Drawing Closer to God with Wendy Robinson - Season 8 - Episode 1
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
Release Date: 05/22/2020
EP114 Speaking faith and life
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
When did you last do an audit of the words you speak? Are you speaking “faith and life” or “fear and death”? Late last year we were facing another challenging medical situation with our daughter, Victoria. I found myself going down that path of fear. I was spending time with God, a lot actually due to a broken wrist slowing me down! In these times I was primarily looking for reassurance and comfort. I was not speaking faith into Victoria’s situation. Something changed in the Be Still moment But then something changed. During one of those quiet times with God, I was sitting on a seat...
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EP113 Not enough time. I need help.
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
Have you ever said to yourself, “There is not enough time to do all this.”? I have and it's normally followed up with a huge sigh of exasperation! Then the Holy Spirit reminds me of something I heard a few years ago, “God will always give you enough time for what He wants you to do.” Press pause! Does that mean I am doing things that God doesn’t want me to do? Does that mean I am doing things differently from how He wants me to do them? Sounds like it is time to check in with God and find out. Getting direction from God Let's look at those...
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EP112 Providing the full protection
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
Saturday morning was damp and humid, perfect mosquito conditions. Sometimes walking in this place can feel like mosquito feeding time! However, this morning I realised no mosquito had come near me. My thoughts moved to the insect repellent I had put on before walking. I have two types of repellent I use, a spray from one brand, and a roll-on from a different brand. Today I applied the roll-on and it was definitely providing the full protection and I was grateful. God's protection Oh, my brain suddenly started going off, thinking about all the parallels between putting on the protection against...
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EP111 Need some encouragement to finish that project
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
Do you need some encouragement to finish that project? How many times in your life have you started a project and struggled to complete it? Perhaps you are in that situation right now! Where do you go to get the encouragement you need to finish a project? Striving to find a way So many times in my life I have been unable to find a way through. I strive to find the strategy, to find the key to moving forward. When I feel myself striving this way, I know there is only one action to take - Be Still. Yes, Psalm 46:10 again! I keep coming back to that very clear command...
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EP110 What brings colour into your life?
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
Christmas was over a month ago. We were a little late putting our tree up this year, 23 December, but we did get there. Perhaps we will leave it up until February as it adds so much colour to the room. When we take the tree down the room looks very bland. It’s a bit like the tree in our garden I shared about a couple of weeks ago, stunning hot pink flowers and fresh green leaves in the summer, and then in winter - just plain brown branches. That thought leads me to a question, what brings colour into your life? What brings joy into your life? What dulls the colour in your life? ...
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EP109 Is frustration taking over?
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
What's your 'go-to' when things aren't working out how you thought they would? Does frustration take over? For me, being a planner and organiser by nature, frustration is definitely my 'go-to' when things aren't working out as I'd planned. The broken wrist In early December I broke my wrist while renovating a room in our home. Standing on a kiddie step to sand a cornice, I stepped off awkwardly and fell. I screamed. My daughter came running and helped me get up off the floor. Immediately I started planning how I could continue the sanding. I attempted to pick up something with my...
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EP108 We will rejoice
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
What are the first words you say to yourself when you wake up? Over the last few months, I have been purposefully saying to myself these words from a childhood Sunday School song (actually Psalm 118:24), "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." (NKJV). It is a declaration to my soul. Me, telling myself that God is in control. He made this day (Psalm 118:24). He knows what is to come (Psalm 139:16). He will not leave me to do this day alone. (Deuteronomy 31:8). Speaking faith Essentially I am speaking faith into my day....
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EP107 Writing Season Again
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
In our garden we have a hot pink Crepe MyrtIe (I had to google to find out what type of tree it was!). It blooms in the height of summer, bringing a huge splash of colour to our garden. I love it, often exclaiming to the children as we drive in the driveway, “Look at the tree, look at the tree, it is so beautiful.” Of course in the winter it looks very different. Just a trunk and branches. No leaves. No hot pink flowers. Seasons God tells us in Ecclesiastes that there are seasons, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the...
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Drawing Closer to God with Wendy Robinson - Season 8 - Episode 11
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
In my lifegroup we are studying Romans. What a wonderful time we are having getting greater revelation of God's grace, learning more about why and how Jesus set us right with God. Every week we are reminded that it's all about God. Not us. It's all about Who He is, and what He says about us.
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Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson - Season 8 - Episode 10
Drawing closer to God with Wendy Robinson
What does worship mean to you? Recently I read this statement about worship. It reminded me that worship is not about us.
info_outlineIt is always worth taking the time to read The Bible. God constantly wants to show us something. Earlier this week I was reading about Jesus feeding the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21. As I was reading God reminded me that often Jesus does the unexpected. Let’s take a look at the story.
Getting bad news
Jesus has just heard that his cousin, John the Baptist, has been beheaded, thanks to King Herod. Jesus is obviously upset by this news and seeks out some time alone.
When Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there privately in a boat to a solitary place. Matthew 14:13a AMPC.
I don’t know about you, but for me, when I hear some devastating news, I want to be by myself to process what I've just heard. I remember those first couple of days after Victoria was diagnosed with a brain tumour. In the hospital I'd often escape to a small room attached to the Ronald McDonald Family Room, and spent a lot of time there crying and praying. It was called ‘The Quiet Room.’ I was very grateful for that space.
But Jesus didn’t have the luxury of that quiet processing space. Everyone wanted to see Him and speak with Him.
But when the crowds heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. Matthew 14:13b AMP.
No time to process the grief
The story goes on ...
So when Jesus landed he had a huge crowd waiting for him. Seeing so many people, his heart was deeply moved with compassion toward them, so he healed all the sick who were in the crowd. Matthew 14:14 TPT
Jesus barely had any time alone to start processing the grief of losing someone He loved, but He doesn’t appear to be bothered by it. Jesus does the unexpected. He continues to give practically to the people, meeting their needs. This is a wonderful example of Jesus' capacity to love others when He is in suffering.
John Maxwell says an interesting thing about Jesus' actions,
"One of the greatest remedies for our own suffering is serving others. Servant-leadership becomes a solution for both the one serving and the one being served." (The John Maxwell Leadership Bible, Page 1198)
After Jesus had healed many people, the disciples thought it was time for the crowds to go so Jesus' could have some space and rest.
Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper. Matthew 14:15 The Message
The crowd is still on His mind
But Jesus still has the crowd on His mind, and is ready once again to do the unexpected.
"They don't need to leave," Jesus responded. "You can give them something to eat." Matthew 14:16 TPT
The disciples are a little perplexed as they know they don't have enough food to feed the people, which we find out later in the story numbered more than 5000.
And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." Matthew 14:17 NKJV
The disciples, probably like me if I was in that situation, could only see what they had in the 'natural.' But Jesus saw the potential in the supernatural.
Jesus said, "Bring them here." Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their full. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed. Matthew 14:18-21 TPT
Jesus does the unexpected
Jesus does the unexpected. He feeds more than five thousand people from the starting ingredients of five loaves of bread and two fish.
How?
I don't really know, other than what the Scriptures tell us:
He looked up to heaven (showing His complete reliance on His Father - God).
Note; The Chosen a historical series, beautifully depicts Jesus looking up to heaven before He does a miracle.
He gave thanks to God (acknowledged that everything He has comes from The Father).
He broke the bread into pieces (Jesus took action with what was in His hand)
Jesus is still doing the unexpected today
Jesus does the unexpected in how He provides food the five thousand. He is still doing the unexpected today in our lives, especially in this season of living with COVID-19.
For example, lets take a look at one of the things God values most, relationships. In my world, since the arrival of COVID-19, I have seen and experienced relationships that have deepened through shared experiences; relationships that have been restored as priorities shifted, and relationships that have become more authentic as pain surfaced and is processed. Jesus has done the unexpected. Once again.
What have you seen Jesus do, unexpectedly, in your world in this season?
Lets continue to keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting that He will carry on doing the unexpected, with provision, healing and restoration.
I'll finish with these lyrics from Hillsong United's Song, Shadow Step.
In every way, You never fail
So have Your way, here God
And I'll sing Your praise
Fix my heart to Yours
Ready for the unexpected
Ready for what you will do next
To find out more please visit https://wendyrobinson.com.au