Previous Posts

by

Bless The Lord

9th November

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within in me, bless His holy Name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits!”

Psalm 103:1-2

It is always good to be reminded to remember God’s goodness to us. So often we can be going through a really hard time and not see any hope or light at the end of the tunnel. Yet if we remember God’s goodness, and His countless blessings, victories and benefits towards us, then we can take courage in knowing that the pain won‘t last forever.

Matt Redman wrote a wonderful song called ‘10,000 reasons’ a few years ago. In the first verse we sing this wonderful declaration to God…. ‘Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me…let me be singing when the evening comes.‘ It is almost like it was taken straight out this wonderful psalm. Matt Redman commentating on why he wrote this song said the following:-

“We live beneath an unceasing flow of goodness, kindness, greatness, and holiness, and every day we’re given reason after reason why Jesus is so completely and utterly worthy of our highest and best devotion.”1

The reason we can praise the Lord each day is because He deserves our praise. Even in the middle of the storm, there are always reasons to worship and thank God for His goodness. Let us not get caught up in sadness or sorrow, but encourage our hearts to be filled with praise and thanksgiving towards God. He heals our sickness‘, forgives our sins and redeems our lives. Be encouraged, lift up your hearts and forget not His benefits and blessings. As the saying goes,

‘GOD is good all the time and all the time GOD is good!’

by

Aeneas’ Healing: Lydda’s Salvation

7th & 8th November

“Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralysed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.”

‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭9‬:‭32-35‬ NLT

Jesus’ Name is powerful. The bible comments that there is no other Name by which men can be saved and on evidence of the things written in it, it is a truth that cannot be denied. In Jesus’ Name many were and are healed, set free and forgiven by the power of His gracious and kind love.

Today’s story in the book of Acts is another fine example of the mighty power of Jesus at work to change lives. Peter, as he traveled to the town of Lydda, saw a man called Aeneas who had been paralysed for 8 years. When Peter saw him he had compassion and spoke boldly in the Name of Jesus, declaring his healing. Aeneas was instantly healed, rolled up his mat and began following Jesus! Furthermore, because of Aeneas’ healing, the whole population of Lydda were saved and turned to the Lord.

How incredible. By the physical healing of one man, many were saved. This highlights an incredible truth that not only does Jesus heal our physical needs but His work of healing runs deeper than just the physical! Our prayer should be that more signs, wonders and miracles happen in our homes, churches and in our everyday lives, yet may they be accompanied by God’s salvation so that many turn to the Lord. Jesus’ Name is as powerful today as it was in this story. Jesus still heals, delivers and saves. May we know the fullness of our identity in Him, the power of His grace, the work of His salvation, and the power of His healing… Let us not be afraid to pray for the impossible.. For there is nothing impossible with Christ Jesus!

by

Paul’s Conversion

6th November

“Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this Name in Jerusalem, and has he come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 9:20-22

God saves. Period. Amazingly God in His grace reaches out to even the most hardened criminals…. Even the likes of Saul. Paul, formerly known as Saul, was the leader of the persecution movement towards all who called upon the Name of Jesus. He was equipped and ready to arrest and imprison all those who followed ‘The Way’. Yet Jesus had other plans for His life and amazingly reached out to him on the road to Damascus.

Ananias, commissioned to baptise and restore Saul, was understandably filled with fear when Jesus told him to meet Saul; After all, Saul was a hater of Christians and an enemy of Jesus. How would you feel if Jesus told you to confront a hardened criminal and tell them Jesus has a plan for their life? However, Ananias was obedient to Jesus, baptising and commissioning Paul to preach the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles alike. Even Saul could not escape the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

Astoundingly, immediately after Paul was saved, he went out to the synagogues, preaching the Good News that Jesus was the Christ and even confounding his own people. Here was Paul, a hater of Christians now preaching God’s grace and love and proving that Jesus really was the Christ. That is the power of God’s grace!

God’s grace is not limited to our human understanding. The story of Paul’s conversion proves this and highlights that Jesus’ love is not limited to people who deserve it. Moreover, His love and grace is so powerful to not only save but to change a persons attitude, life and purpose. Let us be obedient to Christ when He calls us to share His Good News with others, even if they are hardened criminals….!

by

Jesus – The Healer

5th November 

 “Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to Him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and He healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel. .”

Matthew 15:29-31 

We worship the same Jesus as we read about in the Bible. He hasn’t changed. He is still the same compassionate healer as we read about in today’s passage. He still makes the blind see, the crippled made well and the lame walk again. Yet even more than our physical healing, Jesus saves our souls too.

Let us rejoice today that firstly, Jesus is a Healer. He can heal our sickness no matter how great. Secondly, and more importantly, Jesus heals our souls. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness and leads us into life everlasting.

Let us rejoice that Jesus is our healer. He is the source from where our healing comes from, both physically and spiritually. If you need physical or spiritual healing then just call out to Jesus in faith and trust in His healing to make you whole.

 

by

The Act Of Forgiveness

4th November 

 “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”

Proverbs 17:9

There is a reason why the Bible encourages us to forgive quickly and to not let the sun go down on our wrath. Hurt, pain and anger only await those who hold on to bitterness. Un-forgiveness separates us from God, separates us from our own rational thinking and even separates us from our most loved ones. Anger does nothing but cause friction and bitterness.

However, the opposite is true when love prevails. A simple sorry can completely diffuse a situation, can heal wounds and release tensions. As this wise proverb states, ‘love prospers when a fault is forgiven’. There is nothing more liberating than knowing that we are forgiven, loved and accepted by Jesus and with that same love, forgiveness and acceptance, loving others too.

It is no easy task to forgive a fault, particularly when the wound is deep and greatly hurts. Indeed, in our strength we cannot. We can make a decision to forgive, however, true forgiveness is something only God can help us put into practice. May we today know the power of a ‘fault forgiven’, the danger of holding onto hurt and the joy of releasing the debt of bitterness. Furthermore, may our Lord Jesus, daily reveal just how much we have been forgiven and help us, with that same love, to love and forgive others. Let us rejoice in forgiven faults and restored friendships.

by

The Right Words

3rd November

“And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”

Ephesians 6:19-20

It is God who in His grace gives us the right words to say at the right time. God has promised us that when we are full of the Spirit, when we are listening to His voice, He will give us the right words to say to defend our faith and to share the gospel with others. Even in prison, even in chains, Paul’s heart was still to share God’s word with others. Yet amazingly, even there, God still was continuing to pour out His grace and give Paul the words to declare the Good News. No matter where he was, he knew that he was an ambassador and a voice for Christ Jesus.

We too may face situations where we feel trapped and chained for the sake of sharing about Christ but let us take courage and not give up. Our chains may not come in the form of physical bondage or long prison stays, it might even be being marginalised at your school or workplace. Nevertheless, whatever persecution we face for standing up for the Good News, let us never give up and fully trust that at the right time God will God us the right words to say. Moreover, let us continue to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world who are so boldly  standing up for Jesus Christ. May we continue to pray that God will also help them to share the Good News with boldness and that God will continue to give them the right words to say.

by

Praying In The Spirit

2nd November

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

Ephesians 6:18

‘Praying in the Spirit at all times’ is some of the most important advice given to the believer. Not only can you directly access the very heart of God through your prayers, but as we pray in the Spirit, we begin to pray God’s will into different situations! Praying in the Spirit enables us to hear what God is saying and understand His divine plans and purposes. God in His grace give us the ability to access His plans for our lives and for others. Moreover, as we pray in the Spirit, God begins to open our hearts more for others. Our prayer life starts becoming more of an intercessor focused prayer and less on I and me focused prayers.

Praying in the Spirit is not just limited to those who have the gift of speaking in tongues, although this is helpful and an amazing gift to have, but it is open and accessible to all believers who have been filled with the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul is constantly encouraging believers to be filled with the Spirit daily. It’s a topping up daily of the Spirit of God being poured into our lives, washing the filth out in our lives and purifying our hearts and minds and aligning them for His plans and purposes for our lives.. Be filled with His Spirit, pray on all occasions in the Spirit and be persistent in your prayers.

by

And After All Stand

31st October – 1st November

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground…..”

Ephesians 6:13-14a

We are not called to be back seat Christians. We are called to stand and fight the good fight on the front lines. That is not to say that we should go looking for trouble with an arrogant and defiant attitude, but rather it is to say that when trouble does come, we are prepared because we have been armed with the tools to stand against the enemy and to resist him “in the time of evil.” So often, we try to fight the enemy in our strength and forget that we have access not only to the tools to withstand him but a Father who is infinitely more powerful than the best the enemy has to offer.

The NLT version of this verse wonderfully describes the result of a child of God, bought with the blood of Christ and armed with the armour of God; After the battle, they still are standing firmly! How amazing. Throughout the bible there are so many examples of mighty warriors in faith, who have been able to withstand the best the enemy has thrown at them, because they were well equipped with the armour of God. Take Daniel for example; thrown into the lions den and was found without even a scratch. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; thrown into the fiery furnace and didn’t even smell of smoke when they were let out. Gideon; faced a huge task of defeating an enemy around 100,000 times bigger than his and came out victorious. Paul; bitten by a deadly snake on the island of Malta, yet still carried on preaching and healing the sick. Peter; imprisoned on numerous occasions and walked out a free man.

All these are great examples of the victory we have in Christ, not only in the physical realm but also in the Spiritual. Let stand firm in the grace, love and power of Christ, well equipped with the armour of God and completely reliant on Christ for every battle!

by

Be Strong In The Lord

30th October

“A Final Word: Be strong in the Lord and 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 not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities in the un-seen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the Heavenly places.”

Ephesians 6:10-12

Have you ever lit a match in a dark room? Isn’t it interesting that just a small flame can bring light to a whole room. Even in the darkest of places (spiritually) our light can shine so bright that the darkness will have to flee! It is the light in us that comes from God the Father!!

Today’s verse contains so much theology and truth yet there is one things that stands out above it all… We can and must stand firm in the power of God’s might against the war that is waged against us, followers of Jesus. Yet this battle cannot be fought with swords and guns, but rather by the power of the believer, secure in Christ and armed with pure minds, secure in our identity in Christ, armed with truth (about God and how He sees us) and the Word of God to fight for us!

It is imperative that we start each day in submission to Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us not take for granted the battle we face in our daily lives. More importantly let us remember the victory that we live in; The victory won by Jesus for our sakes. It is in His Name that demons flee. We are in Christ and He is in us. That means we are on the winning side… always!

“God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all!”

1 John 1:5b

by

The Light Shines In The Darkness

29th October

“For once you were full of of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For the light within you produces only what is good and right and true.”

Ephesians 5:8-9

The Halloween season always seems like a spiritually dark time of year. Not only do many dress up in scary costumes and play trick or treat, but underneath it all, it is a night that is celebrated by many in the realm of darkness. Sometimes you can even sense the darkness in the atmosphere. However…. There is no need to fear.

Paul strongly writes that once (before Christ) we were also part of that darkness, yet now we are alive in Christ, we are full of God’s light that breaks through darkness and exposes the darkness. The light that is in us is the Spirit of God and the victory of Jesus. We can walk boldly in that light, not fearing death and darkness, nor any power of the enemy. Jesus has overcome all things and because He lives in us, that means that we too can enjoy the blessings of Christ’s power and LIGHT!

Let us change our approach to the Halloween season, from fear to victory, and from darkness to light. We have the victory in Jesus. There is nothing to fear. Moreover, let us change the spiritual atmosphere in our neighbourhoods by letting our light shine so brightly, that it exposes the darkness and the darkness will have to flee. After all, as John also mentions in His gospel….

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can NEVER extinguish it.”

John 1:4-5