DEAR ALL
THIS MORNING’S DEVOTIONAL IS A REMINDER OF WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO WALK BY FAITH – TRUSTING GOD’S PROMISES EVEN WHEN WE CAN’T YET SEE THE OUTCOME.
Morning all, faith is a strange thing. It asks us to believe before we see, to trust before the outcome is clear. Hebrews 11:1 says it like this: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Faith isn’t wishful thinking; its confidence rooted in God’s character. Think of a seed planted deep in the soil. At first, there’s no evidence of life. The ground looks unchanged. Yet beneath the surface, growth is happening. We water, we nurture, and we wait, not because we see the result, but because we trust the process. Faith works the same way. You may be in a season where nothing seems to be happening. Prayers feel unanswered. Promises feel distant. But faith says: God is working, even if you don’t see it. That’s why Scripture calls us to live not by sight but by faith. The evidence will come, but the assurance comes first. Remember, faith is what kept Noah building, Abraham moving, and Moses leading. It’s what will keep you steady today. Don’t let the absence of visible results shake your confidence. The God who promised is faithful, and what He has spoken will come to pass.
I HAD TO ENDURE 41 DEGREES IN ROME RECENTLY, SO THE COOLER WEATHER IS WELCOME. HAD A BLESSED DAY YESTERDAY IN ILFORD WITH PASTOR JOSEPH AND THE NEW ILFORD ASSOCIATE CHURCH CONGREGATION – THE EMMANUEL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. THE LORD IS MOVING IN THAT PLACE.
Morning all… Thankfully the weather’s lovely today, but have you noticed how unsettled it’s been recently? One minute the sun is shining, the next the heavens open with a sudden downpour. It feels like we’ve had every season in a week! Life too can be just as changeable. One phone call, one headline, one unexpected event, and suddenly what felt secure is shaken. But Psalm 46:1 reminds us: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Just as we keep an umbrella close for the unpredictable British skies, we need to keep God’s promises close for life’s sudden storms. He doesn’t promise skies without clouds, but He does promise His presence in every change. When the world feels unsettled, remember He is unshakable. So today, whatever the forecast, step out in confidence, because your security isn’t in calm skies, but in the God who holds the storm. And with Him by your side, even the fiercest storm cannot shake the refuge of His love.
LIFE OFTEN BRINGS US MOMENTS WHEN OUR HEARTS FEEL HEAVY AND OUR STRENGTH RUNS LOW, BUT IT’S IN THOSE VERY MOMENTS THAT GOD INVITES US TO REDISCOVER THE JOY THAT ONLY HE CAN GIVE. MAY WE LEARN TO REST IN HIS JOY, KNOWING THAT IN HIM WE FIND THE STRENGTH TO FACE EACH DAY WITH HOPE.
Morning all,,, I don’t know about you but there are there are certainly those days when life feels heavy – especially when you’ve been off work for two weeks; the weight of responsibilities, disappointments, and let’s not forget the worries that press down so hard that even breathing feels like work. In those moments, strength seems far away, and joy feels like a distant memory. But Nehemiah 8:10 speaks directly into that space: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Notice that the verse doesn’t say our strength comes from having everything under control, it says strength comes from the joy of the LORD. This joy isn’t a shallow cheerfulness or a fleeting emotional high. It’s rooted in who God is – unchanging, faithful, sovereign, and good. When we fix our eyes on Him, joy begins to rise within us, not because circumstances have changed, but because our perspective has. His joy is like an anchor in the storm, holding us steady when the waves crash. The people in Nehemiah’s time were grieving over their failures and sins, but God met them with grace. Instead of leaving them in sorrow, He called them to celebrate His mercy, His covenant love, and His presence with them. Their joy came not from their performance but from God’s promises. So, when you feel weak, don’t measure your strength by how much you can handle on your own. Instead, turn your eyes upward. Let His joy – the deep assurance of His love, forgiveness, and faithfulness, be the wellspring that renews you.
IT’S WEDNESDAY – COOKING DAY. THE DAY STARTS WITH REVD MARK AND I IN PRAYER – NOT BECAUSE I AM COOKING, BUT TO START THE DAY OFF RIGHT, WITH THE LORD. WE OFTEN PRAY, AS I DID THIS MORNING, ‘WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN THY NAME…’ SOMETIMES WE PRAY THAT AS AN APOLOGY FOR THERE BEING JUST A FEW OF US, BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT GOD WAS WITH US THIS MORNING, IN HIS HOUSE, THE HOUSE THAT HAS HEARD DECADES OF PRAYERS. WE ARE TRULY BLESSED.
Morning all, if you’ve been following the news, you’ll have seen the rising concerns over cost-of-living pressures. Families are having to stretch every penny further, and many feel anxious about the future. Jesus spoke right into that anxiety in Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Worry drains us, but trust sustains us. God isn’t blind to your bills, your responsibilities, or your needs. He calls us to seek Him first, not because food and clothing don’t matter, but because He already knows what we need. So today, instead of letting worry lead the way, let trust take the lead. Your value to God far outweighs your fears, and the same Father who feeds the sparrows has promised to provide for you.
Revd Mark Spiers