Are you ever tempted to doubt? I know I have. The reality is doubt is very common to our human experience. Doubt comes in varying degrees. There is the doubt of a proud skeptic, who delights in their own intellect. There is the person who wants to believe, but is struggling with difficult questions. Then there is the believer who has drifted away from the Lord in the midst of a difficult situation. At the foundation of doubt is fear. Fear can be debilitating, disorienting and depressing. The only antidote for doubt is faith. Faith, in the bible, is defined this way “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” The object of our faith is God and his promises. Faith is putting your trust in God and having confidence that he will fulfill his promises. Trust that God is working on your behalf and in your favour. Have confidence in His promises. Know when you trust Him, goodness and mercy will chase after you all the days of your life! - Pastor Sophia
Spiritual Boldness
In the last few years, it seems there has been constant brutal violence and restlessness all over the world and it’s increasing before our eyes and on social media. So much hatred, strife, and division in our land, stone-cold and bitter hearts toward anyone who may look different from us or think differently.
Most definitely, when we see injustice, it should cause us to want to rise and say something, yet our message as believers proclaiming the solution to such hatred and violence should be different than what the world offers. As believers, we must be bold as lions and not shy away from speaking the truth when the world may want to flee from the truth.
Today the problem with injustice is sin. The answer is the Gospel. It all begins and ends in the heart. We must take a stand against injustice for the sake of the Gospel! Human effort will not transform the heart of the sinner. Only God can change a hard heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh and that’s only done by acknowledging the need for a Saviour and believing the gospel that truly saves and changes hearts! Please, Jesus, give us the boldness to proclaim this today!
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” – Proverbs 28:1
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your mercy toward me. We are living in a world; unlike anything, we have ever seen before. Chaos, confusion, and turmoil have been stirring in the hearts of so many people. Father, I trust that justice belongs in Your hand, but I also trust that You have a great plan for me. God, help me fix my eyes on Christ so when I am tempted to only look at the problems around me, I will be able to proclaim with boldness that you are the only solution to what our world is experiencing! In Christ’s Name, Amen.
In the Wilderness
God shows us who He is by what He does. His promises are worked out in the lives of His people. When we are in the middle of life’s barren wilderness, God’s hand seems absent, blinded as we are by circumstances and situations. But when we emerge from that leg of the journey, we can look back and see that God has watched over our every step. Yes, the journey was hard and went on longer than we thought we could bear. But we are still here. Through our wilderness, just when we thought we couldn’t last another day, God’s mercy met us in a kind word, an unexpected provision, or an encounter. The assurance of His presence always comes.
Today we can learn from life’s wilderness. We learn things there that we can’t learn anywhere else. We see the provision of our Father in a different light. His love stands out in stark relief against the background of the barren landscape. In the wilderness, there is no selfishness. We learn in deeper ways to cling to God and wait for Him. When we come out of the wilderness, the lessons stay with us. We take them with us into life. We remember the God who got us through the hard times, He is with us still. Hard times can be fruitful times. Though barren, lush fruit is being produced as we walk through the wilderness. The Lord has promised to sanctify your wilderness times and make them fruitful.
The LORD your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the LORD your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing. – Deuteronomy 2:7
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I know that wherever I am, You are with me—guiding, protecting, providing. Father, You make a mountain into a way; You make streams flow in the desert; You cause a root to grow out of dry ground. Hallelujah! God, thank You for allowing me to see You work when all hope seems lost. In Christ’s Name, Amen.
Renew Your Mind
What changed when you surrendered your heart to Christ? Certainly, not our outward appearance, our income or the people in our families or at work. The more we give in to the flesh the more our lives stay the same. But the more we yield to the Spirit the more we begin to look like Christ. It is important to note that we cannot and do not change our ways first before we come to Christ. Hard as we try we do not have the power to do that and if God required that no one would be saved.
In today’s verse, Paul knew that it takes a sincere desire to want to obey God to resist the lure of the world, hence his admonition to not copy the ways of the world. The same temptations we experienced in the past will come our way as new creations in Christ. We will face the same hardships and deal with the same emotions and circumstances. What makes the difference is our sincere desire to please God. Our desire, fuelled by God’s grace and love makes real change possible.
Today you may be asking the question Ray how do we carry out Paul’s instruction to renew our minds in the practical sense? It’s all in the Word. God’s Word empowers us and enables us to go all the way in our pursuit of Him. Our job is to study and apply the Word. It is our weapon against everything that comes against us; whether sickness, fear or evil thoughts. God’s Word is the standard by which we measure our lives, defeat the enemy and conform to His will.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” – Romans 12:2
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, help me to study and apply your Word to our lives each day. Father, help me make this a discipline of the mind and heart, empowered by Your Spirit, transforming me each day more and more into your likeness. God, help me have self-awareness of when I’m falling into temptation and turn quickly back to you. Thank you for your tender mercy and love, ever leading me. In Christ’s Name, Amen!
Suffering
Suffering is a human reality. Christians are not exempt from the results of suffering. The Apostles suffered greatly and many of them died horrendous deaths. But it was all for God’s glory and a part of His divine plan for their lives.
When trials come your way, unexpectedly, do you shake your fist, or do you trust God’s ways are higher than yours? Do you say to God, “Not my will, but Yours be done”? Do you trust that He will use that terrible trial for your good and for His glory? God will use all things to make us to the image of His Son and often in the life of the believer that may include pain and suffering. But In times of suffering, He gives us coping mechanisms pray for God’s mercy to come, cry out for His help and we will one day taste of victory. Hallelujah!
Today, please remember there is a day that awaits every believer where all pain and suffering will cease. That is why we must keep our eyes fixed upon the hope of eternity and not on this life. And that is why faith in God is so important it is the rock on which we stand when trials come, and they will. We must remember the hope that God will never leave our side and walks with us through the valley experiences. We also have the ultimate hope of eternal life that awaits us in Christ. That is our anchor during hard times – the hope of eternity.
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” – James 1: 12
Let’s Pray Yahweh, thank you for being with me in my suffering. Father, please help me find your mercy and goodness when trials come and not grumble and complain, Holy Spirit convict my heart and remind me to be thankful for your promises. That bring comfort and opportunities to help those around me who maybe suffering. God, in my suffering I look forward to heaven my home and there that crown of life that awaits me so today I stand firm in faith, trusting like you I will overcome this world. So, I won’t fear. I love you for not allowing me to be alone in my suffering. In Christ’ name, Amen
Happiness Today!
With our world in turmoil with war and a pandemic, it’s hard to be happy. It’s very easy to come up with excuses as to why we are not happy. All the time I hear things like, “as soon as I get out of debt, I’ll be happy.” Or “as soon as I lose weight”…” as soon as I get promoted…” as soon as my children start behaving…” No, if you don’t put your foot down and decide to be happy right now, there will always be something to keep you from being happy. Let’s get rid of the excuses and decide to enjoy life right now, beginning today!
Today is when God wants you to be happy, not tomorrow. That’s why David said in the Psalms, “this is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it.” He was saying, “this is the day to be happy; not tomorrow, not when the weather clears up. Not next week, when I don’t have to work so hard. Not next month, when I make it through these difficult times.” No, choose to honour the Lord right now by choosing to enjoy your life. This is the day that the Lord has made!
“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24, NKJV)
Let’s Pray Yahweh, thank You for this day. Thank You that yesterday has gone with its worry, stress, and sadness. Father, thank You for another day, another opportunity to praise and rejoice for Your kind mercy towards us. God, I choose to set my mind and heart on You and not on my problems, so I will be happy despite the situation. Almighty, this day I will rejoice and be glad, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Wait Until Harvest
Digging up weeds is one of my least favourite activities. But I know that weeds can kill, overtake and ruin my garden, and I want my garden to thrive. So, I cultivate my young plants and pick and pull weeds trying not to pull or disturb the plant. Because even though I try to be careful, I sometimes pull up plants along with the weeds. At these times, I remember keenly the wisdom of the gardener in Jesus’ parable. “Wait until harvest”
However, there are some critical differences, between weeds in my garden and the weeds in Jesus’ parable in Matthew. Those weeds were deliberately and liberally sown by the enemy. And the weeds looked like the young wheat plants and the roots of the wheat and weed plants were tightly intertwined before the act of sabotage was detected. So, weeding would have destroyed the good with the bad. Not weeding made good sense in that scenario. Hence the advice to “wait until harvest”
Today, the parable of the wheat and tares (wheat and weeds) in the book of Matthew reveals God’s wisdom and mercy toward us. Our enemy, the devil, is actively working overtime sowing weeds among the good seeds and plants in God’s Garden. We may wonder why God does not weed out wicked and evil from this world, but we can be thankful that he is most intent on preserving His people and allowing for life’ changes instead of destroying us once evil is present… Christ says He’ll “wait until the harvest.”
While you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. (Matthew 13:29-30)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I praise you for your wisdom, mercy, and patience with me. Father, please protect me from evil and preserve me, together with all my friends and family, until the day of harvest. When We will live with you forever In Christ’ name, Amen.
Focus On Jesus
Have you ever asked these questions? “I’ve been a Christian nearly my whole life, but I’m constantly disappointed in myself. Why is it that I always seem to keep doing the things I wish I didn’t do and never seem to do the things I know I should do? Isn’t God getting tired of me?”
That’s a common struggle that even the apostle Paul experienced in Romans 7:15. I believe many who ask these questions are caught in the discouragement trap. But here’s some good news: we don’t have to stay in that trap of discouragement. To paraphrase Paul as he writes in Romans 8, the key is to stop focusing on the law and start focusing on Jesus. Hallelujah!
Remember the law, or us, can’t do anything about our sinfulness. The answer is not to try harder to be good at keeping rules – that’s the beginning of the discouragement trap. Instead, we must focus on the One who shows us mercy and loves us regardless and cooperate with the Spirit who changes us. Focusing on the law, will constantly remind us that we’ll never be good enough to deserve God’s grace.
Today focus on Jesus, and we’ll become more like Him, and will trade discouragement for encouragement and receive the freedom that Jesus brings.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I sometimes get caught in the cycle of trying harder to be good, failing, getting discouraged, and giving up. Help me Lord, to depend on Your grace and to draw near to You, so that You can change my heart. God, I’m so sorry for putting the law above You which has allowed me to live by works and not Your grace. Today I choose to focus on Jesus and trade my discouragement for encouragement. In His name I pray! Amen.
Thanksgiving Pt 5
This weekend is Thanksgiving weekend in America. One thing we don’t regularly thank God for are the lives of the faithful ones in our family that have gone before. We ought to thank Him for His promise to pass down blessings from generation to generation. Some blessings are stored up for you because someone in your family line honoured Him. It may have been a parent or a grandparent, or maybe someone way back in your history that you don’t even know; but because they lived a life of faith, now you are going to reap the rewards. God wants to release favour and blessing into your life. He longs to be good to you.
It may have been a hundred years ago, but God keeps His promises, and as the scripture says, God wants to increase you a thousand times over your ancestors. When you have those moments where you feel like you’ve received “favour out of nowhere,” that’s the time to thank God for His grace, mercy and faithful ancestors.
Today, we serve a gracious and mighty God, whose favour lasts from generation to generation! This Thanksgiving be thankful for your legacy of faith and favour that has gone before, and has been passed down. Now get ready to move forward, with an attitude of expectancy, because blessings are coming your way!
“May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!” (Deuteronomy 1:11, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life and the lives of my faithful ancestors that have gone before. I give You honour and glory today for all You have done for me, for Your love and their faithfulness. I receive Your blessings and promises, I look forward to the amazing plans You have prepared for me and my future generations, in Christ’ name! Amen.
Gratitude
I struggle with people who are ungrateful. Those who don’t say thank you, and who don’t testify of what God has done in their lives. What are you grateful for today? Are you grateful for His love, mercy and kindness? Are you grateful for the sun that shines and brings us a new day? Are you thankful for the gift of eternal life?
Friend, no matter what may be happening in the world around you, you can always find something to thank God for. Gratefulness and faith go hand in hand. When we are grateful it shows that our faith is in Him. We can thank Him for what He’s done in the past, and what He will do in the future!
Today, remember, faith pleases God; it causes Him to move on your behalf. Work to develop an attitude of constant gratitude, and give thanks to the Lord for His goodness to you, and to those around you for their kindness. As you do, you’ll experience His mercy and loving-kindness in greater ways, and move forward into the blessing and victory He has prepared for you.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!”
(1 Chronicles 16:34, ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I declare my thanks to You for all You have done in my life. Father, please help me to be more grateful and to see Your hand of blessing, as I continually acknowledge and praise You for all You have done. God, give me an attitude of gratitude today, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
…
Success Comes With Favour
Success in this life isn’t necessarily about how much money, or influence or education someone has. Success is about living a life of excellence in obedience to God’s Word. When we step out to do what God has called us to do, Scripture says that His favour surrounds us like a shield. When we have His favour, we have everything; we have an advantage for success!
Favour opens doors. Favour will bring good breaks. The favour of God will cause you to accomplish what you could not accomplish on your own. It gives you an edge. Now, if you’re going to see the gracious hand of God at work in your life, you can’t go through the day feeling intimidated, thinking that you’re average, looking around and comparing yourself to everyone else.
Today, you have to live like you have His favour, think like you have favour, talk like you have favour, walk like you have favour, dress like you have favour! Not arrogantly. Not in a way that portrays that you’re better than somebody else, but with quiet humility and confidence, knowing that you have the gracious hand of God on your life! Live like you’ve got it because you do! Hallelujah!
“…His favour lasts a lifetime…” (Psalm 30:5, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your grace, favour and mercy upon my life. Father, I praise You today because You are good. I receive Your truth by faith and rise up to walk in my calling. God, I know that You are going before me to prepare the way, as I walk in Your favour all the days of my life, in Christ’ Name! Amen.
Declare!
As I end my week here in sunny grey Watford, I am reflecting on the goodness of God, and that helps to set my tone for the day and this weekend. When you wake up in the morning, do you expect the goodness of God in your life? Do you set the tone of the day for success, favour and blessing with your words? Scripture tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. So, as you reflect on whatever you want God to do in your life, move forward and declare it in Jesus’ Name.
Declare power, declare kindness, declare strength and declare praises to God all throughout the day. Things may be bad all around you. People may be negative, complaining and discouraged, but don’t let that spirit rub off on you. The worse it gets, the brighter you’re going to shine. The good news is that no matter how you feel, no matter what’s going on around you, you can choose your words. There’s nothing that can stop you from constantly speaking His Word with power and positivity!
Today, set the tone for your day, week, month and year, by praising God and declaring positive words of faith and abundance over your future. Remember, when you put God first and you speak His word, He promises to honour you. He will pour out His favour on you and lead you into life, health, strength and blessing, all the days of your life! Hallelujah!
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1, ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I choose to bless You at all times. Father, I set my tone for my day, week, month and year by declaring Your favour, grace and mercy over my life. God, thank You for Your faithfulness at all times. Please help me to be faithful and positive, in Christ’ Name! Amen.
God’s Compassion
Is there something that you’ve done in your past that you’re not particularly happy about? A choice that you regret? The good news today is that you can be free of guilt and condemnation. You don’t have to live with that burden any longer.
The Bible tells us that God’s mercies are new every morning. He’s not ever going to run out of compassion. He’s not ever going to run out of forgiveness. He’s not ever going to say, “well, this is the last time I’m going to give you mercy.” No, you can have a new beginning every single day!
Today, if there is anything from the past that you may still be carrying, take a moment and call on His faithfulness. Call on His mercy. Ask for His forgiveness. Let Him refresh and restore your soul right now. Praise Him and thank Him for the work He is doing in your life, and enjoy a fresh new beginning today!
“…His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
(Lamentations 3:22–23, NAS)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I choose to let go of every single sin, issue or weight from my past. God, I call on Your mercy; I call on Your grace. Father, thank You for hearing me and delivering me. I receive Your love and forgiveness today, in Christ’ Name! Amen.
Look Beyond The Law
Have you ever asked these questions? “I’ve been a Christian nearly my whole life, but I’m constantly disappointed in myself. Why is it that I always seem to keep doing the things I wish I didn’t do, and never seem to do the things I know I should do? Isn’t God getting tired of me?”
That’s a common struggle that even the apostle Paul experienced in Romans 7:15. I believe many who ask these questions are caught in the discouragement trap. But here’s some good news: we don’t have to stay in that trap of discouragement. To paraphrase Paul as he writes in Romans 8, the key is to stop focusing on the law and start focusing on Jesus. Hallelujah!
Today, remember, the law, or man, can’t do anything about our sinfulness. The answer is not to try harder to be good at keeping rules – that’s the beginning of the discouragement trap. Focusing on the law alone, will constantly remind us that we’ll never be good enough or deserve God’s grace. Instead, we must focus on the One who shows us mercy, and loves us regardless and cooperate with the Spirit who changes us. Then we will trade discouragement for encouragement and receive the freedom that God brings.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15
Let’s PrayYahweh, I sometimes get caught in the cycle of trying too hard to be good, failing, getting discouraged, and giving up. Father, help me to depend on Your grace and to draw near to You, so that You can change my heart. God, I’m so sorry for putting the law above Your love which has allowed me to live by works and not Your grace. I choose to focus on Christ, and trade my discouragement for encouragement. In His Name I pray! Amen.
Be An Imitator
I’m always being told I look like my dad. When people look at you, do they see your family resemblance? Perhaps you have characteristics of your father or mother; maybe you have their eyes, or mouth, or mannerisms. We Christians should also have the characteristics of Christ. We should display His likeness. We should have His eyes, His mouth and His mannerisms too. We should study Him and imitate Him with the same awe that little children have when they imitate their earthly fathers.
Remember, the Bible tells us that God is love. We are never more like God than when we are walking in love—when we are being patient and kind; when we are extending grace and mercy and forgiving others, the way Christ has forgiven us.
Today, when you imitate God, when you do things His way, you get His results! And God’s ways always lead to life, freedom and blessing. The more you imitate your heavenly Father by walking in love, the more you will see Him moving in your life. He’ll open doors for you that no man can close, and you’ll see His hand of blessing in every area of your life!
“Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children imitate their father. And walk in love…” (Ephesians 5:1–2, AMP)
Let’s Pray
Yahshua, I invite Your love and life to flow through me in a practical way. Allow me to become just like You in every way. Father, show me how I can be a blessing to others as I follow Your ways. Let my life please You, so that I can be an example of Your awesome character, in Christ’ name! Amen.
God Has A Plan
It doesn’t matter how hard life is, God has a plan to take every adversity and every hardship you go through and use it. He’s not going to let you stay beaten down and miserable forever. No, God’s dream is to take that difficulty and supernaturally turn it around and use it to bring you good. He will use those tough times to bring you out stronger, more mature and prepared for life! Goodness, mercy and unfailing love are God’s plan for you!
Right now, you may not understand everything that’s going on in your life, but I encourage you to keep your head held high. Know that God is working in your life. Keep being faithful. Keep doing the right thing, knowing that in the end God is going to turn things around in your favour.
Today remember, if God is for you, who can be against you? No one. Greater is the One who is in you than anyone who can be against you. No matter what’s going on around you today, you can put your shoulders back and put a smile on your face, because God is working things together for your good because He loves you!
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. Father, thank You for all You’ve done for me in my past, and for what You are preparing for my future. I beg You to turn things around in my life today. God, help me keep my eyes on You and stand strong, as I look for Your goodness all the days of my life, in Christ’ Name! Amen.
