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Good morning. Christmas might be very different this year. As a result of the Covid-19 lockdown regulations traditionally Christmas get-togethers will probably have to be downsized. Perhaps you've lost a loved one since last Christmas or your circumstances have changed. Change, even for the good, can leave us feeling unsure and insecure. Sometimes we don’t know which way to turn or where to start. The Psalmist tells us that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet. (Psalm 119) When we rely on God’s guidance every step of the way, it builds our faith and trust in him. Once we accept Christ into our hearts and we begin to walk in His ways, He will help us form new habits and renew our purpose. He may not change the circumstances to suit us, but we will never walk alone. We can rely on him each step of the way. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Rest in the knowledge that no matter what Christmas 2021 holds for each one of us, He is with us. He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Today South Africa celebrates the Day of Reconciliation. However, the 1st Christmas ushered in the beginning of God's plan of reconciling man to Himself. 8 centuries before the 1st Christmas the prophet Isaiah said, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2) John, the disciple Jesus loved, said this, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19) Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthuans 5:19, that 33 years after the 1st Christmas, God’s plan of reconciliation came to fruition. "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them." It does not end there. It is the beginning for followers of Christ. We now have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:18, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation". Today, let's take time to thank God for His Day of Reconciliation. "While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" (Romans 5:10) Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. It is interesting that often leading up to Christmas, for some unknown reason, we get busy and some days can become quite tense. In Isaiah 9:6, God spoke through the prophet and foretold of the coming of Jesus—that He would be called the Prince of Peace. How do we move from seeing and believing this truth, to truly walking in and experiencing the peace only He can provide? We so often try to control every aspect of our lives, carrying the weight of every situation on our shoulders. God never intended for us to carry it alone. When we choose to prioritize our relationship with Jesus and bring our cares to Him, we’re able to receive the supernatural peace that flows from Him. Jesus told His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace." (John 16:33) This season, let’s remember the peace we have available in Jesus. Through Christ we have access to a rest and a peace that surpasses anything we could achieve for ourselves. Take time to thank your loving Father for the peace He provides you through Jesus, and to rest in His presence. Remember that no matter what you face, He is with you and that He brings peace that surpasses all understanding. Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Zechariah and Elizabeth waited a long time, hoping and praying to have children. But as the years passed and they grew old, it didn't seem like it would happen. Zechariah had lost hope that he and Elizabeth would be parents. Yet the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and told him that his son would be great in the eyes of the Lord. Have you ever been afraid to hope? Have you ever wanted something so much that when it looked like it might actually happen, you found reasons to doubt? When we’re hurt or deeply disappointed, our natural reaction might be to push hope away and keep our expectations low. But God repeatedly shows that he takes care of his own, and does immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine What are you hoping for this season? Are your expectations set low? Take the time to identify any negative thoughts preventing you from trusting God with your hopes and dreams. Remind yourself that you are a child of the loving Father. Never forget that He 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) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Sometimes, we become so focused on how we think things should be, that we fail to recognize or appreciate the incredible blessing of what is. Israel had a very specific idea of how the Messiah would come. They were so focused on Christ coming as a warrior to rescue them that many didn’t recognize their long-awaited Saviour when he actually arrived. His idea of what was most important was to pay for our sins and save us through his grace. The 2nd coming of Christ, when every knee will bow, is yet to happen. It will happen in his perfect timing, as part of his perfect plan. For now, let’s surrender our plans to him and recognize the blessings he places in front of us. Maybe that crooked Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments that tell a story of your family. And those faces around your table? Don't allow them to be overlooked and overshadowed because your attention is focused elsewhere. In the coming days, try to be aware of any preconceived ideas you bring to Christmas. Relinquishing these ideas and be open to what God might want you to see. Our prayer for you is found in Ephesians 1:18, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people" Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Today is the 3rd Sunday of Advent in the Christian calendar. The 1st Sunday of Advent hope is celebrated. The 2nd Sunday of Advent love is celebrated. The 3rd Sunday of Advent joy is celebrated. Today we can sing "Joy to the world, the Lord has come" with confidence. Our King has come and has ushered in hope and love and joy. Jesus, in one of His discourses, said to His followers, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." (John 15:11) Nehemiah tells us that "the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) Today as we worship God together, may the joy of the LORD strengthen each one of us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Christmas can be the loneliest time of year for many people, reminding them of loss, broken relationships and unfilled spaces in their lives. Sometimes, a ray of hope is all they need to hold on just that little while longer. As Christ-followers, we are commissioned to reflect the light that Jesus brought into a dark and hurting world. Yet ironically, at Christmastime it’s especially easy to get caught up in the busyness and commercialism of the season, focusing on planning parties and buying presents. We may find our thoughts and actions focused on things not all that different from unbelievers. We should follow Paul's instruction to Timothy to be prepared in season and out of season to share the gospel. Is it possible that if we go along with the crowd and remain quiet when we should speak of the greatest hope available, we may be keeping someone from meeting Christ—the source of all light. Isaiah, hundreds of years ago, said: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2) Let’s do all that we can to share the Light of the world this Christmastime. Think of specific family members, co-workers, and neighbours who need a little light in their lives. Have a super weekend. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. What comes to mind when you think about an anchor? Security, strength, steadfastness? Anchors are strong, heavy objects usually crafted from metal. When dropped into the water, they sink and fasten securely into the sand, and have been used for centuries to prevent boats from drifting off due to high winds, choppy waves, or strong currents. They’re a necessity for boating and you wouldn’t want to be caught off shore in deep waters without one. Just as boats rely on anchors to keep them safe and secure at sea, we can rely on God to be an anchor for our soul as we walk through the uncertainties of life. He is everlasting, strong, and he is immovable. We can be certain that Christ will stick by our side and keep us steady. As Christmas comes closer, let’s reflect upon God’s promises that were fulfilled through the birth of Christ. Our King has come. Our savior has been born. Let’s remain anchored in the true meaning of Christmas. Let’s remember that Christ came to fulfill God’s promises and to hold us steadfast in his love. He is our anchor and has come to give us hope. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:19) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The process leading up to Christmas Day is called Advent. Advent is a fancy way of saying, “arrival.” It’s a time of waiting, of anticipating the coming of something (or someone) great. The Christmas season is our time as Christians to wait with great joy and celebrate the birth of Christ. We celebrate Christmas Day, but there is much to celebrate in the days leading up to the day of Jesus’ birth. It's so easy to become focused on the end goal that we forget to appreciate the process of getting there. When we elevate the end over the means, we miss out, because often God does some of His greatest work along the way. For him, it’s all about the process, and less about the final destination. This Christmas season, don’t focus on lists of things to do - your Christmas lists, your grocery lists, the list of parties to attend, and everything in between. Don’t just aim for Christmas Day and miss out on the enjoyment of the days leading up to it. Forget about the presents needing to be wrapped. Focus instead on being present in each moment. Take time to celebrate God in the process. He is at work this Christmas season. Don’t wait until December 25 to notice. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. During the 2nd week in the Advent calendar, Christians the world over focus on the virtue of love. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul gives us an exposition on love's characteristics. Amongst others he says, " Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." (1 Corinthians 13:6) John, the disciple Jesus loved, reminds us, "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19) He also tells us, "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:18) It is interesting that love and truth are linked together. John Stott, in his writings says "Love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth. Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love." For us as followers of Christ this is profound. As we live out the "Greatest Commandment" - loving God and loving others - we wrap love in truth. Let our love be genuine. Likewise, we need to wrap the truth (which can become harsh) with love. Paul lists a number of virtues in Colossians 3:12-13 and concludes by saying, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:14) Today, let us clothe ourselves with love.. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Matthew confirms Isaiah's prophesy when he says, "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22‭-‬23) As followers of Christ we are so privileged to have God with us and living is us. Jesus, the King of Kings, arrived as a humble servant. Humility is not thinking we are less. To be humble doesn’t mean we have to be weak. God has given us all we need to live confidently as His. The proud will never truly lift up God’s name in praise. Yet He raises the humble to new heights. Humility is the byproduct of being with Jesus. Anyone who walks intimately with Him will not think more highly of himself than he should. To be loved by Jesus and invited into a relationship with Him, is all we need to right-size ourselves and to assume His gentleness and grace. Immanuel God with us, makes this possible. Peter reminds us that "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 1:3) Today we have the privilege and honour to let His humility and love shine through us. Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne.

Good morning. If you are anything like me (Mike), you don't enjoy having to wait. That’s because most of us consider waiting to be a waste of time. But it’s not so with our God. God is at work while we wait. Even when you can’t see what He is doing, God is orchestrating the events of heaven and earth to accomplish His purposes for our lives. God’s plans for our lives will not be thwarted. Wait patiently, knowing that waiting is never wasted when you are waiting on God. Quiet moments are rare and it can be difficult to find stillness, but take a few minutes today to quietly consider the Lord. Just be still and meditate on the person of Jesus and all He has done for you. Think about His birth, His infancy, His death and the gift of life He extends to you. Think about His resurrection, His power over the darkness and the grave. Drink in His presence and in the stillness seek His face. And think about His coming, the day you will see Him face to face. God says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (Psalms 46:10‭-‬11) Have a peaceful day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne