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Good morning. There are times in life when it seems like our world is falling apart, when we don't know which way to turn. Jesus Christ has makes it possible for Followers of Christ to lean into God. Right now He, Jesus, is talking to the Father, interceding for you. Paul encourages us in Ephesians to put on the full armour of God so that we are able to face whatever comes our way. He says: "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13) With this in mind, let us take to heart what 1 Samuel 12:16 says. “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!" Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. At the outset of another new week we all need a good dose of "Strength" to see us through each day. God's Word reminds us: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalms 73:26) "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:29) "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." (1 Chronicles 16:11) "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) "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure." (2 Samuel 22:33) “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared:" (Numbers 14:17) "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." (Ephesians 6:10) Let's face the week ahead in His strength. Let's do it! Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We trust that today finds you well and ready for the word of the day - Praise. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." (Psalms 100:4) "Praise the Lord . Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord . Praise the Lord." (Psalms 150:1‭-‬6) "Sing the praises of the Lord , you his faithful people; praise his holy name." (Psalms 30:4) Have a great day praising the Saviour of the world. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The word of the day on this Workers Day is Rest. "for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:10) "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalms 91:1) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Have a good day resting in Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning on this chilly morning. The answer to the question "What is my view of God?" will determine how we face life's challenges. Our view of God is shaped by the relationship we have with Him and by walking with Him daily. We can draw from the example of David's encounter with Goliath (1 Samuel 17). David declared victory over Goliath before the battle even began (1 Samuel 17:46). His confidence came from: Spending hours alone in the wilderness, listening to God’s voice. So he knew how to discern what the Lord was telling him to do. David's practical habits strengthened his faith. David recalled how faithful God had always been. He remembered times in the past when the Lord protected and strengthened him, such as moments when a lion or bear threatened his flock (1 Samuel 17:37). David knew he had full access to his Father’s storehouses of power, courage, and wisdom. He had strong convictions about the Lord and what He could do. As we develop a strong healthy relationship with the Father, our view of Him will enable us to face every day with confidence. God bless you today. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When God looks at you, there are no surprises in store for Him. God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart ..." (Jeremiah 1:5) The psalmist responds to God by saying, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalms 139:14) Let's pause for a moment at the outset of the day and take in what that means for us, means for YOU! We all have insecurities and we certainly don’t always feel wonderful but that doesn’t change the truth. Your appearance, personality and gifts are unique. You were created with a plan in mind. • You were designed with loving care • You are not an accident • You are known • You are loved • You have purpose As you go through the day remember who you are in His eyes. Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Yesterday South Africa celebrated Freedom Day. There is more to freedom than casting off restraint. Nelson Mandela said, "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." When we forgive we release freedom - more so to ourselves than to others. Paul put it this way: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32) "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13) "For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 3:8) Have a good day living in the freedom of forgiveness. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you on this Freedom Day. Freedom is something we all espouse to. Freedom! "Don't tell me what I must do. I'm old enough to make up my own mind." We have all said this, or at least thought it, at some time or another. Freedom is not cheap. History tells us that there is is a price to be paid for freedom. As followers of Christ we know that the price of our freedom, for us to become children of God, was paid in full by Jesus Christ when He die in our stead on the cross. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1) For us to enjoy this freedom we need to stand firm. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us to "...throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1) We do this by doing what Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "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." It is out of relationship with the Father that we are able to do just that. Enjoy the freedom you have in Christ this Freedom Day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Yesterday we were reminded that it is so easy to become distracted by the voices around us. Because of our relationship with Him we are able to hear the Father speak to us. Yet we fall into the trap of hearing but not acting on what we have heard. Jesus put it this way. "The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22) This can be true of us. We are caught up with the worries of this life. We wonder how we will get through the rest of the month, the week, the day. We end up working longer hours to make ends meet. We get so busy that we forget what the Father is saying to us. Let us not get so caught up in the business of life that we spend less and less time with Him. "How?", you may ask. Over the years we have found that we need to prioritize daily time with God, to read the Word and speak to Him and to listen for His voice. What we prioritize, we will make time to do. Enjoy the freedom that comes from spending time with Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you. One of the great things about having a personal relationship with the Father is that we get to know His voice. We learn to distinguish between God's voice and the "voices" of others. When Jesus tells the story of the good shepherd, He has this to say: "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:3-‬5) It is so easy to become distracted by the voices around us. Some of the voices we have identified over the years: • Disappointment • Offence • Feeling neglected / overlooked • Loneliness • Gossip • Offence on behalf of someone else • Unhappiness One of the blessings of a personal relationship with the Father is that He has our best interests at heart. That is why He gave us Holy Spirit. Jesus said: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." (John 16:13) Let us listen to His voice and allow Holy Spirit to guide us. Have a blessed day. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you this fine autumnal weekend. To have a personal relationship with the Father one has to have had a personal encounter with the Son resulting in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son who reconciles us to the Father. This is what Paul says concerning the Son. "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—" (Colossians 1:15‭-‬22 NIV) As you ponder Paul's words, rest in your relationship with the Father. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." (Psalms 42:1) The longer I am married to Daphne, the more I want to be with her. My wife brings peace and assurance into my life. It is so good to be with her. Our relationship is not a 50/50 partnership. It is 100% commitment from both of us. Similarly, relationship with the Father requires an all out commitment to Him. He gave it all for us. In marriage we constantly have to work at it. After all, our human nature tends to lean towards our selfish desires. It is the same in our relationship with God. The more we work at it, the more we will want to be with Him. The chorus of one of Don Moen's songs puts it this way. "A hungry heart is what I bring To the table of my King For there my soul is satisfied With all the goodness He provides Oh, all that I need is there by faith The table is set with mercy and grace So I come with a hungry heart" Have a lovely day in the presence of our King. Blessings. Mike and Daphne