As a church we are really blessed to have such a successful nursery, with over a 120 children and now needing more staff and space to grow, it really is amazing, God has been so good to us ... but its not just a place where children learn - adults can learn too.
Let me explain, we regularly have students from college who come and spend some of their learning time with us, during their time with us we teach them some of the basic things that they need to know about the day to day care of the children, but we also teach them to speak to the children in a way that re-enforces positive behaviour and they are often amazed as the difference it makes ..
Just the other day as I was walking around nursery, some children were copying the things the staff said, others were mimicking their parents and as I listened I was reminded of a preacher I heard years ago talking about the effect that things that we listen too have upon us.
I was challenged again to think about the things I listen to! I wonder, have you ever been frustrated with yourself ... because of what you hear coming out of your own mouth?
In Luke 6:45 Jesus said that "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks". If you're focusing most of your attention on natural things - watching tv, maybe constantly worrying about your job, family, or maybe even your health, or the problems that you face then that's what you're going to talk about the most. If you want to deal with that frustration and move from fear and worry to a position of faith then what you need to do is refocus your attention. Turn your attention toward God's Word and keep it there.
In Joshua 1:8, Joshua is told not to let the Book of the Law (God's Word) to depart from his mouth ... in other words he has got to know it, speak about it and talk it !! Joshua was encouraged to do that at all times, not just when he felt good or felt spiritual ... no, all the time, Why is that ... well Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." So when you're continually talking about what God says in His Word, what He'll do, and what His promises are, you're going to be growing in faith because you're hearing the Word from yourself all the time. Now that's pretty exciting stuff? You can change what you're hearing and when you change what your hearing you change what your saying, You can move from fear to faith.
So start today to fill your heart with an abundance of the Word. Then listen as your mouth gets in line with what God says about you and your circumstances.
God bless
Pastor Martyn
Scripture Readings:
Luke 6:45
Joshua 1:8
Romans 10:17
