WHEN GOODBYE IS NECESSARY

Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

When we say goodbye to loved ones who live abroad, it can be sad because we know we may not see them again physically for years, but we know goodbye is necessary.

But sometimes God wants us to say goodbye to things that pull us down, maybe goodbye to a job which has come to the end of its season or goodbye to habits that hold us back or hurt us. Perhaps we need to wave goodbye to the chocolate box we had for Christmas too!🤣

Jacob had to say goodbye to his mother after he cheated his brother out of his inheritance and it started him on a lifelong journey, discovering the faithfulness of his God. Goodbyes can be hard, but they are necessary for our growth, for God’s plans to unfold.

God always encourages us to be constantly reaching for the next step of faith. Car windscreens are big and wide for seeing the way ahead, whereas the rear view mirror is tiny by comparison because we’re not going that way! Similarly our future is far bigger than our past and God is saying it’s time to say goodbye to it, to let it go and don’t dwell on it. He has a new door for us to go through.

It’s interesting that Jacob only saw and heard the Lord speak to him when he left the familiar. When he set out the Lord appeared to him in a dream with a ladder that reached to heaven and encouraged him to know there was a great future ahead of him even though he’d messed up.

If God is calling you to say goodbye to something, then it’s for a good reason, it’s for your good, and He wants you to discover His faithfulness, so He can show you the way forward into your future. Amen.

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THE ROAD AHEAD

Genesis 41:28 NLT This will happen just as I have described it, for God revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.

There are times when we don’t see things coming and we can either have an unpleasant shock or be thrilled to bits with what happens. We all like the thrilled to bits idea, but when we read the story of Joseph’s unfair treatment and wrongful imprisonment, but how he discovered he had a gift for interpreting dreams, we realise that even the unpleasant things are turned around by our God. In other words, God has already put in each of us all we will need to deal with our situations, and that’s important and encouraging for us to know!😊

Joseph told how God had revealed to Pharaoh what was going to happen in the next 14 years and also how to deal with them. Now that reminds us that God knows the road ahead, He knows the end from the beginning and that whatever is coming God already has a prepared plan for us to follow. He has it covered and nothing is too big or too hard for God to sort out!😊 

God wants us to have confidence for the future that whatever happens in our own lives or in the bigger picture, His plan will enable us to navigate it with the help and power of the Holy Spirit. 

We read how He was with Joseph and gave him success in all he did. Let’s never forget God is with each one of us whose faith is in Jesus, just like Joseph, and He has promised us success in all we set our hand to do when we follow His instructions. God knows what is coming so we can look to the future in the sure knowledge that He has us in the palm of His hand and He is looking after us. Lord we’re so grateful for that and thank You for it. Amen.

Romans 4:20-21 NLT Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

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THE MONDAY HURRAHS!

Romans 8:31-32 NLT What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?

I was thinking about God transforming our thoughts and one that could do with transforming is the so called ‘Monday morning Blues!’ If God is with us right now, and He is, then He doesn’t want us to be depressed or have the doom and glooms. Instead of blowing a raspberry, let’s blow a trumpet!😊

We can choose to erase the  “Oh dear, it’s Monday again” thought and replace it with “Oh good, it’s a fresh new week to see God do over and above all I could even imagine. Another Monday of possibilities in seeing Him come through and change my perspective, my attitude.”

A changed mindset will allow the Holy Spirit to cheer us up and lift our spirits, to know we’re on the winning side and remember God is working behind the scenes on our behalf.😊

We can replace our negativity with the thought that God is surrounding us with His favour today, that we’re walking in His pathway that’s getting brighter all the time. Even if we’re having to deal with tricky things today, replace our down thoughts with the thought that God is going ahead of us into our day and He’s turning things round for our good.

In other words, expect the best nor the worst! Allow the transformation to take place, don’t resist it but embrace it and see what God will do. As you get ready each morning this week, imagine yourself blowing a trumpet, let the Holy Spirit put a big smile on your face and have a good day, knowing God is with you, and an even more blessed week.😊Amen.

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JOIN WITH THE ANGELS

Psalm 103:20-22 NLT 

Praise the Lord, you angels,

you mighty ones who carry out his plans,

listening for each of his commands.

21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels

who serve him and do his will!

22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,

everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

You may remember the song with the words, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”  Well if you’re breathing, then that’s you and me, and we have the privilege of joining with the angels in praising God each and every day.😊

I read a sign which said, ‘Pause, Breathe, Resume”. So, if we do nothing else today let’s pause, breathe, and resume praising the Lord, the One who gives us every breath we breathe. He’s the One who holds us in the palm of His hand, who goes before us and upholds us when we’re down, who strengthens us when we’re weak and who helps us when we ask Him to.

When we remember every good gift comes down from our Heavenly Father, that His heart is to love and bless us, how can our hearts not burst with praise and thanksgiving to Him. He has given us His righteousness and His forgiveness, His peace and His joy. What a wonderful God worthy of all the praise we can give Him.

Let’s drop whatever fears, moans and complaints we may have had this week, and instead release our praise. Let’s leave our troubles and cares with Jesus our Care-Taker, at the Throne of Grace, and focus instead on the immense goodness of our God, on all He has already done for us and for all His good plans He still has for us to enjoy and enter into, even this week.😊

God is good and His mercy endures forever, so let’s thank Him, and join with the angels in praising Him today and give Him all the glory in Jesus name. Amen.

Psalm 150:6 NIV Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

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TRANSFORMERS

Romans 12:2 NLT Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Our son used to have Transformer toys and he’d enjoy transforming a plane into a truck or a robot. They’d look all bent out of shape, but because he knew what to do, they transformed before our eyes into something new and different!

We too are Transformers! Our spirit has already been made perfect in Christ, but our soul is still in the process of being transformed by His grace.😊

If we’re stubborn though, or think we know better, then our transformation will be slow and we’ll remain stuck the way we’ve always been. We’ll still be like a caterpillar and not reach the glorious butterfly stage! No matter how pretty the caterpillar is, it still can’t fly!

I hope we’re not still the same person we were even last year. If we’ll let His Word speak to our hearts and change our thinking, we really can be transformed! And look at the reward - knowing His will!😊

It will involve erasing some thoughts and replacing them with God’s thoughts and God’s words. It’s a bit like deleting files on a computer, but erasing on its own won’t work, we have to then replace them with God thoughts and we find them in His Word.

Ephesians 4:23-24 NLT Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on the new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous and holy.

So if we’d really like some transformation in our lives, let’s read God’s word more, and let Him change our thinking to help us erase the junk that holds us back and replace it with His truth which sets us free. I know I want some of that, don’t you? Amen.

Have a very blessed and transforming weekend.x😊

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Photo: Sagar Kulkarni on Unsplash

A BETTER YOU AND ME

2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

Have you ever thought, ‘I’d like to be a better me’? Those days when you know we could have done better, or we should have known better? Well, the good news is God really can change us to be who He designed us to be but it takes time.😊

It involves changing our perspective on how we see things. The thing is, we have to want to be a better me, to be all God has called us to be.

None of us can change without the power of the Holy Spirit because we know New Year resolutions and will power only last a few days. 

The power we need to be Overcomers, comes through constantly leaning on the Holy Spirit and His supernatural power, to be listening for His nudge, to be aware when He’s telling us to be quiet, or to go and do something for somebody. God calls it producing the fruit of His Spirit. It’s not the fruit of our spirit, but the fruit of His!😊

Jesus said “Do unto others what you would like them to do for you”. It’s a call to be unselfish, to be thoughtful, to be willing to go the extra mile. It’s learning to trust His promises no matter what it looks like, and not trust our feelings.

God changes us day by day, little by little and He promises to take us from glory to glory, but we have to be willing to let Him do it, to want to be a better you, a better me. 

Wouldn’t it be good if 2026 is the year we say, ‘Lord, here I am, faults and all, please help me be a better me, make me the ‘me’ You want me to be, to be like Jesus, for Your glory.’ Amen.

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NOT GUILTY

Matthew 9:2 AMP They brought to Him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a stretcher. Seeing their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], Jesus said to the paralytic, “Do not be afraid, son; your sins are forgiven [the penalty is paid, the guilt removed, and you are declared to be in right standing with God].

We may all feel ‘paralysed’ by something from time to time. It may be fear that paralyses us, or feelings of inadequacy, or fear of failure, but one thing that can come against us all, is if we feel guilty about something we’ve said or done.

When I looked this verse up in different translations they put it differently, they said “cheer up my son -  take courage - be encouraged - take heart - don’t be afraid your sins are forgiven.” 

Sometimes feeling guilty about something can weigh heavily on us. At the very least it can make us feel depressed, and at the worst, it can hold us back and badly affect our health, but just like the paralysed man, when he knew his sins were forgiven, then his healing followed. He walked free!

God wants us to know we’re forgiven, because Jesus has dealt with all our failures and mistakes, all our sins. God’s gavel came down and declared our sins and guilt were removed, all wiped off our records at the same time. He declared us not guilty because Jesus took it all!

So the next time Satan accuses you of something in your past, you can tell Him you’re no longer guilty, and just in case you have still been feeling guilty about anything, hear Jesus say to you today, 

“Do not be afraid, son; your sins are forgiven [the penalty is paid, the guilt removed, and you are declared to be in right standing with God].” And know it includes daughters as well.😊 We can all say thank You Lord!

Believe His words, let them set you free and allow His healing to flow in your life.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

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WHEN MIRACLES CONNECT

Luke 1:36 NLT What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.

John the Baptist was Elizabeth’s miracle baby and as you read you realise her miracle was also connected to Mary’s miracle of the virgin birth. God always has a plan and sometimes one person’s miracle is connected  to someone else's miracle at the same time!😊

Both those ladies met up and exchanged their ‘impossible’ stories and it’s good when we share our testimonies with each other because they encourage others to know their miracle is on the way as well. We may have been told something is impossible but be encouraged today because what God does for one He will do for others and the end of our story is not what man says, but what God says!😊

We know our lives interlink with others, which is why we’re all called to pray for one another because a prayer of a righteous person achieves a lot! 

When someone comes into agreement with God’s promises, and believes for a miracle then God’s impossible is released into our lives and the lives of those around us. God’s miracles bring blessings, not just for the moment, but for years to come. They can change history, they can light up our story.

When God wants to do something, or birth something in our lives or in our understanding, we can choose to be a people who say, ‘I believe You Lord. Let it happen to me just as You say.” We can bring in our miracle by believing God’s promises and it may well be connected to someone else to receive theirs too. What a thought!

God hasn’t changed, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and He is still releasing miracles to those who will believe and receive them. Let’s be miracle receivers today and maybe trigger someone else’s miracle when we do.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

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YOUR STORY

Psalm 139:16 NLT You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

I read this quote the other day, “Today is part of your story. Make it beautiful.”

God has written all the days of our lives in His book but we have our part to play by following His direction, in asking that we be at the right place at the right time, and what He wants for us. We can choose to go our own way and try to write our own story, but God’s story will be so much better than anything we can come up with, and His story will carry His blessing on it.😊

Do we sometimes breeze into things and forget to commit them to Him first, or ask for His help, and then wonder why things go wrong or we feel frustrated or disgruntled!?

We know He speaks to us in a still small voice but if everything around is pressing for our attention we’ll find it difficult to hear Him. It’s why Jesus withdrew to be alone with His Father before the day began. He knew all about pressure but He wanted God’s plan for His day not His own and we all know what wonderful results He had!😊

We all realise some days are more of a challenge than others, but if we’ll include God in each moment He can still make it beautiful just because He is in it with us, to help us see the positives and not dwell on the negatives, to be grateful for what we have and not complain about our have nots!

There is always beauty to be found in the little moments; the text from a friend, the sparrows singing in the hedgerow, the sunlight on raindrops. So let’s ask God to help us recognise them and enjoy them.😊

Today is part of our story so why not ask God to help you see the blessings and beauty in it, to make your story beautiful today, for His glory? He’s just waiting to be asked.😊 Amen.

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OUR ATMOSPHERE

Proverbs 18:21 AMP Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

I have an old barometer which I upcycled to make it look less old fashioned and of course  it measures the atmospheric pressure so we have warning, if the needle goes down that a storm is on the way, or if it goes up, then we can expect fair weather.😊

Day to day life is subject to atmospheric pressure of a different kind. We can walk into a room and ‘feel’ the atmosphere sometimes, either joy filled, or tension in the air that you could cut with a knife! The interesting thing is we can regulate the atmosphere around us by our own attitude and the words we speak out. We have the power to diffuse a situation just by speaking words that smooth ruffled feathers or bring comfort to those who are upset, or just by praying.

How we start our day will often determine the atmosphere for ourselves as well as everybody else in the house. We have the ability to set the tone for everyone to believe for the best, to know God is with us whatever we’re doing, and if we pray together before we go out then our day is covered by God’s grace and favour, covered by the protection of His blood.

I heard recently about one mum who set the atmosphere by always blessing her kids as they left in the morning and only God knows what she may have saved them from, just by blessing them!😊

So, as we walk through this week, whatever the atmosphere is around us at work, or at home, let’s remember we’re always in the presence of God because He’s always with us, and in His presence is fulness of joy and we can tap into it when our atmospheric pressure is building up! Lord help us remember You’re with us and to choose to speak Your words of life. Amen.

SURELY, LORD

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.

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor 

as with a shield.

You may not feel like waving a balloon or you might even feel a bit grumpy when you read this because things may not have gone the way you wanted last week, but this is a new week, a new opportunity to remember we are a child of God and we belong to Him.😊

God wants us to rejoice just because He is our everything, our refuge, our strong tower, even when things go wrong. God is surrounding us, not with judgement, or condemnation, but with His grace, that surely He surrounds us with His great love and His favour which is huge!

Can I encourage us all to be glad and put on a garment of praise for any spirit of heaviness we may be feeling, because God has not abandoned us. Psalm 75:1 NLT We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near.

That is something to be thankful for - God is near to you right this moment, so allow Him to help you move into the thankful zone and bring the praise to our God that He so richly deserves.😊

Even if you don’t ‘feel’ like it, take the first step by faith and say, “Thank You Lord You are my refuge, thank You for being close to me and for Your promise that You’ll not just hold me up, but You will strengthen me and help me. Surely Lord You will bless me. In Jesus name. Amen.

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BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR

Genesis 18:14 NLT Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was 90 years old when she conceived. She’d been praying for a son for decades, been upset and frustrated, made mistakes, gone through trials and tests, been jealous of Hagar and thought how unfair life was. She thought it was too late, that she’d missed her moment.

Then she heard the Lord tell Abraham she would have a son within a year and she’d just laughed! We can almost hear her say, “Yeah, right! Do you realise how old I am? Like, that’s going to happen!”

Have you still got some God given dreams and promises that you’ve given up on? God is saying when the opportunity comes, when He says something, don’t laugh it off as impossible. God can change water into wine in seconds and He can turn your whole life around by this time next year! Believe the promise and work with Him and He will bring you into what He has ordained for you since before the world was made.

Whether your dream is to be out of debt, to have a family, to be healthy again, to grow deeper in the things of God or to move into a new job, new area, new home, new ministry, God knows and it is all possible with the One who created all things.

If Sarah was here today she’d tell you age doesn’t come into it, that no matter how young or old, how discouraged, how hopeless things look, or how often you’ve tried and failed in the past, or how many mistakes you’ve made, when God conceives a dream in you He will bring it to pass when the time is right.😊

God knew from the very beginning that Sarah would have her Isaac and Isaac’s name means laughter. When God’s good plans come to pass in your life there will be laughter and joy, a sense of fulfilment. Nothing is too hard for God and all things are possible to those who believe. Believe it today. In Jesus name. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

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PUZZLES COME TOGETHER

Isaiah 60:22 NLT … At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”

I was doing a jigsaw puzzle I was given for Christmas and had all the outside pieces but they wouldn’t come together. They were odd shapes with no straight lines, and they didn’t seem to fit no matter how I tried! The next day I was standing back looking at it and suddenly light dawned and I saw how to make it work and I was able to continue.

Sometimes when our puzzle pieces of life aren’t coming together, God is saying to stand back for a while, take a break, and come back to our problems with fresh eyes. Don’t get bogged down, but lean into His wisdom through great teaching, or reading His word, get hooked into other people of faith who will encourage and build us up.

Proverbs 4:18 says the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter, Isaiah 65:24 says God answers our prayers before we call, Mark 11:24 says to believe before we receive, so let’s agree with all God says and expect His light to shine.

What is important is to keep going, to keep believing for the answers to come. The lovely thing is, God has the answer and He will reveal it to us in His perfect timing, so don’t give up on your puzzle, don’t give up on praying for others, or searching for the way God wants you to go, or what He wants you to do next, persevere and it will all come together in the end.

God is answering our prayers and He already sees the big picture so we can rest in that truth, and rest in His love for us today and every day.😊Amen.

CERTAINTY WITH GOD

Matthew 2:23 NLT So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Life can be very unsettling sometimes but as I read how Joseph was contacted by angels in dreams every time God wanted to warn him to move on because Jesus’ life was threatened, I realised afresh how unsettled Joseph and Mary’s early married life was. 

Upheaval, moving house, new country, no job, no home, new start again, but Joseph knew to obey what God said!

Everything God does is for a reason and we probably won’t know the whys and wherefores this side of heaven but we can trust His instructions even if we feel unsettled or uncertain about what the future holds. We need to remember God always knows best, always knows what He’s doing, and He knows the end from the beginning!😊

So be encouraged, no matter how uncertain your future may be looking, God has promised to lead and guide each one of us along the path which is a walk of faith, which means stepping out into our unknown, but into God’s known.

Psalm 23 says the Lord is our Shepherd and that He leads us. The question is, are we willing to follow where He leads, or are we stuck in our comfort zone? He may be leading us into new areas of ministry, new relationships, new careers or new places to live. 

Circumstances may be uncertain, and our ‘feelings’ are bound to fluctuate, but God wants us to know there is no uncertainty for those who are led by His Spirit. When God is doing the leading, we can be certain He will bring us all safely through, so the important thing is to trust and obey, even when it might not make sense.😊

God has a good plan for 2026 and beyond, so let’s just be like Joseph and Mary and do whatever God says and follow His lead. Amen. 😊

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GOD CONTAINERS

2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

Containers come in all shapes and sizes. They hold different things, have different capacities, some are pretty, some are plain, some are for practical use and some purely decorative.

I was given a plain rectangular vase some time ago which I unfortunately chipped, but I liked it’s shape and didn’t want to throw it away so I decoupaged a napkin pattern over the chipped edges and liked it even better than before! My point is, even broken containers can still be wonderfully used.😊 

Now if we take that into our spiritual lives we can remember we are all containers of God, of His grace and of His power. Whatever God has, is residing inside us because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit no matter what shape or size.😊 We may be broken or a bit chipped but we’re clothed in Jesus’ righteousness and we contain His Spirit who is powerful and perfect in every way.

So be encouraged today, we can look beyond our outward container, because it’s not too old, too young, too anything, because the Holy One is living and abiding in us. What a thought! Let’s go out and give out the grace and mercy of God to whoever we meet knowing it’s not us, but His treasure, the Spirit of God within us.

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, to heal the sick, to set the captives free. He still does and He’s contained in you and me. May we release Him today to do whatever He wants to do through us. Amen.

Photo: Me

LIGHT AND SPACE

Genesis 1:3 NLT Then God said, Let there be light,” and there was light.

In the book of Genesis God said the earth was formless and empty and darkness covered the waters, but that didn’t faze God. He didn’t say, “Oh, it’s so dark out there!” No, He was showing us a principle. God looked at the way things were, but He said what He wanted to see! He wanted light, so He spoke “Let there be light!” And there was light!😊

You may feel like things are a bit empty, or vague and formless or you can’t see the end of the tunnel because it’s dark. At those times we need light, and we can be encouraged because we can be imitators of God and speak His light into our lives, to dispel the darkness. In faith we can say “Let there be light in my situation. Jesus is the Light of the world, the Light of my life, and I speak His words and release His light into my life. God let there be light in my darkness. Let there be Your wisdom and insight.”

Then God said in Genesis 1:6 NLT “Let there be space…to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth. And that is what happened.” If we want light to shine in our darkness then we need to make space for God to speak, for God to shine the light of His word into our lives, space for His Spirit to speak to our hearts and show us if we need to make changes. We may need to separate ourselves from some other things to make that space.😊

When our lives are crammed with duties, or good works, or church activities, or hobbies, something has to give, in order for us to give God the space He requires to speak into our lives. The choice is ours and it depends on how much we want His light to show us the way to go.😊

Do you feel like you need some light in your situation? Then make some space for God to speak, and let’s do some speaking into our own lives, “Let there be light in my darkness, let things come together for good, let healing flow, and let there be space for His light to shine”. In Jesus name. Amen.

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JOY UNSPEAKABLE

1 Peter 1:8 NLT You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

I kept hearing the phrase in my mind “Joy Unspeakable”, and it comes from this verse but in the KJV. I don’t know about you, but I want to enter into this glorious joy, don’t you? God wants us to ‘live’ in this bursting at the seams kind of joy regardless of what may be going on around us, to find our joy in Him. If the birds can sing for joy, so can we!😊

God has so much more for us but we have a tendency to think, “This is as good as it gets” and we settle for mediocrity, for the status quo. Yes, we’re extremely grateful for all God has done for us but He wants to do so much more through us, and for us.

No matter how far we’ve come God wants to take us higher, from glory to glory. Now, my question is, are we stuck on the same level of glory we were at this time last year? If so, hear God’s voice to us today. He wants more for us! Don’t let’s look at our so called limitations, but let’s look to the One who placed the stars and planets in their orbit, who can do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond all we can ask or think!

If you’re stuck in a rut don’t stay there but believe God for new insights, new opportunities, new strength to be and do whatever He calls you to be. God always thinks big and we’re called to imitate our Father, so let’s climb outside our box and imagine what we would like to see in our lives and start calling it in by faith! New health? New strength? New job? New home? New opportunities? New inspiration? New get up and go? New relationship?

Whatever it is, as our routines get back to normal, let’s continue to believe for the impossible, and rejoice in the joy unspeakable which is already ours through Jesus - forgiveness, reconciliation with God, loved beyond measure by Him, surrounded by His favour, and greatly blessed by the Creator of the universe who never stops thinking about us - joy unspeakable, inexpressible joy! Woohoo! What a great way to start the week!😊 Amen.

And if you want to sing, click the link.😊. https://youtu.be/jjYi-qTzqr4?si=wi4ROeN5o_h137AG

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GOD OF GREAT WONDERS

 Psalm 77:11-14 NLT 

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; 

I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. 

They are constantly in my thoughts. 

I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. 

O God, your ways are holy. 

Is there any god as mighty as you? 

You are the God of great wonders! 

You demonstrate your awesome power 

among the nations.

Then I recall…. I wonder what we’re recalling, what we’re thinking about throughout our day? The Psalmist was very wise he chose to recall all that the Lord had done, both in his own life but also throughout history. 

He goes on to say God’s deeds are constantly in his thoughts. What is constantly in our thoughts? If we’re thinking about negative things, what we, or others have one wrong, or something that has happened, may we change it to remembering all God has done for us. Most importantly what Jesus has done for us.😊

We probably all have times when we can’t stop thinking about something! Well, God has given us the ability to choose what we think about, and the Holy Spirit is encouraging us here to constantly choose to think about God’s mighty works instead. 

When we dwell on the thought that there is no one holier or mightier than our God and remind ourselves He is the God who doesn’t change, then we’ll remember He is the God who still performs wonders, even in our lives, that nothing is impossible with Him.😊

So let me encourage us all to recall all God has done for us today and give Him all the glory and praise as we worship Him. In Jesus’ wonderful and powerful name. Amen.

MESSAGE FROM A TEAPOT SHEEP!

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:

Well it’s not every day you’re given a teapot with a woolly ‘sheep’ tea cosy  for Christmas! He did make me chuckle so I thought I’d share him with you to make you smile too, just in case you need cheering up.😊

We do have a lot to smile about, even on our down days, but sometimes we forget and it’s because we’ve stopped remembering all God’s benefits, so this sheep is staring at you to remind you of verses 3-5!😊

The Lord forgives all our sins.
He heals all our diseases.
He redeems us from death.
He crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercies.
He fills our lives with good things.
He renews our youth like the eagle’s.

We have received the forgiveness of our sins by faith, but don’t let’s forget to receive all God’s other wonderful benefits by faith too. I wonder if we’re tempted to think they’re for someone else but not all for us? God says they are, right now, not in the sweet bye and bye! Remember we walk by faith and not by sight and it pleases God when we use our faith to take all He gives us.😊

Jesus is our good Shepherd who provides for us all, and we’re part of His flock, the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3). David (who knew about sheep) says to never forget the good things God does for us. Why? So we can enjoy them all! 

So will you join with me as I pour my tea from my sheep teapot and receive all God’s benefits being poured out into our lives as this coming year unfolds, and with all our hearts thank the Lord for each and every one of them. 

Have a blessed weekend and I hope my teapot has put a smile on your face too.😊

GOD SPARKS OUR ENTHUSIASM

Haggai 1:14 NLT So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel …, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua …the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

Don’t you just love it when something sparks your enthusiasm and it gives you a new lease of life, a new get up and go, where previously you’ve been in the doldrums with little enthusiasm for anything much at all?

I think that’s how the people of God were feeling in the days of Zerubbabel, otherwise why did God have to relight their spark? It’s so encouraging because it lets us see God knows where we’re at, and how we feel at any given moment. 

2 Timothy 1:6 tells us to stir up the gift of God in us and fan it into flame, so we have our part to play, but God also knows when He needs to step in and give us back our spark for the things of God when we’ve been feeling discouraged.

So take heart today if that’s how you feel because God wants to light a match to your damp wood!😊 God is sparking our enthusiasm for everyday life, for His house, and His kingdom. He still has things for us to do, places to go, people to meet, joys to unwrap, things to overcome with His anointing and help, and over it all is His loving care, His grace and mercy for each new day.

I tell you what, there is always hope in our future when we have the God of all hope in our lives, who tells us He will bring to completion that which He has started in us. 

So ask Him to spark your enthusiasm today, allow Him to give you a fresh vision for this coming year, new insights and ideas and God thoughts, and go for it in the name of Jesus and for His glory. Amen.😊

TIMELESS BEINGS!

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT … But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

When the clock ticked over midnight and the new year came in, people all over the world were very focused on ‘time’! But I once heard someone say that when we were born again we became timeless beings!

They were reminding us we are eternal, because Jesus has given us His eternal life. We are no longer limited to ‘time’ world, we are citizens of heaven, with an eternal purpose which goes far beyond this life. Mind stretching thoughts!😊

When this time and space we are living in, presses in on us, and all we can see are the problems around us or our friends, we need to remember we belong to the One who is Eternal Life, to the One who wipes away our past and has promised us a future home in heaven where we shall be with Him forever. (John 14:1-3)

We’re reminded to keep pressing forward, to let go of the past, whether it was filled with triumphs or was dogged by failure, whether it brought us down or lifted us up. We need to stay focused on Jesus and His word because God says He has more glories to come, there is so much more ahead of us.😊 Let’s allow the Word of God to dictate our future, to open up new possibilities we’ve never even thought of yet, but our God has. 

Even if there are challenging days ahead God has called us to triumph, to be Overcomers, to a future and a hope, not to despair or defeat. So strengthen the weak knees, stand tall and remember who you really are if you belong to Jesus - an eternal, timeless being, made in the image of God, filled with His Holy Spirit, anointed and equipped to live in this day and age, this year, for such a time as this. You are a child of the Living God!😊

Whether it’s challenging or exciting, Lord help us live it for the glory of Your name and Your kingdom. Amen.

Happy, Blessed New Year Everybody! 😊x