Author: Pastor Ray Patrick

Today’s verse says, “You shall not commit adultery”. These words of Jesus are especially relevant to our generation. With pornography freely accessible and sexuality of every kind on sale and unavoidable, on every device. And magazines that pander to lust defend their right to publish through freedom of the press. Such “freedom” is no more than a lie that cleverly disguises the chains of slavery. How can a person expect to find harmony and balance in a life consumed with lust and covetousness?

In an adulterous generation like ours, people who turn to Christ for salvation will struggle to break the chains of lust. In the past, some have gone to the extreme of gouging out their eyes, only to find that adulterous dreams continue to plague them. But we know that Jesus’ words should not just be followed literally.

Today, Paul’s teaching is the same as Jesus’. He says, “Those who belong to Christ have to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires”. James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. If we don’t do that, Solomon says, we will be “like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life”.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’” Matthew 5:27 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, by your Spirit living in me, give me faith and strength to put to death all that is sinful and fill my life with what is spiritually healthy and wholesome and in keeping with your will. In Christ’s name, Amen.

God wants you to live completely satisfied in Him, but so many people have a misconception about what will satisfy them. Scripture tells us that when we hunger and thirst for righteousness, then we will live in complete satisfaction.

You direct your hunger by choosing what you focus on. For example, if you focus on your favourite food, if you start thinking about it early in the morning and all throughout the day, chances are that by the end of the day, you’ll be eating it! What you give your attention to, you will desire. In the same way, the more you give your attention to God and His Word, the more you will hunger for Him; and when you hunger for Him, you will be filled (satisfied)!

Today, the world offers so many things to give your attention to, but they will not satisfy. You might think you want a particular car, or fashionable clothes, or live in a particular neighbourhood. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but understand that “things” won’t ever satisfy you. Recognize that only God will completely satisfy you, so hunger and thirst for Him!

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6, AMP)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, I come to You today, releasing anything that has captured my heart and attention more than You. Father, I long to be spiritually and physically satisfied, please fill me. Today, I choose to give You top priority, and hunger for Your righteousness, in Jesus’ name! Amen.

When faced with hard times, we often take off running. We run from our problems. We run from responsibility. We run from people we don’t like or have conflicts with. We run from our past. We run from anything that makes us uncomfortable.

We don’t seem to face issues and deal with them, we take the easy way out and go down the path of least resistance. But if you’re going to live in victory the way God intends, you have to learn how to face your challenges head-on. Notice today’s verse doesn’t say, “Keep running until you see the salvation of the Lord.” It doesn’t say, “Bury your head in the sand until God delivers you.” No!

Today, God wants us to stand strong, set our faces like a flint, and fight the good fight of faith. And the good news is, you don’t have to do it on your own strength! He’s equipped you with His supernatural power to overcome every obstacle you will ever face, including the one you’re going through right now! Hallelujah!

“…stand and see the salvation of the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 20:17, NASB)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for the gift of strength. Father, please search my heart. Show me any area in my life where I am running or hiding from life’s difficulties. God, help me to stand in faith, and I invite You to fight my battles, and to move mightily on my behalf, in Christ’s Name! Amen.

We are halfway through the year, and I want to remind you that God has something new in store for you! His plan for your life is not for you to reach one level, get stuck and stay there for another 6 months. He plans to increase you, open new doors before you, and take you places that you’ve never imagined. Hallelujah!

God has something big for you in this coming year, something bigger than your mind can even conceive! He’s already planned out big breaks, big opportunities and big ideas. You may have seen God’s goodness in the past, but you have not touched the surface of what God has for you in the next 6 months of 2023!

Today, believe God’s new thing is going to be far greater than you’ve ever seen before. It’s going to be bigger than you imagined. It’s going to be more rewarding than you thought possible. Receive it by faith and declare with authority, “Yes, God, I receive this into my life today and throughout this coming year. God, I refuse to get stuck where I am. I will move forward because I know You’re a big God, and You have something new coming my way! In the name of Yahshua the Messiah” Hallelujah!

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?…”

(Isaiah 43:19, NLT)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for a new day, and the next 6 months to come. With new possibilities and opportunities to glorify You, Father, thank You for choosing me and using me for Your purpose and for Your blessings. God, I set my love and focus on You today, knowing that You have something new in store for me in the next 6 months to come. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Do you know that God loves you so much today, more than you could ever imagine? Not only did He send His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for your sins so that He could have a relationship with you, but He also wants to lavish you with everything He has, and everything He is.

When you join in covenant with God, He makes all things available to you. What does “all” mean? It means exactly that – all. Do you need peace? He is your peace. Do you need joy? He is your joy. Do you need strength? He is your strength. Do you need restoration in your life? He is your restorer. Do you need rest? He has it. Do you need provision? It’s yours. Protection? It’s yours! God is the single source of everything that you will ever need, and He will freely give it to you! Hallelujah!

Today, you may have times when you struggle to receive all that God has for you. Maybe you think that you don’t want to bother God, or you somehow think you don’t deserve what He has for you, that mindset is not the truth. The truth is that you can’t earn a gift. He gives it freely. Imagine His arms outstretched to you right now. Receive His love, receive His grace, and receive all that He has in store for you!

“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NIV)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, by faith right now I receive all that You have for me. Father, thank You for sending Your Son, to die for me so that I can live with You. I declare that He is my Lord and Saviour, my ultimate provider and redeemer. God, I receive all that You have for me, in Christ’s’ Name! Amen.

If you know me, you would know that one thing that really gets to me is Christians that operate on fear as opposed to faith. I declare that many people today live with less than God’s best because they’ve allowed fear to creep in and take root in their lives. Fear is the number one negative emotion and the enemy’s greatest weapon to try to hold us back. Fear is not from God. Scripture tells us that fear brings torment. Over a hundred times we are told to “fear not.” It’s designed to paralyse us and keep us from God’s blessings.

I’ve got good news! God-given faith is greater than your fear. His power in you is greater than any power that comes against you. Hallelujah! In order to walk in His power, you have to close the door on the enemy, the enemy can’t have access to your life unless you open a door and give him access. That’s why we have to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, what we read, what we say and who we hang with. When we open ourselves to fear, we give the enemy opportunity.

Today, if you’ve allowed fear to steal from you in any area of your life, you can be free, you can be finished with fear. Conquering the enemy starts by making the choice to close the door on fear, and instead, meditate on God’s promises and His sacrifice. For the Word says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! Let His truth and what He has done for you sink down into your heart. Declare it out of your mouth. Let God set you free by praising Him, and watch Him lead you into victory as you close the door on fear!

“Do not give the devil an opportunity to work.” (Ephesians 4:27, ISV)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, I come to You today declaring that I am finished with fear. Father, thank You for giving me power, love and a sound mind. I declare I will stand on Your promises and share all You have done for me, because that will make me overcome fear and other negatives in my life. Fill me with Your peace and joy today, as I move forward in victory with You, in Christ’s’ Name! Amen.

I was talking with a teenager yesterday who said “it’s time to change.” She said, “I want to give my life to Christ.” We all have areas in our lives where we desire to see change; areas we know we need to come up higher, or addictions and strongholds we need to break. The good news is that God has given us the power to change! 

The Bible says that we can change by the blood of Christ and the word of our testimony. What are you saying about your circumstances? When you make your words line up with God’s Word, and you accept His sacrifice by faith, then what you declare will be established. 

Today, we appear to complicate life more than we need to. Our minds get busy trying to “figure” everything out. People can spend more time analysing their situation, instead of applying God’s Word to their situation. Did you know you can change your life by taking five minutes daily to declare His Word by faith? Don’t live in mediocrity any longer. Let God’s Word shine on your ways and direct your path toward the life of victory He has promised you!

“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:28, NASB)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for loving me. Father, thank You for accepting me and empowering me to become all that You’ve called me to be. God, I set my heart and mind on You. I will declare Your Word and follow Your ways, so that I can receive change, and become the person You’ve created me to be, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

Everyone is looking for good news. We always say “No news is good news,” meaning that at least we are not hearing bad news, which tends to come in urgent messages.

But regarding Christ, no news is bad news. His story is filled with the spread of the good news of God’s salvation. We celebrate God’s gift of hope through Christ. We have seen the difference Christ has made as we face guilt, uncertain futures, loss, and even death. Christ has met us in our pain and filled us with a hope that will not disappoint. Even though we live in a broken world, we look forward to a glorious future.

Today the bible challenges us to look at the world around us. People are living and dying without hope. We have what they desperately need we have hope. And when we live in hope in the face of brokenness, the world will notice. So we must be ready to give an answer about the hope that we have. We are called to share the message of hope in Jesus Christ.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:15 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh thank you, for the hope that sustains and comforts me. Father may my life be a testimony of your redeeming love, and may I share the good news of Christ in Jesus’s name. Amen.

It’s always a pain when communication breaks down. This is true not only in our human relationships but also in our relationship with God. The world is hungry for divine guidance, as we can see by the popularity of fortune tellers, channelling, and spirit guides. People look for communication with spiritual powers but do so in the wrong places, or maybe you feel that God won’t hear your prayers. Maybe something in your past makes you feel that God doesn’t care or that a holy God wouldn’t welcome someone like you.

The Bible says that God is a God of communication. God is constantly revealing himself through creation and the Bible.

God left heaven and humbly stooped to our level. Imagine a powerful king getting down on his belly to smile and speak baby talk to his newborn. God’s approach to us goes far beyond that. He is the infinite Creator entering into his creation to reveal himself on our level.

Today you may ask will God hear my call? Does God want to communicate with me? Yes – so much so that he took the initiative, bridged the gap, and stooped to our level. In Jesus, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:14 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank you for coming to earth to stoop to my level so that you can communicate with me. God, deepen my prayer life and help me listen to you. I pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Two things you need to make it through hard times: grace and peace. These two are powerful forces in the life of the believer. Grace empowers us, and peace directs us. It’s like this: grace is the gas and peace is the navigation system. You need both to reach your destination.

Scripture says, that we are saved by God’s grace through faith. We don’t deserve it and can’t do anything to earn His grace, but He gives it to us anyway. Grace opens the door to salvation, but it doesn’t stop there. His grace is also supernatural empowerment to live the life God has called us to here on earth.

Peace is every bit as powerful. It’s not just a feeling; it’s a state of being. Peace literally means “to set at one again.” When we are at one with the Father in thought, word and deed, we can physically feel it on the inside. We are settled internally. And nothing external can move us from our position of peace.

Today, receive His grace and peace and let them carry you through the rest 2023 and through out the life of victory He has ordained for you!

“May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.” (2 Thessalonians 1:2, NLT)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for Your grace and peace in my life. Father, I choose to stand and follow Your Word. Father thank You for guiding me throughout this year, I receive the life of blessings You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Many pastors preach an overly sweetened version of Christianity that suggests we will always be happy, never face conflict, and have a blissful existence because we believe in Jesus. I cringe when I hear someone say that if we have enough faith, we will never be sick, poor, or face struggles in life.

We can understand the appeal of such a message. Scripture says, the Old Testament prophets often looked forward to a time when justice would reign, harvests would be bountiful, and the poor would have plenty. God’s promises include the hope of an enduring joy that is free from sorrow and pain.

But the fulfilment of God’s plan does not come without pain. Even in the joyful time when Mary and Joseph were adjusting to parenthood, Simeon said there would be sorrow. His words foreshadowed the way of the cross that Jesus came to take up for us, to pay the price of our sins so that we could be saved.

Today as Christians, we will experience disappointments as we strive to follow Christ in this world, and the sadness of those hardships should not be minimized. We don’t believe in fantasy. We do, however, believe that the promises of God will ultimately be fulfilled in our lives. We cling to Christ with the hope that his triumph will one day overwhelm the depth of the sadness we endure today.

“A sword will pierce your own soul too.” —Luke 2:35 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, comfort me with your presence in times of trial and please hasten the day when your promises will all be fulfilled in my life. Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly! To put an end to all trials and suffering in Jesus’s name Amen.

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king. The current king, Saul, had failed to obey and honour God, so God decided to announce His choice of the next king.

Jesse’s sons became the focus of Samuel’s attention: a line of seven young men—starting with the oldest and tallest. Samuel made his way down the line, and as he stopped to look at each one, God told him that was not the one. Saul had been chosen king partly because he was tall and handsome, but this time God made a point of saying that height and appearance don’t matter. God looks at what is inside the heart.

After Samuel reached the end of the line of Jesse’s sons, Jesse informed him that his youngest son, David, was out in the fields tending sheep. David was chosen to be the next king because, as Samuel put it, God “sought out a man after his own heart”. God saw in David, a heart that would commit to Him without reservation.

Today, like in David’s day, God finds possibilities for grace in the most unlikely of people. To choose the youngest son to be a king seems strange. To say that a baby born in a stable, who dies on a cross under a false sentence of treason, is the Saviour of the world and God in the flesh is incredible. But the mystery of Advent, is that this is how God works with the least, the weak, and the foolish. God likes to surprise us. He is also the God of the underdog, less fortunate and the insignificant.

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, I am weak and foolish and at times I feel insignificant, but I know that if you can use David to bring your grace to your world – then I know you can use me. Please use me, In Christ’s name, Amen.

In John 6, Jesus compares himself to the manna that the Israelites received in the desert (see Exodus 16). Then he says that if anyone wants eternal life, they must eat his flesh and drink his blood. Was Jesus proposing that his followers literally eat him? No.

But perhaps Jesus wanted his words to be shocking to get people’s attention. Eating human flesh in a literal way would have been barbaric and cannibalism. But since Jesus’ eternal life was somehow symbolized in his flesh and blood, which he would give as an atoning sacrifice for human sin, his followers needed to be willing to receive his sacrifice into themselves by faith to receive eternal life.

Today, think about it, after Jesus died and rose from the dead, death had no hold on him anymore. And yet he surprised his disciples by showing them the marks from the wounds. It was as if Jesus was saying, “This is the cost of human sin.” With his hands stretched wide, he was also saying, “I love you this much.” When we come to the meal of communion Jesus gave us, we receive his body and blood in a symbolic and spiritual way. The Holy Spirit connects us to the risen, flesh-and-blood of Jesus, and we are connected anew with his sacrifice for us. Hallelujah!

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:54 

Let’s Pray

Yahshua, I praise you for your complete sacrifice, which gives me entrance into, eternal life once I accept you. Father, help me to live for you each day. In Christ’s name, Amen.

The words of Jesus to Peter here came soon after Peter’s faith-filled profession when he said to Jesus, “You are the Messiah” (Matt. 16:16). Jesus was now teaching his disciples that he had come to suffer, be killed, and rise again. He would offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

The Bible says hearing that, Peter rebuked Jesus, saying, “Never, Lord! . . . This shall never happen to you!” So, Jesus called Peter out and revealed that he had missed the main point of Jesus’ mission. From a human standpoint, we can sympathize with Peter. We too would likely be shocked to hear that Jesus had come to suffer and die to rise again and give us new, abundant life.

Today though, we know how important it is to discern truth from lies, listening for God’s Word rather than to the lies of false religions and teachers around us don’t we? It should be clear to us that preparing ourselves to discern properly requires effort and perseverance. Until Jesus returns to make all things new, we must read the Bible and listen to Jesus, who died because he loved us, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven to make abundant life available for all who believe in him. Trust the truth, the way, and the life.

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” . . . You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23 

Let’s Pray

Christ, my risen and ascended Lord, I believe you are the Messiah. Father, I confess that my actions and words do not always confirm that. Please, Lord, give me the strength and courage to stand up for you always. God, I give you permission to rebuke the devil in my life, in Jesus’s name, Amen.