He couldn’t remember his family members’ phone numbers and the police officer gave him one phone call. The night before, he drank too much, got into an argument, and started yelling at the top of his lungs outside in the street. His phone fell and was lost in the drama. He was arrested for public disturbance, spent the night in jail and woke up in a daze. Again the officer said, “You can make one phone call”.
He rattled off the number of the church by heart to the officer and said, “Ask for the Pastor. They know me there. Tell them I’m in trouble and need some help”.
Today, It’s a great thing to be a part of a church and ministry where the community knows the phone number by heart. On Sabbaths, I meet people who know the number of Adventist Radio London more than their family member’s numbers. Daily we get calls from our community, far and wide, who are in trouble. I am grateful to be part of a church and ministry where somebody in their lowest state, humiliated by bad decisions, disease, addiction, or trouble, can say, “Call them; they know me there”. No matter how badly you have messed up or who you may have become, let us be grateful for a God who we can call on, no matter the situation. He knows you by name and claims you. You belong to Him.
“I have summoned you by name. You are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for allowing us to be a lighthouse for those in trouble. Father, I am grateful that you call me by name and claim me, no matter the mess I find myself in. I am grateful that I belong to you. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
On the radio playlist the other day, the song ‘Count Your Blessings, Name Them One by One’ was included. I hadn’t heard this song for a very long time, and it gave me a chance to really appreciate the lyrics. They say :
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
It reminds us to take the time to think about what God has done and is doing for us. We often focus on the horrid things – evil, sickness, hurricanes, floods, devastation, and famine. But, it is essential to take time every day to verbalize or write all you are thankful for. You may want to use this outline – doing so will revitalize your soul.
Thank Him
Psalm 100:4 tells us,
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”
• Thank Him for His patience and forgiveness.
• Thank Him for the privilege of coming into His presence.
• Thank Him for what He has done in and through your life in the last year.
List What He Has Done
Take time to list what God has done for you. Be specific. Think through every area of your life. Become Still Before the Lord.
Praise Him for who God is. (Psalm 103)
Praise Him for His attributes. (Psalm 145)
Rejoice in your fellowship with Him. (Proverbs 15:8)
Praise and pray scripture back to God. (Psalms 146-150)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I thank You for the beauty of this season. Father, I thank You for health and strength. I thank You for people to love and people who love me. I love You God and thank You for loving me first. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Whilst talking to a young person on my radio show about street life, stabbings and shootings (which is on the increase in our communities) I am realising that folk act first and think later. One of the characteristics of a prudent person, is that they give thought to their ways. Too many people today just act, or react, based on their emotions or circumstances. They let the world around them determine and dictate how they should feel, or what they should do. They believe the media hype with all kinds of negatives. Don’t let that be you!
Please give thought to your ways. Submit every decision to the Lord in prayer, and allow Him to direct you from inside your heart. Don’t believe everything you hear. Let the Lord guide your steps.
Today, as you take time to meditate before the Lord, submit your plans to Him. Proverbs says that your ways will be established. You will find supernatural peace that passes understanding, and you will live in success all the days of your life. Please give thought to your ways!
“The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” (Proverbs 14:15, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your faithfulness to me. Thank You for guiding and directing my steps. Father, help me each day to give thought to my ways, and follow the good plan You have for me. God, teach me to stop being reactive and instead become proactive. God, I don’t want to act first and think later, so I give You my mind. Please control my thoughts in Christ’s name! Amen.
As a Christian, it is important to know that you are a child of God and that God wants the best for you. Understanding what God expects from you can help you do more with your life. You can be a better Christian. Christianity is a large and diverse faith, which means there are many different ways to be a better Christian. Some people find meaning in the Bible, in prayer, in rituals or even in their relationship with God. But no matter what your beliefs, these are all good things to do. They will make you a better Christian.
There are times when we get so wrapped up in all the things that God allows us to do that we forget to do the things that are most important. We fail to memorize scripture or we fail to pray regularly even though prayer is the very foundation of our faith. What is the best thing about being a Christian? It is the ability to know that the Almighty God created us in His perfect image. We know that He loves us and wants the best for us. He wants us to be strong, healthy and happy. He wants us to be happy in our relationships, be able to serve others and to live a life of peace.
For many believers, the idea of being a better Christian is a rather abstract one. The Christian life is, in fact, one that is not all that easy to describe because it is about the transformation of the heart, mind and soul. Being a better Christian starts with becoming a better Christ-follower.
Read the Bible
God is the ultimate answer to everything we face in life. However, some people do not always believe this is true. We all know that we could probably do a lot better in our lives, but most of us fail to take the first step in making the changes we need to make. The Bible is the most influential book in the world, and it’s actually the most shared book of all time on the Internet. While we can’t all be scholars, we can all learn from the Bible and the principles it teaches.
Pray
One of the most important things in life is to communicate with God and listen to him in return. Praying is a way to communicate with God. We must also pray. We must pray every day. You can pray in the morning and in the evening, but true Christians pray throughout the day as well. Sometimes, singing praise is a form of prayer. Listening to music on the radio can be a prayer. Talking to God when you are alone or with others is prayer. To become a better Christian, you must increase the number of times you pray and the number of times you listen to Him speaking to you.
Be Humble
We don’t have control over a lot of things that happen to us or around us. We do have control over how we respond to them. To become a better Christian, think about how you respond to situations. Jesus does not want us to be anxious or panicked. When Jesus was hung up on a cross, people mocked and made fun of him. He chose not to respond with anger. He has told us to turn the other cheek and to give our burdens to Him. He also does not want us to judge others. Let go of your stress and humbly ask God for help. Ask God for patience. Ask God for peace.
Be a Regular Member of the Church
The Christian church is called to be a people who are “the church”. We are called to bring people to Jesus Christ and help them experience a new life in Christ. We are called to share the Good News about Jesus Christ with others when we are engaged in them. We are called to be a community of believers. The church is a place for people of all walks of life to come together and be with one another. The church exists to help us grow in our faith, and that means we need regular reminders of its values, its teachings and guidance. A few simple steps to becoming a regular member of the church: 1. Be an “everyday member” of the local church. 2. Share the gospel with others. 3. Study the Bible and other Christian books to learn the Bible’s message. 4. Experience the love and peace of God by participating in the life of the church.
Being a good Christian, or a member of any church, is a huge goal that many of us have. However, there is much more to being a Light for Christ than just attending church and going through the motions. It’s a place where you can meet new friends, take part in meetings and activities, and grow in faith.
Travelling from Watford, to do a revival after my radio broadcast, the enemy was trying to bombard my mind with negatives. Saying your too tired, is this worth it, the church is not ready, there is no excitement and there will be no visitors. But the Spirit reminded me God will give you strength, He wants to do something great in and through you. He has promises and blessings in store for you that you haven’t even thought of yet. I let out a loud “hallelujah” and kept on driving. I arrived and the church was on fire – great singing and praising, and two people gave their hearts to God and will be baptised. Hallelujah!
The Scripture tells us that God gives us power… He wants you to live in abundance so that He can use you to be a blessing to others. When we are willing and obedient, we open the door to His promises. He will do great things for you and through you. In other words, when we live in excellence and integrity, when we follow the Spirit of God, we will walk in His blessing. Like a tree planted by the water, your leaf will not wither because you are connected to an unlimited supply line.
Today’s verse says that “He gives us the power to get… ” God gives us the ability. He gives us creative ideas and inventions, but we have to be diligent, do our part, and step out in faith, go against how we feel in the natural, and use what He’s given us. We have to sow seed in order to see the harvest that He has promised. Receive His power today and choose a life of integrity, so that you can move forward into the abundant life He has prepared for you.
“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get…” (Deuteronomy 8:18, NKJV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for giving me the power to live in abundance, and to move when I don’t feel like it. Father, I will be faithful to You and Your Word. I will stand on Your promises and listen to the Spirit. God, help me to be diligent and follow Your commands, please bless everything I set my hands to today, in Christ’ Name! Amen.
Happy 2021. 2020 has been full of hurt and disappointment for many. We’ve all been burnt by life, some have lost loved ones, relationships and jobs. But God doesn’t want us to sit in the ashes of the past; He wants to trade our brokenness for healing. He wants to give us beauty for our ashes. The key is that we have to be willing to give up the ashes in order to receive the beauty. You can’t have both, because the old has to go before the new can reach fulfilment.
As I look back over last year, I’m thankful to God for hundreds of new subscribers to the Ray of Hope devotion. I’m thanking God for lockdown virtual revivals in London, Wolverhampton, Harlow Essex, Kenya, Toronto Canada, Trinidad and many others, where hundreds gave their hearts to God despite the pandemic. I’m thankful for the Ray of Hope radio show each Sunday, and the listenership has grown tremendously. Ray of Hope ministries and God Interest want to thank you for your prayers, donations and continued support, and to ask you to continue to bless our ministry throughout 2021. We would love you to encourage your friends and family to also subscribe for their daily blessing.
Today, let’s move forward, not focusing on yesterday’s blessings, but reaching forward with hope and purpose, as we tackle the projects and challenges this year will bring. Are you willing to trust God with your future? Are you willing to let go of the pain, to forgive others and yourself so you can move forward in freedom? Don’t waste another day sitting in the ashes. The year 2020 is over, but your future remains. Let God give you joy instead of mourning, and let Him make something beautiful out of the ashes of your life in 2021.
…he will give: beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness…” (Isaiah 61:3, TLB)
Let’s Pray Yahweh, thank You for promising to sweep away the ashes of my past and give me something beautiful in their place. Father, thanks for blessing Ray of Hope ministries, God Interest and it’s subscribers, to reach so many for the kingdom in 2020. Almighty God, I choose to give You my 2021 for more ministry endeavours as you give me clear vision. I receive Your healing and restoration in my life, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
What a great weekend ministering on Adventist Radio London. On Friday we praised and thanked God. On Saturday we learnt to thank God in advance. Then on Sunday we thanked God for 2 years of broadcasting the Ray of Hope Show. Are you overflowing with thankfulness today? Is your thankfulness spilling out on to the people around you? Don’t just think your thanks, show it! Don’t let the kindness of others go unnoticed.
It’s easy to take for granted the people who are closest to us, but those are the people we should thank the most. Your family, your friends, the ones who love and support you are the ones who should feel your thankfulness the most. Today’s scripture says to live in Christ and be built up in Him. When you build yourself up by studying the Word and praying in the Spirit, then the second part of the verse will happen naturally, you will be strengthened in your faith, and your heart will be filled with thankfulness.
Today, take a step of faith and begin to show your thankfulness to those around you. Let it overflow! Sow seeds of gratitude and blessing, so you can reap an abundant harvest of blessing in return!
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
(Colossians 2:6—7, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for an awesome weekend and for strengthening me with Your faith and love. Father, help me be a blessing to those around me, and give me creative ways to let my life overflow with thankfulness. God, I bless You today and give You thanks, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
World Leprosy Day: Gospel for Asia-supported workers’ hands-on care for sufferers brings practical help and spiritual hope to those still marginalized by long-feared disease. WILLS POINT, Texas – Gospel for Asia (GFA) is spotlighting its efforts to bridge the historic social gulf caused by the disfiguring disease that leaves sufferers disadvantaged and often despised–one outstretched arm at a time. As Gospel for Asia-supported workers prepare a series of events offering hands-on care to sufferers across Asia, to mark World Leprosy Day, Sunday, Jan. 27, the organization is also publishing a special report on worldwide efforts to eradicate the disease.
A GFA-supported pastor helps a leprosy patient as part of the Reaching Friends Ministry caring for those afflicted by the stigmatizing disease.
The latest in an in-depth series of GFA reports addressing key global issues, “Leprosy: Misunderstandings and Stigma Keep it Alive” examines how leprosy continues to see those infected shunned despite breakthroughs in treatment, and the fact that most people are naturally immune to the disease.
Though there have been significant medical advances, more than 210,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2016–the majority of them in India. Millions more around the world are suspected to be infected but are not yet symptomatic because the disease’s incubation period is so long.
While doctors and scientists continue to work on prevention and treatment, GFA-supported workers are providing practical and emotional help to those affected. Often losing fingers and toes because leprosy’s nerve damage means they are unaware of infection and injury, many sufferers are left physically unable to work, or as a result of being shunned.
Through associated local churches and members of its Sisters of Compassion ministry, specially trained women missionaries, GFA helps provide practical care, from cooking and cleaning to bathing and dressing wounds. As well as providing physical help, these healing touches also seek to tend to emotional wounds by demonstrating to leprosy sufferers that they have not been rejected.
“When we were completely lost and dejected, Christ came to us and lived among us,” said GFA founder Dr. KP Yohannan.
“By serving these precious people who happen to be afflicted with leprosy, we are not doing anything extraordinary or special. We are simply extending the love that was first given to us.”
GFA’s ministry also endeavors to release patients from the guilt many carry because, the report notes, over the centuries many have believed the disease is the result of some great sin of theirs.
“Eliminating discrimination and false conceptions of leprosy is key to eliminating the disease itself,” the reports adds. All too frequent are “the stories of men and women abandoned by their spouses, in-laws, or even kicked out of their homes by their children.”
The World Leprosy Day outreaches are being arranged in addition to GFA’s ongoing ministry to care for patients. GFA-supported workers have reached thousands of leprosy patients since the Reaching Friends Ministry, as it is called, began in 2007. They visit some of the isolated colonies in which many patients are forced to live, often cut off from the rest of the world.
“We thought we would name the ministry differently, where they won’t have to remember their sickness or feel the stigma of it,” said Tarik, the pastor who helped launched the initiative.
“We thought, ‘Let us call them “friends” because they have been created in the image of God, like us. It is only the sickness that keeps them different, but let us not make that a barrier. Let us accept them as friends.’ “
Among the Sisters of Compassion reaching out is Sakshi, a former leprosy sufferer whose story is shared in the report: at one time she considered suicide because of her despair. Receiving treatment and care, and coming to faith through Reaching Friends Ministry, she now offers help and hope to others.
“Nobody wants to love them, hug them or to come near to them to dress them,” said Sakshi. “They have so many inner pains in their heart, because they also are human beings. They also need love, care and encouragement from other people.”
Observed internationally each year on the last Sunday in January, to raise public awareness of the disease, World Leprosy Day is marked on Jan 30 in India, to commemorate the death of leader Mahatma Gandhi, who championed concern and care for sufferers.
To read more news on World Leprosy Day on Missions Box, go here.
Gospel for Asia (GFA, www.gfa.org) and its worldwide affiliates have–for almost 40 years–provided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 70,000 children, free medical services in over 1,200 villages and remote communities, 4,600 wells drilled, 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas gifts for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.
The Prime Minister referred in her UK Christmas message to taking pride in Britain’s Christian heritage – in which some considered a bold statement for a politician in an increasingly secular and politically correct society in which Christianity is tolerated less in favour of other faiths. However, Teresa has previously said there is “no way” Christianity will be marginalised in the UK while she is Prime Minister.
“In the face of unspeakable suffering, Christian faith has provided solace where no other source of comfort could.”
The UK prime minister paid tribute to the Churches Together initiative, an ecumenical organisation that brings together the vast majority of Christian denominations in Britain and to the armed forces and emergency services. Mrs May mentioned that the response to terror attacks in Manchester and London earlier this year, and to the Grenfell Tower disaster, “inspired the nation” and acknowledged that the action of the emergency services “saves lives every day, including on Christmas Day.”
Mrs May, whose father was an Anglican vicar and who is a regular churchgoer, has already spoken of the influence of her Christian faith on multiple occasions, saying in an interview earlier this year that it “guides me in everything I do”.
“Theresa May was voted the Conservative party leader most like Jesus in a poll carried out by Christian radio station Premier.”
In her Christmas message Mrs May added:
“As we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us celebrate all those selfless acts – and countless others – that epitomise the values we share: Christian values of love, service and compassion that are lived out every day in our country by people of all faiths and none.”
“Let us take pride in our Christian heritage and the confidence it gives us to ensure that in Britain you can practice your faith free from question or fear.”
She also added: “Let us remember those around the world today who have been denied those freedoms – from Christians in some parts of the Middle East to the sickening persecution of the Rohingya Muslims.”
And let us reaffirm our determination to stand up for the freedom of people of all religions to speak about and practice of their beliefs in peace and safety.”
Unlike last year, May made no mention of Brexit in the Christmas message.
In contrast, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s Christmas message made no mention of Christianity or any other religion, but instead emphasised a message of ‘compassion’. Not surprising as Jeremy Corbyn’s has previously refused to discuss whether he holds any religious beliefs, probably in fear of losing votes.
In recent years the Church of England has reported relatively steady Christmas attendance figures of around 2.5 million across the country – more than three times the average total Sunday congregation. But for the vast majority, the festival has become purely secular.
Recent surveys suggest that persecution of Christians in the past few years has, on a global level, reached unprecedented levels. For Christians in the UK there is a sense of being a target: sometimes for aggression, but primarily for ridicule or simply bemusement by non-believers. Therefore, Theresa May’s words of encouragement are not only timely and most welcomed, but also come at the end of a year where the British government has proposed radical social policies that have caused major concern throughout the Christian community in England.
“May’s message in one of encouragement to practice Christianity ‘free from question or fear.”
Teresa’s message also directly follows the treasurer, Scott Morrison, message in which he recently vowed to stand up to “mockery” and jokes about Christians.
We have seen this so often from Christians facing disciplinary action at work for sharing their faith and wearing crosses to businesses being sued and forced to close for refusing to serve openly gay people, to nativity plays being banned in schools for fear of offending other religions. Christians in the UK also raised concern over their freedoms to live out their faith with Lord Pearson leading the way suggesting that it would soon become a hate crime to proclaim Christianity.
Numerous street preachers have also been arrested throughout the year – yet all (eventually) had charges dropped against them.
“The paradox of a secular Christmas, perhaps, is that it is no less Christian for that.”
“Every year, the straws in the wind seem to come a little harder. Plummeting church attendance; ignorance of the most basic details of the Bible; advent calendars filled with chocolates or sex toys rather than illustrations of the nativity.” a nation newspaper reported.
However, the Church has nothing to worry about for if we ask, if we seek and when we knock, God will answer, we will find and God will open the door.
Secularists may take pride in having transcended the religious identities that prevail elsewhere — but they are no less Christendom’s heirs for that.
The paradox of a secular Christmas, perhaps, is that it is no less Christian for that as our secular society continues to draws from the well of Christian tradition that is embedded in the frantic of British society.
