Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Isaiah 9:2 (New Living Translation)
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

What is "a great light"? It is of course the Saviour, Jesus Christ. The light of Christ brought the promise of deliverance for Israel, just as it can for us.

Are you in the depth of darkness and despair and need a glimmer of light and hope at the end of the tunnel? Maybe you are living in the darkness of divorce or in the shadow of death, or perhaps you have given up seeing any light in a dark family or church situation. Even those who seem to be iving "in the light", may be living in the deepest darkness of all - they may just be able to put on a "public" persona when needed.

Don't despair, there is light at the end of the tunnel - just look up and see Jesus! Here's what Jesus said in John 8:12 (The Message):
I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.

When it's dark things always seem worse, just switch off your electricity for a wee while and you'll soon see how difficult it is! But the word of God penetrates the darkness of our soul - God can turn the lights back on and lift you from your darkest times. Take the opportunity today to ask God to let the light shine on you again.

The Light Has Come by The New York Staff Band of the Salvation Army contains several of my favourite songs "The Candle of the Lord" and "The Light Has Come" - to me the most powerful words in these songs is the last line of The Light Has Come which states:

No more we walk in darkness
The Light HAS come!

Enjoy the music and the video accompaniment!

God Is All We Need

Psalm 40:1-3 (The Message)
I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

Have you ever been in the depths of despair? In Psalm 40 David described such an experience, but went on to say that God "lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud".

In times of deep despair, we must find our strength in the Lord, because He alone has the strength to pull us out of our depression.

So how do we do this? Well we do the same as David did, we must remind ourselves that God is all we need:

• God has no equal
• God is a God of mercy, love and faithfulness
• God is always thinking about us
• God is our helper
• God is our Saviour

In other words, God is all we need to lift us out of our ditch, from the mud, and stand us on solid ground.

What kind of ditch are you in? Do you feel like David did? Spend some more time reading Psalm 40 in full, and keep reminding yourself that God is all we need to lift us from our ditch of despair.

Where Do I Belong?

"Where do I belong?"
"Is there a vision that I can call my own?"

Are these questions you find you asking yourself?

Sometimes life can make you feel like you don't belong here because you feel you have no purpose in your life. Don't worry you're not alone in having these feelings, many of us do...me included!

But don't despair, God has a purpose for each and every one of us! God planned our life's out for us before we were even born!

If we pray to God and most importantly, listen to God talking to us, He will tell us what our purpose in life is. Put your trust in God, ask Him to show you what He's planned for your life and then make it a reality with God's help.

Place In This World by Michael W Smith


The wind is moving
But I am standing still
A life of pages
Waiting to be filled

A heart that's hopeful
A head that's full of dreams
But this becoming
Is harder than it seems

Feels like I'm
Looking for a reason
Roamin' through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find
My place in this world
My place in this world

If there are millions
Down on their knees
Among the many
Can you still hear me

Hear me asking
Where do I belong?
Is there a vision
That I can call my own?

Show me, I'm
Looking for a reason
Roamin' through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find
My place in this world
My place in this world

Lookin' for a reason
Roamin' through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find
My place in this world
My place in this world

Lookin' for a reason
Roamin' through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world

You can find out more about Michael W Smith at his website: http://www.michaelwsmith.com/

Cry Out

We all have days everything seems to conspire against us. Unfortunately we can sometimes soon find that that day has turned to days, which soon turns to weeks and then months.

So how do we get ourselves out of that rut of deep despair?
We cry out to Jesus! Jesus will always hear you no matter how inaudible your cry may be. When you feel all your hope has gone and you can't go on, cry out to Jesus.

I've been there and felt as though I couldn't go on, but as you can tell, I did manage to carry on, and that is simply because I put my faith and trust in God to get me through those dark days when nothing was going right for me.

Cry out to Jesus, he will get you through!

Cry Out To Jesus (Third Day)

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith in love
They've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering

When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers from being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight

Checkout the Third Day website: http://www.thirdday.com/

All I Can Be

All That I Am

All that I am, all I can be,
All that I have, all that is me,
Accept and use, Lord, as you would choose, Lord, right now today.
Take ev'ry passion, ev'ry skill, take all my dreams and bend them to your will.
My all I give, Lord, for you I'll live, Lord, come what may.

Often I come with my problems and cares,
Running to you when distressed
But I must bring you the whole of my life,
Lord, I must give you my best

All that I am, all I can be,
All that I have, all that is me,
Accept and use, Lord, as you would choose, Lord, right now today.
Take ev'ry passion, ev'ry skill, take all my dreams and bend them to your will.
My all I give, Lord, for you I'll live, Lord, come what may.

Life has no purpose unless it is yours
Life without you has no goal;
All that fulfills me is doing your will,
Knowing that you're in control.

All that I am, all I can be,
All that I have, all that is me,
Accept and use, Lord, as you would choose, Lord, right now today.
Take ev'ry passion, ev'ry skill, take all my dreams and bend them to your will.
My all I give, Lord, for you I'll live, Lord, come what may.

When things are going well in my life, I often find myself believing I can get by on own. But what happens when I do start making decisions about my life without considering God's plan for my life? Everything starts going wrong in my life and I find myself struggling more and more, until eventually I am at rock bottom and looking to God once more to pick me up... and so the circle of events begins!

Any of this sound familiar? Be honest with yourself as I know I am definitely not the only person who will go through these feelings.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Don't despair though, just because this may be how our life has evolved so far, does not mean it has to continue like this. If we keep focused on Jesus through the good times as well as the bad, and keep God at the centre of all we do, we need never find ourselves having to continually go through these recurring events.

In other words, give yourself entirely to God, let Him use every part of you in whatever way He sees fit. Let God help you be all you can be.