Satan Is Your Enemy
I’ve learned that in life, some people are peace-stealers. They feel it’s their calling to aggravate you, try to make you look bad, and tell you what you can or can’t do. They’ll try to bait you into an argument to get you upset, annoyed and frustrated. But don’t take the bait! Nothing is worth losing your peace over. They may think they’re getting the best of you, but in the end, God can use that to take you higher.
When people come against you, choose to keep your peace. Choose to forgive. Pray for that person because that’s how you disarm the enemy against you. Scripture says your battle isn’t against flesh and blood. In other words, that person isn’t your enemy; the accuser satan, is your enemy. He’s trying to bring division and get you upset.
Today, when you choose to keep peace, when you keep walking in love and keep a smile on your face, you are overcoming his tactics. That’s how you win. Choose peace today, choose to walk in love, and choose the victory God has prepared for you!
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:28, NIV).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for giving me Your peace and strength today. Father, I choose to hold my peace and bless those who come against me. I choose to walk in love and forgiveness so that I can honour You. God, help me not to be a peace stealer in the lives of others, in Jesus’ name! Amen.
Satan Attacks
God Has A Promise For You
This devotion begins with humans being called to reflect the rule and reign of God. But people turned away, seeking to build their own Kingdoms. This quickly turned to violence and oppression. Humans lived in rebellion rather than in harmony with God.
Amidst this situation, God called Abraham and Sarah. He came into their lives to make covenant promises, to re-establish them as a people living in harmony with Him.
Scripture says Abraham and Sarah were an old and childless couple. The new start God made with them didn’t look very promising, but God makes promises in unpromising situations. God promised to be their God, to bless them, and to make them a blessing on the earth. Then, a powerful little seed was tucked in with this packet of promises. God said to Abraham, “Kings will come from you,” and God said about Sarah, “Kings of peoples will come from her”. What would that have been like, to hear God say that your descendants would be Kings and Queens on the earth?
Today, just like in the lives of the old couple Abraham and Sarah, God is in the business of re-establishing Kings and Queens in our families and communities. His promises to Abraham and Sarah would, in time, bear good fruit for their descendants and for the whole Earth. Remember, God wants to do the same for us. For if we are in Christ we will bear good fruit and prosper. Let us trust His promises.
“I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” (Genesis 17:6).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for your promises. Fill me with your Spirit so that your Kingdom may come and your will may be done in me today. Please bless my family and community, in Christ’s name. Amen.
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet!
Today’s verse is really an encouragement for all of us to raise our level of expectancy! It’s like God is saying to us, “You think you’re blessed? You haven’t seen anything yet!”. I’m sure God has been good to you, but He also has things for your future that, if He told you right now, would boggle your mind – you wouldn’t even believe it.
If you had told me years ago that one day I would be a minister, speaking in front of thousands of people I would have said, “You’ve totally lost your mind!”. At the time, I could not even fathom that! Friend, that is how God wants to bless you in your future. He wants to overwhelm you with His goodness and with things so wonderful you can’t even fathom it!
Today, get ready for an increase. Get prepared for promotion. This year is the year to step into blessings you can’t even imagine. Keep believing, keep obeying His Word and keep your heart and mind open to what He has for you because you haven’t seen anything yet!
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, NKJV).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I raise my level of expectancy. I choose to take the limits off of my thinking. I know that You can do exceedingly, abundantly above all I could ever ask, think or imagine. Thank You for the blessing You have in store for me in 2024! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
The Mother Of All Living
When sin entered the world, grief and pain entered the lives of Adam and Eve. Think of the joy this couple experienced at the birth of Cain. Genesis records her saying, I have acquired a man from the Lord. Then, shortly after, they were blessed with another son in the birth of Abel. It did not take long, however, for trouble to brew between the brothers. When God showed preference to the offering that Abel brought before Him over Cain’s offering, jealousy showed its ugly face. In his anger, Cain killed his younger brother, Abel.
Imagine the grief that Eve faced. Not only did she have to face the death of a son, but that death came from the hand of her firstborn. God continued to bless Adam and Eve with children, but the Bible does not give us the names of these children until Eve gave birth to Seth. God even identifies Seth as the replacement for Abel.
Through Mother Eve, we see the birth of the church. Because these three sons played a significant part in the birth of the church, they are the only three children of Adam and Eve mentioned in the Bible. Abel, the Godly son, was to be the continuance of the Godly seed. After his death, God chose Seth to continue in this role. We discover later that Noah was descended from Seth, the Godly seed. Abraham, descended from Noah’s son Shem, became the father of the nation of Israel with whom God made a covenant, and was, in essence, the father of the church.
Today God has maintained a Godly seed on the earth. When pondering this, we realize that Eve, the Mother of All Living, the nation of Israel, therefore the mother of God’s church. Yes, through Eve sin entered into the world, but also through Eve came the birth of God’s church, her birth and influence of Seth gave birth to the father of faith. A people set apart for God’s use. Also, through Eve came the birth of the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all mankind. So before we crucify her let’s give her some alcaides for allowing God to use her to fix her mistakes and giving us hope.
And Adam called his wife’s name Eve because she was the mother of all living. Genesis 3:20, NKJV
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I’m weary. My energy is sagging, and my motivation is lagging. Father, I am so in need of you. Like Eve I need your strength and your fresh touch to get back up after mayor setbacks. Please God keep me on track again. Your Word says the joy of the Lord is my strength. If that’s true, then I need your joy to replace all the tired parts of my mind, body, and soul. In Jesus’ Name Amen.
Giving: An Act Of Worship
When I was younger at our school play, I was asked to play one of the wise men. Can you imagine how the wise men felt, as they first looked upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? As part of their worship, they wanted to give Him gifts. They gave valuable presents to symbolize the love, honour and appreciation in their hearts.
In the same way, you show your love and appreciation to God with gifts of worship, and you can also show your love and appreciation to others by the gifts you give. As you celebrate Jesus during this holiday season, don’t just focus on the gifts you bring in the natural; focus on gifts of love, kindness and encouragement that come through the super natural.
Today, go out of your way to show honour to others just like the wise men went out of their way to show honour to Jesus. When you walk in love and peace, that is the best gift you can give and remember what you sow, you shall reap…
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him gifts…” (Matthew 2:11)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I set my mind and heart on You. Father, help me to choose the right gifts this holiday season—gifts of love, kindness and peace that will honour you and bless others. God, have Your way in my heart and let Your goodness shine through me in Christ’s name! Amen.
Have You Ever Been Bullied? Pt4? ?
Have there been people in your life that have caused you trouble? Like the youth say, “they just keep getting in your face.” In the Bible, Hezekiah was faced with enemies coming against him, causing him trouble, trying to keep him from his destiny. But Hezekiah didn’t get upset. He just kept abiding, kept being faithful and putting God first. In 2 Kings 19, God said, “Hezekiah, I Myself will come against this enemy. He will receive word that he is needed at home, and I will cause him to want to return and he will be defeated.”
Today, when you abide in God, He says, “I will come against your enemies. I will come against that sickness. I will come against those who oppose you.” It says God is the one who caused Hezekiah’s enemy to turn around. That means God can cause that unfair boss to take early retirement. God can cause that neighbour that’s giving you so much trouble, to decide to pack up and move. God can cause that classmate to be transferred to another school.
Today no matter what’s coming against you, keep abiding in God. Put His Word first place in your life. Honour Him in all that you do. Let Him fight your battles and bring you into the land of victory He has prepared for you!
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles…” (2 Chronicles 32:8, NKJV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I bless You and praise You today because You are good! Father, thank You for Your good and precious promises. I submit my ways to You, and vow to abide in You no matter what… I surrender my will to You, knowing that You are working in my life. God, thank You for fighting my battles as I keep myself in covenant with You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Waiting Patiently
A few years ago, while in Tanzania, I spent days waiting to see the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, but inclement weather was keeping the peak hidden. In the end, I went to sleep hoping the next day I would see it. Early the next morning, I opened my eyes to see that huge white mountain glistening in the sun-covered sky. What a sight! It was truly worth the wait!
Waiting gives us a greater appreciation. It gives us longer-lasting memories. It also gives strength and patience for the next situation.
Rather than waiting until we reach heaven to reward us, God gives us blessings of hope now, to keep us strong and focus when heaven seems so far away. An attitude of patience.
Points to consider while waiting patiently…
1. God’s way is the best, and we become more aware of this when we observe Him working out His plan in our life.
2. The Lord knows the right moment to provide what we want or need. If we give up too soon or try to manipulate circumstances, we miss out on God’s best for us.
3. We have God’s favour. When we are patiently waiting for His will, then He can freely bless us. God certainly wants to pour out His love on our life.
Today I want to remind you that God has many rewards available to us when we abide patiently in His will. We will all face circumstances in which we are tempted to be impatient. What determines whether we express patience is faith and the value we place on whoever else is involved – a brother, friend, co-worker, or God. Do you value Him enough to be patient with His timing?
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:7-9)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I give myself away so you can use me. Father, please bless me with joy, patience, and success in my life, please guide me each day to have patience with my friends and family. God bless this day, fill my life, and bless me eternally. I pray I will pass the spiritual tests that will come my way. Lord, please protect me as I wait on you. My Life is not my own, to you I belong. I give myself to you. In Christ’s Name, Amen.
**Wisdom Wednesdays**
Wisdom Wednesdays began from a simple request. This request was ‘Lord, help me to write a weekly devotional that would bless others.’
Now I must confess, at the time, writing didn’t come naturally and I wasn’t sure I would be consistent in producing a weekly devotional that would be relatable, inspiring and biblical. But the beauty is I’ve experienced God wake me up every Wednesday morning.
As I lay on my bed, I ask Him what do you want to say today to us. I believe, so I wait even if it takes awhile. Then He’ll give me a scripture, a thought or a word and it flows from there. It all comes from Him. Today hundreds of people each week recieve, read, respond and reshare Wisdom Wednesdays. I’m humbled by how God can use our simple requests and turn them into blessings.
Today you may have a simple request of God. All you have to do is ask and you will recieve! – Pastor Sophia Peart
Good Gifts
God is a good God and He has good gifts for His children! He wants to bless you with provision and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. He wants to pour out His abundant favour on you and cause everything you touch to prosper. He wants to bless you with spiritual gifts and make you strong in your inner being. He wants you to enjoy your job and be proud of your work each day. These are all gifts from God.
Today, understand that every good gift from God is meant to draw us closer to Him. He is good and faithful, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Seek Him today and experience the life of blessing He has in store for you!
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your good and perfect gifts. Father, I open my heart to You and ask that You help me see Your goodness. Please draw me to You, fill me with Your peace and joy, as I follow You all the days of my life. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Joyful Swagger?
This morning on the breakfast show we had a joyous time. Did you know that it is God’s will for you to be joyful always? He wants you to be happy and carefree. He wants you to love your life no matter what your situation looks like. When you have joy amid difficult circumstances, it is evidence that you have faith and trust that God will bring you through.
I submit to you today, joy is strength. When you have God’s supernatural joy, you can stand strong no matter what’s going on around you. You may say, “I’m not a real jovial person. I’m mostly serious. I never laugh much.” And of course, God made us all differently, but you can train yourself to laugh and smile more. One article said that the average child laughs over 200 times a day, but the average adult only laughs 4 times a day. What’s happened? We’ve allowed the pressures of life, stress and more responsibilities, little by little, to steal our joy.
Today, make your mind up to get your joy back, get your smile back and get your Holy Swagger back. Decide that you are going to look beyond your problems and look at what God will do on your behalf. Ask Him every day to fill you with His supernatural peace and joy so that you can live in His strength, victory and abundance all the days of your life!
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I humbly receive Your Word, today. Lord, give me Jesus’ joy in this very moment. I choose to open my heart to You and invite You to fill me with Your Spirit, joy and strength. I rebuke the spirit of sadness and misery, in Jesus’ name. Thank You for showing me Your goodness and empowering me with Your grace. I bless You today and always, in Christ’s name. Amen.
Your Faith Will Meet Your Needs
Many people think that when they have a need, God will just automatically meet it. Though Christ definitely could, He is intentional with stating “According to your faith” it will be done, not “according to your demand” it will be done. This small distinction makes a big difference in how we interact with and understand God. Faith is the key.
Remember, if we want God to move in our lives, we have to approach every day filled with faith and hope. How do we get this faith and hope? The Scripture tells us in Romans that “faith comes by hearing the Word of God.” This means, that the more we indulge in listening to and reading God’s word, the more our faith will grow. Consequently, the greater your faith, the more you will be able to maintain hope in your trials and acknowledge God’s hand in your life.
Today, know that God longs to bless you. He has given you everything you need to be successful in life. God longs to meet our needs, so rest assured that even if they are not met just yet, or in the manner you’d desire, His timing and methods are perfect and tailor-made to meet our truest needs. Believe in His goodness today and take a step of faith toward the life of blessing He has prepared for you.
“According to your faith be it done to you.” (Matthew 9:29, ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your hand of blessing on my life today. I open my heart to You and trust that You have a good plan for me. Lord, I receive the twin gifts of faith and hope. God, give me a heart filled with expectancy and trust, that today You will meet all my needs and grant me peace, in Christ’s name! Amen.
Passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Good morning Everyone, We have all heard the sad news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
She served this country for 70 years and demonstrated her faith in Jesus through these years. I personally thank God for the dignity, grace and humility in which she served.
At this time, I would like to share my condolences to everyone for I recognise we are all impacted by the passing of the Queen. I would also like to encourage us all to be kind and compassionate to each other as we acknowledge and process this loss, as we reflect on the end of an era and the beginning of an unknown era.
Let us be reminded of our call to be the light and salt of the earth when there is so much uncertainty. Let us be living representatives of God’s love for all mankind.
Let’s hold on to the faith and hope that we have in Christ Jesus that He is coming again, sharing this love and hope with others so that they too will know – we serve a living Saviour.
God bless you Church of the Living God. Pastor Sophia Peart
We have Super powers
Did you know that you have a superpower? Yes! Jesus has proclaimed us all to be Super Heroes! We can move mountains with our mind! We can cause seas to part! We can kill fig trees….? Ok, that last one doesn’t seem so glamorous but you get the point right?
Jesus says “when you pray believe and you shall receive” Wow that’s so crazy, But let’s not get carried away here! We must remember that Jesus surrendered his will to his Heavenly Father “…not my will, but thine be done” His will and his Father’s will were one. So when we claim the promise or when we use our superpower of faith, believing that God will truly bless us with that nice car or fancy job or great apartment, we must ask ourselves ‘Is this the Father’s will or will it enhance the Kingdom”
The bible clearly states that anything we ask and I mean ANYTHING we ask, believing in faith that it will happen according to His will. God will grant it unto us. That is the power of faith! God desires the best for his children. He wants to see us happy; however, with great faith comes great responsibility. Many times we pray and believe in faith that something will happen that isn’t in accordance with God’s will. As Christians we must first ask “God, is this what you want for me?” and then pray in faith “If it is your will, I trust and believe that it will happen.”
Today consider the fig tree in scripture as an example Jesus uses to prove His point, that when we believe, pray and have great faith we can trust that God will do everything that we ask of him, once it is in accordance with this will. So go out there today and crush mountains with your bare hands! Break down barriers with your mind! And face the enemy with the power of faith! Super Christians Faith!
“Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and shall ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for your promises. Father I believe and trust in your promises. Lord, Show me your will, that I may walk only in your will by faith. God, please help me to trust you more each day in Christ’s name Amen.
The Journey of Faith
Can you see how God keeps His promises? Let’s dare to believe in God, knowing he is faithful, even when we are not! Picture Abraham with Sara, his wife, his nephew, his servants, and his herd of livestock travelling with a tent to pitch anywhere they needed to.
Abraham believed in God with childlike faith. At seventy-five, Abraham would have loved to enjoy the wealth and lifestyle he was accustomed to in Haran. Yet, he left and went where God led him. As a foreigner in a new country, Abraham had to develop his faith to cope with new situations.
Scripture says Abraham moved to Egypt because of famine. Pharaoh, the King took his very beautiful wife to his palace. Abraham didn’t reveal that Sara was his wife. Then, a plague was sent to Pharaoh’s house causing him to release Sarah and send Abraham out of the country. While waiting for God to give them a family, he and Sarah tried to accomplish the promise themselves and a child was born, not of Sarah, but their Egyptian servant. Sarah, his wife, became angry at that servant’s scoffing and asked Abraham to act. So, God asked Abraham to listen to his wife. Abraham asked the servant and mother of the child to move out with her son. They did.
Today like Abraham you may have failed at times, but God hasn’t failed you. Abraham received everything that was promised, Canaan the land his descendants would one day possess, and Sara had the child Isaac, although they were both past the age of childbearing. Let’s dare to believe in God, knowing he is faithful, even when we are not! Thank God that nothing is impossible to him.
“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed by you.” Genesis 12:1 NLT
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for showing how mighty and faithful you are through Abraham’s and Sara’s life. God, please help me to keep my eyes on you with eternity in my heart so I can finish strong. I hold on to Your promises knowing they are sure in Christ’s name. Amen