He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Eccl. 3:11). The ability to dream is a given to everyone, however, not everyone remembers their dreams or are conscious that they have dreams. 
Dreams occur in our unconscious state. For those who have been in bondage, the ability to dream is vital. Dreaming gives the individual hope and a sense of relief from the present struggles they face. It is the ability to dream that causes people to achieve great things. Moses saw the Promised Land long before he went to Pharaoh to ask him to release God’s people. Martin Luther dreamt of a time when people would have their own encounter with the word of God for themselves and Martin Luther King saw the emancipation of his people and the end of segregation long before it occurred. It is said that Rosa Parks sat so that Martin could walk; and Martin walked so that Barak could fly. Today let us have the faith to believe that we will live our dreams and fulfil the promises of God in our lifetime. To do this let us develop an attitude of gratitude and like Miriam learn to dance before God for present and future victories. See Exodus 15:20-21.
as we record our dreams knowing that they will come to pass!
as we trust and obey the one who loves us
The major problem with retaining a slavery mentality is that we easily forget the great things we have heard about and benefits that are in store for us. In effect we forget the ability to dream. Mental slavery is a state which is learned. 
After 430 years of being whipped, abused and castigated it is little wonder that the Israelites developed and continued the attitude of complaining. After all the miracles they saw, the experiences they went through and the utter miraculous defeat of their enemies, they still had the mindset to complain. They crossed over, went through the red sea and were now on their journey towards the Promised Land.
It is as the start of any great journey that we face our greatest challenges. And it is after a time of praise and worship that the enemy sows discord and doubt among the people. When you are about to achieve greatness the enemy always shows up to discourage you. “We’ve been travelling for days now and we need water to drink”, (Exodus 15:22). And when they found water at Marah it was bitter. What are we going to drink? Why have we left Egypt [slavery] to suffer here? Three days without water, we’re going to die of thirst”. Today let us learn to trust God and follow his advice. Trusting him in all things is vital for our success. We may not be able to see the end, but God knows it and if he knows it that good enough for me. This is the mindset that we need to develop. One that trust even when we cannot see a way out or we don’t understand what is going on! Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. And don’t complain, just praise him for everything. Meditate and read Romans 12:1-2 and pray this: “Lord, help me to renew my mind daily.”
as we keep our mindset in preparation mode
It would have been easy for the Israelites to get carried away with the wealth and the magnificence of Egypt. 
Once the slaves were free, the problem that Moses their leader faced was trying to get their minds out of Egypt. Getting them out of Egypt was one thing getting Egypt out of them was another more difficult task. Although the exodus was spectacular and exciting, the journey into the unknown is a completely different ballgame. The mindset of the slave is this: to be told what to do, when to eat, when to sleep and so on. The mindset required to follow the Lord through the wilderness and into the unknown future, is one that is geared to trusting him totally. As we will see later in the story of the Exodus, not everyone wanted to leave Egypt and not everyone who left under the leadership of Moses wanted to obey him. It is sad that as the man who was hearing from God and through whom God was working mighty miracles would face such opposition from the very people he led out of bondage. Liberation theologians tell us that the hardest thing to change is the slave mentality. When we cannot see the future, the easiest thing to do is to slip back into the slavery mentality. In fact a famous Reggae liberation theologian, Bob Marley, encouraged his hearers to ‘emancipate themselves from metal slavery’ so that they could inherit what God had promised them.
Today our battlefield is in our minds. People can take your possession but they cannot take away your faith or your spirit. Once your mind is made up you can achieve anything that you put it to. So emulate Jesus and say like him, ‘my job is to do my father’s will, even if it means going to my cross’; for he knows the end from the beginning. Have a read of Exodus 14and meditate on 26-31.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Dreaming, Emancipation, Faith, Freedom, Glory, Hope, Imagination, Liberation, The Mind
as we stay under the glory
The dramatic events leading up to the exodus out of Egypt must have had a significant impact on those involved in it. Imagine the trauma and the grief that occurred among the Egyptians and those who were disobedient to the orders of Moses. All their first born animals and children were mysteriously killed and their lives totally and irrevocably changed. Imagine also the impact this would have had on Pharaoh. However he made up his mind that the God of Moses was greater than him and he had lost so he let the people of God go and gave them gold, silver, jewels and valuable stuff to take with them. But on reflection Pharaoh went back to default mode and decided to take the Israelite back into slavery, for the rules of chattel slavery dictates that a slave is property and not a person. So Pharaoh having lost his son and heir decides to chase after the man of God with the view of capturing his property.
The spiritual significance for us today is that once we are delivered from the clutches of satan and his minions, his avowed intent is to get us back. We were his slaves and therefore his property, now that we have been set free by the deliverer Jesus, he is after us again. Our intent is to remain under the covering of the blood and don’t give him an opportunity to sneak in. Once out of bondage allow the glory, or the presence of the Lord to guide you by night and by day! see Exodus 13:17-22.
Words to live by for Wednesday 9th February 2011 as we continue with the preparation process
The exodus out of Egypt was one of the most dramatic stories in history. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, that is, he 
could not bring himself to believe that any of his orders could be defied. He just could not or did not want to understand anything apart from what he knew. After all, as far as he was concerned, he was god on earth and no one would or should defy him. Not only was the exodus a dramatic encounter, it was a war between the God of heaven, Yahweh, and the gods of Egypt. Remember the story, whatever miracles Moses performed, the Egyptian magicians tried to copy or better it. However, they could not foresee the impending destruction that came to every household in Egypt, including theirs. Whilst the people were making preparation to leave Egypt, the heart of Pharaoh was being broken. Today, to be prepared is to know what God says about your particular situation. When we are ignorant of God’s purposes, our hearts will become hardened and we will do what we want to do. When we operate like this, like Pharaoh we will distance the God who created the universe from us and either serve ourselves or other gods. Let us prepare our hearts [minds] and make room to receive the kings of glory. Who is the king of glory? The Lord almighty, the Lord strong in battle, he is the king of Glory (Psalm 24:7-10). Stand still and see the salvation of our God! Moses (Exodus 14:13).
as we learn to speak the heavenly language
The currency of heaven is faith. It is by faith that we are able to do abundantly exceedingly above what we can think or imagine.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. As we walk by faith we are using the currency of the kingdom. We develop the mindset to speak that which is unseen. We learn to speak the word from God. So we declare that which moves God, which is his word. Today, become a person who makes declarations that line up with what God has said. So God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). If God said it, believe it and do not revoke what he has said by telling yourself how horrible you are. God said ‘you can do all thing through Christ who strengthens you’ (Philippians 4:13). You will fail when you try to do spiritual things in your own strength, do it through Christ, i.e. ask God, ‘What would Jesus do in this situation’ and do likewise. Speak the word of God to each and every situation and allow God to be the God of every situation you get into.
as we do what we say we will do
One of the hardest things for an individual to do, it to do what they say they will do. Often we hear the term that talk is cheap. However I refute this statement since it is evidenced in scripture that our words are heavy. That is, what we say will have an impact on us now and will impact our offspring for generations to come. Sometimes we get so excited that we say the first thing that comes into our minds. This can have serious consequences for us and can sever our destiny. An example of this is the deal made by Jephthah to the Lord regarding victory over his enemy. In Judges 11:29-40 we read of Jephthah’s thoughtlessness. He said this; ‘if you give me success over my enemies, I will sacrifice the first thing that comes out of my house.’ The Lord gave him victory and when he arrived home his only daughter came our running to greet him and had to be sacrificed because of the pledge he had made. Today remember that ‘loose lips costs lives’ so ensure that you meditate and think before you speak. Talk can be very costly!
as we hide his word in our hearts
“Your words have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you.” 
These are powerful words that can transform the life of an individual. How are they powerful? The word is the substance that comes from God. If we try to describe God in human terms, he opens his mouth and out comes the word to do exactly what he commanded it to do. That word was on his heart or was part of his thought process. Essentially that word was with him and was a part of him before he activated it. Because the word was invisible, as words are, it did not become apparent until it became cognisant to our five senses. So if the word/thought became a chair, we could touch it, smell it, see it, hear it and even smell it if we so desired. Similarly, God who is spirit became tangible. It became a ’HE’ a living breathing human being and lived among us. The word became a ‘HE’ and came and did everything He was sent to accomplish. And now he is in our spirits, in our hearts and in our minds. As we meditate on him, he comes and reveals himself to us and invites us into that place of intimacy where he and his father and the eternal spirit have fellowship.
Today, hide the living word in your heart He is powerful (Psalm 119:11)!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Anointed one, Grace, Jesus, Living Word, Messiah, Power
as we allow the power of the spoken word to bring forth life!
Everything that exists was spoken into existence by the creator. Unless you believe in another method of us coming into being, like the big bang theory, or the theory that we evolved for a simple single cell life form into a complex concoction of billions of cells. The bible is quite categorical about the arrival of humanity on planet earth. In the beginning God created. The postulation aside, we can never fathom the profoundness of this statement. It was God who began the process and it will be God who will end it. Try as we may, we can never create an intelligent being that has feelings or can be embarrassed or can make wrong choices and repent when they are pointed out to them. Every people group on planet earth believe in the creation narrative is some form or the other. Every people group believe that there is something out there greater than us; they just don’t know what it is. However, we believe that is God, not any god, but the God that is revealed in the bible, Yahweh. It was this God who created us by the spoken word and it is he who was in Christ reconciling the world after the great departure from relationship with him (2Corinthians 5:19). He spoke life and created, we disobeyed him and died. He then died on our behalf so that we may once again have everlasting life and be in fellowship with him! There is power in the spoken word and life in the living word, Jesus. Life and death is in the power of the tongue, an ancient Hebrew writer wrote in Proverbs 18:21. Today, speak life, live life and remain alive forever.
as we speak those things that are not as though they are!
The words that we speak are powerful and effective. We get what we say and reap the benefits of what we sow into the atmosphere. It is from the abundance of what is in our hearts that we speak. Simply put, this is what we meditate on and what we put out into the world around us. Words are very important and can set us free or condemn us. James the first of England was beheaded because he said one thing and did another. Jesus was crucified because the people said he was their king and God and the Jews and Romans disagreed with them. True words are those which are sanctioned and underpinned by the almighty God. For example Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.” If this is truth then every other way leads to nowhere, every other truth is deception and any other life leads to ruin.
David, an ancient Israelite king and a song writer said this; “let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to you, O Lord my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). Today listen twice as much as you speak and meditate on a phrase or one word. How about “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14.
Pastor Bell's Words To Live By 