FAVOUR

DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE?

2026-08-30T16:46:48.717+01:00

'He chose us.' Ephesians 1:4

When it comes to God's will for your life, He decides it, and you discover it. It's not something you can change, a topic for debate, or a plan you get to have a say in. The truth is, you can miss God's will and be miserable, or do things His way and experience 'glorious, inexpressible joy' (1 Peter 1:8 NLT). The choice is yours.

'But I don't know God's will for my life,' you say. Then pray this prayer: 'Father, I'm tired of going through life with no real purpose because it brings no glory to You. You created every living thing, including me, that they may bring You pleasure (see Revelation 4:11). I know that You have a specific job for me to do. Your Word says You formed me in the womb to be Your servant (see Isaiah 49:5). I'm getting lots of input from other people, but I need to know the path You have chosen for me. Help me to stop ignoring and minimising the gifts and talents You have invested in me, acting like they're of no significance. I know we are all called to serve, and I need Your help to discern who, where, when, and how I should serve. I want to do what You have destined me to do and not be sidetracked by wrong priorities, busywork, or other people's desires and demands.

At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and say, like Jesus, "I brought glory to You here on earth by doing everything You told me to" (see John 17:4). In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

FINDING COMMON GROUNDS

2026-08-27T19:02:28.327+01:00

'I try to find common ground with everyone.' 1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT

To influence someone, you must first connect with them. And to do that, you must look for common ground. Paul writes, 'I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.'

In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Paul's words: 'Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralised - whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ - but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!' (vv 19-23 MSG). Note the words 'I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view'. When it came to preaching the truth, Paul wouldn't yield an inch. But when it came to reaching and influencing people for Christ, he tried to remove every roadblock between them and Christ. And you must be willing to do the same.

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. That's why you must approach them heart-first, not headfirst. Before someone can receive the truth you have to share, they must be convinced that you love and care for them. And that means finding common ground.

MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

2026-08-25T17:51:49.280+01:00

'We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God.' Psalm 48:9 KJV

Hopefully, by now you are convinced that the power that comes from meditating on God's Word is a power you need working in your life. But maybe you're a beginner, and you need a starting point. You're thinking, 'Yes, I know I need to spend more time meditating on God's Word, but how do I do it? Here are a few ideas to get started;

1) Meditate on God's blessings. 'Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits' (Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV). Meditation leads to a thankful heart.

2) Meditate on your relationship with God. 'You receive the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God' (Romans 8:15-16 NKJV).

3) Meditate on God's love for you. 'Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me' (Psalm 63:3-8) NKJV).

You can meditate on God's promises to protect you, or guide you, or instruct you, or correct you, or bless you. The point is, you need to get started!

DO WHAT GOD SAYS

2026-08-23T14:32:52.931+01:00

'The Lord came to Abram in a vision.' Genesis 15:1 NKJV

When God gives you a vision for your life, He doesn't give you all the details up front. He simply says, 'Don't be afraid; just do what I say, and I will guide you and prosper you.'

What did Abram's vision involve? 'The Lord said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation' (Genesis 12:1-2 CEV). How old was Abram? 'Abram was seventy-five...when the Lord told him to leave the city of Haran' (Genesis 12:4 CEV). What was Abram leaving? 'Abram was very rich...and had a lot of silver and gold' (Genesis 13:1 CEV). How did Abram respond? 'By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going' (Hebrews 11:8 NKJV). Abraham couldn't have told you where his final destiny was or how he would get there. He just knew God told him to leave the safe harbour of where he was. Understand this: what you're willing to walk away from often determines what God can entrust to you. You say, 'But I need to have information.' You will know as you go!

With each step of faith you take, God will reveal another detail. He will inform you on a 'need-to-know' basis. So, is the God who said to Abram, 'Go to the land that I will show you,' saying something similar to you today? Don't be afraid; just step out in faith and obey Him.

PRAYING GOD'S PROMISES

2026-08-20T15:47:08.017+01:00

'Let my teachings become part of you.' John 15:7 CEV

According to one count, there are 3,573 promises in the Bible. That's almost ten promises for each day of the year. When you know which of these promises apply to you, and you fulfil the conditions that go with them, you can literally begin to pray God's promises into existence in your life (see John 15:7). Will your prayers be answered overnight? Some will, others won't. 'Be ...followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises' (Hebrews 6:12 KJA).

The most powerful prayer you can pray is, 'Lord, you promised in your Word that you would...and today I am praying and believing you for it.' Here is how to pray:

1) When you need guidance and direction. 'I will instruct you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye' (Psalm 32:8 NKJV).

2) When you need deliverance from a situation, or to be set free from a habit. 'Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me' (Psalm 50:15 NKJV).

3) When you need the strength to stand. 'Fear not; for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand' (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV).

4) When you don't have enough to meet your needs. 'My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:19 KJV).

If you meditate in God's word every day, each time a need arises, you will know which of His promises to claim in prayer (see 2 Peter 1:4).

MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD

2026-08-19T16:32:05.154+01:00

'In His law he meditates day and night...and whatever he does shall prosper.' Psalm 1:2-3 NKJV

Thomas A Kempis wrote, 'If you wish to grow in yourself to be caught up in the workings of the world, you must find time alone, away from the noise and confusion, from the allure of power and wealth.' You say, 'Does that mean God doesn't want me setting goals and achieving things in life?' No, quite the opposite!

The Bible says, 'In His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper' (vv.2-3 NKJV). What's the secret of a tree's fruitfulness? Having deep roots that are connected to life-giving streams of water. And as the demands on your time and energy become greater, you must discipline yourself to spend even more time in Scripture, not less. When your inner life is not in order, your outer life becomes dysfunctional and begins to fall apart. And working harder will only make it happen faster. You will be like the pilot who announced to his passengers, 'Folks, there is bad news and good news. The bad news is, our instrument failed, and we don't know where we're going. The good news is, we're making great time!'

What's the answer? David says: 'I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts, and contemplate your ways. I will delight myself in your statutes; I will not forget your word' (Psalm 119:14-16 NKJV).

GOD WILL RESCUE YOU

2026-08-15T12:57:18.889+01:00

'We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God,' 2 Corinthians 1:9 NLT

Are you feeling hopeless about the situation you're in and don't know which way to turn? Maybe you're struggling to find a reason to keep going, but you're so tired and overwhelmed that you just want to give up.

If that's the case, you're in a vulnerable place. Look out - Satan will try to convince you there must be sin in your life, or that you're out of God's will, or that He is unhappy with you because you have disobeyed Him in some area you're unaware of. Don't buy it! You can be in the centre of God's will doing everything the right way, and still experience adversity. The apostle Paul writes: 'You ought to know...about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety' (2 Corinthians 1:8-11 NLT).

Two elements are at work in your life today. First, God is teaching you to lean on Him instead of on yourself. Second, people around you are being strengthened and encouraged as they see the grace of God at work in your life.

THE ART OF BEING A SHEEP

2026-08-13T16:54:46.167+01:00

'The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.' Psalm 23:1 NIV

Perhaps you memorised Psalm 23 as a child. The vivid visual images remain with us lifelong. Author Hannah Whitall Smith said, 'What we all need is just to get back into the nursery again, and take up our childish verses once more, and, while reading them with the intelligence of our grown-up years, to believe them with all our old childish faith.'

As adults we become jaded, losing the simple joy that stress-filled lives require. We need to remember these three things:

1) Who our shepherd is - 'The Lord'. He is the source of everything we will ever need, beginning with salvation. Jesus said: 'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep' (John 10:11 NKJV).

2) What the shepherd's job is - protector and provider for the sheep. And He knows how to handle wayward, headstrong, vulnerable sheep and care for them. Long before Jesus came as our shepherd, the Father said, 'I will rescue [my flock] and no longer will they be mistreated...I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David...All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you' (Ezekiel 34:22-23 CEV).

3) What the sheep's job is - to trust the shepherd completely. Attempting to do His job will exhaust and defeat us. We must believe 'with all our old childish faith' that Jesus is a dependable, committed, and capable shepherd - and then act like we believe it.

Knowing that His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives lifts our present worries and dispels all our future concerns.

YOU ARE A WONDER

2026-08-12T19:13:19.110+01:00

'I praise you because I am...wonderfully made.' Psalm 139:14 NIV

Despite your aches and pains, you are a living, breathing, walking, talking wonder. The Psalmist said, 'You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made' (vv. 13-14 NIV).

One author explains: 'Most of us take our eyesight for granted, but even the simplest of processes is divinely complex. The retina, for example, conducts close to ten billion calculations every second, and that is before an image even travels through the optic nerve to the visual cortex. The human nose can detect one-millionth of one milligram of garlic floating in the air and distinguish among ten thousand distinct odours. The hairs blanketing your body magnify the sensation of touch so that you can discern a thousandth of an ounce of pressure on the tip of a half-inch hair.' Amazing, isn't it? Trillions of chemical reactions are taking place in every cell of your body every second. You are inhaling oxygen, metabolising energy, digesting food, maintaining equilibrium, purifying toxins, producing hormones, exhaling carbon dioxide, repairing tissues, and circulating blood. As you read this, millions of electrical impulses are firing across billions of synaptic pathways, and you don't even think about it.

But you should praise God for the gift of life and the multitude of His blessings you enjoy. And you should do one more all-important thing: discover your life's purpose and dedicate yourself to fulfilling it. It has been said that the two most important days in a person's life are the day they're born, and the day they discover why they were born. Think about it.

BEING FRIENDS WITH GOD

2026-08-08T15:44:03.060+01:00

'I know you by name, and you have found favour with me.' Exodus 33:12 NIV

Moses talked with God like a friend, sharing what he felt and thought. And God wanted it that way. Here is how the conversation went: 'Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,'...You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have found favour with me.''' Moses is mirroring back to God what God had previously said to him. Remember saying to your spouse or your best friend, 'You were the one who said...'? That's what Moses is doing here: reminding God of His own words. And God wants you to remember His Word and to speak it back to Him (see Isaiah 43:26).

Not because He needs to be reminded but because you do! And because His Word is the only Word that He is committed to fulfill (see Mathew 24:35). When you pray using God's Word, you are praying in His will, and you're guaranteed to get a hearing. So, learn and memorise Scriptures that touch on your needs and desires, and when you talk to God, recall them and pray them back to Him. For example, when you pray, 'Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours' (Mark 11:24 NIV), God will acknowledge it!

The more you learn of His will, the more your prayer time will conform to His will and the more you will feel aligned with Him. Keep your Bible handy when you talk to God so that He can direct your thoughts to the words He wants you to pray.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A TESTIMONY WITHOUT A TEST

2026-08-06T03:30:52.173+01:00

'I will...test them as gold is tested.' Zechariah 13:9 NASB

If you're being tested today, you're in good company! Job, the most righteous man on earth, was tested beyond what most of us will ever have to endure. And when he emerged, he told God, 'I heard about you from others; now I have seen you' (Job 42:5 CEV). In the heat of the furnace, you experience God up close and personal.

Shelia Schuller Coleman says, 'Some tests are intended to teach. We learn our most profound lessons when we're tested...Like what we're capable of...where we need to grow...and that there's still more to learn! When your faith is being tested, the last thing you're thinking about is learning a lesson...you just want to survive. But the lesson we learn from Job is that when we keep our faith in the most testing of times, we'll "come out as gold" (Job 23:10 NASB). Think about it: did you ever hear a testimony that wasn't about someone surviving a test? James says, "Consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials" (James 1:2 NIV). When we suffer, when people say hateful things, when we lose our homes, when we encounter rifts in our family, when the doctor calls with a dire diagnosis - the last thing we feel is joy...if anyone could speak with authority on praising God in trials, it was Paul. He was beaten, thrown into jail, and run out of town. How does your week compare to his?

When you get through this test, you will have a testimony to God's strength and faithfulness, and be able to say, 'The Lord is my God.'

KEEP IT SIMPLE

2026-08-04T03:21:38.720+01:00

'I will give you shepherds...who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.' Jeremiah 3:15 NIV

Seeking to impress the congregation, a young seminary graduate incorporated the biggest words he could find into his Sunday-morning sermon. It was a disaster! Stepping down from the pulpit, he met an old preacher who said, Son, you spoke over their heads.' Irritated and defensive, the young seminarian said, 'Then why don't they stretch their necks?' To which the old preacher replied, 'Jesus said, "Feed my sheep," not my giraffes!'

Whether you're in a pulpit, a classroom, a board meeting, or talking to someone one-to-one over coffee, you must decide whether your goal is to impress people - or help them. God said, 'I will lead you with knowledge and understanding.' Your aim shouldn't be merely to communicate knowledge - but understanding. The measure of a good teacher isn't what he or she knows - it's what the student learns. Making things simple is a necessary skill if you want to connect with people. To put it in the words of Albert Einstein: 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it enough.'

If you're serious about trying to reach people, keep these four words firmly in mind:

1) Heart. To move someone, you must touch them on an emotional level.

2) Hope. By spelling out their potential and their possibilities, you will inspire them to try.

3) Help. Show them how to apply what you're saying tangibly.

4) Humour. By laughing at your mistakes, you let people know their problem isn't unique - and to someone who is struggling, that can be the best feeling in the world.

PICK THE RIGHT PEOPLE

2026-08-01T08:22:25.081+01:00

'These were...the mighty men whom David had,' 1 Chronicles 11:10 NKJV

Success in any endeavour calls for surrounding yourself with the right people. That's why you should always seek God's input in your relationships. Rehobam should have listened to the advice of his father Solomon's wise and experienced inner circle. Instead, he heeded the advice of those who agreed with his own opinion - and it proved fatal.

David, on the other hand, chose people who helped make him great. 'These were...the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in this kingdom, with all Israel' (v. 10 NKJV). Notice four important things here:

1) David built a strong inner circle before he needed it. He started building his team long before he needed it. He started building his team long before he was crowned.

2) He attracted people with varied gifts. He reached for them, rewarded them, and wasn't intimidated by those who had skills that differed from his. With the help of these 'mighty men', David felt ready for anything.

3) He cultivated loyalty. He drew people close to him, shared his life with them, and, in the end, they were willing to lay their lives on the line for him.

4) He delegated responsibility based on ability. Because he was secure in his own identity and calling, David wasn't afraid to delegate authority and responsibility to those around him. In the beginning, some of his mighty men were misfits, but he transformed this ragtag group into a winning team. (see 1 Samuel 22:1-2).

David made his inner circle great, and in turn his inner circle made him great. So the word is - pick the right people!

DON'T BURN OUT

2026-07-30T16:35:48.498+01:00

'Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?' Proverbs 20:6 NIV

Pastor Rowland Croucher writes: 'The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I'd never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months, I had resigned my ministry...Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include...a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality...lack of boundaries...workaholism...feelings of incompetence...conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time..."playing it safe" to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners...and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).'

Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means

a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus,

b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks,

c) never losing sight of the people behind the work,

d) never taking your position for granted,

e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority,

f) knowing that you're fulfilling God's will and your reward is laid up in heaven,

g)having a servant's heart,

h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and

i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things.

Practice these principles, and you won't burn out.

KEEP YOUR HOPE ALIVE

2026-07-28T23:58:28.912+01:00

'Grab ...hope with both hands and never let go.' Hebrews 6:18 MSG

Does your situation look impossible? Are you getting ready to give up? Don't! Emilie Batisse was seventy-nine when she was injured in a hit-and-run accident and wasn't expected to live. When Norman Vincent Peale went to visit her, he noticed a row of brand-new poetry books that hadn't been opened. When he asked her about them, she said, 'I love poetry, but I haven't read those... I'm saving them for my old age.'

Mrs Batisse lived to read those books many times, and when she eventually died at ninety-one, she was planning a trip to Europe. Hope is wishing for something to come true; faith is believing it will happen. Hope is wanting something so desperately that, despite all evidence to the contrary, you keep believing God for it. And the remarkable thing is that the act of hoping produces a strength ot its own. When Cornell University conducted a study on the effects of hope, Dr Harold G. Wolff reported that people with hope can endure incredible burdens. One group comprised twenty-five thousand soldiers imprisoned during World War II. Subjected to forced labour, bad food, and filth, many died while others showed only slight damage. Interviews with survivors revealed a far-above-average ability to hope!

How were they able to keep their hope alive? By drawing pictures of the girls they planned to marry, designing their future homes, and organising business management seminars. Hope not only kept them well, it kept them alive! It's easy to see why Paul describes hope as 'an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past... appearances... to the very presence of God' (v.19).

GOOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME!

2026-07-25T03:39:12.042+01:00

'O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him'. Psalm 34:8

What you believe about God is crucial to the quality of your life, especially in difficult times. So, starting today, tell yourself, 'God is good- all the time,' and keep saying it until it gets down into your spirit. What does it mean to be 'good'? It means living up to the best and highest; His goodness is beyond question. If God is good - genuinely, practically, consistently good - then your cup of well-being, security, peace, confidence and joy should be overflowing!

A good God can't break His promise, abandon His children, or fail to love and provide for them. In every trial and circumstance, you can be sure He will treat you in the best possible way. When things seem to be falling apart, when you stumble confused in the dark, it's hard to see God's goodness or feel that things will get better. That's when you must draw on the faith God has deposited in you (see Romans 12:3), and by an act of your will, trust Him. A troubled parishoner once asked his pastor, 'Does the world look like a wreck to you too? He replied, 'Yes, like the wreck of a bursting seed! Without the "wreck" stage when its world appears to be falling apart, the acorn could never give birth to an oak tree.'

So, embrace God's will in your time of testing because it's 'good, and acceptable, and perfect' (Romans 12:2). Ultimately, you will 'see how good the Lord is' and that 'happy is the person who trusts him.'

'WILL THE REAL JESUS PLEASE STAND UP?'

2026-07-23T01:41:33.312+01:00

'By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' John 13:35 KJV

Have you seen the poster depicting three men, each representing a different version of Jesus? The first looks like an uncouth mountain man, the second is tanned and athletic, the third is a slight, meek-mannered character. The caption underneath says, 'Will the real Jesus please stand up?' In John 13, the real Jesus stands up. He tells us what He is all about and what He wants us to be all about - and it's love!

In the upper room, Jesus recognised that His time was short. The cross was looming, Judas was about to betray Him, and He had to prepare His disciples to continue without Him. It's like asking a pastor, 'If you had one last sermon, what would it be?' Or asking a teacher, 'What great truth would you most like to convey to your students?' Or asking parents, 'If you could tell your kids only one thing, what would it be?' Jesus spells it out: 'I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you...By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another' (vv 34-35 KJV). Like a last will and testament, Jesus' final message is important not only because of its content but because of its tone and timing. It sums up His life and our responsibility to God and to others - to love them!

Now, since love isn't what you say but what you do - today go out and find practical ways to express God's love to those you meet. They will feel good, and you will too.

START LIVING ON PURPOSE

2026-07-21T17:21:32.633+01:00

"Those who help others are helped." Proverbs 11:25 MSG

One of the best ways to keep your life in balance and stay on track spiritually is to share what you know with others. The Bible says, 'Those who help others are helped.' As you pass along your insights, you will get more insights from God. Paul challenges Timothy, 'Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others' (2 Timothy 2:2 CEV).

If you know people who haven't yet discovered their God-given purpose in life, it's your job to share with them what has been shared with you. For example, don't just read this devotional and keep it to yourself; share it with friends. The more you know, the more God expects you to use that knowledge to help others. That's how things are supposed to work in His Kingdom. James writes, 'Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning' (James 4:17 NCV). In other words, increased knowledge brings increased responsibility. Passing along the purpose of life to others is more than just an obligation; it's one of our greatest privileges. Imagine how different the world would be if everyone knew their calling. That's why Paul writes, 'If you teach these things to other followers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus' (1 Timothy 4:6 CEV).

Not only does God want us to live out His purpose, but He also wants us to help others do the same. That is what assignment-centred living is all about. Regardless of your age, the rest of your life can be the best of your life if you will do this one thing - start living on purpose!

GOD CAN CANCEL YOUR PAST

2026-07-18T09:59:49.063+01:00

"He cancelled the record of the charges against us." Colossians 2:14 NLT

Jesus 'cancelled the record of the charges against us...by nailing it to the cross.' The word 'cancel' means to remove, to neutralise, to offset something. Have you ever got most of the way through a project and wished you could start over? Suppose you were painting the lounge, and you stepped back and looked at the colour on the sample chart. On the wall, however, it doesn't look the same. You wish you could redo it.

Many of us feel that way about life, as one author describes it: 'I've made so many mistakes. I wish I could just wipe them out and start over.' Failures, problems, bad decisions - we have all suffered from them. But some people can't let go of the past and, as a result, they let their past limit their present opportunities. They live in a constant state of regret, continually lamenting, "If only I hadn't done that" or "If only I had made these changes." They repeatedly second-guess themselves. And they are tormented by painful memories. "I blew it, and I'm going to be paying for it for the rest of my life." You may choose to carry guilt, but you don't have to! The moment you put your trust in Christ. He 'cancels the record' of your past. Actually, you no longer have a past; you only have a future! You can lay down, once and for all, your heavy load of guilt, old hurts, and memories of mistakes.

Jesus 'took it away by nailing it to the cross'. God has promised to 'blot out your sins...and will never think of them again' (Isaiah 43:25 NLT). You must too!

DON'T COMPETE, AND DON'T COMPARE

2026-07-16T08:46:20.284+01:00

"He alone decides which gift each person should have." 1 Corinthians 12:11 (NLT)

In Scripture, the church is never described as a democracy. Certainly, every person deserves equal treatment in terms of kindness, love, and respect; but as our God-given assignments differ, so do our gifts. 'It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. ' Pay close attention to the words 'He alone decides.' Parents want to see all their children succeed in life. But they also need to recognise that just as children's individual talents differ, so do their unique destinies. That's why it's a mistake to compete with or compare yourself to somebody else.

The Bible says, 'God was validating it with gifts...as he saw fit' (Hebrews 2:4 MSG). Don't question and second-guess God; He knows what He is doing and never makes mistakes. Even among His twelve disciples, Jesus had an inner circle. He took Peter, James, and John up the Mount of Transfiguration and sent the others into town to work. He didn't feel obligated to take everybody up the mountain so nobody would feel slighted. Does that mean He loves one person more than another? No, the experience Peter, James, and John had on the mountaintop that day was part of their training for the assignment Jesus was calling them to.

There is a lesson here. You have to move beyond other people's opinion. God made you for a special purpose; He has a job for you that nobody else can do as well as you. When you know that something is right for you, do it and trust God to vindicate you in the eyes of others.

STAND IN FAITH

2026-07-14T20:10:38.495+01:00

"All things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23

One day a distraught father came to Jesus and said, 'My son...frequently...he falls into the fire and...the water...I brought him to your disciples, and they were not able to cure him' (Matthew 17:15-16). Notice, he never once said, 'Maybe my son inherited this problem from me' or 'Perhaps if I had raised him differently.' No, he dumped the responsibility onto the disciples, who were themselves in training. Whenever we're in trouble, we like to blame the pastor, the church, our spouse, our boss, our family, our looks, our social status, or find some other excuse. We're unable or unwilling to admit that we stuck our own hand in the fire or almost drowned by jumping in headfirst when we couldn't swim.

After Jesus healed the boy, His disciples asked Him, 'Why can't we do the things you do? (Mathew 17:19). That's like asking, 'Why isn't my situation changing?' when we haven't brought the problem to God, prayed about it, and trusted in His transformative power. Jesus replied, 'Because your faith is too small' (Mathew 17:20). Sometimes you need the kind of faith that makes you seem a little weird; the kind that doesn't care whether or not you fit in. That's the kind of faith that made Noah say, 'Even though there has never been rain and nobody in my generation believes, I'm still going to do what God said.' As a result, he came out on top! Paul writes, 'Having done all...stand' (Ephesians 6:13). Stand on what? Stand on what God has told you in His word, because ultimately, it's the thing that will work.

DON'T BE A MUDSLINGER

2026-07-11T16:12:38.385+01:00

"The slinger surrounded and attacked it." 2 Kings 3:25

In the Old Testament times, 'slingers' were people who defeated others by slinging stones, blocking their wells by throwing mud and rocks into them - wells of water that were essential to their survival. Today, mudslingers are people who make malicious attacks against others. Now chances are that you may have encountered some 'mudslingers' yourself, and even suffered at their hands. What should you do? Avoid them because they're dangerous. You can't mud wrestle with a pig without getting dirty. Not only will the pig win - he will enjoy the fight! And if you yourself have become a slinger, here is a portion of Scripture you would do well to read and keep in mind: "Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Isaiah 58:9-11.

Now there is a benefit package worth working for! So, guard your thoughts because they become your words. Guard your words because they become your actions. Guard your actions because they become your character. And guard your character because it determines the level of God's blessing in your life. So, here is the word: don't be a mudslinger.

SHEPHERD YOUR PEOPLE

2026-07-07T20:24:15.615+01:00

Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands (Micah 7:14).

You and I are called to be shepherds in the workplace. Your "staff" (vocation) represents your calling to your work life ministry. Moses’ staff represented his calling as a shepherd. God’s first words to Moses were: "Remove your shoes. For this is Holy ground." God came to Moses during his workday. His work became holy because God’s presence was there.
God used Moses’ staff to perform miracles and deliver the people of Israel from bondage. (Ex. 4:17). He is still issuing this same call today to you and I in the workplace. For most of us, this is where our inheritance lies. As we minister through our work life call, our inheritance will come as a result of letting God use our abilities. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23,24: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
What makes our work holy is the motivation by which we do it. If we work to glorify God in it and serve others in the process, that is what makes it ministry. The word ministry and service are derived from the same Greek word, diakonia.
Those in the workplace are like a remnant of a wayward people in a forest awaiting harvest. It is a fertile pasture awaiting a shepherd who can lead them into a life of purpose and destiny. Will you be the instrument of God to shepherd His people out of bondage?
Ask the Lord to use your "staff" to perform miracles and to become a shepherd to those He has called you to lead. Why not start today?

LIVING FOR A CAUSE GREATER THAN YOURSELF

2026-06-30T16:35:26.741+01:00

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

In the thirteenth century, a man named William Wallace became the instrument of freedom from England's tyranny over Scotland. A very wicked king ruled England. A tragedy in the life of William Wallace launched him into living for this cause. Initially his cause was revenge, but soon his cause turned to something bigger than himself - freedom for a nation. When he challenged the commoners to fight for this freedom, they responded that the enemy was too great and that they might die on the battlefield. They also refused to fight for the nobles, the knights, and leaders who had a vested interest in gaining more land for themselves versus a pure cause of freedom. Wallace's response: "Yes, we might die. We will all die sooner or later. But we will die for a cause worth dying for. So that our children and their children might live in freedom." This story was popularized in the movie Brave Heart (Sherman Oaks, California: Paramount Pictures, 1995).
Today we find many Christian workplace believers living a status quo relationship with God that is more characterized as "business as usual" than a life demonstrating God's power. Our focus is often more concerned with improving our standard of living than improving the Kingdom of God through our circle of influence. While this takes place, millions upon millions die without the saving grace of Christ. Many other Christians die never experiencing the freedom in Christ that His blood paid for. God has called each of us to live for a cause greater than ourselves - a life that is dependent on His grace and power to achieve things we never thought possible through our lives. This is His plan for your life. The apostle Paul prayed that He might experience the power of the resurrection in his life. This power is available to you and me to live for a cause greater than ourselves. Ask God what He wants to achieve through your life today. And consider yourself dead already to the consequences of what that might mean for you.

COMING OUT OF EGYPT

2026-06-25T23:09:11.111+01:00

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18).

Becoming a new person in Christ is part of a life-long journey that begins at conversion. Before coming to Christ, we were living (in a metaphorical sense) in Egypt, in the land of bondage. Just as the people of Israel toiled as slaves in Egypt, we were slaves to sin and worldly ambition.

Before we came to Christ, we sweated and toiled to build our career and acquire material possessions. Work was our idol. Greed was our taskmaster. We may have had all the trappings of power in the business world – a corner office, a staff of our own, a key to the executive washroom – but we were living as a slave in the land of Egypt. We didn’t run our career; our career ran us.

Jesus once said, “No servant can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). In the original language, the word translated “money” was an Aramaic word, Mammon. This does not refer merely to money as a medium of exchange but also to a demonic spirit designed to promote a mind-set of ambition for riches, power, and worldly gain. The word is capitalized in the original text because the people of Jesus’ day thought of Mammon as a false god. Jesus was saying that those who spend their lives seeking worldly gain are idolaters. No one can serve two masters. No one can worship both the true God and a false god.

We cannot experience the grace that God gives to His children because we are too busy striving for riches and enslaved to Mammon. The only way we can be free is to turn away from Mammon and allow the one true God to transform us into a different person.

Ask yourself today if your life is best represented as Egypt or the Promised Land.