2012: Be encouraged

If we only listened to politicians, economists and TV pundits, then we are certain to lose all hope in 2012. The promise is only of a bleak global economy, recession in many countries, job losses, rising inflation and rising unemployment. However all who have faith in God should be encouraged.

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!"

Psalm 46:1-3 NLT

Pause and think about those three verses - this is actually what the bible asks us to do at the end of verse 3. I do so and I am encouraged every time - without fail!

So bring it on 2012 - we've got God on our side. He has promised to rescue us from all our troubles and never to leave nor forsake us. So let's keep true and focused, holding firmly on to him and doing whatever it takes to keep Christ always in focus.

What happens to our prayers?

I wonder what happens to our prayers - how they get sorted, who sorts them , what kind of filing system, how they are retrieved in time for execution, what determines when they are executed, what determines whether they are kept in view, put away or pulled up for attention. Whatever it is - God must use the most super sophisticated database, CRM system or whatever to handle all those requests from good and not so good people. (Yeah, even not so good people pray and get their prayers answered  - sometimes). There are some things we will never know  while on our journey here on earth - how God sorts all this out must be one of them. Whatever the answer, it will be God just being God, doing the things that only he can.

The last part of Solomon's prayer when he dedicated the temple (see 1 Kings 8:59) was that his prayers would be always right there before God, day and night, so that God would do what was right for him (Solomon) to guarantee justice for the people of Israel day after day after day. 
So maybe it is not so important what system God employs to manage our prayers  - the key thing is that he allows our prayers to be constantly before him, day and night, such that his will is done in our lives.

No pretence!

I do not pretend to have any profound, wise words of my own for others. After all, like many others I stumble through life, trying to live by values of the Christian faith I profess - sometimes upbeat, other times flagging but always trusting that God has my back.
So what do I have to share?
I would like to share my notes - impressions from reading the bible as well as the notes that I take in church. I pray they provide food for thought and provoke those who read them to action that positively affects their lives.
I know that there is nothing new under the sun as far as life experiences are concerned. Nothing also compares with what we feel when we successfully apply life insights and principles to our situations. So let's share from the book of insights (not my notes but the bible) as we live life together.