Search Results

Good morning. Packing to go away for a short break, I, Mike packed 4 chargers for the devices we we were taking with us. This highlighted the importance we place on keeping our cellphones, tablets, laptops etc. charged. Often, we go through our days looking like we have it together on the outside, yet on the inside we are running on empty. It is as if our souls are flashing the red warning light, trying to tell us that we are running on empty. We are quick to keep all our devices charged while we move through life on empty. Just opening a Bible, plugging into God, is a surefire way to recharge us. Just as we rely on our chargers to keep our favorite electronic gadgets running, we need to be relying on God, his Word and prayer to keep ourselves fully charged. What are we plugging into? Is it really working for us, or are we just going through the motions, doing the bare minimum, so we don’t completely shut down? Be encouraged to plug into Him today. "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We can easily slip into the trap of trying to control everything. Because of past hurts, we can go through life trying to control everything as a way of protecting ourselves. The need to control can cause a sense of panic when we are faced with something that we can’tcontrol. If the need to be in control is controlling you, it is time to make a change. Nothing happens in the universe that is not in God’s control. He has no limitations. If we can’t control our hair on a bad hair day, what makes us think we can control life better than God? God says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10) We need to let go and let God have control. Fear can have a tight hold on us, and it can keep us from really experiencing all that God has for us. Fear is one of the most powerful weapons the enemy tries to use against us, but with faith we can overcome fear. As we go into the new week remember God says, "I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:13) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Often people allow the choices they make to define how they see themselves and put a label on themselves. Because of God’s love, we are remade and are no longer labeled by our past mistakes. With God, we can find our true identity. We have seen folk move from lives of sorrow to lives of joy when they opened their hearts to receive His love and forgiveness. By looking to God and to what scripture has to say, we find that God’s love is enormous and that we can find your identity in him and not in our mistakes. God created us and has a plan for us. We need to understand that God sees us, He sees you, as his beloved child. And, when we allow God to erase the labels we carry from our past, we will begin to see ourselves as he sees us: without blame. Today as we join with fellow followers of Christ to worship God, let's do so with a thankful heart. "Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son And now let the weak say, "I am strong" Let the poor say, "I am rich Because of what the Lord has done for us" Give thanks." (Don Moen) Have a blessed day thanking and worshipping God. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever." I, Mike, recently saw this slogan which got me thinking about how we as followers of Christ go through life. We all have dreams of what we want to do/achieve in life. Depending on where we are in achieving our dream, this can be exhilarating or frustrating. Perhaps you wanted to be a doctor but for now you are a nurse. Perhaps you dreamed of being a big time international traveler but find yourself battling to travel the same 5 km to your place of employment every day. Sometimes our motivation gets muddy. We become self-seeking and reduce the Christian life to a quest for “feeling good” about ourselves, or “managing” our sin well so that we don’t end up in messy or uncomfortable life circumstances. We slip into seeking God’s hand, instead of seeking His heart. These ulterior motives can sap the vibrancy out of our relationship with Jesus. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." Our motivation for living a meaningful Christian life should be born out of a deep desire to bring God glory. As we enjoy our weekend, let's go about bringing glory to God. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. There are many folk who go through life without experiencing the love of their father. This was how I, Mike, felt until one night God revealed the truth to me as I slept. God changed my perspective concerning my father's love for me by showing me how my father demonstrated his love for me. It was if I experienced the Father's words to His Son, Jesus. "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11) For years after accepting Christ as my Lord and Saviour, I battled with the idea of God accepting me as one of His children and that He loved me. We may feel that there is so much our past that makes it difficult to grasp the truth of Paul's statement "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1‭-‬2) Notwithstanding how we may feel about ourselves, our Father loves us. John reminds us, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1) As we head into the day, give thanks that we are counted a child of God and are recipients of His love. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Sometimes people have difficulty loving others because they were betrayed or rejected by those who should have loved them most. So instead of loving people as they ought to, they push them away to protect themselves from being hurt again. We can overcome this barrier to loving others by daring to believe that God’s love for us is great enough to sweep away the pain of the past. His love is wide enough and deep enough and high enough to meet our every need and heal our every hurt. God’s love can make it as if those things never even happened. His love lifts us up when others let us down. He will accept and embrace us when others reject us. We should not let our past become our future. Rather believe what the Bible says about God’s love. The song "The Love Of God" sung by Mercy Me, begins with these words: "The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell It goes beyond the highest star And reaches to the lowest hell" Paul sums it up well when he says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38‭-‬39) God's love for us is amazing. With this in mind, let's enjoy His love and give it away to all we come in contact with. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When we go through situations which we think are insurmountable, our minds, our thoughts are consumed by replaying thoughts over and over. It is only human to want our circumstances to change, be over and done with, but God uses them to shape our lives. When we are blessed to get away from the city into the bush, we are able to see God's creation more clearly. Sometimes we will see an eagle majestically soaring on the thermal currents in the sky. And every time we see the eagle high in the sky we are reminded of Isaiah's words, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31) The difficult seasons we go through produce stronger character if we are prepared to be patient. Not patient in a passive sense, but patient in knowing the battle might take a while. The eagle in God's Word is a symbol of strength. God renews our strength as we hope and wait on Him. This is an amazing promise; when we wait on God we actually get stronger. Our prayer today is that God will fill us with hope and courage as we persevere in our difficult periods of life. Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When David wrote Psalm 27 he was clearly in a desperate situation. Yet he knew that God is his strength and he patiently waited for God. It isn’t always easy to face difficulties when we can’t do anything to change the situation. Whether it is a business failure, family calamity, relational breakdown, or crisis of faith, these mountains seem insurmountable and can make us feel like giving up. It is in times like this that we, as followers of Christ, can together with David say, "in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock." (Psalm 27:5) While it is neither easy nor pleasant to go through these periods in life, he Lord is intimately involved in our pain and struggles. His grace is sufficient for us as He strengthens us in our difficult times. Paul talking of the tough times in his life wrote, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Despite our circumstances, let's take hold of David's words, "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13‭) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. David had many reasons to live a worried life. He had all kinds of things come against him - people, armies, even his own family. He had many reasons to be worried, upset, and bitter. Notwithstanding all this, he said, "The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock." (Psalm 27:1,5) We may be facing discouraging situations and difficulties, but when we place our faith, hope and trust in God, He places us in His shelter. We may feel like we’re surrounded by an army, but the truth is you’re surrounded by God’s favour. What God said to Joshua holds true for us today: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) God’s got this. He’s done it in the past, and He’s not going to stop now. Let's go into the new week living from a place of peace, knowing that we are safe in the palms of His hands. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When one throws a stone into a lake that is as calm as glass on the surface, it sends ripples across the lake. It looks like it causes a big disturbance. But the truth is, one foot beneath the surface it is calm and peaceful. How are we affected by the pebbles that get thrown into our lives? Do we get frustrated and lose our joy? When we refocus away from our circumstances onto God, when we get beneath the surface, we find that God is still on the throne. As we learn to "live below the surface" we will discover the truth in what Isaiah wrote: "My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest." (Isaiah 32:18) Enjoy a peaceful day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." (Daniel 6:23) The question begs asking: "How do people respond when they see God's hand on us?" Do they say we are lucky? Are they amazed? Their response will largely be influenced by their knowledge (or lack thereof) of our relationship with God. At all times - at home with our families, at work with our colleagues, at recreation with our friends - we as followers of Christ should live in such a way that it is evident that God is fundamental to us; that He takes first place in our lives. When it is evident to those around us that God is preeminent in our lives, they too will respond as Darius did to Daniel's predicament. They too will will acknowledge God's hand on us, “for he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.” (Daniel 6:26‭-‬27) Enjoy a blessed weekend. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will be joyful in God my Saviour." (Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬18) None of us know what the future holds. Here are three thoughts that we can put into action, that will help us live wisely and well. • Time is precious; don't waste it. Don't waste it bickering about things that won't matter when the ones we love are gone. Do everything we can to live in harmony and show our love. • Create memories - not regrets! Make them good ones. • It's not what happens, but how we respond that counts. We have the power through Christ to make each test an occasion for growth. "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights." (Habakkuk 3:19) Have a blessed Friday. Blessings. Mike and Daphne