JESUS CAME TO THEM

Matthew 14:24-25 NLT Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

Ever been in trouble trying to keep your head above water, fighting the waves and circumstances of life? We’ve probably all known times like that and you might even be in one of those times right now.😊

I was in a quiet back lane in Devon once, with the kids in the car on the homeward school run, when the car exhaust fell off and was dragging on the road making a terrible noise! I had no phone in those days and couldn’t drive on, so I prayed for help and it arrived in the shape of a very large, handsome young man in a truck, who came to us where we were. He tied the exhaust back on somehow and sent me safely on my way home but as I turned around to thank him he’d disappeared!

I want to encourage you because as we read on we see how Jesus came to them where they were, even at three in the morning! He wasn’t hindered by the storm or the heavy waves that were buffeting them. He walked on top of them in order to rescue them. In v.27 when He arrived He said, “Don’t be afraid, take courage, I’m here!”

Can I tell you, Jesus is right there with you in your circumstances, and He’s saying the same thing to you and me. In other words, whatever is happening Jesus comes to us where we are and He is more than enough to turn it round for our good, to bring us up and out, or through the other side of the things we’re dealing with. 

When we know God is in it with us, we can be sure of His help, His wisdom, and if it needs supernatural angelic beings, then He’ll give us those as well.😊 He hears our every cry and He comes to us saying to you and me, “Don’t be afraid,” Take courage, I’m here!” 

Thank You Lord, Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.😊x

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GOD IS PRESENT WITH US

Psalm 91:15 NLT When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

I read these words the other day, “God is always present and ready to help.” How reassuring that is! It makes no difference what is happening whether it’s health issues, financial challenges, family upsets, whatever it may be, God is always with us.

The enemy comes and tempts us to think God is not willing to help us because we may have brought the problem on ourselves, either through disobedience or some silly mistake. Other times we may feel we don’t deserve His help because we think we haven’t been praying enough, or maybe we’re just too proud or stubborn to ask for help!😊 One lady I knew said she didn’t like to bother God because He had more important things to deal with. She had been told a lie and believed it!

Thankfully, Jesus’ invitation is always to come to Him, to know the throne of grace is always open to us and it’s often when we feel we don’t deserve His help that it’s the very time we need to go to Him the most! When sin has crept in He has mercy for us. When we need His grace and favour to deal with upcoming situations we can ask for it because it’s available on the shelf, waiting to be taken away!

So we can rejoice today because God is not only present in our joys and celebrations, but most importantly God is always a very present help in times of trouble. He wants us to know that He’s present with us before the trouble even comes, all through the trouble and after the trouble is resolved! God is just present with us all the time! 😊

We can praise and thank Him for that because it means He loves us and cares about our lives and He’s more than able to sort things out for us, if we’ll just turn to Him and ask Him.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

Psalm 46:1 NIV God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

OPEN THE DOOR!

Revelation 3:20 NIV Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

I was really struck by a prophetic word I heard last week about the Lord standing knocking at the door of our hearts, asking us to open the door and let Him in. So often we think of that as the moment of conversion when we invite Jesus to come in and be Lord of our lives but it’s an ongoing knocking.😊

I wonder if you have had a sense of the Lord knocking on the door of your heart lately? Those times when we’ve maybe felt a bit distant, or even grumbling or fearful about something? Perhaps we’ve not felt like praying or reading our bible? I expect we’ve all experience those dry times at some point, or maybe you’ve been cross or sad about something and not even wanted to talk to God about it!

The Lord knows where we’re at, how we feel each day and why. He is standing knocking on the door of all our hearts, every time we open our eyes, waiting to see if we’ll invite Him into our day, into our leisure time, our work environment, and into our home life. 

God is a loving Father who cares about us and wants the best for us. He wants to be involved in everything we do, to have fellowship with us in the ups and downs of life. If your heart is feeling a bit distant or hard or you feel like hiding behind the door, God is saying today would be a good time to allow Him to come in and soften your heart, to restore, heal and comfort you, or whatever you need.😊

We all know the handle of the door is on the inside and only we can open it, so let’s choose to open the door again to the One who loves us and was willing to die on a Cross for us. When we do, we’re choosing hope, choosing peace, joy and protection. We’re choosing to allow the One who made us to give us the best way to go about our day. 

Let’s open the door and invite Him in, and enjoy fellowship with Him once again today.😊 Amen.

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WITH OR AGAINST?

Matthew 12:30 NLT Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

Have you ever said to someone, “Will you just work with me on this?”  We were asking them to change their thinking, to believe that what we’re proposing will work and not to hinder us. They then choose what they will do, one way or the other.😊

The Pharisees were complaining because Jesus had healed the man who was blind and couldn’t speak. They were opposing Him and tried to block what Jesus was all about, saying He was of the devil, so Jesus gave them a stern warning!

As I read Jesus’ words that anyone who isn’t working with Him is actually working against Him, it occurred to me that we might inadvertently be like that sometimes! Is unbelief a form of not working with Jesus? 

We may not see ourselves as deliberately working against Jesus but if we don’t work with Him to believe for the best, to believe for our healing, to believe for breakthroughs, then is it possible we are opposing Him without realising it? 

Believing is a choice we make, it doesn’t come from working everything out in our heads. In fact trying to do that will often sabotage our faith! Instead God wants us to come with child like faith and say, “I choose to believe Your word Lord, even though it looks impossible.”

When God promises us something in scripture, let’s not work against Him by grumbling or resisting His word, but let’s work with Him to believe for all He says, because all His promises are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus.😊

Lord, forgive us when we struggle to believe. Help us to work with You and believe for all You want to do in our lives, in all areas, and not hinder You in any way. Thank You Lord. In Jesus name Amen.

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ALL - NOT HALF A JOB

Matthew 12:22 NLT Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.

I wonder if we ever look at our situations and think we won’t ask for too much, but it would be good if God would just solve even one of our problems?

I once knew a Christian man who had involuntary jerking and asthma. He said he didn’t like to ask the Lord to heal everything but that he would be content if He would heal him of just one thing and he’d put up with the other. He sadly didn’t believe God wanted to do it all for him.

But we notice when this demon possessed man came to Jesus, Jesus didn’t ask him which thing he’d like healing and which one he would be prepared to keep. No! Jesus healed the man who couldn’t see or speak, of everything. That man went home totally healed, able to see and speak. How wonderful!😊

Jesus doesn’t want to do half a job, or be a half way Healer. He wants us to believe Him to do it all! Even if we have 20 or more different things wrong with us or in our lives, then He is well able and willing to heal and do all of it. 

It applies in all spheres of life and we saw yesterday we don’t deserve any of it, so the good news is, we all qualify for His great grace which is something to be so glad about!😊

Remember, God tells us to ask big, to believe big and to receive big. So, my question is, what are you and I not asking for, because we think it’s too much? Whatever it is, let’s take the limits off God and receive all Jesus has already bought and paid for with His blood, and so allow God to have all the glory for it. Amen.😊

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FAMINE TO FAVOUR

Genesis 45:18 NLT Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces. v.20 Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.

Our God is amazingly merciful and gracious. In Genesis 45-46 the land is in famine and here we have Joseph’s brothers, who sold him into slavery because they hated him so much, being told they can come and live in Joseph’s adopted land and Pharaoh is giving them the very best he has in Egypt! Talk about turning around for good and not getting what they deserved! They went from famine to favour!

It’s all about the mercy and love of  God and we know Joseph’s life is a picture of Jesus and how we are now being dealt with by our loving Heavenly Father. Because of Joseph, Pharaoh gave great favour to Jacob and his sons; because of Jesus, God gives great favour to each one of us who trust in His Son. Thank You Lord!

Sometimes we find it hard to receive from God because we know we don’t deserve His mercy and forgiveness, His amazing grace and favour, and yet that is who God is. He has forgiven us because of Jesus’ sacrifice and He offers us the very best, the abundant life Jesus said we could have.

Pharaoh told Joseph’s family not to even worry about their personal belongings because he would provide everything they would need. Doesn’t our loving Father promise the same to us throughout scripture? He says the Lord is our Shepherd and we will lack no good thing. He says He will provide all our needs out of what? Out of His riches in glory! Are we seeing the picture?😊

As we walk into our new week, may we be encouraged to have a renewed mindset that allows our Father to bless us the way He’s always wanted to, and humbly accept all He has to give us, so He gets all the glory.😊 

Thank You Lord for all Your blessings. Help us this year not to be doubters, but to  be believers and receivers. In Jesus wonderful name. Amen.

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OUR WONDERFUL GOD

Psalm 145:17-21 NLT 

 The Lord is righteous in everything he does;

he is filled with kindness.

 The Lord is close to all who call on him,

yes, to all who call on him in truth.

 He grants the desires of those 

who fear him;

he hears their cries for help

and rescues them.

 The Lord protects all those who love him,

but he destroys the wicked.

 I will praise the Lord,

and may everyone on earth 

bless his holy name forever and ever.

Those verses are so encouraging!😊 Perhaps it would be good to read them over and over again especially when our faith needs a boost or we’ve forgotten just how wonderful our God truly is. 

They remind us there is nothing wrong with God and He never does anything wrong, that because He’s filled with kindness, then He can’t have any unkindness in Him. Isn’t that a reassuring thought! Those days when God might feel distant to us, we can just read these verses and know He says He’s very close, that He’s listening to every heart cry and coming to our rescue.😊

David loved to proclaim God’s character, His attributes and we can do the same. Let’s speak them out loud as we praise Him and bless His name today, knowing that as we agree with God’s Word that His angels are assigned to go and make them happen for us.(Psalm 103:20)

We can confidently declare these verses over our lives, over our families and see His words come to pass in the days to come as we give Him all the praise He so deserves. In Jesus name. Amen.

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ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

Genesis 42:36 NLT Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin too. Everything is going against me!”

Have you ever had ‘one of those days’ when everything seems to be going against you? You’ve had a difficult phone call, you can’t find the keys, and the traffic is bad, or something worse!  Well Jacob knew just how you felt!  He’s now an old man and he did what we’re all tempted to do on one of those days and he listed all the things that were not right. He focused on what was wrong and became thoroughly depressed and upset. Anyone identify?😊

The things that are staring us in the face bog us down in our here and now, and we can forget we’re children of the Most High God and sometimes behave as though we had no loving Heavenly Father looking after us at all! And all the while the Holy Spirit is nudging us to remember we’re more than conquerors, that He has placed in us everything we will need to deal with whatever situation has ganged up on us, to enable us to overcome it.😊

So, next time you recognise you’re having ‘one of those days’ where everything seems to be going wrong, just stop for a minute, take a deep breath, and ask the Lord for His grace, for His insight as to what’s going on, and let Him settle you down inside so you can deal with it.

God has put within us the ability to take authority over our own feelings, over situations, and to resist the enemy and whatever is coming against us. We can ask God to turn it around for our good, we can choose the high road and let Him raise us up above our situations if we’ll praise Him for what’s right.

I’ve still got a long way to go with this and as always, am speaking to myself first, but I know God is in the everyday nitty gritty with us and He wants to give us His victory and turn it into a blessing if we’ll believe Him for it. Let’s invite God to turn ‘one of those days’ to ‘one of those glorious days’ when God helps us. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

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DAY AND NIGHT

Psalm 74:16-17 NLT Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter.

I expect at some point, we’ve all woken in the night and then not managed to go back to sleep! We wished we were like this koala bear! The night seemed so long, especially if we’ve been feeling unwell, and we longed for the morning to arrive. 

As I was reading the above verses it struck me afresh that whether it’s the dead of night or the breaking of the dawn, they all belong to God. In other words, God is present in them with us, He’s watching over them and us, and how reassuring it is.😊

Psalm 121 reminds us that God never sleeps, so He is not just aware and thinking about us all the time, but He is present with us in our tossing and turning, so we’re never alone. God is our Comforter, the Uplifter of our heads. He is the One who whispers to us in the darkness that nothing can separate us from His love, whether it’s dead of night or we’re in the thick of the day.

We can take great comfort, whether we’re tired and wishing it was bedtime, or in the middle of the night and wish it was dawn, to know we’re not alone! To remember the One who designed night and day, who put the seasons in order, who provided the stars by night and the sun by day, He is not only by our side, He is within us, and we can trust Him for the night and also our tomorrow and all we have to do.

Psalm 121:4 -5 NLT Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you!… v.8 AMP The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in [everything that you do] From this time forth and forever.

So whatever you’re doing today and next time you wake in the night and can’t go back to sleep, just breathe in the presence of God, breathe in His great love for you, and His peace that passes understanding. Receive the comfort of His loving care, that He is watching over you keeping you safe and that His angels are assigned to minister to you, all through the day and night. In Jesus name. Amen.

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FEARS TURNED INTO BLESSING

Genesis 33:4 NLT Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

Yesterday we saw Jacob setting off on his life story, and today we see him returning home after 20 years, but he was afraid to meet his brother who he had cheated all those years before. He remembered Esau was out to get him the last time he’d seen him!

So he sent his wives and everything he owned on ahead, and stayed on his own in the camp. Sometimes we really need to get alone with God to deal with our issues!😊 We read how he wrestled with God all that night and wouldn’t let go till God blessed him. 

The next day he went out and met his brother Esau who amazingly welcomed him with open arms, and we realise all Jacob’s fears had been unnecessary! God had indeed gone ahead and smoothed the way for him, but Jacob had taken the time to bring all his fears to God to sort out first because he wanted God’s blessing!

When we get rid of the distractions then we can be honest with ourselves and God, and know His answers and blessings are on the way.😊 God is constantly reminding us He is going ahead of us, that He wants the best for us but we need to stay close to Him to hear His plans so we can take the next step knowing He’s got our back.

Let’s be encouraged by Jacob’s story to know God can turn our fears around even overnight and bring us into His blessing and whatever good plans He has for us. In Jesus name. Amen.

Isaiah 52:12 NLT … For the Lord will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind. 

Isaiah 26:7 CEV Our Lord, you always do right, and you make the path smooth for those who obey you.

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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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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.