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Good morning to you. I (Mike) was sitting wondering how the folk in the church at Galatia responded when Paul's letter was first read to them. I would have been awestruck. Just imagine hearing this: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Galatians 1:3‭-‬5) Wow! So much packed into that opening sentence. Paul • Passes on God's grace and peace to you. Receive it. • Reminds us that the work of Christ, rescuing us from a life of sin, was according to the Father's will. God had you in mind all along. • All of this was for God's eternal glory. When we take all this in, then we, like Paul, will say: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14) So, as we worship together today, let's give Him all the glory. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you. For those who have faced some battles in the past months, well done for persevering. The pandemic has affected most of us in one way or another. Whether times have been challenging or plain sailing Paul says this to us: "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) 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) Notwithstanding this he tells us that we still have work to do in living a godly life. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:5‭-‬8) Will you join us in pushing through to receive the crown which awaits each on of us. "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12) Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When life continuosly throws us curve balls, we can easily become despondent. When this happens, as followers of Christ, we find hope by turning to God and His Word. "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." (Romans 15:4) "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:19) "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5) The words of the chorus of the old hymn has this to say to us: "Now let us have a little talk with Jesus Let us tell Him all about our troubles He will hear our faintest cry, He will answer by and by And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin' And you will know a little fire is burnin' Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right." As we go into the weekend, here is a word of encouragement from Paul. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13) Enjoy a restful weekend. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When God calls us followers of Christ to serve Him in a specific task, depenfing on the task, our response can be like that of Jonah. When Jonah is mentioned we think of the man who was swallowed by a big fish while trying to run from God. The portion of the story that’s often overlooked is what happened after the prophet obeyed. The response of the Ninevites to Jonah's message should have made him ecstatic. Instead he became angry over their repentance and God’s mercy on them. "But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:1‭, ‬4) Being trapped inside a fish may have convinced Jonah to obey God’s command, but his heart had not changed. God is not fooled by good behavior that springs from a hard heart. Obeying Him with an unwilling spirit may achieve His purpose, but we lose the joy of our reward. As we follow His will, pray also for a soft heart. You will find peace and blessing in doing the work when you follow Him with a humble spirit. Have an enjoyable day serving Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Hope is essential for life. But optimistic anticipation can also bring disappointment when we look forward to something that doesn’t materialize. We may well ask together with the psalmist "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? (Psalms 42:5a) So how do we determine where to place our hope—and what our response should be if it isn’t fulfilled? Hope is secure when it’s aligned with the Lord’s desires, which are revealed in Scripture. However, many of our expectations are based on wishes or feelings. Disappointment with God can occur whenever our expectations do not coincide with His plan. Even when hope is based on a scriptural promise, the Lord may not fulfill it in the way or the timeframe that we expect. Contentment lies in being able to distinguish subjective hopes, which originate with us, from our ultimate hope in the Lord, who is sovereign and good. Then, even when an earthly expectation isn’t realized as we wished, we can have joy, remembering that our eternal hope in God is sure. Let us do as the psalmist says, "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalms 42:5b) Enjoy relaxing on this Youth Day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne (Reference Dr Charles Stanley for his thoughts on Psalm 42)

Good morning. When I, Mike, became a follower of Christ it took a while for me to realize that God delights in me. Perhaps you don't fully grasp this truth for yourself. 2 Samuel 22:20 reminds us that not only does He delight in us, but He brings us into a spacious place. It says, "He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." We are also reminded that: • He keeps our way secure • He causes us to stand on heights • His saving help is our shield • He looks after our well-being "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make your saving help my shield; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way." (2 Samuel 22:33‭-‬37) Because of all that He does for you, you can rest secure in the knowledge that He looks after you, His delight. Have a marvelous day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We trust you are we rested after the weekend. If you are anything like us, you’ve likely faced pitfalls in life. Regardless of what you’re going through, you can count on God’s sustaining grace. • God’s sustaining grace helps us to keep standing when we’re tempted. Temptation can cause us to stumble. The Bible says, "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) God will provide a way to escape when we are tempted. • God’s sustaining grace helps you when you’re tired. Life is often exhausting. Where does one get the power to do the right thing when you’re dead tired? The key is having the Holy Spirit in your heart. Paul tells us, "it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:21‭-‬22) • God’s sustaining grace gives you the power to keep going when you’re troubled. There are some things in life that are unplanned, unrelenting, and undeserved—and they hurt the most. Isaiah 41:10 says, "So 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." As you go about your day, be assured that you can count on God’s sustaining grace. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Facing and dealing with discouragement can drain us emotionally. It is important for us learn to deal positively with discouragement. In handling discouragement it is important to: • Take time for refreshing. Until we figure out how to find regular refreshment, we'll always be discouraged. No matter what project one is working on, to see it through we need to take time for refreshing. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16 Paul why he isn’t discouraged. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." We renew ourselves by spending time in God’s Word and in prayer, daily. When we do this, it is like connecting jumper cables to get our spirit recharged. • Stay focused on eternity. Look beyond the present and focus on what’s next. The “here and now” can be discouraging. But when you focus on all God has planned for you, you won’t get discouraged. Paul had been through unimaginable suffering when he wrote: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17‭-‬18) Paul kept his troubles in perspective, by focusing on eternity, and it helped him persevere. We don’t know what may be discouraging you, but this we do know - God wants to bring you peace. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) Have a peace filled day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. To help overcome discouragement we must: • Relax in our limitations. We get discouraged when we try to do more than humanly possible. We need a realistic view of what we can do. God often puts his greatest gifts in the weakest people to show that he is the One who is at work. Paul describes his own physical weakness in 2 Corinthians 4:7 when he writes: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." We can relax and be honest about our limitations. • Use our pain to help others. Sometimes God lets us go through pain so that it will help others. Humans can handle an enormous amount of suffering if they believe there is a purpose in it. Paul described this from his own life in 2 Corinthians 4:8&9: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." He then tells us why in verse 15: “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." Keep going because God will use your pain. Remember God's promise. "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5) Hang in there and have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We trust you are keeping well and are wrapping up warm in this cool weather. After months (14.5) of lockdown living, it is easy to start feeling discouraged. With that in mind here are a few points to remember, to overcome discouragement. 1. Never forget how much God loves you. You know God loves you. But do you feel it in your heart? When you stop feeling the love of God, you’ll get discouraged. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:1: "Therefore, since through God’s mercy ... we do not lose heart." 2. Don’t fake it. Be yourself. Just because you’re a follower of Christ doesn’t mean you have to pretend you’re not hurting. Be who God made you to be. Nothing is more discouraging than trying to be something you’re not. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:2: "we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God." 3. Remember, it’s not about you. You’re more likely to be discouraged when you’re self-focused. Paul reminds us: "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5) It is not about your status or position in life. Your message is not about you. It’s about Jesus. So take heart. Christ said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you. Seeing how Jesus dealt with stress in his life on earth will help us to put in place and develope the same mechanisms to managing stress in our lives. Here are 4 more lessons for us to learn. • Focus: Jesus knew what mattered most. "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51) • Meditation: Jesus listened to God. We need to open our Bibles and spend time with God. "Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:15‭-‬16) • Collaboration: Jesus had a small group that He counted as friends that He could draw aside with. "Then he said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.'" (Matthew 26:38) • Recreation: Jesus took time to recharge. We all need to break away from the hustle and bustle of life's pressures. "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" (Mark 6:31) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We find ourselves living in stressful times and circumstances. It is very helpful to look at how Jesus handled stress. Jesus knew the secrets of stress management. As we look at some of these, let's resolve to put these into practice if we have not already done so. 1. Identity: Jesus knew who he was. "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) 2. Motivation: Jesus knew who he was living for. "for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me." (John 5:30) 3. Purpose: Jesus understood his calling. "but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me." (John 14:31) Paul's word for us today is, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." (Ephesians 4:1) Have a good day. Blessings Mike and Daphne