Category: Daily Devotionals

Anxiety is a form of restlessness. When life isn’t going the way you had expected, or you are pre-empting all the negative things that could take place in the future, your mind is not at rest. You lay awake all night, tossing and turning, thinking about all the possible scenarios that could take place. Your days are spent in turmoil because you don’t know what is going to happen regarding your situation.

Unfortunately, due to our fallen human nature, fear, worry and anxiety are normal emotions. All the great men and women of God throughout the ages experienced similar conflicts. The prophet Elijah wanted to commit suicide after his powerful victory on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 19:4); Jonah was also suicidal (Jonah 4:8). When Jehoshaphat was informed that three major cities were coming against him, the first thing he did was become fearful (2 Chronicles 20:3).

But despite their troubles, they all had one thing in common, they refused to remain in a place of despair. They all arose from their adversity and continued moving forward in their assignment. Remaining still when we don’t know what lies ahead of us is difficult, but there are many promises in the Bible that give us hope for the future.

Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 states that the Lord has plans to prosper us and not to harm us.

even though a weapon of destruction has been fashioned against us, it shall not prosper. Click To Tweet

Psalms 34:19 encourages us that the Lord delivers the righteous from their afflictions.

It is because of these promises that we can rest in the presence of the Lord knowing that even though a weapon of destruction has been fashioned against us, it shall not prosper.

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.

You can find light in the darkest places if you are willing to shift your focus. But shift my focus onto what? I hear you asking. Good question! When you are in the valley of despair it is easy to keep your eyes on your condition. Whether you are in a financial bind, you’ve lost your job, or your marriage is breaking down, life can catch you off guard sometimes and it becomes extremely difficult to free yourself from the bondage of despair that you feel when you are going through an uncomfortable situation.

Some Christians believe they are exempt from troubles because they are children of God; and when the trials come, they lose their faith as they don’t understand why a loving God would allow them to go through such turmoil. There is nowhere in the Bible that promises a trouble-free life; in fact, in John 16:33, Jesus informs us that we are going to have tribulation in the world, but we should be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.

That my friend is how we maintain peace in the valley, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Isaiah 26:3 states that God will keep us in perfect peace if we keep our minds fixed on Him. Anxiety and worry set in when we are consumed with our trials. I am in no way telling you to bury your head in the sand and act as if you are not going through anything. Acknowledge your pain and suffering but give it to the Lord. He knows the beginning from the end. He understands your hurts and frustrations. Jesus knows what abandonment feels like, when He was taking His last breath on the cross, He cried out asking why God had forsaken Him.

The peace that surpasses all understanding comes from staying in the presence of the Lord.

Turn your worry into worship and I can guarantee that the peace of God will overtake your heart and mind. Click To Tweet

Turn your worry into worship and I can guarantee that the peace of God will overtake your heart and mind.

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.

When God calls you in the direction of your destiny, people are not going to like it. Notice what the children of Israel said when Saul was appointed as their king, “How can this man save us?” (1 Samuel 10:27) They were so infuriated at God’s selection that they refused to honour him. Saul did not try and defend himself; he was silent; he knew that the Lord had anointed him for the assignment, and he didn’t feel the need to convince others of this.

It is not your job to assure people you have been called by God, if those around you can’t discern it, that’s their problem, not yours. In Proverbs 18:16 it states that your gift will make room for you. When you are operating in a spirit of excellence, your works will validate your calling, you won’t need to convince people with your words, they will see the manifestation.

When you are clear about your life’s purpose, man’s opinion of you will no longer have an affect on you. The presence of God will operate so strongly in your life that you will become like David and encourage yourself. One of the reasons why people find it so difficult to walk in the fullness of their calling is that they want everyone to like them, they want a pat on the back for everything they do, and when they don’t get it, they feel discouraged.

Taking destiny steps is like walking in shoes that don’t fit, it’s uncomfortable. When you start moving in the direction of your calling, you will feel out of place. Click To Tweet

Taking destiny steps is like walking in shoes that don’t fit, it’s uncomfortable. When you start moving in the direction of your calling, you will feel out of place. Not just because of the critics, but because you have stepped out of your comfort zone. Growth is impossible in comfortable surroundings; your destiny will challenge you, and that challenge often comes in the form of criticism.

Destiny is not for the faint hearted, it is for bold and fearless people, as the saying goes, “it is for those who can take a licking and keep on ticking.” When destiny calls, expect opposition. But instead of allowing the opposition to hinder you, see it as a clear indication that you are heading in the right direction.

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me.” – Chadwick Boseman.

Thursday 28^th August 2020 is a day I will never forget. The world lost Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer at the tender age of 43. My heart is still heavy; to begin, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. May God continue to strengthen and uphold them during this time.

His death was an initial shock because Chadwick played king T’Challa in my favourite film Black Panther. But when I learnt he had battled with colon cancer the entire time he made the film, and a string of other awesome movies; I was mortified. Thoughts of his suffering in silence plagued my mind for days; but then, the Spirit of the Lord began to speak.

I first discovered that Chadwick Boseman was a Christian after hearing his speech at an awards ceremony for Denzel Washington, and he pronounced an Ephesians 3:20 blessing on him. I had not heard him speak like this before, and I knew right away that there was an anointing on his life.

After going through several posts on social media, it became clear to me that Chadwick was filled with the Holy Spirit. Every time he spoke, he delivered a word from God. He used his platform to glorify the name of Jesus in so many ways.

I have received several revelations over the last few days, but one of the most profound was the similarities between his life and the life of the Messiah.

Jesus came to earth knowing He was going to die as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. But not once do you read of him complaining about his impending death. He fulfilled His purpose, everything He was called to do was fully accomplished. He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, prayed for and ministered to people, and encouraged the downtrodden. Jesus carried His burden with grace and did not allow it to stop Him from living His purpose.

Chadwick Boseman did the same, he knew he had colon cancer, and possibly knew he was going to die. But he kept making films, kept being a blessing to everyone he came into contact with, and refused to let the sickness stop him from fulfilling his destiny. He went to his grave without one regret, knowing that every assignment given to him had been completed. When Boseman was ushered into the presence of the Lord, I believe without a shadow of a doubt that he heard the words, “Well done, My good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:21-23).

If there is one thing every human being can expect from life, it’s death. None of us will escape it; in fact, the Bible describes our time on earth as a vapor (James 4:14). In other words, it is here one minute and gone the next. We all know we are going to die, but none of us are aware of the time or method in which we will cease to exist. Most people do not consider eternity; but yet, we seem to have amnesia that our time here is short. It is only when deaths like Chadwick Boseman’s occur that we are reminded of this fact.

But since we know we are going to die, and we don’t know when it will happen, everyone of us should live as if each day was our last. And I don’t mean have as much fun as you can, I mean live out your purpose daily. Think about it another way,

how would you live if you were born with two certificates, one for your birth, and another for your death? How would you live if you knew the exact day and time of your death? Click To Tweet

how would you live if you were born with two certificates, one for your birth, and another for your death? How would you live if you knew the exact day and time of your death?

Tomorrow is not promised, thousands of people went to sleep last night with plans for the following morning and didn’t wake up. Chadwick Boseman showed the world that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. I cannot even begin to imagine the resilience it took for him to carry that affliction. He fulfilled his commission, and he has left a legacy that will remain for eternity. Another level of hope, courage and determination has been birthed in my soul because of the way Chadwick Boseman lived his life.

Thank you for daring to live as an active dreamer, and for showing us that anything is possible. You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith, now receive your crown of righteousness. Rest in Power my King! Forever loved, forever missed… until we meet in eternity.

“You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies.” – Psalms 23:5

I had plenty of enemies in my teens, and rightly so, I was rude, obnoxious and would start fights because I felt like it. ⁠
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But when I became a Christian, I learnt what it meant to have enemies for no reason.⁠
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Before I learnt that lesson, I got the revelation that according to Ephesians 6:12, our battle is not physical, but spiritual. In other words, when people are unjustly coming against you, it’s not because they just decided to attack you, Satan assigned a spirit to an individual to wage war against you. ⁠
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Therefore, there is no point in fighting the person; you’ve got to launch the attack against the spirit working through that person. ⁠
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The women in prison were either drawn to my light, or they were repelled by it. ⁠
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The women who were repelled by my light would spread rumours about my case, or stand in ear shot of me saying things like, “She ain’t no Christian, she a killer, didn’t you see her on the news?” Then add, “People are only fooled by her British accent.” Just so I knew they were definitely talking about me. ⁠
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Did I get angry? Absolutely! And I wanted to defend my name, but the Holy Spirit would always remind me that He was my defence. So, instead, I would go to war in the spirit and pray. ⁠
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After my case was dismissed, those same women watched me walk out of prison.⁠
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Even after I left, I received letters from my sisters stating they were spreading rumours that my case was not dismissed and I had gone to finish my sentence in the UK. ⁠
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What did God do? Ensure my name and case information were printed in the local law newspaper!⁠

The Lord will make certain that the same people who attempted to take you down, will watch you RISE IN POWER! ⁠ Click To Tweet

The Lord will make certain that the same people who attempted to take you down, will watch you RISE IN POWER! ⁠

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word!

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” ~ Esther 4:14

God will often use the underdog to fulfil his purpose on earth; this is a common theme throughout the Bible. He also uses the simplicity in people to do the most extraordinary works. Esther’s beauty is highlighted in this story; she was able to change the mind of the king because of the way she looked! The entire course of history was rerouted because of a pretty face! Esther was also a woman of faith; it took great courage to approach the king concerning her people, knowing that she too may also die. Remember, she had hid her heritage from him, she didn’t know how he was going to react, but she knew one thing, and that was she couldn’t allow her people to perish.

Esther was a nobody before she was given the opportunity to shine; the majority of people forget where they came from when they rise to the top. Esther didn’t, she could have allowed fear to keep her mouth shut but she refused, and because of her bravery the devils plans were dismantled.

We live in a world full of injustice and we have been called to be a voice to the voiceless. There are many people who need someone to speak on their behalf, but because no one steps forward their pain is forgotten. What have you been exposed to that grieves your heart? Instead of turning a blind eye to it and praying for someone to hear their plight, why not ask God to show you how you can assist in changing the situation.

In the physical realm Esther was in a privileged position. She was the queen and had been given access to the kingdom which meant anything she requested from the king was granted. As children of God we have been given the keys to the kingdom, Hebrews 4:16 says: “Now therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have been given direct access to the throne room. We can deliver our requests directly to God for what we need, and when our requests line up with His will for our lives, expect them to be answered.

Esther is a powerful story of God’s grace and mercy. Once again, we are given insight into the clever way in which He works out all things according to the council of His will. He exposed Mordecai’s plans to kill the king knowing that this would be used to save him later on in the story.

As Christians, our footsteps are ordained and ordered by the Lord, we don’t meet people by accident, we don’t hear or see things by accident, everything that takes place in our lives has a purpose to it Click To Tweet

As Christians, our footsteps are ordained and ordered by the Lord, we don’t meet people by accident, we don’t hear or see things by accident, everything that takes place in our lives has a purpose to it, once you understand this, your life will become a series of exciting events as opposed to random chance happenings that you are forced to endure.

God will use you if you are willing.

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Discouragement can cause you to give up on the task you have been assigned to. Ministry is not easy, people are not going to like you, they will think you are crazy, stupid and every negative adjective you can think of, but that is the nature of the game. God did not promise us an easy life on earth, things actually get harder when you become a Christian because you now have an enemy and he will do everything in his power to get you to turn back.

Discouragement is one of the many tools the devil uses to get you to give up on God. As Christians we have a hope that is sure, and that hope is in Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory.

If we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord instead of on our circumstances, we will walk in the victory that has been promised to us while on earth. Click To Tweet

If we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord instead of on our circumstances, we will walk in the victory that has been promised to us while on earth.

The Israelite’s were tired and fed up, they had a mammoth task ahead of them and they wanted to know whether or not they would be rewarded for their obedience. They had spent seventy years in captivity and heard the word of the Lord from prophets such as Jeremiah. They were personally delivered a letter containing the infamous Jeremiah 29:11 verse: “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The Jews had returned to ruins, what they saw didn’t look like the promise in this verse. They were weary and tired, and God delivered His word to them through a prophet whose name means “Yahweh remembers.”

The book of Zechariah serves as a promise that he remembers every word He has spoken concerning your life, His word will not return void, it will accomplish what He pleases and it will prosper in the thing for which it was sent (Isaiah 55:11).

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.

“But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” – Amos 5:24

The world we live in is full of injustice, false imprisonment, over sentencing, child sex trafficking and a host of other unspeakable evil acts take place every day all around us. Jesus Christ was a man of compassion; therefore, we should be recognised as compassionate and caring people. With our charitable works we should be giving the world a glimpse of heaven, it should be one of the many things that set us apart.

Preaching, teaching and praying are not our only commands. The book of Amos reminds us that these things are futile if they are not combined with loving our neighbour as ourselves. If you find yourself falling into the trap of prioritising certain kingdom principles over serving others, you might want to focus on balancing your duties as a believer.

The book of Amos teaches us that worship, prayer and teaching are just as important as helping the suffering. Click To Tweet

The book of Amos teaches us that worship, prayer and teaching are just as important as helping the suffering. Not only are we to have a relationship with the Lord, but He has also assigned us to tasks on the earth. Amos reminds us that the physical and spiritual needs of the people are of equal measure.

May God bless the hearers and the doers of His word.

Jonah 1:3 – “But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”

Imagine being called by God to stand in the middle of war torn Iraq, a Muslim nation and declare the word of the Lord! It wouldn’t be an easy assignment, and some would say it wouldn’t be the most sensible thing to do either. In the eyes of man the only predictable result would be imprisonment, torture or death and nothing less. Knowing that your life would be in danger by accepting the call of God on your life, you too might run like Jonah.

It’s easy to criticise the prophet; after all, it was the Lord God Almighty who told him to go. Did Jonah really think that He could hide from God? Did He really think that God wouldn’t know what He was doing?

It’s easy for us to label Jonah a coward because that is how he is described in the book. However, his dilemma was real. You may not think that you run like Jonah when God asks you to do something, but we do ignore Him. What happens when He tells us to go and minister to the paedophile down the road? Everyone knows what he did because they have to register as sex offenders. When God asks you to deliver the message of salvation to him, your first response is going to be, “but do you know what he did?”

As Christians we are sometimes not willing to accept that God wants to save everyone, not just the good people, but the bible says that Jesus came to save the sinners and not the righteous (Luke 5:32). Click To Tweet

As Christians we are sometimes not willing to accept that God wants to save everyone, not just the good people, but the bible says that Jesus came to save the sinners and not the righteous (Luke 5:32). Therefore, whether the person has murdered ten people they have the same right as you to receive the gift of salvation.

Jonah had to be broken before he was able to grasp the depth of God’s mercy. The story was written for you to learn from his mistakes. The bottom line is this, when you are called by the Lord; don’t be so stubborn and rebellious that He has to break you before he can get your full attention.

Obadiah 1:12-14 – “But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed you should not have gazed on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress.”

The Edomites were a prideful people. According to the English dictionary the word pride means, “a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.” Proverbs 16:18 states “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” We witness this verse come to life when reading the book of Obadiah and analysing the behaviour of the Edomites.

We serve a God of order and purpose, every word written in the Bible was put there for us to learn something. Click To Tweet

We serve a God of order and purpose, every word written in the Bible was put there for us to learn something. When comparing yourself to the Edomites, I am sure most of you are thinking “I’m not that bad,” or “I don’t mock, steal from or cause harm to Gods people.” Well if you have ever sat in church and made a negative comment about a person’s looks, or what they were wearing. Or if you have spoken ill of your pastor or any of the members involved in ministry, then you are just as bad as the Edomites (I hold my hand up, and confess that I have been guilty of such behaviour).

Gods thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and his ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55: 8-9). Many of us find it difficult to understand why we would end up in hell with Hitler, but according to God, sin has no levels. To Him stealing a penny is the same as stealing a million dollars. God has high standards, and without Jesus we can’t attain them.

The Edomites thought they were better than everyone; this is one of the reasons why they were destroyed. The word of God commands us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3), this is the definition of pride. Do you turn your nose up at people, would you avoid shaking the homeless man’s hand because you don’t want to get dirty? Would you get up and move if an undesirable came and sat next to you in church? Let me tell you a story:

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek dressed up as a homeless bum and went and sat amongst the congregation of the 10,000-member church that he was going to pastor. He attempted to mingle amongst the congregation for 30 minutes and was greeted by just three out of the 7-10,000 members present that morning. He begged for money to buy food, and not one person put their hand in their pocket. He attempted to sit at the front of the church and was asked to move to the back. Since no one was greeting him, he decided to greet people and instead of being greeted back he was given dirty looks and stared at.

He obediently took his seat at the back of the church and waited for the elders to announce his arrival. When his name was mentioned as the new pastor, the congregation clapped and shouted as they looked around in anticipation. The homeless man at the back of the church stood up and walked down the centre aisle towards the podium. The cheers and the clapping were replaced with silence.

When he got to the altar, he took the microphone and began reciting Matthew 25:34-40 “ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”

 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

After reciting the passage, he told the congregation what he had experienced. That morning many bowed their heads in shame and cried. Pastor Jeremiah Steepek then told the church that what he is looking at is not the body of Christ, but a group of people. He went on to say that there are enough people in the world, but not enough disciples. He dismissed the service after asking the congregation when they were going to make the decision to become disciples?

It’s a sad story, but it is also the reality of the church today. We are prideful and self-centred and have no real understanding of what it means to be a Christian. Going to church every Sunday isn’t what saves you. If your heart has not been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, if you are still living in perpetual sin, you are not saved.

The Bible tells us to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5-7). You know whether you are saved or not, the condition of your heart will tell you. Examine yourself and ask the Lord to uproot anything that is not like him. The Edomites were destroyed because of their prideful nature, take heed to Obadiah’s warning and repent before it is too late.