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The Word for Today Daily Devotional for 2025

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Friday, August 29, 2025 The challenge of developing leaders (1) ‘If it is to lead, do it diligently;’ Romans 12:8 NIV There is a two-fold challenge in developing leaders: 1) Emerging leaders many times want to take the lead before they’re actually ready. 2) Potential leaders can only become mature leaders when they’re permitted to develop and exercise their initiative. How does this happen? Through good timing! Paul writes, ‘Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. …’ (1 Timothy 5:22 NLT). Again he writes, ‘He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.’ (1 Timothy 3:6 NIV)....More Thursday, August 28, 2025 The importance of exercise ‘I discipline my body and bring it into subjection,’ 1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV Physical exercise strengthens your immune system so that you can fight off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, thyroid malfunction, impaired memory, and a host of maladies. The best kind of exercise is the one you like and is the most convenient. Here are the two biggest reasons we’re inconsistent in following an exercise program: First, we lose interest in it because we don’t get much satisfaction out of it. Second, it demands too much time or effort. Whether you go for a fast-moving walk or...More Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Just for today ‘This is the day which the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Psalm 118:24 NKJV When the going gets tough, and you’re tempted to complain about your lot in life, stop and remind yourself that this day is a gift from God, one you will never have again. Think about the following words and they will help you: Just for today, I will experience and enjoy each hour to the fullest and not try to tackle my whole life’s problems all at once. Just for today, I will try to improve my mind by learning more than I know; I will read something that requires effort, thought, concentration, and commitment....More Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Called to overcome (3) ‘Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’ Romans 8:37 NKJV Have you heard of the principle of supercompensation? A pastor explains: ‘When an athlete is pushed beyond the threshold of pain and exhaustion, the body overcompensates. The more a muscle is broken down, the more it builds back up … The two hundred and six bones in the body are constantly going through a process called remodelling. They are being broken down by osteoclasts and built back up by osteoblasts. The process of remodelling is intensified when a bone is broken. Extra osteoblasts help rebuild the bone....More Monday, August 25, 2025 Called to overcome (2) ‘This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.’ 1 John 5:4 NKJV A pastor encourages us: ‘Austrian Psychoanalyst Alfred Adler conducted a fascinating research project that popularised the theory of compensation. He studied art students and discovered that seventy per cent of them suffered from optical anomalies. He found degenerative traces in the ears of great composers like Mozart and Beethoven. And he cited numerous examples of other people who eventually became successful in the area of their greatest weakness. Adler believed that birth defects, poverty, illness, and negative circumstances...More Sunday, August 24, 2025 Called to overcome (1) ‘“He who overcomes shall inherit all things,”’ Revelation 21:7 NKJV A pastor writes: ‘All of us want every day to be a good day. But if every day was a good day, there would be no ‘good’ days, because there wouldn’t be any bad days to compare the good days to … Sickness helps us appreciate health. Failure helps us appreciate success. Debt helps us appreciate wealth. And the tough times help us appreciate the good times … Adversity is often the seedbed of opportunity because it has a way of bringing the best out of us … Adversity is often a blessing in disguise. We dream of zero...More Saturday, August 23, 2025 Citizens and pilgrims ‘God … has prepared a city for them.’ Hebrews 11:16 NIV There is a story about an American tourist’s visit to the home of a nineteenth-century Polish rabbi. The tourist was surprised to find it so sparsely and inexpensively furnished. The living area, a simple room lined with books, contained a table and a bench. When the tourist asked the rabbi, ‘Where’s all your furniture?’ he replied, ‘Where’s yours?’ The man asked, ‘What do you mean? I’m a visitor. I’m just passing through.’ ‘Me too!’ replied the rabbi. Passing through aptly applies to each of us; we’re creatures of time and...More Friday, August 22, 2025 Don’t be afraid of getting old ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ 2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV Before he was put to death for his faith, Paul wrote: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, …’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV). Up until the moment he was executed, Paul kept writing truths that would change the world. He could say, ‘I have finished the race,’ but never once did he say, ‘I quit!’ Did he have reasons to quit? Sure, he had been...More Thursday, August 21, 2025 Show kindness ‘She has done what she could.’ Mark 14:8 NKJV ‘A woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil … and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant … and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticised her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone … She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to...More Wednesday, August 20, 2025 The increased value of a greater purpose ‘Earnestly desire the best gifts.’ 1 Corinthians 12:31 NKJV The value of anything is determined by its function. What problem does it solve? What need does it meet? Sand is a good example. At the beach, sand is free. But if you want to build a playground, that same sand has to be bagged and transported, so it costs more; hence its value goes up. Now what was once free on the beach costs twenty-five dollars a bag. Once this same sand is glued to a piece of paper, making it sandpaper, its value increases again. Now it’s about five dollars for a sheet. The value has gone up with an alteration in its...More Tuesday, August 19, 2025 How to get along with others ‘All of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another …be tenderhearted, be courteous.’ 1 Peter 3:8 NKJV Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try to see things from their point of view. That’s one of the great keys to working with clients, pleasing customers, sustaining a marriage, raising children, pastoring people, helping those who are less fortunate, etc. Live by this Scripture: ‘Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous’ (1 Peter 3:8 NKJV). Try to look beyond yourself, your own pursuits, and your own...More Monday, August 18, 2025 Speaking in public ‘I will instruct you in what to say.’ Exodus 4:12 NLT You don’t have to be a great orator; you just have to deliver the message. You don’t have to emulate any other speaker; you just have to decide to be the best ‘you’ possible. So: 1) Forget about messing up. The chances are that you will know more about your topic than 90 per cent of the audience. If you stumble, so what? It signals to the audience that you’re human—just as they are. People often connect better with your vulnerability than your strength. Besides, they’re rooting for you, and they want you to succeed. 2) Focus on...More Sunday, August 17, 2025 You have enough (2) ‘Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.’ John 16:24 NKJV Have you been praying, and God hasn’t yet answered? Let’s look at some keys. 1) Maybe you’re expecting a lot from God but not much from yourself. Perhaps He is asking you to work harder by utilising the ingenuity He has given you. Remember, God’s promises are never an excuse for laziness. Elijah was in a devastating drought when God said, ‘Go to the brook Cherith. I will send ravens to feed you’ (See 1 Kings 17:1-4). Elijah could have replied, ‘Lord, I’m exhausted! Can’t you send them here?’ Instead, ‘So he...More Saturday, August 16, 2025 You have enough (1) ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.’ Psalm 23:1 NIV Spurgeon’s contemporary, Dr. Joseph Parker, pastored the City Temple Church in London. One day he walked up to his pulpit and read this verse: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing’ (Psalm 23:1 NIV). After a long pause, he closed his Bible, looked at the congregation, and said, ‘Friends, that is enough!’ And scripturally and practically speaking, he is right! When God is your shepherd, you ‘lack nothing.’ Even in the grimmest circumstances, you need ‘fear no evil’ because He is always with you’ (see Psalm 23:4). And you get to...More Friday, August 15, 2025 Righteousness is a gift, not a reward ‘Those who receive … the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.’ Romans 5:17 NKJV The Bible says, ‘… those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:17 NKJV). The righteousness that God approves and accepts comes as a ‘gift’ and it’s based on ‘grace.’ And grace means ‘unmerited, unearned, undeserved favour with God.’ Are you trying through your own efforts to earn right standing before God? Do you believe that by doing more good deeds, giving more, praying more, serving more,...More Thursday, August 14, 2025 Try to understand each other ‘Husbands, … live with your wives in an understanding way,’ 1 Peter 3:7 CSB To have a successful marriage, you must understand that your mate is not only physically different from you but mentally and emotionally different too. Let’s say a problem arises at breakfast. After work, he has forgotten it; he compartmentalised it to focus on work. For him, it’s over, but not necessarily for her. She may have rehearsed and processed it while multitasking during day. It hasn’t disappeared; it’s unfinished business. After work, he comes home, and there is tension. He thinks, ‘What’s the problem?’ She...More Wednesday, August 13, 2025 Keep it simple ‘With many similar parables Jesus spoke the Word to them, as much as they could understand.’ Mark 4:33 NIV If you’re serious about reaching and teaching people, there are two things you must try to do: 1) Talk to them, not above them. A preschooler was eating an apple in the back of the car. ‘Daddy,’ he said, ‘why is my apple turning brown?’ His father explained: ‘Because after you assimilated the skin on the exterior, the core structure of the apple came into contact with the atmosphere, which caused it to oxidise, thus changing its molecular structure and transforming it into a...More Tuesday, August 12, 2025 The five crowns (5) ‘You will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.’ 1 Peter 5:4 NKJV The fifth crown is the crown of glory. Peter wrote: ‘The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away’ (1...More Monday, August 11, 2025 The five crowns (4) ‘Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.’ Revelation 2:10 NKJV The fourth crown is the crown of life. Two different verses depict it for us. ‘Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him’ (James 1:12 NKJV). ‘… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life’ (Revelation 2:10 NKJV). A pastor explains it this way: ‘The Crown of Life is given in recognition of enduring and triumphing over temptations and trials, even to the point of martyrdom....More Sunday, August 10, 2025 The five crowns (3) ‘Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,’ 2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV The third crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of righteousness. Paul writes: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and … also to all who have loved His appearing’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV). A pastor amplifies this: ‘The book of 2 Timothy represents the last known writing of the apostle Paul, and we have reason to believe he was beheaded shortly after...More Saturday, August 9, 2025 The five crowns (2) ‘For what is our … crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?’ 1 Thessalonians 2:19 NKJV The second crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of rejoicing. It’s given to those who take part in leading others to Christ. The background for this passage is written about in Acts 17, which tells the story of Paul arriving in the city of Thessalonica. He went into the synagogue, ‘… and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining … that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach...More Friday, August 8, 2025 The five crowns (1) ‘They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.’ 1 Corinthians 9:25 NKJV In describing our heavenly rewards, the Bible speaks of crowns. Let’s look at each and see what we can learn. The first is the victor’s crown. ‘And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified”...More Thursday, August 7, 2025 Scriptural advice about sex ‘For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.’ 1 Corinthians 6:20 NASB20 American Columnist Ann Landers wrote: ‘Girls need to prove their love through illicit sexual relations like a moose needs a hat rack. Why not prove your love by playing leapfrog in the traffic? It’s about as safe. Clear the cobwebs out of your head! Any guy who asks you to prove your love is trying to take you for the biggest, most gullible fool who ever walked. That proving it bit is one of the … rottenest lines ever invented … Someone who loves you wants whatever is best for...More Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Wisdom for parenting teenagers ‘To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV Why does a happy, cooperative twelve-year-old suddenly turn into a sullen, depressed thirteen-year-old? There are two powerful forces that account for some of the adolescent behaviour that drives you crazy as a parent. The first is linked to social pressures common at that age. But there is a second source of disruption. It’s related to hormonal changes that not only transform the physical body but also revolutionise how kids think. For some (not all) adolescents, human chemistry is in a state of imbalance for a...More Tuesday, August 5, 2025 Honour others, and God will honour you ‘Be kindly affectionate to one another … in honour giving preference to one another;’ Romans 12:10 NKJV One of the real tests of character and maturity is how you react to someone else’s success. That’s particularly so when they succeed in an area where you failed or in which you’re frustrated over not having achieved greater success. F. B. Meyer, a well-known author and minister in England, once shared the following experience to a few of his friends: “It was easy to pray for the success of G. Campbell Morgan when he was in America. But when he came back to England and took a church near to mine, it...More Monday, August 4, 2025 Finding your life’s purpose ‘I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness.’ Acts 26:16 NKJV In baseball, the catcher tries to distract the batter. On one occasion when American catcher Yogi Berra was behind the plate, Hank Aaron came up to bat. Yogi started in, “Hank, you’ve got the writing on the bat in the wrong place. The words should be facing you.” Yogi kept going, “You better check it.” Hank didn’t say a word. On the next pitch, Hank hit the ball over the center field fence. He rounded the bases, stepped on home plate, looked at Yogi Berra, and said, “I didn’t come here to read, I...More Sunday, August 3, 2025 Take responsibility for your life ‘“Do you want to get well?”’ John 5:6 NIV What an amazing question Jesus asked this paralysed man: ‘… “Do you want to get well?”’ (John 5:6 NIV) Who wouldn’t? You might be surprised! American author Kay Arthur tells of passing a beggar one day on a street in the Old City of Jerusalem. As he sat begging, his trouser leg was pulled up to reveal his terrible sores. She writes: ‘My nurse’s heart brought my feet to a halt. I wanted to bend down and shield the open wound from the dust … It should be washed, medicated, and dressed by someone who cared. My friend gently took me by my elbow and...More Saturday, August 2, 2025 A word to graduates ‘Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved,’ 2 Timothy 2:15 CSB Graduates, here are eleven lessons to empower and inspire you: 1) You’re here for a reason, and the most vital thing you can do is find it. 2) Follow your passion. You may not already know what it is but make it your mission to discover it. 3) Although you might love Facebook, you might not like working for the company. And because you enjoy cooking doesn’t mean you will enjoy owning a restaurant. 4) Don’t quit because the work is hard. Quit because deep inside you know there is something different for you to do, or...More Friday, August 1, 2025 How do you handle fear? ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ Psalm 118:6 NKJV Being in a position of leadership won’t give you courage, but showing courage will establish you as a leader in the eyes of others. American pastor Larry Osborne said, “The most striking thing about highly effective leaders is how little they have in common. What one swears by another warns against. But one trait stands out: the willingness to risk.” Courage isn’t the lack of fear; it’s doing what you’re afraid to do. It’s having the power to release the familiar and advance into new territory. The psalmist said,...More Thursday, July 31, 2025 Beware of covetousness ‘No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.’ Psalm 84:11 NKJV Covetousness will rob you of contentment. It works like this: you browse through a home-decorating magazine, and the home you were thankful for an hour ago suddenly seems ramshackle. Or you see an ad on TV for a new car, and the car in your driveway suddenly looks like an old banger. God expects you to have goals for your life and to provide for your family but beware of coveting things so much that you become obsessed with how to get them. When Israel went to war with Jericho, God told them everything in the city was...More Wednesday, July 30, 2025 God still loves you! ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love;’ Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV American pastor Dr Gerald Mann writes: ‘Moralisers are faithful to remind us that King David’s life was all downhill after Bathsheba-gate. They list the litany of his woes: the baby of the illicit union died. He never recovered his moral stature. His sons fought over succession. One of them was beheaded for trying to dethrone him. God deprived him of his grandest dream: building the Temple—too much blood on his hands! But take another look at the story. The opening words of the book of Proverbs silence such sanctimony: ‘The proverbs of...More Tuesday, July 29, 2025 The need for connectedness ‘Being rooted and established in love,’ Ephesians 3:17 NIV Unfortunately, the word fellowship has come to be associated with awkward gatherings in church basements, drinking red punch, and participating in stilted conversations. No wonder people give up on it! Paul describes connectedness as ‘being rooted and established in love’. When a tree puts roots into the ground, it takes in nutrients and water, and the tree grows and has life, but only if it’s rooted. In the same way, we’re rooted, and our souls are nourished in the love of God—and other people. We experience this physically and emotionally...More Monday, July 28, 2025 When you feel blah ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish;’ Proverbs 29:18 KJV The word ‘perish’ conjures up images of deterioration and decay, like fruit rotting from within. On what specific day does passion leave a marriage or a worker lose interest in a job that once excited them? Like air leaking silently out of a tyre, what was meant to carry our weight and to power us towards our destiny can now barely wobble. If that’s how you’re feeling now, read this promise, and let it take root within you: ‘He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint...More Sunday, July 27, 2025 Are you in a stress mess? ‘What you are doing is not good. You … will only wear yourselves out.’ Exodus 18:17-18 NIV The Bible says: ‘The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties...More Saturday, July 26, 2025 When God asks you to give ‘The Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,’ Ephesians 6:8 NIV When God asks you to sacrifice on behalf of somebody else, do it. It’s like putting money in a heavenly account. You may not need it today or tomorrow, but when you do, God will ensure it comes back to you in multiplied form. Indian Christian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were travelling through a pass high in the Himalayas when they found a body lying in the snow. They checked for vital signs and discovered the man was still alive, but barely. He had a broken leg and could not walk. As Sundar prepared to stop and...More Friday, July 25, 2025 Compassion begins with the word ‘notice’ ‘When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset.’ Genesis 40:6 NLT Joseph was serving a prison sentence for a crime he didn’t commit, which makes it remarkable that he had the time and energy to care about anybody else. ‘… Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker offended their royal master … and he put them in prison where Joseph was, … Joseph … noticed that they both looked upset. “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean” …’ (Genesis 40:1, 3, 6-8 NLT)....More Thursday, July 24, 2025 Dealing with relationship issues (2) ‘Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?’ Amos 3:3 NIV Relationships are built on mutual trust—and trust is based on speaking the truth. But there are ways of speaking the truth that help and ways that hurt. The ‘give-them-a-piece-of-my-mind’ approach just drives the wedge deeper. Then there is the Bible way: ‘Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow …’ (Ephesians 4:15 NIV). Let’s suppose a couple fights because he is habitually late. How can she make sure her message gets across? Well, she could say to him: a) ‘I feel frustrated.’ No blame, no attack; just...More Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Dealing with relationship issues (1) ‘But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.’ Galatians 5:15 CSB Every worthwhile relationship can experience problems. With that in mind, it’s important to recognise this: 1) Problems are inevitable, normal, and potentially beneficial. They’re inevitable because relationships bring together very different people. They’re normal because all relationships, including great ones, go through ups and downs. And they’re potentially beneficial because, handled effectively, the relationship can grow through problems. 2) Generally speaking, there are...More Tuesday, July 22, 2025 Being energised by the work of God ‘“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”’ John 4:34 NIV No one had more energy than Jesus. He got up early, stayed up late, and sometimes pulled all-nighters. Where did He get all that energy from? The answer is found in a fascinating dialogue. ‘… His disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then His disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought Him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work”’ (John...More Monday, July 21, 2025 The secret to success ‘Were made strong out of weakness,’ Hebrews 11:34 ESV The so-called ‘secret’ to success is really no secret at all! It’s simply getting back up when life has knocked you down and taking with you into the future the lessons you have learned. In talking about heroes such as Samson and David, the Bible goes on to say, ‘… were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight ’ (Hebrews 11:34 ESV). Notice these people weren’t always strong, but they became strong. They didn’t win every battle, but they went on to win the ones that mattered. In 1928, a...More Sunday, July 20, 2025 Become willing to change (4) ‘Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.’ Colossians 1:10 NASB20 To bear fruit, you must dedicate yourself to the process. Whether it’s in your career, your marriage, your ministry, or your walk with God, once you dedicate yourself to ‘increase in the knowledge of God’ and a lifestyle of planned improvement, it becomes normal to you. And you realise when you’re not making progress that something is missing. It’s been reputed that the Polish American classical pianist Arthur Rubinstein refused to listen to recordings of his playing. Even only a few months afterwards,...More Saturday, July 19, 2025 Become willing to change (3) ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart.’ Psalm 139:23 NKJV Change must happen inside you before it can happen around you. In an old Peanuts comic strip, Lucy tells Charlie Brown she would like to change the world. So, Charlie asks her, ‘Where would you start?’ In typical Lucy fashion, she replies, ‘I would start with you.’ Think about it: when we have marital problems, we sometimes pray, ‘Lord, help my spouse to change!’ But maybe things will improve when you’re willing to pray, ‘Lord, help me to change!’ Changing the atmosphere and dynamics in your home usually starts with changing your own...More Friday, July 18, 2025 Become willing to change (2) ‘I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,’ Philippians 3:8 NASB20 You must be willing to pay the price for change. American dramatist and screenwriter Sidney Howard remarked, ‘One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.’ Change always costs you, if not in money, then in time, creativity, and energy. In fact, if it doesn’t cost you anything, chances are it’s not real change! As you consider how to make the changes needed in your life in order to improve and grow, it’s important to count the cost of changing...More Thursday, July 17, 2025 Become willing to change (1) ‘Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.’ 1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV Recognise that without change, there can be no progress. Now, we’re not advocating change for its own sake. That can be a characteristic of restlessness and a symptom of inner conflict. Change can represent great opportunities as well as potential losses. Although all progress produces change, not all change produces progress. But as American leadership expert Max DePree observed, ‘We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.’ If you want to grow, you must be willing...More Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Don’t lose your passion for God ‘His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."’ John 2:17 ESV Try to imagine the fire in the eyes of Jesus and the flex of His muscles as He turns over the tables of the money changers in the temple. And He does it while wielding a whip He made Himself. The Bible says, ‘His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." (John 2:17 ESV). Jesus was the wisest and kindest person who ever lived. Additionally, He was the most passionate. And those who follow Him ought to be the most passionate people on earth. The word enthusiasm comes from...More Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Free from jealousy ‘But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.’ James 3:14 NKJV The Bible says, ‘… For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved’ (2 Peter 2:19 ESV). And that’s especially true of jealousy. American pastor Chuck Swindoll writes: ‘Jealousy and envy are often used interchangeably, but there’s a difference. Envy begins with empty hands; it mourns what it doesn’t have … Jealousy begins with full hands; it’s threatened by the pain of losing what you have to someone else despite your efforts to hold on to it … This was Cain’s sin....More Monday, July 14, 2025 Have a biblical perspective ‘So that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures … we might have hope.’ Romans 15:4 NIV There is a cute story about a young woman who left home and to attend university. After her first term, she emailed her mother, saying, ‘I think it’s time I brought you up to date on what’s going on in my life. Shortly after I arrived at university, I got bored with dormitory life and stole fifty dollars from my roommate’s purse. With the money, I rented a motorbike, which I crashed into a telephone pole a few streets from the dorm. I broke my leg in the accident and am unable to attend lectures, so I’m...More Sunday, July 13, 2025 Faith is not faith until it is acted upon ‘For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.’ James 2:26 KJV Could it be that the negative perception people have of the church stems from the negative energy we project? And could it be that our negative energy stems from our negative view of righteousness? We falsely view righteousness as doing nothing wrong: ‘Don’t do this. Don’t do that—and you’re okay.’ The problem with that approach is you can do nothing wrong and still not do the right thing; the thing God is calling you to do. Righteousness means more than doing nothing wrong. Do you really...More Saturday, July 12, 2025 Knowing the season you’re in ‘To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV Your life’s purpose is connected to a specific time and season. In other words, it will have a beginning and an ending. Some of God’s purposes can be fulfilled in a short time, while others take a lifetime. You won’t always be able to do what you’re doing today, or at least to the extent you’re doing it now. The Bible teaches, ‘… As your days, so shall your strength be’ (Deuteronomy 33:25 NKJV). That’s why some of the world’s best sports players transition into coaching. Three important...More Friday, July 11, 2025 Go the extra mile ‘Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.’ Matthew 5:41 NKJV Try to picture this: you’re in a restaurant with someone whose meal costs $35, and you’re watching them struggle over the tip. They have $4 left over, and they know that a 10 per cent tip is considered the very minimum. They waste five minutes getting change so they can leave a $3.50 tip rather than leave a little extra. What would have happened if they had left the full $4? They may have made the waiter’s or waitress’s day. Fifty cents may not seem like much, but the message that goes along with it can mean the world of...More Thursday, July 10, 2025 Don’t be dismissive ‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.’ Philippians 2:4 NKJV If you are in a position of leadership, try to be aware of how you respond to the feelings, thoughts, and opinions of those around you. What you say as a leader will resonate more deeply with people than what others say, so you must be sensitive to this. Even when someone offers an idea that you feel has no merit, resist the temptation to immediately dismiss it. A simple ‘Thank you for your input’ is called for, not ‘No, that won’t work.’ When you’re dismissive towards someone, it...More Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Walking by faith ‘"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 Many of us are waiting for the green light we have already been given. Jesus said, ‘… "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). When do insight, illumination, and direction come? When you take the first steps of faith. We are not advocating a thoughtless or prayerless approach to decision-making. You need to know that God is calling you. But you can be so afraid of doing the wrong thing that you never do...More Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Try. Try harder. Try longer. ‘Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’ Galatians 6:9 NKJV One of the greatest predictors of success in any endeavour is persistence. It’s not only how hard you try; it’s how long you try. We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish in the short term. And according to an American pastor and author, we also ‘underestimate how much we can accomplish over the long haul. Why? Because energy is exponential. The harder you work and the longer you work, the more it pays off. In a study involving Japanese and American first graders,...More Monday, July 7, 2025 Why can’t we work together? (4) ‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ Ephesians 4:3 NIV A lady told her friend, ‘My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for me. And that’s the way we go through life—doing nothing for each other!’ We smile, but that’s not so funny when it’s true. That attitude paves the road to disaster in marriage, business, church, personal relationships, and everywhere else. Often people join a team for their own advantage—they want supporting players so they can receive all the...More Sunday, July 6, 2025 Why can’t we work together? (3) ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’ Psalm 133:1 NKJV Reason three: temperament. Some people aren’t naturally outgoing. When they face challenges, it never occurs to them to enlist other people’s help in order to accomplish their goal. When you operate alone, you will achieve a certain amount of success, but when you cooperate with the right people, you will achieve things you never dreamed possible. When you do everything alone and never partner with others, you produce huge hurdles to your own potential. American psychologist Dr Allan Fromme quipped,...More Saturday, July 5, 2025 Why can’t we work together? (2) ‘Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.’ 1 Samuel 14:7 NIV Reason two: naivety. An old Chinese proverb says, ‘Behind every able man there are always other able men.’ Even if you can do the job yourself, isn’t it wise to stop and ask, ‘Who do I know who could help me to do it better?’ That question defines the difference between mediocrity and excellence. A wise business consultant keeps a sign on his desk that reads, ‘If I had it to do all over again, I’d get help.’ We all need that sign! When you have a few victories under your belt, you’re at an increased risk of thinking you can do...More Friday, July 4, 2025 Why can’t we work together? (1) ‘Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, does not receive us.’ 3 John 1:9 NKJV Reason one: insecurity. The Florentine philosopher Machiavelli said, ‘The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.’ Insecure leaders are threatened by talented individuals, so they surround themselves with weak people. As a result, the work suffers, and everybody involved suffers too. When a leader responds to a genuine question by saying, ‘How dare you challenge my authority,’ they’re dangerous and often not worth following. Insecure leaders...More Thursday, July 3, 2025 Knowing when not to speak ‘The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.’ Proverbs 12:23 NLT Someone else’s need to know shouldn’t determine your need to speak. When a friend of Jesus wanted to stop His arrest, Jesus said, ‘Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?’ (Matthew 26:53 NIV). When Jesus stood in Pilate’s judgement hall, Pilate didn’t have the power; Jesus did! Yet, the Bible says that Jesus ‘… was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open His mouth; …’ (Isaiah 53:7 NIV). He just stood...More Wednesday, July 2, 2025 To love, you must forgive ‘Forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.’ Colossians 3:13 NIV It’s impossible to love anyone fully and at the same time resent someone else. You cannot give total love when your heart is divided. And a bitter heart is a divided heart. You may be thinking, ‘My spouse is a wonderful person, but I just can’t love him.’ Look beneath the surface. You may still be reacting to your past and harbouring resentment against someone who hurt you. That’s keeping you from loving your spouse. And it’s not fair to them. Many people have justified cause for their anger. The...More Tuesday, July 1, 2025 Are you preparing for God’s blessing? ‘“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.”’ Luke 5:4 NKJV After Peter had fished all night and caught nothing, Jesus said, ‘…“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch”’ (Luke 5:4 NKJV). After explaining to Jesus that the fish weren’t biting, Peter said, ‘… nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net’ (Luke 5:5 NKJV). Notice an important detail here. When Jesus said, ‘Let down your nets,’ Peter replied, ‘I will let down the net.’ Apparently, Jesus had a bigger catch in mind than Peter! In fact, that night they caught so many fish...More Monday, June 30, 2025 Don’t be a grumbler (2) ‘Do all things without complaining and disputing,’ Philippians 2:14 NKJV Paul writes: ‘Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,’ (Philippians 2:14-15 NKJV). What was the attitude that Paul zeroed in on? Grumbling! What was the solution? He shared it with the Thessalonian believers: ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV). Instead of looking for things...More Sunday, June 29, 2025 Don’t be a grumbler (1) ‘Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer.’ 1 Corinthians 10:10 NASB20 If you don’t think God takes grumbling seriously, read this: ‘Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.’ (1 Corinthians 10:10-11 NASB20). Not only does grumbling and complaining hinder your prayers from being answered, but they also affect your health, and the happiness of those around you. So: 1) Pray before entering your day. Receive...More Saturday, June 28, 2025 Stay open and approachable ‘Consider carefully how you listen.’ Luke 8:18 NIV Some people seem to go through life with a ‘closed’ sign on their foreheads. Whether through fearfulness, selfishness, callousness, or busyness, they’re not open to the thoughts of others. And it can cost you dearly. Take a moment and ponder these Scriptures: ‘He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding’ (Proverbs 15:32 NKJV). ‘When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction’ (Proverbs 24:32 NKJV). ‘Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a...More Friday, June 27, 2025 Help for caregivers ‘When my spirit felt weak within me, you knew my path.’ Psalm 142:3 NASB20 One day you may end up caring for a sick or ageing loved one. And to take care of them properly, you must learn to take care of yourself. Following her parents’ deaths five weeks apart in a nursing home twelve hundred miles away, American journalist Beth Witrogen McLeod succumbed to clinical depression. ‘By ignoring my physical and mental health, I set myself up for a breakdown that would take two years to recover from. Despite its rewards, caregiving can be overwhelming.’ David said, ‘When my spirit felt weak within me, you...More Thursday, June 26, 2025 Resolve conflict quickly (2) ‘Pursue peace with all people.’ Hebrews 12:14 NKJV In order to resolve conflict, do these: 1) Focus on the person’s behaviour and stay away from remarks about their character. Saying, ‘It was unacceptable for you to open my letter’ is better than ‘I can’t believe you were so nosy!’ 2) Try to understand the other person’s behaviour instead of justifying your own. This will require active listening. Listening validates the other person’s feelings and provides them with the motivation to listen to you. ‘The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to...More Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Resolve conflict quickly (1) ‘"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”’ Matthew 18:15 NKJV Few things in life cause more stress than unresolved conflict. It will elevate your blood pressure and consume your thoughts until you resolve it, so if you’re wise, you will deal with it right away. Not all people feel this way. Even though Jesus commanded us to deal with it, many Christians refrain from saying anything for the sake of peace. Not so. Unresolved conflict will affect your peace of mind, your productivity, and your attitude...More Tuesday, June 24, 2025 The waiting strategy ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.’ Psalm 40:1 NKJV When you’re up against a problem that seems too big for you or feel like you are ‘in over your head’ and you don’t know what to do or which way to go, use the waiting strategy. That’s the one David the psalmist used. And it worked for him: ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; … Blessed is that...More Monday, June 23, 2025 Don’t burn out (2) ‘These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.’ John 15:11 NKJV To keep from burning out, do this: 1) Join a support group. Ask yourself, who fills the role of Paul to your Timothy? Who teaches you to pray like Jesus and John the Baptist taught their disciples? With whom can you share your struggles? The Bible says, ‘As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend’ (Proverbs 27:17 NLT). Ministry peers understand your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and can suggest new, refreshing spiritual practices. 2) Use the middle two letters of the...More

Saturday, June 21, 2025 Understanding the word ‘imputed’ ‘Righteousness…shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.’ Romans 4:22, 24 NKJV Picture a transfer of funds from one account to another. Banks do it every day. Now imagine yourself destitute and unable to pay your debts. Then in an astounding act of grace, someone assumes all your debts and then transfers to your account such abundance that you never have to work or worry for the rest of your life. That’s what happened at the cross when God imputed to Jesus all your sins from the cradle to the grave and imputed all His righteousness to you. Mind-blowing, isn’t...More Friday, June 20, 2025 God uses damaged people ‘When you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’ Luke 22:32 NKJV Too often people are devalued or dismissed because of what they have been through in life. Sometimes it’s because of what they have done to others, sometimes it’s because of what others have done to them. If you have been to a second-hand shop, you know there are valuable items at deeply discounted prices; you just have to know what you’re looking for. Jesus does. In His eyes you may be ‘down’ but you’re not ‘out’. Peter’s sorrow over denying Jesus ran so deep that he decided to go back to his old job as a...More Thursday, June 19, 2025 Have a God perspective ‘Therefore we do not lose heart.’ 2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV In writing to the church at Corinth, Paul reflects on the cost of serving Jesus: ‘From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger...More Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Don’t look at Christians, look at Christ ‘Lord, what about him?’ John 21:21 NIV One day Peter looked at John and asked Jesus, ‘… “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “… what is that to you? You must follow me’ (John 21:21-22 NIV). When others disappoint you, remember that you have disappointed others. When others give you bad advice, remember that you have given others bad advice. There is only one person who won’t disappoint you and will always point you in the right direction—Jesus. He doesn’t merely know the way, He is the way. ‘… Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John...More Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Become willing to change (1) ‘Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.’ 1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV Recognise that without change, there can be no progress. Now, we’re not advocating change for its own sake. That can be a characteristic of restlessness and a symptom of inner conflict. Change can represent great opportunities as well as potential losses. Although all progress produces change, not all change produces progress. But as American leadership expert Max DePree observed, ‘We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.’ If you want to grow, you must be willing...More Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Christians, keep your sword sharp ‘Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;’ Ephesians 6:17 NKJV Paul warned his spiritual son and successor, Timothy: ‘Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!’ (2 Timothy 3:1-5...More Monday, June 16, 2025 Rejoice - day forty-one is coming! Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. Luke 4:2 In Scripture, the number forty denotes testing, trials, and temptation. God told Noah, "I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights... I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made" (Genesis 7:4 NIV). Goliath defied the armies of Israel for forty days: "For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand" (1 Samuel 17:16 NIV). On the threshold of His ministry, Jesus was attacked by Satan for...More Sunday, June 15, 2025 Fathers, leave footprints for your children ‘Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.’ Ephesians 6:4 NIV The story is told of a man in a supermarket pushing a trolley with a screaming baby. He kept repeating softly, ‘Keep calm, George. Everything’s going to be okay, George.’ A lady watching with admiration said to the man, ‘You are to be commended for your patience in trying to quiet little George.’ The man replied, ‘Lady, you’ve got it wrong; I’m George!’ If you’re a parent, you can relate. Instead of saying, ‘Fathers, do not exasperate your...More Saturday, June 14, 2025 Who are you depending on? ‘For without Me you can do nothing.’ John 15:5 NKJV Because God’s Spirit lives within you doesn’t guarantee His power is at work in your life. God’s power is available, but you must plug into it. Jesus associates our spiritual life with a vine and its branches: ‘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 15:5 NKJV). In this comparison, the branch is completely dependent on the main vine; it cannot yield fruit on its own. Growing fruit is an internal job. If someone tied apples onto the branches of a dead tree and...More Friday, June 13, 2025 Get alone with God (3) ‘When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfil it.’ Ecclesiastes 5:4 NIV When the pressures in your life begin to mount, the first thing you will be tempted to drop is your time alone with God, praying and reading His Word. And what’s more, Satan knows if he can keep you from it, he has won the battle, and he will get no opposition from you. So, how can you overcome this problem? 1) By making a covenant with God. Think about it: why do we make marriage vows? So we will think twice about breaking them! It’s the same in your devotional life: ‘When you make a vow to God, do not delay to...More Thursday, June 12, 2025 Get alone with God (2) ‘You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;’ Psalm 63:1 NIV American preacher Dr Stephen Olford said, ‘I want to hear the voice of God before I hear anyone else’s in the morning, and His is the last voice I want to hear at night.’ Whatever time you set, morning or evening, be consistent. Make an appointment with God like you would with anyone else. And keep it. Don’t stand Him up! ‘How much time should I spend?’ you ask. 1) Begin with a few minutes and let it grow. Don’t start with a two-hour quiet time, or you will get discouraged. You will create memories of failure rather...More Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Get alone with God (1) ‘Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.’ Mark 1:35 NIV To grow spiritually, you must get alone with God. When you come into His presence, you should have these attitudes: 1) Anticipation. Expect to give and get from your time together. Make it a time of intimacy. It’s impossible to have a love affair in a public place; intimacy calls for being alone with the one you love. The Bible speaks about Christ as the groom and us as His bride (see 2 Corinthians 11:2). Think of the anticipation and excitement shared in such moments. 2) Reverence. Don’t rush into...More Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Connect. Commit. Communicate. ‘She has been helpful to many, and especially to me.’ Romans 16:2 NLT When it comes to life’s great achievers, the apostle Paul is in a league of his own. But he takes one entire chapter of the Bible, Romans 16, to acknowledge all the people who helped him to succeed in his calling. The chapter could be captioned ‘I couldn’t have done it without you!’ He starts by talking about Phoebe, ‘… who is worthy of honour … for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me’ (Romans 16:2 NLT). President Lyndon Johnson said, ‘There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can...More Monday, June 9, 2025 Bearing spiritual fruit ‘So God created man in His own image … Then … said …“Be fruitful …”’ Genesis 1:27-28 NKJV A pastor writes: ‘When God created man, He made him “in His own image”. That was God’s original plan, and it has not changed. He wants to make us like Himself … godly. He does it by working on our character through His Word, through His Holy Spirit, and through circumstances. The Greek word for ‘character’ … means ‘tested and proven reliable’. It brings to mind the work of a blacksmith, describing something that has gone through the fire, has been beat on … but has stood the...More Sunday, June 8, 2025 Your life is a letter (3) ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come...’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Every day, people ’read’ you. The question is: what kind of message are they getting? Here is what they’re supposed to get: ‘And we all, … are being transformed into His image …’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV). ‘Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; …’ (2 Corinthians 4:2 NIV). ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV). In other words, your letter should make it clear that you’re no longer the person you once...More Saturday, June 7, 2025 Your life is a letter (2) ‘We … are being transformed into His image ...’ 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV You have probably heard the old saying about doctors and their prescriptions, ‘They can read writing, but they can’t write reading.’ A letter must be easily read and understood. Incomprehensible writing distorts the message and discourages the reader. The purpose of a letter is to convey the writer’s thoughts. When it doesn’t, the reader stops reading or fails to get the message. And since ‘You show that you are a letter from Christ,’ (2 Corinthians 3:3 NIV), here are some common distortions you need to avoid: 1)...More Friday, June 6, 2025 Your life is a letter (1) ‘You show that you are a letter from Christ,’ 2 Corinthians 3:3 NIV Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers: ‘You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, … on tablets of human hearts’ (2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV). Usually, when we get letters through the post, we sort it into two piles: important letters and junk mail. How do we make that determination? By answering these two questions: 1) Who is the letter from? The source...More Thursday, June 5, 2025 Don’t get ahead of God ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it...’ Psalm 127:1 KJV One Bible teacher writes: ‘Satan doesn’t mind when we build, as long as he’s the head contractor. He’ll make sure we smear God’s name all over our dreams, then when they fail, it’ll look like He failed. Romans 8:14 says, ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God’ (KJV). It’s important to know God’s plan, as well as when, where, and through whom He wants it accomplished. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of ministry and run ahead of Him. The key is to...More Wednesday, June 4, 2025 Out with the old and in with the new! ‘No one puts new wine into old wineskins;’ Mark 2:22 NKJV As a new creation, you’re no longer controlled by your old behaviour but by your relationship with Christ. You may have been given a new uniform at work when they rebranded and remodelled the business, but if your sullen attitude remains the same, then it’s like putting new wine into old wineskin. Jesus says we’re bound to fail because ‘… the new wine bursts the wineskins, … and the wineskins are ruined …’ (Mark 2:22 NKJV). But don’t we do the same when it comes to our Christian walk? The new wine of honesty-at-work, poured...More Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Today, use your God-given power ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;’ Acts 1:8 NKJV You say, ‘If Christ lives in me, why do I still think and act the way I do?’ A Christian leader explains: ‘The answer is illustrated in a story about a lady who had a small house … at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal … People were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked her if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering...More Monday, June 2, 2025 Be real ‘People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT Jesus was rough on Pharisees: ‘Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness’ (Matthew 23:28 NLT). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening? 1) Follow Jesus’ example. He spent His...More Sunday, June 1, 2025 You are the vessel, not the treasure ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels,’ 2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV Be careful to make the distinction between the ‘earthen vessel’ and the ‘treasure’. Paul says, ‘We have this treasure’; he doesn’t say, ’We are this treasure’! Anytime you allow people to think of you as the treasure, God is not pleased, and you’re setting yourself up to fail. When God deposits a treasure within you, it means two things: 1) He expects a return on His investment. 2) You’re called to a higher level of responsibility and accountability. Sometimes people think leaders are immune to life’s tests...More Saturday, May 31, 2025 ‘Much more’ or ‘much less’ (2) ‘How much more shall your Father … give good things to them that ask Him?’ Matthew 7:11 KJV Try to imagine the abundance God has prepared for you (see 1 Corinthians 2:9). Then decide that the language of your heart will be the ‘much more’ of faith, not the ‘much less’ of unbelief. Observe: 1) Your salvation supersedes your sin. No matter how sinful your history, ‘… if by the one man’s offence many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many’ (Romans 5:15 NKJV). Rejoice! You’re ‘much more’ forgiven. 2) Christ’s...More Friday, May 30, 2025 ‘Much more’ or ‘much less’ (1) ‘But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.’ Romans 5:20 KJV Here is an expression used throughout Scripture to describe God’s provision for us: ‘much more’. It assures us there is no need we will ever face that can’t be met through His abundant resources. Our tendency is to approach our needs with an attitude of ‘much less’. It assumes that God is unable or unwilling to meet them. No, God wants us to adopt a ‘much more’ attitude. Much less is the language of visible things; it allows circumstances and lack to govern our lives. Much more is the language of unseen things; it invites us...More Thursday, May 29, 2025 A ministry of tears ‘Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.’ Psalm 126:6 NIV If you cry easily, it could be that God has given you a ministry of tears. What is that? American author Liz Curtis Higgs explains: ‘I cry easily and often. Happy tears, sad tears, over-the-top tears, Hallmark commercial tears—you name it … I cry at church … When I hear a wondrous truth spoken or a glorious song lifted in praise, when I see a new believer step forward or an old saint read the Scriptures, I’m so overwhelmed with God’s presence that tears flow down my cheeks...More Wednesday, May 28, 2025 You’re almost there! ‘I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 3:14 NIV Psychologists say the strongest influence on our present is often our past. But Paul said: ‘… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT). One counsellor writes: ‘I know you’re tired … overwhelmed … as though … this hard time will last forever. It won’t. You are almost there. You don’t just think it has been...More Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Tell them while you still can ‘Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.’ Proverbs 16:24 NIV Here’s something to think about: ‘I remember when I took your new car on the road and wrecked it. I thought you would be livid and come down hard on me, but you didn’t. I remember when we went to the beach, and you didn’t want to go because you said it was going to rain. We went, and it rained. I was sure you would rub it in and say, “I told you so!” But you didn’t. Then there was the time when I spilled blueberry juice down the front of your new white tuxedo. I knew you would be upset and blame me....More Monday, May 26, 2025 To be used by God ‘These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.’ John 5:39 NIV To be used by God, you must know two things: 1) Who God is. A little girl in Sunday school was asked by her teacher what she was drawing. She replied, ‘A picture of God.’ The teacher said, ‘But nobody has ever seen Him.’ Confidently she replied, ‘They will when I’m finished!’ Please understand this: the only God some people around you will ever see is the one they see in you each day. And to know God, you must spend time with Him. Not leftover time, but quality time, daily time, prioritised time! 2) Who you are. When...More Sunday, May 25, 2025 Don’t let a wall build up between you ‘Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.’ 1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT An unknown author wrote these poignant words: ‘Their wedding picture mocked them from the table, these two whose minds no longer touched each other. They lived with such a heavy barricade between them that neither battering ram of words nor artilleries of touch could break it down. Somewhere, between the oldest child’s first tooth and the youngest daughter’s graduation, they lost each other. Throughout the years each slowly unravelled that tangled ball of string called self, and as...More Saturday, May 24, 2025 Give God all the glory ‘The twenty-four elders fall down before Him … and cast their crowns before the throne.’ Revelation 4:10 NKJV When we try to impress the people we consider to be important, we become trophy collectors. ‘I’m more important because I know this famous person’ is how our thinking goes. And all kinds of objects can become trophies: our grades in school, the houses we live in, people we have impressed, our looks, clothing brands, compliments, and promotions. There are even websites you can visit to look for a trophy wife – a woman whose beauty is a tribute to her husband’s wealth and influence. A trophy...More Friday, May 23, 2025 Always agree with God’s Word ‘The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’ Luke 6:45 NIV Do you think of yourself as a person who has faith in God? Do your thoughts and words reflect that? We can deceive ourselves into thinking we have great faith, but if challenges easily defeat us, then maybe our faith isn’t as great as we thought it was. Jesus said, ‘… The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’ (Luke 6:45 NIV) You can learn a lot about yourself by listening to what you say. Do your thoughts and words show your dependence on God, recognising that His abilities, not yours, enable you to do anything you need to do? To...More Thursday, May 22, 2025 You can learn to love ‘Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.’ Philippians 2:4 NLT You can learn to love by thinking loving thoughts. By focusing on the other person’s needs, pains, difficulties, goals, and desires, not just your own. The old saying goes, ‘It’s easier to understand someone when you walk a mile in their shoes.’ Hurting people tend to hurt other people. If someone is hurting you, that person may be doing so because they are hurting. How can you love them? By looking beyond their faults and seeing their needs. The least lovable people are often those who need love...More Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Learn to say no ‘I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.’ John 17:4 NLT To say yes to the will of God, you will have to say no to other things. And some people won’t like it, especially if they are used to getting their own way. People will make demands on you based on their needs and be oblivious to or uncaring about your needs. So, you have a choice: be led by God or by others. No one was busier than Jesus or had a greater assignment. Yet we read, ‘When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” But He said to them, “Let us go into the next...More Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Prayer and your RAS ‘The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.’ James 5:16 NIV To understand how prayer is powerful and effective, look at it from a neurological perspective. At the base of our brain lies a cluster of nerves called the reticular activating system (RAS), which monitors our environment. We are constantly bombarded with countless stimuli vying for our attention, and it is the job of the RAS to determine what gets noticed and what goes unnoticed. For example, you download a new ringtone for your mobile phone. You’re sure that you’ve never heard it before. But after downloading it, it seems like...More Monday, May 19, 2025 Great leaders refuse to take credit ‘Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal,’ Romans 12:10-11 NIV A leadership expert says: ‘Most leaders focus on two things: the vision and the bottom line. The vision is what usually excites us most, and taking care of the bottom line keeps us in business. But between the vision and the bottom line are all the people in your organisation … If you ignore the people and only pay attention to these other two things, you will lose the people and the vision (and probably the bottom line). But if you focus on the people, you have the potential to win the people, the vision, and the bottom...More Sunday, May 18, 2025 The kids are watching you (2) ‘He who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.’ Proverbs 23:24 ESV If you’re a parent, you want your children to turn out well, and the best way to do that is by modelling proper behaviour at home by being imitators of God (see Ephesians 5:1). Learn to say no. American author Susan Alexander Yates says: ‘There are simply too many demands … choices, and too little time. Maturity means learning to postpone something you’d really like to do now … to focus on something even more important. Maybe it’s that career opportunity so you can have more time with your children, or that outing with your friends...More Saturday, May 17, 2025 The kids are watching you (1) ‘Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.’ Ephesians 5:1 ESV American author Susan Alexander Yates offers us scriptural guidelines for influencing our kids. (If you’re not a parent, why not use these points to help you have a positive influence on the children in your family or community.) 1) Reach out to non-Christians. If you want kids to grow in faith, expose them to people who need faith. God called us to be ‘salt and light’ (see Matthew 5:13-16), but that won’t happen if you spend all your free time with fellow believers. Plus, kids are more likely to reach out to others when...More Friday, May 16, 2025 Be true to the Scriptures ‘If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.’ Isaiah 8:20 NKJV The Bible is the inspired and the infallible Word of God. Proverbs 30:6 warns us, ‘Do not add to His words Or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar’ (NASB20). Think about it: who told the first lie ever recorded? Satan. In the garden of Eden, he convinced Eve it was okay to eat the forbidden fruit, and that God didn’t really mean what He said. And he is still peddling the same old lie! You hear it in comments like these: 1) ‘You can interpret the Bible many different ways.’...More Thursday, May 15, 2025 ‘Forgive them’ and delete the offence ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ Luke 23:34 KJV Some societies in history punished those who committed adultery by making them wear a big scarlet letter A, publicly identifying with their behaviour. And if you were caught stealing, they made you drag a ball and chain around. Maybe you’re thinking, ‘Well, they deserved it.’ Really? Jesus said if you simply lust after someone, you have committed adultery in your heart (see Matthew 5:28). Then He went on to say the standard of judgement you impose on others is the same standard you will be judged by (see Matthew 7:1-2). God is not...More Wednesday, May 14, 2025 Put God between yourself and the foe ‘LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty.’ 2 Chronicles 14:11 NIV Faced with an enemy he couldn’t conquer on his own, King Asa prayed, ‘… “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. …’ (2 Chronicles 14:11-12 NIV). English Baptist pastor Frederick Brotherton (F.B) Meyer wrote: ‘Remind God of his entire...More Tuesday, May 13, 2025 Only Jesus can satisfy your soul ‘They ... have dug … broken cisterns that cannot hold water.’ Jeremiah 2:13 NIV We are desirous by nature. We keep desiring things just like we keep taking our next breath. The trouble is, when we get the things we crave, they don’t bring us the happiness we yearn for. So, we keep looking for more and more things. Online shops are in the business of ‘creating need’. Things we had assigned to our ‘want’ category are switched to our ‘need’ category. But according to a theologian, here is the problem: ‘We cannot get enough of what we do not need … No matter how much we have, we remain...More Monday, May 12, 2025 Born to believe (2) ‘Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.’ Ephesians 6:4 NIV Parenting doesn’t end when your child becomes a teenager. Teens are just more mobile, spend less time with you, and are more independent. Now they value and emulate peers who are as immature as they are. Even when you have laid moral and spiritual foundations in their early years, something will happen that leaves you asking, ‘What happened? Where did I go wrong?’ Adolescence happened! It’s the teenager’s brain; it’s wired that way. Their frontal lobes—the part of the brain linked to moral development, emotional...More Sunday, May 11, 2025 Born to believe (1) ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ Proverbs 22:6 KJV Training a child is both challenging and rewarding. By shaping their underlying belief system, you help their developing brain establish permanent neural pathways that will guide their moral and spiritual growth. Neuroscientists Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman, authors of Born to Believe, tell us the most crucial years are from age seven to ten. That’s when a child has the greatest propensity to understand the concept of a God they can’t see, feel, or hear. What an ideal...More Saturday, May 10, 2025 How God sees you ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.’ Romans 8:1 KJV Once we understand that God’s love for us is based on what Christ did for us rather than what we do ourselves, the struggle is over. Now we can stop ‘performing’, and we can serve God because we know He loves us and that we don’t need to try to make Him love us. We no longer fear rejection by Him because of our mistakes. When we do something wrong, now all we do is repent, receive God’s forgiveness, and then refuse the condemnation that sin brings. Realising we are loved and accepted even though we’re...More Friday, May 9, 2025 Setting prayer traps ‘Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV When we read the verse, ‘… take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV) we tend to think it’s about capturing sinful thoughts and getting them out of our minds—and it is. But it’s also about capturing creative thoughts and keeping them in our minds. This Scripture also means stewarding every word, every thought, every impression, and every revelation inspired by God’s Spirit. A pastor writes: ‘The Aramaic word for prayer means ‘to set a trap’. We often think of...More Thursday, May 8, 2025 How long will you live? ‘The days of our lives are seventy years;’ Psalm 90:10 NKJV Do you ever wonder how long you will live? The Bible says, ‘The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away’ (Psalm 90:10 NKJV). Why do some of us live longer than others? Paul answers, ‘For we know in part and we prophesy in part’ (1 Corinthians 13:9 NKJV). But here are three things you can be sure of: 1) You can lengthen your life by obeying God and shorten it by disobeying Him. Fighting illness and...More Wednesday, May 7, 2025 Use your imagination ‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.’ Ephesians 3:20 NIV Lack of faith is not a failure of logic; it’s a failure of imagination. Lack of faith is the inability or unwillingness to entertain thoughts of a God ‘… who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us’ (Ephesians 3:20 NIV). Did you get that? God wants to empower your imagination! A pastor writes: ‘If we are going to have an eternal impact on our culture, we can’t just criticise it or copy it. We’ve got to create it. If we are...More Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Learn to delegate ‘It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables.’ Acts 6:2 NASB20 The New Testament church grew so fast that the apostles became overwhelmed with the challenge of administering it. When the Hellenistic Jews complained against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food, this is how the twelve disciples solved the problem: ‘So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables. Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men...More Monday, May 5, 2025 Put away the measuring stick! ‘Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”’ John 21:16 NIV Pastor Reimar Schultze says: ‘The more conscientious we are, the more we … go to bed with some sense that we missed the elusive 100 per cent again … Many precious saints fall for this trap … robbing themselves of the joy of the Lord and the peace … that passes all understanding … We all are familiar with the testimonies of some of the greatest men of God. Many of them, like us … found themselves in the gutters of self-incrimination.’ Moses felt completely unworthy and unable to free Israel from Egypt. Yet how often has...More Sunday, May 4, 2025 Know when to let go ‘To everything there is a season, … A time to keep and a time to throw away.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6 Persistence, determination, commitment, and recognising the ‘right time to throw away’ are all commendable qualities, whether it’s setting aside time to pray and read every day, eating dinner with your family, finding a better job, or losing weight, etc. But it’s equally important to recognise the ‘right time to throw away’ self-generated urgency and things that are stopping you from living ‘life in all its fullness’ (see John 10:10). The Bible tells us to ‘lay aside every weight’ (see...More Saturday, May 3, 2025 Don’t break, bounce back (2) ‘For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again,’ Proverbs 24:16 NASB20 Here are two more keys to bouncing back: 1) Instead of complaining about what you can’t change, change what you can. When you can’t change your situation, you can change your attitude towards it. How do you do that? By reprogramming your mind with God’s Word. The Bible says, ‘For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:4-5 NASB20)....More Friday, May 2, 2025 Don’t break, bounce back (1) ‘Since my youth they have often attacked me, but they have not prevailed against me.’ Psalm 129:2 CSB When resilient people hit bottom, they don’t break, they bounce back. The apostle Paul was such a person: ‘We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.’ (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 CSB). So, how can you bounce back instead of breaking? By doing two things: 1) When you can’t control your circumstances, take control of your life. When a back injury paralysed Angela Madsen from the waist down,...More Thursday, May 1, 2025 Consult God on your daily to-do list ‘A person's steps are established by the LORD, and he takes pleasure in his way.’ Psalm 37:23 CSB To come up with a daily to-do list that keeps your peace and joy intact, consult God. When you take on too much, you set yourself up for failure, and stress. If you’re wise, you won’t schedule more than one or two major tasks in a day. Life doesn’t run smoothly, no matter how badly you want it to. So, build in time for interruptions, traffic jams, lost keys, slow-moving people, etc. And be careful about multi-tasking. Studies have connected high-stress multi-tasking to short-term memory loss. Experts have...More Wednesday, April 30, 2025 When others ‘don’t get it’ ‘But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them.’ 1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT When you share your faith with someone and they don’t seem to ‘get it’, don’t be disappointed, don’t be upset, and don’t be impatient. In Scripture, God’s Word is referred to as ‘seed’ (see Luke 8:11), so that makes you a sower. Yes, we would all like to sow and then reap as quickly as possible. But sowing and reaping each have their own season. When the finger of God began to write King Belshazzar’s fate on the walls of his palace and none of his wise...More Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Shake it off, and move forward ‘Shake off the dust under your feet.’ Mark 6:11 NKJV Let’s be honest, each of us wants others to love, respect, and accept us. But when people are unready or unwilling to change or haven’t experienced the joy and fulfilment in Christ that you have, you will often experience rejection. Indeed, when you follow Jesus, rejection is guaranteed. What should you do? Here is what Jesus told His disciples to do: ‘… “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a...More Monday, April 28, 2025 Is God shaking you up? ‘The Lord … set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones … and … they were very dry.’ Ezekiel 37:1-2 KJV God told Ezekiel to declare His Word to a valley full of bones, and they became a mighty army. These bones were dead, dry, and in disarray. That may describe where you are today. Your hopes are dead, your soul is dry, your life in disarray. What’s the answer? 1) You need God to shake things up in your life. ‘… there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone’ (Ezekiel 37:7 NKJV). If it feels like things are being shaken up in...More Sunday, April 27, 2025 Refuse to wear the label ‘His mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”’ 1 Chronicles 4:9 NKJV The name Jabez means ‘pain and trouble’. Perhaps that’s why no other parent in Scripture gave their child that name. But it’s a label he refused to wear and a name he refused to be defined by. A label usually tells you what is in a bottle; its contents and even its value. And when you accept the labels people try to put on you, you start to believe that’s who you really are and that you will never become anything more than that. The Bible says, ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. …’...More Saturday, April 26, 2025 Keep praying and believing ‘For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.’ Hebrews 10:36 NKJV How long should you keep praying and believing God for the answer? This Scripture addresses your question: ‘Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise’ (Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV). Many of God’s promises have timelines, and you need long-distance faith to receive them. Note the word ‘endurance’, and picture yourself as a marathon runner determined to...More Friday, April 25, 2025 Find prayer partners ‘Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.’ Mark 2:3 NKJV You say, ‘I don’t have faith to be healed.’ Then find some prayer partners with faith. ‘Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith … He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went...More Thursday, April 24, 2025 Growth is about enlargement ‘You enlarged my path,’ Psalm 18:36 NKJV Read these enlargement Scriptures: ‘You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip’ (Psalm 18:36 NKJV). ‘And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, …”’ (1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV). ‘Enlarge the place of your tent … lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes’ (Isaiah 54:2 NKJV). God wants to enlarge you spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and in every area of your life. But to experience enlargement, you must learn from people larger than you. American author Dr...More Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Today expect God’s favour ‘For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield.’ Psalm 5:12 NKJV The Bible says that God will surround the righteous with favour. If you are trusting in the finished work of Christ, God sees you as ‘righteous’ (see Romans 3:22). So, you qualify; you can pray, ‘Lord, I need your favour in this job interview,’ or ‘in selling this house’, or ‘in making this deal’, or ‘in going on this date’, etc. Be prepared for your old programming to kick in, where you think about the word ‘righteous’; you begin to wonder if your thoughts, words, and deeds...More Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Governed by Christ’s love for us ‘For the love of Christ compels us,’ 2 Corinthians 5:14 CSB The most powerful incentive to overcoming sin is not our love for Christ, but His love for us. Even with the best of intentions, our love for Him is subject to fluctuations. Jesus said to the church in Ephesus, ‘'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love”’ (Revelation 2:4 NASB20). He said to the church in Laodicea that their love had become ‘lukewarm’ (see Revelation 3:16). Many of us grew up in churches where we were told that the reason we yield to certain carnal traits is because we don’t love the Lord enough. So,...More Monday, April 21, 2025 God knows what’s ‘good’ for us (2) ‘All things work together for good to those who love God … who are the called according to His purpose.’ Romans 8:28 NKJV Canadian Christian musician Carolyn Arends writes: ‘Our expectations are not just unrealistic, they’re anti-Gospel … Many of us … distort His promise of abundant life into something that resembles the illusion advertisers sell us every day. How do we resist our sense of entitlement and the distorted expectations that are so deeply ingrained? 1) Check the Definitions. When I read that God “works all things together for good”, (see Romans 8:28) I think of the...More Sunday, April 20, 2025 God knows what’s ‘good’ for us (1) ‘For it was the Father’s good pleasure … to reconcile all things to Himself … through the blood of His cross.’ Colossians 1:19-20 NASB20 Our definition of ‘good’ is different from God’s. ‘For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.’ (Colossians 1:19-20 NASB20) Canadian Christian musician Carolyn Arends writes: ‘During a jubilant Easter service, our pastor said something that stopped me in my mental tracks:...More Saturday, April 19, 2025 Do you believe this? ‘“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.”’ John 11:25 NLT American pastor Chuck Swindoll tells about a couple whose marriage had been a fifty-year battle. When the husband died, the wife contacted a stonemason to arrange a gravestone. She told him, ‘I don’t want to be fancy or spend a lot of money. Just engrave the words: TO MY HUSBAND in a suitable place on the stone.’ She went to visit his grave and, to her horror, read these words: ‘TO MY HUSBAND … IN A SUITABLE PLACE.’ Swindoll writes: ‘A humorous story helps mask the pain and confusion...More Friday, April 18, 2025 Double jeopardy ‘Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Romans 5:1 NKJV In the legal system, there is something known as ‘the law of double jeopardy’. It means that, except in some very specific circumstances, you can’t be tried twice for the same crime. Now, let’s apply this principle to your salvation. Jesus has already been tried and punished for your sins—all of them! So don’t let Satan, the accuser, convince you that God will also punish you for them and send you to hell. Christ’s last words on the cross, ‘It is finished,’ (see John...More Thursday, April 17, 2025 Embracing uncertainty and following God ‘"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.’ Isaiah 55:8 NASB20 A part of us feels as if something is spiritually wrong with us when we experience uncertainty. But that is precisely what Jesus promised us when we are born of the Spirit and start following Him. ‘The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit’ (John 3:8 NLT). When it comes to being led by God’s Spirit, the operative phrase is ‘You can’t explain how.’ Even when...More Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Change your routine ‘I will lead them in paths they have not known.’ Isaiah 42:16 NKJV As attested by the law of requisite variety, the continued existence of any system requires the ability to cultivate variety in its internal structures. In physical exercise, for example, routines eventually become useless. If you exercise the same way each time you work out, your muscles begin adapting and stop developing. You have to change your routine. You have to disorient them. This is true spiritually. One author writes: ‘When I’m in a spiritual slump, nine times out of ten, something sacred has become routine. I’m sure...More

Monday, April 14, 2025 Keep trusting God ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.’ Job 13:15 NKJV The story of Job reads like this: Chapter 1, he is one of the wealthiest men in his generation. Chapter 2, he loses everything, including his health, his wealth, and his children. Chapter 42, he is back on top again. Wouldn’t you like to know what happened from chapters 3 through 41? If so, you should read the book of Job and find out how he had it all, lost it all, got it all back, and ended up with twice as much as he lost. Did Job have unanswered questions? Lots of them. Did he experience grief? Yes, to a depth that is hard to imagine....More Sunday, April 13, 2025 Use your gifts in ministry to others ‘For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.’ Romans 11:29 NKJV When God gives us a spiritual gift, He doesn’t take it back. ‘For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable’ (Romans 11:29 NKJV). And if God does not, we must not! Paul writes: ‘Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won't be tempted. Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he...More Saturday, April 12, 2025 Expect to ‘wrestle’ ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,’ Ephesians 6:12 NKJV The new birth brings a new battle between your regenerate spirit and your unregenerate body, which still craves old desires and clings to old proclivities. Paul describes this graphically as a wrestling match. ‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand’...More Friday, April 11, 2025 You are called to be salt and light ‘You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.’ Matthew 5:13-14 NKJV Jesus gave us two everyday metaphors so that we could clearly understand how He wants us to serve and represent Him each day. Let’s look at each of them. 1) Salt. The only thing that can threaten salt is sitting in a shaker so long that it gets damp, loses its flavour, and can’t be sprinkled. Jesus said, ‘“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men’ (Matthew 5:13 NKJV). The...More Thursday, April 10, 2025 ‘Throw it down’ ‘Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?”’ Exodus 4:2 NLT The Bible says: ‘Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand’ (Exodus 4:2-4 NLT). Then God instructed Moses to go back to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to set the children of Israel free. ‘And take...More Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Pass it on to others ‘And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.’ 2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV What’s your goal in life? Survival, success, or succession? Some of us suffer from ‘duck syndrome’. We appear calm on the surface, but underneath we’re paddling furiously. We think, ‘I’m glad people around me don’t know how much I don’t know,’ and we keep them at a distance hoping they never find out. That’s not how God wants you to live, as the source of your own strength and wisdom. David wrote, ‘… The Lord is the strength...More Tuesday, April 8, 2025 Let’s respect our differences ‘Let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.’ Romans 14:19 NLT Paul wouldn’t yield an inch when it came to standing on the central truths of Scripture. But when it came to traditions, personal opinions, and personal preferences, he said, ‘… Let each be fully convinced in his own mind’ (Romans 14:5 NKJV). Under the law of Moses, being circumcised was considered equal to having a covenant between you and God. So when Gentile believers joined the New Testament church, Jewish believers insisted they too must be circumcised. Not as babies, mind you, but as adults! Were these Jewish...More Monday, April 7, 2025 How to conquer the fear of failing ‘Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.’ Psalm 37:24 NLT Every opportunity in life comes with two things: the possibility of succeeding, and the possibility of failing. When you reach the end of your life, your greatest regrets won’t be over your failures, but the opportunities you failed to seize because you were afraid of failing. So here are some principles to help you conquer the fear of failing: 1) Be willing to try and fail at something. And when it happens, tell people. Why? Because that’s how you discover failure isn’t fatal. 2) Find a project...More Sunday, April 6, 2025 The grandfather’s mistake became the grandson’s miracle ‘There was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead … on their way to … Egypt.’ Genesis 37:25 NKJV If Abraham and Sarah had been willing to wait a little longer, Isaac would have been born and the promise of God fulfilled. But they became impatient and, as a result, Ishmael was born. One of the names given to God in Scripture is ‘Redeemer’, because He can redeem our mistakes and turn them into learning experiences; He can turn the mess you make into the miracle you need. It took three generations, but God turned the mess Abraham made into the miracle of deliverance Joseph needed....More Saturday, April 5, 2025 The best is yet to come ‘Boaz begot Obed by Ruth,’ Matthew 1:5 NKJV Humanly speaking, the chances of a Gentile like Ruth marrying a wealthy Jew like Boaz were less than zero, because the law of Moses forbade it. ‘An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever’ (Deuteronomy 23:3 NKJV). If ever a door looked shut, locked, and bolted, it was this one. But when people and circumstances rule, God overrules. The Bible says, ‘… He who is Holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one...More Friday, April 4, 2025 What the Bible teaches us about money (5) ‘Now about the collection for the Lord’s people,’ 1 Corinthians 16:1 NIV When a recession hit Jerusalem, Paul asked the believers at Corinth to give offerings to meet this need: ‘Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem’ (1 Corinthians 16:1-3 NIV). A...More Thursday, April 3, 2025 What the Bible teaches us about money (4) ‘Every man shall give as he is able,’ Deuteronomy 16:17 NKJV When it comes to giving, here are two important truths the Bible teaches us about money: 1) God does not expect us all to give the same amount. ‘Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you’ (Deuteronomy 16:17 NKJV). Paul writes, ‘For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have’ (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV). 2) God will ask you to make sacrifices to fulfil His Kingdom purposes in the...More Wednesday, April 2, 2025 What the Bible teaches us about money (3) ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.’ Job 1:21 NKJV Here is what Job said about his great wealth: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; …’ (Job 1:21 NKJV). Job understood that we all enter life with our hands empty, and we all exit life with our hands empty. The only thing we can take with us when we go is what we have sent ahead. Jesus talks about this: ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves...More Tuesday, April 1, 2025 What the Bible teaches us about money (2) ‘You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth,’ Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV After four hundred years of living like slaves, the Israelites were about to take possession of the promised land. And God had a concern. What was it? The same concern He has about each of us. When you have little, you realise how dependent you are on God. But when you have much, your tendency is to forget God, the source of every blessing. Note what David said when God’s people gave generously to build the temple: ‘… For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You. …O LORD our...More Monday, March 31, 2025 What the Bible teaches us about money (1) ‘“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” says the Lord of hosts.’ Haggai 2:8 NKJV God owns everything. If you doubt that, read these Scriptures: ‘“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” says the Lord of hosts’ (Haggai 2:8 NKJV). ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein’ (Psalm 24:1 NKJV). ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father …’ (James 1:17 NKJV). ‘Both riches and honour come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give...More Sunday, March 30, 2025 Are you raising children alone? ‘Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.’ Psalm 30:5 NLT One marriage expert says a single mother sent him a story that helped explain the loneliness and stress faced by those raising children alone. She said she was looking out her window one drizzly day and saw a mother robin and her brood of chicks perched in a nest. As the rain poured down, the mother bird covered her chirping little chicks beneath her extended wings. Then the hail began to fall. Instead of tucking her head safely in the nest, the mother robin raised her head upward and took the blows to protect her young. All...More Saturday, March 29, 2025 Seeking God ‘You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’ Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV God instructs us to seek Him, but not as though He is hiding from us. When we seek God, we make a decision that’s necessary for bringing us into the spiritual realm. Some levels of blessing are never received unless they are diligently sought. It’s your seeking after God that moves Him to respond. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him’ (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV). There are no manuals...More Friday, March 28, 2025 Pause and reflect In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever. Selah.’ Psalm 44:8 NKJV After sharing great truths and insights with us, the psalmist often uses the word ‘Selah’. It is thought to mean ‘pause and reflect’. For years people have said that experience is the best teacher. But the truth is, evaluated experience is the best teacher! Stopping to reflect is one of the most important activities you can do in order to grow. It provides a superior value than motivation or encouragement because it lets you make sure you’re going down the right road. After all, if you’re on the wrong track, you...More Thursday, March 27, 2025 How to forgive ‘And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.’ Ephesians 4:32 NKJV In 1982, John Hinckley Jr attempted to take the life of President Ronald Reagan by shooting him with a handgun. Reagan’s daughter, Patti, later recounted what she learned from her father when he was in hospital: ‘My father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley … It showed me that forgiveness is the key to everything … He gave me an example of Christ-like thinking.’ Sometimes the wounds that others inflict on...More Wednesday, March 26, 2025 Be guided by wisdom, not impulse ‘Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.’ Proverbs 19:2 NLT If you are impulsive, you tend to lack discipline. You can be thoughtless, or insensitive to others, or driven by appetite. You may have a hard time with delayed gratification. You have a low frustration tolerance. You get bored easily. You can fly off the handle. If this describes you, here are six principles you should try to incorporate into your life: 1) Ask counsel from wise friends before plunging forward with an idea. ‘The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks...More Tuesday, March 25, 2025 How God sees you ‘As He is, so are we in this world.’ 1 John 4:17 NKJV When you put your trust in Christ as your Saviour, God sees you ‘in Christ’. The words ‘in Christ’ appear no less than seventy-eight times in the New Testament. When God looks at you, He doesn’t see you with all your flaws and imperfections; He sees you in Christ. And since Christ has atoned for all your sins, you are ‘accepted in the beloved’ (see Ephesians 1:6 KJV). Having a blessed future is not contingent upon how much you strive to be perfect or how hard you work at changing yourself. It is contingent upon the person of Jesus Christ, and...More Monday, March 24, 2025 Change your thoughts, and change your life ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!’ Isaiah 26:3 NLT Your thoughts create your feelings, and your feelings dictate your approach to life. So by changing the way you think, you can change how you feel and how you approach life. Unlike the world, which teaches you to empty your mind to achieve peace, God’s way is to fill your mind with fresh, powerful, redeeming thoughts. ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!’ (Isaiah 26:3 NLT) It’s not just about trying to blot out bad...More Sunday, March 23, 2025 Worship—giving yourself to God ‘For the worshippers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.’ Hebrews 10:2 NKJV To become a worshipper in the fullest sense requires two things. First, an understanding that God’s love towards you is not predicated on your love towards Him. The moment you accept Christ as your Saviour, God accepts you and clothes you in the righteousness of Christ; therefore, you are always worthy to approach Him. Second, understanding that God’s love for you is not merely a theological concept, but something that is embraced with your heart and responded to through your emotions. In the...More Saturday, March 22, 2025 Signs follow faith ‘The Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following.’ Mark 16:20 KJV The book of Mark concludes this way: ‘And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following. Amen,’ (Mark 16:20 KJV) Understanding the will of God is not a precise science, and the most spiritually mature among us can get it wrong. But this much you can count on: God will use a combination of the Spirit and Scripture to guide you. As you open His Word and open your heart, God will speak to you. Then you have to act on it. The way to get...More Friday, March 21, 2025 How to build your self-esteem ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love;’ Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV After four hundred years of living as slaves in Egypt, the Israelites struggled with low self-esteem. So, God said to them, ‘… “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,” …’ (Jeremiah 31:3-4 NKJV). Notice the words ‘built’ and ‘rebuilt’. How can you build, or rebuild, your self-esteem? In three ways. First, by believing in God’s unearned, undeserved, unchanging, unfailing love for you at all times. Second, by...More Thursday, March 20, 2025 Parenting—the Bible way ‘Bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.’ Ephesians 6:4 NLT Planting a seed is only the first of a season’s worth of steps. There is watering, fertilising, weeding, and protecting the struggling plant from pests, diseases, storms, and adverse weather. Many flowers and vegetables require stakes, cages, and other supports to help them stand tall and bear their fruit. The gardener who does nothing but sow a seed shouldn’t be surprised if his or her plants never reach maturity. Almost all living things in God’s creation reproduce by sowing a seed: human beings, plants,...More Wednesday, March 19, 2025 How to get what you want ‘But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ Matthew 6:33 NIV The first step to getting what you want in life is knowing what you want. Jesus said, in essence, ‘The key to getting what you want out of life is to focus on what I want for your life.’ Note the words ‘seek first’. This word ‘seek’ means ‘to strive for diligently’ or ‘to desire strongly’. The action is continuous. It says, ‘Keep on striving for, keep on seeking, keep on desiring daily.’ When Jesus says, ‘Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness,’ it means you...More Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Know your purpose, know your partners ‘As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ John 20:21 NIV In order to identify God’s will for your life, you must be clear about two things: 1) Your purpose. Facing the cross, Jesus said, ‘… for this cause came I into the world, …’ (John 18:37 KJV). Your passion is that area of your life that fires you up. It might be world hunger, or neglected pensioners, or education. You see little kids growing up in underfunded areas, and they’re never going to have a chance to thrive, and it just kills you. Or unwed mums, or the Gospel being proclaimed unclearly. Instead of finding your passion...More Monday, March 17, 2025 Have you talked to God about it? ‘So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.’ Exodus 33:11 NKJV Moses had a special place where he met with God. It was called ‘the tabernacle of meeting’ (see Exodus 33:7 NKJV). What did they talk about? ‘Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me … Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. ” … And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”’ (Exodus...More Sunday, March 16, 2025 The link between disobedience and stress ‘Walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ Jeremiah 7:23 NKJV A leading Christian psychologist says there is a direct correlation between the stress we experience and disobeying God’s Word. Could that be true? Could there be a link between the stress you are feeling and the level of your obedience to God? Yes. Think about it. As a redeemed child of God, when you knowingly disobey Him, your conscience bothers you and you feel conflicted and condemned. By knowingly violating His Word, you get uncomfortable in your own skin. Plus, when you need to pray and ask God for...More Saturday, March 15, 2025 The importance of God’s Word ‘He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD.’ 2 Chronicles 34:30 NKJV When Josiah became king in Jerusalem, he assigned workers to repair the temple. There they discovered a copy of God’s law in the ruins. No one had seen it in years! Josiah quickly reasoned that Judah’s idolatry was directly tied to the absence of the reading of God’s Word. So, he gathered all the people of Judah together, personally read to them the law of God, and led them in a rededication to live according to the principles of God’s Word. Don’t miss...More 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 Sunday, February 16, 2025 Faith equals righteousness with God ‘Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”’ Galatians 3:6 NKJV Some might think of Abraham as having a halo around his head. Hardly. Not once, but twice he throws his wife under the bus. As they travelled through Egypt, Abram says to Sarai, ‘You’re a beautiful woman; I’m afraid the Egyptians will want to kill me so someone can have you for a wife, so let’s tell them you’re my sister’ (see Genesis 12:11-13). Pharaoh does take Sarai into his harem and gives Abram, her ‘brother’, a bunch of sheep, cattle, donkeys, servants, and camels. Rather than feeling guilty...More Saturday, February 15, 2025 A peaceful state of mind ‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,’ Colossians 3:15 NKJV God wants you to have a peaceful state of mind. His word says: ‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.’ (Colossians 3:15 NKJV). No position or possession is worthwhile if you don’t have peace; money, status, popularity—it’s all meaningless if you lack peace. You simply cannot put a price on the value of peace. Many of us spend our lives trying to climb the ladder of success, but every time we go up one more rung, we lose more of our peace and joy, not to mention time...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

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 Sunday, January 19, 2025 Personal growth; commit to it ‘Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.’ 1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV Paul had a succession plan for his ministry. That’s why he mentored Timothy and instructed him, ‘Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.’ (1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV) The words ‘that your progress may be evident to all’ mean that growth is measurable. Question: as you look back over the last few years of your life, in what areas have you grown? Before you read on, take a moment, and think carefully about how you...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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