GET UP!

Acts 3:6 NLT But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

We all probably have people in our lives who either bring the best out in us and unfortunately, some who bring the worst out in us! There are those who lift us up and encourage us to believe for the best possible outcome or those who climb into the pit of despair or discouragement with us, and agree with how terrible things are, or they forget to tell us how well we’re doing and end up discouraging us even more!

But one day Peter saw this crippled man begging and knew God wanted to lift him up to where he could walk again. He told him he had no money for him but he said, ‘In the name of Jesus, get up and walk’. Nothing happened until Peter reached out and took the man’s hand and lifted him up. When he did that the man received his miracle and he jumped up and started walking! He was lifted up!

Sometimes we need a friend who loves us enough to not encourage our self pity but says, “Get up! You may have been disappointed but God has beauty for the ashes” 

Maybe you’re down, struggling with finances. “Get up! God is opening the windows of heaven over you” Or perhaps you’ve been single for many years - “Get up! God has someone special for you on the way.” Or you’ve been sick or depressed for years, “Get up! God is restoring you.”

Whatever has us downhearted or stuck in some way, I’m here to encourage us all to “Get up!” because God is well able to turn things around and He still has great plans and purposes for each one of us. God wants to lift us all up to a new level, so we can be the friend who lifts other people out of whatever pit they’ve fallen in, and tell them God is not finished with them yet - there’s greater things still to come. 

So this weekend, “Get up!”😊 Be lifted up and go and grab someone else’s hand and tell them “Get up! God has more for you in the name of Jesus.” If they’ve been knocked down, “Get up and walk again in Jesus name.” Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

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THE FIRST TIME AND LAST TIME

1 Peter 1:20 NIV He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Christmas is fast approaching and we’re all probably up to our ears in plans or wrapping paper!😊 But none of it would be happening if God hadn’t had a plan back before the world was made to send us a Saviour to rescue us and give Him a family.

It was prophesied over and over for hundreds of years that God was sending a Saviour and on the first Christmas Jesus arrived on a quiet night in Bethlehem. His death and resurrection were also prophesied and sure enough He did what God said.

Just as He came quietly that first Christmas, scripture tells us when He comes again it won’t be quiet, it will be very loud with the shout of the archangel and the sound of trumpets! Scholars tell us His second coming was prophesied many, many more times than His first coming. It is a certainty, whether people believe it or not. God always does what He says!

So, what is God saying to us as we remember Jesus’ first coming in a short while? Just as we prepare and get ready for Christmas He wants us to prepare and be ready for His Second Coming! We may or may not look forward to Christmas but if we know Jesus as our Saviour we can look forward with great joy to the day when He comes back for us.

He wants us to be like the five wise virgins who were prepared and waiting for their Lord to arrive, walking in faith, not distracted by a million other things.😊

So as we wrap up presents and listen to our Christmas music, let’s not forget that the Lord is coming again and He wants us to be looking for Him and ready when He comes.😊 Amen.

Titus 2:13 KJV Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

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REMEMBER!

Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

‘Remember, 

His goodness never fails, 

His mercy never ends, 

and His power has no limits.’

I read those words this week and made them into a picture, and because they encouraged me so much, I wanted to share them.😊 They’re describing our God, His character, and His ability which are awesome!

When you think about it, it’s crazy that we keep being anxious about anything when we know our God is able to do all of the above and that He is for us not against us. 

Yes, we make mistakes and fail sometimes, but His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. There is never a day goes by when His mercy isn’t available to us to forgive us and put us back on the right path.

2 Chronicles 16:9 AMP For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. God is actively seeking loyal people! The ball is in our court and He wants to pour His goodness out on us, to strengthen us.😊

And as for the thought that God can’t do anything about our problem - that just doesn’t make sense. God’s power is limitless, beyond our imagination and that’s the trouble, we probably haven’t given our thinking free rein to imagine all God can do. We’re maybe limiting Him by our small aspirations, our small believing!

Let’s ask God for the dreams and visions He wants us to have, think bigger, and then release our faith for them and we shall see His limitless power at work. 

And whatever you do today, and wherever you go, remember, “God’s goodness never fails, His mercy never ends, and His power has no limits.” 😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

REDEMPTION OVERFLOWS

Psalm 130:7 NLT O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows.

When a river overflows it’s so full it can’t contain itself but has to flow out to everything around it. The psalmist talks of God’s love and His redemption like that and it’s a wonderful picture to see ourselves overflowing with God’s love and His grace and favour.😊

We may have been taught that God only gives to those who deserve it, but none of us deserve it, so we all qualify for His grace. It is amazing but true and we owe it all to Jesus.

One commentary said this, ‘Redemption offers complete salvation and restoration from sin and failure. God's saving grace, forgiveness, and deliverance are incredibly generous, and more than sufficient, flowing out lavishly to cover all sin and offer complete restoration, not just a little bit, but an overflowing, plentiful supply of new life and wholeness.’  Wow! I love redemption, don’t you?😊

Whatever happens this week or in the coming days, let’s keep declaring today’s verse over our lives. Instead of ‘O Israel…’ insert your own name.😊

Remember God’s love for us will never fail and that whatever we need, God has a limitless supply which He wants us to have and enjoy. He wants our lives to be whole and fulfilling. Jesus said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10 AMP) There’s the overflow again!

I hope we’re beginning to see His picture that He wants us to see. It’s one of restoration, of more than enough in every area, of overflow, of exceedingly above and beyond all we can imagine, ask or think!

No matter what your picture was before, why not let the Holy Spirit give you a new vision for your life and paint a new picture on your mind today. It’s His picture of overflowing redemption.😊

Thank You Lord. We receive it by faith in Jesus name. Amen.

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RUNNING OUR OWN RACE

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith….

Scripture talks about our lives as being like a race which we are all running in, and sometimes we make the mistake of thinking we ought to run our race the way others do. If we don’t pray or read scripture like they do, the enemy will try to make us feel guilty, but God has given each of us the grace to run our own race, not someone else's.😊

Some people’s lives are filled to the brim with activities, but that may not be the way God wants your life or mine to be. He has made us all unique with different temperaments, different strengths and abilities and we should never feel less than, just because we’re not like someone else.

God made us all to be originals, with a purpose specifically designed for our own lives so we need never bow to the pressure to be somebody we were not made to be by God. We can be at peace in our own skin and know that if we have God’s approval then that’s all we need.

If we try to please all the people all the time we’ll find ourselves going round in circles, and becoming exhausted in the process. We never read about Jesus being in a hurry and yet He accomplished everything God sent Him to do. He wasn’t a people pleaser, He was a God pleaser and we are called to imitate Jesus.

There is freedom in knowing that, and it helps when we extend to one another the kindness of letting other people run their own race and be who God designed them to be and enjoy one another’s differences. We’re not called to be like everyone else, and the only mould we’re to fit in, is the one to be like Jesus.😊

We are God’s unique masterpieces, created in His image to bring Him glory. So let’s enjoy the race we’ve been called to run, strengthen our weak knees when we feel wobbly, and run it to the very best of our ability with our eyes fixed on Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.😊 Amen.

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NEVER DOUBT GOD CARES

1 Peter 5:7 AMP casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

Don't you care! Maybe you’ve felt like saying that to God at some time? It’s a cry from the human heart when it feels ignored or unloved, or invisible. But the thought occurred to me that God could also ask us that question when we live as though He’s not listening, as though He doesn’t love us, and we become weighed down with care, worried and anxious.

God knows us all so well and Jesus himself must have been tempted to feel that way because He was tempted in every way we are. In fact, on the Cross, Jesus cried out from the depth of His soul, “My God, My God. Why have you forsaken me?” But He was forsaken so that we never will be, to give us a future and a hope. What a thought!

Jesus experienced all we do and far far more, because Isaiah 53 tells us He was acquainted with deepest grief, that He bore all our griefs and sorrows so we wouldn’t have to carry the weight of them any more. But the thing is, we have to give them to Him.😊

God cares. He knows what’s happening. Hosea 14:8 NLT … I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. It really doesn’t come any clearer than that, so if ever the enemy comes and tries to tell us God doesn’t care, just read that verse over and over again!

We can come to His throne of grace and know God’s loving arms are reaching out to comfort us, to tell us He’s working everything out for our good if we’ll keep trusting Him and remember what He started in our lives He will bring to completion, so be encouraged.

As we begin another week God assures us we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt: God loves us, He cares for us and He cares about us and as we stay in faith He will unfold His good plans for us all.😊 Praise His name. Amen.

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EMMANUEL - GOD IS WITH US

 Psalm 23:4 NIV 

…I will fear no evil for you are with me…

Can I ask you to read that again? In fact, maybe it would be good to read it out loud to ourselves over and over again before we go into each day, until the wonderful truth of it soaks into our spirit and brings the peace we so need in our everyday world.😊

It’s only ten words but they speak volumes. God is reminding us that He - the One who flung stars into space, who speaks worlds into being, who upholds the universe, including you and me, by the power of His word, who sent His Son into our world to die in our place, the One whose love never fails - He is with us. 

The God of Hope is with us. The God of Joy, of Love and Peace is with us. It makes no difference where we go, or who else we’re with, or whether we’re alone, we can know God is with us. 

Just knowing that makes all the difference in the world because we have the most wonderful, most powerful, most loving Being by our side and actually in us, so we’re never ever alone.

Let’s enter His presence with thanksgiving in our hearts, let’s enter His courts with praise today because as long as He is with us we don’t need to be afraid. God’s love casts out all fear because He’s our Strong Tower, our security. How blessed we are.😊

So just take a minute and read that verse again and as we walk towards Christmas, let it quiet your spirit today and every day. Emmanuel - God with us. God loves us. Thank You Lord. Amen.

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YOUR CONCERNS MATTER TO GOD

Psalm 138:8 NKJV The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; ...

When something disappointing happens we often turn to somebody and say, “Ah well, it doesn’t matter.” But there are times when it does matter and God knows how we really feel because He knows all our hearts.

We know we need to keep things in perspective so we don’t get out of balance over an issue, or see it as a mountain instead of the molehill it might possibly be, but whatever concerns us, whether it’s big or small, God wants us to know that it matters very much to Him too. We matter to Him!😊

He said He will perfect that which concerns us, and even if it doesn’t look like anything is happening at the minute, we know we can depend on His promise because it stands forever.

We probably all have things that matter to us at any given moment but we can take heart because God knows all about them. However long it takes, we can know the Holy Spirit is here to help us overcome them or know how to deal with whatever they are, because His amazing grace is available to us as often as we need it.

So let’s thank Him in advance because we know He is working in the background and He’s certainly not forgotten about us in any way.😊 Thank You Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x

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DON’T BE WEIGHED DOWN BY TIME

Philippians 1:6 NIV being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Back in October we looked at the things that weigh us down (link below) but yesterday the Lord was speaking to me about not being weighed down by time. 

He doesn’t want our past to dictate our futures, no matter how far back or how recent. None of us can change what our parents, or others, did or didn’t do, where or how we were raised, or what we did or didn’t have. God has brought us this far and He won’t abandon us now and we have so much for which to be thankful. 😊

Then I felt Him say not to be weighed down with our present, no matter how hard the people or circumstances may be. God is reminding us that we belong to Him and He has promised to provide our emotional stability, our spiritual stability and our physical needs as well. He is our very ‘present’ help in trouble. Right now, right here. He says as we draw near to Him so He draws near to us in our present, to be all we need Him to be, whatever that may be.😊

Then He said not to be weighed down with the thought of our futures either. It could be easy to be fearful concerning the way things are going. Will I have enough money, what if I struggle in my health? What if I’m all alone? God knows all the thoughts that go through our minds, and He’s constantly telling us not to be afraid because He is watching over us now and forever. In other words He has already gone ahead into our futures and provided for us.

God is reminding us to stay close to Him, to enter His rest, that place of trusting Him because our past is forgiven, our present is wrapped in His love and our futures are all known and provided for by our loving Father. 

So let’s give Him our past, our present, and our futures and say with Paul…

2 Timothy 1:12 NIV I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. 

Thank You Lord. Amen.

Link to October 3rd:  https://myberrythoughts.blogspot.com/2025/10/whats-weighing-you-down.html

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VICTORY IS IN OUR FUTURE

Psalm 29:10 NLT The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

Over the course of our lives we’ve probably all experienced things coming against us, one thing after another. Sometimes it looks like the enemy seems to come in like a flood but even when he does that, we don’t need to bow to him, because God says that the Lord rules over the floodwaters. What a statement! God rules, not the enemy!😊

God had Noah prepare an ark so he could ride out the storm with his family. They floated on top, they were held safe and if He did it for Noah, He will do it for us. God is not phased by floods.

Vs.3-4 AMP The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

When we focus on the glory, power and majesty of our God, the more we will be able to ride out the storms because we know that same God is inside each one of us. He divided the waters for Moses, He dried up the river for Joshua, He floated Noah on top. Whatever it takes, our God will not let the floods overwhelm us because He says He has made us Overcomers, not sinkers!

He wants to fire us up today to tell the enemy that our God reigns, and that He is giving us His strength to overcome.

So if you’re going through some floods at the minute, remember our verse tells us He does more than give us strength, He also blesses us with peace. Peace in the flood, peace in the storms when we remember our enemy is defeated and that it’s our God who reigns in our circumstances. 

Praise the Lord. Victory is in our future.😊 Amen.

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FIT OF THE PRICKLIES!

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” …

Do you ever have days where you feel all prickly? You’re not even sure why, but it may have been something someone said or did, or what you heard on the news. It may be you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed and the enemy gave you a thought which you should have thrown out immediately but instead you let it grow. We’ve probably all been there and done that!😊

So what do we do with the pricklies when they come? There’s only one thing we can do and it’s to take them to the Holy Spirit and ask Him for His help to pull them out or let them go.

God has grace for each day, for each prickle and He tells us His grace is sufficient, more than enough. One meaning of sufficient is that it ‘lifts off’ whatever is bugging us. But we have to go to the throne of grace to receive it by faith. It’s no good harbouring the prickles or excusing them. We have to want His grace and humble ourselves to ask for it.😊

God says He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), that He will treat us all the same. So if He helps and forgives one, then He will do it for us all. His grace is free and for all who will receive it, but we have to receive it!

Can I encourage us all, next time we have a fit of the pricklies, let’s just find a quiet spot and talk to the Lord about it and ask for His amazing grace to let go of whatever has upset or disturbed our peace. Allow His peace that passes understanding to flow into all the prickly corners as His love and kindness and care of us wash them all away.😊

It helps to remember that Jesus Himself is interceding for us before His Father around the clock and the Holy Spirit is our Helper and Advocate as well. We’re not on our own, His grace is available to us all and it’s more than enough. Praise God. In Jesus name Amen.

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GOD IS NEVER TOO BUSY

Psalm 120:1 NLT I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.

How often have we tried to ring someone and there was no answer, or all we could hear was the engaged tone? They were busy! Well I have good news today, because God’s phone line is never engaged, never too busy. As the Psalmist says, “He is always listening to our every cry.”

Scripture says to call to Him and He will hear, that when we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him, that when we humble ourselves and submit to Him He will exalt us in due course. It even says He will answer before we’ve ever asked!

We all know no one likes it when their child comes with a whining, moaning attitude and God is the same. We can all come to Him through Jesus and He doesn’t mind how big our prayer requests are as long as we ask with grateful thanks for all He’s done for us already. We have so much to praise and thank God for every single day.😊

So no matter what’s happening in our lives, let’s be so grateful that God is never too busy for us, that He is constantly watching over us and that He is standing beside us, keeping us from all harm. Psalm 121:8 NLT The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. 

So we can bring all our cares, all our requests to Him today because Jesus made it possible for us to do it, but we can also come with faith to believe He is saving us out of all our troubles, that He is listening and He will fulfil His word to us no matter what it looks like! 

He has promised to lead, guide, provide, heal, restore, and save us to the uttermost. Now our part is to trust Him and receive it all by faith. Glory to God. I hope that helps you sing today.😊 Amen.

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WEARING THE RIGHT COAT

Romans 5:17 NIV For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Just recently we went to see the Saltmine Theatre’s production of Cinderella. In it the Prince was constantly changing his coat according to how he saw himself, so if he wore his ‘Panic’ coat he panicked and didn’t know what to do. If he took it off and called for his ‘Man of Action’ coat he immediately became decisive and in control of the situation.😊

How we see ourselves is so important which is why God tells us to read His Word because it tells us how He sees us, how He has made us to be new creations in Christ Jesus. If we don’t know, or when we forget who we are, we can start to fall back into old behaviour patterns.

It can be easy to put on the wrong coat and start to panic when things suddenly go wrong, like when illness hits or an accident happens. But God has put His Holy Spirit inside us to hold us steady, to give us wise counsel, to help us deal with whatever comes. 

We need to keep reminding ourselves that nothing is going to happen to us today that, together with the Holy Spirit, we can’t handle. God has given us eagle’s wings to rise above the trials but sometimes we forget and stay in the chicken coup of self pity or hopelessness. Instead God wants us to rise up on wings of faith and hope, and believe Him to turn things around for our good, believing He can do the impossible.😊

As we go into our new week let’s make sure we’ve remembered to put our armour on, that we’re wearing the right coat - our robe of righteousness which causes us to reign in life! 

It’s the coat which proclaims we are forgiven, we are children of the Most High God, that God is our own Heavenly Dad, the most powerful Being in the universe, and that He is looking after us. So we don’t need to be afraid or dismayed because our God is for us and He loves us.😊 Thank You Lord. Amen.

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GOD’S WORD STANDS FIRM

Psalm 119:89-91 NLT 

89 Your eternal word, O Lord,

stands firm in heaven.

90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,

as enduring as the earth you created.

91 Your regulations remain true to this day,

for everything serves your plans.

114 You are my refuge and my shield;

Your word is my source of hope.

If ever we have a need for security for the days ahead, we need look no further than these verses today. They breathe stability and hope into us as we absorb their truth into our spirit. They talk of God’s word being eternal, that it stands firm in heaven, how much more so can we stand on it, and walk into our future because of that truth.

These verses talk of God’s faithfulness going beyond ourselves, of it going into our following generations which is so encouraging as we look at the way things are going in the world. God has promised to be faithful to our families even if they’re off course at the minute, He will bring backsliders home and heal them. (Isaiah 57:18-19/Hosea 14:4)

When we read ‘everything serves your plans’ it helps us keep things in perspective, to know God is ultimately in control and that His plans and purposes for the world and our individual lives remain the same.

So be encouraged today, no matter what changes may come, or what is going on around us, we can praise our God with joyfulness, and the certainty that our eternal hope is secure in His Word, and that He will always be our refuge and our shield.😊

Let’s give Him all our praise, and all the glory today. In Jesus name. Amen.

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OVERWHELMED OR OVERTAKEN

Psalm 23:6 KJV Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

If you’ve ever watched a film where the cops are in hot pursuit of the robbers it’s the same meaning as the way God’s goodness and mercy are ‘following’ us each and every day of our lives.😊 It’s like a fighter plane being in hot pursuit of its enemy in the sky till it overtakes it.

Our verse says, ‘Surely’ God has mercy and goodness for each of us. It’s for certain, no ifs and buts about it! I’m so grateful it’s not just now and then, or when God is having a good day, and it’s not based on our performance!

God has promised them to us every day, even when one thing after another seems to happen, even when it may not look like it. It’s at those times we need to stand up and tell the enemy to take his hands off us because he is a defeated foe, to stand and confess our trust is in our mighty God, that He is overtaking us with His goodness, His unfailing love, and His great grace and mercy.😊

When we know someone who is feeling overwhelmed by circumstances, we can join with them and stand against all the fiery darts of the enemy by encouraging each other to stand strong, to not grow weary because in due season they, and we, will reap a harvest. 

Don’t let’s judge the cricket match before the last innings is played! We are on the winning side and sometimes we have to enforce it by declaring it before we see it. 

Jesus is still the resurrection and the life and we can speak His life into situations, into our finances, our relationships, and know God’s goodness and mercy are actively overtaking us. 

Let’s not believe to be overwhelmed by the negative things in life, but believe we’re being overtaken by God’s goodness and mercy today and every day. In Jesus name. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

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ENTER GOD’S REST

Hebrews 4:11 NIV Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

I wonder if you’re one of those people who like to work everything out, to have things under control? If you hear of a problem your mind immediately jumps into gear as to how to solve it!😊

The trouble is there are so many things in life that we have no control over, we have no answer to, and if we’re wise we learn to just hand situations over to the Lord and ask Him to sort it out in His own good time, in the way He knows best. If He wants our help He’ll soon let us know.😊

We’ve probably all tried to tell God how, when and where, but God is very patient and gracious with us and carries on dealing with it perfectly anyway, because He sees the end from the beginning.

Abraham’s wife Sarah was the sort of person who liked  to get things moving and she told Abraham to sleep with her maid so they could help God out and have a baby that way. Big mistake, and we can all learn from that lady not to ‘help’ God when He doesn’t need helping!

God wants us to relax! He’s never late and He’s never in a hurry. Today’s society seems to want everything yesterday but God works on a different time scale, which our ‘time focused’ minds struggle with.

So what’s the answer? We need to remember we’re dealing with the One who cast stars into space, who does the impossible on a daily basis at the speed of light if He wants to, but trust Him enough to let Him do it over a lifetime if necessary. He wants us to enjoy the journey and not become fixated on the destination.

It’s called trust, and resting in the God who knew us before we were born, who only wants the best for us. In order to do that He may take us on some unknown paths, and take the clock off the mantelpiece till we learn to rest in Him, and thank Him for the answer in advance, no matter how long it takes.😊 In Jesus name Amen.

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UNLIMITED

Psalm 78:41 NKJV Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.

Do you ever go to the food cupboard and find out of date tins of food that need to be discarded? Well we may all benefit from going to our ‘thought’ food cupboard and checking if we need a fresh supply of something, or need to throw out some thoughts which are pulling us down, which are unhealthy.😊

If we want to, we can go online and order in the weekly shopping, but our spiritual online is in our prayer time with the Lord. It’s when we fill up on a fresh supply of God’s thoughts about how He sees us if we’ve been feeling low or someone has thought ill of us.

I have a friend who gives her friends a hug and tells them they are a treasure. It’s such a lovely blessing to receive.😊 No matter how we feel on any given day, whether we’re on a high or a low, God calls us His treasure. So when you have thoughts which tell you otherwise, sort those thoughts out and discard them. Allow the truth to sink in that God thinks of you as one of His great treasures, as one of His masterpieces, who He thinks was worth dying for.

Perhaps you have some mouldy thoughts in your mind’s storage cupboard which have started to infect everything else in the cupboard? If so, let the Lord restock your cupboard with His thoughts of love, that He wants to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Thoughts of believing it’s never too late, never too old, never too anything for God to come in and turn things round for you, because you are still His treasure.

We don’t want to be like the Israelites who limited God by their unbelief. Our God is the God of breakthroughs, of giving us an unlimited future if we’ll take the limits off Him in our thinking. We are God and Sons Unlimited. God and Daughters Unlimited. I like that thought, don’t you? It’s time to throw out the ‘Limited’ tins and put a new tin of ‘Unlimited’ in our thinking cupboard today. In Jesus name. Amen.😊

Photo: Mike Giovinazzo on Unsplash

GOD HAS AN AGENDA

3 John 1:2 NKJV Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

God has a plan and purpose for all our lives. You could say He has an agenda for each one of us and He’s telling us in this verse that He wants us to prosper in all areas, whether it’s our health, our finances, our relationships - whatever.😊 God wants us to thrive not just survive!

Now, I don’t know about you but I find that so encouraging because it spells out what God’s will is for us. We can look at any part of our lives and ask, ‘Does God want me to prosper, to thrive in this area?’ And yes, He says He does.😊

When Jesus was with His disciples He demonstrated His overflow with the 5 loaves and 2 fish, His desire for healing all who were sick and oppressed by the devil. He even provided Peter’s taxes for him but Peter had to go and catch the fish! 

Later the Holy Spirit spoke through Paul to say our God will supply exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or think according to the power at work in us. (Ephesians 3:20)

Our part is to come in line with God’s plan and purpose and pursue it, to allow the power of His word to work in our hearts and lives, to expect to thrive and not just survive because it’s God’s will for us. Even at age 85 God had an agenda for Caleb to take a mountain and he did! He thrived. God wants the same for you and me.😊

I hope that has given us an injection of hope today as we look to the Lord and His plan for each one of us. God wants us to have a mindset of thriving not just surviving.😊 Amen.

POSITIVITEA

Psalm121:1-2 NIV I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

‘Always start your day with a cup of Positivitea’. That sign caught my eye and made me smile but it also made me stop and think.

When we go to the doctor he might want to give us a dose of medicine for whatever is wrong, but sometimes what we need is a dose of positivity!

We can choose to start off our day with a cup of positivitea, or whatever our favourite breakfast drink is, as long as we’ve poured some positivity into it!😊

The Holy Spirit wants us to begin the day on the right footing, with our thoughts going in the right direction, in God’s direction. Even before we climb out of bed in the morning, we can start with the thought that today is the day the Lord has gifted us with, and He’s going to be helping us with whatever comes our way.

Then we can pour in the promise that everything we set our hand to do will prosper, that the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter, and that all will be well for the godly. And if the day starts to go a bit wonky, or the enemy is telling you otherwise, keep believing, keep looking up and thank God He’s going to turn it round for your good in the long run.😊

Nothing can take our God by surprise. He already knows what our day will bring, but He’s promised to go ahead of us and make the crooked paths straight and to make level the paths, so whatever happens, God knows about it and He’s on it. 

As we walk through our week we can know nothing is going to happen to us today that we can’t handle, because we have the Holy Spirit in us, our God is for us, and our help comes from Him.😊 In Jesus’ powerful name. Amen.

Photo by Alysha Rosly on Unsplash

SEASONS OF LIFE

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

Seasons come and seasons go and the writer of Ecclesiastes knew all about it. The important thing is to recognise when a season has closed and not to try to hang on to it when God says it’s over. Not everybody will understand, in fact some may even turn away, which hurts and makes it very hard, and it may not always make sense, but when God says to do something, we have to do it.

God has good plans and purposes for each one of us and He rarely gives us the whole picture but He asks us to trust Him even when we don’t have the next step or know all the answers. Our Christian life is a life of faith, where God asks us to follow where He leads.

At some point we all have to decide whether to be comfortable and carry on as we are, or whether to step out of the boat and be out of our comfort zone, where we want God’s approval rather than man’s approval.

Scripture reminds us in Isaiah 1:19, that if we are willing and obedient we will eat the good of the land. Sometimes we are obedient, but we do it begrudgingly, and there’s no blessing in that. God is looking for willing hearts that will trust Him and trust His plan. Is it easy? Not always, but our God knows the big picture, He knows what’s round the corner and He’s either trying to protect us or bring us into a blessing for ourselves or for others.

God wants us to enjoy the season we’re in, but be willing to let it close when it’s over and look forward to whatever the next season brings. So be encouraged today to know God has good plans and purposes for us all, and if we’ll do as He says He can bring them all to pass in His good time, for His glory. In Jesus name. 😊Amen.

Photo: Chris Lawton on Unsplash

REFUGE AND JOY

Psalm 5:11-12 NLT 

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;

let them sing joyful praises forever.

Spread your protection over them,

that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

12 For you bless the godly, O Lord;

you surround them with your shield of love.

NKJV 12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Surrounded by love and God’s favour. It doesn’t come any better than that, does it? We can wrap those verses around us like a cloak, secure in the knowledge that we have a refuge against all the storms, or whatever blows our way in the coming days.😊

When we keep our eyes on Jesus we all have something to rejoice about, in every situation, because our God is always with us. Not everybody has a refuge, not everybody has chosen to dwell in the secret place of the Almighty, but when we do, He has promised us His protection. He says when we make God our refuge we will be filled with joy, but so often we don’t recognise it. It doesn’t say just a trickle of joy, or the odd bubble, but filled with His joy.😊

If we’d like some of that joy then we can read these verses over our lives constantly and remind ourselves of what God has promised - His protection, His blessing, His love, His favour and His joy - and remember it’s all ‘Yes and Amen’ in Jesus. 

When you really think about that, it’s wonderful, and we can praise our God with thankful, joyful hearts today and forever.😊 Praise His wonderful name. Amen.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Proverbs 18:21 NIV The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

I wonder if you ever stop and listen to what you’re saying? It’s at those unguarded moments when things have ganged up on us, it pays to listen to what is coming out of our mouths because it’s what is in our hearts and we may not have realised it.

Whatever we’ve been saying is actually setting our course, but even if you’ve been having a moan, why not turn it round and start speaking some positive confessions instead? We can produce some good fruit with our words.😊

How about saying how great your God is, or how no weapon formed against you will prosper, or declare ‘this problem didn’t come to stay - it came to pass’. How about: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’, or ‘I am an Overcomer through Jesus’.

If we do that, then God will show up and make things happen on our behalf  because He says He’s active and alert to perform His word which we’ve just spoken over our lives. We can’t make things happen but God can, and when we release our faith we’re releasing Him so He can do what He’s promised.😊

If things are needing changing in your life, can I encourage you to speak out God’s words over those areas and resist the enemy, tell him to take his hands off your life, off your circumstances. Remember God’s word says, ‘We’re above only and not beneath, that we are the head and not the tail.’

So next time you feel beneath, or things are not going the way they should, start declaring what God says - you are a blood bought child of God, filled with His Holy Spirit, anointed, and empowered by the Greater One living on the inside. You’re on the Victory side going somewhere to triumph and God is turning things round for your good, no matter what it looks like.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x

Photo by Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash

DISPENSERS

Ephesians 4:29 NLT Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Some of the soap dispensers we see are very pretty while others are just functional but they all do the same job, they all dispense the same thing - soap!😊

As I was thinking about that I asked myself what are we dispensing into the lives of those around us? Are we giving out words of encouragement that uplift and wash away all the negative things people are being bombarded with on a daily basis? Are we dispensing God’s thoughts and words which cleanse us of our own wrong thinking? Probably not always, if we’re honest!

Not all dispensers are for soap, but some are for drinks. Press the right button and out comes your required beverage. Some people though, have a gift for pressing our wrong buttons, and sometimes out comes the wrong thing! I’m sure we’ve all experienced that at some time or another.

We know the Lord wants us to be dispensing loving kindness when we see someone who needs a helping hand or maybe some patience and understanding and the other fruits of the Spirit.😊 

There are times though, when we need to learn to turn our dispenser off, when we’re tempted to dispense criticism or judgement, or unhelpful comments or opinions! I know I need to! We need insight on a moment by moment basis, given to us by the Holy Spirit, as to what to dispense and when, don’t we? 

So, next time we use our soap dispensers, (and I’m speaking to me first), I hope we can remember to just check that what is going to come out, is good and helpful like our verse says.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Steven Ungermann on Unsplash

SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN

Judges 6:14 NLT Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

Do you ever find yourself making excuses as to why you can’t do something? Moses and Jonah were like that and so was Gideon! 

He was hiding from his enemies down in a wine press when the angel of God found him and told him what God wanted him to do. But in v.15 Gideon gives his excuses when he says he’s from the weakest tribe and he’s the least in his family. He was telling God He’d picked the wrong person! Moses said the same thing. Do we sometimes feel like that? 

“God I’m not the best candidate to do what you’ve asked. There are far more able people you could use!” But  God doesn’t make mistakes. He knows He has put in us whatever is necessary to do what He asks, and our part is to just say “Yes.”😊 

God’s reply to Gideon was “I will be with you”. He says the same thing to us. It doesn’t matter how weak or least we feel we are, when God is with us there is hope, there is courage, He has a plan and something is about to happen!

He tells you and me to go with the little bit of strength we do have and He will supply the rest. He will provide the strength, show us what to do, and provide whatever we need, but He will also give us the success He has already planned. Strength + Strategy + Supply = Success.😊 

We can be so encouraged today because God uses the weak and foolish things of this world to bring about His purposes. God doesn’t see us the way we see ourselves. He sees us as He has made us to be - mighty men and women of valour, as able to do the job because we’re not alone, God is with us indeed.

If we will cooperate and do as He tells us, then something is about to happen! Amen.😊

WHEN GOD’S HEART BROKE

Genesis 6:6 NLT So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.

Have you ever felt broken hearted? When something couldn’t be fixed or maybe when a relationship you thought was forever crumbled into dust before your eyes?

So many things can cause heartbreak but whatever caused it, God understands it because His heart was broken by mankind and their wickedness. He knows what it’s like, and yet the love of God remained steadfast because He is a faithful God and He already had a plan to rescue those who wanted to be rescued.

God also has a plan to rescue each one of us when our hearts are broken. Very often we want to ask why when something goes wrong, but God didn’t need to ask why when He saw the people He’d made turn against Him. He already knew what would happen before He made the world and yet it still broke His heart.

But He found one righteous man - Noah! A man who didn’t compromise, and he found favour in the eyes of the Lord. He didn’t know it could rain and didn’t even live near water, but simply obeyed the Lord’s instructions to build an ark and fulfilled God’s plan and purpose for planet earth in his lifetime.

So take heart today if anything has broken your heart, God understands how you feel, but He has a plan to turn it around for your good. He gave us rainbows to remind us His promises are true, His power is limitless and His love is forever.

Your turn around is on its way, so just do whatever God says and He will enable you to stay afloat above the floods that may come, and give God all the glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Mateus Campos Felipe on Unsplash

THE BACKING OF GOD’S NAME

Psalm 138:2 NLT … I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.

We’re probably all familiar with the expression, “What’s in a name?” It can carry a lot of authority or influence depending on whoever is associated with that name. It’s connected to the character of the person or organisation so when people hear the name they know what to expect.

When we’re dealing with God’s name or names though, we’re suddenly in a different category all together. We know Jesus has been given a name which is above every name and every knee must bow to Him because His name holds the highest honour in the universe.(Philippians 2:9-11)

Now bear that in mind when we read that all the promises of God are backed by the honour of His name. We’re being called to recognise just how powerful God’s name is, and how honour bound He is to fulfil His promises to us because His name is on the line. It’s His name that is backing His Word and His promises. It’s the name of the One who loved us enough to be nailed to a Cross for us, who is The Truth.

Immediately, we are being raised to a higher understanding, a deep confidence that whatever God has promised, He will do it. So, following on from yesterday, the Holy Spirit wants us to member the powerful significance the name of God carries when we claim His promises. They are unbreakable, unshakeable because they’re written in the blood of Jesus, by the power and backing of His wonderful name.

I hope that has encouraged us and stirred us up to claim those promises personally and declare them again and again over our lives, no matter how long it takes until we see them manifest, because God is asking each one of us today, “What promises are you believing Me to fulfil in your life, because they’re all backed by the honour of My name and they’re all Yes and Amen in Jesus.” 

Glory to His name! Amen.😊

YES AND AMEN!

2 Corinthians 1:19-20 NKJV For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us ….was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Have you ever heard someone say, “You never know what God is going to do. You win some, you lose some” and it’s said in a doom and gloom voice?

Well, that may sound reasonable but it isn’t a true statement because our scripture says differently. It’s coming from our unrenewed minds when we think that way! God says He always leads us in triumph, we will win. So how does it work?

Our verse reminds us that all the promises of God in Jesus are Yes and Amen. When we say Amen we’re saying we agree wholeheartedly. God’s Word is His will, so whatever promise we’re standing on, God has said Yes! It is His will. We know for sure that’s what He has said and that He does what He says because He doesn’t lie.😊

The thing is, God is looking for our faith for Him to make it come to pass. When we’re in doubt and fear we’re giving God nothing to work with, but when we come into agreement with His word and His promises, He says His word will not return to Him void. He says He is alert and active watching over His word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12 AMPC)

Are you wanting some things to change in your life? Then show God you’re in earnest and find the promises of God on it. If we don’t know what they are we can tap in to the internet ‘verses on guidance’ (or whatever) and it will show them. 

Start declaring the promises every day and saying Amen and thanking God He’s making them happen in your life, even before you see them. God calls it walking by faith. I did that 18 years ago with healing promises, and praise God He performed His word in my life. Thank You Lord!

So, as we enter our new week, be encouraged and full of confidence to stand on God’s word and not be moved by what we see or what we feel, but declare by faith our AMEN which sets the promises in motion. When we do our part God will do His part. 😊

Thank You Jesus. Amen.

THE NAME AND THE GOOD NEWS

 ISAIAH 52:6-7 NLT

But I will reveal my name to my people, 

and they will come to know its power. 

Then at last they will recognize 

that I am the one who speaks to them.”

7 How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,

the good news of peace and salvation,

the news that the God of Israel reigns!

When Isaiah wrote those words they did not know the name of Jesus, but praise God we do now. It’s the name above all names, the name to which every knee will bow. The name at which demons flee. It’s the name that brings healing and freedom and we thank God for Jesus and His name! Have we come to know it’s power for ourselves? I know I need ongoing revelation of it. How about you?😊

But he goes on and reminds us to be the messenger of good news in our world, our own sphere of influence, to bring the peace of God to those who are in turmoil. They want to know where to find peace and it’s only found in Jesus, the only Mediator between God and men.

We can be so thankful today that our God reigns over all and that this is still the day of grace, the day of salvation, the day of forgiveness and being able to hear His voice telling us He loves us with an everlasting love. It’s the best news in the whole world.😊

Thank You Lord for the name of Jesus, and that You will reign forever. Help us to grow in our understanding of the power of Your name. We praise You and give You all our thanks today. In Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Be blessed as you listen to  ‘I Speak Jesus’ by Josh Baldwin: 

https://youtu.be/wFeQBcTJJf4?si=i5tnuJiyj9X1rswJ

Photo: Daniel Gutko on Unsplash

GOD SAYS ALWAYS

2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,…

Always! Do you ever hear people saying, “I always get a cold this time of year, or I always mess things up”? They’re unfortunately believing for the wrong things! Their ‘always’ is sadly leading them in the wrong direction, drawing the wrong things to them, because our words are the rudder for our lives.

God says He ‘always’ leads us in triumph and we need to bring our words into agreement with God’s word. Always means at all times, on all occasions, so God doesn’t leave us with any room for misinterpretation because when He says always, He means always!😊

The first step for us to experience His always is just to agree with His word, even when it feels or looks differently. So often we see things only half done, or half way through, but God has the big picture and He wants us to believe that whatever we’re looking at, whatever has happened, if we’ll stay in faith, He will bring it round to a triumph in Christ - always!😊

Let’s never forget we’re ‘in Christ’, we’re on the victory side and 1 John 5:4 tells us it’s our faith, (which He’s already given to us), that overcomes the world. No matter what we’re facing we can turn our face to look at Jesus and say, “Thank You Lord You’re leading me in triumph in this situation. You’re turning it round for my good. I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living.”

Be encouraged today, God is still on the throne, His promises are true and they are for whoever will grab a hold of them and agree with them. If your ‘always’ has been negative lately, turn it around and start declaring God’s triumph is for you personally, today and every day - always, because you are in Christ, in Jesus. 😊

Thank You Lord, Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊