STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP!

Matthew 22:39 NIV And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Things happen in our everyday lives and we act or react sometimes according to how we feel at the time. We know we have the Holy Spirit’s help to deal with things, but there are times when we don’t always act the way we’re supposed to!

So what do we do about it? If we’ve said or done something that wasn’t helpful or even harmful, then we know we can ask the Lord to forgive us.(1 John 1:9) But what about forgiving ourselves? I know people who are still beating themselves up for something they did years ago and they haven’t been able to move forward because of it.

Recently I was feeling disgruntled and couldn’t figure out what was the matter when the Lord showed me I wasn’t forgiving myself for something I’d already asked and received His forgiveness for. God is not condemning us, and He doesn’t want us condemning ourselves or beating ourselves up all the time either, because if we do, we won’t like ourselves and we’ll have no peace inside!

Jesus said, ‘Love others as you love yourself’. Now if we’re not loving ourselves, the implication is that we won’t be able to love others as we should.😊

Jesus wasn’t saying to have an egotistical love, but because we’re loved and accepted by God even with our failings, so we can love and accept ourselves where we’re at right now. We need to remember we are still a work in progress and He’s changing us on the inside all the time.😊 

He wants us to be encouraged by how far we’ve come, to focus on the truth that He has made us righteous. We can focus on Jesus’ perfection not on our imperfections.

So I hope that helps somebody today, to know God wants you to forgive yourself and be at peace on the inside, because God has already forgiven you - to love yourself so you can love others. He wants you to get your joy back and rejoice in His forgiveness and love for you today. Amen.😊

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OUR FATHER KNOWS

Matthew 10:29-31 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

The little birds have been coming to the bird table every morning for their take away meals and just recently we’ve had snow, ice, freezing fog, and below freezing temperatures. It amazes me how the little birds survive the extreme cold at all!

It reminded me of Jesus saying how His Heavenly Father knows when even a sparrow falls to the ground and how He cares about each one of them. He goes on to say how much more His Father knows and cares about us, how valuable we are to Him, and how reassuring that is.

Have you ever been tempted to think God has gone off somewhere and forgotten about you? Well be assured if He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground and how many hairs you have on your head, there’s never a moment when our Father doesn’t know what’s going on in your life too.😊

So when life gets upset and we’re distressed and troubled we can remember Jesus said, “So don’t be afraid”. We can remember the sparrows and remind ourselves of these verses: 

Psalm 107:19-20 NKJV Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them. And delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 63:7-8 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

God is delivering us and just like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, God does the same for us - we’re sheltering under His wings today, held securely by His love. So no matter what our distress or trouble is, we have our Father to cling to and those reassuring truths to take us through our day.😊 Amen.

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GOD IS MY REFUGE

Psalm 5:11-12 NIV But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

I expect we’ve all experienced walking round town and a deluge of rain has suddenly come down. Even if we have an umbrella the first thing we look for is a shop doorway or an awning of some kind to give us a refuge.😊

Psalmist David had learned to make God his refuge because when he did he was able to sing for joy, and he reminds us our refuge is in the Lord our God as well.

In Psalm 91 he makes this declaration about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. Because he really believed that declaration, he knew His God would send His angels to watch over him and it released all the blessings of protection he would ever need.

Our God doesn’t want us to be anxious and worried about our safety. He just wants us to put our trust in Him to be our Protector, to look to Him to keep us safe. 

I read this week about a lady who was driving a hired car when suddenly there was a loud bang and the engine caught fire. She tried to escape but her seat belt wouldn’t release and she was trapped with the fire threatening to come inside the vehicle. She cried out to the Lord for His protection as she knew He was the only One who could save her. Suddenly the seat belt clicked and she managed to escape the burning car. 

She knew who to turn to for protection, she put her trust in God and He delivered her and I should think she was singing for joy, don’t you?😊

Psalm 121:7-8 NKJV The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Thank You Lord I can make it personal and I declare You are my God, my refuge and my strong tower wherever I am, I love Your name and I put my trust in You. In Jesus name. Amen.

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THANK YOU LORD

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

When we’ve seen the devastating fires this past week in America and how some people have lost their homes and belongings we realise how thankful we should be for every blessing we have right now. 

One lady who was caught up in the fires commented “It reminds me of the value of what is not tangible”, and it makes us really appreciate what we have.😊

I pray none of us experiences anything of that kind but it does make us take stock of all the things in our lives which can’t be taken away from us. We can’t put a value on the love of family and friends, of the skills God has given us, of our relationship with our loving Father God, to know our sins are forgiven, to know he is Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, and countless more.

At the times when we’re tempted to live in the past, or worrying about what will happen in our future, it’s good to bring ourselves up short and recognise all the goodness God has poured out on us right now and to remember He has new blessings, new mercies for us every morning of our lives.😊 

So next time we find ourselves dwelling on all the things we may have lost or the things we don’t have, which we think we ‘must have’ to be happy in the future, we can choose to have a grateful heart, to be overwhelmingly thankful for all the blessings we already enjoy each and every day. 

Psalm 103:2-5 NKJV …Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Thank You Lord, we are so grateful for all Your blessings. In Jesus name, Amen.

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RIGHT NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLT As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

I wonder what you’re doing right now? Are you trying to wake up on a Monday morning, or at work, or preparing a meal, or just at a loose end? Whatever it is, you are in the ‘now’ and it’s always good to appreciate the ‘now’ we have.😊

But God talks about now as being the right time. The right time for what? It’s the right time to receive His salvation. Now if you’ve already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour then you’re probably thinking “Well, I’ve already received my salvation”. But what about right now, are you enjoying the fullness of your salvation in your now?

You see, God wants to remind us today that the original Greek word for salvation is ‘Soteria’ which includes so much more than our sins forgiven. It includes our total well being, our health being restored if we’re sick, our wholeness, our prosperity in every area of life including our finances, and our peace of mind. That’s what His salvation means which is wonderful.😊

So today is the right time, the now time, to receive your ‘soteria’, your salvation, in whatever area you have a need. Maybe you’ve had a bad report from the doctor, or the bills are pouring in with not enough to pay them. Well, God’s salvation, His grace, is available to us all, if we receive it just like we did the forgiveness of our sins. 

Our verse starts off by imploring us not to ignore God’s kindness. Other translations call it God’s grace, His favour, so let’s grasp it with both hands.😊

Heavenly Father we ask You to help us receive all of Your salvation in whatever situation we find ourselves right now, and in the coming week. In Jesus name. Amen.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

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THERE IS NO OTHER GOD

Isaiah 43:10-11 NLT 

But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” Says the Lord. 

“You are my servant. 

You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, 

and understand that I alone am God. 

There is no other God - 

there never has been, 

and there never will be. 

I, yes I, am the Lord, and there is no other Savior.

Wow! What a statement to make! There is no other God, no other Saviour, and it’s great to know God made it so clear we need never have any doubt about it.😊 The world will tell us very differently but that’s when we have to know that the Bible is the infallible word of God. 

1 Peter 1:23/25 NKJV having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, v.25 But the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Jesus said in John 17:17 NLT Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

So we can put our complete confidence in the Word of God. What a privilege to know it says we have been chosen to know Him, to believe in Him and to know that He alone is God. 

Sometimes the Lord challenges us to see if  we’re really believing His Word is true or not, to believe 2 Timothy 3:16 NIV All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

Lord we thank You for the scriptures, for Your Word which reminds us You are the only true God and we have no other Saviour but You. Thank You for choosing us to belong to You. What a hallelujah that is.😊 We have so much to praise and thank You for today because of Jesus. Amen.

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WHEN GOD DOES THE SUPERNATURAL

John 6:20-21 NLT But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

You may be one of those people who likes things in a hurry and find it hard to wait for the kettle to boil. You like instant everything, whether it’s instant coffee or microwave everything. I think we all like the immediatelys!😊 

The disciples were in the middle of a huge storm and  there was a gale blowing. They had already been straining at the oars for 3 or 4 miles when Jesus appeared on the scene and they took Him into the boat with them. It says ‘immediately’ they arrived at the shore. He could see they were exhausted from trying to row in the stormy waves and were at the end of their tether so He gave them an ‘immediately’! They found they were transported several miles in an instant of time to safety. It was supernatural!

John 2: 1-12 Jesus was at the wedding in Cana when the host ran out of wine which would have been a embarrassing so Jesus’ mum intervenes and tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. As soon as they did what He said, the water was immediately turned into wine. In an instant the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary. What should have taken years to accomplish in the natural process of making wine took seconds! It was supernatural!

Jesus was showing us that He can change what should take a long time in the natural into something that can happen very quickly because our God is supernatural. The disciples would have been fearing for their lives, the wedding host would have been worrying about losing face when Jesus kindly intervened and rescued them all. 

One situation was life threatening, while the other one wasn’t at all, which encourages us to know Jesus cares about all our situations in life.  God not only does suddenly, but He also does immediately, instantly, if we need it!

We can invite Jesus into our boat today and trust Him to do whatever it is He needs to do and turn our ordinary into His extraordinary whether it’s suddenly, immediately or however long it takes. He knows best.😊 Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

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SUDDENLY!

Do you ever feel like there’s a long road ahead and it seems a bit daunting? Well be encouraged today because however long the road is, God is with us every step of the way and God specialises in the suddenly moments which can turn things around in a moment of time. Did you know we can prepare the ground ready to receive them? How do we do that? I’m glad you asked 😊…

Acts 2:2 NLT Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. The disciples were all gathered together in the Upper Room obeying Jesus’ instruction to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come. They were expectant and they obeyed, and suddenly the Holy Spirit arrived!

Another time we read Acts 16:26 NLT ‘Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!’ Paul and Silas had been whipped, they were trapped in difficult circumstances in prison and they could have been feeling sorry for themselves. Instead they were worshipping and they had their suddenly.

Now look at Peter’s experience. Acts 12:7 NLT Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Peter was awaiting execution fast asleep but fellow believers outside were praying and he had a suddenly moment. 

So don’t despair, what may look like a long slogging road up ahead may well be shortened by one of God’s merciful ‘suddenlies’ if we have an attitude of expectancy, obey whatever He tells us to do, pray in faith and worship Him. If we need a suddenly I think the Lord is nudging us to do our part, don’t you?😊

Isaiah 48:3 NIV I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

Thank You Lord for Your ‘suddenlies’!😊Amen.

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THE STORY OF A FROG

Isaiah 41:18 NLT 18 I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.

Have you heard the story of the frog who lived at the bottom of a well? He looked up one day and saw a light shining at the top and climbed up to have a look to see what it was. He was happy with his little bit of water in the well and thought it was all there was, until he looked over the top and saw a lovely big pond. Then he hopped further and found a beautiful lake with a fountain, hopped much further and discovered the vast ocean. He realised how limited he had been in the well and that God had created so much more for him to enjoy.😊

I wonder if we are sitting in a well of sorts thinking it’s all there is? Maybe we’re contented with what we have not realising God not only has pools and fountains, but a whole ocean of His goodness waiting for us to experience and enjoy.

God has things stored up for us that will surprise us this year if we’ll just look up and put our heads over the edge of where we’re at. God is wanting us to believe for greater and go further than before, no matter what age or stage in life we are.

Caleb didn’t go and conquer his mountain till he was 85 years old and he brought down five giants while he was about it. Sarah didn’t discover her destiny till she was 90 years old when she had Isaac. David was just a shepherd boy when he was anointed to be king. Lydia sold expensive clothes and led a church in her home. What might God want you to do?😊

Let’s have a mindset that reaches for all that God has for us, that knows if God is for us no one can be against us, that He wants us to prosper and succeed in all He gives us to do. 

Lord help us to be willing to expand our horizons in our thinking and to go beyond where we are in every sphere of life, to believe we can overcome our limitations and do what we’ve never done before with the help of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name. Amen.

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GOD WHO HEARS US AND SEES US

Genesis 16:13 NLT Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.”

When we read the story of Hagar we realise how God cares about the least of us, even a slave girl who no one had ever heard of before this event. Sarah hadn’t been able to conceive so she’d given Hagar to Abram to give him a son but became jealous when Hagar had then flaunted her pregnancy before Sarai. Big mistake!

Sarai had then made Hagar’s life miserable so she ran away and the Lord found her near a spring of water with nowhere to go, pregnant with no money and no hope. He asked her two questions. “Where have you come from and where are you going?” He made her examine what she was doing!  The Lord then told her to name her baby Ishmael which means ‘God hears’.

I take heart from this story because no matter where or what we have come from or where we think we are going, the Lord finds us and comes to us where we’re at. Hagar discovers in the middle of her distress that the Lord hears her and sees her. The One who seemed so high and unreachable in her eyes had actually come and sought her out because He cared about her.

God wants us all to know He’ll do the same for us even if we’ve had a bad attitude. God not only hears and sees us but He comes to us.😊 In Hagar’s case she was told to go back and submit to her mistress which can’t have been easy but she obeyed.

God has specific instructions for each one of us, no matter how insignificant we think our lives might be, and He has good plans for us all, but we have to do our part and obey His instructions.  

Sarai and Abram thought God was taking too long, and tried to make God’s plans work out in their own way but they learned, like we do if we’re wise, to wait for God’s appointed and proper time!😊

Lord we’re so grateful You hear and see us and come to our rescue. Help us to obey Your instructions and wait for Your plans to unfold at the right time. In Jesus name. Amen.

APPOINTED AND PROPER TIME

Luke 1:20 AMPC Now behold, you will be and will continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you; but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time.

The angel came with good news to Zechariah, to tell him he and his aged wife would have a baby son but Zechariah didn’t believe it because he looked at his age and circumstances!

Unfortunately that was not good for him as the angel had to silence his unbelief so he wouldn’t stop God’s plan with his words, and struck him dumb till God’s plan came into reality at the appointed and proper time. God has an appointed and proper time for all the plans He has mapped out for us as well but we need to believe what He says.😊

If we’re not careful we can delay or prevent God’s plans by speaking out our unbelief, and not agreeing with what God has promised in His word. We don’t need an angel to come and tell us what God has said because we have it in His word, right in front of us all the time, but it’s good to check and see if we are saying what God says, or are we saying what we feel and think about things instead?

Zechariah’s story shows us the importance of keeping quiet if we’re tempted to contradict what God has promised. He has given us free choice but He does warn us death and life are in the power of the tongue so we set the course of our lives by which one we speak out! 

Father thank You for the good plans you have mapped out and appointed for us to happen at the proper time. Help us to chose life giving words in 2025 and agree with what You say so they can come to pass. In Jesus name. Amen.😊

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VERY LIKE A SPONGE

John 17:20-22 NLT “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.”

Imagine having a bucket of water and placing a sponge in it. The sponge is now submerged in the water and the water is in the sponge. In fact the sponge is so filled with the water that it’s soaked and drips over everything when you lift it out.

Now when we read our verses again it helps us understand how God can be in us and we can be in God at the same time, to the point of saturation till we’re soaked with His Holy Spirit. It happens when we spend time in the water of the word, in the water of God’s presence but it is possible for all of us.😊

I used to have a friend and she’d say “I’m just going off to have a soak”. She wasn’t going for a bath but she was going to spend time with the Lord, to listen to worship music, read His Word and soak in His presence. 

We’re very like a sponge and the more time we spend in the ‘water’, soaking in the Lord, the more saturated we’ll be, and we need that because we get all squeezed out by the events of the day or things people say. Life just happens and we can become dry and need to go back to the water for a refill!

Ephesians 5:25-26 …just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

So as we walk out this new week maybe we can decide to do a bit of washing and soaking so we don’t get all dried up and brittle like an old sponge. Let’s be refreshed each day in His presence and absorb all that He has to give us and we can go out and drip with His goodness wherever we go. Amen.😊🙏

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BLESS OUR GOD

Psalm 103:19-22 NKJV 

The Lord has established His throne in heaven, 

And His kingdom rules over all. 

Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, 

who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 

Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, 

You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 

Bless the Lord, all His works, 

In all places of His dominion. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

We’ve been looking this week at how the Lord has blessed us all so much and continues to do so, but today’s verses are the other way round, they’re all about His creation and all of us blessing Him.

The New Living Translation says the Lord rules over everything from his throne in the heavens, and it establishes in our minds how powerful the Lord really is and how dependent on Him we are for everything. When we stop and think about how He controls the whole universe and how He knows every detail of our lives, it gives us confidence to know He is more than able to protect, help and guide us through each day, so we can bless Him wholeheartedly with grateful hearts.😊

Even the angels who we’re reminded excel in strength, who respond to His Word to obey it, are called to bless God as well. We may forget when we speak out God’s word that His angels are immediately assigned to go out and perform it, to bring about what we say. They listen to, they ‘heed’ God’s word which should encourage us to speak God’s word out over our lives more and more.

Then the psalmist calls for all God has created to bless Him and that’s where we fit in. Wherever we are, whoever we are, we’re called to bless our God, to thank Him for all His goodness and mercy towards us and to praise Him for all He’s already done and continues to do.

So Lord we bless You with all our hearts and souls today, with all that is within us, and we’ll not forget Your benefits. Amen.

What a lovely thought that we can join together across the world and bless our Father God today and everyday.😊 

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PREPARED IN ADVANCE

Ephesians 2:10 NIV For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Isn’t it lovely when we go somewhere and we find everything has been prepared ready for us whether it’s a meal, or holiday accommodation, or whatever. 

We read in Genesis how God prepared the earth in every way ready for the day He made Adam. God thought of everything Adam could possibly need and enjoy, and He saw that what He made was good. How many of us know that God’s good is amazing!😊

In other words God had thought of everything in advance and He wants to encourage us today to know that is exactly what He has done for us as well, not just for eternity, although that is wonderful, but for this life as well. 

He has prepared good things for each of us to walk into, whether it’s a job, or a relationship, or a good work for us to do.😊

We read how God had prepared a promised land for His children, the Israelites, to make their own, but that first generation never saw it, because they refused to believe that God would keep them safe or that it was possible to overcome the giants. Psalm 78:41-42 NKJV Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power… Their fears and limited mindset held them bound and although they came out of Egypt, the old slave mentality of Egypt stopped them entering into what God had prepared for them.

God wants us to let go of any limited mindset we might be hanging on to, because He wants to take us into so much this year but He needs our faith to reach out and take it. He needs us to believe His promises are true so we can fight the fight of faith against the enemy’s lies and deceptions so we don’t fall for them like the Israelites did.

Lord help us to not limit You by our unbelief or old way of thinking, but open our spiritual eyes and understanding to believe and embrace Your promises and everything You want to give us, and everything you want to do through us this year. In Jesus name. Amen.

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EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED

Ephesians 3:20 NKJV Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, v.21 to Him be glory…

Believe it or not, this is a photo of a snowman on the beach which is not what we expect! (Maybe he’s thinking of going for a paddle.🤣)

I wonder what we’re all expecting this year? Are we in the doldrums thinking it will just be the same old thing, or are we expecting the unexpected? Our verse reminds us to give God the glory because God wants us to be believing Him to do above and beyond all we could ask or think. 

The more we expect and believe God for, the more we release His power in our lives. It’s good to stop and think about that for a minute!

So, are we actually asking or thinking of anything beyond the normal? Are we asking for the ordinary or the extraordinary? It’s like the person who asked for a few extra pounds in their wage packet when the Lord was wanting them to ask Him for a business of their own! God thinks much bigger than we do!😊

How about asking the Lord to help us think outside of our limited mind set, out of the ‘it’s good enough, it’ll do’ mind set? That’s not the above and beyond! No, let’s ask Him to show us what He wants for us this year, and to believe Him for the faith to reach for it. It might be quite unexpected!😊 

Are we willing to reach out in faith for the unexpected, for the exceedingly abundantly, to believe Him for the totally impossible, and see what God will do? I’m giving myself a dig in the ribs here, and I hope I’ve stirred us all up today to start believing for the unbelievable, for the above and beyond God wants to give to each one of us, because we all have His power within us, but we have to put it to work.😊 

Psalm 60:12 NLT With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.

That’s a promise. Thank You Lord, we receive it by faith and give You all the glory in Jesus name. Amen.

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BLESSED YEAR

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

I read this the other day, “This is the year to appreciate everything we have.”  What wise words those are, encouraging us to focus on all the good we already have in our lives. And yet there is more to come.😊 

We’re not limited to our contact list and we’re not limited to our bank account, because our Heavenly Father is our Source of all we will need and He’s leading us, guiding us and providing for us, just as He always has done.

Psalm 31:19 NLT How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

May we take what we learned last year and build on our faith, build on what we learned to do and what not to do. We know we have God’s new mercies every morning(Lamentations 3:23) and that His love and favour will surround us like a shield.(Psalm 5:12) 

He wants us to have expectant hearts full of bible hope which is an expectation of good things to come knowing His Holy Spirit is here to help us and guide us.

Most of all it’s good to remember we are indeed already blessed because Jesus is our Saviour and Redeemer. He has washed our sins away forever, redeemed us from the curse of the law, He has made us righteous and we can call God our Father today. How awesome is all of that!😊

Thank You Lord for Your blessings, that You are by our side each step of the way and we shall do all You want us to do with Your help. We praise You for Your faithfulness to us, and lift high the name of Jesus today. Amen.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Psalm 20:4-5 NLT May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Happy New Year everybody! Wow! 2025 sounds a bit futuristic and that is what it is, because it’s going to lead us all into the future God has planned for each one of us.😊

Whatever our future holds we know God is holding us safe and secure in His loving hands and He’s going ahead of us. As He unwraps each day we shall know His power and His reassuring presence both in the joys to come and in the midst of any trouble, and we shall still be able to rejoice because the Lord is in them all with us. 

So if the enemy comes and whispers his negative ideas about your future to try to make you fearful, you can refuse to listen to his lies. Why? Because God’s word declares He has given us a hope for our future and His plans are always for our good. 2 Timothy 1:7 says our God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and a sound calm mind, plus we have Almighty God by our side.

He wants our faith to come up higher and expect greater things from Him because we know and believe all things are possible with Him.

Remember faith doesn’t believe when it sees, it believes when it doesn’t see! So I’m here to encourage us all to keep faithing it till we receive whatever it is we’re believing for, and let’s praise God for all His goodness and blessings He’s already prepared for us in 2025.😊

Psalms 65:11 NKJV You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.

Praise You Lord, thank You for that word. Our eyes are fixed firmly on You and Your promises as we enter this new year with You, and we believe and receive all the good things You have planned for us in Jesus name. Amen.