Awareness of God, self and others Many years ago, when my husband and I were new to ministry, a woman came up to me and told me she thought I was stuck up, but after being around me for several...

Disarmed, disgraced, defeated, destroyed And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:15 (NIV) As Jesus...

There will be wine … The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow… Isaiah 25:6-8 (NKJV) There are four accounts...

We surrender! “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NIV) If I’m honest, I guess I used...

His voice Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian… This...

Accentuate the positive  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent...

God’s whistle I can still hear dad’s whistle or mom’s call from the back porch when it was time to come home from spending the day outside. It’s a sound from a simpler time—when we worked...

Open our eyes Have you ever become frustrated while looking everywhere for something, only to discover it was right in front of your eyes? This happens to my husband when he has his nose in the...

Prioritising listening to the Lord As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the...

Stay glued …he [Barnabas]… exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Acts 11:23 (KJV) There had been widespread persecution in Jerusalem after Stephen...

Our rags to His riches For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9...

And God said In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things,...

The two gospels Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV) Some time ago archaeologists found, among the ruins of...

The integrity of God’s covenant A research study published in the Journal of Business Ethics in 2000 found that promise-keeping was not a high priority in the American workplace. In fact, only 30...

Heightened awareness We don’t think about our brains much, but maybe we should – they are remarkable organs, and not just organs, but miracles of creation. When you consider what our minds...

The Gospel revealed …the true message of the gospel… Colossians 1:5 (NIVUK)  Throughout the first chapter of his letter to the Colossians Paul is writing about the gospel. In addition to the...

The Father’s amazing plan … His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. Daniel 4:3 (NIV) I am sure you will agree that we all look forward to some good...

May we forgive them In the narrative of Jesus’ ministry on earth, there are many stories that demonstrated his profound love for those he encountered. And to be honest, many people he encountered...

Not in the eyes! After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. John 9:6 (NIV) My children were playing in a sandpit today and, as often...

Independence Day – really? “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 (NIV) It was the fourth of July and I was busy sending e-cards to my very dear friends across the...

Labels Have you ever gone into a pantry and found a can of food without a label on it? The only way for you to figure out what’s inside is by opening the can. After opening the unlabeled item, what...

Sociable, not social I once had the opportunity to take a river tour along a short stretch of the Colorado River. A recorded voice gave highlights of the history and geography of the area as well as...

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness “…rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20 (NIV)  Recently I was visiting an elderly gentleman for whom I have a great deal of...

The Royal family But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous...

Recognising God’s presence Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome...

A Thorn in the Flesh But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a ESV) How often do we find ourselves crying out to God...

Jesus prayed for you and me   “…I pray also for those who will believe in me through their [the disciples’] message…” John 17:20 (NIV) Do you find it difficult to pray sometimes? I...

The myth of instancy Most of us remember the dial-up internet of the past—and by past, we don’t mean very long ago, maybe a couple of decades ago. The website scrolled down the page at an...

There’s a place for us “You must not let yourselves be distressed—you must hold on to your faith in God and to your faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s House. If there were not,...

The (un)easy option … “Follow Me [accepting Me as Master and Teacher].”… Luke 9:59 (Amp) While living for Jesus is the most wonderful way of life imaginable, he doesn’t promise us that...

Jesus lives to make intercession “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that...

What does this mean? In Acts 1:8 (ESV), Jesus promised, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,...

Established in faith But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)...

Submit and surrender Some of us can be controlling at times (you, I mean we, know who we are). We think we know best and want things to turn out our way. We are also sometimes afraid that if we...

Don’t settle for less Have you ever settled for less in your relationships? Healthy relationships don’t come easy and there is always a temptation to avoid the hard work they require. So, when...

In control, not controlling If you’ve ever been in the position of having someone looking over your shoulder, watching everything you do and correcting or critiquing every move you make, you...

Deliverance When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. Luke 8:33 (NIV) Next month marks the 50th anniversary...

 The mind of Lucifer  How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will...

Perseverance May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23...

‘All change!’ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) As children, my siblings and I...