitious and resilient because we were allowed to be an important participant in the real issues and experiences of our community. We were encouraged to be builders of the community in every sense of the word. Understanding and maturity came early to children back then.

Compare that with how things are today. I believe that we now deprive the younger generations of the chance to appreciate and to be fully appreciated for their contribution to family and community by "molly-cuddling" them,way too much. Yes,it is good that we can do "MORE" for our kids in terms of the material provisions we make for them. But by providing everything they ask for whether it is needed or not, without their active contribution or even awareness in many instances of the needs of the family as a unit and the community in which they live as a whole,we do them a disservice.

We are depriving our children of the chance to be the best person that they could become. We ought to wake up to our responsibility; we are letting our children down. We must find ways for our children to have the opportunity to develop sterling characters that will bring honour to God first, to themselves and to their family,community and their country.

Improving on the legacy of our parents is great but if this is at the cost of a moral,caring,sharing,family oriented,community connected society,then we need to start a-weeping and a-wailing for the long gone "Good Ole Days"!! LadyZaidie

Book Burning

So, someone ordered the burning of a man who wanted people to have and read a book. Then they tortured and murdered lots more people because of that same book.

So, one head of government ordered some books to be burnt, then he ordered over 6 million people to be burnt as well and he said he was just going by what was written in a book.

So, some people are still burning that book; they arrest,imprison and murder people because those victims/martyrs believe in what's written in a book.

So someone wants to burn a book. So that makes the news headlines all around the world.

So now,lots of people might start killing other people out of retaliation for the burning of the book.

So people who believe in one book, want to retaliate against the senseless act of killing innocent people,by burning the book on which the beliefs that led to murder were based.

So then, who wins when a book is burnt? Who benefits, who is enriched, uplifted? Who is saved?

The burning of religious books is never motivated by love/Love. It is grounded in fear, hatred, revenge and intolerance. These seeds can never produce anything good.

If we want to reap a harvest of love; love for one another as human beings,then we must sow seeds of love. For whatever a man/woman/boy/girl sows that shall they also reap, eventually.

God is Love. If our actions and/or our words are not about love, then it is against God and in support of the destroyer of souls. Anyone who is not with God is against Him.

So, burn a book and a burning hell might just be ones final destination. "Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels". Jesus on the Day of Judgment.

As people of the Book - the Bible - we must conform all our thoughts, words and actions to its teachings. Only then will our names be found written in the only book that will matter on Judgment Day; that book is the Lamb's Book of Life. Is your reaction in words and thoughts,to the debate about the burning of the book,pleasing to the Lamb?
"Think on these things". Peace, Love and Understanding in Christ Jesus. Amen. LadyZaidie

Blessings as Always. LadyZaidie.

"We Fall Down"

The popular gospel song made so by Donnie McClurkin says "We fall down but we get up ..." and yes, I agree but I would like to vary this statement a little. This little however makes all the difference to me. In my life I fall down and most often, I have to say it is the Lord Who lifts me up; it is He that picks me up. By myself I would still be flat on my face, broken, disheartened, hurting, sad or mad but unable to help myself, unable to get up. It takes faith and favour to get up and it takes the love of Jesus to pick me up.

When Jesus said to the lame man at the pool of Siloam, "Take up your bed and walk", it took faith. For 38 years he was unable to help himself, unable to get up. But what a difference the Word makes! When Jesus spoke, His words inspired and strengthened;faith exploded in that man! Faith that came from hearing the Word of God! "And the Word became flesh and lived among men" and in Him was light which was the very life that God was offering to mankind through Jesus Christ the Lord.

And then, there was Jairus' daughter. When Jesus arrived at her house, it seems it was all over for her. People were a weeping and a wailing; it appeared that she was dead. But Jesus was and is able. He took her by the hand and commanded her to rise. I believe that His touch made the difference then, and today it still makes the difference. Like the woman with the issue of blood that reached out and touched the hem of His garment;restoration flows from Him to His downtrodden, fallen, broken children.

I know that to all appearances I have been down and out many times, no chance of recovery - as if my best years were behind me, it has been said. Then a miracle happens and here I am. And I am here because He IS!! Love lifts me up, the Word lifts me up every time I fall down. When I cannot find the strength to get back up again, He is my Shepherd Who lifts me into His arms, lays me down beside still waters and restores my soul.

Jesus is Love and He is the Word of life, eternal life to me. In Him I am more than a Conqueror; His strength is made manifest in my weakness; the weaker I am, the more glory He gets because the more obvious is His favour, His help, His grace, provision and bountiful blessings in my life.

So if you fall down and can't get back up again, just call on the Lord and He will lift you up and place your feet on solid ground so you can stand again, secure in His Love and His Life. Love & Blessings. LadyZaidie

My Beloved Son, My Beloved Daughter

Just lately I have been pondering on the relationship that parents have with their children. I have been thinking just how special that bond is and how please we are at times when our kids behave in a manner that reflects our teaching/training/morals/choices and a host of other things that we feel are positive and life enhancing. It is such a joy. We count ourselves blessed and highly favoured.

On the contrary when they behave in a way that causes them hurt, impedes their progress or devalue their lives and their potentials we are disappointed, pained and even confused in most instances. This is especially so if we feel we have done all we could to guide them, equip them to make better choices/decisions.

Our God and Heavenly Father must have felt the same way about His 2 sons; Adam the First and the Second Adam. Joy, and pleasure, delight and happiness in relation to the Second and sadness/pain/heartbreak/disappointment with the First. But the real joy must be that unlike Cain and his response that he was not his brother's keeper; the Second Adam felt the opposite and to that end gave His very life - embraced death on Calvary's Cross, so that Adam the First and his descendants could have life abundantly and eternal! How amazing is that! How pleased a parent must the Father be!

Believe it or not, the Father's great joy is in seeing us; seed of the First Adam, laying hold on the salvation purchased at the Cross and coming into relationship, a pleasing relationship with Him again ... Us being mindful to walk in His way, after His guidance,in obedience to His law and according to the plans/dreams/desires/purpose He has for us.

The Father still hurts when we go astray. He still has no desire that we should remain separated from Him. Just as earthly parents, flawed and imperfect as we are have no heart/mind/strength to see our children; our sons and daughters living careless/aimless/thoughtless/purposeless lives. More so the Father above. He knows exactly what it is we will lose by our wayward behaviour He knows it is our eternal soul that is at stake; tye price we will ultimately pay for disobedience.

Like the prodigal son we must run home to our Heavenly Father.

We need to realize just how much we are loved and how His loving arms ache and wait to welcome us.

Imagine hearing the words "this is my beloved son, or, this is my beloved daughter in whom I Am well pleased"!!

Love & Blessings. LadyZaidie

He holds the Dream in His Heart

Have you ever had a passion, a vision, a dream and then run out of energy, drive, interest, stuff to keep pursuing, following, reaching out to achieve? I have. I had a vision, an answer to a question that I asked the Lord as to a course , a purpose for my life. He revealed it to me; not the complete picture but what I needed to get started; enough to make the first steps. Yet after some disappointments, some obstacles and stumbling blocks I seemed to have lost the focus, the passion. Other things took precedence and what was left over was insufficient fuel to drive the dream.

Now the Lord has reminded me. He has filled me up again. He has turned me around; turned me back to face the right direction. The Lord has renewed the vision, reminded me of His purpose, His plan. I love Him for being so patient with me. I love Him for holding my vision in His heart, nurturing and keeping it for me until I would make myself available to Him, again. He is faithful; more faithful to me than I could ever deserve.

I am reminded that God never forgot the dream He gave to Joseph. I am sure Joseph must have lost faith, lost hope in the validity of his dream when he was going through stuff. But all the time God was keeping Joseph, He was also keeping the dream alive. Once the Divine gives us a gift; and the vision/dream he gives us is a gift, He never rescinds it. But He keeps it in His heart for us.

It is what a parent does. Jacob held the dream that Joseph told in his heart. At the lie of Joseph's death , Jacob must have been bewildered. No wonder he was inconsolable. But God preserved his life long enough to see Joseph's dream become a reality.

Mary the mother of Jesus also held the things said by the prohet and prophetess at Jesus dedication ceremony in her heart. And she also held the comments of the rabbis at the temple when Jesus was 12 years old in her heart. Finally at the cross she saw the fruition of all that was prophesied; Jesus died to save a fallen race; He is the Messiah of all; the promised Offsping that would bring redemption. Jesus is the second Adam.

I have learnt that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine and He works all things together for good to those who love the Lord and are called; given a vision, a dream according to His design and His riches in glory.

Blessings and Fulfilment in the Name of Jesus our Lord. Amen. LadyZaidie

Travelling Mercies? ... Granted!!

As I waited for my friend to pick me up at home this morning, I took the opportunity, as I have so many other mornings, to talk to the Lord again. I had my morning devotions earlier but I ove to talk with my Father and He knows His daughter is a real chatterbox and anyway He loves to talk with me too. I gave Him praise for being the awesome God and Father that He is to me. I thanked Him for His love, His favor, His presence, peace, provision and prosperity. I asked for forgiveness and that I would decrease even as He would increase according to the declaration of John the Baptist. I want to live and move and be all that my Lord has destined for me. I loved on Him;thanking the Holy Spirit for being my Teacher, Comforter, my ever-present Help. I prayed and committed loved ones to the Lord. I ended as the car pulled up at the gate by asking for travelling mercies.

About 15 minutes later, I again had reason to loudly and gratefully thank my Father in Jesus's name for manifesting His reply in to my prayer in such a dazzlingly miraculous manner. I confess I have never been so close to getting seriously hurt in a car accident before in my life. A driver exited a side road inches in front of us. In order to avoid this high impact possibility my friend verred away. This sent us spinning to the right into trafic and then to the left as iron barriers reared in front of us and then again to the right - We were on the highway at 9:35am.

This morning 4 of us had reason to give praise for the angels that the Lord God sets over His children; to keep us and to bear us up lest we dash our foot against a stone or a car against other cars or even a highway barrier. We were 3 in our transport, the other driver makes 4 whose lives have been spared for another day. It was unanimously agreed in our car, it could only have been God that protected us. We were able to keep right on driving without any harm occurring. Correction; I broke a finger nail!!

As for me, I can truthfully say beyond a shadow of doubt that I know it was my God who heard and answered my prayers. The others may have prayed; I do not know. But I sure did and I know it was the Lord who covered us and kept us according to His promises in Psalms 91:11. Praises be to our Lord God and Father Most High foreveremore!!

The Cab Ride | Quotes Inspirational

The Cab Ride | Quotes Inspirational

Time Is Of The Essence

It's been a long time since I made time to blog. This is not because there was nothing to write. Rather there was so much but so little time to sit, reflect and write with access to the internet and therefore this site. Excuses or an explanation? You decide! It is the end of the first month of the New Year already. And I really believe that the Lord is now doing one of those end time things that He promised for the protection of His people. That is, "He will shorten the time for the Elect's sake".

How many times in a day or a week do you hear someone say "Time is just flying" or "I just can't find the time to ..."? Often enough I would guess. I even had a chat about this with Zac and he agrees that time is going quickly ... and Zac is only 12 years old! Oh yes, he had a birthday at Christmas. It also made me realize how young Jesus was when at the same age that Zac is now, He had a theological debate with Bible scholars that knocked their boots off.

How careful are we to study the Word of G-d,to live in His will,walk in His way whatever age we are. Jesus' example must be our template and the Bible says that education is thus defined;studying the Holy Scriptures daily, knowing G-d's commands and living in obedience to them, all of them. We perish for lack of knowledgesays The Holy Book ... Divine knowledge that is!! If we do not spend time in the Word we are as ignorant as pigs, really.

All the issues of life can be faced by applying G-d's guidance. Wisdom comes only from G-d. All knowledge begins and ends in Him. Life is His Word. I need to make the time to immerse myself in The Book with the Holy Spirit as my Instructor so that His will be done in my life, on earth even as it is in Heaven. We might find it challenging to make time to write a blog, keep in touch with friends, clean the house, cook proper meals,and a hundred other things BUT we must make time for G-d; for the study of His Word, for communion with Him, for praise, for prayer, for just loving on Him, every day and night. If we do not make time for the Lord then we are not really living. Are we really??!!

The Big Picture

Have you ever felt that your life is a puzzle; like you are unsure exactly what is going on, how the pieces fit together,what comes next and even what really just went on yesterday, or for the last week, month, year??? It does sound confusing just thinking about it, doesn't it? I am certain everyone has felt puzzled at some time in their life. But if you are one of those rare individuals who can honestly say you haven't then you are truly in the very small, maybe privileged minority. And I say privileged only in so far as you may consider it to be so.

The fact is though, I do not envy you that position. I have found that being in uncertain territory can broaden the horizons and stretch my faith to a point never reached before. In other words, this can be a growing place; when I can no longer walk, think, speak, live by sight, my own volition, my very limited understanding. It then becomes the place and the time for me to look to a Greater than me, than spouse, family, friend, pastor or philosopher. These are the times when the Great I Am is the only Source of clarity, direction, illumination, certainty. Faith like that of Father Abraham becomes essential, a must have on this journey to eternity. And let's face it, "without faith it is impossible to please God". So when things seem like a puzzle and I cannot figure any of it out or only bits come together, I just leave it all in the Hand of the One Who sees the Big Picture!

Now on the other hand,just in the last day or two, I find myself standing in a different puzzle box to the confusing one I just talked about and I am truthfully more familiar with. But I am not at all confused even though it is a puzzling situation! Instead I am so EXCITED!! Why, what's different you may ask. Well, I get this overwhelmingly strong impression of being in the centre of all these different pieces of this puzzle which is my life at the moment. And all the pieces are being divinely moved into position to complete the piture that my Lord is just about to reveal to me.

The place I am standing in is one of great anticipation, of thanksgiving, and praise, of wonder and awe, of favour and love, of blessings, and grace, of abundance and of overflow, all from the heart and hands of my Lord and Father!! This is the kind of puzzle where being in the centre is almost mind-blowingly, deliriously, joyously unspeakable and full of glory. It is to be in the Will of God, in the center of His plans, His thoughts, His outpouring love!! I can just see stuff falling into place; like a whole bunch of miracles unfolding almost all at once it seems...A magnificent, cosmic rose bud unfolding its glorious petals at the breath, the touch of the Creator of all.

For SUDDENLY, prayers are being answered and desires and hopes are maturing in ways beyond my comprehension. He has opened up the windows of heaven and He is working it ALL out for me. Hallelujah, "all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28. The pieces of my life puzzle are being directed perfectly into their perfect place in the perfect plan of our Perfect Sovereign Lord.

Believe me when I tell you, if He can do this for me; He does, can, and will do the same for every one of us that place our hope, our faith, and our WAIT in Him! Don't run ahead of God. "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart, WAIT I say, on the Lord". Only God, I tell you my beloved ones, ONLY the Lord our GOD is so able!!

Love, Blessings and Divine Puzzles. LadyZaidie

Dearest Abba

Dearest Abba,My Father,

You are always on my mind. Whatever and wherever I am, You are always there at the forefront of my thoughts. And I would not have it any other way Father. I am always mindful of how much love You shower on me each day and how You cradle me in the comfort of Your protection and peace every night. I just so love You, dearest Abba! But even more than this, I am so glad that You first loved me; that You planned for my deliverance from slavery, from unhappiness, mortality, from pain and suffering, from deceit, dishonesty and disappointment. I am so glad that You have enticed me back to You with your deep, incomprehensible, infinite agape love which surpasses all human comprehension.

Did ever a daughter have so loving a Father as I have in You?! Human parents fall short; they mess up but You Oh my Lord, has never failed me yet! When I need You,day or night,You are always there for me. I can depend on You. I can ask You to take care of something and I do not have to think about it, or wonder if and when. I know with profound certainty that You will take care of it; I know that You will do so in a comprehensive way that looks at every possible angle, and then decide that which is best for me,and for all who may be impacted by the outcome.

I just love to be in Your Presence all day long; talking with You, thinking, meditating on Your Words as I pursue my daily tasks. I whisper to You, question You for divine direction, for answers, for strategies, for advice. I love to take special time out to commune with You, to hear from You, to sit with , cry with, laugh with, dance with You, be embraced in Your unfailing love. Oh how I love and adore You my Father!! How I love to spend my time enjoying Your grace, Your favor, Your many gifts to me. I even love the lessons You teach me, even when some are painful to go through. But You are always with me, seeing me through, giving me Your strength, Your wisdom, Your Holy Spirit to get me through .. through to my blessings, my next level, my inheritance in Christ Jesus my Saviour, my Brother,My Kinsman Redeemer.

Do You know Father that Jesus is the very best gift of all, the very best favor, the greatest blessing, the most precious thought that You have for me, the biggest most awesome inheritance from a dad to a kid? Yes Father, Jesus is my portion. In Him "I live and move and have my being". Without Him I would be lost to You and You to me. So I really want to keep on thanking You for Jesus,for all eternity. And what is more, I thank You for my abundant life through Him, and I thank You that Your Words can never fail to bring a harvest of life, health, wealth, peace, prosperity and eternal rewards.

I love You my Heavenly Father and Your praise shall continually be in my mouth!!!

With all my Heart, Mind, Body and Soul. Divinely, Your Daughter, LadyZaidie