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Friday, March 14, 2025 1:19 PM GMT+1 |
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The Word for Today Daily Devotional for 2025
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Friday, March 14, 2025 Pray about it, then take action ‘So they began this good work.’ Nehemiah 2:18 NIV There is a time to pray, and there is a time to take action. Sometimes that means filling out the job application, or getting your finances in order, or setting up the appointment, or having the conversation, or making the move. American pastor Peter Marshall said: ‘I wonder what would happen if we all agreed to read one of the Gospels until we came to a place that told us to do something, then went out to do it, and only after we had done it, began reading again? There are aspects of the Gospel that are puzzling and difficult to understand. But our problems...More Thursday, March 13, 2025 See yourself as valuable (2) ‘You are precious to me. You are honoured, and I love you.’ Isaiah 43:4 NLT If you want to be a 10 but your self-esteem is a 5, you will never achieve at the level of a 10. You will achieve a 5 or lower. Why? Because you cannot surpass the image you have of yourself. Low self-esteem puts a cap on your potential. So where does our low self-esteem come from? Other people. When the most important people in your life repeatedly tell you that they expect you to go nowhere and achieve nothing of worth, that’s what you eventually start believing about yourself. And it’s like downloading a virus into your...More Wednesday, March 12, 2025 See yourself as valuable (1) ‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 NASB20 When God made the first man, He saw that his creation was very good. That means every person that has ever been born, including you, has seeds of success within them. All you need to do is water them and feed them, and they will grow. So why do many people fail to reach their God-given potential in life? One of the key reasons is low self-esteem; they don’t believe in themselves. They possess hundreds of possibilities, but they never nurture them because they have persuaded themselves that they’re incapable of learning and...More Tuesday, March 11, 2025 Just sow the seed ‘We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News.’ 1 Corinthians 3:5 NLT One day when Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, was scheduled to preach to three hundred inmates at San Quentin prison, a lockdown was called and most of the prisoners were confined to their cells. To the few who were allowed to attend, Colson decided to go ahead and give the complete message he had prepared. Later when he expressed disappointment that the three hundred were unable to attend, he was told, ‘We videotaped your message and will be showing it numerous times to all twenty-two hundred...More Monday, March 10, 2025 Group guidance ‘The Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”’ Acts 13:2 NIV A group of believers met together and dedicated significant time to pray, fast, and worship. The Bible says, ‘While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”’ (Acts 13:2 NIV). How did they know the Spirit told them this? The passage doesn’t say. It may have been a dramatic moment. Or it may be that later, looking back, they recognised that the Spirit had guided them. But what is...More Sunday, March 9, 2025 Don’t avoid—engage ‘As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.’ John 17:18 NIV Jesus prayed: ‘I have given them Your Word … My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world’ (John 17:14-18 NIV). Where did Jesus dispatch His disciples? Into the world. He didn’t say, ‘Try to avoid the world. Just hang out with Christian people in the church and keep your distance from people who use bad...More Saturday, March 8, 2025 Problems? Draw closer to God ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’ James 4:8 NKJV We say we trust God but often fear that He won’t come through for us when we need Him most. So, we falsely assume that if we keep thinking about the problem and worrying about it enough, somehow we can take care of it on our own—just in case God doesn’t show up and do something according to our timetable. This brings us closer to our problems, but not to the One who can solve them. But when we choose to believe that God is in control of our lives and is going to handle whatever situation we are in, we move closer to Him and our problems...More Friday, March 7, 2025 Jesus is the answer ‘I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.’ Romans 10:20 NLT The Bible says, ‘… I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.’ (Romans 10:20 NLT) You might ask, ‘What does this Scripture mean?’ Even though you’re looking for answers in the wrong places, asking the wrong questions, and heading in the wrong direction, Jesus will intercept you, redirect you, and meet your deepest needs. When the woman at the well met Jesus, she was looking for the answer in relationships. She had...More Thursday, March 6, 2025 Your past qualifies you as a worshipper ‘Her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown Me much love.’ Luke 7:47 NLT The Bible says: ‘One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, … When a certain immoral woman from that city heard He was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind Him at His feet, weeping. Her tears fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know what kind...More Wednesday, March 5, 2025 You are not beyond God’s reach ‘But He needed to go through Samaria.’ John 4:4 NKJV The Bible says that Jesus ‘… left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria’ (John 4:3-4 NKJV). In case you may not be aware of it, Samaria was not on the way to Galilee. Actually, it was miles out of the way. Yet, the Bible says Jesus ‘needed to go’. Think about it: it was a long journey, and He was on foot. It was hot. As a Jew, He wouldn’t be welcomed there because of a long-standing animosity between Jews and Samaritans. As for the woman at the well that He went to meet, women in that culture were forbidden to...More Tuesday, March 4, 2025 God cares about you ‘Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.’ 1 Peter 5:7 NLT Charles Weigle was an itinerant American evangelist who enjoyed travelling and preaching, despite the rigours of the road. His wife, however, grew disillusioned with her frequently absent husband. One day Charles returned home to find this note: ‘Charlie, I’ve been a fool. I’ve done without a lot of things … from here on out, I’m getting all I can out of what the world owes me. I know you will continue to be a fool for Jesus, but for me, it’s goodbye!’ He was stunned, and depression swept over him like a tidal wave....More Monday, March 3, 2025 You are commanded to love ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;’ John 13:34 NKJV Love is not an emotion, because you cannot command someone to feel a certain way. Loving someone is a choice that manifests itself in your attitudes and actions towards that person. Jesus said, ‘“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”’ (John 13:34-35 NKJV). Jesus called this a new commandment. What’s new about it? These words: ‘… as I have loved you,...More Sunday, March 2, 2025 The importance of fellowship ‘All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship,’ Acts 2:42 NLT Euclid was a Greek mathematician who lived about three hundred years after Christ. He is best known for his thirteen-volume series of books called Elements. Two of his axioms of geometry have been revised to produce the modern saying: ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’ Another way of saying this would be ‘something happens in a group that doesn’t happen alone’. That ‘something’ is called ‘synergy’. It comes from the Greek word sunergia, meaning cooperation and working together....More Saturday, March 1, 2025 Compassion ‘When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them,’ Matthew 9:36 NKJV When you’re self-absorbed and focused on your own interests, it’s easy to overlook people in need and show no concern. But when you commit your life to Christ and decide to follow in His footsteps, that changes. ‘But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His...More Friday, February 28, 2025 You’re in the school of faith ‘The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.’ Romans 1:17 NKJV The story has been told of a mother who said to her son, ‘It’s time to get up and go to school.’ He replied, ‘I’m not going to school today!’ His mother said, ‘Why not?’ He replied, ‘Because the children hate me, and the teachers criticise me. Why should I have to go to school and put up with that?’ His mother replied, ‘Because you’re the headteacher!’ Seriously, the Christian life is a school. Paul describes each grade as going ‘from faith to faith’. In the school of faith, the Holy Spirit is...More Thursday, February 27, 2025 Be biblical; be bold! ‘The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.’ Daniel 11:32 NKJV The Bible says, ‘… the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits’ (Daniel 11:32 NKJV). This Scripture is not a licence to be arrogant and insensitive to the feelings of others, or to have an overinflated opinion of yourself. It means that when you understand God’s Word, God’s ways, and God’s will, you will be confident in who you are and in what God has called you to do. When was the last time you attempted to do something for the first time? You say, ‘I am...More Wednesday, February 26, 2025 Discover what’s special about you ‘In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.’ Romans 12:6 NLT A fascinating study was done on divergent thinking—which is thinking outside the box. The results? Ninety-eight per cent of children between three and five years old scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. Between eight and ten, that number dropped to 32 per cent. By the time they became teenagers, it dropped down to 10 per cent. And of those over twenty-five, only 2 per cent scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. That means the older you get, the greater your tendency will...More Tuesday, February 25, 2025 Your prayers will be answered ‘”Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.”’ Acts 10:4 CSB God told Cornelius that his prayers had gone up as a memorial before him. Memorials are usually built for people who are dead and gone. What a great promise this is. Even after you have gone to heaven, the prayers you pray on behalf of your loved ones become a memorial before God, getting His attention and moving Him to action. So, don’t stop praying. Saint Augustine is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity, but he didn’t start out well. Young...More Monday, February 24, 2025 Live by obedience, not emotion ‘The woman saw that the tree was good for food … pleasant to the eyes, and … desirable.’ Genesis 3:6 NKJV Emotions have a tone that we call ‘feeling’. And the tone of feeling is very strong. Most of us realise how we feel. We make decisions driven by feeling. Relationships are established or damaged because of feeling. Seeing what felt good, enjoyable, and to be desired is what led Eve to disobedience. The Bible does not say she was hungry; otherwise, she would have eaten of every other tree in the garden of Eden. Emotional drama in the first woman, opened the door to emotional drama in all of us. So,...More Sunday, February 23, 2025 Keep going, and you will succeed ‘So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.’ Galatians 6:9 NLT In life, you’re going to have all kinds of problems. So, what should you do? Persevere! No matter what’s going on in your life, the victory is in refusing to quit. Keep in mind that in the heat of your struggles, the Holy Spirit is often doing His greatest work within you. Paul writes, ‘… but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope’ (Romans 5:3-4 NKJV). God is not moved by circumstances, and you must not be either. He will lead you...More Saturday, February 22, 2025 Want what God wants ‘The king said to me, “What is it you want?”’ Nehemiah 2:4 NIV The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls began with two questions the king asked Nehemiah. The first question was ‘What is bothering you?’ (see Nehemiah 2:2). The second question was ‘What is it you want?’ (Nehemiah 2:4 NIV). Nehemiah replied, ‘… send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it’ (Nehemiah 2:5 NIV). Nehemiah knew exactly what he wanted, because a passion for it had been conceived in his spirit. He had been thinking and praying about it for quite a few months when the king asked him...More Friday, February 21, 2025 What’s keeping you from winning? ‘Let us lay aside every weight … and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.’ Hebrews 12:1 NKJV In ancient Greece, athletes practised with weights strapped to their bodies. But on the day of the race, they took them off in order to win. What’s keeping you from running and winning? 1) Comparing yourself to others? The only person you should compare yourself to is you. Your objective is to become better today than you were yesterday. You do that by concentrating on what you can do today to improve and develop. If you do that often enough, and if you compare the way you were...More Thursday, February 20, 2025 Practise being tender-hearted ‘Be kind to one another, tender-hearted,’ Ephesians 4:32 NKJV In his best-selling book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey describes an experience he had on a subway in New York. A man and his children boarded the train, and the children were so loud and rambunctious, they disrupted the entire car. The man sat down beside Covey, seemingly oblivious to the situation. Covey finally said, ‘Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn’t control them a little more?’ The man looked startled. Then he said, ‘Oh, you’re right. I guess I should do...More Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Everybody has a thorn (2) ‘Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.’ Ephesians 6:10 NLT Paul tells us two things about his thorn: First, that it was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. The word ‘buffet’ means ‘to render blow after blow’. It was not one battle, but a series of back-to-back attacks that didn’t let up. Satan knows your weakest areas, and he will repeatedly attack you in those areas. How can you defeat him? The Bible tells: ‘… Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are...More Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Everybody has a thorn (1) ‘A thorn in the flesh was given to me,’ 2 Corinthians 12:7 NKJV Paul writes: ‘...a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me … For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NKJV). Paul had such great faith that when he prayed, the sick were...More Monday, February 17, 2025 God can keep you together ‘Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.’ Matthew 19:6 NKJV This may come as a surprise to you, but the main purpose of marriage is not to produce children. Couples who cannot give birth are as married as couples who can. Jesus said, ‘… “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”’ (Matthew 19:5 NKJV). When God looks at a parent and child, He sees two. When God looks at a brother and sister, He sees two. But when God looks at a husband and wife, He sees one. ‘Joined together’ means ‘to be glued...More |
Friday, February 14, 2025 Intimacy, dependency, obedience (3) ‘For I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.’ John 5:30 NIV Obedience is the third thing that defines Jesus’ relationship with His Father. Jesus said, ‘“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear … for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.’ (John 5:30 NIV). Note the words ‘as I hear’. When you know you have heard from God, you have confidence to handle whatever life throws at you, and to take on any assignment He gives you. Christ’s first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. In it you will find a statement that’s crucial to...More Thursday, February 13, 2025 Intimacy, dependency, obedience (2) ‘The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees his Father doing,’ John 5:19 NIV Dependency is the second thing that defines Jesus’ relationship with His Father. Corrie ten Boom used to say, ‘I am just the glove, Jesus is the hand that fills it and works through it.’ That’s a picture of Christ’s relationship with His heavenly Father, and it’s a blueprint for the kind of relationship you can have with God. In the Bible you will notice two all-important things about Jesus: 1) He never seemed to suffer from the fear of failing, like we so often do. Why? Because He prayed...More Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Intimacy, dependency, obedience (1) ‘For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.’ John 5:20 NIV These three things define the relationship Jesus had with His Father, and they are a blueprint for the kind of relationship you need to build with God: intimacy, dependency, obedience. First: let’s look at intimacy. Jesus said, ‘For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. …’ (John 5:20 NIV). You only reveal yourself, including your innermost thoughts and secrets, to someone with whom you are intimate. And when you become intimate with God, He will share with you things that others are not privy to. David’s...More Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Blessing is progressive ‘Gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel,’ 1 Kings 18:19 NKJV The greatest chapter in the story of Elijah’s life took place on Mount Carmel. That’s when he called down fire from heaven, defeated the prophets of Baal, and turned the hearts of the Israelites back to God. The word ‘Carmel’ means ‘fruitful ground’. But before Elijah could get to Mount Carmel, he had to go through two places: First: God led him to the brook called Cherith. The word ‘Cherith’ means ‘to make covenant with’. It was here that Elijah discovered that God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God who can...More Monday, February 10, 2025 The difference between Abraham and Peter ‘But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.’ Matthew 14:30 NLT When Peter stepped out of the boat at the command of Jesus, he was doing something he had never done before; something miraculous—walking on water. As long as he remained in faith, he was successful, but when fear gripped his heart, he began to sink. The Bible says, ‘But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”’...More Sunday, February 9, 2025 Are YOU feeling unqualified? ‘“The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build,”’ Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV With its walls torn down, Jerusalem was defenceless against her enemies. So, Nehemiah assembled a team to rebuild the walls. He had no training for this job. He wasn’t an architect or a builder. Jerusalem was far away, and he had never been there. Any way you look at it, he was unqualified for the job. That’s a common denominator with many of the people God has used in a remarkable way. Noah was a farmer, called to build a boat in the desert. David was a shepherd, called to...More Saturday, February 8, 2025 Improve your self-talk ‘I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.’ Psalm 34:1 NKJV Whether you know it or not, you have an ongoing conversation with yourself. How does it sound? Do you encourage yourself? Or do you condemn yourself? If you are positive, then you strengthen your positive self-image. If you are negative, you weaken your self-worth. If you’re serious about improving your life, then you must improve the way you think of yourself. And to do that, you must change the way you talk to yourself. And the older you grow, the more responsible you are for the way you think, talk, and...More Friday, February 7, 2025 Breaking out of the failure syndrome ‘Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.’ Romans 8:37 NLT When you have been abused, rejected, or abandoned, it’s easy to become shame based and end up with a very poor self-image. The devil knows this, so he will attack your personal confidence whenever he can find an opening. He wants you to believe that you are a failure, because without confidence you will never step out and try to do the things you truly want to do. He does not want you to fulfil God’s plan for your life. If he can make you believe that you are incapable, then you won’t even try to...More Thursday, February 6, 2025 Prayer (2) ‘Men always ought to pray and not lose heart.’ Luke 18:1 NKJV People who did not grow up in Christian homes and are told to pray to seek Jesus usually have no idea what to say or how to say it. Even after they are saved, they still struggle with how to pray. While God hears our words regardless of how they are said, Jesus taught about how to pray because the disciples asked Him to. They may not have desired to write dissertations on it, but they wanted to know how to pray. It’s the only time in the Bible where one person clearly teaches another person how to pray, and all because of a request from...More Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Prayer (1) ‘Lord, teach us to pray,’ Luke 11:1 NKJV Demonstrating an uncommon level of honesty, a well-known pastor says: ‘Prayer is the biggest struggle I have … It’s difficult to maintain a consistent prayer life, and especially difficult to sustain the conviction that it does any good at times.’ Prayer doesn’t come naturally for the majority of us. We know it’s supposed to be a dialogue, but often it feels like a monologue. There is nothing worse than trying to talk with someone who won’t talk back. We don’t like to admit it, but often what we are really wondering about prayer is, ‘How can I pray so...More Tuesday, February 4, 2025 You choose: Your calling or your comfort ‘When they came to Harran, they settled there.’ Genesis 11:31 NIV The Bible says, ‘Terah took his son Abram … and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there’ (Genesis 11:31 NIV). A Christian author writes: ‘Terah accompanied Abram for part of the journey to Canaan, but then he stopped … Terah and his family begin their story in Ur, the great centre of wealth and education and the land of idols. Then they begin on this road, which passes through the city of Harran and then down into Canaan … For Terah, the father of Abram, the...More Monday, February 3, 2025 Faithfulness ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;’ Matthew 25:23 NKJV Jesus begins the parable of the talents with these words: ‘“For the kingdom of heaven is like …’ (Matthew 25:14 NKJV). And one of the strongest points He makes is the importance of being faithful. Whether God gives you five talents, two talents, or one talent, the thing that matters to Him is your faithfulness. ‘His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord”’ (Matthew 25:21 NKJV). You will notice that He...More Sunday, February 2, 2025 Don’t give place to pride ‘Our sufficiency is from God.’ 2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV Before his 1971 fight with Joe Frazier, American boxer Muhammad Ali said: ‘There’s not a man alive who can whup me. [He jabbed at the air with his blinding left.] I’m too smart. [He tapped his head with his glove.] I’m too pretty. [He showed the cameras his profile, like a bust on a pedestal.] I am the greatest! I am the king! I should be a postage stamp—that’s the only way I’ll ever get licked!’ Guess what happened in that fight? To the amazement of all, especially himself, Ali lost to Frazier. When confidence in your own ability...More Saturday, February 1, 2025 Are you searching for meaning? ‘I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.’ Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV Are you thinking that if you had more money or greater success, you would be happy? Tennis star Boris Becker said: ‘I had won Wimbledon twice before, once as the youngest player. I was rich. I had all the material possessions I needed … It’s the old song of movie stars and pop stars who commit suicide. They have everything, and yet they are so unhappy. I had no inner peace.’ Solomon made the same discovery. ‘I have seen all the things that are done...More Friday, January 31, 2025 Friendship ‘A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.’ Proverbs 17:17 NLT Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne of his father, Saul, but David had been called by God to succeed Saul as Israel’s next king. From day one, they were on a collision course. They had everything to lose by becoming friends, because ultimately only one of them could reign. So how did they handle it? Were they competitive, or suspicious, or jealous of one another? No, because neither was interested in promoting himself. The Bible says, ‘And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he...More Thursday, January 30, 2025 Keep praying for your children ‘Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.’ Proverbs 22:6 NLT The Prodigal Son eventually came back home and was restored to his place in the family. When he lost everything and ended up feeding pigs, the Bible says, ‘He came to himself’ (see Luke 15:17). It’s hard to watch someone you love suffer but sometimes they need to hit the bottom in order to turn around. The Prodigal’s breaking point became his turning point. ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you”’ (Luke 15:18 NKJV)....More Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Getting beyond it ‘Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. … the second he called Ephraim.’ Genesis 41:51-52 NKJV When you experience tragedy or loss, unless you get help, you can shut down emotionally and remain stuck. And when you focus on the pain of the past, you risk forfeiting the blessing God has for you in the future. If anyone had reason to give in to despair and quit, it was Joseph. Those who should have loved him resented and betrayed him. He was slandered, lied about, and falsely imprisoned. How did he survive it? Four times in Genesis 39, the Bible says, ‘The Lord was with Joseph.’ Having...More Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Only Jesus can satisfy your soul ‘Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.’ John 4:14 NKJV The woman Jesus met at the well had been married five times. She had tried multiple relationships in an attempt to fill the void within her. But it didn’t work for her, and it won’t work for you. Neither will climbing the corporate ladder, or acquiring more and more stuff, or achieving fame. Note what Jesus told this woman: ‘… “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again’ (John 4:13 NKJV). When you’re in the desert without water, there comes a point at which you start seeing mirages and believing things that...More Monday, January 27, 2025 Understanding righteousness ‘But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed…’ Romans 3:21 NKJV You will go to heaven because you trusted in Christ’s righteousness, not your own. You say, ‘But isn’t doing the right things important?’ Absolutely. Your reward in heaven will be predicated upon what you do for God here on earth. But your salvation depends on trusting in Christ’s performance, not your own. Satan knows this, and he will try to drive you back to performance-based Christian living. And when you fail, as you assuredly will, he will condemn you and tell you that you don’t measure up and, therefore,...More Sunday, January 26, 2025 When God shows up ‘Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…’ Daniel 3:17 NKJV When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow before Nebuchadnezzar’s ninety-foot golden god, he threatened them with a fiery furnace. Here is what they told him: ‘… our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, …’ (Daniel 3:17-18 NKJV). When does God show up? When you say, ‘God is able to deliver me, but if not, I’m going to serve Him...More Saturday, January 25, 2025 Glean, store up, and share ‘Gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain.’ Genesis 41:35 NKJV Notice what Joseph told Pharaoh: ‘… to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain … Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine’ (Genesis 41:34-36 NKJV). There are two important lessons for us in this story. 1) Don’t let your bad times eat up your...More Friday, January 24, 2025 Don’t give up! ‘To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV Solomon says there is ‘A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep...More Thursday, January 23, 2025 God cares about the details of your life ‘The very hairs of your head are all numbered.’ Luke 12:7 NKJV If you want to know how incomprehensively big God is, read this: ‘Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand together’ (Isaiah 48:13 NKJV). Could such a God care about your daily troubles and woes? Yes. ‘Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows’ (Luke 12:6-7 NKJV). God values...More Wednesday, January 22, 2025 What it takes to do God’s will ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Acts 9:6 NKJV Paul’s life changed forever when, trembling and astonished, he asked the question, ‘… Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Note how God answered his question: ‘… Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do’ (Acts 9:6 NKJV). Discovering God’s will takes place in steps. Step one is awareness. You cannot change direction if you’re unaware you’re heading in the wrong direction, so spend some time thinking about where you’re presently heading. If it’s not where you need to go, then write down the steps you must...More Tuesday, January 21, 2025 Believe God, in spite of the odds ‘Our sufficiency is from God.’ 2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV Gideon’s army of thirty-two thousand men is enormously outnumbered by the Midianites when God tells him, ‘You have too many men.’ He instructs Gideon to release anyone who is afraid, and Gideon loses two-thirds of his army. Now he has only ten thousand men. Again, the Lord says, ‘There are still too many men,’ and reduces Gideon’s army to three hundred men. At that moment, the odds had to be a million to one. And it even gets better! God directs Gideon to attack the Midianites with trumpets and pitchers. Now for the real kicker: Israel...More Monday, January 20, 2025 You will be rewarded for it ‘The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’ Romans 8:18 NKJV In 1857, Scottish missionary David Livingstone gave this speech at Cambridge University: ‘People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa … Away with the word in such a view and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul...More |
Saturday, January 18, 2025 Prodigal, come home! ‘His older son … was angry.’ Luke 15:25,28 NKJV The parable of the prodigal son is about two brothers and their father’s love for each. The younger one dishonoured his father and ended up in a pigpen. When he returned home, he had lost everything—except his father’s love. So, no matter who you are or what you have done—God loves you and wants you in His family. Jesus made an amazing statement: ‘“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him’ (Luke 15:20 NKJV). Ancient...More Friday, January 17, 2025 We all need the same grace ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ Luke 18:13 NKJV Jesus said: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; …’...More Thursday, January 16, 2025 God is at work! ‘Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.’ Philippians 3:8 NLT The experiences you had before you committed your life to Christ, including things you regret, can be redeemed, and put to good use. Before Paul met Christ on the Damascus road, his life had been dedicated to the study of Old Testament law. ‘… I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault’ (Philippians 3:5-6 NLT). Looking back, Paul...More Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Knowing the counterfeit from the genuine ‘For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.’ 2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul reveals four ways in which Satan works like a master counterfeiter. First, he supplies a counterfeit saviour: ‘… For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.’ (2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV) So though there are cults that preach Jesus, they do not preach the Christ of Christianity. Second, Satan presents counterfeit servants: ‘For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. … So it is no surprise if his servants, also,...More Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Throw out your fears ‘There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.’ 1 John 4:18 NKJV When you were young and said a bad word, your parents may have threatened to wash your mouth out with soap. Well, if fear is a dirty word, then faith in God’s unconditional love for you is like soap! Too many put the cart before the horse. We believe that God accepts us based on the degree of our love for Him rather than on the degree of His love for us. The Bible says, ‘We love Him because He first loved us’ (1 John 4:19 NKJV). God’s love for you is not based upon your performance but...More Monday, January 13, 2025 Determine to finish strong ‘By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.’ 2 Peter 1:3 NLT Following God means finishing what He has called you to do. Not everyone who starts out well finishes well. Occasionally we’re shocked and saddened to learn that a leader has been brought down by a moral or a financial problem. Paul writes, ‘Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you’ (Colossians 4:14 KJV). Later, he writes, ‘For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, …’ (2 Timothy 4:10 NKJV). There are three forces arrayed against you, and they never let up: the world, the...More Sunday, January 12, 2025 Freed from the drama of emotions ‘Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.’ Ephesians 4:24 NLT Dealing with crucifixion, Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. He felt intense emotions. ‘And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground’ (Luke 22:44 NKJV). So strong were these emotions that He prayed for the cup of crucifixion to pass. But that night, Jesus broke the domination of emotions by obedience to the will of His Father, saying, ‘… not My will, but Yours, be done’ (Luke 22:42 NKJV). Not only can emotions be ruled by...More Saturday, January 11, 2025 Show compassion to everyone (2) ‘He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.’ Matthew 14:14 NKJV Jesus demonstrated compassion wherever He went. He taught that we must care for ‘the least’ among us (see Matthew 25:40). The New Testament church continued His ‘brand’ by doing away with racism and lots of other ‘isms’. ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28 NKJV). Following Christ means showing compassion to everyone, whether you like them or not. You’re called to...More Friday, January 10, 2025 Show compassion to everyone (1) ‘Whenever you give a banquet, invite people who are poor, who have disabilities, who are limping, and people who are blind.’ Luke 14:13 NASB20 Luke writes, ‘It happened, that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely’ (Luke 14:1 NASB20). That day He turned one of their most prized religious traditions on its ear by saying, ‘“But whenever you give a banquet, invite people who are poor, who have disabilities, who are limping, and people who are blind; and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay...More Thursday, January 9, 2025 Use your tongue the right way ‘If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil.’ 1 Peter 3:10 NLT Your tongue has creative power. If you doubt that, criticise someone, and observe the look on their face and their response. Now try complimenting them and observe the look on their face and their response. But let’s not just talk about the effect your words have on others but what they have on you. The Bible says when you use your tongue to do good, you ‘enjoy life and see many happy days’. Jesus gives us a powerful illustration of this: ‘“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this...More Wednesday, January 8, 2025 Soul care ‘Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.’ 3 John 1:2 NKJV Your body is like an ‘earth suit’ that will eventually die and be replaced with a new, celestial, Christlike body. Paul writes, ‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, …’ (2 Corinthians 4:7 KJV). The treasure, the thing that matters most, the thing that will live for eternity, is your soul. John writes, ‘Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.’ (3 John 1:2 NKJV) Someone has estimated that the average body...More Tuesday, January 7, 2025 Three steps to spiritual restoration ‘The goodness of God leads you to repentance.’ Romans 2:4 NKJV Satan wants to convince you your failures are so bad that they disqualify you in God’s eyes, that you’re unworthy of His love and grace, and that you should avoid God altogether. Don’t believe him. Here are three steps that lead to spiritual restoration: 1) Repent. Acknowledge your sin, renounce it, and trust in the shed blood of Jesus to forgive you. God loved you when you were a sinner, and He loves you no less as one of His redeemed children who has blown it. 2) Restitution. When your actions have hurt...More Monday, January 6, 2025 God can heal your memories ‘And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.’ Isaiah 65:17 NKJV Satan is called ‘the accuser’, and he will try to keep you focused on your past. He can hurt you every day unless you accept God’s forgiveness, forgive yourself, and move forward. At the cross, Jesus bore both your sin and shame, but Satan wants you to keep carrying them. Where can you find an answer? Look at these Scriptures: 1) ‘For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind’ (Isaiah 65:17 NKJV). You say, ‘But that’s in the future.’ True....More Sunday, January 5, 2025 God has an assignment for you to fulfil ‘I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 1:6 CSB Your God-given assignment in life comes with three things. 1) A plan. ‘I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 1:6 CSB) As you spend time with the Lord in prayer, He will reveal His plan to you. And He will do it one step at a time. You might say, ‘But what if I make a mistake? What if I stumble?’ The Bible says, ‘The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He...More Saturday, January 4, 2025 Are you doing what you’re supposed to do? ‘For we are … created … to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Ephesians 2:10 NIV In his book, How Successful People Grow, John Maxwell identifies three kinds of people: 1) People who don’t know what they would like to do… They lack a strong sense of purpose … They dabble. They drift. They … have no idea what to shoot for. I believe the main reason is that they don’t know themselves as well as they should and thus remain unfocused in their growth. 2) People who know what they would like to do but don’t do it … Sometimes they aren’t doing what...More Friday, January 3, 2025 Abiding: the secret of perpetual fruitfulness ‘He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…’ John 15:5 NKJV If serving the Lord stresses you out, read what Jesus said: ‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing’ (John 15:4-5 NKJV). When you see grapes on a vine, it’s a picture of effortless growth. One day when the great missionary J. Hudson Taylor felt overworked and worried, he read a letter from a friend...More Thursday, January 2, 2025 The importance of being alone with God ‘When He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.’ Matthew 14:23 NKJV Jesus was both human and divine. Because we tend to think of Him as the Son of God more than the Son of Man, we overlook what we can learn from His human experience. When Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people, His divine power and prerogatives were on display (see Matthew 14:13-21). Yet after the event, we see His humanity in ways we should be able to identify with. After dismissing the crowd and sending the disciples away, Jesus withdrew to a solitary spot on the mountainside to be alone with God....More Wednesday, January 1, 2025 Start by forgiving ‘Forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’ Ephesians 4:32 NIV If you would like to start the New Year with a clean slate and travelling lighter, let go of the old grudges that are weighing you down. American author Philip Yancey describes forgiveness as ‘an unnatural act’. He says, ‘You don’t find dolphins forgiving sharks for eating their playmates. It’s a dog-eat-dog world … not dog-forgive-dog.’ Bitterness and hatred come naturally when you have been hurt. Forgiving is supernatural and requires the grace of God, but remember, Jesus said, ‘But if you do not forgive others...More |
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