Welcome to our new blog!  Here you will see some comments, thoughts and updates on what is going on within Business Blessings!

For the business community in Australia, this week is a turning point as we move from one financial year to another.  From an accounting perspective the great thing that happens is that the books are closed and come Wednesday you start with a fresh set of accounts. Over the years we have seen significant changes take place as we move from one year to another, whether that is a calendar year, a financial year or the beginning of a new year in the Jewish calendar. I'm very conscious that spiritually God is giving us a fresh slate, that as we come before him and seek his face he is wiping the slate clean and giving us a fresh start for this new year.

At this time of the year we have generally released a prophetic word as to what we believe that God is saying.  As I've been seeking God concerning this since last week, I've felt rather than sharing a specific prophetic word to concentrate on three specific passages that God has been laying on my heart lately.  I shared these at our Business Blessing's members night last week and then again with my own church on Sunday and now feel to release the three different passages over the next three days.

You will notice that this blog is a new edition to our website and we are beginning to use facebook as well.  In the past we have released these prophetic words or messages via email, and we know that they have been passed around to many people.  We are using these technology now as in the past as the emails have gone out and we have received some quite remarkable feedback it has been hard to share that feedback with others.  Using this blog and facebook allows you to post your thoughts/comments/insights that God has given you so that others can see them as well and be blessed and encouraged by them.

The first passage I would like to share with you is 1 Kings 19.  In 1 Kings 18 we read of Elijah and his confrontation of the prophets of Baal and the great victory that that was.  However after that Elijah ran away and was afraid because Jezebel had sent him a message to tell him that she was going to kill him like he killed the the prophets of Baal.  As he ran away, angels came to him and supernaturally feed him, because God needed to give him strength.

We pick it up in verse 10 when God has come to Elijah  and asked him "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah answers and says "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.  The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars and put your prophets to death with the sword.  I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too."

Today you may be feeling like Elijah.  You have done everything that you know how to do to stand and do what God is calling you to do. Yet you are not seeing the breakthru that you know God has promised you.  You have not seen the release of promises through his word and the prophetic release in your life.  In fact things are worse since you have been serving him and standing up for him, even like Elijah where people are coming to kill you (maybe not literally, but are trying to shut down what you are doing).

I want to encourage you today with verse 11 where The Lord said to Elijah "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."

Be prepared, get ready, because the Lord is about to pass by!  You have been sensing that in your spirit that God is about to come and speak to you.  You have been looking out for him, you have been seeking him in all sorts of things, but yet still he hasn't been there.  Elijah experienced the same thing.  He thought God was going to be in the wind, but he was not there.  He thought God was going to be in the earthquake, but he was not there.  He thought God was going to be in the fire, but he was not there.  But then came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard that gentle whisper, he know it was God and prepared himself to hear what God had to say.  He dressed himself appropriately by putting a cloak over his face and then went out and stood at the mouth of the cave, he went to the place where God was and God spoke to him.  In fact when God spoke to him, He gave Elijah some very detailed instructions as to what he was to do next.

An awful lot has being going on this year.  On the global scale the economic crisis has been happening.  There have been things happening on a nationa level, a state level, a local level and then what has been happening in your family and your business. I can't remember a time such as this for a long time when we are going into a new financial year knowing that we will be facing such increases in costs right across the board.  A lot of noise has been going on, but you have not heard the voice of God in that.

God is calling you aside at this time and saying I am going to speak to you in the still small voice. You need to quieten yourself down and prepare yourself to hear what God has to say.  In that He is going to give you some very specific instructions for this next year.

I want to encourage you that God is literally sustaining you at this time, he is going before you, he is preparing you and giving you the strength you need to pass through this time.  At the same time he is calling you apart to listen to him and to receive the instruction he has for you for this next season.

Be blessed as you take the time out to quieten yourself and listen to the whisper of his voice!