YOur Team

‘Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.’ Philippians  1:3 NLT Paul often acknowledged those who helped him. ‘Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God… for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News.’ (Philippians 1:3–5 NLT) ‘You Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help…No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.’ (Philippians 4:15–17 NLT) He writes to the believers in Thessalonica: ‘We can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is...

‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.’ Proverbs 2 3:7 NKJV Every family struggles with generational issues. These are things our parents and grandparents have passed down to us. Often, we say, ‘It runs in my family, I can’t do anything about it.’ Yes, you can! You may not be able to do anything about your family’s past but, by God’s grace, you can change the future for yourself and your children. The Bible says, ‘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) Note the words ‘in Christ.’ You can’t change your family’s dysfunction by yourself, but ‘in Christ’, you receive the power needed to go in...

‘We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 1 0:5 NIV How would you describe yourself? Are you naturally positive or negative? Are your decisions driven by faith in God or by fear? Do you feel good about yourself, or do you put yourself down? Whatever your answer, this much is certain: the patterns and attitudes that rule your life were not formed overnight—so don’t expect an overnight cure. But you can make a start by obeying these Scriptures: (1) ‘Set your minds and keep them set on what is I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.’ (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV) (2) ‘We walk by faith, not by...

‘Set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things).’ Colossians  3:2 AMPC What’s your biggest challenge right now? Breaking a bad habit or putting a new one in place? Launching a new business or turning an old one around? Recovering from a bad marriage or making a good one better? Getting out of depression or keeping yourself from falling into it? Paul gives us two powerful keys: (1) Set your mind in the right direction. (2) Keep your mindset in the right direction. Setting your mind is the easy part, keeping it set calls for a daily commitment. Anybody can make a start, but you need the heart of a finisher. ‘Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who...

‘For everything there is a season.’ Ecclesiastes  3:1 NLT When God gives you a vision, be prepared because with every vision comes a sacrifice. The road to triumph is full of tests and trials. But God has promised that there will be a harvest: ‘Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.’ (Psalm 126:5–6 NLT) That Scripture teaches us two things: (1) There is a season for weeping. This is not an excuse for passivity or a posture of weakness that reduces you to tears because life is not fair, and things are tough. Nehemiah was moved to tears over Jerusalem’s ruins. Then he developed a plan,...

‘The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives… self-control.’ Galatians 5:22–23 NLT Are you self-controlled, or controlling? Let’s find out. Controlling people blame things like the devil, people, or circumstances for their problems and respond by blaming, resenting, or projecting frustration. They manipulate people and circumstances to their advantage. But it doesn’t work—their attempts intensify their pain and turn their relationships into power struggles. The more they try to control, the worse they feel, and the worse they feel, the more they try to control. God doesn’t want you to live that way. The self-controlled understand that the devil can do nothing to you without...

‘As they went, they were cleansed.’ Luke 1 7:14 NLT ‘Ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!”’ (Luke 17 12–15 NLT) We can confidently take our problems to Jesus. He can restore what you have lost and give you back your peace and joy. Cry out to Him. Forget about looking dignified; desperate people do desperate things, and God responds to desperate prayers: ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.’...

‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God.’ James  1:5 NIV Solomon said: ‘Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honour you.’ (Proverbs 4:5–8 NIV) There are many ways to gain wisdom: (1) Gleaning from the collective knowledge of others. ‘By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom.’ (Proverbs 13:10 NKJV) (2) Thinking outside the box. Statements like, ‘This is the way we have...

‘We must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.’ Hebrews  2:1 NKJV We must constantly reaffirm our Scriptural foundations. What are these foundational truths on which the church of Jesus Christ is built? The infallibility of the Bible; Christ’s virgin birth; His sinless life; His atoning death; His bodily resurrection and mediatory work on our behalf; our need to be saved, baptised, and filled with the Holy Spirit; and the commission to carry the Gospel to the four corners of the earth and announce the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign. These truths are non-negotiable! You say, ‘But won’t we come across as being narrow–minded?’ The...

‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’ Psalm 14 7:3 NIV Please don’t suffer alone. Take the following steps today. (1) Get help. Solomon said, ‘A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.’ (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT) Be careful who you seek help from. It’s best to seek professional help, group support or a mediator for an intervention. (2) Separate. If you or your children are in danger, seek a safe place to stay once you have a safety plan in place and a support group to help you. It’s not your job to change the person. And it’s not a failure on your...