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Good morning. Fathers' Day is approaching. Our thoughts, no doubt, will be on what to get for our father (if we have not already done so). The choice of gift will be influenced by what we know about our father's nature. When we stop and think about the nature of the Father we discover that He is more interested in giving to us than we can imagine. The Loving Nature of the Father: • He is desperate to meet us and pour out His love for us. (John 3:16) • He does this before we do anything for Him. While we were against Him, ignored Him & in rebellion. (Romans 5:8) Father's give identity, significance and they provide a lens to see the Father. "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 11:18‭-‬19) Fathers relationships with their children is important. Our experience in our relationship with our dad is usually transferred over to how we relate to God. John Arnott, the leader of Toronto Airport Christian Felliwship, once said, "The only regret I have in my Christian life is that it took me so long to discover how nice God is! As we head towards Fathers' Day may we experience His amazing love and compassion. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We all would like to exercise the gift of discernment more effectively. Spiritual discernment is the ability to see things from the Lord’s viewpoint. That means being able not only to separate truth from error but also to grasp the distinction between what is good and what is best. In his classic work My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers writes, “Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself—begin to have spiritual discernment.” Trusting obedience is the first step to understanding, and it is something only God can bestow on us (1 Cor. 2:12). However, we need to get out past the harbour into the great depths of God, as Oswald Chambers encourages. This is God’s desire for us. We will discover the best that God has for us through relationshp with Him and by allowing Holy Spirit to lead us. Have a lovely day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Scripture tells us that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, and always truthful. And because of these attributes, we as believers have the assurance every day that God will provide all we need in order to move through life in security and peace. Paul tells us that "God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6‭-‬7) God extends His lovingkindness to us, and His unchanging nature means His love never ends (Ps. 100:5). God promises to provide everything we need to accomplish His will. (Heb. 13:21). We do not have to compromise as we live for Him. God's grace enable us to say no to temptation (Titus 2:11-12). God is always ready to forgive us. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Enjoy the weekend knowing that God is gracious and compassionate. We can live and rest assured that He is for us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Last night, at a meeting of leaders from churches in Pretoria that relate with NCMI, we were reminded of the Father's love for us and the value He imparts to us. As followers of Christ our destination us more than heaven; it is the Father. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) In the world's system value is earned. In God's kingdom value is received. It is in the Father that we find our value. Grasp this truth: the Creator of the universe created you. Jeremiah reminds us, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) Our value is found in that He created us perfectly for His purpose for each of us. Jesus speaks of our value. He said: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26) and again, "And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:30‭-‬31) When we received Christ as our Saviour and Lord we became children of God. (John 1:12) We are not guests in the Father's house. We are children in our Father's house. Our value is found in that we are children of the most high God. We are family. His child. Not a guest. Today, let's walk tall with our heads held high. Our value us not determined by our environment. We are children of a loving, compassionate Father. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction today. Whether it’s advertising, political discussions, or the news, we shouldn’t automatically believe everything we hear or read. It’s even more confusing when claims come from a widely accepted authority or charismatic personality. This problem isn’t new. It was also an issue for the early church. Paul wrote to Timothy, warning that people were susceptible to following eloquent, compelling speakers. "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3) We all want to have our ears “tickled” to a certain degree, and that’s why it’s good to have friends like Paul and Timothy to remind us of the truth. But even more than that, Holy Spirit, “the Spirit of truth”, dwells in us. When we yield to Holy Spirit’s control, He will guide us in the right direction. We build our foundation of truth by spending time with the Lord. Outside sources can be helpful for education, but at the end of the day, we should stand on God’s Word and rely on Holy Spirit who will not lead us astray. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16) As we face the barrage of information spam, let's stand firmly on the supremacy of God's Word. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Living in the 21st century, we are led to believe that we can do things/solve problems by ourselves. 2 Chronicles 20 is a wonderful record of what happens when people come together to pray. Jehoshaphat, when facing looming trouble, recognized his limitations. He knew that he had to call on God for help. So he reached out to his nation, and prayer support came from all across the land. Sometimes we’re too proud to ask others to pray with us. When that happens, it’s wise to consider Jehoshaphat’s example. Though a king who reigned over his subjects, he nevertheless called on them to join him in seeking divine intervention. Then, when the people of Judah began to pray, God provided His solution through a prophet. Judah was saved. The advancing armies turned against each other and completely destroyed themselves. Judah’s forces suffered no casualties. Their humble king had listened, and they witnessed the Lord’s remarkable victory. We all need the encouragement, wisdom, and strength that comes from seeking the Lord together. Our life in Christ is most rewarding when the body of Christ listens to Him and cooperates with one another. There is power in corporate prayer. "‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. As followers of Christ we try our best to hear God, yet we miss it more often than we'd like to admit. When we believe we have heard from the Lord, there are some questions we can ask ourselves to help us discern whether it is God or our imagination. • Is it consistent with Scripture? God will never tell you to do something that goes against His perfect, unchanging Word. If it is contrary to Scripture, you can be certain that it isn’t from the Lord. • Does it fit with your identity in Christ? We are the children of God, who are being conformed into the likeness of Christ. If you feel led to do something that doesn’t reflect the image of Jesus, then you can be sure God hasn’t called you to do it. Holy Spirit is given to us as our advocate/helper. He helps us to hear what our Father us saying to us individually. He is with us right now. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6) Have a wonderful day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. In the first chapter of the book of Daniel, we learn that Daniel was committed to obey God rather than Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 1:8) Obedience means doing what God says must be done as well in the timing of it. But any follower of Christ could tell us that obedience isn’t simple or easy. In order to obey, we must know what pleases the Lord. That requires us to read and be familiar with Scripture. Then we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us understand God’s Word. That’s usually when challenges arise. We face temptation to choose other directions or to compromise by hoodwinking ourselves into partial obedience (which is actually disobedience). None of us is perfect, so there will be times when we miss the mark (Romans 3:23). When we find ourselves in these situations it's important that we turn to God. We can pray King David's prayer, “Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). The goal of our obedience is to remain near to God, no matter how many mistakes we make along the way. He is loving, compassionate and forgiving. Have a great week. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. It is good to be reminded of God's love for us. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord , who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10) God demonstrates His love for us by what He has planned for us. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) Because of God's love for us we can face the future with confidence. "I keep my eyes always on the Lord . With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalms 16:8) Have a wonderful time worshipping our loving, compassionate God today. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Do you ever feel like you are insignificant in the life of your church, like others can do it better than you? So you hang back from getting involved? 1 Chronicles 4:23 says: "They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king." Charkes Spurgeon in one of His daily devotional writings has this to say about the people mentioned in this verse. "Potters were not the very highest grade of workers, but “the king” needed potters, and therefore they were in royal service, although the material upon which they worked was nothing but clay. We, too, may be engaged in the most menial part of the Lord’s work, but it is a great privilege to do anything for “the king”. Our calling, our place of service, is not in our hands. Rather it is ordained by "The King". We are to willingly step up to the plate, serve the Lord and be a blessing to those around us. Spurgeon reminds us: "Ye unknown workers who are occupied for your Lord amid the dirt and wretchedness of the lowest of the low, be of good cheer, for jewels have been found upon dunghills ere now, earthen pots have been filled with heavenly treasure ... It is when we are in his work that we may reckon upon his smile." Enjoy your weekend. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We can learn a lot from prayers recorded in the Old Testament. Many women and men who prayed in the Bible witnessed firsthand God’s wonder-working power—and that power is still available to us today. The prayer of Jehoshaphat recorded in 2 Chronicles 6 is a wonderful example for us today. His prayer for help not only asked the Lord to meet his needs but also proclaimed God’s greatness. By praying, “Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You” (2 Chron. 20:6), Jehoshaphat was praising God and at the same time reminding himself of the Lord’s greatness. While crying out to God about his terrible predicament, Jehoshaphat also exalted the Lord for His attributes and acknowledged the great things He had done previously. Reading about how He has worked in the lives of others helps us grasp the immensity of His might. When we talk to God, recall His mercy, grace, and awesome power. Focus as much attention on Him as we do on our requests and our relationship with the Father will be transformed. "This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s." (2 Chronicles 20:15) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. There is joy and excitement when a baby takes his/her first steps. Just like a parent who rejoices over a baby’s first steps, so our heavenly Father delights in our steps as we seek to walk with Him. The goal is growth. Once a toddler walks, the parents’ delight shifts to more mature achievements. Our Father loves us and patiently cheers us on as we develop in our walk with Him. Amidst all our frailties, temptations and failures, God sees our innermost thoughts and motives. What’s important to the Lord is our heart. He knows how much we love Him. Even in our stumbling, He helps us up and encourages us through His Word. Paul gives us clear direction as to how we should go about growing in our walk with God when he says: "Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord." (Ephesians 5:1,8,10) As we live to please Him, we can imagine our Father looking at us and exclaiming with delight: "That's My boy! That's My girl!" Have a really good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne