Author: Nicky Wood

Someone was creative, so we can create…

When I was much younger, I believed I was quite creative. I enjoyed painting, making mosaics, writing poetry, drawing and more. Then life happened. And between the 8 to 5 of crunching numbers, falling asleep dreaming of making a living and rising to start all over again, the creative creature I thought I once was, shrunk back into obscurity.

Then this year started with a Word. A word given by the Word Himself, and that Word was – create. It didn’t really make sense. And still creating takes effort. Just writing this takes effort. It’s easier to fall into the familiar pattern of routine, to slumber the days away doing what I think people might expect of me, doing what I did yesterday and the day before, and five years ago and maybe even decades ago. And so, I wake up one morning and wonder why my hair now turns grey after seven days instead of twenty-one, and why the lines beneath my eyes have turned from two into a maze. And the days go by in a haze.

Being creative can feel like a burden in a world where it takes much just to survive. Yet this word lingers in the back of my head every day and makes me sway…makes me wonder what to change. Most days I feel powerless to change what I see every day – things that can cramp the creative spirit of every creature – injustice and apathy, anger and inabilities. But God has placed a seed in all our hearts, a seed to water and nurture, a seed to feed so that it can grow into a garden that will sustain the wearied world. Your seed is not mine and mine isn’t yours, but my job is to cultivate the seed that He has planted in me.

That seed needs the right environment to grow, just like creativity most often blooms in a special setting. The ordinary spaces don’t always lend itself to creative grace. But we don’t all have the luxury of escaping to a solitary mountain cabin or distant island paradise to find a new vision. We need to find the inspiration within our daily disorder to lean into the Creator’s whisper. If you listen close enough, you will hear Him remind you of how He mold you from dust and how the dust itself was enough. Because He saw the potential. We most often don’t…

We see things for what they are because that is what the world tells us…Don’t take the time to find something that isn’t there. Fantasy won’t fill your cup, but who feeds the fallacy? Lies spin a web of comfort for those who fail to keep their focus on the One who called it all into being.

And so here I am trying to create something that is of worth. Words that will wrap around the heart of what He wants to say and try and make a way. But it doesn’t only have to be written, it can be a thought turned into an action. It can be a wave to a stranger or a hand to the hurting, it can be a song sung to an old man or a flower picked for a young girl. It can even be amidst the every day cooking, cleaning and parenting. Creativity comes when we step off the merry-go-round of the daily grind and take a breath, listen to what God says and bring into being His Heart. He has placed the seed of all life in everything around us…a drop of water, a ray of sunlight, a breath of cold air.

In admiring what He does with dust, I know in Whom I can place my trust. I know I am His creature and creating is in my being, all I must do is stop for a second and listen… Tune into the frequency of the ultimate Creative Genius, His creativity is infinitely expanding, and it is impossible for Him to ever run out of inspiration.

Genesis 1:3: “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

Four words uttered by the Creator of the Universe, sparked the start of the ultimate display of creativity. Light and life exploded at the sound of His Voice, our world was birthed and all life as we know it, formed in the perfection of His Plan.

When God created you and me, made in His image, male and female, He gave us the ability to speak life and light into the darkness too. He gave us the ability to call upon His name, and He warned us that the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21).

Yet we see death and darkness constantly around us. We complain, and our joy dies. We belittle, bemoan and begrudge and we wonder why we aren’t living victorious lives.

I know that I often complain and speak negatively even without realizing it. I used to always say and think of how stressed I am, not realizing that the more I proclaim my stress and other negative emotions the more I will find myself entangled in it. 

Matt 12:36:

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

God takes every word we speak seriously, so why don’t we? How can we guard our hearts so that our words will be filled with the good fruit that we have cultivated in our hearts? (Matt 12: 33-34).

How do we place a guard in front of our lips and ensure that every utterance is drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity? (Col 4:6 (TPT)).

The answer lies with the Word of God and gratitude.

Gratitude is an attitude that allows us to honour God for Who He is and what He has done no matter the circumstance we find ourselves in. It should be one of our life goals to master the art of thankfulness despite what we feel in the moment. I am certainly not naturally inclined to be grateful… but I have come to understand through God’s Word that when my attitude changes internally, very often external circumstances beyond my control also changes. And even if they don’t, there is still a lesson to be learned to be thankful for.

God’s word, going out from His mouth, will not return to Him void but will accomplish all that He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it (Is 55:11). When I abide in His word, His written word and His Rhema Word… my words start reflecting the character of the Word Himself – Jesus.

And when that happens, I can be sure of one thing – I will live a victorious life, by the Grace of God. No longer will fear and confusion threaten to steal my peace, but my words will echo the goodness of the Creator and the love of the Saviour.

Easter is upon us, and I would like to take this moment to share a piece with you that I wrote some time ago for a women’s ministry in the US – “She Heard”.

My prayer is that it will draw you closer into the Heart of the Father, where the ultimate Sacrifice became the world’s saving Grace. The Cross is the heartbeat of his unfathomable Love for us… May you have a blessed Easter.

I am in the middle of the ocean… drifting alone in the endless blue. Around me the tide is picking up. It’s dark and all I can sense are the waves around me. 

Suddenly a massive breaker appears on the horizon making its way towards me. Before I can think of what to do or how to get away, the cavernous tower of water is right in front of me. All I can do is cower pathetically under the immense imminent tidal wave and wait for it to consume me. As the wave looks about to topple over, the scene pauses…

A voice is speaking. It’s unlike any I have ever heard before. It’s not coming from anywhere specific. Instead, it IS everywhere and at the same time I realize that it is everything. It sounds as though everyone on earth – all 8 Billion people – are talking at the exact same time – but in perfect harmony. It sounds like roaring, rushing water and thunder simultaneously. In fact there are no adequate words to describe the voice accurately. All I can think of in the moment is the feeling of being completely and utterly overwhelmed and in awe.

The Voice thunders and echoes around me and I am aware of the words taking form inside my spirit: “Almighty power and grace”.

I wake up suddenly, startled, and amazed.

Even though I had this dream about 5 years ago, the sound will never leave my memory and the words are still vivid in my mind. Every time I remember the image of the imminent tsunami, it draws me back into the wonder of the Father.

As the curtain falls on 2021, we find ourselves in the midst of a different kind of wave…

The 4^th one in South Africa to be exact of the Covid pandemic. Each wave has bought new fears and uncertainties to a world that is exhausted and discouraged, and eager for the waves to end.

It reminds me of Peter.

Matthew 14:28-31 (NLT): “Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me Lord!”, he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?””

Here I am, my eyes fixed on the covid waves around me, wondering when the next wave will hit and afraid of drowning in the noise around me. Yet Jesus is asking me to rather fix my eyes on Him above the waves. Above the roar of the wind – the voices of the media and of this world – and the covid waves around us, Jesus is still calling out to us today like He did to Peter 2000 years ago asking, “Why do you doubt me?”

As we make some time to meditate on the brand-new year that Jesus is preparing for us, let us turn our hearts and our faith onto the One who can calm any storm in an instant with His mighty voice. The Almighty One is full of Power and Grace and able to do above and beyond all that we can ever ask, think of, or imagine.

Ruth 1:16 “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God…”

I love travelling. The thrill of finding and exploring a new destination ranks right up there with one of my favourite things to do. Although the destination is always important – and as a South African we are spoilt for choice with beautiful places to visit – your travel companion is just as important. This can certainly make or break your trip.

When we meet Ruth – a lowly widow from Moab – she is about to make an interesting travel arrangement. It soon becomes clear that this will also be a one-way ticket with no option of returning. But over and above the difficult and perilous journey she chooses to embark on, she also swears her allegiance to her travel companion – her widowed mother-in-law. From the outset, it looks like this trip is doomed to failure.

As she clings in desperation to Naomi, her loyalty and devotion to the older woman becomes the compass by which she charts her future. Little does she know that this decision made at a crossroad in her life, will have a profound impact not only on herself and Naomi, but also on the lineage of the God of the Universe and all generations to come.

The one decision she takes to follow the path of her destitute mother-in-law, where-ever that might lead, sets her and generations to come, on the road to God’s provision, favour, and abundant blessings. Yet she is the one with the choice. And it’s not an easy choice to make and certainly not the most convenient one. The path she intends to take is unchartered and uncomfortable territory, but she commits her life and her desires into the older woman’s hands in good faith, and in so doing submits to her and her authority.

I wonder what crossroad you may be facing at the moment? I wonder if you have perhaps taken the time lately to evaluate the path you might find yourself on currently. How did you get there and where is it leading? Who have you chosen to embark with you on the journey? Who have you left or met along the way and have you committed to follow any One person as you journey on?

Sometimes we need to stop and ask God to remind us where we’ve been and to whisper to our hearts the way we should be going. Our next step might impact our future and generations to come dramatically, just like it did for Ruth. Who we decide to follow can make or break our future and our destiny.

Ruth was a nobody with no future, no inheritance, and very little options. But the one thing she did have was her loyalty and integrity. So she made the hard choice and chose to follow Naomi and commit to her ways, knowing full well that they might not even survive the journey alone as two widows to Bethlehem.

This courageous act of loyalty and faith led to her redemption and provision and she became the great grandmother of David, her story recorded for all generations to come.

You and I don’t know where exactly our next steps will lead us, just like Ruth must have had no idea. But may I encourage you to make all your decisions based on your loyalty and submission to Jesus, and to be obedient to Him just like Ruth meticulously followed every instruction Naomi gave her. Our faith in Him will be rewarded even if we can’t see the details of the road ahead. As you commit to His leading, however perilous the road may look, trust that He will turn your mourning to dancing just as He miraculously provided for Ruth and Naomi.

Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Take a quick moment, and think of something that you love to do…

It could be as simple as having a coffee with a friend, going for a walk along the beach, arranging a vase of flowers, taking a long bath or planning a trip.

These are examples of little pleasures that we try to make time for in the midst of our busy schedules. Often, if we don’t get the time or if we don’t have the opportunity to do these things we love, we might start to feel despondent or even irritable.

Then there are our deepest heart’s desires – the things no-one might even know about – except you. A dream you might have had as a child that you’ve locked away and almost forgotten about. Maybe it’s something that you think of every day and you feel frustrated, maybe even at God, that this dream hasn’t realized yet and you wonder if you should just let it go.

David states in Psalm 37: When God becomes our delight (in the same way perhaps as we delight in having coffee with a friend) then He gives us the desires of our hearts. When we delight in something, we make time for it. We prioritize it because we enjoy it and it satisfies a part of our soul. It speaks to a need inside of us and allows us to be blissful in that specific moment. 

So God calls us to take delight in Him. To anticipate with joy our time with Him, to draw close to Him and get near to His Heart. As we draw near to Him, He unveils His heart to us – a heart of infinite love, grace and beauty. His heart fuses with us, and our desires become one with His.

The world tells us to follow our hearts, but God teaches us to follow His Spirit and to protect or guard our hearts (Prov. 4:23).

I have followed my heart down many seemingly enchanting paths, that in the end, have only left me feeling lost and broken.

Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

However, there is One who understands it. God understands our hearts because He made each one intricately to fit into His heart. As we delight ourselves in Him and follow Him – and Him alone – He will fulfill our deepest heart’s desires.

Song of Songs 2:10-11 “My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.””

As I write this I’m overlooking a valley with a beautiful lake and the sparkling blue sea in the distance, just beyond it. Yesterday I was in this same spot and watched a majestic fish eagle circle just above me, it’s familiar cry piercing the cloudless sky.

I was intrigued as to why it was gliding in circles, seemingly effortlessly reaching higher heights. Then I learned that they have a unique ability to take advantage of a weather phenomenon known as thermals. Birds fly in circles to stay within the thermal to reduce the amount of energy spent during a flight. Thermal columns are created by the uneven heating of surface areas which then causes a rising mass of buoyant air.

As the fish eagle glided past me, I pondered on what God has been speaking to me about – rising up. Rising to meet Him. Rising to take His hand and walk in my purpose. Rising out of my comfort zone and into all that He has called me to.

There is a collective call to arms taking place at the moment.  And just as Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter to life, taking the little girl by the hand and saying: “Talitha koum!” He is calling his daughters to rise up from a deep sleep and actively step into the kingdom role that He has been preparing for you.

As the eagle uses the warm thermal columns to lift it ever higher, the fire and wind of the Holy Spirit is there to support our rise to glorious new heights. The Fire of the Holy Spirit stirs our passion for Him and refines our hearts to keep us pure before God. The Wind of the Holy Spirit reminds us of His presence, blowing new life across our paths to refresh us and to renew our hearts.

We can run inside when we see the wind start to pick up and blow the leaves off the trees, or we can choose to run into the wind and into His presence and embrace the new life He wants us to rise into.

My prayer is that we will see Jesus with His outstretched hand, eager to help us get up and soar above the world below us as we listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. The time has come, and we cannot lie down again anymore. There is a special role that only you can play and Heaven is waiting for you to accept it. Will you rise to the occasion?

Lamentations 3:22-23:

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

This year has started slowly and cautiously… I feel inclined to carefully flip the pages to the end or perhaps midway, just to make sure there are no nasty surprises lurking amidst the pages of this book called 2021. What I wish and pray for, is just an ordinary year where life can continue just as it was before our world was turned upside down in 2020. But I’m afraid the world we once knew is now a speck of dust in our rear view mirrors, as we charge full steam ahead into uncharted territory.

Yet there are some things that never change…

I was fortunate to have a break-away to the coast late last year. Standing on the beach alone one evening, mesmerized by the waves breaking so powerfully on the sand, I was just reminded again of how God speaks through our ordinary surroundings. There was no-one else around for kilometres, just me and the sea. I contemplated on how the waves just keep rolling onto the shore, one after another, whether I am there to see it or not… whether the world is turned upside down or not. It will continue to do so long after I have left this earth and it has been doing so long before I entered it. Nothing I, nor anyone else on earth does will ever be able to stop the waves from coming.

Exactly like the mercies and loving-kindness of our God. It just keeps on coming no matter what we do. It’s not dependent on whether we even see it in our lives or not, but don’t be mistaken, it is there, and will always follow you (Psalms 23:6) wherever you are and wherever you go. Not because of who we are or what we have done; but because of who He is.

As we think of everything God has done for us during the last year, in spite of all it’s hardships and sufferings, let us not forget that his compassions are new every morning. As 2021 lies ahead of us, His love and mercies crash on the shores of our lives day after day, hour after hour. I pray that we will take the time to stand still for a moment and experience the beauty of His almighty power and grace bestowed on us.

Is the Corona Virus Vaccine the “mark of the beast”?

Revelation 13:16-18 (NLT): “He required everyone – small and great, rich and poor, free and slave – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed here…”

Wisdom is indeed needed right here in these times, as many people are speculating around the corona virus vaccine and the potential implications, should Christians take it. Many are cautioning that this vaccine is the “mark of the beast” or could lead to it, and warnings abound with regards to changes to ones DNA, the ingredients of the vaccine, and so forth.

In these times when everyone has a different opinion about the wave of uncertainties around us, God promises us His wisdom: James 1:5 “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you…”

God will not leave us in the dark, and He certainly does not want His children to be fearful during these times when we should be a beacon of light to the lost around us. He wants us to keep our focus on Him. The devil however, loves to sow confusion and fear, and while we are so focused on not getting the “mark of the beast”, my question to you is, have you been marked by God?

Because if you have, you know your eternal destiny. You aren’t afraid of a vaccine or the corona virus, or anything else that the devil or the world throws at you. Of course, we listen to the facts, but we also realize that the noise around us might just be a distraction to keep us focused on the leading of the Holy Spirit. And when people look at me for direction, I want to show them that I am not afraid since God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). I’m not afraid of the “mark of the beast” because I have already been marked by God and He has given me His Holy Spirit as a seal (Ephesians 1:13-14). And by the blood of Jesus, I have been set free (Eph. 1: 7). He has promised to direct my steps daily. So even though I don’t know all the answers, I know He does, and as I live my daily life, His Spirit will lead me. Whether that means taking a vaccine or not.

Let’s keep our focus on Jesus in these times, and let’s commit to leading those around us to make sure their eternal destiny is sealed with God. I encourage you today to leave your mark, for you have already been marked by God. The day of the “mark of the beast” will come. Whether it’s next year or in a thousand years’ time. When that day is here, God will give His children the wisdom to know what is the right thing to do at that time. But the prerequisite is, you need to be marked by God first. Do you have His Holy Spirit in you? I pray that you will find Him, since He promises that all those who seek Him will find him (Jer. 29:13). And if you already have Him, trust His daily leading as you step fearlessly into 2021 with His guidance.