When my first son was born I was so happy I couldn’t help but talk about him. Have you ever been so in awe by something that you just couldn’t help but talk about it? Maybe you were excited about a new relationship, a job, or the birth of a child. None of those can compare to what God wants to do in your life. He wants to amaze you with His goodness, and overwhelm you with His love.
He wants to do exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ever ask, think or imagine. He wants to do things in your life that you’ve never seen before. He wants to impact you in such a way that you can’t help but talk about Him. It starts with our faith in God – that’s what opens the door for Him to move and set the blessing in motion in your life. Every person has a measure of faith. God has given us all the ability to believe and receive from Him. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
Today, as you meditate on His Word and receive His promises by faith, you will find that God will move mightily in your life. He would give you blessings way beyond your wildest dreams, and it won’t be long before you just can’t help speaking about His goodness everywhere you go!
“We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
(Acts 4:20, NKJV)?
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life that excite me. Father, I receive Your promises by faith. I choose to meditate on Your Word as I receive Your exciting blessings. God, thank You for working in my life and giving so many wow moments that I just can’t help but talk about them everywhere I go. At all times I will keep my heart and mind open to You, in Jesus’ name! Amen.
On my radio show (prayer on the line) last Friday, I received requests from many individuals who are in difficult seasons of life. Things just aren’t going their way, or they’re not where they want to be in life. In these times, it’s tempting to let discouragement and doubt come in and take away the peace and excitement you once had.
If you’re in one of those seasons right now, where you are struggling to truly be happy, this is not the way God wants you to live. He tells us in scripture that even in the difficult times, He is with us. Even when you can’t see a way out, He will make a way through this season. Even when things don’t turn out the way you planned, He has a plan to turn things around and get you through.
Today, don’t get upset or discouraged about your current situation. Instead, be determined to walk through it to victory. Declare by faith that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Declare by faith that you will rise higher and become stronger. Keep standing, keep believing and keep hoping, because God has a bright future in store for you, and you will get through! Hallelujah!
“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, NLT)
Pray With Me Yahweh, I humbly come to You today giving You this season in my life. Father, I ask for Your peace in the midst of life’s storms. Thank You for the promise that I will get through. God, give me Your strength to stand strong, knowing that with You, I will walk through every adversity the enemy has in store for me. I claim victory today, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
I cried out to God – how do I stop from falling consistently into sinful behaviour, addictions or bad attitudes that aren’t pleasing to God? When Adam and Eve disobeyed in the garden, the first thing God did was to put clothing on them. They needed to be covered. In the same way, you and I need to be covered today.
What should we cover or clothe ourselves with you may ask? The Bible says with the Lord Jesus Christ. When you “clothe yourself” with the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be protected and able to stand strong against temptation. How do you clothe yourself with Jesus Christ? When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you are covered and cleansed by His blood. You are restored and renewed. Then, just as you get dressed daily, you have to daily “cover” your mind with His Word.
Today cover (clothe) every vulnerable exposed points to your mind. Cover your ears by listening to the Word through music. Cover your eyes by watching only what is pleasing to the Lord on your T.V, computer or smart phone. Cover your mouth by speaking only positive words of encouragement. As you clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, you’ll become powerful against temptation, you‘ll walk in victory, and you’ll experience the good things He has in store for you!
“Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature]”¦”
(Romans 13:14, AMPC)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for sending Your Son, Yahshua, to redeem me and restore me. Father, thank You for making me new and covering me so that I can stand strong against temptation. God, change my fleshly clothes for that of my Lord Jesus Christ. I submit my mind and every area of my life to You, and invite You to have Your way in me, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
I watched one of the greatest comebacks in football history on Tuesday night, as Liverpool looked down and out to Barcelona. But instead of the fans having an attitude of doom and gloom, they came to the stadium with an attitude of praise, to lift their team to victory. What type of attitude are you wearing today? What’s covering your mind and emotions? Are you clothed with despair and disappointment? Are you wearing “heaviness?”
Maybe you’re going through hurt or disappointment. It’s important to go through that process and release the hurt to God. But the Bible also says that God wants to give you a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of heaviness or despair. He wants to exchange your hurt for His healing. He wants to fill you with His peace and joy.
Today, change your clothes. It’s time to take off the heavy garments of yesterday that’s holding you back and weighing you down. It’s time to put on the garment of praise. Release those heavy burdens right now. It’s time to forgive those who have hurt you, and begin to praise your way to victory. When you wear a garment of praise, you’ll stand in faith and excitement about your future, also displaying God’s splendour and power all the days of your life!
“…Provide for those who grieve”¦a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour.”
(Isaiah 61:3, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, I come to You with an open and humble heart. Father, I ask that You take my old garments of despair, hurt and heaviness. God, make me new today, by giving me a garment of praise and joy. Please have Your way in my life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have named their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Right up until now the newest royal was referred to in the press simply as “Baby Sussex”.
Meghan recently said: “It’s magic, it’s pretty amazing, and I have the two best guys in the world, so I’m really happy,” she said during her son’s first brief encounter with a television camera.”
The name was announced shortly after the Queen met her eighth great-grandchild for the first time at Windsor Castle, where earlier the couple showed him off to the cameras and then posted pictures to social media.
“He’s already got a little bit of facial hair as well,” the bearded prince joked.
Archie’s first Instagram got 1.4MILLION likes within an hour of making his social media debut as his parents shared heart-warming family pictures taken by their personal photographer.
Both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are so incredibly grateful for the warm wishes and support they’ve received from everyone around the world, since welcoming their son two days ago.
The royal birth
Meghan gave birth to the couple’s first child at 5:26 a.m. local time on Monday. He weighed 7 pounds and 3 ounces, and Harry said on the day that both mom and baby were doing well.
Will Archie have a title?
By deciding to call their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, it is thought that the Duke and Duchess have in doing so signified they will not use a title for their first born.
The baby could have become Earl of Dumbarton – one of Prince Harry’s subsidiary titles – or have been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, but instead he will simply be Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
Will Archie be a Christian and attend Church?
Yes, every member of the royal family is Christened into the Church of England, which is a Protestant strain of Christianity.
The reigning monarch, who’s currently the Queen, holds the title of Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
During her 1953 Coronation, Her Majesty was anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and took an oath to “maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England”.
As part of her role as the Defender of the Faith, the Queen helps the Prime Minister appoint archbishops, bishops and deans of the Church of England.
Prince Charles has previously said that, when he becomes King, he will be known as Defender of Faith – to avoid excluding all the other religions practised in Britain today.
Harry and Meghan, a timeline
8 November 2016 – Kensington Palace releases a statement that confirms Prince Harry has been dating Meghan Markle “for a few months” and asks the press to respect their privacy
28 November 2017 – Harry and Meghan announce they are engaged to be married
15 December 2017 – Kensington Palace confirms the couple have chosen to wed in Windsor on 19 May the following year
19 May 2018 – Harry and Meghan are married in front of 600 guests at St George’s Chapel and become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
15 October 2018 – Kensington Palace announces the duchess is pregnant, and is due to give birth in Spring 2019
6 May 2019 – Meghan gives birth to a boy, who becomes seventh in line to the throne
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh meet royal baby Archie, held by Meghan as Prince Harry and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, look on. Photograph: Chris allerton/Sussex Royal/Twitter
God chose you, before you chose Him. And He did it before the foundations of the world. Before the world was ever formed, you were on His mind. Created to be above average. He created you to excel! Equipped you for everything you need to thrive in this life. God, has deposited seeds of greatness inside of you, but in order to tap into those seeds of greatness, you have to believe this and act on it.
Many of us go around with low self-esteem, feeling inferior like we don’t have what it takes. But that’s not true. And as long as we have a poor self-image, we’re not going to experience God’s best. In order to be all that God has called us to be, we have to see ourselves as chosen by Him, valuable to Him and victorious through Him.
Today, let’s get rid of low self-esteem and self-image, and meditate on God’s truth that you are“fearfully and wonderfully made” to be great and live above average. Let it sink down deep into your heart. Let it build confidence and security in you. As you understand your value in the eyes of God, you’ll be empowered to live the life of victory He has prepared for you!
“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world”¦”
(Ephesians 1:4, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for choosing me before You created the earth. Thank You for making me valuable and victorious, and for equipping me. Help me to see myself the way You see me. God, lift my self-esteem, and show me Your ways that I may walk with You in confidence and trust, all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name! Amen.
The other day my phone died unexpectedly, because I had forgotten to plug it in to charge, and all the power was drained. Everyone goes through seasons in life that seem overwhelming; times when you’ve felt drained of strength and power. But you haven’t been left without hope. You haven’t been left without an answer. The God of heaven and earth is near you, and He promises to give you strength and might to overcome life’s toughest times. Hallelujah!
You may be asking, where does this strength and power come from? It comes directly from Him. When you connect with Him, you are connecting to your power source. It’s like plugging into a power bank for your phone. You “plug in” through prayer, reading the Word and worshipping Him. You “turn on” the switch by the words of your mouth–by declaring what God says and His power to change.
Today, remember to plug in, especially at the night times in your life. Don’t let the difficult times and difficult people drain you. Rise up, plug in and connect with God’s power, because He is your source of strength! He promises to equip and empower you for victory today and every day of your life!
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29, NKJV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your power, strength and grace at work in my life. Today I choose to plug in to Your power, especially when life seems dark and draining. Father, I will turn my focus and my thoughts on You. I set my heart and love upon You because You are good. God, give me the strength to stay away from people, place and things that drain my spiritual batteries. Thank You for filling me with might and power to overcome the tough times, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
When things get hopeless and seem uncontrollable, what do you do, or where do you turn? Habakkuk the biblical prophet knew what to do when things seemed completely hopeless. His world was falling apart around him. There was destruction everywhere. But Habakkuk knew that God was greater than what he was facing. So what did he do? He invited God into his circumstances by rejoicing and praising Him.
What situation are you facing? Does life seem dark or hopeless? No matter how difficult things may seem, God has a plan to bring you out into a place of victory. Your praise is the bridge that will carry you through, because your praise connects you to your Deliverer. Hallelujah!
Today, remember, God inhabits the praises of His people. Praise gets God’s attention and brings Him tangibly into your circumstances. When God shows up, miracles happen and things change. No matter how things may seem in the natural, you can find peace in your praise, and by staying joyful and focused on the God of your salvation.
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!”
(Habakkuk 3:17-18, NLT)?
Pray With Me Yahweh, I come to You trusting that You will deliver me, when the blossoms of my life fail and life’s fields seem barren and empty. Father, no matter what is going on around me, today I choose to bless and praise Your name. God, I choose to stay connected to You by my praise, knowing that You are the source of my strength, hope and peace, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
God is still in the blessing business. He longs to show you His goodness and provision. He promises to do His part, but you have to do your part too. You have to be diligent. First of all, be diligent in seeking His ways and following His commands. Then, be diligent with what you have in your hand, with your time and resources.
In the New Testament, Jesus tells a parable about three men whose employer gives them money (talents). Two of the men were diligent and invested the talents and received a great return. The third man was afraid and buried what he was given. The first two men were rewarded and praised for their diligence, while the third man was rebuked.
Today, be diligent with what you have in your hand. Whatever you do, do it with excellence. Be the best you can be and go the extra mile, even when you think it goes unnoticed. Understand that when people don’t notice, God notices, and promises to reward the appetite of the diligent.
“”¦the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied.”
(Proverbs 13:4, AMPC)?
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your favour and blessing on my life. Father, I choose to be more diligent. I choose excellence, and will strive to do everything to the best of my ability. God, I will give You all the glory, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
It’s one thing to be forgiven of sin, however there is still a need for deliverance. God is a mighty Deliverer! You may feel afflicted, overwhelmed or burdened by the cares of life. God is working to bring you out of that difficult situation. It may not be in the way you thought, but you have to trust that God has your best interests at heart.
Consequences and afflictions can take on different forms–sickness, hardship, temptation, a difficult coworker, a friend or maybe a contentious family member. There are so many things that can come against us. Remember, those afflictions are only temporary. Stand in faith today believing that God is on your side. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances look like, why don’t you get up every morning and say, “this is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it!”
Today, because of life’s afflictions and hardships, you may not feel like rejoicing or being upbeat, look to God with eyes of faithful expectancy, you’ll see your Deliverer is coming. Hallelujah! As you stand and trust the Lord, He will deliver you and empower you to overcome all evil afflictions, and you’ll see His abundant blessings in every area of your life.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”
(Psalm 34:19, NKJV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for being my Deliverer! Father, thanks for the promise to deliver me from all evil and afflictions. I trust that You have a plan for me to not only be sinless, but to be spiritually cleansed from my evil ways. God, I thank You for Your strength and peace in every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
The greatest gift God has given us is to believe. If you believe and obey God’s Word, you will be successful. If you believe and obey God’s Word, you can overcome your past. If you believe and obey God’s Word, you will reach your God-given destiny. There is incredible power in what you believe, which leads to obedience.
What you believe is greater than your circumstances, greater than your trials, greater than your medical report, and greater than your bank account! When you believe what He says about you, then what you believe will supersede any natural law. I have a friend that came to Oakwood University with nothing but the clothes on his back. He graduated with his BA on time, MA a year later, then went on to get his PhD. Today, he is one of the world’s best motivational speakers, speaking to millions and motivating the players and staff at the NFL and NBA. Against all odds, he believed he could do what God placed in his heart.
Today, nurture your belief by dwelling on His Word. As you get the Word of God in your heart, greater faith will come to you. Your, belief will grow, strengthen and will rise up in you, empowering you to take hold of all the blessings God has in store for you!
”God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
(Romans 12:3, NKJV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your Word of truth which sets me free and gives me a greater believe in my heart for You. Father, I lift up my eyes to You and ask You to strengthen my belief. God, I turn my focus toward Your Word, and invite You to have Your way in may mind, body and soul, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
How do we honour God? Or do we? A lot of times people think, “oh, I go to church to honour God. I read my Bible to honour God. I sing and clap in worship to honour God.” And yes, those ways do honour God, but did you know that you also honour God when you get to work on time? You honour God when you are productive each day, and respect and treat people with love. You honour God when you excel despite life’s struggles.
Actions speak louder than words. When you give of your very best in the workplace, at school or while playing sport, you’re giving praise to God. Having a good attitude, friendly, organised, being your best–people will notice there’s something different about you. They’ll want what you have.
Today, as believers, we should set high standards in all areas of life. People should see the depth of your character and your spirit of excellence, and know that you are a child of the Most High God. Today, make the decision to honour Him in all that you do, because you are His representative, His hands and feet on the earth.
“Remind people to be submissive to [their] magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work.”
(Titus 3:1, AMPC)
Pray With Me Yahweh, I choose to honour You in all that I do. Father, I choose to set the standard and do my very best in all areas of life. God, I thank You for the privilege of being Your representative. Please help me show Your love and excellence in everything I get involved with today, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
While in Copenhagen this past week I spoke on Acts 16, where Paul and Silas were beaten and accused without a trial, then put in jail for the gospel’s sake. It wasn’t fair. As they sat in the prison, bloodied, bruised and helpless, it looked like things were over for them. They had no human help, nowhere to turn. When they were literally trapped and bound in their circumstances, they began to sing praises to God at midnight during their darkest hour. Then suddenly there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open, their chains fell off, and they walked out as free men! Hallelujah!
We’ve all had times when we felt completely trapped by circumstances. We’ve all felt lonely and hopeless. So many people today are facing their darkest hours, and feel humanly there is nowhere to turn. You’ve done nothing wrong that’s directly linked to your current situation, but still life has beaten you and you feel helpless.
Today, I encourage you to do what Paul and Silas did and begin to praise God! When you praise Him no matter what, that’s when God enters your situation. That’s when He can break the chains that hold you back and that hold you down, and set you free. Praise Him in your midnight hour and watch Him show up and set you free. When things are at it’s darkest, pray and sing praises, and watch Him shake your darkness away. Hallelujah!
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16:25-26, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, right now I lift my heart to You. Father, You are worthy to be praised! I will bless You in my midnight hour when I feel victimised and beaten up by life for nothing that I have overtly done wrong. God, I know that You are good, and You have victory and freedom in store for me despite the darkness that’s all around, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
Life’s frustrations can lead to stress, depression and even despair. Are you struggling with trying to make a dream come to pass? Are you frustrated in a relationship, trying to make someone else change or live right?
You may have great goals and mean well, however if you are trying to orchestrate things to happen your way, with your own timetable, you are only going to frustrate yourself. At some point, you have to turn those circumstances over to God and trust that He has your best interest at heart.
The question then is, “How do I turn things over to God?”
Start by making the choice and declaring your resolve. Simply say, “Father, I choose to let You be God of this situation. I take my hands off. I trust You.” Then, choose to worship Him. Worship is one of the best ways to set your heart and mind to the right place. Finally, don’t worry, have faith. Worry is a sign that you are trying to control things without God. Worship is a sign that you are trusting God – You can’t worry and worship at the same time, so let faith be your guide.
Today, don’t carry around life’s frustration. Take the pressure off yourself and turn things over to God. Give Him control – let Him take your setbacks and turn them into comebacks. Don’t give up on your dreams or goals. Remember, the God who holds the universe holds you in the palm of His hand. Trust Him and let God be God in every area of your life. You can do it all things through Christ!
“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him”¦”
(Psalm 37:7, NKJV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, today I choose to release all my frustrations, doubts, cares and concern into Your loving hands. Father, I refuse to worry and choose instead to trust You. God, fill me with Your peace and Your Spirit. Show me Your ways as I surrender every area of my heart and life to You. Recreate and reshape my dreams, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
As a youth in church I hated today’s verse. I didn’t want to give my money to anyone and God doesn’t need it. I was so focused on giving that I overlooked the promise. God says He will “open the windows of heaven and pour us out blessings”. But, notice that today’s verse says there is a condition – we have to step out in faith and bring our tithes to Him. In other words, we have to be obedient to God with our finances.
We are stewards over the resources God has given us. When we are good and faithful stewards, the Lord entrusts us with more. He opens the windows of heaven. Have you ever thought about what kind of blessing would be so great that there would not be room enough to receive it? It may be hard to comprehend, but that’s what God’s Word promises – to overwhelm us with His blessings! Hallelujah!
Today, I encourage you, be a cheerful giver, be a tither, bless God and put yourself in a position to receive His blessings. Begin to thank God for His faithfulness. Lift up your eyes to Him. As the Scripture says, prove Him and see Him move mightily in your life!
“Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
(Malachi 3:10, AMPC)?
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for choosing to bless me. Father, thank You for the promise of opening the windows of heaven in my life. God, I choose to be obedient to Your Word. I choose to be a better giver. I choose to be faithful and thank You for Your faithfulness to me. I can’t wait to see You open You’re spiritual windows in the heavens and overwhelm me with favour, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
Recently I have met quite a few people who are dealing with serious worries. To worry means to allow something to revolve in your mind over and over again without a solution. What are you worrying about today? God doesn’t want you to live worried or anxious about anything. He knows that worry steals your peace and joy. It affects every area of your life.
Have you heard the saying “don’t worry yourself sick”? That’s because worrying affects your physical body. It affects your sleep. You won’t ever gain anything by worrying; in fact, you’ll lose precious moments that you can never get back again. The good news is that God has promised that you can have victory over worry. It starts by making the choice to trust in Him. When you cast your cares on Him, He will give you His peace.
Today, make the decision to put an end to worry in your life. Choose to feed your faith and fill your mind with God’s promises. As you focus on God’s Word, you’ll drive out worry and fill your heart with faith and expectancy; and you’ll be empowered to move forward into the life of blessing God has in store for you!
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
(Matthew 6:27, NIV)?
Pray With Me Yahweh, today I choose to put an end to worry in my life. Father, I choose to feed my faith by studying Your promises and declaring Your Word over my life. God, help me to totally trust You instead of worrying today and every day, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
