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Focus

  Colossians 3:2 NLT Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.   There’s an uncharitable saying about people being too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use. The Bible, as you can imagine, has a different perspective. As far as Scripture is concerned, earthly things are only temporary, whereas heavenly things are eternal.   There is a sense in which this life is simply a dress rehearsal for eternity. If we only live for the here and now, we’ll be woefully unprepared for the life to come. We need to make our peace with God through Jesus’s blood and to live for Him forever.   If we set our minds on heaven, we’ve most likely made our peace with God by Christ’s blood. If we’re focused on heaven, we’ll want to prepare for it by becoming like Jesus in His holiness. We can do this by His Spirit.   If we set our minds on the things of earth, we’re blinkered and shortsighted about spiritual realities. Likely, our philosophy is to eat, drink and be merry, be
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Salvation

  Acts 4:12 New Living Translation (NLT) There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”   Manmade religion is about us trying to justify ourselves before God. Basically, we’re trying to save ourselves, whether by five pillars, ten commandments, or whatever else. This verse blows that idea out of the water.   All roads lead to God, where He will judge us. Only one road leads to salvation. That’s the Lord Jesus Christ.   God has made a way for us to be saved, but only one. It’s all we need, to trust in Jesus for our salvation. It’s imperative that we bow our knees to Him as our Lord and Saviour.   We need to surrender our lives to God. We need to give up our attempts to earn God’s acceptance by our own efforts. Only He can save.   ‘Father God, please help us to acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves and that we need You to justify us in Christ, in whose name we pray, amen’
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Thankfulness

  1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. How can we give thanks if we're suffering from cancer, scarred by war, or wounded by divorce for example? We don't have to give thanks for all circumstances. Yet we can be thankful that all circumstances can work for our good in God's sovereignty. For those who love God and are called according to His purposes, all things work for good. Even the crucifixion of Christ, humanly the worst thing to have ever happened, was turned around by God to the greatest good. We can and should be thankful in all circumstances. God wants us to be thankful. He doesn’t want us like spoilt brats who are ungrateful and entitled. With the perspective of eternity we can be thankful for God's good providence. The deathbed conversion of my grandad lead to my conversion to Christ. Even in the face of bereavement, God could and did bring good about. We must let bad circumstances drive
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Pray!

  1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV pray without ceasing Never mind praying five times a day, the Apostle Paul would have us to pray continually. We're to be like children with their dad, constantly talking to our Father in heaven. Nothing is to trivial to share with our heavenly Father. If we're in an attitude of constant prayer, it's a whole lot harder to give in to temptation. If we're connected to the Vine of Christ, we will bear much fruit. Apart from Him, we can't do anything. The world is such a needy place. It's not like there's ever a time we don't need to pray. Prayer to God should be our first thought in the morning, and our last thought at night. The day we stop praying is the day we die. Either we get the hell we deserve, or else we get ushered into the presence of God for eternity. Faith will give way to sight. 'Dear Lord, we look forward to the day we get united with You. In the meantime, help us to ceaselessly pray, for the honour of You
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Generosity

  Acts of the Apostles 20:35 NLT And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 'What's in it for me?' is very commonly thought, if not articulated, in the world today. The Apostle Paul, sent by Jesus to tell His good news of salvation for all who will believe, had a different attitude. 'What's in it for Him?' was Paul's kind of question. Paul wasn't living for his own glory. He wasn't out to fleece the flock so he could get himself a private jet. He worked hard as a tentmaker so he didn't have to charge people for the privilege of hearing the good news of free salvation for all who believe in Jesus. We're not just to be selfish, out for ourselves. We're to look out for people in need. 'Charity starts at home', people often say, but it shouldn't end at home, but extend to others too. Jesus
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Rejoice!

  1 Thessalonians 5:16 ESV Rejoice always At first glance, this is a nice little phrase. It sounds like the kind of thing that could be on a mug, or on a twee cross-stitch decoration. Yet the more we think about it, the more surprising it seems. How can we rejoice when the world seems to be on the brink of WWIII? How could we rejoice if recently bereaved? How could we rejoice if we lost our job? Thankfully, there is cause for rejoicing that isn't just circumstantial. Happiness is more circumstantial, more of a feeling. Joy is more of a virtue that God can give us through faith in Him, whatever the circumstances. We can rejoice no matter what the circumstances if we know that nothing can separate us from God's love. If we know that Christ died so we can be forgiven for all our wrongness, we can rejoice. If we have an eternity with Him to look forward to, we can rejoice. 'Heavenly Father, please help us to rejoice in You, the Source of all joy, happiness and blessing. P
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Marriage

  Proverbs 18:22 NLT The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favour from the LORD.   I can testify to the truth of this verse. I found a wife, and I did indeed find a treasure. Apart from Christ, she is the most precious person in my life, and I do well to remind myself of that fact!   The Bible describes wives as ‘helpmates’- people who help us and who are close to us. God made the first woman out of the first man’s rib to be close to his heart. She wasn’t made from his head to be superior; or his foot to be inferior. Men and women are equally made in the image and likeness of God.   God has favoured me with my wife. She is Joy by name and a joy to me by nature. She has made me a far better person than I was before I met her.   My wife has made me more like Jesus. She spurs me on along my spiritual journey as we walk together with the Holy Spirit. I commend marriage to my readers!   ‘Heavenly Father, I want to thank You for my wife, and for the
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Mercy

  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. LUKE 6:36 (NIV)   If we want God to be merciful to us, we need to be merciful to others. We’re not to be merciful to earn God’s mercy. Because of God’s mercy to us, we should be merciful to others.   We shouldn’t just be merciful so that God is merciful to us. We should be merciful simply because God is, and we ought to want to be like Him. We are to be holy, as He is holy.   Mercy is not treating people as they deserve. Our gut reaction when someone wrongs us is to give them what we think they deserve. We should be merciful to them, however.   We’re to leave vengeance to the Lord. He’s perfectly just and righteous. We can entrust our vindication to Him.   ‘Merciful Father God, please help us to be merciful, even as You are merciful to us. We thank You, in the name of Jesus, amen’
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Mercies

The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23 (NLT)   These verses are a ray of light in an overwhelmingly dark book. Lamentations was written because God’s people were torn from their homeland and exiled in Babylon. Even today, if something is lamentable, it is something very mournful.   These verses are like an obstinate insistence. Despite how desperate God’s people’s situation was, they could cling to their Lord and know His unfailing love for them.   Romans 8 powerfully echoes these words. It states that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not even exile from the promised land can separate God’s people from His love.   Every day there is new hope. Maybe today, Christ will return and cause all suffering to cease for His people. We need to make our peace with Him before it’s too late!   ‘Faithful Lord, we praise You for Your unfailing love for u
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Listen!

  James 1:19 NLT Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.   In Christ, we’re all one big spiritual family. We’re all siblings, adopted by our Father God through faith in Jesus. We need to understand how we ought to function as God’s family.   Firstly, we must be quick to listen. A famous quote says that we’ve got twice as many ears as mouths, so we should listen twice as much as we speak! Most of us find it hard to listen, and if we do, we listen to respond, rather than listen to understand and appreciate where the other person’s coming from.   Secondly, we should be slow to speak. Lots of us are opinionated and like to be heard. Yet James is urging us to think twice before opening our mouths: is it necessary?   Finally, we’re to be slow to get angry. Lots of things can irritate and annoy us. We should pause before venting, maybe we just need to be philosophical about whatever’s bugging us.
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