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The Word for Today Daily Devotional for 2024

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Wednesday, November 20, 2024 God can use you ‘I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work … and appointed me to serve him.’ 1 Timothy 1:12 NLT One of the greatest missionaries in the history of the church was Mary Slessor, although she started out as a most unlikely candidate. Because of her father’s drinking problem, eleven-year-old Mary was working twelve-hour shifts in the mills, assisting her family in paying their bills. She discovered she could prop books on her loom as she worked. While she read about the land of Calabar (modern Nigeria), Mary grew convinced she should go there as a missionary. In 1876,...More Tuesday, November 19, 2024 The importance of sound doctrine ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine,’ 2 Timothy 4:3 NKJV People who desire to beautify themselves with diamonds use the timeless counterfeit—cubic zirconia. But now, scientists can create real diamonds in a laboratory. And they are so good that gemologists have trouble recognising laboratory diamonds from mined ones. To tell them apart, an expert’s checklist is used: weight, colour, clarity, and brilliance. Without it, an imposter could pretend a two-day-old diamond is one that took thousands of years to develop. The same is true with spiritual truth. If Christians...More Monday, November 18, 2024 Jesus: the source of enlightenment (2) ‘I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.’ John 12:46 NKJV American pastor John Ortberg writes: ‘In 1780 a Jesus-follower in Great Britain named Robert Raikes could not stand the cycle of poverty and ignorance that was destroying little children, a whole generation. He said, “The world marches forward on the feet of little children.” So he took children who had to work six days a week in squalor. Sunday was their free day. He said, “I’m going to start a school for free to teach them to read and write and learn about God.” He did, and he called...More Sunday, November 17, 2024 Jesus: the source of enlightenment (1) ‘The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light…’ Matthew 4:16 NKJV First and most importantly, Jesus brought the light of salvation to all mankind. But one of the enduring benefits of His Kingdom is His impact on learning and education. The word university began with those who believed that God created the universe; therefore, His ways must be studied and known. Martin Luther highlighted from the New Testament the priesthood of all believers. In the process, he changed education because he taught that every person needs to be capable of reading and writing so they can study the Scriptures for...More Sunday, November 17, 2024 Jesus: the source of enlightenment (1) ‘The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light…’ Matthew 4:16 NKJV First and most importantly, Jesus brought the light of salvation to all mankind. But one of the enduring benefits of His Kingdom is His impact on learning and education. The word university began with those who believed that God created the universe; therefore, His ways must be studied and known. Martin Luther highlighted from the New Testament the priesthood of all believers. In the process, he changed education because he taught that every person needs to be capable of reading and writing so they can study the Scriptures for...More Saturday, November 16, 2024 Overcoming the fear of sharing your faith ‘Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.’ Matthew 10:32 NKJV To share your faith effectively with others, you must overcome these three obstacles. 1) You must be sure of your own salvation. John writes: ‘He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; … And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. … These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the...More Friday, November 15, 2024 Transformed from rubbish into treasure ‘Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,’ Hebrews 7:25 NKJV A Christian leader writes: ‘The Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari was a poor man. And yet his violins are now the most prized violins ever made because of the rich and resonant sound they produce. The unique sound of a Stradivarius cannot be duplicated. What may surprise you is that these precious instruments were not made from treasured pieces of wood; they were carved from discarded lumber. Because Stradivari couldn’t afford fine materials, he got most of his wood from the dirty harbours where...More Thursday, November 14, 2024 Quitters don’t win. Winners don’t quit. ‘Whose weakness was turned to strength;’ Hebrews 11:34 NIV Persistence and a refusal to abandon your vision kept you coming back repeatedly until you finally succeeded. Try to imagine what life would be like without the light bulb or the polio vaccine. Yet Thomas Edison and Jonas Salk lived through endless chapters of trial and failure before they succeeded. Successful people take note of their failures and learn from them. They examine them carefully, work out what went wrong, and use them to correct their errors going forwards. So often, we begin new projects with excitement and enthusiasm. The...More Wednesday, November 13, 2024 Plan for the best, be prepared for the worst ‘Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.’ Proverbs 27:1 NLT Unexpected events can knock us off our feet. And while some of us get knocked down and out, others get back up and go on. They refuse to accept defeat as being permanent. They’re like the man who said, ‘I’m never down; I’m either up, or I’m getting up.’ They see everything that happens in life as a learning experience. Losing a loved one is heart breaking, but it can also be a wake-up call to live every day of your life to the fullest. Losing a job can be traumatic, but it can also bring to the surface...More Tuesday, November 12, 2024 A spiritual electrocardiogram ‘Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.’ Romans 12:11 NIV Just as an electrocardiogram (ECG) can measure the health of our physical heart and blockages that can threaten it, it’s helpful to have an instrument that can measure the level of our zeal, commitment, and wholeheartedness when it comes to serving the Lord. The following six questions will do just that: 1) Do I talk openly and frequently about my commitment to Christ in order to create a kind of public accountability for my actions? 2) Do I accept the responsibility to grow? Do I read books...More Monday, November 11, 2024 Strive for wholehearted devotion to God ‘He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.’ 2 Chronicles 25:2 NIV The Bible says, ‘Amaziah … did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly’ (2 Chronicles 25:1-2 NIV). Contrast that with what God said about David: ‘… I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’ (Acts 13:22 NIV). This can be a little bewildering because when you read about David’s life, you find chapters of adultery, murder, and cover-up. He’s a disaster as a husband and inferior as a dad. But his heart is devoted to God. How...More Sunday, November 10, 2024 Forgiveness comes first, feelings afterwards ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.’ Psalm 37:8 NKJV Small offences can be forgiven easily. But when someone hurts us badly and seems to be getting away with it, forgiveness is a real challenge. Until you forgive the offence and let it go, you will constantly feel it weighing you down. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to forgiving is thinking that if your feelings don’t immediately change towards someone, you haven’t really forgiven them. No, forgiveness is a decision. It’s an act of your will. You may continue to struggle with feelings...More Saturday, November 9, 2024 Leave the judging to God ‘But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.’ Matthew 13:26 NKJV Jesus said: ‘… The Kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?” He said to them, “An enemy has done this.” The servants said to him, “Do you want us then to go and gather them...More Friday, November 8, 2024 Catching fish and winning souls ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Matthew 4:19 KJV Jesus told professional fishermen, ‘… Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Matthew 4:19 KJV) These men knew three things about catching fish: 1) You must go where the fish are. You might say, ‘I thought we were supposed to separate ourselves from the world.’ Jesus didn’t avoid the culture; He engaged it in order to change it. And you must do the same. Jesus prayed: ‘I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I...More Thursday, November 7, 2024 Wait in God’s presence ‘Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.’ Psalm 33:20 ESV Our inner self can be trained to wait on God, even though our outer self is stressed and anxious for answers. This is not easy to do in our fast-paced society, where the spiritual discipline of waiting on the Lord is often lacking. We want everything—right now. But if we are always in a hurry, we will miss out on the close fellowship with God that takes time to develop. He will speak to our hearts if only we will be patient to listen. After slaying the prophets of Baal, Elijah learned a valuable lesson about waiting on...More Wednesday, November 6, 2024 However small, Jesus can use it ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,...’ John 6:9 NIV If you feel you’re not talented enough to be used by God, read the story of the feeding of the five thousand. Actually, there were five thousand men. If you add women and children, the number could be more than twenty thousand. And the boy’s lunch was more meagre than you imagine. A loaf was about the size of a mini pancake. The word for fish refers to sea creatures about the size of sardines. But what made that little lunch a big feast is what the boy did when Jesus asked him for it. He gave it willingly. He didn’t say,...More Tuesday, November 5, 2024 Stand on the promise God gave you ‘Until the time that his word came to pass, the Word of the Lord tested him.’ Psalm 105:19 NKJV When Joseph’s brothers stripped him of his coat of many colours, which represented his father’s favour, what held him steady? The promise God gave him. When he was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery, what held him steady? The promise God gave him. When the butler he befriended in prison failed to speak on his behalf to Pharaoh, what held him steady? The promise God gave him. ‘… Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came...More Monday, November 4, 2024 Songs of deliverance (4) ‘Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.’ Psalm 100:2 NKJV The psalmist wrote, ‘Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing … Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name’ (Psalm 100:2, 4 NKJV). When you approach a king, a certain protocol is required. And David gives us the protocol for coming into the presence of the King of Kings: ‘Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.’ Question: is that your personal experience in church? Or do you...More Sunday, November 3, 2024 Songs of deliverance (3) ‘But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.’ Psalm 22:3 NKJV The original King James Bible says, ‘But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.’ (Psalm 22:3 KJV) The New King James Bible says, ‘But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.’ (Psalm 22:3 NKJV) You say, ‘Which translation is accurate?’ Both are accurate. The word ‘inhabit’ pictures a dweller who feels right at home. And the word ‘enthroned’ pictures someone in a position of power and authority, someone who can give orders and make things happen. So, God is at home in our praise; His power...More Saturday, November 2, 2024 Songs of deliverance (2) ‘But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.’ Acts 16:25 NKJV Even science agrees that music has healing power. Today we have music therapists who play sounds that set captives free in hospitals, special educational needs classrooms, nursing homes, and other environments. Harvard University researchers, among others, are reporting that music is a healing balm for people who have suffered a stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and the physical stress of premature birth. They have also learned that music can improve surgical outcomes, help to restore lost speech, reduce side effects of cancer...More Friday, November 1, 2024 Songs of deliverance (1) ‘You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.’ Psalm 32:7 NKJV The psalmist wrote, ‘You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.’ (Psalm 32:7 NKJV) When trouble comes, you can turn to God and hide in Him. How? By surrounding yourself with songs of deliverance. Ruth Ward Heflin gives us the road map into God’s presence: ‘You praise until the spirit of worship comes, you worship until the glory comes, then you stand in the glory.’ And that is where ‘all things are possible’. God told Jeremiah, ‘… “I am ready to perform My...More Thursday, October 31, 2024 Love God with all your strength ‘Love the Lord your God with all your … strength.’ Mark 12:30 NKJV What does it mean to love God with all your strength? A pastor defines it: ‘It means expending tremendous amounts of energy for Kingdom causes. It means blood, sweat, and tears. It means servanthood and sacrifice. It means good old-fashioned hard work. Energy may be the least appreciated dimension of love because it’s the least sentimental. And how we invest our energy reveals our true priorities.’ It reveals how much we love someone; in this case, God. The pastor continues: ‘Christianity was never intended to be a noun. And when we...More Wednesday, October 30, 2024 The many ways God speaks to us ‘Speak to the earth, and it will teach you.’ Job 12:8 NIV The patriarch Job wrote, ‘… speak to the earth, and it will teach you, …’ (Job 12:8 NIV). George Washington Carver is considered one of history’s greatest scientific minds. Around the turn of the twentieth century, agriculture in the southern states of America was suffering. The boll weevil was destroying cotton crops, and the soil was being emptied of nutrients because farmers planted cotton year after year. It was George Washington Carver who pioneered the idea of crop rotation. He urged farmers to plant peanuts, and they did. The plan...More Wednesday, October 30, 2024 The many ways God speaks to us ‘Speak to the earth, and it will teach you.’ Job 12:8 NIV The patriarch Job wrote, ‘… speak to the earth, and it will teach you, …’ (Job 12:8 NIV). George Washington Carver is considered one of history’s greatest scientific minds. Around the turn of the twentieth century, agriculture in the southern states of America was suffering. The boll weevil was destroying cotton crops, and the soil was being emptied of nutrients because farmers planted cotton year after year. It was George Washington Carver who pioneered the idea of crop rotation. He urged farmers to plant peanuts, and they did. The plan...More Tuesday, October 29, 2024 Make God the source of your self-worth ‘Since you are precious in My sight.’ Isaiah 43:4 NASB20 God said, ‘Since you are precious in My sight, …’ (Isaiah 43:4 NASB20). So don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Why is this important? Because understanding who you are as a person and genuinely believing that you merit love and attention from another person is essential to your self-worth. The capability to convey that successfully and in a considerate manner is essential for any healthy, mutually satisfying relationship. A sense of self-worth is not arrogance. It helps you to set boundaries and guarantees that no matter who you meet, those...More Monday, October 28, 2024 It’s a walk of faith ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV Impalas are one of the most powerful animals in Africa. They can leap to a height of more than three metres and cover around nine metres in one jump. Yet the impala can be kept in an enclosure with a fence that’s no more than one metre high. Why? Because it won’t jump unless it can see where its feet will land. In a sense, impalas walk by sight, not faith. What does it mean to ‘walk’? To put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forwards a step at a time. What does it mean to have ‘faith’? To trust the Lord, obeying His Word...More Sunday, October 27, 2024 Bring your problem to Jesus ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ John 2:5 NKJV A Christian leader informs us: ‘There was not a bigger social happening in Jewish life than a wedding. It usually began with a ceremony at sundown in the synagogue. Then, the entire wedding party would leave the synagogue and begin this long candlelight procession through the middle of town. The couple would be escorted past as many homes as possible so everyone could come out and congratulate them … They went home to a party lasting several days! There would be gift-giving, speech-making, wining and dining. Hospitality at a wedding was considered such a...More Saturday, October 26, 2024 Jesus is the way ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ John 14:6 NKJV A minister writes: ‘Between the human race and God stands a barrier called sin. If we are going to be reconciled with a perfect God, that barrier has to be dealt with. We cannot go around it or over it. Sin demands payment. Jesus came specifically to make that payment. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death to pay for everything we’ve ever done in the past, present, and future. If your home is on fire, you had better call a firefighter and not a policeman. If you break a leg, you had better...More Friday, October 25, 2024 Not justice, but grace ‘But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one.’ 1 John 2:1 CSB There is a story about a man who had his picture taken. When he saw it, he said to the photographer, ‘This picture doesn’t do me justice!’ The photographer looked at him, smiled, and said, ‘With a face like yours, you don’t need justice; you need mercy and grace!’ Seriously, that’s the situation we are all in. The reason God extends mercy and grace to us is because Jesus fulfilled all the demands of God’s justice for us at the cross. Some people think that God’s grace (unmerited...More Thursday, October 24, 2024 Don’t rush to judgment ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’ Matthew 7:1 NKJV This happened when American pastor Chuck Swindoll was speaking in California: ‘A gentleman came to him and said, “I have waited so long for this week, I am going to eat up everything you have to say.” Swindoll thanked him. Sunday night … the man started nodding off. Swindoll figured that he’d had a long drive and was probably tired. It happened each night until the conference ended. As a preacher … it didn’t feel good to see someone sleeping on him. On Friday morning, the lady who was sitting next to him came to Swindoll and said, “I want to...More Wednesday, October 23, 2024 Knowing when to be quiet ‘A time to be quiet and a time to speak.’ Ecclesiastes 3:7 NLT Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth US president, was known as a reserved man who spoke very little. One day, when a reporter attempted to interview him, the conversation went like this: Reporter: ‘Do you wish to say anything about the threat of war in Europe?’ Coolidge: ‘No.’ Reporter: ‘Do you have anything to say about the strike in the clothing factories?’ Coolidge: ‘No.’ Reporter: ‘Do you have anything to say about the League of Nations?’ Coolidge: ‘No.’ Reporter: ‘Would you care to comment on the farm production...More Tuesday, October 22, 2024 When someone lets you down ‘Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.’ Psalm 141:3 NLT When William Gladstone was Chancellor of the Exchequer in Britain, he requested that the Treasury send him certain statistics upon which he might base his budget proposals. Unfortunately, the statistician made a mistake, and Gladstone was so certain of this man’s reputation for accuracy that he didn’t take the time to verify his figures. As a result, Gladstone went before the House of Commons and gave a speech based on the incorrect information given to him. His speech was no sooner published than the inaccuracies were exposed, and he...More Monday, October 21, 2024 When God opens the door (2) ‘For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.’ 1 Corinthians 16:9 NKJV In doing the will of God, you should anticipate opposition from those who are not privy to what God has shared with you or instructed you to do. Indeed, if you are accepted and applauded wherever you go, you should re-examine either the assignment you believe God has given you or the way in which you are carrying it out. You say, ‘But didn’t Jesus say that His yoke was “easy”?’. Yes, and He was talking about a comfortable-fitting yoke around the neck of a hardworking ox that ploughed from...More Sunday, October 20, 2024 When God opens the door (1) ‘See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.’ Revelation 3:8 NKJV In seeking to know God’s will, there are two things you should never do. First, when the door is closed, don't get impatient and force it open. Second, don't create your own door. To succeed in what God has called you to do, follow the ‘open door policy’. The Bible describes it this way: ‘And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “These things says He who is holy, He who is true, ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens’: ‘I know your works. See, I...More Saturday, October 19, 2024 Be a giver (2) ‘God loves a cheerful giver.’ 2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV Paul writes, ‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver’ (2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV). The giving that God rewards is purposeful giving when it’s done with a cheerful attitude. Here are three ways to do that: 1) Put people before yourself. Every one of the things of this world, including fame and fortune, is temporary. Individuals are what matter. Your job, pastimes, and other interests will die with you. People live on. The true measure of...More Friday, October 18, 2024 Be a giver (1) ‘Give, and it will be given to you.’ Luke 6:38 NIV If you want to become a giver, think of yourself as a river instead of a reservoir. Reservoirs continually take in water, but only to fill themselves up. In contrast, a river flows. Whatever water it receives, it gives away. Note what Jesus said about giving: ‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (Luke 6:38 NIV). When you give your time, expertise, and resources without expecting anything in return, you’re...More Thursday, October 17, 2024 Let Him comfort you ‘The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.’ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV God can make you comfortable in the most uncomfortable places. He can pull you out of situations you thought you’d be stuck in forever. He can give you peace, even in the midst of trauma. Before your life is over, you’ll live, love and experience loss. Losing some things will actually help you to appreciate the things you still have. It’s the taste of failure that makes success so sweet. How can you celebrate victory unless you’ve known defeat? You’ll live each day not knowing what tomorrow holds but knowing that...More Wednesday, October 16, 2024 Be present in the moment ‘This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Psalm 118:24 NKJV One author writes: ‘One of the strategies I employ is to block enough time so that I’m not thinking of what I have to do next. I find it best to wait until I can invest more than a few minutes in being with someone so that the person is not frustrated with my divided attention and tight schedule.’ If you keep robbing your loved ones of time, there may come a day when they have no time for you. Ask yourself, ‘Is this person worth more to me than the plan, project, problem, or pressure I’m dealing...More Tuesday, October 15, 2024 Find a mentor (4) ‘I have called you friends.’ John 15:15 NKJV The mentors you choose must be available to you. Jesus told those He mentored, ‘No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you’ (John 15:15 NKJV). You need time with your mentor, asking and learning from questions and answers. American author Dr John Maxwell writes: ‘The greatest piece of advice I can give in the area of availability is that when you are looking for a mentor, don’t shoot too high too soon. If...More Monday, October 14, 2024 Find a mentor (3) ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV Your mentor should not only demonstrate professional excellence and possess skills from which you can learn but must also be someone who displays character qualities worth imitating. Bernie Madoff was one of the most admired and sought-after brokers on Wall Street. That is until he ended up in prison for perpetrating a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that devastated the lives of individuals, companies, and even governments. Numerous actors, athletes, political leaders, and business executives today attempt to deny their position as...More Sunday, October 13, 2024 Find a mentor (2) ‘Let me teach you.’ Matthew 11:29 NLT Jesus said, ‘… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:18 KJV). When Jesus spoke those words, the religious leaders of His day were plotting His death, the society in which He lived was controlled by the might of Rome, and His followers were common people. Humanly speaking, what He promised was audacious, and the possibilities of it happening were zero. Nevertheless, it came to pass. Two thousand years later, He is the most quoted author in the world, and many of our values are based on the principles He taught. How did...More Saturday, October 12, 2024 Find a mentor (1) ‘Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”’ Matthew 4:19 NKJV Most people who decide to grow personally find their first mentors in the pages of books. That is a great place to start. For that matter, it’s a great place to continue. And the wisdom that’s found in Scripture makes the Bible the best mentor’s manual ever written. If you are not reading it daily, you are robbing yourself of the greatest source of inspiration and illumination. And at some point, if you’re wise, you will also look for a role model to mentor you. No matter how gifted and experienced you are,...More Friday, October 11, 2024 Leadership can be lonely ‘No one stood with me … But the Lord stood with me.’ 2 Timothy 4:16-17 NKJV One of the things leaders know is that while many people will never step up to be the leader, there are plenty of people willing to criticise any steps towards leadership you might take and tell the whole world how they know better and why you did it wrong! While you will always accomplish more while working with others, you can’t always count on being supported or liked by everyone. No matter what you do, some people will be difficult and negative. So, you must stay focused on your God-given goals, be who you are, and trust God to...More Thursday, October 10, 2024 Don’t be envious ‘You must not covet … anything … that belongs to your neighbour.’ Exodus 20:17 NLT Envy, in essence, accuses God of being unfair, 'a respecter of persons', and unaware of what’s best for our lives. Therefore, we should engage in an all-out campaign against envy when it appears in our lives. Here are six ways to do that: 1) Confess and repent of your impure intentions for wanting something other than for the glory of God. ‘But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth’ (James 3:14 NIV). 2) Count your blessings. Envy is...More Wednesday, October 9, 2024 You can change ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 NKJV Self-help books sometimes claim you can change your life in five or ten simple steps. It takes a lot more than that to make substantial and lasting changes in your life. First, change comes by drawing on a power greater than your own—God’s power. Paul writes: ‘I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:12-13 NKJV). Second, change comes...More Wednesday, October 9, 2024 You can change ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 NKJV Self-help books sometimes claim you can change your life in five or ten simple steps. It takes a lot more than that to make substantial and lasting changes in your life. First, change comes by drawing on a power greater than your own—God’s power. Paul writes: ‘I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:12-13 NKJV). Second, change comes...More Tuesday, October 8, 2024 Your daily bread ‘Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger.”’ John 6:35 NKJV The devastating aftermath of World War II in Europe left hungry, homeless children orphaned by the battles. They were put in large camps where they were given food and care. Yet they didn’t sleep well at night; they were nervous, fearful, and fidgety. The caregivers were baffled until a psychologist taught them to offer each child a piece of bread every night, not to eat, but to hold in bed. The outcome was astonishing. The children slept through the night because they realised they wouldn’t go hungry...More Monday, October 7, 2024 Rebuild your marriage (4) ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favour from the Lord.’ Proverbs 18:22 NKJV Perhaps you have heard the joke about the lady who told her friend, ‘I didn’t know what real happiness was until I married my husband, and now it’s too late.’ Seriously, that doesn’t have to be your story. Through God’s wisdom, love, and grace, you can rebuild your marriage. To do it, you will need to learn the art of openness and allow yourself to be vulnerable, transparent, and ready to trust again. The only path to truly connect with someone is to genuinely allow that person to fully know you—your...More Sunday, October 6, 2024 Rebuild your marriage (3) ‘And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.’ Matthew 6:12 NKJV Other translations say to forgive others’ ‘trespasses’. To trespass means to go where you’re not supposed to and do what you’re not supposed to. Infidelity, dishonesty, and other wrong things are among the trespasses we may experience. Without the ability to practise forgiveness, even for the little things, it’s hard to offer or receive the grace of forgiveness. To forgive means to admit to ourselves that our partner is not perfect, and neither are we. To fail to forgive is like drinking poison and expecting the other person...More Saturday, October 5, 2024 Rebuild your marriage (2) ‘Husbands … be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect.’ 1 Peter 3:7 NIV Because something is said, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s heard. At least, not in the way you think it is. The apostle Peter uses the words ‘considerate’ and ‘respect’. Both are essential to the art of listening, which is essential to a good marriage. Unless you’re willing to consider what your spouse is saying and respect their thoughts and feelings, you’re heading for trouble. The reason many couples come to a point where they are contemplating divorce is that instead of having...More Friday, October 4, 2024 Rebuild your marriage (1) ‘Treat your wife with understanding as you live together.’ 1 Peter 3:7 NLT A pastor advises, ‘To regain true intimacy, physical and emotional, to restore the closeness you once shared, you must be willing to allow your heart and soul to reopen.’ If you have been hurt, that’s not easy. But you must be willing to risk exposing yourself to the unknown in order to reconnect with one another. He continues: ‘To bring a marriage back from the brink of divorce is not easy; in every union, there are unique considerations that must be worked out … Whether the problems in your marriage arise from external...More Thursday, October 3, 2024 Preparation for parenting ‘Parents are the pride of their children.’ Proverbs 17:6 NIV Many of the appliances in your home come with an instruction manual. Taking the time to read and understand it can save you all sorts of trouble. And God has given us the ultimate instruction manual for raising children—the Bible. It says, ‘Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.’ (Proverbs 17:6 NIV). One of the highest callings is that of becoming a parent. It involves the most significant and life-changing decision you will ever make. Therefore, you should make it with serious consideration,...More Wednesday, October 2, 2024 Keep praying about it ‘You do not have because you do not ask God.’ James 4:2 NIV Many of our failures result from our failure to pray. As we examine our mistakes, we discover a forsaken prayer altar and an unopened Bible. James bottom-lines it: ‘… You do not have because you do not ask God’ (James 4:2 NIV). A Christian leader writes: ‘As a burned-out, frustrated young Christian, I realised one day that living in my own strength was useless. I needed to take my problems to God. In other words, I needed to pray more!’. Found in Matthew 7:7, Jesus tells us, ‘Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on...More Tuesday, October 1, 2024 Take control of your thoughts ‘We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,’ 2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB20 Your mind is the battlefield where victory or defeat is decided. That’s why Paul writes, ‘… we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,’ (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB20). You have a choice: either you lead your thoughts, or your thoughts will lead you. Either you take your thoughts captive, or your thoughts will take you captive. Where do thoughts come from? Everywhere. If you spend quality time with God each day in prayer and the Scriptures, your thoughts will be guided by God. If not, your...More Monday, September 30, 2024 Depend on God (3) ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves … but our sufficiency is from God.’ 2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV In the Bible, when God calls someone to do something, you will notice they don’t jump up and say, ‘No problem, I’m ready.’ In story after story, they tell God why they can’t do it. Consider the following list of people. Moses: ‘… I have never been eloquent … I am slow of speech and tongue’ (Exodus 4:10 NIV). Gideon: ‘… how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’ (Judges 6:15 NIV). Abraham: ‘… Will a son...More Sunday, September 29, 2024 Depend on God (2) ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations … I am with you always.’ Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV The last thing Jesus said to His disciples before returning to heaven was this: ‘”Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen’ (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV). When God gives you an instruction or an assignment, it will always require His involvement, His strength, His guidance, and His provision....More Saturday, September 28, 2024 Depend on God (1) ‘I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 CSB Paul shares with us the key to his amazing success in life: ‘I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13 CSB). There is a syndrome called ‘failure to launch’. It’s experienced by people who feel insecure about their future. They never seem to get to the place in life where they feel ready, so they miss out on opportunities. Life says, ‘Ready or not, here I come.’ Now, life’s inevitability doesn’t mean that preparation is trivial; it’s important. But feeling ready is very...More Friday, September 27, 2024 Take time to rest and relax ‘He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.’ Psalm 23:2 ESV When you find yourself saying, ‘I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up,’ you may need to change some of your priorities and adjust your lifestyle. The psalmist said, ‘I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. …’ (Psalm 139:14 ESV). God designed your body to give you warnings when you’re pushing too hard, like an ache here or a pain there. But we ignore these warnings until we become too sick to ignore them any longer. And because we live in the most medicated generation in history, we...More Thursday, September 26, 2024 Invest in your marriage ‘Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life.’ Ecclesiastes 9:9 NKJV It’s amazing how many of us are willing to invest time and effort into our education, career, and financial future, but not our marriage (if you’re not married, perhaps you could remember married couples you know in your prayers today). One of the leading causes of divorce is boredom. One minister explains: ‘Partners lose their focus, stray into affairs, get addicted to porn, or exhibit other destructive behaviour … The secret to a strong marriage is to continue to find ways to improve yourself and to...More Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Nothing about you surprises God ‘For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before Him.’ Ephesians 1:4 CSB Nothing about you surprises God. He knew what He was getting when He chose you. He ‘actually chose us out for Himself as His own’. You didn’t just randomly show up one day. And God hasn’t decided to merely tolerate you. He is not rolling His eyes when you have a problem. Instead, He will always remind you how far you have come, how well you are doing, how precious you are in His sight, and how much He loves you. God already knew your weaknesses, every flaw you would have, and...More Tuesday, September 24, 2024 Share your wisdom ‘Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.’ Proverbs 3:13 NIV The wise old adage goes, ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.’ Sometimes what people need more than your money is your wisdom. By taking the time to share with them the insights and wisdom you have learned through your life experiences, you’re investing in their future. What a gift! But that means you must never stop learning. Sometimes we stop learning because we become complacent. We believe we have grown enough, or we want only to make the most of what...More Monday, September 23, 2024 Knowing who you are ‘in Christ’ ‘I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ.’ Philemon 1:6 RSV If you’re struggling with self-worth, the answer is knowing what you have and who you are ‘in Christ’. Here are some practical steps you can take to increase your sense of confidence and self-worth: 1) Don’t speak negatively about yourself. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses and flaws, start acknowledging and verbalising ‘all the good that is yours in Christ’. Peter writes: ‘By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We...More Sunday, September 22, 2024 Led in a roundabout way ‘Therefore God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea.’ Exodus 13:18 NASB20 The Bible says, ‘Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” Therefore God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in battle formation from the land of Egypt.’ (Exodus 13:17-18 NASB20). There is a lesson here for you. God knows where you are on your spiritual journey, and He is...More Saturday, September 21, 2024 When God says go ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.’ Genesis 12:1 NKJV The two parts to God’s ‘go’ are going from and going to. Ur, Abram’s home, was considered the place to be. Setting out for ancient Mesopotamia, all the trading wealth from around the Mediterranean had to travel through Ur. It was a place of immense affluence, trade, education, and technology. An author writes, ‘The first written legal code that began civilisation was there in Ur.’ So, it would have been a hard place to leave—especially if you were going to Canaan. Canaan...More Friday, September 20, 2024 How God answers our prayers ‘He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him.’ Psalm 91:15 NKJV If you are battling illness today, God says, ‘… For I am the Lord who heals you’ (Exodus 15:26 NKJV). If you are facing a problem that seems as big as a mountain, Jesus said: ‘For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them’ (Mark 11:23-24 NKJV). If you...More Thursday, September 19, 2024 You have more to learn ‘Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD.’ Hosea 6:3 KJV Having a ‘statement of faith’ is a good thing because it lets people know your beliefs and values and where you stand on the issues. But it also carries with it a certain danger; you can end up believing you know all there is to know about the subject or at least all that is important to know. The Bible challenges us to keep learning and growing spiritually: ‘Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. …’ (Hosea 6:3 KJV). The New King James Version says, ‘Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. …’. In...More Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Making the right choice ‘For the LORD gives wisdom.’ Proverbs 2:6 NKJV Maybe you’re facing graduation. More frequently than ever before, people are switching to different jobs and companies and changing their whole careers. In 2014, career specialist Andy Chan observed that young adults will face, on average, twenty-nine jobs over their lifetime. In 2013 Oxford researchers predicted that about half the jobs will be replaced with technology by 2033. So, how do you adjust to a constantly changing environment? Perhaps you’re in a rut. Your life is safe but unrewarding. You want to do more or be more. Perhaps you’re facing an empty...More Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Decision-making is character building ‘The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave … and go to the land that I will show you.”’ Genesis 12:1 NLT An author pens: ‘Would you want the kind of kids you have to tell their whole lives, “Wear these clothes. Take these classes. Go to that school. Apply for this job. Marry that person. Purchase this house,” and you always have them do exactly what you tell them as long as they live? No … Why? Because your main goal is … that they become people of great character and judgment. The only way for them to do that is to make lots and lots of decisions. Of course, that means they’ll make a lot of wrong...More Monday, September 16, 2024 Anchors for your soul (3) ‘I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.’ Acts 27:25 NIV Third, anchored by God’s promises. The third anchor that gives us confidence in a crisis is found in Paul’s words, ‘So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me’ (Acts 27:25 NIV). If you have ever been betrayed by an unfaithful spouse, you may have lost trust in marriage. If you’re a victim of the mortgage crisis, you may have lost your home and your trust in the financial industry. If you voted for someone you believed had integrity only to discover they were in the pocket of...More Sunday, September 15, 2024 Anchors for your soul (2) ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar.’ Acts 27:24 NIV Second, anchored by God’s plan and purpose. The second anchor in a time of crisis is found in Acts 27:24, where Paul quotes God’s angel: ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ In other words, ‘You’re on board this ship because I have a purpose for your being here. And my eternal purpose for your life is greater than this temporary storm.’ Have you discovered your God-given purpose yet? You’re not here on earth simply to take up...More Saturday, September 14, 2024 Anchors for your soul (1) ‘An angel of … God … stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid.”’ Acts 27:23-24 NIV While everyone else on board Paul’s ship was in a state of panic, he remained at peace. Why? Because of three great truths that serve as anchors for our souls, truths you can build your life on that will steady you in the storm. Let’s look at each. First, anchored by the presence of God. In the midst of the storm, Paul announced, ‘Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. …”’ (Acts 27:23-24 NIV). Life’s storms can...More Friday, September 13, 2024 When you’re not certain, trust God ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV Close your eyes and try walking without sight, and you will get an idea of what it means to walk by faith. Faith in what? The unchanging character of God, goodness of God, love of God, and truth that He always has your best interests at heart. With God, information is given on a need-to-know basis. And God determines who needs to know what and when. Here is an example of this: the early church needs to decide if God is calling them to include Gentiles. After much prayer, they send out this letter: ‘It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us …’...More Thursday, September 12, 2024 Open doors ‘A door was opened to me by the Lord.’ 2 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV A noted author states: ‘People who study entrepreneurs say they excel in something called “opportunity alertness.” They look at the same circumstances as everyone else, but they “notice, without search, opportunities that have hitherto been overlooked.” They are “alert, waiting, continually receptive to something that may turn up.”’. Paul was such a person. ‘Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s Gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV). He practised ‘divine opportunity...More Wednesday, September 11, 2024 Choose the right attitude ‘Think on these things … and the God of peace shall be with you.’ Philippians 4:8-9 KJV An author writes: ‘Columbia researcher Sheena Iyengar has found that the average person makes about seventy conscious decisions every day. That’s 25,550 decisions a year. Over seventy years, that’s 1,788,500 decisions. Albert Camus said, “Life is a sum of all your choices.” You put all those 1,788,500 choices together, that’s who you are. Victor Frankl was a brilliant doctor whom the Nazis imprisoned in a concentration camp. They took away his livelihood, confiscated his possessions, mocked his dignity, and...More Tuesday, September 10, 2024 Honour God in all you do ‘Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked.’ Psalm 1:1 NIV When Moses commanded Pharaoh to set God’s people free, Pharaoh offered him three compromises. First, he offered to let them go if they didn’t go too far away. Second, he offered to let them go provided they left their children in Egypt. Third, he offered to let them go provided they left their business interests in Egypt. In each case, Moses said no. And Satan will make you those same offers. Put distance between yourself and the world. Refuse to let it have your children. Refuse to live by the world’s self-centred and often...More Monday, September 9, 2024 Do it in Christ’s strength, not your own ‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 ESV One of the quickest ways to get discouraged is to try living the Christian life in your own strength. It’s like trying to lift yourself up by your bootstraps; it cannot be done. Indeed, God designed it that way. Jesus said: ‘If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17...More Sunday, September 8, 2024 Expect good things from God ‘Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you.’ Isaiah 30:18 NKJV Your concept of God determines your confidence in approaching Him. Do you always view Him like an auditor, and your books don’t balance? Or do you view Him like a father who loves you at all times and wants to be good to you? When approaching God, many of us consult a mental scorecard to see whether we have more wins than losses, rights than wrongs, credits than demerits. If we feel like we’re not performing well, we avoid God or make Him our last resort. That’s a mistake because God sees you ‘in Christ’ (see 2...More Saturday, September 7, 2024 Two prayer principles ‘But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father.’ Matthew 6:6 NIV When it comes to the importance of having a consistent prayer life, Jesus is our greatest example. Before He calmed the storm in Galilee, called His twelve disciples, or fed the multitudes with five loaves and two fish, He spent time alone in prayer. And you have been called to follow in His footsteps (see 1 Peter 2:21). In essence, our failures are often the result of our failure to pray. Jesus gave His disciples two prayer principles that will work for you. First, He said, ‘But when you pray, go into...More Friday, September 6, 2024 Speak life ‘Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.’ 1 Peter 3:10 NKJV The Bible says, ‘He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it’ (1 Peter 3:10-11 NKJV). Note the words ‘Let him turn away’. That doesn’t mean you should be rude or insensitive but be solution-focused rather than problem-focused. Your mouth is a powerful tool that can help or harm. If you can grasp an understanding of the power of the words you speak, it can change the...More Thursday, September 5, 2024 Christ can set you free ‘I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.’ Psalm 101:3 NKJV Pornography is sweeping across the world, leaving families torn apart in its wake. Many churchgoers who are struggling to break free feel isolated and helpless. One UK survey revealed that 75 per cent of Christian men and 35 per cent of Christian women viewed pornography regularly or occasionally. When you watch it, powerful neurotransmitters such as dopamine are released, which bond you to the images you’re looking at. According to neuropsychologist Dr Tim Jennings, ‘Any type of repetitive behaviour will create trails [neural pathways] in our...More Wednesday, September 4, 2024 Take a faith-based risk (3) ‘I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’ Matthew 16:18 NIV Gates are defensive devices, and storming those gates requires offensive measures. Think of the church as a battering ram. Instead of complaining about the culture, we need to present better options. We must produce higher-calibre films and compose more extraordinary music, write more notable books, and start superior schools and form better businesses. The old aphorism indicates we should stop cursing the darkness and start lighting some candles. In Roaring Lambs, Robert Briner writes: ‘Why not believe that one day the...More Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Take a faith-based risk (2) ‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him.’ Hebrews 11:6 NKJV When making important decisions, especially when they can affect the lives of others, the Bible says you should do two things. First, count the cost (see Luke 14:28). That means you should evaluate and investigate, and you should seek guidance and counsel. ‘The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice’ (Proverbs 12:15 NIV). How certain should you be before you move forward? In his book, The Next Generation Leader, Pastor Andy Stanley writes: ‘Generally speaking, you are probably never going to be more than 80 per...More Monday, September 2, 2024 Take a faith-based risk (1) ‘The Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.’ Matthew 11:12 ESV Peter gets unfairly criticised. He is the disciple who denied Christ three times, but he is the only one who got close enough to Jesus to get caught. He is the disciple who impulsively cut off Malchus’s ear when the lynch mob came to arrest Jesus, but he is the only one who came to Jesus’ defence. He is the disciple who sank in the Sea of Galilee, but he is the only disciple who walked on water. It’s so easy to criticise people from the comfortable confines of the boat. Basically, there are two...More Sunday, September 1, 2024 A Father’s Blessing (2) ‘May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness—an abundance.’ Genesis 27:28 NIV Let’s look at the next two ingredients of a father’s blessing: (1 The power of prayer. Here’s how Isaac, who was a farmer, prayed for his sons: ‘May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine.’ Dad, have your children ever heard you praying for them to succeed in life? Perhaps they’ve heard cutting and critical words like: ‘How could you be so stupid? Don’t you ever think? You’ll never amount to anything!’ If so, apologise and...More Saturday, August 31, 2024 A Father’s Blessing (1) ‘By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.’ Hebrews 11:20 KJV Every child needs their father’s blessing, and every father should speak words of blessing to them. When Isaac blessed his sons he was speaking with divinely given authority, not out of sentiment or favouritism. By Hebrew custom a father’s blessing had these ingredients: 1) A meaningful touch. ‘Jacob went close to his father Isaac who touched him… Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”’ (Genesis 27:22, 26 NIV) A father’s blessing included the laying on of hands, a kiss,...More Friday, August 30, 2024 Always be open-minded (2) ‘They received the word with all readiness.’ Acts 17:11 NKJV Here is a tale of two cities: 1) Thessalonica rejected the truth. ‘Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures … saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ” … But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people’ (Acts 17:2-3, 5 NKJV). 2) Berea received the truth....More Thursday, August 29, 2024 Always be open-minded (1) ‘When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.’ Proverbs 24:32 NKJV King Solomon is considered one of the wisest men who ever lived. He wrote three books in the Bible and is quoted regularly. And he was a lifetime learner and seeker of truth. ‘When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.’ (Proverbs 24:32 NKJV) Note the words ‘I considered it well’. That should be your fixed attitude in life. God’s plan for you is to keep learning, changing, growing, and maturing until you draw your last breath. And that means always being open-minded....More Wednesday, August 28, 2024 Why does God choose weak people to do His will? ‘God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.’ 1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV Answer: Because the only kind of people God has to work with are weak people! Moses’ relationship with God is described in these remarkable words: ‘So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. …’ (Exodus 33:11 NKJV). So, was Moses perfect? Far from it. He spent the first forty years of his life as a prince in Pharaoh’s palace, and the next forty years as a shepherd living in the wilderness. The Bible speaks about the strains in his marriage and...More Tuesday, August 27, 2024 You are protected by God ‘He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’ Psalm 91:1 NKJV During World War II, Britain built air-raid shelters. Often there were several on the same street. A pastor tells of standing in one when bombs were falling all around. Turning to a man beside him, he asked, ‘How come this shelter is always crowded, and the others are empty?’ He replied, ‘Pastor, we all know that you’re a man of God. And if He is going to save anybody, He will probably save you. That’s why we are in this shelter’. Reflecting on it later, the pastor said, ‘Many of...More

Saturday, August 24, 2024 It’s a new day for you ‘Behold, I will do a new thing.’ Isaiah 43:19 NKJV Don’t allow the pain of your past to blur your vision and steal the blessing God has in store for you in the future. God says, ‘Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, …’ (Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV). If you have been wounded by old relationships, God has new ones waiting for you. ‘Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided...More Friday, August 23, 2024 Could the Lord call on you? ‘The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.’ Acts 9:10 NIV Why did God use Ananias to lead Saul of Tarsus to Christ? Because he was the right man, in the right place, at the right time, with the right message, and the right attitude. ‘In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying …” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he...More Thursday, August 22, 2024 Be aware of Satan’s schemes ‘In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.’ 2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV Walking in spiritual victory calls for understanding Satan’s schemes. Here are some points at which you’re particularly vulnerable: when you feel up, when you feel down, when you’re alone, when you’re exhausted, and when you have experienced loss. There is no such thing as fair play with the devil. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. If you give him an entry point into your life, he will use it against you. Notice the two occasions on which Satan attacked Jesus. First, at His...More Wednesday, August 21, 2024 When choosing a mentor (2) ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom.’ Proverbs 4:7 NKJV A pastor shares this: ‘The process of growing with the help of a mentor usually follows this pattern: it begins with awareness. You realise that you need help and that following yourself is not a viable option for effective personal growth. When a person comes to such a realisation, one of two things can happen. The first is that the person’s pride swells up, and he cannot bring himself to ask another person for advice … The other reaction to awareness is to humble yourself and say, “I need your help.” That decision not only...More Tuesday, August 20, 2024 When choosing a mentor (1) ‘Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still.’ Proverbs 9:9 NIV The further you go in the pursuit of your potential, the more ground you will have to break. This is where you can benefit from the experience of others. As the Chinese proverb says, ‘To know the road ahead, ask those coming back’. In picking a mentor, look for two things: 1) Someone who possesses wisdom. The understanding, experience, and wisdom of mentors help us to solve problems we would have a hard time handling on our own. Wise people often use just a few words to help us learn and develop. They open our eyes to worlds we...More Monday, August 19, 2024 Live in the light (3) ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.’ Matthew 5:14 NKJV Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:14, 16 NKJV). The pastor continues to explain: ‘If you are a follower of Christ, you should also be light amidst the darkness. Your job is to let Jesus shine in and through you so that those living in the dark will find the light as well. That’s why it’s not enough just to shine. Light is only...More Sunday, August 18, 2024 Live in the light (2) ‘While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ John 12:36 NKJV The pastor continues: ‘Light is one of the things we often take for granted … We could not live without it. Plants are necessary for the existence of mankind. The entire human species and all animal life are dependent on plants for survival. Plants provide all the essential amino acids and most of the vitamins necessary for health through a light process known as photosynthesis. Plants also produce the oxygen we need to breathe. And plants must have light to grow. What is true in the physical world is true...More Saturday, August 17, 2024 Live in the light (1) ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’ John 8:12 NKJV A pastor wrote: ‘Have you ever heard the term achluophobia? It is the fear of darkness … Being in complete darkness is unnerving. It induces a sense of helplessness. And yet physical darkness is nothing compared to emotional, relational, and spiritual darkness.’ Today you may feel like you’re in a dark place with no way out: ‘My girlfriend left me for another man’. Or ‘I’m probably heading towards divorce. My husband has been cheating on me.’ Or ‘I’m depressed and cry...More Friday, August 16, 2024 The blessings of battle ‘Fight the good fight of faith … to which you were also called.’ 1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV When you commit your life to Christ, you switch sides. Now you’re up against three things. The world with its pressures, values, and agenda. The flesh, with its impulses and weaknesses. The devil, who is out to defeat you. But God would never allow us to get into a fight we couldn’t win, so let’s consider three blessings of battle. 1) It teaches you to live on high alert. It was when Samson slept that Delilah shaved his head and robbed him of his strength. It was when the servants slept that an enemy sowed...More Thursday, August 15, 2024 God will come through for you ‘Nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.’ 2 Chronicles 20:12 NKJV The heroes in Scripture often found themselves faced with impossible odds and overwhelming situations. Think of Moses standing up to Pharaoh and David standing up to Goliath. Think of King Jehoshaphat facing the overwhelming might of three combined armies determined to destroy his nation. Here is what he said to God: ‘O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.’ (2 Chronicles 20:12 NKJV). Now notice how God...More Wednesday, August 14, 2024 Where do our prayers go? ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.’ Acts 10:4 NIV Have you ever wondered where your prayers go? The answer is ‘up for a memorial before God’. Notice that they are ‘before’ Him. They are in His hands and on His mind. Here when Cornelius prayed, God not only changed his circumstances, but He also changed history; for the first time, Gentiles heard the Gospel and became part of the Kingdom of God. How long had Cornelius been praying? We don’t know; the Bible says, ‘He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need...More Tuesday, August 13, 2024 The ingredients of a miracle ‘There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee.’ John 2:1 NKJV Let’s examine the story of Jesus turning water into wine. It was His first miracle, and it reveals how He works in our lives. 1) Invite Jesus. ‘On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.’ (John 2:1-2 NKJV). When the problem arose, this couple didn’t have to send for Jesus because He was already there. Not only did they know Him, but they also included Him in their plans. They honoured Him. The cry of Paul’s heart was ‘that...More Monday, August 12, 2024 The habit of joyful and confident hope ‘Endurance produces character, and character produces hope.’ Romans 5:4 ESV Does it feel like the attack coming against you right now is more than you can bear? If so, read this: ‘Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,’ (Romans 5:3-4 ESV). Notice that you can reach a place of spiritual maturity where you automatically respond to difficulty with ‘joyful and confident hope.’ It’s easy to say, ‘don’t worry’, but to actually do that requires experience with the faithfulness of God....More Sunday, August 11, 2024 Sometimes it’s wise to say no ‘I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.’ Numbers 11:14 NKJV Moses fielded complaints and listened to stories of frustration and woe until he reached the place where he told God, ‘I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me’ (Numbers 11:14 NKJV). And God agreed. He told Moses to pick seventy mature leaders to bear the burden of the people with him (see Numbers 11:16-17 NKJV). As a result, they made it to the promised land. Like Moses, it’s okay for you to say, ‘I’ve reached my limit’. Yes, the...More Saturday, August 10, 2024 Believe in your vision ‘Write the vision And make it plain on tablets,’ Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV God has a plan for your life. In Scripture, it’s sometimes referred to as a ‘vision’. It works like a compass that will always point you in the right direction and an anchor that will hold you steady in life’s storms. Why did God say, ‘…Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, …’? (Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV) Because sometimes, we bury our vision deep in our hearts to protect ourselves from the criticism of others. Fear causes us to set our vision out of sight so that we don’t have to think about it. Sometimes we give up on our...More Friday, August 9, 2024 Include Jesus in all you do ‘Thinking He was in their company, they travelled on for a day.’ Luke 2:44 NIV The Bible says: ‘Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When He was twelve years old, they went up to the festival according to the custom. After the festival was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking He was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three...More Thursday, August 8, 2024 God will deliver you ‘From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears.’ Psalm 18:6 CSB Have you suffered a series of defeats and setbacks? Are you discouraged because the attacks have been long and tiring? Read these words from the psalmist David and stand on them: ‘The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer … I called to the LORD in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears. … He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep water. He rescued me from my powerful enemy … for they were too strong...More Wednesday, August 7, 2024 Experiencing ‘His incomparably great power’ ‘I pray … that you may know … His incomparably great power for us who believe.’ Ephesians 1:18-19 NIV Like a proud parent, our heavenly Father loves it when we carry out impossible things by His power and for His glory. And when you live in raw reliance upon His power, you will do things that otherwise cannot be done. When you think about it, in and of ourselves, we are incapable of loving God. We cannot fabricate love for Him. We can just respond to His love for us. Knowing this sets us free. Religion focuses on doing things for God, but Christianity is all about receiving what Christ has done for us on...More Tuesday, August 6, 2024 They will ‘lay hands’ ‘In My name they will … lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ Mark 16:17-18 NKJV Here is an often overlooked part of the Great Commission Jesus gave us: ‘In My name they will … lay hands on the sick, and they will recover’ (Mark 16:17-18 NKJV). A comforting, caring touch can reduce stress, enhance sleep, and assist us in recovering more quickly from injury. One study found that a thirty-minute massage three times a week lowers stress by 34 per cent. The power of touch, even on a human level, is an astonishing thing. But when you add the power of God, it opens the way for something...More Monday, August 5, 2024 God’s goodness leads to godliness ‘The goodness of God leads you to repentance.’ Romans 2:4 NKJV Do you remember the woman who took an alabaster box of fragrant oil and anointed Jesus with it? The Bible says: ‘Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner”’ (Luke 7:39 NKJV). Man-made religion condemned this woman because of her past, but Jesus cleansed her and made her whole. ‘Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little...More Sunday, August 4, 2024 You can overcome the temptation (3) ‘He is able to aid those who are tempted.’ Hebrews 2:18 NKJV If you are serious about overcoming temptation, here are five things you must do: 1) Think about the choices you are making, and the consequences, before you make them. Wisdom always looks ahead. 2) Believe that you can resist temptation—because you can. ‘You are of God … and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’ (1John 4:4 NKJV). 3) Recall how you felt when you gave in to temptation before. Guilt, condemnation, shame. These are some of Satan’s favourite...More Saturday, August 3, 2024 You can overcome the temptation (2) ‘God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.’ 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV The Bible says: ‘Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.’ (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NKJV). The words ‘way of escape’ does not promise you exemption from temptation. Satan, who is called ‘the tempter’, never lets up or takes a day off....More Friday, August 2, 2024 You can overcome the temptation (1) ‘No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.’ 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV In Scripture, Satan is called ‘the tempter’ and ‘the accuser’. First, he will tempt you, and if you fail, he will accuse you. He wants you to feel unworthy and disqualified in God’s eyes. But you’re not! ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of...More Thursday, August 1, 2024 Rely on God and stay within the boundary lines ‘Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.’ Galatians 5:16 NIV There is just enough ego and independence in us to want to do things our way. And they keep getting us into trouble. Paul writes: ‘So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want’ (Galatians 5:16-17 NIV). Note the words ‘the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit’. What’s the key to victory?...More Wednesday, July 31, 2024 Focus on your spouse’s best qualities ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favour from the LORD.’ Proverbs 18:22 NKJV The best marriages are built by couples who try to remember the qualities that initially attracted them to one another. If you want to build a happy marriage or improve a less-than-happy one, do these: 1) List your spouse’s best qualities. Write down the things you love most about him or her, and endeavour to keep those things in mind at all times. When stresses and strains surface in your relationship, as they inevitably will, go over the list in your mind, and if necessary, refer to the written copy...More Tuesday, July 30, 2024 How to ease financial stress ‘So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?’ Luke 16:11 NIV Did you know that God’s willingness to bless you with more money depends on how well you handle what He has already given you? When it comes to money, here are some Bible principles you must live by: 1) Pay God His share first so you won’t feel ashamed of not doing so (see Malachi 3:10). 2) Pray before you buy. Ask yourself, ‘Do I need this or just want it?’ (3) Keep mindful of the amount of expenditures versus your income. 4) Be in agreement...More Monday, July 29, 2024 Develop your awareness of God’s presence ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ Exodus 33:14 NKJV When you sense God’s presence and know He is with you, you can handle whatever life brings. Try to imagine the assignment Moses had of liberating two million people from the grip of slavery: leading them through a wilderness where they were exposed to enemies and elements such as extreme heat and cold; feeding them, clothing them, settling their disputes, and keeping them moving towards their destiny. Here is what Moses prayed: ‘… If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here’ (Exodus 33:15 NKJV). Moses...More Sunday, July 28, 2024 Unlearn inaccurate beliefs ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. …’ Hosea 4:6 NKJV Failing to unlearn irrational fears and misconceptions keeps us from becoming who God wants us to be. The disabled man in John 5 is a great example of this. He had been crippled for thirty-eight years when Jesus asked if he would like to get well. However, the man believed there was only one way to be healed: ‘“Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me”’ (John 5:7 NKJV). This man assumed something that may have cost him thirty-eight years! He...More Saturday, July 27, 2024 The essence of leadership ‘But all the men of valour among you shall pass over armed before your brethren and shall help them,’ Joshua 1:14 RSV To be worthy of a following, you need more than talent and a title. The essence of leadership lies in doing two things. 1) Going first! ‘Pass over armed before your brethren.’ That means if God has called you to lead, you must step out in faith and go first. That requires believing in yourself and your mission. Accomplishment requires more than just working hard; it requires believing the right thing. God told Joshua, ‘… Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be...More Friday, July 26, 2024 Protect your marriage ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; …’ John 10:10 NASB20 Why do 50 per cent of marriages, including Christian marriages, end in divorce? Jesus answers that question: ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly’ (John 10:10 NASB20). God performed the first wedding ceremony between Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. And the honeymoon barely began before Satan entered the picture and attacked them, causing feelings of shame and separation from God. Later in Scripture, when Satan couldn’t defeat the patriarch Job through...More Thursday, July 25, 2024 Don’t be afraid of failing (3) ‘Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.’ Matthew 14:29 NIV The Bible says, ‘”Lord, if it's you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”’ (Matthew 14:28-31 NIV). When you know that you have prayed, prepared, and planned, you must step...More Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Don’t be afraid of failing (2) ‘I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!’ 1 Corinthians 9:16 NIV Let’s take another look at how to conquer the fear of failure. 1) Pursue your God-given purpose in life. To truly succeed at something, you must have a passion for it. And God will not only reveal to you His purpose, He will give you a passion to pursue it. Paul had the gift, education, and connections to pursue a number of different careers. But he wrote, ‘For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!’ (1 Corinthians 9:16 NIV)...More Tuesday, July 23, 2024 Don’t be afraid of failing (1) ‘As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.’ 2 Chronicles 26:5 NIV Let’s look at some Bible strategies for overcoming the fear of failure. 1) Make sure that your vision and your values line up. The rise and fall of King Uzziah are told in these words: ‘Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. … He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, … He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success. … But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led...More Monday, July 22, 2024 You can conquer your fear ‘There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,...’ 1 John 4:18 NIV According to psychiatric reference, approximately two thousand classified fears exist. What’s interesting is that psychiatrists say we are born with only two innate ones: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. That means we learn every other fear. And more importantly, that means we can unlearn every other fear. The majority of us are shaped, for better or worse, by a handful of experiences. These defining experiences can plant a seed of confidence or a seed of uncertainty, a seed of hope or a seed of vulnerability, a...More Sunday, July 21, 2024 Keep your conscience clear ‘Keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.’ 1 Timothy 1:19 NASB20 Sometimes, we want to justify what we are doing and say, ‘It feels right, so it can’t be wrong.’ However, if God’s Word says something is wrong, it’s wrong, no matter how right it feels. The old saying, ‘Let your conscience be your guide,’ is only half the truth. The other half should read, ‘as long as your conscience is grounded in and guided by the clear teachings of God’s Word.’ As a redeemed child of God, you are called to live by His commandments...More Saturday, July 20, 2024 The secret of happiness ‘For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.’ Ephesians 2:10 CSB What kind of work environment brings out the best in you? Do you thrive on routine? Are you motivated by people’s needs? Do you enjoy tackling challenges that might discourage others? How about your relationships? Do you enjoy being part of a team, or do you work better alone? If you only come to life when you’re around people, you will probably be miserable sitting in front of a computer all day. What are your strengths? God said of Bezalel, the builder,...More Friday, July 19, 2024 Why church is good for you ‘For a day in Your courtyards is better than a thousand elsewhere.’ Psalm 84:10 NASB20 Jesus attended church regularly. ‘… He went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath …’ (Luke 4:16 NLT). The apostles also went to church on a regular basis: ‘They worshipped together at the Temple each day,…’ (Acts 2:46 NLT). And David loved God’s house. He said, ‘For a day in Your courtyards is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.’ (Psalm 84:10 NASB20). So, do you love God’s house? You should,...More Thursday, July 18, 2024 How to know God ‘They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.’ Romans 1:19 NLT There are three ways whereby you can know God is real and have a relationship with Him. 1) Intellectual knowledge of God. ‘They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God’ (Romans 1:19-20 NLT). 2) Subconscious knowledge of God. ‘Even Gentiles, who...More Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Knowing who belongs in your life ‘I will test them for you there; and he of whom I say to you, 'This man shall go with you,' shall go with you;...’ Judges 7:4 RSV Gideon chose thirty-two thousand soldiers to fight the Midianites. But the truth is, you don’t need lots of people in your life, you just need the right people. So, when Gideon said, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home’ (Judges 7:3 RSV), twenty-two thousand soldiers left. But God told him he still had too many, and added, ‘I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.’ (see Judges 7:4) Consequently, Gideon ended up with...More Tuesday, July 16, 2024 Always ask, ‘What does the Bible say?’ ‘Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things,...’ Acts 20:30 NKJV Paul writes: ‘Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified’ (Acts 20:30-32 NKJV). When someone claims ‘special revelation from God’ that doesn’t line up with what Scripture...More Monday, July 15, 2024 The blessing of unanswered prayer ‘When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.’ James 4:3 NIV A pastor writes: ‘According to legend, King Midas loved gold so much that when Dionysus granted him a wish, Midas asked that everything he touched would turn to gold. At first, Midas was delighted with his request, but when he discovered that his touch made food inedible and his embrace made loved ones lifeless, he stumbled upon what sociologist Robert Merton called the law of unintended consequences. Like Midas, getting what we want can result in undesirable consequences. So much for the Midas touch. Sometimes...More Sunday, July 14, 2024 When you feel inadequate (2) ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ 2 Corinthians 1 2:9 NKJV First, acknowledge your inadequacy to God. Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic, says, ‘Deny your weakness, and you will never realise God’s strength in you.’ God told Paul, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV) Anything that makes you lean on God is a plus and not a minus. Second, stop putting yourself down. You say, ‘But I lack the qualifications to do the job.’ God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the...More Saturday, July 13, 2024 When you feel inadequate (1) ‘Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.’ 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 NASB20 The fear of inadequacy is a state of mind in which you think your best is not good enough. Usually, it originated in childhood when our parents, teachers, and others we considered important, failed to appreciate and affirm us or compared us negatively to someone else. You will see it from Moses, who felt inadequate to be the spokesman and liberator for the Israelites. No statistics can measure the number of abandoned dreams due to this paralysing emotion. To...More Friday, July 12, 2024 How to influence and impact others ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,’ James 1:19 NIV There is no magic trick when it comes to influencing and impacting others. The Bible gives you the formula, and here it is: 1) Try to listen carefully. The truth is that people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. They tend to filter what they hear through their own life experiences, hang-ups, and the particular problem that’s on their mind at that moment. So, if you want people to listen when you speak, listen carefully to them. 2) Don’t say too much. If you tend...More Thursday, July 11, 2024 Who helps you? ‘Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.’ Romans 1 6:2 NLT Captain Charlie Plumb was a US Navy fighter pilot in Vietnam. After seventy-five combat missions, his plane was demolished by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected from the plane and parachuted into enemy hands. He spent the next six years in a Communist prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on what he learned from his experience. One day when he and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man from another table walked over and said, ‘You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in...More Wednesday, July 10, 2024 Running to win ‘It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.’ Matthew 5:29 NIV Desperate situations sometimes call for desperate measures, and severing your supply line to your flesh means getting radical. Jesus puts it like this: ‘“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into...More Tuesday, July 9, 2024 Stop covering up sin ‘He who covers his sins will not prosper...’ Proverbs 28:13 NKJV The Bible says, ‘He who covers his sins will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy’ (Proverbs 28:13 NKJV). Could this be the reason you’re not succeeding? Unresolved guilt has the ability to corrode your confidence like acid. But there is an answer: ‘Whoever confesses and forsakes [his sins] will have mercy.’ Confess it to God! He already knows what you have done—He is just waiting for you to deal with it so He can forgive you and bless you again. ‘… God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.’...More Monday, July 8, 2024 Do what God’s Word says ‘Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.’ James 1:22 NIV When you listen to or read God’s Word but don’t apply it to your life, you deceive yourself. How so? 1) You settle for knowledge rather than experience. The Bible says, ‘If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them’ (James 4:17 NIV). How does that grab you? When you know the truth but don’t act on it, you’re not simply making a mistake or exercising poor judgement, you’re sinning. The Bible says knowledge without obedience is sin. 2) You...More Sunday, July 7, 2024 Are you stressed out? (3) ‘I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.’ John 16:33 ESV Stress is like kryptonite (Superman’s nemesis), and it’s out to knock off your cape and diminish you to a heap of trembling, useless mush. What should you do? 1) Immerse your exhaustion. Try a bubble bath. Even simply standing in the shower can assist in washing away fatigue and reviving your breathless body tissues and brain cells. Feel the moment and focus on the water’s invigorating sensory contribution to your skin; allow it to spread resilience to your spirit. You say, ‘That doesn’t sound very...More Saturday, July 6, 2024 Are you stressed out? (2) ‘For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace;...’ Isaiah 55:12 NKJV Let’s look at three proven and effective strategies for dealing with stress. 1) Place yourself on your daily to-do list. Designate fifteen minutes twice a day to renew, regroup, and restore. Distance yourself from the stress source, even if that simply means stepping outside for a few minutes and going for a walk to refresh your brain. Sing your favourite song or do whatever helps you to chill. And persevere when other events threaten to crowd you out. You’re important – learn to value...More Friday, July 5, 2024 Are you stressed out? (1) ‘You will stand firm and without fear.’ Job 11:15 NIV When you ignore the warning signs, chronic stress can take a toll on your body. So, what are some of the signals? Well for starters, your stomach churns at any form of disagreement. When you can’t find an outlet for pent-up frustration, you may resort to overeating, smoking, drinking, drugs, and generally abusing your body. You isolate yourself, which affects your loved ones. However, it’s the signs you don’t see that can do the most damage. Cortisol, a hormone our bodies release in the grasp of stress, adds to out-of-control feelings of...More Thursday, July 4, 2024 Keep renewing your mind with God’s Word ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...’ Romans 12:2 NIV How do we renew our minds? One pastor wrote: ‘The way to upgrade your mind is to download Scripture. Doctors … of the National Institute of Mental Health did a fascinating study asking subjects to perform a simple motor task—a finger-tapping exercise. As subjects tapped, the doctors conducted an MRI to identify what part of the brain was being activated. The subjects then practised the finger-tapping exercise daily for four weeks. At the end of the four-week period, the brain scan was...More Wednesday, July 3, 2024 Wrestling with Satan up close and personal! ‘We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against … spiritual hosts of wickedness...’ Ephesians 6:12 NKJV Before doing battle with Syria, Joab told his brother, ‘…If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you’ (1 Chronicles 19:12 NKJV). If one was overwhelmed, the other could step in and help. Spiritual warfare is different, however. We’re not wrestling with ‘flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness’ (see Ephesians 6:12). And wrestling...More Tuesday, July 2, 2024 Start at his feet ‘Uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.’ Ruth 3:4 NKJV As a Moabitess, the law said Ruth was unqualified to mix with Jews. ‘An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; … ’ (Deuteronomy 23:3 NKJV). But when God has a plan for your life, He steps in and says, ‘… I have called you by your name; you are Mine … Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honoured, … Therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life’ (Isaiah 43:1, 4 NKJV). When Boaz began showering Ruth with kindness, she knelt before him saying, ‘… Why have...More Monday, July 1, 2024 Don’t get stuck in the past ‘Run for your lives! And don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley!...’ Genesis 19:17 NLT Before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He sent angels to warn Lot and his family to get out of town: When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, ‘“Run for your lives! And don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!’ … But Lot's wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.’ (Genesis 19:17, 26 NLT). By looking back, Lot’s wife disobeyed a direct instruction from God. As a result, she...More Sunday, June 30, 2024 The law of entropy ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish:...’ Proverbs 29:18 KJV A pastor wrote: ‘The second law of thermodynamics states this physical truth: If left to their own devices, everything in the universe moves towards disorder and decay. Cars rust. Food rots…It’s also called the law of entropy. And the only way to prevent entropy is to introduce an outside energy source to counteract it. The technical term for this is negentropy. And the refrigerator is a good example. You plug it into an electrical outlet, and it produces cold air that keeps food from rotting. If the refrigerator gets disconnected from...More Saturday, June 29, 2024 Why do we resist change? (4) ‘Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.’ Ecclesiastes 7:10 NIV Two more reasons we resist change are these: 1) Because it feels awkward and uncomfortable. When was the last time you tried something for the first time? Can you name it specifically? If you can’t remember, your comfort zone may have turned into a rut. A sign on a wall contained two statements. The first had an X through it. It said, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ The second read, ‘If it ain’t broke, break it!’ Sometimes, the only way to ‘get out...More Friday, June 28, 2024 Why do we resist change? (3) ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV What happens when you try to implement change at the wrong time? For that matter, when is the right time to do it? From a leadership perspective, there are actually better times than others to make changes. Dr John Maxwell, who wrote the best seller The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, says: ‘I developed the following checklist to help me navigate the process: Will this change benefit the followers? Is it compatible with the purpose of the organisation? Is this change specific and clear? Are the top 20...More Thursday, June 27, 2024 Why do we resist change? (2) ‘By faith Abraham obeyed...And he went out, not knowing where he was going.’ Hebrews 11:8 NKJV Who among us wouldn’t like to have a success story like Abraham’s? He had fame, great riches, and ‘was even called the friend of God’ (see James 2:23). It doesn’t get better than that! But Abraham’s story begins with these words: ‘By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.’ (Hebrews 11:8 NKJV) How on earth did he do it? By faith! Why do we resist change? Doubt and fear! We fear...More Wednesday, June 26, 2024 Why do we resist change? (1) ‘Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!’ Psalm 80:3 NKJV When Italian explorer Christopher Columbus returned to Spain in 1492 after his first trip across the Atlantic Ocean, he was considered a national hero and credited with discovering new lands. But do you think people changed their minds about the earth being flat? Not at all—they went right on believing the earth was flat. It was not until that generation passed on and the next one took their place that people realised the earth was round, just as Columbus had claimed. That’s how long it took for people to change their...More Tuesday, June 25, 2024 God will test you in little things ‘You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. …’ Matthew 25:21 NKJV Your small deeds of kindness may go unnoticed by others, but God sees them. And they can reward you in ways you never dreamed possible. Take the case of Joseph. Betrayed by his brothers and lied about by his boss’s wife, he ends up sentenced to a thirteen-year prison term. If ever a person had reason to turn sour on life and God, it was him. But instead of giving in to self-pity, he focused on the needs of others. Joseph had two prison mates: a butler and a baker who had worked in Pharaoh’s...More Monday, June 24, 2024 The reason you’re being tested ‘For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.’ Psalm 66:10 NIV Have you tried to do right, yet things have gone wrong? When Joseph honoured God by saying no to Potiphar’s wife, he landed in prison. While there, he told a fellow prisoner, ‘For I was kidnapped from my homeland … and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it’ (Genesis 40:15 NLT). If that’s how you feel today, God has not turned His back on you. His plan for your life has not been derailed. ‘… the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. …’ (Jeremiah 30:24...More Sunday, June 23, 2024 Trust in God’s unchanging character ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ Psalm 56:3 NIV If you live long enough, life will bring you bad news. It may be the loss of a loved one, your health, your income, your marriage, your reputation, etc. The psalmist wrote, ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ (Psalm 56:3 NIV) When bad times come, you need to hold on to everything you know about who God is. You must remind yourself that He is loving, caring, and worthy of your complete trust. Sometimes, God will give you the answer; other times He will give you the assurance of His presence. In changing times, you must lay hold of...More Sunday, June 23, 2024 Trust in God’s unchanging character ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ Psalm 56:3 NIV If you live long enough, life will bring you bad news. It may be the loss of a loved one, your health, your income, your marriage, your reputation, etc. The psalmist wrote, ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ (Psalm 56:3 NIV) When bad times come, you need to hold on to everything you know about who God is. You must remind yourself that He is loving, caring, and worthy of your complete trust. Sometimes, God will give you the answer; other times He will give you the assurance of His presence. In changing times, you must lay hold of...More Saturday, June 22, 2024 Know what the Scriptures ‘also say’ ‘Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’” Matthew 4:7 NLT Satan will use half-truths to trap you. The Bible says, ‘Then the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you.’” … Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God’”’ (Matthew 4:5-7 NLT). Satan will tell you, ‘Your spouse doesn’t understand you or meet your needs, you’re lonely, go ahead and...More Friday, June 21, 2024 What more could God have done for you? ‘What more could I have done...?’ Isaiah 5:4 NLT Author Brennan Manning tells the story of how he got the name ‘Brennan’. Growing up, his best friend was Ray. The two of them did everything together. They bought a car together as teenagers, dated together, went to school together, and so forth. They even enlisted in the army together, went to boot camp, and fought on the front lines together. One night, sitting in a foxhole, Brennan was reminiscing about the old days in Brooklyn while his friend Ray listened and ate a chocolate bar. Suddenly a grenade landed in the foxhole. Ray smiled at Brennan, dropped...More Thursday, June 20, 2024 The importance of good works ‘Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.’ 1 John 3:18 NLT The word ‘love’ isn’t just a noun, it’s a verb (an action word). And it’s not demonstrated simply by what you say but by what you do. In a small Jewish town in Russia, there is a rabbi who reputedly doesn’t show up for several hours every Friday morning. His followers claim that during this time, he goes up to heaven and talks to God. A stranger moved into town and was sceptical about all this, so he decided to check things out. He hid and watched. The rabbi got up in the morning,...More Wednesday, June 19, 2024 Get into the right environment ‘Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.’ Proverbs 13:20 NLT When you encounter someone who tries to ‘cut you down to size’, remind yourself they are probably trying to cut you down to their size. So, what should you do? Love them, but don’t be overly influenced by what they say. As a rule, instead of staying where you’re tolerated, go where you’re appreciated! The Japanese bonsai tree is tiny, growing only about eighteen inches tall. To create a bonsai, a young sapling is pulled from the soil. Then the taproot and some of the feeder shoots are tied...More Tuesday, June 18, 2024 Never give up ‘Therefore, … stand firm. Let nothing move you…’ 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV Failure doesn’t mean you will never succeed; it just means it may take a bit longer. American actor, John Wayne coined a great line in the movie The Train Robbers. He said, ‘You’re going to spend the rest of your life getting up one more time than you’re knocked down, so you’d better start getting used to it.’ That’s what success is—getting up one time more than you were knocked down. You have no idea how close you may be to what you want to achieve. But if you give up, you will never know—plus you guarantee that you...More Monday, June 17, 2024 Worship your way through it ‘But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.’ Acts 16:25 NKJV Don’t allow what’s wrong with you to keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. With their feet locked in stocks, their backs lacerated with whips, and the unjust contempt of society heaped upon them, the Bible says, ‘At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.’ They decided to stop focusing on what was wrong with their circumstances and start focusing on what is right with God. They could have complained, but they made a choice to worship God...More Sunday, June 16, 2024 A father’s blessing ‘By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.’ Hebrews 11:20 KJV Dad, here are two Bible ingredients for blessing your children and grandchildren: 1) The power of prayer. In Scripture, a father’s blessing included an open-eyed prayer to God for his children. Isaac, who was a farmer, said to his son, ‘May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine’ (Genesis 27:28 NIV). Have your children ever heard you talk to God about them? Perhaps they have heard you say harsh words like, ‘How could you be so stupid? Don’t you ever think?...More Saturday, June 15, 2024 Confess your sins to God ‘I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt … And you forgave me!’ Psalm 32:5 NLT In Scripture, the word confession is comprised of two Greek words: homo, meaning ‘the same’, and logeo, meaning ‘to speak’. Therefore, confessing your sin to God means saying the same thing about it as He does. It means calling a spade a spade—not a gardening tool! Nowhere does the Bible refer to our sins as mistakes, bad judgements, and slips. However, it clearly says God forgives our sin: ‘I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your...More Friday, June 14, 2024 Strong, firm and steadfast ‘The God of all grace … will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’ 1 Peter 5:10 NIV If you want God to restore you and make you ‘strong, firm and steadfast’, meditate prayerfully on these four Scriptures, and look for ways to put them into practice each day: 1) ‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time’ (1 Peter 5:6 NIV). 2) ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). 3) ‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion...More Thursday, June 13, 2024 God will forgive and restore you ‘Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.’ Psalm 51:2 NKJV There is bad news, and there is good news. The bad news is, when David tried to hide his sin, God exposed it to the entire nation. The good news is, when he repented of his sin, God forgave him and expunged his record. And what God did for David, He will do for you. All you have to do is get down on your knees and pray, ‘Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me’ (Psalm 51:2, 10 NKJV). If you want to know how God...More Wednesday, June 12, 2024 How to have peace (5) ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;’ Proverbs 3:5 NKJV The Bible says, ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV). God wants you to trust Him. As long as you’re struggling to figure things out on your own, you’re not trusting God and you won’t have peace. You must trust Him with your health, your money, your relationships, and your future. Everything! God never makes a mistake. All that happens in your life fits into His plan for...More Tuesday, June 11, 2024 How to have peace (4) ‘He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;”...’ Psalm 46:10 NIV To have peace you must focus on God’s presence. What you choose to focus on either fuels your fears or your faith. The Bible says, ‘“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.’ Isaiah 26:3 NASB20). That verse could be reduced to one sentence: ‘Get your focus in order— look at me.’ The psalmist says, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble’ (Psalm 46:1 NIV). Later in that psalm; ‘He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;”’ (Psalm 46:10 NIV). These verses...More Monday, June 10, 2024 How to have peace (3) ‘Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.’ Psalm 119:165 NIV In order to find real peace, you must do two things: 1) Live by the principles of God’s Word. ‘Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.’ (Psalm 119:165 NIV) Peace arrives when you live in harmony with God. A new car comes with an owner’s manual. It tells you that for your car to perform well, you must do certain things at certain times. Likewise, the Bible is your owner’s manual for life. It contains guiding principles for finances, health, marriage,...More Sunday, June 9, 2024 How to have peace (2) ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.’ John 14:27 RSV Jesus said His peace is a gift. That means you don’t have to work for it and you cannot earn it. You cannot psych yourself up for it, and you cannot try really hard to obtain it. No, it’s a gift you must accept by faith. Jesus also said that His peace is unique from what the world provides. In the last 3,500 years, the world has only been free of war for 286 of them—that’s less than 9 per cent. This world’s peace doesn’t last. Jesus told His disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give...More Saturday, June 8, 2024 How to have peace (1) ‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,’ Romans 5:1 NIV God will give you three kinds of peace. 1) Spiritual peace. ‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,’ (Romans 5:1 NIV) That’s the foundation, the bottom line. You must have peace with God before you can have any other kind of peace. Jesus said, ‘”Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don't let your heart be troubled or fearful.”’ (John 14:27...More Friday, June 7, 2024 Listen more carefully ‘The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise.’ Proverbs 15:31 NKJV One expert points out that leaders touch your heart before they ask for your hand. That’s the law of connection. Before a leader can touch a person’s heart, he or she has to know what’s in it. And you learn that by listening. A reluctance to listen is too typical among poor leaders. Over half of all management problems are the consequence of faulty communications. And the vast majority of communication problems stem from poor listening. Many voices are clamouring for our attention. As you think about how to listen,...More Thursday, June 6, 2024 Learn to listen to your marriage partner ‘The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”’ Genesis 2:18 NIV God designed your marriage partner to meet your physical needs, your emotional needs, and yes, even some of your spiritual needs. Adam enjoyed perfect health, worked at the perfect job, and lived in the perfect environment. He even went for walks with God every day. Nevertheless, he was lonely and incomplete. So, ‘The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”’ (Genesis 2:18 NIV) Note the word ‘helper’. God intended your...More Wednesday, June 5, 2024 Get ready to go! ‘Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them—to the Israelites.’ Joshua 1:2 NIV The words for you today are 1) Get ready. For forty years, Joshua had served Moses and been mentored by him; now he was ready to lead Israel into the promised land. This raises the all-important question: are you ready for the success you seek? The frustrating thing about preparation is sometimes it takes more time than the event you’re preparing for. Are you self-disciplined? Are you up to date on your career or calling? Do you have the right relationships in place? Is your home life in...More Tuesday, June 4, 2024 Storm-proofed for life ‘Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?’ Luke 6:46 NIV Remember the words of the old Sunday school song, ‘The wise man built his house upon the Rock … The foolish man built his house upon the sand’? The storm hit both houses leaving only the wise man’s house standing. Jesus wasn’t simply recommending the virtues of wisdom over foolishness. The truth is, we’re all wise at times and foolish at others. And He wasn’t saying the house that survived the storm was a believer’s house while the house that perished belonged to an unbeliever. Neither was He implying that the...More Monday, June 3, 2024 When you go through difficulties (3) ‘Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.’ Ephesians 4:31 NKJV Here is something else Joseph knew that you need to know too—you can’t afford the excess baggage of bitterness. After many years, Joseph met his brothers again when they came to Egypt to purchase grain during a drought. As they entered Joseph’s presence and bowed before him, Egypt’s second-in-command, they were unable to recognise him. And when Joseph tried to tell them who he was, they were stunned and horrified. Here was the brother they had tried to kill years earlier, and now he...More Sunday, June 2, 2024 When you go through difficulties (2) ‘In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?’ Psalm 56:4 NKJV Here are two more things Joseph understood that you need to understand as well: 1) You can’t afford to give in to self-pity. Perhaps you’re going through a trial right now and you’re an innocent party – the victim of a situation you didn’t cause. Consider Joseph’s reaction when he was in a similar position. The first thing he didn’t do was succumb to self-pity. Why? Because it’s a major contributor to depression. Often when we experience a serious problem and our self-esteem is already at its...More Saturday, June 1, 2024 When you go through difficulties (1) ‘But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.’ Genesis 39:21 NKJV To reach his destiny, Joseph went through betrayal, temptation, slander, and wrongful imprisonment. But he came out on top. Here is what Joseph recognised that you also need to recognise: 1) God knows what you’re going through, and He cares. There is a key phrase found five different times in the story of Joseph: ‘But the LORD was with Joseph.’ Even when everything was going wrong, Joseph never doubted that God was with him. 2) You have been given...More Friday, May 31, 2024 To grow we must keep asking questions ‘But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing,...”’ Matthew 21:24 NKJV Jesus often answered a question with a question. When asked about paying taxes, He took a coin and said, ‘…“Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And Jesus answered and said to them, ”Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marvelled at Him’ (Mark 12:16-17 NKJV). It seems we’re afraid of asking questions, and afraid of answering them. But God would much rather receive a genuine question born of...More Thursday, May 30, 2024 Gideon’s God is your God ‘Go in the strength you have …’ Judges 6:14 NIV The Bible says: ‘When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?” … The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike...More Wednesday, May 29, 2024 Are you worried about retirement? ‘Don’t worry … he will give you everything you need.’ Matthew 6:31, 33 NLT A survey revealed that many people over fifty do not have enough money in their superannuation account to begin preparing them for their retirement. Since we are all living longer, that means: a) a lot of people are going to be dependent on the government for their survival, and b) a lot of people who had planned on retiring are going to have to keep working. So, what should you do? 1) Cut back where you can and start saving more. ‘There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise,...More

Monday, May 27, 2024 Are you a true friend? ‘A friend loves at all times,...’ Proverbs 17:17 NKJV Two men were travelling down the road together when a bear appeared out of nowhere. Before the bear could spot them, one guy ran for a tree at the side of the road, climbed into its branches, and hid. The other man, who wasn’t as nimble as his tree-climbing companion, threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The bear came up, sniffed all around him, and appeared to whisper something in his ear. The man had always heard that bears won’t touch a dead body, so he lay perfectly still and held his breath. Sure enough, the bear took him for a...More Sunday, May 26, 2024 Don’t strike back ‘If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.’ Romans 12:18 RSV The Bible says, ‘And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you’ (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV). You say, ‘But what they did to me was unfair, unkind, and unwarranted.’ Exactly – and God feels the same way about some of the things you have done! Any attempt to avenge a wrong is a violation of God’s Word. That includes bad-mouthing them, giving them the silent treatment, making sarcastic remarks, refusing to help them, and resorting to physical violence or verbal...More Saturday, May 25, 2024 Train your brain ‘Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’ Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV Anytime you substitute positive thinking for faith in God and obedience to His Word, you’re on dangerous ground! But don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. As a believer, you’re supposed to train your brain to trust God and think positive thoughts that are founded on His Word. A study conducted in the Netherlands found that people who are optimistic have healthier hearts than those who are grumpy. Self-described optimists died of cardiovascular disease at a lower rate than those of pessimists. Dr Becca Levy of...More Friday, May 24, 2024 Stand on God’s Word (5) ‘My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your Word.’ Psalm 119:28 NKJV When you’re depressed. When depression is physiologically based, God can heal you through a miracle, the right medical treatment, vitamins, herbs, and supplements. But sometimes it goes deeper, and just like your body can suffer from ‘dis-ease’, so can your soul. Thankfully, God is the ultimate soul doctor! The psalmist said, ‘In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul’ (Psalm 138:3 NKJV). Instead of giving up and settling for the fact that depression runs in...More Thursday, May 23, 2024 Stand on God’s Word (4) ‘God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.’ 1 Corinthians 1:9 RSV When you feel inadequate for the job. Have you been given a job you don’t feel qualified to do? No problem – it’s an opportunity for God to show Himself strong on your behalf (see 2 Chronicles 16:9). Fix your mind on your all-powerful, always-present, loving heavenly Father. ‘Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken’ (Psalm 55:22 NIV). Instead of fearing the challenge, start feeding your faith. ‘So then faith comes by hearing,...More Wednesday, May 22, 2024 Stand on God’s Word (3) ‘Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.’ Proverbs 27:20 NKJV When you’re controlled by materialism. The flawed philosophy behind materialism is ‘more, more, more!’ And it’s the result of ‘eye trouble’. The Bible says, ‘The eyes of man are never satisfied.’ (see Proverbs 27:20) It’s okay to want a nice home, a reliable car, and financial security. God will provide those things when you’re a good steward of what He has already entrusted you with. But when you want more than you need or more than what’s required to fulfil His will, the Bible calls it...More Tuesday, May 21, 2024 Stand on God’s Word (2) ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.’ James 1:5 NIV When you need to pass a difficult test or exam. The fear of failing can cause your brain to freeze just when you need your thoughts to flow freely. When you know you have done your best to study the material and prepare yourself, trust God with the outcome and stand on His Word: ‘Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the...More Monday, May 20, 2024 Stand on God’s Word (1) ‘I have blotted out … your transgressions, and … your sins. …’ Isaiah 44:22 NKJV When you have a hard time forgiving yourself. There is only one unpardonable sin named in the Bible (see Luke 12:10). And as a believer, you probably haven’t committed it, so God will forgive you for everything else. However, when God says He forgives you and you refuse to forgive yourself, it’s like opting to stay in prison after the judge has expunged your record and set you free. And worse, you’re committing the sin of pride. How come? Because when God forgives you, and you refuse to forgive yourself, you’re...More Sunday, May 19, 2024 Your Boaz season ‘She came and has continued from morning until now.’ Ruth 2:7 NKJV After ten years of sorrow and hardship in which she lost her husband and her support system, God introduced Ruth to her new husband, Boaz. Where? In the field where she worked each day. Who was Boaz? The owner of the field. One of the things that attracted Boaz to Ruth was her work ethic. The servant in charge of his reapers told him, ‘… she came and has continued from morning until now, …’ (Ruth 2:7 NKJV) As a result, she ended up married to the boss. That’s why the Bible has so much to say about the difference between...More Saturday, May 18, 2024 You can rise above worry (2) ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;’ Proverbs 3:5 CSB When you honestly evaluate your worries, you will find you are doing these: 1) Forgetting that God is your friend. The psalmist said, ‘The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.’ (Psalm 25:14 RSV). Friendship with God is built by sharing your life’s experiences with Him – every activity, every conversation, every problem, and every thought. When you don’t, you end up unaware of His presence, oblivious to His voice, resistant to His...More Friday, May 17, 2024 You can rise above worry (1) ‘But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.’ Matthew 6:33 RSV British missionary Gladys Aylward said, ‘The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself how it is to cross rivers.’ You can’t escape worry; it will come at you from different directions and in different forms. But like the eagle, you can rise above it. Jesus said: ‘“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at...More Thursday, May 16, 2024 Are you hooked on pornography? ‘I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.’ Job 31:1 NIV There are certain doors in life that once opened are hard to close – pornography is one of them. And like any addict, once you’re hooked, you need increasing doses to satisfy yourself until finally, you end up shocked and shamed by the depths to which you have sunk. And statistically speaking, the problem is exactly the same in the church as it is in society. Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Deliver us from evil,’ (see Matthew 6:9-15), and some of that evil is now brought into our homes through television and the...More Wednesday, May 15, 2024 Raising great kids in a troubled world (5) ‘So that they won't become discouraged.’ Colossians 3:21 CSB Embittered children ultimately become discouraged. A discouraged child is less hopeful, less enthusiastic, lacking in determination, and easily led astray. By destroying a child’s hope, you’re undermining their God-given temperament. Children are born with optimism, inspiration, anticipation, and possibilities. Without hope, there is nothing to inspire them. Hopelessness brings depression and darkness of heart and soul. When you embitter the children in your care, you undermine their hope. When you demoralise them, you destroy their confidence,...More Tuesday, May 14, 2024 Raising great kids in a troubled world (4) ‘Fathers, do not exasperate your children,...’ Colossians 3:21 CSB Another point of parental confusion is this: Bitter versus better. What is bitterness? It is strong resentment or cynicism. How do parents create bitterness in their children? Consider the following triggers: a) Inconsistency. This happens when you are autocratic and authoritarian one day and permissive the next. What brought a strong rebuke today brings a smile of leniency tomorrow. So, your child never knows what to expect. b) Moodiness. Today you’re fun and enjoyable to be with; tomorrow you’re irritable...More Monday, May 13, 2024 Raising great kids in a troubled world (3) ‘Do not withhold discipline from a child.’ Proverbs 23:13 NIV Here are some more areas where parents are often confused. Discipline versus punishment. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.’ (Proverbs 22:15 NASB20). Notice God’s choice of words: ‘the rod of discipline’ not the ‘rod of punishment’. Discipline and correction are about teaching and learning; punishment is about making a child suffer for their behaviour. Children need discipline, not punishment, which is often administered by a frustrated and angry parent. ‘Do...More Sunday, May 12, 2024 Raising great kids in a troubled world (2) ‘Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,...’ Psalm 127:3 NKJV Over the next few days, let’s look at some practical areas where parents are often confused. (If you’re not a parent, why not use these points to help you pray for parents you know.) Guidance versus criticism. If you have a placid, agreeable, and compliant child who enjoys school, homework, and doing household chores, bringing ‘… them up in the training and instruction of the Lord’ will be a joy! (Ephesians 6:4 NIV). Many of us, however, are given assertive, strong-willed kids with their own agendas. These kids know what...More Saturday, May 11, 2024 Raising great kids in a troubled world (1) ‘Train up a child in the way he should go,...’ Proverbs 22:6 NKJV If you’re a parent, do you ever wish for a parenting do-over – a second chance to raise your kids? With hindsight and insight, you think you would do it right next time! Parenting is both rewarding and guilt inducing. It’s rewarding because we love our children and they bring us joy. It’s guilt inducing because we blame ourselves for their shortcomings and misfortunes. ‘Where did I go wrong as a parent?’ There is no perfect parent, and there is no universal blueprint because every child is born unique. Psychologists have...More Friday, May 10, 2024 Nothing is too small for God ‘He cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.’ 2 Kings 6:6 RSV Second Kings 6 tells of a prophet chopping trees near a river when his iron axe head falls in. He said to Elisha: ‘… “Alas, my master! It was borrowed”’ (2 Kings 6:5 NKJV). He uses the past tense. As far as he is concerned, this axe head is gone forever. He has no expectation whatsoever that the axe head will be retrieved. He shows Elisha where he lost it. Elisha cuts a stick and flings it into the water, and something happens that most likely never happened before or since. ‘… he cut off a stick, and threw it...More Thursday, May 9, 2024 The right attitude (2) ‘All things are possible to him who believes.’ Mark 9:23 NKJV Demosthenes, who was reputed to be the greatest orator in ancient Greece, had a serious speech impediment. Legend has it that he overcame it by reciting verses with pebbles in his mouth and speaking above the roar of the waves at the seashore. As a prisoner in the Wartburg castle, German priest, Martin Luther made use of his time by translating the New Testament into German. Beethoven wrote his greatest symphonic masterpieces after losing his hearing. John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress when he was in prison. Daniel Defoe also wrote in...More Wednesday, May 8, 2024 The right attitude (1) ‘Let each esteem others better than himself.’ Philippians 2:3 NKJV Observe: 1) The right attitude makes a difference in your relationships. Former US President Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘The most important single ingredient in the formula for success is knowing how to get along with people.’ And Paul writes: ‘Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others’ (Philippians 2:3-4 NKJV). If your track record with people isn’t...More Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Moving from failure to success (2) ‘Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.’ Job 8:7 NKJV It’s easier to recognise success looking back than it is looking forward. For some of us, it can be many years before we recognise our success, celebrate it, and feel secure in it. That’s because we lack a proper perspective. At its widest point, the Mississippi River requires a three-kilometre-wide steel span bridge to get across; while at its source, the stream is so small you can jump over it. But it’s still the same river. Most things start small! Have you ever heard the Serenity Prayer? It goes like this:...More Monday, May 6, 2024 Moving from failure to success (1) ‘This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands,...’ 1 Samuel 17:46 NIV Everyone who ever achieved anything significant had to beat the odds. The problem for most of us isn’t the odds; it’s that we sell ourselves short. As American politician Richard H. Headlee observed, ‘Most people think too small, aim too low, and quit too soon.’ The odds in favour of David defeating Goliath weren’t good. Unless you factor faith in God into the equation, which David did. Listen to his words: ‘… I’ll strike you down and cut off your head …’ (1 Samuel 17:46 NIV). Clearly, David was aiming...More Sunday, May 5, 2024 Honour God, and He will honour you ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego...’ Daniel 3:28 NIV There comes a time when we have to face our fears and take a stand for what we know is right. That’s what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. They risked their lives when they refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. They could have rationalised, ‘I’ll bow on the outside, but not on the inside,’ or ‘I’ll just pretend the idol is Jehovah.’ But they took a stand for what is right, and it set the stage for miracles. ‘Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren't there...More Saturday, May 4, 2024 Believe God for greater things ‘He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.’ Philippians 1:6 NIV Many of us have a God-sized dream within us, but we’re so afraid of failing we never even try. We can’t imagine how it could possibly happen. So, we don’t act on it. Here is a challenge: don’t worry about the outcome. That isn’t your responsibility. ‘… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 1:6 NIV) You simply need to act on it. It doesn’t have to be something big; in fact, it will probably be something small....More Friday, May 3, 2024 Don’t compete, and don’t compare ‘He alone decides which gift each person should have.’ 1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT In Scripture, the church is never described as a democracy. Certainly, every person deserves equal treatment in terms of kindness, love, and respect; but as our God-given assignments differ, so do our gifts. ‘It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have’ (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). Pay close attention to the words ‘He alone decides.’ We all want to succeed in life. But we also need to recognise that just as our talents differ, so do our unique destinies....More Thursday, May 2, 2024 Come out of that corner ‘You shall not wholly reap the corners of your field...’ Leviticus 23:22 NKJV Under Old Testament law, God commanded Jewish farmers: ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: …’ (Leviticus 23:22 NKJV). Ruth was working in an obscure corner of a field owned by a wealthy man named Boaz, who is a beautiful type of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. When Boaz saw Ruth, he called her out of the corner and into the midst of the harvest field. And...More Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Going forward or staying in your comfort zone ‘Entreat me not to leave you … For wherever you go, I will go; …’ Ruth 1:16 NKJV The book of Ruth illustrates the difference between those who step out in faith and take risks, and those who give in to fear, play it safe, and miss God’s best for them. The story begins with Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons moving to the country of Moab. ‘…there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons’ (Ruth 1:1 NKJV). Things went well for a while, then tragedy struck. First Elimelech died, and she was left with...More Tuesday, April 30, 2024 Live in the present moment ‘This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Psalm 118:24 NKJV God wants us to appreciate the season we are in; to live in the present moment. Some people live only for the future. ‘I’ll be happy when …’ Other people live in the past. Solomon addresses them: ‘Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this’ (Ecclesiastes 7:10 NKJV). The New Yorker magazine once had a cartoon in which two monks in robes and shaved heads were sitting side by side, cross-legged on the floor. The younger one, with a quizzical look on...More Monday, April 29, 2024 To be conformed is to be creative ‘To be conformed to the image of His Son...’ Romans 8:29 NKJV Since God is both our Creator and our Redeemer, we are called to be ‘conformed to His image’ in both senses. So, to become more like the Creator is to become more creative. When we apply our sanctified imagination to serve His objectives, we are doing what God does best and loves most. And our heavenly Father takes deep pride and joy in it. Just as we celebrate creativity in our kids, so God celebrates creativity in us. Have you ever noticed how often Psalms tell us to sing a new song? The creative command is repeated no fewer than half a dozen...More Sunday, April 28, 2024 Be patient, God is at work ‘Wait for the LORD and keep his way...’ Psalm 37:34 CSB When things don’t happen as quickly as we want them to, we can become anxious, frustrated, irritable, and negative. And if you’re a ‘make it happen’ person, you can rush ahead of God and get into trouble. ‘A person's steps are established by the LORD, and he takes pleasure in his way.’ (Psalm 37:23 CSB). Think about it: if you’re following the Lord, you can’t go faster than the One who is leading. So, just take the next step and trust Him to work things out for you. God knows what you don’t know. At best, you are working with...More Saturday, April 27, 2024 Don’t be so controlling! ‘In honour giving preference to one another.’ Romans 12:10 NKJV Do you get upset when you cannot control others? Or moody and irritated when people don’t do what you want? Do you react when your mistakes are pointed out? Or try to force people to comply with your demands? Do you exaggerate your pain, sickness, or need in order to gain attention or sympathy? Or criticise the opinions and choices of others and position yourself as superior? Do you become angry and abusive when someone disagrees with you or challenges your authority? Are you reluctant to compliment others but quick to try and fix something you...More Friday, April 26, 2024 Take time to wonder and worship ‘Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good...’ Genesis 1:31 NKJV The first reaction recorded in Scripture is God’s reaction to His own creation. He stepped back at the end of each day, looked at what He had made, and said, ‘It’s good.’ Then, on the sixth day, when creation was complete, He said, ‘It’s very good.’ This is why we feel so spiritual when we watch an ocean sunset or the towering summit of a mountain. Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle said, ‘Worship is transcendent wonder. Wonder for which there is no limit or measure; that is worship.’ It’s...More Thursday, April 25, 2024 Be a disciple of Jesus ‘The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.’ Acts 11:26 NKJV Today is ANZAC Day. It’s a day to commemorate the sacrifices made by Australian and New Zealand troops in World War I in 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. The British led a campaign aimed to secure a sea route to Russia by capturing Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. However, the mission faced immense challenges, leading to heavy casualties on both sides. Sacrificing your life for a cause is incredibly honourable. When you think of the sacrifice Jesus made for us so we could have eternal life, would you not gladly lay down...More Wednesday, April 24, 2024 Make an impact ‘Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus...’ Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV The men and women who made the greatest impact on the world were those who were totally focused and sold out to their vision. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, once said, ‘If I had three hundred men who feared nothing but God, hated nothing but sin, and were determined to know nothing among men but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I would set the world on fire.’ Jonathan Edwards, whose ministry sparked the Great Awakening in America, made this his life’s motto: ‘Resolution One: I...More Tuesday, April 23, 2024 How to deal with difficult people ‘If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.’ Matthew 5:41 NIV Jesus said, ‘If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.’ (Matthew 5:41 NIV) Roman soldiers were permitted to force a Jew to carry a burden a mile for them. They treated Jews as tools to be used as required. So, what do you do in that kind of situation? Jesus invites us to take the high road. A Roman soldier could be a young boy who was probably poor himself. All he receives is local resentment. So, you finish the mile and say, ‘You look tired. Can I help you some more? Can I carry it for you another mile?’...More Monday, April 22, 2024 God knows what’s best for you ‘Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.’ Proverbs 19:21 NIV We’ve all heard the saying, , ‘The devil is in the details.’ But for a redeemed child of God, He is in the details! When you set your heart on something, and it doesn’t happen, it’s only human to experience disappointment. At such moments, here is what you need to keep in mind: 1) At best, you’re always working with limited information. You may know the end result you desire, but God knows what’s best for you, and He plans accordingly. ‘I am God … declaring the end from the...More Sunday, April 21, 2024 Choosing a leader ‘Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’ Matthew 15:14 NIV There are plenty of good leaders around—don’t be afraid to follow them. But what about the ‘blind guides’ that Jesus talks about? Here are some signs to help you identify and avoid them: 1) Inflexibility. True leaders have a teachable spirit and a servant’s heart. They rejoice in your growth and aren’t threatened by your development. They won’t try to ‘keep you in the nest’ when it’s clear that you’re ready to fly. 2) Elitism. Look out for the...More Saturday, April 20, 2024 Think before you speak! ‘If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.’ James 3:2 CSB The Bible has a lot to say about the danger of our words. James devotes an entire chapter to this subject: ‘For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.’ (James 3:2 CSB) Now, there is an aspect of self-control to consider! The Greek sage Publius said, ‘I have often regretted my speech, but never my silence.’ And novelist William Edward Norris wrote, ‘If your lips would keep from slips, five things observe with...More Friday, April 19, 2024 Finding self-worth ‘But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.’ Matthew 6:33 NASB20 When you read God’s Word, you discover how He feels about you. As a result, your memories begin to heal, your self-worth is restored, and you stop living with a devalued self-image. When that happens, you no longer believe that ‘anybody’s company is preferable to my own’. In a survey of supposedly happy couples, over 50 per cent said they wouldn’t marry the same person again. Why? Because the answer to loneliness isn’t people; it’s purpose! The apostle John was a...More Thursday, April 18, 2024 Use the gift God gave you ‘God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.’ 1 Corinthians 12:18 NKJV Have you ever opened a Christmas present only to be disappointed at the one you were given? You look around and see that others received a nicer present than yours. You noticed that some even received two great presents, which puts a damper on your Christmas experience. Maybe someone noticed your disappointment and offered to swap your present for something you like better. The same thing happens in the Body of Christ. We may be unhappy at the gift we’ve received from God and envious of the gifts...More Wednesday, April 17, 2024 You need God’s help ‘Without Me you can do nothing.’ John 15:5 NKJV Self-help books and motivational speakers are like cheerleaders standing on the sidelines shouting, ‘You can do it!’ They can be helpful, but if the ‘you can do it’ philosophy always held true, we wouldn’t need God. Paul understood this. That’s why he wrote, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Discovering the will of God requires faith for the impossible and a childlike dependence on Him. The Bible is full of men and women who discovered their destiny in the perfect will of God by doing things that...More Tuesday, April 16, 2024 Your limited window of opportunity ‘Teach them to your children and your grandchildren.’ Deuteronomy 4:9 NKJV Let’s read what God said to the parents who entered the promised land: ‘”Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, …’ (Deuteronomy 4:9 NKJV). Notice the progression here. First, ‘take heed to yourself’. Next, ‘teach them to your children’. Your ability to influence and mould the children you care for is based on your credibility with...More Monday, April 15, 2024 Give children convictions to live by ‘These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children...’ Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NIV If you’re a parent, are you trying to keep your children under lock and key in order to keep them out of trouble? Or if you’re a teacher or Sunday school leader, do you try to impose strict rules? It won’t work. You’re not keeping them out of trouble; you’re simply postponing it. Things like curfews, dress codes, internet use, and checking up on their friends are part of good parenting and good teaching. But when you are not around to guide them, they need sound principles to...More Sunday, April 14, 2024 Your harvest is on the way ‘The seed should sprout and grow, He himself does not know how.’ Mark 4:27 NKJV Have you sown a ‘seed’ of faith, and now you’re wondering when you will reap the ‘harvest’ God promised in His Word? If so, read on: ‘And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, “and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. “For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. “But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the...More Saturday, April 13, 2024 Stop and ask for directions ‘There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death.’ Proverbs 14:12 NIV You can be sincere in your intentions – but sincerely wrong. The Bible says the rain falls on ‘… the just and the unjust alike’ (Matthew 5:45 NLT). The law of cause and effect applies to everybody, and all your good intentions won’t bring you to the right destination if you’re on the wrong road. Think about it like this: maybe you have considered investing in a particular company. You do the research, talk to the experts, and things look good. So, you proceed on the assumption that it’s a sound...More Friday, April 12, 2024 Your personal guide ‘The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ Psalm 23:1 NKJV It’s easy to say, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ but how can you tell if it’s real for you or if you’re just saying the words? Here is a simple test: when you need help, who do you turn to first? Most people go to God only after they have tried everything else. And when nothing else is working, then they try praying. Think about your last crisis. Whatever or whoever you turned to first for help, that’s your shepherd. A man on a trip to the African rainforests was following a guide. As they pushed deeper into the jungle, the guide with his...More Thursday, April 11, 2024 The Holy Spirit prays through you ‘The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us...’ Romans 8:26 NKJV Life can wear you down. You can get to the place where your anxiety runs so deep or your stress levels increase so high that you can’t think clearly. The problem or pain you’re experiencing is so overwhelming that you can’t put it into words. Good news: that’s when the Holy Spirit living within you prays for you and through you. As you bring your burden to the Lord and kneel in His presence, a wonderful thing happens. The Bible says, ‘Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we...More Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Having job security (4) ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 NKJV Losing your job can be devastating. This is when you must keep the right perspective. Having less doesn’t make you a lesser person. God still values you, and you must keep valuing yourself. The Christian life is one of trial and triumph. Paul writes: ‘I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength’ (Philippians 4:12-13 NLT). What...More Tuesday, April 9, 2024 Having job security (3) ‘With favour You will surround him as with a shield.’ Psalm 5:12 NKJV To have job security you should: 1) Increase your visibility in your industry. Establish contacts and relationships with others outside your company by attending local industry gatherings wherever possible. Your goal should not merely be to know enough to get by but to develop your skills so that you will get noticed and get ahead. When the time is right, and you’re ready, God will open doors for you. ‘For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour, You will surround him as with a shield’ (Psalm 5:12...More Monday, April 8, 2024 Having job security (2) ‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity...’ Proverbs 21:5 NLT To have job security you should: 1) Endeavour to be as indispensable as possible. ‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.’ (Proverbs 21:5-6 NLT). Strive for integrity and excellence in your work, while learning as much as possible about procedures and processes beyond your area of responsibility. Be willing to help others – but not at the expense of your own effectiveness. 2) If the fear of losing...More Sunday, April 7, 2024 Having job security (1) ‘Those who work their land will have abundant food...’ Proverbs 12:11 NIV God created the Garden of Eden, then He created Adam, and then He told Adam that his job was to take care of it. Why? Because work gives dignity and meaning to our lives. That’s why the Bible says, ‘Those who work their land …will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense’ (Proverbs 12:11 NIV). For the next few days, let’s talk about how to have job security. Negative world events can have a devastating impact on the economy, which in turn affects employment security. Accidents or illnesses can...More Saturday, April 6, 2024 Show grace under fire ‘He gives greater grace. …’ James 4:6 CSB Here are three important principles you need to keep in mind when conflict arises: 1) Deal with the issue without attacking the person. Some of the most vicious personal attacks have been waged over religion. What a shame! Some of us would rather lose the relationship than lose the argument. 2) Sometimes it’s best to go separate ways. When Paul and Barnabas argued over whether or not John Mark should travel with them on their next missionary journey, ‘They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company …’ (Acts 15:39 CSB). But...More Friday, April 5, 2024 Praying without saying a word ‘For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.’ Matthew 6:32 NKJV Jesus said, ‘”But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”’ (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). You ask, ‘When I think about God, is that the same as praying?’ It can be. We’re all familiar with the power of unspoken communication. Many of us grew up with parents who didn’t have to say a thing to make their will known. It may have been a certain look in their eye or some other unspoken signal. But we knew exactly what was being communicated and how we were expected to...More Thursday, April 4, 2024 Get out of debt and stay out of debt! ‘The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.’ Proverbs 22:7 NIV It’s not by accident that these two Scriptures are back-to-back: ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.’ (Proverbs 22:6-7 NKJV). Your child’s college university education, an affordable home, and a reliable car are okay to borrow money for. Otherwise, unless you can pay for something – learn to wait! Jesus said, ‘… “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and...More Wednesday, April 3, 2024 God will speak to you – if you listen ‘I can do nothing on My own. …I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent me.’ John 5:30 NASB20 Jesus did only those things placed in His mind by His Father. And He wants you to learn to live that way too. You ask, ‘Is such a life possible?’ Yes, it’s not only possible, it’s essential to fulfilling God’s will for your life. The Bible says that Mary took time to listen to Jesus, but her sister Martha didn’t because she was too busy ‘serving’ (see Luke 10:40). You can get so busy serving the Lord that you lose your sensitivity to His voice and end up preoccupied with secondary...More Tuesday, April 2, 2024 To know God, examine what He has made ‘God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made...’ Romans 1:20 NIV The New Testament Greek word translated as ‘disciple’ means ‘learner’. By definition, a disciple is someone who never ceases to learn. He or she makes the most of the hundred billion brain cells God has loaned to them. They keep asking and seeking and knocking (see Matthew 7:7). Famous artist, Leonardo da Vinci, carried a notebook wherever he went. Some have estimated that he left fourteen thousand pages of notes to painter Francesco Melzi in his...More Monday, April 1, 2024 Be interested in everything God does ‘It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.’ Proverbs 25:2 NKJV Anything that reveals something about our Creator is something we ought to be interested in. Scripture is in a classification all by itself as God’s written revelation. But mathematics discloses a distinctive dimension of God’s personality too. Along with art, and science. The Bible says: ‘And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. … He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also,...More Sunday, March 31, 2024 Evidence of Christ’s resurrection (3) – Easter Sunday ‘This story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.’ Matthew 28:15 NIV Here are two more pieces of evidence of Christ’s resurrection: 1) You would be hard-pressed to find a time in recorded history when someone willingly gave up their life for what they knew to be a lie. American author Paul E. Little said, ‘Men will die for what they believe to be true, though it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie.’ The fact that those early disciples were willing to endure such suffering makes the foundations of Christianity...More Saturday, March 30, 2024 Evidence of Christ’s resurrection (2) ‘How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?’ 1 Corinthians 15:12 NIV Here are three more pieces of evidence that will convince any open-minded seeker of the truth of Christ’s physical resurrection from the dead: 1) The Christian sacraments.The Christian sacraments point to the death and suffering of Christ and also to His resurrection and power. These can be traced back in uninterrupted sequence to the exact time of the death of Jesus Christ. 2) Christian art.In the catacombs of Rome, from the period of the persecutions, we discover etched into the walls,...More Friday, March 29, 2024 Evidence of Christ’s resurrection (1) – Good Friday ‘He was raised on the third day.’ 1 Corinthians 15:4 NIV Trust the fact that Jesus rose from the dead! Here are two evidences of it: 1) The Lord’s Day. For thousands of years, the Hebrew people had maintained their Sabbath doctrine. Then later, a group of early Christians who were Jews changed the day of worship from the seventh day to the first day! What could account for their deserting a tradition to which they had held so steadfastly? The resurrection of Christ, which happened on the first day of the week, His appearance to the disciples on the first day of the week, and the...More Thursday, March 28, 2024 Work on growing closer ‘Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth.’ Proverbs 5:18 NKJV The more history you have with your spouse, the more joy and pain you have experienced. You’re closer at times than others as the circumstances of life rise and fall. Yet if you did due diligence at the onset of the relationship, were clear about what you desired in a partner, and honestly evaluated who that person is, what will keep your union going forward is remembering what brought the two of you together in the first place. What you initially enjoyed and esteemed about this person probably hasn’t changed. But...More Wednesday, March 27, 2024 Your secret place ‘When you pray, go into your room.’ Matthew 6:6 NIV Jesus said, ‘But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’ (Matthew 6:6 NIV). The Christian life could be compared to the Old Testament tabernacle, which was divided into three compartments. There was an outer court to which everyone had access. And you, too, have an outer court; the place you go to work, shop, and play. It represents your outward appearance or public persona, the part of you everyone sees. The Tabernacle also had...More Tuesday, March 26, 2024 Walking with God ‘Enoch walked with God.’ Genesis 5:24 KJV Did the people in Scripture who ‘walked with God’ ever stumble? They did. Did they get off track sometimes? Yes. But when their feet hit the floor every morning, their commitment was to walk with God throughout the day. They drew on His strength, endeavoured to do His will, and aimed towards the goal that He had set for them. Paul writes, ‘I … beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called …’ (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV). That means you must know the direction God is leading you in and stay in step with Him. When He acts – you act. When He...More Monday, March 25, 2024 You’re growing in grace ‘Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.’ 2 Peter 3:18 NIV When Peter exercised enough faith to get out of the boat and walk on water, he sank and looked worse than any of the other disciples. When he tried to defend Jesus, he cut off a man’s ear. When he promised to be loyal, he fell flat on his face. When he tried to advise Jesus, he was the devil’s advocate (see Matthew 16:22-23). Eventually, he became a leader in the church—but he got worse before he got better. And his behaviour didn’t surprise or discourage Jesus one bit. He will never stop helping a follower of His who is sincerely seeking...More Sunday, March 24, 2024 Don’t shout about it ‘Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them...’ Matthew 6:1 CSB Jesus said: ‘“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven. So whenever you give to the poor, don't sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do … to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’...More Saturday, March 23, 2024 Prophecy fulfilled ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Matthew 16:16 NKJV One of the most convincing proofs that the Bible is truly the Word of God lies in the number of prophecies fulfilled during the life of Christ. Daniel prophesied the coming of the one and only Jewish Messiah prior to the temple’s demise. The Old Testament prophets declared He would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2) to a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14), be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (see Zechariah 11:12-13), die by crucifixion (see Psalm 22), and be buried in a rich man’s tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Jesus Himself predicted He would be...More Friday, March 22, 2024 How to enrich and strengthen your relationships ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is...’ Galatians 5:22 NKJV You can enrich and strengthen any relationship by developing and demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible speaks about being filled with the Spirit (see Ephesians 5:18) and walking in the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16). To be ‘filled’ with God’s Spirit means you’re a receptacle, whereas ‘walking’ in the Spirit means you’re a dispenser – a vessel God can fill and pour out into the lives of others. ‘What’s this fruit you’re talking about?’ you ask. The Bible describes it this way: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,...More Thursday, March 21, 2024 God and work ‘They go from strength to strength.’ Psalm 84:7 NIV The phrase ‘discover your strengths’ was made famous by researcher Marcus Buckingham in what’s referred to as the ‘Strengths Movement’. It calls us to stop focusing on our weaknesses and name and develop our strengths – which reflects God’s design. God didn’t say, ‘Moses, your craftsmanship skills are weak. Let’s have you stop leading these people for a while and try to become more like Bezalel’ (see Exodus 31:1-5). The Bible speaks of going ‘from strength to strength’. And strength is an activity that, when you engage in it, makes...More Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Set other things aside and serve ‘Jesus … poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet …’ John 13:3-5 NKJV When it came to serving others, Jesus went first. He ‘… rose from supper and… laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He… poured water into a basin and… began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. … Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”’ (John 13:4-6 NKJV). Try to imagine God incarnate with an apron on, kneeling to wash the feet of those who were unworthy. The Bible says, ‘Jesus … laid aside His...More Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Learning to listen to God (4) ‘My immediate response was not to consult any human being.’ Galatians 1:16 NIV God’s direction will often be followed by a season of preparation. And the length of that season is determined by the size of your assignment. So when God speaks to you, it’s not always wise to rush out and tell people. Who wouldn’t want to talk about the amazing experience Paul had with Christ on the Damascus road? And there would be a right time for Paul to do that – but not yet. So don’t move until God gives you the green light. Why? Two reasons: 1) You need time, maturing, and equipping so that...More Monday, March 18, 2024 Learning to listen to God (3) ‘For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know...’ 1 John 2:27 NLT When you pray diligently and believe you have heard from God, but then you start asking other people what they think, you’re honouring their opinions above God’s. That kind of mindset will prevent you from developing a relationship where you constantly hear from Him. You need to trust Him. If you have made bad decisions in the past, this can be difficult. But you must learn to listen to God without constantly needing reassurance from others. The Bible says: ‘But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you...More Sunday, March 17, 2024 Learning to listen to God (2) ‘If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;...’ Isaiah 1:19 ESV People think they can’t hear from God when, in reality, there are things they already know He wants them to respond to, and so far, they haven’t done it. The quicker you do whatever the Lord has already told you to do, the sooner He will reveal the next step to you. His promise is, ‘If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;’ (Isaiah 1:19 ESV). Hearing from God is something you only develop with practice – especially if you’re a talker! That’s why He says, ‘Be still, and know that...More Saturday, March 16, 2024 Learning to listen to God (1) ‘He, the Spirit of truth...will tell you things to come.’ John 16:13 NKJV Jesus told His disciples, ‘”However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own [authority], but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”’ (John 16:12-13 NKJV). Jesus spoke these words to men He had spent the previous three years with. Now, wouldn’t you think if Jesus was with us in person, day and night for three years, we would have learned all there is to know? Not so. In fact, Jesus tells us to stay tuned because He always has...More Friday, March 15, 2024 Don’t give up! ‘Let’s not get tired of doing what is good.’ Galatians 6:9 NLT Paul writes, ‘Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up’ (Galatians 6:9 NLT). Look at Job the patriarch: attending the funerals of his ten children, losing his health and wealth in a single day, and listening to a wife with a tongue sharp enough to cut through steel. Yet he didn’t give up. Learn from him! ‘You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord’ (James 5:11 NKJV). Job stayed focused on the end goal and...More Thursday, March 14, 2024 Take control of the small things ‘Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself...’ Daniel 1:8 NKJV Can you imagine being uprooted from your home and taken prisoner to a hostile country? It happened to Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar conquered his homeland and carried him off to slavery in Babylon. He lost his house, his job, his freedom, his culture, his friends, and his status as a member of Israel’s nobility. He had to learn to speak a foreign language and live in a place where he didn’t want to be. If you had been Daniel, wouldn’t you have been tempted to focus on the things you couldn’t control, like blaming exile...More Wednesday, March 13, 2024 Four principles for victorious living ‘Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.’ 1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV Jesus said: ‘”Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”’ (Matthew 5:11-12 ESV). If you’re thin-skinned, you will have a rough time in life because you will be an easy target for the devil. Paul endured desertion by his friends, ugly letters from the Corinthians, disappointment with the Galatians, mistreatment in...More Tuesday, March 12, 2024 Put your heart into your part ‘The whole body … builds itself up … as each part does its work.’ Ephesians 4:16 NIV You have probably heard that unless you’re the lead dog, the view seldom changes. The problem is, however, not everybody can be the leading man or woman. And it’s better to be a working actor than an out-of-work star; at least you get to be in the play! Besides, most great achievers, if they are honest, will tell you they couldn’t have done it alone; they needed the contributions of each member of the team. So if God has placed you in a supporting role today, accept it without complaining. Do your part to...More Monday, March 11, 2024 Turning two families into one ‘“Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”’ Genesis 33:5 NKJV Due to the divorce rate today, both inside the church and outside, couples are falling in love and facing the challenge of blending two families into one. Here are some of those challenges: visiting rights, custodial care, court intervention, and ex-in-law involvement. Add to that a mountain of paperwork and legal specifications. It’s an incredibly stressful time for all involved, especially children, who may be struggling to express their feelings. So, it’s not enough to bring them...More Sunday, March 10, 2024 Take it easy, Mum ‘Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought...’ Romans 12:3 NIV An old, tired-looking dog wandered into a woman’s garden. She could tell from looking at him that he had a good home. He followed her inside, down the hall, and promptly fell asleep. Two hours later, he went to the door, and she let him out. The next day, he came back, resumed his position, and napped for a couple of hours. This went on for a week. Curious, the woman pinned this note to his collar: ‘Every afternoon, your dog comes to my house for a nap.’ The next day, the dog showed up with a note that read: ‘He lives at home with...More Saturday, March 9, 2024 The seven-day challenge ‘Do everything without grumbling.’ Philippians 2:14 NIV Some cancers, like skin cancer, are more obvious, and you can remove them. Then there is the kind that grows undetected and destroys your body. Complaining is like that; it impacts your health and sabotages your success. Paul says, ‘Do everything without grumbling or arguing.’ (Philippians 2:14 NIV) Christian Counsellor, Dr Ann Shorb, writes: ‘If you find yourself … feeling negative and down … listen to what’s being said around you. Is there a lot of grumbling and complaining? Are the people you spend time with constantly expressing...More Friday, March 8, 2024 Live the living Word ‘I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.’ Psalm 119:100 ESV If someone opened your Bible, would there be any evidence that it is being read daily? Would they find notes on the margins, highlighted text, dog ears or markers on your favourite pages? If someone looked on your social media accounts, would they find evidence that you’re a Christian? Do people at your workplace or in the community know you’re a Christian? How do you behave behind closed doors at home towards your family? It’s not enough to read God’s Word daily; you must practise its principles consistently. The...More Thursday, March 7, 2024 Do the Word ‘Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.’ James 1:22 NIV A pastor writes: ‘The Latin word for ‘listen’ is where we get our word audit. When you audit a class, you take in lots of information, but you don’t do anything with it. You don’t do the homework, or if you do, you don’t turn it in to get it graded. You don’t take the tests. And you don’t get any credit, either. The same is true in our spiritual lives. You don’t get credit for auditing Scripture. You’ve got to put it into practice. Every word of Scripture must be translated via...More Wednesday, March 6, 2024 Pull down those strongholds! ‘The weapons of our warfare are … mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.’ 2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV When the Bible speaks of a stronghold, it’s referring to an area in your life that’s controlled by wrong thinking. And that stronghold will attract people who think the same way and feed off it. But there is good news. Not only will God reveal to you the strongholds in your life, He will also show you the experiences that caused them. Some of us worry obsessively about money because we grew up in hard times. As a result, we’re inclined to depend more on ourselves than on God. When it comes to...More Tuesday, March 5, 2024 Are you tired of living in defeat? ‘You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.’ John 15:3 NKJV God’s Word is like a prescription from your doctor. You don’t have to understand how the medication works – you just have to faithfully keep taking it. Something amazing happens when you feed regularly on God’s Word. Temptation begins to lose power, and overcoming strength begins to replace it. Each time a Scripture opens up and becomes real to you, your desire for God’s Word increases. But that means reading your Bible even when you don’t feel like it, or think you don’t have time to do it, or you don’t seem...More Monday, March 4, 2024 Don’t doubt your salvation ‘That you may know that you have eternal life.’ 1 John 5:13 NIV You would be surprised how many people harbour doubts about their salvation. So, let’s open God’s Word and settle the issue once and for all: ‘… God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life … I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life’ (1 John 5:11-13 NIV). Are you trusting Christ to save you instead of depending on your own good works? Then you’re saved! Jesus said, ‘He who believes in Me has everlasting life’...More Sunday, March 3, 2024 What you will do in heaven ‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.’ Revelation 21:1 CSB Perhaps the reason some people are not as excited about heaven as they should be is because they have no idea what to expect heaven to be like. One thing we can look forward to is finally getting to meet Jesus face-to-face and being able to worship Him freely without persecution. How amazing will that be! But worshipping Him will not just consist of singing songs of worship forevermore. Think about it. When the singing and prayers in the average Sunday morning service last longer than fifteen minutes, many get bored. We will also be worshipping God...More Saturday, March 2, 2024 Is your business struggling? ‘God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.’ Psalm 46:1 NLT When your business is failing, you can lose your sense of security, your peace of mind, and your ability to sleep. It even affects your family. If that’s where you are today, read these words: ‘God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.’ Clear your mind for a moment and think about this: everything you have belongs to God, including your business, right? He is the owner, and you’re the manager. So when trouble comes, you have the right (and the responsibility) to go to Him for help...More Friday, March 1, 2024 Respond with love ‘Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.’ 1 Peter 3:9 NIV Some of the negative people in your life lack intimate relationships. So, they keep others at arm’s length, rarely share their feelings, and are uncomfortable with those who do. They find it easier to condemn than to accept. Their hard-and-fast views make them inflexible. Often, these people can’t handle freedom. They need rules that limit their choices, and they only feel secure within their own boundaries. Understanding that will help you deal with them the right way, which is to ‘take the high road’. Peter gives us the...More Thursday, February 29, 2024 Let God remould you ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV What would you like to change about yourself? How would you change it? To ask it another way, what would your spouse or your best friend like you to change? Maybe that would be more enlightening. How would you end the sentence, ‘It’s just like me to …’? Always be late? Not stay on a diet? Say the wrong thing? Burst out in anger? Be sad? Jeremiah puts it this way: ‘…Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil’ (Jeremiah 13:23 NLT). You say, ‘I guess it’s...More

Tuesday, February 27, 2024 Hope for the future ‘There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.’ Proverbs 23:18 NIV Are you surrounded by people whose mission is to inject a dose of reality into your life? They continually point out how tough the economy is, how dismal the job market is, and how the sky is falling down. American author Jon Gordon writes: ‘I remember my high school English teacher telling me not to apply to Cornell University because they wouldn’t accept me, and if they did, I wouldn’t be able to do the work … I almost didn’t apply, but a few days later a former teacher said, ‘If you get in, go. You can...More Monday, February 26, 2024 Try to be more flexible ‘The wisdom from above is … willing to yield to others.’ James 3:17 NLT Flexible people are happy people. They experience a lot less stress than the rigid types who insist on things always being done a certain way. One of the reasons inflexibility is so stressful is that we have to achieve our goals through thinking human beings who often have their own ideas, ideas different from ours. If you’re not the type who is receptive to new ways of doing things because you view them as a personal rejection of your own ideas, ask Jesus the Great Physician to perform some corrective surgery on you. The...More Sunday, February 25, 2024 Armed for spiritual warfare (3) ‘Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.’ Ephesians 6:18 NLT Your spiritual armour must be put on correctly so that all the pieces fit; otherwise, you’re vulnerable to defeat at Satan’s hands. So, how do you do that? Paul tells us how: ‘Pray in the Spirit at all times...’ Your clothes closet is where you find what you need to wear in the natural realm, and your prayer closet is where you find what you need to wear in the spiritual realm. Only through prayer do you become clothed for spiritual warfare, so don’t go into battle undressed. Paul writes, ‘But put on the Lord...More Saturday, February 24, 2024 Armed for spiritual warfare (2) ‘Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.’ Ephesians 6:13 NLT Let’s look at the next three pieces of spiritual armour God has provided for us to live victoriously: 1) ‘Hold up the shield of faith’ (Ephesians 6:16 NLT). For what? ‘ … to stop the fiery arrows of the devil aimed at you by Satan’ (Ephesians 6:16 NLT). Do you remember in the old western movies the battles between the Native Americans and the settlers? The settlers circled the wagons, and the Native Americans shot flaming arrows into them. They both understood that you can’t fight fires and...More Friday, February 23, 2024 Armed for spiritual warfare (1) ‘Put on the full armour of God...’ Ephesians 6:11 NASB20 Every day you live, you will battle the world, the flesh, and the devil. In order to be armed for spiritual warfare, Paul gives us six specific pieces of spiritual armour. Here are the first three: 1) The sturdy ‘belt of truth’ (Ephesians 6:14 NLT). During World War II, a plane flew many miles past its destination. Why? Because the crew, not realising there were such strong tailwinds, refused to believe the cockpit instruments. As a result, everyone on board perished. Yet when the plane was found years later, the instruments were still in...More Tuesday, February 21, 2024 Live with integrity at home ‘But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking.' Genesis 19:14 NKJV Make your life an open book. Establish a system of values against which all of life is judged. Walk with God; maintain your integrity at work and at home, and you will make the right choice every time. Lot failed to do this, and it cost him dearly. ‘So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking' (Genesis 19:14 NKJV). When you lose your integrity, you lose your credibility. If you're a parent, guard...More Monday, February 20, 2024 What's the ‘most important' thing to you? ‘My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me '' Acts 20:24 NIV The story is told of Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen, a wealthy Canadian man who survived the Titanic. After it struck the iceberg, he returned to his stateroom and, ignoring cash, jewellery, and other valuable possessions worth around $300,000, grabbed a favourite pearl pin and three oranges. Later, he was reported to have said, ‘The money seemed to be a mere mockery at that time.' Circumstances transformed his values; tragedy clarified his priorities. The question is not, will your calendar be full,...More Sunday, February 19, 2024 The breaking process (3) ‘He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples.' Matthew 14:19 NKJV The Bible says that Jesus ‘ took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes' (Matthew 14:19 NKJV). Notice the progression in this story: the loaves were taken, blessed, broken, and then given to others. That's how God works! In order to bless others through you, He will take you, bless you, break you, and give you to others. Paul had to be broken of pride. ‘ I have received such wonderful revelations...More Saturday, February 18, 2024 The breaking process (2) ‘A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.' Psalm 51:17 NASB20 Brokenness leads to blessing. To receive a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, Elisha, who was a farmer, had to break and burn his plough. To demonstrate her love for Jesus, Mary had to break open her box of costly ointment and pour it over Him. To defeat the armies of Midian, Gideon's three hundred soldiers had to break their pitchers, let their light shine, and make themselves a target. The truth is God has to break each of us in different areas in order to use us. What areas? Bad habits. Stubborn wills. Inflated egos. Evil...More Friday, February 17, 2024 The breaking process (1) ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;...' Psalm 51:17 NASB20 Brokenness is the process by which God strips us of pride and self-sufficiency so that the character of Christ can shine through. Brokenness doesn't necessarily mean experiencing some tragedy. Many people suffer tragedy without drawing closer to God. The issue in brokenness is not so much your circumstances but your response. What's God trying to teach you? Brokenness is when God strips you of self-sufficiency to the extent that you have no strength left to fix yourself. When He blocks every exit you try to take, and you come to see that He...More Thursday, February 16, 2024 Prepare yourself ‘Make this valley full of ditches.' 2 Kings 3:16 NKJV All things don't come to those who wait but to those who prepare. There is a great illustration of this in 2 Kings 3. As part of God's strategy for defeating the Moabites, God told the Israelites to dig a ditch, and He would fill it with water until it became a mighty river. They did, and as a result, they experienced a spectacular victory. But don't miss the point here. God said, ‘When you have dug the ditch, then I will fill it!' (see 2 Kings 3:17). God can use anybody, but He doesn't; He uses prepared people. Moses lived to be 120. His first...More Wednesday, February 15, 2024 God ideas ‘David gave Solomon the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the temple of the LORD.' 1 Chronicles 28:11-12 NIV The first Jewish temple ranks as one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. It was built in the tenth century BC, and the project's scope was so massive that Solomon employed thirty thousand loggers and eighty thousand stonecutters. More than three thousand foremen managed the seven-year project. The temple was the epicentre of Judaism. It was the place of sacrifice. It was the place of worship. It was the place of pilgrimage. But like everything else, the temple was...More Tuesday, February 14, 2024 Keep hope alive ‘Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.' Hebrews 11:1 NASB20 At some stage in our lives, most of us will or have gone through times when things looked hopeless. But, when you decide things are hopeless, you slam the door in God's face. First: Take all your troubles or desires to God. If you've gotten to the stage where you feel things are hopeless, you've clearly neglected your faith, or you've been hoping for something that is not in God's will. ‘Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.' (Hebrews 11:1...More Monday, February 13, 2024 Tackle your giant head-on ‘David prevailed with a sling and a stone.' 1 Samuel 17:50 NKJV American Pastor Chuck Swindoll says: ‘Goliath reminds me of the visually impaired discus thrower. He didn't set any records but he sure kept the crowd awake! Every day, Goliath paraded along the slopes of the Valley of Elah, issuing threats. The only response from the Israeli troops was the sound of knees knocking and teeth chattering! The giant's strategy of fear and intimidation worked until David introduced him to the Lord of Hosts, and ‘ with a sling and a stone struck the Philistine and killed him, "' (1 Samuel 17:50 NKJV)....More Sunday, February 12, 2024 Being friends with God ‘The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.' Exodus 33:11 NLT When you talk to a close friend, you're relaxed, trusting, unguarded, and open. There is no need to watch your p's and q's; you can express how you feel without fearing you will be judged or rejected. That's how Moses and God talked to each other - like two friends, trusting and transparent. They said what they felt and thought straightforwardly, not in churchy language or religious jargon. The Israelites had made a golden calf to worship, and God was angry enough to disown them and choose a new people. Moses...More Saturday, February 11, 2024 Let's work together ‘For we are labourers together with God.' 1 Corinthians 3:9 KJV The Bible says we must love, honour, and work together. So, why don't we do it? Ego! We like to think we can do everything ourselves - but that's not reality! There are no supermen or superwomen. So, the question isn't whether or not you can do everything on your own; it's how soon are you going to realise you can't? Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie declared, ‘It marks a big step in your development when you come to realise that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone.' After training His disciples for...More Friday, February 10, 2024 The right attitude ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.' Proverbs 23:7 NKJV What separates the best from the rest? Have you ever given that some thought? What separates a gold medallist from a silver medallist in the Olympics? What separates a successful entrepreneur from someone who doesn't make it? What makes it possible for one person to learn and flourish after making a mistake while someone else just gives up? It's attitude! The Bible says, ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.' (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV). Your attitude can be your greatest asset or your greatest liability. It makes you or breaks you....More Thursday, February 9, 2024 Moving from failure to success (4) ‘We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy.' Psalm 126:2 NLT To move from failure to success, you must do these: 1) Learn to laugh at yourself. No matter what you lose or how often you lose, never lose your sense of humour. When you take your mistakes too seriously, everything becomes a life-or-death issue. The psalmist wrote: ‘When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, "What amazing things the LORD has done for them." Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy!...More Wednesday, February 8, 2024 Moving from failure to success (3) ‘Many say of me, "There is no help for him."' Psalm 3:2 NKJV A Christian leader writes: ‘Oliver Goldsmith was born the son of a poor preacher in Ireland in the 1700s. Growing up, he wasn't a great student. In fact, his schoolmaster labelled him a ‘stupid blockhead'. He did manage to earn a university degree, but he finished at the bottom of his class. He was unsure of what he wanted to do. At first, he tried to become a preacher, but it didn't suit him Next, he tried law but failed at it. He then settled on medicine, but he was an indifferent doctor not passionate about his profession. He was...More Tuesday, February 7, 2024 Moving from failure to success (2) ‘You are snared by the words of your mouth.' Proverbs 6:2 NKJV A noted psychiatrist remarked that two of the saddest words in human vocabulary are ‘if only'. He believes people who get trapped by their failures spend their lives saying, ‘If only I had tried harder. If only I had been kinder to my kids. If only I had been more truthful. If only ' The way to change that mindset is to change your vocabulary by substituting ‘if only' with the words ‘next time'. ‘Next time, I will try harder. Next time, I will be kinder to my kids. Next time, I will be more truthful.' The...More Monday, February 6, 2024 Moving from failure to success (1) ‘Whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle.' Hebrews 11:34 NIV The writer of Hebrews said: ‘I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies' (Hebrews 11:32, 34 NIV). Some of the biggest success stories in Scripture are about people who struggled with weaknesses and character flaws. They were mired in seeming failure and defeat, yet by God's grace, they overcame the obstacles and odds stacked against them. The...More Sunday, February 5, 2024 Who are your true friends? ‘There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.' Proverbs 18:24 NIV Ancient Roman writer Marcus Tullus Cicero said, ‘Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.' The fact is, it's impossible to have more than a few close friends because true friendship takes time, attention, and commitment. ‘One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother' (Proverbs 18:24 NIV). The hallmarks of real friendship include these: 1) Trust. American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson...More Saturday, February 4, 2024 Never stop learning and growing (2) ‘Wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.' Proverbs 8:11 NLT To keep learning and growing, you must recognise these: 1) Successful people view learning differently than unsuccessful people. Joshua learned from Moses. Timothy learned from Paul. Who have you chosen to learn from? American author Sydney J. Harris wrote: ‘A winner knows how much he still has to learn, even when he is considered an expert by others. A loser wants to be considered an expert by others before he has learned enough to know how little he knows.' It's all a matter of...More Friday, February 3, 2024 Never stop learning and growing (1) ‘Wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.' Ecclesiastes 2:13 NKJV The most important skill you can acquire is learning to learn. Gifted people can sometimes act like they know it all, which makes it hard for them to keep growing. Teachability isn't so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude; it's an innate hunger to grow. It's a willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn. The famous American basketball coach, John Wooden, said, ‘It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.' Only as you remain teachable will you keep growing and continue to make an impact on the...More Thursday, February 2, 2024 Heed your own advice ‘My son, pay attention to my wisdom.' Proverbs 5:1 NLT Solomon told his son: ‘Pay attention to my wisdom the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end, she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword Stay away from her! Don't go near the door of her house! If you do, you will lose your honour and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved. Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labour You will say "If only I had not ignored all the warnings now I must face public disgrace'"...More Wednesday, February 1, 2024 Treasure your children ‘Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD...' Psalm 127:3 ESV A Christian psychologist writes: ‘Several months ago, I talked to a man who described one of the most painful experiences of his life. When he was seventeen, he was one of the stars on his high school football team. But his father, a very successful man in the city, was always too busy to come and see him play. The final game of the season came around, which happened to be the state championship. The boy was desperate to have his dad there. The night of the big game, he was on the field warming up when he looked into the stadium just in...More Tuesday, January 31, 2024 Give your worries to God ‘The peace of God will guard your hearts and minds.' Philippians 4:7 NIV When you feel anxious and afraid, here are two things you should do: 1) Find a ‘faith friend'. When anxiety grabs your mind, one of the most powerful ways to break the worry spiral is to disclose it to a ‘faith friend'. When Israel went out to occupy the promised land, here is what God said to them: ‘Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too' (Deuteronomy 20:8 NIV). Pessimism, fright, and discouragement are contagious. And so is...More Monday, January 30, 2024 Hear God's voice ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says.' Revelation 2:11 NKJV You can read the same Scripture on different occasions, and it will speak to you in totally different ways. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is attributed with saying, ‘You never step into the same river twice.' And you never read the same Bible verse the same way twice. That is a testament to its heavenly author. And His illumination is based on His intimate and unlimited knowledge of your circumstances, your desires, your fears, your past, your personality, and your destiny. But you must take time to listen and cultivate...More Sunday, January 29, 2024 Hold fast ‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.' Hebrews 10:23 NKJV You will notice that during the creation process, God counts days based on the previous nights. The Bible doesn't say, ‘The morning and evening were the first day.' No, it says, ‘God called the evening and the morning the first day' (Genesis 1:5 KJV). That means God specialises in bringing light out of darkness - you just have to get through one to get to the other! God told Moses that the angel of death would come at night, and wherever he saw the blood of the lamb on the...More Saturday, January 28, 2024 Fulfilling God's plan for your life ‘Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.' Ephesians 5:17 ESV To fulfil God's plan for your life, you need to do these: 1) Map out your day. Plan your time and stick to your plan. Only one out of three people do that. One leadership expert says, ‘It's rare that I get up in the morning wondering what I'll be doing that day.' That's why he is a leader - and an expert! 2) Keep first things first. German author, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, ‘Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.' Most of us don't...More Friday, January 27, 2024 ‘Just as I am' ‘By the grace of God I am what I am.' 1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV There is a tale about a boy who comes home and doesn't know his mum is visiting with their pastor. He carries a dead rat in his hand. ‘Mum, you'll never guess what. There was a rat running around in the garage. I saw it, threw a stone, and hit it. It just lay there, so I went over and stamped on it. Then I picked it up and hurled it against the wall.' Then he sees the pastor, and if his mum's looks could kill, he knew that he would be one dead kid. So, he holds the rat up and adds in a pious voice, ‘And then the dear Lord called him...More Thursday, January 26, 2024 Insecurity in leadership ‘They loved human praise more than the praise of God.' John 12:43 NLT The Bible says: ‘Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn't admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God' (John 12:42-43 NLT). How secure are you as a leader? When someone else has a great idea, do you support it or suppress it? Do you celebrate other people's successes, or feel threatened by them? If your answers are that you suppress and feel threatened, you have a problem with insecurity and...More Wednesday, January 25, 2024 Be disciplined ‘Do not neglect the gift that is in you.' 1 Timothy 4:14 NKJV The only way to keep improving is to keep practising. If you desire to grow in a particular area, figure out what it will really take, including the price, and then determine to pay it. David didn't suddenly discover his talent as a harpist when he arrived at King Saul's palace. He developed it through years of practice on lonely hillsides while tending his father's sheep. Paul instructed Timothy: ‘Till I come, give attention to reading Do not neglect the gift that is in you Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that...More Tuesday, January 24, 2024 Listen more carefully ‘Hear Me, everyone, and understand.' Mark 7:14 NKJV Jesus said, ‘Hear Me, everyone, and understand.' He spoke life-changing words, but He understood that preoccupied minds don't always listen too well. Are you a good listener? 1) If you're a leader, do you listen to your followers? The kind of leaders people want to follow do more than conduct business when they interact with you; they take the time to get a feel for who you are as a person. Philip Stanhope, the Earl of Chesterfield, believed, ‘Many a man would rather you heard his story than granted his request.' If you're...More Monday, January 23, 2024 Bracing your children for the turbulent years ‘I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful...' Psalm 139:13-14 NIV In order for your child to thrive and have self-worth, they must understand four things: 1) How God feels about them. The psalmist says, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever' (Psalm 136:1 NIV). Knowing this is foundational to your child's spiritual development and to their relationship with God. 2) How you feel about them. So, let them know that though you correct them, you will never reject them. 3) How they feel about themselves. The most painful aspect...More Sunday, January 22, 2024 A relationship problem? Take action! ‘To whom much is given, from him much will be required.' Luke 12:48 NKJV One author writes: ‘It took me half my life to discover the great power of choices and chances. Good relationships are God's gift to you; what you do with them is your response to Him. Too often we drape our passivity, or lack of courage, or disregard for our relationships in the frayed tapestry of fate. We weave excuses and give alibis to our guilty hearts, which failed to alter circumstances. We then dismiss our responsibility like a cheap attempt at religious absolution, living in denial that things could have been better in...More Saturday, January 21, 2024 What the Bible teaches about money ‘Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.' Psalm 62:10 NIV Let's settle it once and for all. If God can trust you with something small, He will trust you with more (see Luke 16:10, 2 Corinthians 9:6-11). But His blessings come with certain conditions, and here are four you need to honour. 1) Don't try to claim credit. God told the Israelites, ‘You may say to yourself "My hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth If you ever forget you will surely be destroyed' (Deuteronomy 8:17-19...More Friday, January 20, 2024 Grace in marriage ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV Who in the Bible would you say had the best marriage? Adam and Eve started in Paradise, and it all went downhill from there. Abraham lied and said his wife, Sarah, was his sister, then impregnated her servant, Hagar. Isaac and Rebekah spent much of their marriage battling because he favoured Esau and she favoured Jacob. Jacob had children by two different wives and the wives' servants. All we know of Moses' wife is they had an argument over circumcising their son and she called Moses a ‘bridegroom of...More Thursday, January 19, 2024 Prayer gives us a God's-eye view ‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.' Colossians 4:2 NIV The word ‘watchful' is a throwback to the Old Testament-era practice of sitting on a city wall and keeping watch. Watchmen were the first to see attacking armed forces or travelling merchants. They had the optimal vantage point. They saw what nobody else saw. They saw them sooner than others saw them. That is exactly what happens when we pray. We see what nobody else sees, and we see them sooner than others see them. Why? Because prayer provides us with a God's-eye view; it enhances our awareness and gives us a sixth sense...More Wednesday, January 18, 2024 Sensing and seeing God ‘But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.' 1 Corinthians 2:10 NKJV The Bible says, ‘"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit' (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NKJV). The Holy Spirit compensates for our sensory limits by enabling us to conceive things we cannot perceive with our five senses. Think of Him as a sixth sense. That sense must be cultivated, matured, and fine-tuned. And that can only happen when we spend time meditating in the Scriptures and...More Tuesday, January 17, 2024 Read the signals with your children ‘My children, listen as I teach you to respect the LORD.' Psalm 34:11 CEV Smithsonian magazine once featured a British master stonecutter named Simon Verity. He restored thirteenth-century cathedrals in Great Britain. As the authors watched him work, they noticed something fascinating. ‘Verity listens closely to hear the song of the stone under his careful blows. A solid strike and all is well. A higher-pitched ping could mean trouble. A chunk of rock could break off. He constantly adjusts the angle of the chisel and the force of the mallet to the pitch, pausing frequently to run his hand over the...More Monday, January 16, 2024 Stop and ask for directions ‘The Spirit of truth will lead you and tell you what is to come.' John 16:13 NCV Making decisions without seeking God's guidance is like trying to fly without radar and a compass. You can do what makes sense based on your past knowledge and experience, but what ‘looks right' can end up destroying what's most important to you. The Bible says even the most profound human thinking is foolish to God (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-20). He alone knows the way, and He wants to go ahead of you. It's a mistake to assume that every opportunity that comes along is from God. Paul says, ‘Satan changes himself to...More Sunday, January 15, 2024 Guard against envy and jealousy ‘Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.' Galatians 5:26 CSB Paul cautioned the early church about envy, and it's still a problem. Your co-worker gets a raise, a friend's child wins a scholarship, and a neighbour takes a dream holiday. Do you rejoice with them, or force a tight smile? We're human; an occasional flicker of envy is normal. But beware of harbouring a chronic sense of being short-changed. Tacitus said, ‘When men are full of envy, they disparage everything good or bad.' When somebody else prospers, before you ask, ‘Why not me?' ask yourself if you...More Saturday, January 14, 2024 Growing through criticism ‘If you accept correction, you will be honoured.' Proverbs 13:18 NLT Solomon said, ‘If you accept correction, you will be honoured.' American author, Charlie Shedd gives us ten ways to grow through criticism: 1) Criticism is often a compliment. The barbs in daily life strike only those who raise their heads above ground level. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man' (Luke 6:22 CSB). 2) Accept that you have faults that are open to censure. Stay humble, and criticism won't...More Friday, January 13, 2024 Don't be afraid of getting old (2) ‘They shall still bear fruit in old age.' Psalm 92:14 NKJV Does the thought of getting older depress you, make you anxious, or make you fatalistic in your outlook? If so, read this: ‘Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing' (Psalm 92:13-14 NKJV). Here is how to stay fresh and flourishing as you grow older: 1) Guard your health. Studies show that good health is the number-one factor in determining the level of happiness in old age. So try to eat healthy, and exercise...More Thursday, January 12, 2024 Don't be afraid of getting old (1) ‘My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.' Isaiah 65:22 NIV We live in a fickle society where a few wrinkles can devastate our self-worth. But we don't have to be victims of that value system. ‘For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands' (Isaiah 65:22 NIV). Someone said, ‘Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!' So: 1) Build a strong relationship with God. Spend time talking with Him and reading His Word. ‘Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you...More Wednesday, January 11, 2024 What it means to love someone ‘God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.' 1 John 4:16 ESV In today's culture, the word ‘love' means different things to different people. You can love your husband or wife, your country, your dog, your new mobile phone, and your car. But you don't love your husband or wife the same way you love your mobile phone or your car, right? The television and tabloid kind of love where you fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat isn't real love, it's selfishness and immaturity. The Bible word agape (God's love) is an unconditional commitment to love that's rooted in an...More Tuesday, January 10, 2024 Are you dealing with relationship problems? ‘For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again...' Proverbs 24:16 NASB20 When it comes to handling relationships, we all have our pluses and minuses, strengths and weaknesses. So to survive and flourish in a relationship, we must learn to persevere. Even when we have done the best we can to lessen our potential for failure, we must still be ready for it. If we stay mired in self-defeat, guilt, and shame over missed chances and incorrect choices in one particular relationship, we will never encounter the freedom to sustain our other relationships. Some good advice is to allow yourself a 10 per cent...More Monday, January 9, 2024 The gift of confession ‘Walk in love as Christ also has loved us.' Ephesians 5:2 NKJV Spiritual healing takes place when you're able to confess your problem to someone mature enough to handle it and committed enough to not give up on you. What does it mean to walk in love? a) To be confident of God's unfailing love towards you. b) To show His love to others. c) To be able to accept their love in return. Only then can you become spiritually whole. You can only be loved to the extent that you're known. When you keep part of your life a secret, others may tell you they love you, but deep...More Sunday, January 8, 2024 Angels ‘He will command his angels to guard you in all your ways.' Psalm 91:11 NIV In Scripture, there are over three hundred references to angels, and they're described in two words: many and mighty. But it took only one angel to shut the mouths of lions for Daniel and bring Peter out of prison the night before he was due to be executed. And do you remember Elisha's servant? When an enemy army surrounded the city of Dothan, Elisha asked God to open his servant's eyes: ‘And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about...More Saturday, January 7, 2024 Work on improving your communication skills ‘When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.' Proverbs 21:11 NKJV Whether in your personal life or your career, learning how to communicate with others is essential to success and happiness in a relationship. Apart from obtaining facts, communication should deliver a way to gain some understanding into the heart and mind of another person. And good communication calls for translation. Really, you're learning that other person's language. We all use the same words, but we have unique languages when it comes to love. What you mean when you say, ‘I need someone to be here for me,' might not be...More Friday, January 6, 2024 Blind chance versus God's command (2) ‘By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.' Hebrews 11:3 NIV Speaking of our amazing bodies what about DNA? Each human cell (up to 100 trillion) contains a database larger than the Encyclopedia Britannica! Could all that have originated by chance? English physicist Paul Davies makes this comparison: ‘It's rather like exploding a stick of dynamite under a pile of bricks and expecting it to build a house. You may liberate enough energy to raise the bricks, but without coupling the energy to the bricks in a controlled...More Thursday, January 5, 2024 Blind chance versus God's command (1) ‘I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...' Psalm 139:14 NKJV Could life as we know it - plant, animal, and human life - have spontaneously happened by chance? Could our amazing solar system be the result of an accident? The more advanced science becomes, the more evidence there is for a Master Designer. Researchers continue to uncover the divine order in each tiny human cell. American biochemist Bruce Alberts, former president of the National Academy of Sciences, writes, ‘We have always underestimated cells; undoubtedly we still do Cells are the basic unit of life indeed the...More Wednesday, January 4, 2024 Never stop learning (2) ‘A wise person will hear and increase in learning...' Proverbs 1:5 NASB20 Loving God with all your mind means managing your mind and making the most of it. It means loving God logically and creatively, intuitively, and thoughtfully. Albert Einstein, one of history's greatest minds, said: ‘The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy...More Tuesday, January 3, 2024 Never stop learning (1) ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your...mind.' Mark 12:30 NKJV God has created us with the capacity to keep learning until the day we die, which is something we shouldn't take for granted. The average brain weighs approximately three pounds, yet neurologists approximate that we have the ability to learn something new every second of every minute of every hour of every day until the day we die. Awesome, right? But it's more than that. It's an awesome obligation. Learning isn't an indulgence; it's a stewardship matter. Jesus said, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all...More Monday, January 2, 2024 This year, do first things first ‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.' Psalm 90:12 NIV We all get the same twenty-four hours every day. That's 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. And we ‘must give an account to God' for how we use them (see Ecclesiastes 11:9). A good place to start is by asking yourself, ‘How would I spend the next twenty-four hours if I knew I would stand before God tomorrow?' Your answer can help you prioritise your life. Think about it: if somebody steals your car, you can get another one. If they steal your wallet, a few phone calls to the credit card company usually resolve the...More

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