What Is Stored Up In Your Heart?

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“A good man brings good things out of the good STORED UP in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil STORED UP in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” - Luke 6:45 (NIV).

Are you likely to be surprised when you open a trash can and it smells awful? I reckon you are not very likely to be surprised because you quite expect it to smell bad. Right?

In the beauty of His presence

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In The Beauty Of His Presence...
My fears fade into insignificance...
My insecurities melt like wax before fire...
My sins are washed away...
My hurts are soothed...
My heart is strengthened...
My spirit is renewed...
My failing hope is restored...
My trust in Him is deepened...
My faith takes wings and soars with eagles...
My mind gains new insight...

Parenting Series (2): 11 key things you should teach your child

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Please note: This post is the second in a series on Godly parenting, here's the first.
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What then do I teach my child? Must be the question going through your mind after reading the first post in this series where we looked at what Proverbs 22:6 meant by "train up a child in the way he should go..."; we also touched on how to train a child.

In this second post, we will attempt to answer, what values and behaviour do I instill in my child(ren) that are key to living out the life God has planned for them?
Here's 11 important things you should teach your child... Let's dive straight right in...

Parenting Series (1): What it really means to train up a child

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Parenting can be a delight, a pleasure and a beautiful thing! It is a huge responsibility, a special calling even, so much so that one must be properly equipped with needed tools before diving into it.

It is a super sensitive job (you have the opportunity to literally shape tomorrow!) which should not be taken lightly! It's so sensitive that I'm convinced we need God's word to guide and help us navigate this 'uncharted' territory.

Think Like God, Think Big!

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"...Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbours - empty vessels; DO NOT GATHER JUST A FEW." - 2 Kings 4:3.

The idea of thinking and dreaming big which us humans have only started exploring is something God has been practising since the beginning of time!

God is the biggest thinker alive! He is the biggest thinker and dreamer you'll ever know! He doesn't think in 'small' terms. He thinks and dreams big! What the French would call "Un grand penseur!"

Why God's the biggest dreamer and thinker? Here's a few reasons...

How far can you go to prove your love for God?

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Really, how far can you go? What crazy thing(s) can you do to prove how much you love...? Do you even really love Him?

You know, He already went to great lengths to prove He loves you... He died a painful death - on the cross! What length can you go to show you love Him in return?

Does God take pleasure in seeing bad people punished?

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“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” – 2 Peter 3:9.

In one word? No! God never takes pleasure or delight in seeing anyone, not even bad people, punished or suffer. No matter how evil, disobedient and sinful a person may be, God is not pleased to see them punished, He just has to do it.

Feeling, personal ambition, trend, opinion or God's word; which are you building your life on?

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Those in the construction world will tell you that the foundation you build on goes a long way in determining the durability, integrity and longevity of a building structure, and whether it can withstand pressure.


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It's inevitable, the rains will pour, the winds will blow hard, and the storms will threaten; whether the building holds in place or comes crashing down when these happen will tell what kind of foundation it was built on.

The same is true of our lives. Today, many make the mistake of building their lives and future on the wrong "foundation". They take decisions, make resolutions, choose wife/husband, start new business, enter new relationship, take up new jobs or roles, or define a lifestyle based on things that cannot withstand life's pressures; such as:
- feeling (how they feel about something or someone),
- people's opinion (what others say and think about them),
- trends (what everyone else is doing),
- personal ambition (what I want to become).

I want to be close to Jesus at the Supper Table

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The Supper Table is prepared; Jesus and His disciples will now sit, eat and dine together; how close to Him will you be?

It's a table that takes all, but while some will be close, others will be a little further; how close to Him will you be?

Like John, I want to be close to Jesus at the Supper Table.

What it REALLY means to trust in God

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Please take a moment to reflect on this conversation, focusing on the last question.
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"Do you trust me?"
"Yes, I do, Lord Jesus. I trust you".
"Do you trust that I have the power to do as I say?"
"Yes Lord, I do. I don't doubt it one bit!"
"Will you trust me through it all as I do it my way?" (Selah).
Can you honestly and emphatically answer the last question? Can you trust in God to do it His way?
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This opening conversation captures where most of us may not be getting it right in our walk with God. What do I mean? We may have no reservations trusting in God's power to do as He says, but we may be hesitant to completely trust in the way He chooses to go about doing as He has said. Trusting in God, however, entails doing both.

What the Bible really wants you to know about God: He's not mad at you, He loves you to bits!

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When we paint God as someone who goes about with a book in hand to record our rights and wrongs, just waiting for us to slip so He'll put it down and punish us accordingly, we grossly misunderstand Him; and it makes building an intimate loving relationship with Him impossible!

That false idea makes one give up trying, because you find yourself constantly failing at measuring up to a perfect holy being who you imagine is always mad at you, and looking at you with contempt for constantly failing and falling below His high standard.

The other 10 Israel spies: 7 lessons we learn from their mistake

While the Israelites were on their way to Canaan, the land they had been promised, God instructed Moses in Numbers 13 when they were at the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh to "send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel..."

Moses, in his usual manner, obeyed and "sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord, all of them who were heads of the children of Israel," (v 3); with the instructions, "Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land." (vs 17-20).

#SSVBlogNuggets: What do you believe?

"He touched their eyes and said, "Become what you believe. It happened. They saw." - Matthew 9:29 (MSG)

We have always read this opening verse of Scripture in the King James Version (KJV) which has it as,
"Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened..."
But The Message Bible's translation hit me right between the eyes, it reads: "Become what you believe"!

We're guilty of misplaced priorities!

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"But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." - Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

Take a moment to reflect on these scenarios

For when it seems all hell is let loose...

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Trying times are, indeed, hard to navigate, even for a word-filled spiritually-minded person. After all, we're still flesh, blood and flawed!

It is important then that we know where to turn, whom to consult and whose word to hold fast to at those times when it seems the gates of problems have been flung wide open! Those times when you just can't understand why it seems you have a heap of pressing issues all at once! Those times when it seems the noise is reaching its loudest! Those times when worry and anxiety have gripped you! Those times when we're overcome by fear!

We can find the strength and faith to hold on and press on in God's word!

The Bible is the world's book of answers! Find out why

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The Bible, indeed, is a practical manual for life! It is not some book written by people who lived in Space or some other world; about people, things and events in that world, and thus not applicable to earth, no!

People in flesh and blood (like you and I) were inspired by God to pen the Scriptures. Their personal experiences, fears, weaknesses, imperfections, hope, victories, mindset, beliefs and confidence shine through in the words. This makes the Bible very relatable!

What this blog is all about...?

The idea behind the Still Small Voice Blog is pretty straightforward - to inspire, correct, instruct, and ultimately, transform young people to the image of Christ!

I believe that the closer we draw to God and become like Him; the better, wiser and stronger we become. Beyond that, we find clarity and purpose which enables us better navigate this ocean called life - and, ultimately, our world will be better for it!

OK, why "the still small voice"? you may be wondering; pretty straightforward, too. What better way to draw close to someone than to listen to His voice - the voice that speaks to your heart. What better to become God's split image than listening to Him...!

The Still Small Voice is...