You have shown mercy to Your servant beyond all hope; and have exhibited, favour and loving-kindness beyond all that is deserved.
Read MoreOur worship preferences can distract and even separate our hearts from the Lord in worship. Worship ultimately is not for us but for the Lord. Yet our preferences in worship tend to serve us. And this can become a conditional issue in worship from your heart unto the Lord. In other-words, your willingness or desire to enter into worship is dependent on your preferences being satisfied. That was how Cain worshipped in Genesis 4.
Read MoreSo here is something to think about....isn't it profound how God desires, and allows us, to be creative and give our own unique flavour and expression, and participate, and even be blessed and receive something ourselves, as we worship Him!
Read MoreWhen a servant had the opportunity for freedom, he or she could choose instead to become a bond servant to their master for life, willingly undertaking the duties of a slave. Paul, Jude and Jesus himself, all made themselves willing slaves to serve God joyfully. We see this in marriage and in our working in partnership with God. Indeed, God enslaves himself to us. I enslave myself to you so you can flourish. We do not give ourselves to manipulate God. Yet as St Francis once said: “We give so that we can receive.”
Read MoreThe faith required by this command is a world changer. Jesus makes a promise to us saying that we will prove to the world that we are His disciples - in other words the way of Jesus will be so radical, the world will take notice and be challenged. When we actually believe we are in Christ, what else really matters? Only His Kingdom matters. Why do we make choices that honour Jesus and His life? Because He first loved us, and now, everything else matters far less finding its proper place under Christ. Our values, choices and lifestyle become transformed by Jesus, and are being changed by following Jesus.
Read MoreJesus commands a new way of living - to Love One Another, His way. Jesus never sets us up to fail, therefore the life of a follower of Jesus means that God's way of loving can be ours. Humanly this is impossible. But Jesus gives us a new nature, a new spirit - a new expectation of christian living...
Read MoreMaking a highway through the wilderness seems pointless, no one would ever think of that but this the way of the Lord. The harsh dry unlivable lonely path of Jesus through the place of death was the path of Christ - the crying voice is that of Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23).
Read Moreou wonder if you tried hard enough. You wonder how your family will feel about their investment into your education and ambitions and sense of failure. You return home to take up fishing, the business of your father and of the village. The other boys you fish with are more advanced in the trade because have been trying to learn scripture. You can't read the sea as well as others your age, and younger... And your mind is trapped in a cycle of disappointment as you reflect on what could have been....you always felt you were destined for something else.
Read MoreThe Word of God is like a path that is right for us. The light of the Word is so bright, it removes any ability to hide, showing everything. When a bird is trapped inside a building, the bird finds its way out of captivity when all lights are turned off....except a strong guiding light that shows the way out - straight out the main doors! The bird is naturally drawn to this light and is guided to freedom.
Read Morehinking about faith leads us to think about Jesus - the one whom our faith is in. When Jesus says He is the good shepherd, His claim is based on relationship with His creation, us, His sheep! The Lord's desire for friendship is embedded in the claim "I know my own sheep". And because Jesus knows us, we know Jesus. Everything always starts with Christ and His 'knowing relationship' with us first - we are invited into this special relationship.
Read MoreBut i tell you this Man,
Is full of love in His heart,
And i have no doubt not even a part,
That this Man is the Son of God.
Read MoreWith arms opened wide He embraced me, a thief....
Read MoreMoses made an astounding request to know the Father by being in His presence as recorded in Exodus 33:12-23. It was a 'One Day' moment that the Bible records where Moses wanted something more from Him - and God was pleased with this desire. The desire of Moses was for the presence of the Lord, just to be close to the Father - or maybe to be 'In Him'.
Read MoreIn the midst of the storms of life that you face and others face around you, remember the word of the Lord - that He leads you besides still waters, even in the midst of the storm. Remember to thank the Lord in the midst of your storm, and allow the Holy Spirit to encourage your heart with the still peace of God that passes all our understanding.
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When faced with a powerful, scary giant that no one else wanted to face, it’s important to remember those weapons David used. Faith, courage, a heart for God, humility, and God Himself. David said to Goliath confidently, “You come at me with a sword and spear? Ha! I come to you in the name of the Lord God Almighty!” Honestly, who could stand a chance against that? When we understand who God is like David did, our enemies also don’t stand a chance.
Read MoreJesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
Read MoreWhen a man blind from birth found himself obeying Jesus, and then healed in John Chapter 9, the very next thing the man found himself doing was being attacked by the religious leaders of the day.
Read MoreWorship reminds us that we are God’s people, He created us, and that we belong to him. Worship takes you to a place where worry is placed at the foot of the cross, as are your daily concerns. Nothing seems too small or too big for the Lord. In Worship, we experience unity in diversity as different people from different cultures and demographics come together to glorify and thank the Lord.
Read MorePaul points to a byproduct of suffering as an agent for hope. Never in the bible is suffering excluded from life. Jesus took the worst suffering to Himself on the cross and then calls us to carry our cross also.
Read MoreRegardless of the time, the place or the environment - Jesus is always walking towards us.
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