Search Results

Good morning. Imagine the surprise and disbelief when the Jewish people were told their saviour was born to a common family in a manger in Bethlehem, the lowliest of places in a lowly town. They had anticipated a saviour for centuries. They were expecting a royal king who’d set them free and establish an earthly kingdom. Jesus, born in a manger, certainly did not meet their expectations. We too, place our expectations on God, assuming He’ll work according to our timeline and plan. The truth is that God rarely moves on our schedule, and His answers rarely match what we envision. There is a difference between placing our expectations on God versus trusting in His plan and being expectant that He will see it through to completion in our lives. Placing our expectations on God can set us up for disappointment and frustration when they go unmet, but having a healthy expectancy of God can feed our faith. We can find comfort in knowing that God wants to do more than meet your expectations. He wants to exceed them. Paul reminds us of this. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us ..." (Ephesians 3:20‭-‬21a) We take heart knowing that God can do far more than we can even think to ask of Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4) Long before the birth of Jesus, Moses had to wait for God to speak to him on a mountaintop or through a burning bush. At that time, mankind did not have constant access to an intimate relationship with God. How often do we still ask for our own burning bush, wishing for an explicit, tangible sign or a clear word from Him? When it feels like we’re waiting and waiting to hear from Him. Even as followers of Christ we can start to believe God is far away. Jesus has bridged the gap between us and God. He is God’s answer to our desire for a burning bush or a mountaintop conversation with Him. Jesus has restored our relationship with Him and made a way for us to daily approach His throne boldly. "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) We find comfort in knowing that God is with us. He hears our prayers. If God can mend our broken relationship with Him, think of what He can and will do in our lives. Enjoy a wonderful day knowing God is with us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Fear can stop us in our tracks. It can make us want to run and hide. Satan loves to distract us with fear to keep us from seeing the safety of God’s direction. Fear threatened the fulfillment of tge promise of Christmas multiple times. But God was intentional to remind His story’s key players over and over, “Do not be afraid.” Joseph initially responded to the news of Mary’s pregnancy by trying to preserve both his and Mary’s reputations, fearful of all the implications. He had no way of knowing Mary’s claim of virginity was legitimate, and he was going to break off their engagement. In the midst of a painful, confusing time for Joseph, God came to him in a dream, challenged his fear with the peace of divine purpose, and set him on course to be the earthly father of the greatest Man the world has ever known In our moments of fear, God wants to speak truth to us and break the power of whatever lie is holding us back. When we seek His peace, He will conquer our fears with His love. We need to ask God to come and speak truth to whatever lies are giving us anxiety today. He will be faithful to respond and empower us to move forward into the incredible purpose He has for us. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. As we approach Christmas we hear more and more Christmas carols, on the radio, in the shopping malls and of course, at church. One of my (Mike) favourits calls us to worship the King of kings. "O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem O come and behold Him, born the King of Angels" "O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord" "O sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation O come, o come ye to Bethlehem O come and behold Him, born the King of Angels" "O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord" Today as we join with fellow followers of Christ, let's adore Him, Jesus Christ the Lord. Have a wonderful time in God's presence, worshipping Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Something powerful happens when we trust God enough to not only hear what He says, but believe it. If you believe what God says is true and that His plan for you will lead to the best possible outcome, that trust results in peace and blessing. Mary believed God when He said she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah, and He blessed her with peace when she could have been full of anxiety. Mary trusted God’s plan and moved forward believing His promises would be fulfilled in her life. As we draw closer to Christmas, think about the incredible result of Mary’s belief. The Son of God was born! "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45) Each one of us needs to ponder what God has spoken over our life that we need to believe today. Trust His plan, receive His peace knowing He knows best, and look forward to the blessing to come! Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:7) Peter says that through the trials we face, the genuineness of our faith is revealed. God frequently asks for our trust through difficult, uncomfortable, and seemingly impossible circumstances. How often do we respond like Mary? She makes it seem so easy. The angel Gabriel tells her that she’ll give birth to the Son of God, and she responds with immediate surrender to her role in God’s plan. She had no assurance of a comfortable outcome. A virgin engaged to be married, she likely knew how difficult giving birth to and raising Jesus would be. The only assurance Mary received was God’s Word, and it was enough for her to say “yes.” We need to ask ourselves what challenging task has God placed on our heart? Whether it’s mending a broken relationship or stepping out in faith to walk in the purpose He’s given each of us, take heart in knowing that on the other side of our “yes” to God is an outcome greater than we can imagine. We thank God for the example He has given us in Mary. Have a lovely day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. After the angel told Mary she would conceive Jesus, she asked him, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Mary did what we often do when we can’t see how things are going to work out. She questioned how something that seemed impossible could be possible. The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:35-37) It can be difficult to see how God is working in our impossible situations. Both of these miraculous conceptions remind us of God’s power. Think about Jesus and Elizabeth’s son, John the Baptist, and how their births changed the course of history. God can do immeasurably more than we can imagine in the midst of our impossible circumstances. As we give our situation to Him, we trust that He will be faithful. Be encouraged today. God never fails! "For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37 NKJV) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. “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) We draw encouragement from this verse. God has a purpose set aside for each of us. As Christmas approaches, put yourself in Mary’s shoes and reflect on this moment. Think about how incredible, maybe even overwhelming, it was for her to discover the extent of her God-given purpose. Mary, young and humble but favored by God. When He sent the angel to her side, He sent him with words of love. He let her know she was chosen and had no reason to fear. We need to realize that just as He had divine purpose for Mary, God has divine purpose for each of us. Just as He chose her and entrusted her with great plans, He has also chosen each one of us and entrusted something miraculous to us! "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Luke 12:7) Today, ask God to give clarity to what He has set you aside for. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Jesus came to earth to lead a broken world to a place where we could be made whole again. He came to reconcile us with God, bridging the gap created by our sin. Jesus came to soothe our anxieties and give us a sound mind. The peace He brought into the world at Christmas allows us to be content and rest in Him no matter what chaos surrounds us. Isaiah revealed that a child would be born who would be called the Prince of Peace. Whatever we are facing in this season - sickness, a broken relationship, depression, or loneliness - we can allow Jesus’ peace to comfort us right where we are. We don’t have to get to the end of our struggle to experience wholeness. Jesus wants to quiet our spirits with His love and perfect our trust in Him. We can weather this storm, complete in Him. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end." (Isaiah 9:6‭-‬7) "He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight." (Psalm 72:12‭-‬14) David recognized that deep compassion and care for God’s people, as well as warring against and forever defeating oppression, were the signs of a perfect King - one whose moral judgment and selflessness would never be compromised. In addition to being the moment the Savior came into the world, Christmas marked the beginning of the legacy of eternity's greatest King. Jesus will continue to reign long after the kings and kingdoms of this world pass away, and we will get to live under the covering of His perfect love forever. As we go into the new week let's remember God's amazing compassion. He cares for each one of us. In every situation He is for us. "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) This means we can face the future with confidence. Blessings. Mike and Daphne.

Good morning. "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious" (Zechariah 9:9) This is the promise we remember at Christmas time. On that first Christmas, God brought “His righteousness” to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. This is exactly what the world needed (and still needs). The birth of Jesus initiated a divine exchange that was brought to fruition with His death on the cross. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) God’s love for us is not based on anything we do or do not do. It’s based only on what Jesus has already done. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) The Righteous One was born on Christmas to show us God’s love in the most powerful way possible, by making us righteous in His sight. Because of this, we have the assurance that God is with us. "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) This is the reason we worship Him. Have a wonderful Sunday. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Bethlehem. Why would God choose to come to earth in such an unimportant location? Bethlehem was a small town, insignificant in comparison to bigger cities in the area. Is it a worthy place for the King of Kings to be born? So here's the thing. God has never been interested in the world’s definition of greatness. Wealth, fame, popularity, power - none of these are noteworthy to God. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) What God can do in my life, in your life, is not limited by our earthly status. Where Jesus’ journey began did not determine what He could accomplish for the Kingdom. The same is true for us. Thank God that incredible things begin in humble places. No matter where we started, He will take us to where He wants us to be. Enjoy a relaxing weekend. Blessings. Mike and Daphne