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Good morning. There may be times when we feel exhausted mentally. It is in times like these that we need to dig deep and focus on our awesome God. When Jeremiah was feeling at his lowest he wrote: "The Lord's kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed.  The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.  Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!”  (Lamentations 3:22‭-‬24 CEV) When he was feeling like giving up he remembered: • God’s steadfast love • God’s unfailing mercy • God’s great faithfulness • God is always kind • God is my real hope When we feel like giving up, let us learn from Jeremiah and remember that God is with us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The writer of Hebrews tells us: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-‬25) Unbridled freedom may seem like a great blessing, but it can be a recipe for disaster. Giving others permission to speak into our life helps us avoid common pitfalls. There are benefits to being accountable: • Increased integrity. when we have to give an account to somebody, we’re more likely to be honest and transparent. • Better stewardship. Accounting for the way we use money, time, or talent makes us careful not to waste those resources. • Protection against excess. As children of God, we are free in Christ, but an accountability partner helps us stay balanced and guards us from taking liberties. • Safeguard against unwise relationships. If we give an account of the places we go and the people we spend time with, we’ll be more likely to make wise choices. • Healthy self-examination. Another person can often point out what we cannot see in ourselves. Being in a Life Group helps us develop accountability as we encourage each other to greater things while honoring God. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. One of the benefits of being in a "Life Group" is that we can pray for each other and support each other. One of the benefits less spoken of is accountability. The Bible has a lot to say about accountability. But for many of us, the idea of sharing personal information feels uncomfortable and seems like an invasion of privacy. Being answerable to someone else seems like a hindrance to the pursuit of pleasure, prosperity, and prestige. James tells us that we are to support each other in this regard: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). Accountability in the body of Christ is a biblical principle. Paul tells us to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21) Irrespective of our position in life, everybody is to be accountable to somebody. God planned for us to need each other; we truly are better together. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. For most of us it is wonderful to wake up knowing that we don't have to head off to work today. We have an opportunity to relax at home. Perhaps we will have friends over to enjoy relaxing together. As we enjoy ourselves today, take a moment to reflect on God's goodness. “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations."  (Revelation 15:3) God has proved His greatness and goodness toward us time and time again. He is able to do more than what we could ask or think. He is just and true in all His ways so we can trust Him in every situation. We have so much for which to be thankful. May we never forget the greatness and wonder of the Lord our God. Enjoy your day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Today South Africans celebrate Heritage Day. Festivities of all kinds will take place. Families and friends will take the opportunity to  have a good time together. As followers of Christ, we too will celebrate our heritage as we get together to worship Him. For followers of Christ, our heritage is found in our sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ. "‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’  (Acts 17:28) "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace"  (Ephesians 1:7) May our focus today be on God the giver of life, as we followers of Christ celebrate our heritage together. "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John 5:11) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We all want to see more nonbelievers come to a saving faith in Christ. Often, however, we do not realize that we have a part to play in that process. We have to spend time around nonbelievers to introduce them to Christ. Paul says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22) We have to spend time around nonbelievers to introduce them to Christ. Jesus found common ground with the woman at the well. She made peace with God, then brought her friends and family to meet Jesus. Jesus didn't see people as "scum," and wasn't concerned about maintaining a religious facade. He ate with sinners because they needed His help and were open to receive it. So how do we relate with nonbelievers? • Be courteous: "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  (Colossians 4:6) • Be genuine: "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."  (Romans 12:9) This weekend we have a wonderful opportunity to share the heritage we have in Christ with our nonbeliever friends. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The hope we have in waiting is linked to God's faithfulness. He will do what He said He will do. As we look forward to the fulfillment of God's promises, we can rejoice in His presence today. In verse 16 of chapter 3, Zephaniah uses the phrase—“on that day”—to promise a time of renewal. God encourages us to rejoice, even while we wait and endure what life brings our way, even hardship. Zephaniah connects the call to joy with God’s faithful presence among His people. Whatever we  face, He will be with us. We may feel abandoned, but God is “a victorious warrior” who “will rejoice over us with shouts of joy” (v. 17). The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  (Hebrews 12:1‭-‬3) “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:12) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Farming requires hard work, from plowing to planting to harvest. But as the farmer looks at an unplowed field, the work begins in his imagination long before the first seed is ever planted. The farmer hopes for a rich harvest. It is that hope that fuels his hard work when the end is not in sight. The prophet Haggai says of God: "... my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’  “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will ..."  (Haggai 2 5-6) These words bring us hope. The Spirit of the living God is with us so do not fear. And then we have another "waiting word" - " in a little while". In the midst of the waiting there is the promise, "I will". "I've had many tears and sorrow I've had questions for tomorrow There've been times I didn't know right from wrong But in every situation God gave me blessed consolation That my trials come to only make me strong Through it all Through it all Oh, I've learned to trust in Jesus I've learned to trust in God Let me tell ya that Through it all Oh, through it all I've learned to depend upon His word" (Through It All - Andre Crouch) God says: "In a little while ...I will." Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. There are times when we don't know what to do. We feel stumped. The future seems bleak. Which way should we turn? In the 2nd half of Micah, he uses phrases that encourage Israel to be faithful even when hope seems lost. He makes use of what we might call “waiting words”, a common feature in biblical prophecy. God asks Israel not merely to wait—but to wait in faith. Throughout Scripture we are reminded “It shall come to pass.” Our waiting on the Lord is not to be a passive. Rather our attitude should be: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord , to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”  (Micah 4:2) May our watchword be: "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me."  (Micah 7:7) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Have you ever had a sharp disagreement with someone? Those thoughts that flood through your mind. Your emotions vacillating between anger and remorse. And in many instances, these disagreements are over minor issues. What if God reacted in the same way towards us? The good news this morning is: "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love."  (Psalm 145:8) Before we lose it and get on our high horses again, take a moment to reflect on what God's response would be. God is always waiting and ready for us to come into His loving embrace, Have a good day enjoying His love. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Withstanding the storms of life, through all the tough times, we need to be able to stand firm. We can learn from King David, who wrote many of the psalms. He had a consistent habit of recording truths about God. As a result, he was equipped for hardship. In Psalm 23:4, for example, David said that he did not fear evil. What did he have to be scared of when the One who controls everything was on his side? (Psalm 27:1) How could he be stifled by anxiety while in the Spirit’s comforting presence? (Psalm 34:4) David could hold God to His promises because he had a deep relationship with Him. Recording what we learn from reading the Bible can become a wonderful tool in our spiritual walk and it deposits wisdom deeper into our heart and mind. It helps build a solid biblical foundation. As we recall these spiritual realities, our faith is strengthened. Then we can face life's challenges with a more solid foundation of trust. God's Word builds the foundation we need for withstanding life’s storms. Let's make every effort to store it in our hearts. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. As we prepare to worship today, enjoy the video of the song "Bless the Lord o my soul" (10000 reasons). https://youtu.be/DXDGE_lRI0E?si=n8Pir24kRQrxbvay Blessings. Mike & Daphne.