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Good morning. We all like to hear that God wants to give us the desires of our heart. But what is our responsibility when it comes to claiming this promise from God? (Psalm 37:4) We must: • Delight ourselves in the Lord. (v. 4). As followers of Christ we should rejoice in God. He should be top priority in our life. • Commit our way to Him. (v. 5). We must allow God to change any aspect of our ambition that is not aligned with His will. It’s good to remember that when He doesn’t answer prayers as we wish, it’s for a reason. • Trust in Him. (v. 5). God is merciful, all-knowing, kind, and generous. We can trust Him with our hopes and dreams. • Rest in Him. (v. 7). Resting in the Lord means being at peace with His care and control in your life. • Wait patiently upon Him (v. 7). Jesus waited decades before beginning His ministry. Like Him, we should be patient. The Lord longs to give us fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11) and abundant blessings “beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). And when we surrender everything to Him, we’ll experience our Father’s best. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Life can be stressful. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-28 has helpful insights which we can take and apply in our lives. While he is primarily writing about breaking of bread / communion, he tells us to: • Look back: "do this in remembrance". It is important to reflect, particularly on the recent past. This is needed for us to see what we did and perhaps shouldn't have done. We can learn from reflecting on, but not dwelling on, the past. • Look forward: "until he comes". We have the opportunity to give thought you our future, particularly the immediate future. Life can be stressful. As we look to the activities of the coming weeks, we are able to plan margin into our lives. Margin helps alleviate the stress factor. • Look inward: "Everyone ought to examine themselves". By doing this we take our focus off of our circumstances and focus on what changes we can make / should be making in ourselves / our behaviour. By reflecting on and being proactive as to our behaviour, we will reduce potential stress points. Remember, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  (Jeremiah 29:11) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Have you ever felt that there is too much month left at the end of the money? Most of us have felt this way some time or other. Not withstanding our personal affairs, we work ourselves to the bone sothat we can have what we so much desire. And when all is said and done who hasn’t spent a time pursuing wealth or pleasure, only to discover that they’re worth far less than what we gave up to achieve them? I, Mike, am reminded of the story about a rich man who made plans to build larger barns but lost sight of what truly mattered. Jesus understands that things like food, shelter, and clothing are important. However, He wants us first to seek something greater -  the kingdom of God. We don’t have to do without when we choose to pursue the Lord. Far from it! Promises of abundance fill God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. And Scripture teaches that if we give freely of our blessings instead of clinging to them, we’ll gain far more. Jesus assured us that this type of generosity would result in “a good measure” being poured into our lap, “pressed down, shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38). We, and many others, have found that putting God first with our finances is the antidote to too much month at the end of the money. God wants to bless each of us beyond our dreams. Have a wonderful day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When the squeeze is on we may feel the heat. None of us like that feeling. The Prophet Daniel had three friends who truly experienced the heat being on them. In Daniel 3, when his friends wouldn’t bow in worship to a statue of King Nebuchadnezzar, the king angrily had them thrown into a fire and had the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. Literally, the heat was on! But God was with them through it: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, ‘Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?’ They replied, ‘Certainly, Your Majesty.’ He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods’ ” (Daniel 3:24-25). It was Jesus with them. The only Son of God. He was walking through the fire with them. And He will walk through the fire with you, too. God will always be there with you and for you. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2). We will face troubles in life. But Jesus will always be there to walk with us through them. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The psalmist writes, "Take delight in the Lord , and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) God loves us and wants to give us good things. But that doesn’t mean He will give us whatever we want whenever we want it. It’s wise to examine the desires that preoccupy us, because they reveal much about the true state of our relationship with Christ. There is nothing wrong with wanting certain things; our longings can motivate us to achieve goals. But rather than blindly asking only for what we wish, pray that God would help us align our needs to His will. David continues, "Commit your way to the Lord ; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:5‭-‬6) Some folk may be afraid to ask God for what they want—even good things. Remember that God alone can meet the deepest needs of the human heart. "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence ..."  (Hebrews 4:16) Take a moment, today, to come boldly to God and bring the desires of your heart to Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. At times God’s work is dramatically obvious—like when He parted the Red Sea to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. And at other times, what He does is inconspicuous. For example, the air in our lungs is provided by Him daily. Either way, He is always accomplishing something, whether we perceive it or not. Imagine how greatly we’ll be blessed if we can increase our awareness of how God is working in our lives, for our good. As Paul says: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8:28) The demands of life sometimes leave little room for quiet moments in God’s presence. There are times when in our busyness our senses are dulled to observing God at work, especially when our requests seem to go unanswered. When we regularly communicate with our Father and spend time pondering His Word, we tend to see things more clearly. Then we can better appreciate all that He is working to accomplish in us, through us , and for us. Let's endeavour to make time to daily spend time with God. "For in him we live and move and have our being."  (Acts 17:28) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. There are times when we don't think we will be able to do/achieve what God has called us to. When this happens there sre a number of things we can do. • Remember what God has done in the past. God helped you in the past; he’ll do it in the future. David talking to king Saul recalled his past and said: "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. (1 Samuel 17:36) • Use the tools that God has already given you. We think "if only I had ..." The problem is it never comes. Again wr hear the words of David talking to king Saul when trying on the kings armour and sword. "I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off."  (1 Samuel 17:39) • Lean on God for encouragement. As we endeavour to do what God has asked us to do we may not get encouragement from those around us. This is discouraging to say the least. David went through this as well. "David was greatly distressed ... But David found strength in the Lord his God."  (1 Samuel 30:6) • Expect God to help you for his glory. David said to Goliath, "This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Samuel 17:46) God wants to show the world what he can do through you. Because of that, you can count on his help along the way. Have a great week. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

One little boy offered the bread and fish he packed for his lunch. He gave Jesus the little he had, and God used it not to just feed a lot of people but also to show them how much he cares and how powerful he is. God always starts with what we have. You may feel as if what you have is too small. You may believe you do not have the resources to do much in your community. You may not think you have much talent. But still, you can give God everything you have. Jesus wasn’t worried about how to feed 5,000 people.He already had in mind what he was going to do. He saw the need long before the disciples did. And he had a plan. We need to grasp this truth. God always has the answer before we even know the problem. It’s not too late in the day for Jesus. He sees our problem long before we do. He knew it was coming, and he already had a plan for it. God knew the solution to the problem before we even recognized it. As we come together to worship our sovereign Lord today, admit you have an unsolvable problem, then give God everything you have. Watch him take your loaves and fish and turn them into a feast! Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Many people think God is only interested in our spiritual well-being. God is interested in every detail of our daily lives as well. We tend to divide life into categories, distinguishing between issues related to work, home, and faith. But our Father sees us as whole persons. The Word of God stresses His commitment to every aspect of our lives. "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life ..." (2 Peter 1:3). We need never wonder if He can or wants to meet our needs. His kindness never ceases. There is not a moment in the day when our  lives separates into “sacred” and “secular” components. Our Father sees His children as whole people rather than physical beings with a spiritual life on the side. We do ourselves in when we think God is interested solely in our spiritual needs. He has many kinds of blessings to offer. All we have to do is ask. Have a great day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Have you ever felt your faith in God waver?  When that happens, the experience of doubting God can make us feel isolated. But even in those lonely moments or seasons when we’re questioning what we believe, we’re never alone. What’s more, our struggles don’t upset the Lord, who remains by our side, even when we can’t sense His presence. The Lord is kind, patient, and understanding. He knows our limitations and loves us without condition. I,Mike, am reminded if the account of the father who brought his son to Jesus to have the evil spirit cast out. The father asked Jesus to have pity on them and help them "if You can." “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23‭-‬24) There are times when instead of feeling bad because we doubt God, we should be praying:" I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” We don’t need to stress when we doubt Him. Ask Him to make your doubt into something beautiful for His kingdom—a flourishing of belief that wouldn’t otherwise have been possible. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Imagine how Abraham felt when God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (Genesis 22:2) As we read the account of Abraham's response,  it is important to note what was not done • Abraham did not bargain with God to spare Isaac. We read that early the next morning, Abraham got to work to carry out what God said he must do. • Abraham did not delay the process, hoping the Lord would change His mind. Abraham prepared the altar, bound his son, and who wielded the knife. Abraham trusted God, so much so, that he was willing to go through with the unthinkable. It’s not until the actual act of sacrifice had begun, when the angel called out to him and a ram was provided, that Abraham knew relief. Through both what he did and what he didn't do, Abraham teaches us something about obedience as well as the loving nature of our God. When God asks us to do the impossible, trust Him and know that He is with us every step of the way. Blessings. Mike and Daphne.

Good morning. When it comes to relationships Paul has this to say: "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."  (Romans 14:19) He clarifies how to do this when he says: "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."  (Ephesians 4:1‭-‬3) First of all, to develop and maintain great relationships we need a pure heart. Relationships will take strain if we’re harboring sin in our hearts and living in rebellion. Second, a spirit of love must be active and evident in our lives. This is easy when people are lovable, but Jesus tells us to also love those who mistreat us. This is possible as Holy Spirit enables us to look beyond their hurtful actions to see their pain and the need for the Saviour. Then God’s love can flow through us. Third, we need patience. It’s one of the Christian graces mentioned in Colossians 3:12, “As those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” The conflicts, disagreements, and misunderstandings that accompany strained relationships may not change, but our attitude can be transformed as these virtues take root in our lives. Fourth, we must have a forgiving spirit. Forgiveness sets us free. God knows there are some people who will refuse to be reconciled no matter what we do. But by forgiving them, we'll have God’s peace in our hearts. We may not be able to restore every strained relationship, but “if possible, so far as it depends on you,” we’re to live at peace with others (Rom. 12:18). Blessings. Mike and Daphne