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Good morning. Psalm 23 is a wonderful picture of the relationship between a follower of Christ and God. It speaks of good times and tough times. Where there are mountains, there must also be valleys. The same is true in our spiritual life. To reach the place where God is leading us, we must sometimes go through “the valley of the shadow of death” (verse 4). Spiritual mountaintops are wonderful spots to rest, but it is in valleys that we often discover God’s character, the truth of His promises, and our own weakness. Valleys reveal that the habits and crutches we’ve been relying on are inadequate, and that we must trust God instead. That’s when we come to find out that faith, courage, and wisdom are rooted in the Lord. Walking through the valleys is an inevitable and difficult part of life. However, we are not left comfortless. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (verse 5) We are reminded that our needs are met. God promises us assurance, healing, and safety, even in hardship. Facing the shadows can be difficult and frightening. But when we surrender to the Lord, we can rest in His power and comfort. We don't have to be afraid in times of trouble, because our Father is always with us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. It is noticeable that the more time we spend with someone, the better we understand where that person is coming from. Our relationship with Jesus is similar. When we have a close connection with Him, we’re not praying to some cold and distant deity out there somewhere. We are speaking with  God who loves us, sustains us, and moulds us into His own image. That changes how we approach Him, doesn’t it? Jesus said: “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9‭-‬10) This is often referred to as the model prayer. It brings us into a personal relationship with our Father; one of intimacy and adoration. It  shows us where our focus should be in our relationship with Him. It is all about Him, His kingdom, His will. How often we get this wrong, making our time with God all about ourselves and our needs and wants. Let's make a concerted effort to work on our relationship with our Father. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Sometimes our times with God are fruitful. Other times prayer feels like talking to a wall. We shouldn’t be surprised by such variation. Why would we expect our prayer life to remain uniform when we, ourselves, aren’t the same every day? How we speak and listen to God depends on: • Our understanding of who God is. The way we view the Lord changes the way we hear Him. For example, if we see God as a loving Father, we will hear His encouraging voice and accept His loving discipline. If, however, we see Him as a harsh, demanding Father, then we may feel as though we can never live up to His expectations. • Our attitude toward God. If we have an open or curious nature, we are more likely to hear and joyfully receive what He is communicating. However, if we come to the Lord with a proud or rebellious nature, we’re less likely to hear His voice or accept His authority. Psalm 95:6-7 reminds us what our attitude should be when we come to God. "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;  for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care." Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Society has become more skeptical of everyone and everything. People don’t trust the government.  Employees don’t trust employers. Customers don’t trust businesses. And let’s be honest, many folk don’t trust their churches anymore. When one  gets down to the bottom of the decline of trust today, we find that our society is suffering from “truth decay”. Truth and trust go hand in hand. You trust people who tell you the truth, and you don’t trust people who don’t. Our lack of trust causes tremendous stress in life. We were born to trust. God wired us with the capacity and desire to trust in something greater than ourselves because he wanted us to have a relationship with him. If we don’t trust God, we will create something else to trust. It may be a diploma on the wall, money in the bank, our spouse, or a hobby. The Bible says in Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God”. So, as we face the future, let's put a peg in the ground; decide to trust the Lord. He is trustworthy. He will do what He said He will do. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Giving absolute power over our lives to another human being is an intimidating proposition. But that’s not true when it comes to the Lord. Unconditional surrender to Him is joyous. But to do so, we need to • Yield ourselves to the lordship of Christ. We identify with the Lord is by surrendering totally to Him.  And the first place surrender must occur is in our attitude. Then we live it out in obedient action. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2) • Have no restricted areas in our life where Jesus is not invited. Also, nothing is set aside for our exclusive use. We make ourselves totally available to God’s will. • Transfer ownership of our body, soul, and spirit to Christ. Relinquishing control of our life can feel scary, but when we put it fully in God’s hands, only good can result. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."  (Romans 12:1) We can fully trust the Lord because He is fully trustworthy. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Grace Covenant Church had wonderful input through Danie Grobelaar this past weekend. As we heard, when it comes to moving home we discover that we are collectors and need to get rid of a whole lot of "stuff". This applies to us in our spiritual walk. We need to declutter/empty ourselves in order for God to fill us. No matter what we are facing we must remember that "the joy of the Lord is your strength."  (Nehemiah 8:10) Notwithstanding the fact that we have the joy of the Lord, we leak and lose this joy. When we disconnect or let our relationship with God slip, we lose our joy. But all is not lost. David the psalmist puts it this way. "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (Psalm 51:11‭-‬12) There is power in the joy of the Lord. Paul writing to the church in Ephesus tells us what our part in all this is. "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (Ephesians 5:18‭, ‬20) As we go into this new week, let's do so with the joy of the Lord and a heart filled with thanksgiving. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. It’s hard to love someone else unconditionally, much less multiple “someones.” And we might naturally fear others can’t love us that way, either. So perhaps we hold back, afraid to fully expose our heart. God invites us and longs for us to experience intimacy with Him. In John 15:15 Jesus calls us His friends: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends ..." If we are completely open with Him and fully trust that He loves us unconditionally, we can love others better. The Lord will teach us to see people the way He does, as beloved children. We will then become more understanding and be able to extend the grace and mercy we ourselves have received. Today we have a wonderful opportunity to put this level of intimacy with God into practice as we join with fellow followers of Christ in worshipping Him. He has promised: "Come near to God and he will come near to you." (James 4:8) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We all want to be loved. Perhaps we have experienced disappointment and hurt when looking for love and acceptance. At times even our closest relationships leave us feeling disappointed or lonely, notwithstanding our best efforts. What about our relationship with the Lord. He says he loves us “with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3), yet, at times there seems to be a chasm between Him and us. It can be difficult to know what true intimacy with Him looks or feels like. At times it is a struggle to feel near to the Lord. David compares his soul’s great hunger for God to feeling thirsty. "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1) Perhaps pride is preventing us from admitting our need for Him. Maybe life is too hectic to sit in His presence. Or it’s possible you’re afraid to be transparent having been hurt or betrayed in the past. But remember, God will never fall short the way people do. Whatever the case, start spending a few minutes with Him each day. Soon our relationship with Him will go deeper and deeper. That's the kind of closeness He wants for us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Do you remember the story of the three little pigs who each build a house: one of straw, another of sticks, and the last of bricks. The wolf “huffs and puffs” to blow their homes down and is successful with the first two. But the house of bricks stands. Jesus taught the same principle. He said one man built his house on a rock while another built on sand (Matt. 7:24-27). In rain and wind, the home on the solid foundation stood firm. Jesus, however, was teaching about obedience, not construction. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matthew 7:24) Life must be built on the dependability of the gospel if we’re to withstand the storms that arise. Proverbs 3:3 in the Modern English Version says: "Do not let mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart" (Proverbs 3:3 MEV) Truth should be an intrinsic part of life, as second nature as breathing. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. (Proverbs 12:22) As followers of Christ let truth and integrity characterise our walk with Him and each other. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. All relationships require honesty. If we develop a reputation for not telling the truth, our friendships and testimony will be damaged. Not only that, but our self-image will also suffer. This isn’t how God wants us to live. He wants so much more for us. Paul writing to the church in Ephesus, tells the followers of Christ: "You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body." (Ephesians 4:22‭-‬25) We often don’t realize how important something is until it’s not there. Take a light bulb for example. We may not think much of a light bulb until we’re fumbling in the dark. Similarly, to appreciate how much truth matters, consider the impact of its absence. We, • Become vulnerable to wrong teaching. • Develop habits that don’t align with God’s will, because we don’t know what it is. • Can stay trapped in emotional bondage. • Experience continual disappointment because our peace is gone. • Can’t grow spiritually. • Grieve God’s heart. So, unless we repent and change, we won’t reach the full potential God has planned for us. He made us for a purpose (Jer. 29:11) and wants us to live in truth so we can walk with Him, enjoying all the blessings He has in store for us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Before one buys a used vehicle or a house, it’s wise to have an inspection. If there are faulty brakes in a car or a leaking roof in a home, you want to know, right? The truth can help you avoid making a costly mistake. Truth protects us. This principle applies to our spiritual life as well. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31‭-‬32) As we read and study God’s Word, His truth becomes more and more ingrained in our heart. We become so familiar with it that we’re able to recognize wrong teaching. Biblical truth provides guidance, wisdom, strength, courage, comfort, and faith. Living in God’s truth lets us experience the life He wants for us; a life of joy and freedom which comes from a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. If your output exceeds your input, then your shortfall will be your downfall. We face several unique challenges. So many folk are tired, stressed, and facing burnout. Many believe their needs will be met by their careers, bank accounts, friendships, families, etc. The biggest cause of stress in our lives is the lack of focusing on God’s goodness. Jesus said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 NIV). God's Word is life! We don’t just read it when we have a problem and need some advice. We don’t open it up just when you need to get hope or give hope to someone else. We must feed on it every day so that we can be consistently nourished and grow in truth and love. When we choose to trust God’s Word, we’ll be able to face our struggles with hope and renewed faith. Blessings. Mike and Daphne