YOur Team

‘We will find grace to help us when we need it most.’ Hebrews 4:16 NLT During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her Dutch family hid many Jews from the Nazis. Eventually, she was caught and put in a concentration camp where she saw all sorts of atrocities, including the death of her father and sister. Then she was accidentally released. She never became bitter. She even forgave the man who killed her relatives. Someone asked her how she could endure those dark days and remain loving, forgiving, and kind. She answered with a story of how, when she was a little girl, her father would take her on train rides all over Europe. He would always purchase her ticket several weeks ahead of time, but...

‘You are complete in Him.’ Colossians 2:10 NKJV Joyce Meyer writes: ‘What if everywhere you went, you ran into someone you didn’t like? You attend a party and have to endure her conversation and constant opinions. You go to church, and she’s sitting right beside you… she is at the dinner table… she’s everywhere! That sounds pretty awful, but this is the exact situation you’re in if you don’t like yourself, because you are everywhere you go. You can’t get away from yourself, even for a second, so you’re in for a sad life if you dread your own company. Even though… it makes no sense to live… this way… most people don’t like themselves. They may not even realise it, but some genuine...

‘We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus.’ Ephesians 2:10 NIV If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Most of us could come up with a long list! The fact is, Jesus alone holds the world record when it comes to perfection. In the words of Jennifer Dukes Lee: ‘Until you are convinced of God’s incredible love… you will continue looking for replacement love everywhere but in the heart of Christ. No matter where you live or work… the enemy prowls like a lion, stalking people… [We’re] in a showdown with Satan, who will use every opportunity… to whisper in our ears, “What are people thinking of you?” [He] will tell you you’re too fat, too frumpy, too stupid, too...

‘Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray.’ Psalm 55:17 KJV An ancient European monastery perched on a high ledge was accessible only by way of a basket that was held in place by a single rope on a series of pulleys. One day a concerned visitor noticed the rope was frayed in numerous places. Hoping to relieve his anxiety, he asked the monk who was sharing the ride with him, ‘How often do you guys change the rope?’ Stoically the cleric replied, ‘Whenever it breaks!’ Seriously, waiting for the worst to happen before taking action is a risky life strategy. Just as common sense dictates that machinery, health, and relationships require continual attention and maintenance, the same...

‘Teach us to realise the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.’ Psalm 90:12 NLT A woman once had a dream in which an angel was giving her this message: ‘As a reward for your virtues, the sum of $1,440 will be deposited into your bank account every morning. This amount has only one condition. At the close of each business day, any balance that has not been used will be cancelled. It won’t carry over to the next day or accrue interest. Each morning, a new $1,440 will be credited to you.’ The dream was so vivid that when she woke up, she asked the Lord to explain what it meant. He led her to understand that she was receiving 1,440 minutes every morning—the entire number of minutes...

‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.’ Exodus 4:4 NIV At the Burning Bush, Moses threw down his rod and ‘it became a snake.’ (Exodus 4:3 NIV) He was so scared; he ran from it. Then God said, ‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail,’ leaving the head, the most dangerous part, unrestrained. Tommy Tenny points this out: ‘During your training trip through the wilderness, you’ll probably think God is leading you the wrong way; that He’s saying something that doesn’t make sense. His commandments aren’t usually accompanied by explanation. And when you can’t figure out what He’s doing, you must trust Him. Once Moses picked up the snake by its tail, it became a rod once more, and it...

‘Perfect love drives out fear.’ 1 John 4:18 NIV God loves you unconditionally at all times—but you must receive His love. Only when you do that can you love God in return and extend His love to others. In other words, you can’t give away what you don’t have! ‘God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.’ (Romans 5:5 AMPC) That means when you commit your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in your heart, and He brings God’s love with Him. The question is, what are you doing with that love? Are you rejecting it because you think you’re not good enough? Has it ever occurred to you that you have a relationship with yourself, and until...

‘Let us keep in step with the Spirit.’ Galatians 5:25 NIV The Bible says, ‘Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.’ Problems arise when you try to understand spiritual things with your natural mind. Comparing spiritual things to natural things makes the things of God seem foolish (See 1 Corinthians 2:14). Paul says, ‘The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.’ (1 Corinthians 2:10 NIV) And He reveals them to us in different ways. Jon Walker says: ‘Becoming one with Jesus means developing spiritual discernment and accepting the sometimes seemingly illogical things that come from the Spirit. God speaks to us in various ways. Here are three to watch...

‘Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.’ Hebrews 12:2 NIV A Sunday school teacher was telling the story of how Jonah disobeyed God and ended up being swallowed by a big fish. For three days, he cried out from the depths of the ocean, and after three days and nights, God ordered the fish to spit him up on the beach. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked the class what they had learned, and a little boy piped up, ‘It just goes to prove that you can’t keep a good man down.’ You don’t drown by falling into the water; you drown by staying there. David said, ‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord… Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the...

‘Though I have fallen, I will rise.’ Micah 7:8 NIV Nate Regier writes: ‘Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It’s a marathon, not a sprint… You’re not just running, but getting hit along the way. Grit keeps you moving forward through the sting of rejection, pain of failure, and struggle with adversity. When life knocks you down, you may want to stay down and give up, but grit won’t let you quit… True grit starts with knowing what you truly want. When you know what you want and you can see it, you’ll work hard and persevere to achieve it. True grit is also driven by clarity of mind, purpose, passion, optimism, faith, love, hope and quite honestly—stubbornness. Knowing your...