Let’s learn from Stephen, a man FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 6:1-9 and Acts 7:54-60 NIV

Stephen was mentioned for the first time in Acts 6. He was a deacon and a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. Stephen is known for being the first Christian martyr.

Stephen was an outstanding character; he was radiant and a mighty soul winner. The secret of his life and ministry is revealed in the fact that he was a man full of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 6:5 NIV). It is important for us to understand that the Spirit-filled life is God’s plan and provision for every Christian. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is not given just to a selected few like the mature Christian, ministers, missionaries, but to all willing to receive Him.

On the day of Pentecost, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4 NIV). Yes, the promise is for ALL and that includes us today, so over the next couple of weeks through Stephen’s experience, let’s see what a man filled with the Holy Spirit is like.

Here are the characteristics that marks a Spirit-filled Christian:

1. A Spirit-filled Christian is always available to whatever assignment the Lord gives them 

We read that Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the early Church to be responsible for distributing food to the widows, who had been overlooked by the Church (see Acts 6:1-5 NIV). It is interesting to note that the qualifications required for this are seen in verse 3 and the names of the men are in verse 5. Stephen headed the list and is described as a man ‘full of faith and of the Holy Spirit’ (v. 5 NIV[HM1] ). These men were not wanted for their preaching or any prominent assignment, but to simply ‘serve at tables’ and all of them made themselves available for service. It is clear that a Spirit-filled person is one who makes him/herself available to the Lord for whatever assignment He will have them to do.

Here are a couple questions for all of us today:

1. Are we available to the Lord in whatever He will have us do?
2. Are we ready to do whatever He commands us to do? Just as described by David’s men in 2 Samuel 15 – and here is what they said: ‘Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses’ (v. 15 NIV).

So, let’s not just be available to the Lord but let’s be ready to do whatever he calls us to do, irrespective of what it is!

2. A Spirit-filled Christian is simply a channel for the wonderful power of God to be manifested 

Stephen, who was wholly available for God to use, became a mighty man of the Word and also demonstrated God’s manifested power in performing signs and wonders:

‘Stephen did great wonders and miracles’ (Acts 6:6 NIV).

Was it Stephen doing these things? No – it was the Holy Spirit through him. In other words, he became the channel and through it flowed the wonderful, working power of God – and whenever there is a person full of the Holy Spirit the same thing will happen, for God is not looking for ability but availability.

For when whoever is willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit, wherever they go, lives will be touched, souls will be saved and miracles will be performed. Praise God that the Holy Spirit still works today through whoever. 

3. A Spirit-filled Christian responds gracefully under provocation  

The religious people made vicious attacks upon Stephen (see Acts 6:9-14 NIV). They argued with him, accused him with false witnesses, and tried to overthrow him. Well, has anything like that happened to you? Have people spoken lies about you? Stephen had all that and much more! How did you respond under this fierce provocation? Verse 15 highlights that under pressure even his face appeared to be that of an angel – in other words he displayed the likeness of Christ. I’ve often said that when we find ourselves as Christians under pressure we need to ask ourselves how we respond: as CHRIST or as SELF? We could easily sympathise with Stephen if he had retaliated under pressure, but he did not. He was a Spirit-filled man, so he responded according to the Spirit within him and not from the flesh. Stephen responded graciously, even when he was pressed almost to the limit. His attitude and even his face displayed a likeness to Christ – what a tremendous testimony and example for us today!

May God help us today to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, to be available, to become an open channel as well as to be gracious under all kinds of pressures that the Enemy throws at us, standing boldly upon God’s Word under whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in.

In our tumultuous world, what does ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10 NIV) really mean?

Psalm 46:10 is a very well-known verse that is often used to comfort ourselves and others. Many people think that this verse means to rest or relax in who God is. As much as that is true, there is much more to this Psalm than one verse and verse 10 is actually more of a wake-up call to be in wonder of who God really is than a gentle call to rest. In fact, it’s taking time out of our day to meditate on God’s Word and be silent with listening ears towards God, as mentioned in other sections of Scripture: ‘I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word’ (Psalm 119:15 NIV). And the context of ‘Be still…’ in this Psalm was written in a real time of turmoil and war. Therefore, we should consider the verse with that context in mind.

Also, important to know the Hebrew word for ‘still’ that is used in this Psalm means to ‘sink down, relax, let go, cease striving, or withdraw.’

Therefore, the meaning in this Psalm lends itself more to ‘cease striving’ or ‘stop’ and more specifically in this context ‘stop fighting’ which is directed toward the enemies of God’s people. So, we should interpret it to read more like ‘snap out of it’, ‘wake up’, ‘stop fearing’ and acknowledge who your God is and be in wonder of it all! 

However, it is good to note that there’s nothing wrong with the words in the translation ‘Be still’ – those words are not incorrect, it is simply helpful to understand the context of the Psalm. Verse 10 speaks to both of God’s enemies as well as to God’s people, but it is for the people of God the Psalm is written for. In fact, the Psalm starts by saying, ‘God is our refuge and strength’ (Psalm 46:1 NIV). These words are also for us today to know God in similar context and therefore acknowledging and committing to the fact that God is our only refuge worth running towards, yes, the only place that will stand strong through every circumstance of life.

Therefore, whatever you are battling with today, be assured that you can find stillness in your time of trouble. For God really loves you, and cares for you, and He not only wants you to be still in His presence but desires for you to discover that He is the only one who can bring real PEACE in unprecedented times. So, STOP! and reflect on the mightiness of your God and remember He is far bigger than any of your troubles.

Never forget, our enemies will see our God exalted in all the earth. Therefore, do not fear because your God is with you and He will triumph over all circumstances that you may be facing right now.

One of the most amazing takeaways from Psalm 46, in my opinion, is that God is the defender of His own name, His people and His Word. He is our only protector; He rules and reigns and is our everlasting refuge. His actions are not deterred by our fear and concerns or our distracted minds. God is still God and will always be there and protect those who believe in His name and trust in Him.

On a practical note, here are some steps on how to ‘Be Still and Silent’ in times of trouble: 

1. Silence external distractions.

The Enemy of your soul wants you to be distracted; therefore it is vitally important to remove all distractions that preoccupy you. In this fast-paced world in which we are living, it is easy to be overwhelmed with busyness and activities. You may feel that you can’t slow down, but your busy schedule must not get in the way of having time alone with God which will allow you to discover true stillness in the middle of your busyness.

My advice to you is that you cannot afford not to find a specific time to be still with God. You need to be intentional in turning off any distracting noise in the background and make time in your busy schedule to experience God’s manifested presence. This time should not be negotiable! 

2. Silence internal distractions.

Besides removing external distractions, it is very important to silence our inner being. That is, banish all the thoughts within us that pull our attention away from being still. If something needs to be taken care of later, then write it down and forget about it for now – it will still be waiting for you later! Personally, to help me switch off from thoughts and distractions, I often start my time to be still by listening to some worship songs and that helps me to concentrate and not be distracted.

So today remember intentionality is not an option but a necessity. SO BE INTENTIONAL and be still. Know that He is God and still able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

Jesus saw as highlighted that humanity was stressed and powerless (see Matthew 9:36 NIV). The sheep of his pasture were thirsty for living water (see John 4:10 NIV). He himself promised to lead us beside still waters for stillness and peaceful rest. In this simple verse, there are some incredible truths that we need to get hold of if we are to experience this true rest; so let’s go through this statement of Jesus word by word as it is so relevant to us today, and let’s try to understand what it means for so many now experiencing post-COVID trauma.

1. ‘COME’ – this word could be an invitation, a command, or a call depending on what you are going through. Well, whatever this word is for you, remember that it is Jesus who is speaking and His desire is not to harm you but to lead you out of stress, disappointment, or overload and to give you rest. It is a verb, therefore it demands action, so do not hesitate to respond positively to Jesus and discover true rest.

2. ‘TO’ – points to someone, it is a directional word – specific, pointing to someone intentionally and that person is Jesus the Son of God.

3. ‘ME’ – reveals who He wants you to come to; that is why I would take it as an invitation and the invitation to come is from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the highest authority you could ever receive such an invitation from.

4. ‘ALL’ – speaks of no exclusion, no discrimination. Whoever you are, whatever background you come from, this invitation includes you!

5. ‘YOU’ – it’s not any kind of invitation but a personal one, addressed not to anyone else but specifically to you.

6. ‘WHO’ – this has a similar implication to ‘all’; it means ‘anybody’. Irrespective of who you are or how you may feel, you are invited.

7. ‘WEARY’ – you may be tired physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Well, why not answer the invitation now?

8. ‘BURDENED’ – weighed down, feeling crushed? That doesn’t disqualify you in any way, in fact it qualifies you!

9. ‘I’ – no one else but Jesus, your Saviour, your Redeemer, your Healer and so much more.

10. ‘WILL’ – this speaks of certainty, affirmation, without doubt.

11. ‘GIVE’ – tells us there is no cost attached, you don’t need to earn it; it’s free, it’s a Gift. 

12. ‘YOU’ – personal, specific and unique to you.

13. ‘REST’ – means peace of mind; refreshing, renewing, replenishing and only Christ can provide that inner rest.

So today:

A) ‘Come to Jesus’ – He is calling out to you to ‘come and follow’ Him (Matthew 4:19 NIV), ‘come and be his disciple.’ He wants to journey with you. The invitation is for you and you only can decide to answer and follow him. His invitation is also a request to surrender your life to Him and experience total renewal.

B) ‘all you who are weary and burdened’ – Jesus invites you to lay down your heavy load, for His ‘yoke is easy, and [his] burden is light’ (Matthew 11:30 NIV). Some carry the yoke of religion, seeking to please God by their good deeds. Well, Scripture tells us we cannot earn our salvation; it is a free gift. Others carry the heavy burden of seeking justification through some kind of achievement, for recognition. Others are simply worn out by the trials of life in a broken world. So let me encourage you; Jesus is the only answer to all of these. So don’t miss it!

C) ‘and Jesus will give you rest.’ – Rest is our divine promise. Today, many are seeking for peace, stillness, and restoration, so while the invitation is open do not delay – come to Jesus and say, ‘Yes’ to His invitation and experience total release from weariness and burden. FOR HIS YOKE IS EASY AND HIS BURDEN IS LIGHT.

Lastly, remember it is a personal invitation; you can either take it or leave it. The choice is yours to continue to carry your burdens or discover this amazing rest that only Jesus can offer.

We are living in days where people are saying that to have a successful life is becoming an impossibility. Well, let me tell you that although life can be very challenging, the reality is that if you follow and apply the instructions of the Divine Manual, then you can surely succeed.

Most people buying a new product never read the manual that comes with it. Even when forced to work with a new tool, most users will skip over the instructions and assume most of it can be figured out by using common sense. Well, the primary goal of a user manual is to give assistance to the user for safe and effective use of the product.

Last week, we looked at two of the five keys that will lead you to experience a successful life; so this week let’s continue to discover the other three keys, but let me remind you the purpose of a manual:

A Manual provides instructions or guidelines on how to perform an activity and serves as a reference book for the activity.

A manual not only helps users get started but also assists them with ongoing problems they might face. It usually contains step-by-step instructions which can help users tackle any situation that might arise with the product.

Reading the manual will reduce mistakes and improve the efficiency for the user, in other words, the manual will inform the user about how to use the product safely and warn them of any potential danger of its misuse. Therefore, it helps users to maximise the performance of the product as well as its longevity.

• Trusting and Standing on God’s promises from His Divine Manual must be your confidence. 

Scripture tells us, ‘for all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen’ (2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV). God’s Word is sprinkled with many promises, and here are some promises from the Divine Manual:

When FEAR comes – ‘Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

When DOUBT comes – ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them’ (Mark 11:23 NIV).

When facing IMPOSSIBILITY – God is ‘able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’ (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV). In other words, know one thing: God is not a man that He should lie. That is why you can trust in God’s promises and be confident that they will come to pass – ‘Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise’ (Hebrews 10:23 NLT).

So, get hold of and stand on God’s promises until you see their fulfilment in your own personal life.

• Depending and relying on The Holy Spirit must be your strength.

There is a big difference between God’s strength and human strength, and you will never make it by depending on your own strength alone. The Lord is the one who will stand with you and strengthen you as you seek to live by the instructions in the Divine Manual. The reality is that we can get disappointed by each other, but never by God as His desire is for us to be successful in everything we do. It’s why God wants you to know that once you invite Him into your lives, he will come to reside within you by His Holy Spirit and will be there to help you in whatever situation you will face. Of course, if you allow Him to guide you, lead you and direct you through His Divine Manual then you can experience a successful life, even when challenges come your way.

• Loving God and each other must be your priority

Loving God should be our first priority. ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you’ (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).

Putting God first means that we keep the greatest commandment: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’ (Matthew 22:37 NIV). In other words, we are to totally invest ourselves in our relationship with God. Everything we have and everything we are must be devoted to Him; we should hold nothing back.

Loving each other should be our second priority. This second priority according to Jesus is to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 23:39 NIV). What does it look like to love other in this manner? Well, this is fairly simple: it means to consider and treat others with the same care and concern as you have for yourself.

Therefore, my challenge to all of us is to be diligent, to get the priorities of our own life into proper order if they are not so already, and then to remain vigilant to make sure they stay in the proper order.

Our flesh, the world, as well as the Enemy of our souls wants our selfish desires to always be at work to divert us away from God’s commands. That is part of the reason it is so important to be actively involved in the body of Christ in a local church, so that other believers can keep us encouraged and accountable even as you do the same for them.

Another important factor is that it should be our trade mark as disciples of Jesus. Here is what Jesus said in John 13:35: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

So, in conclusion: remember!

– Your FOUNDATION must be reading and applying the Divine Manual

– Your PLAN must be seeking and fulfilling God’s purposes

– Your CONFIDENCE must be in trusting and standing on God’s promises from His Divine Manual

– Your STRENGTH must be in depending and relying totally on the Holy Spirit

– Your PRIORITY must be loving God and each other

If the Bible is the best-selling book of all time, having sold around 5 billion copies to date, and is also the most translated book in human history, why is our world in such a mess today?

Well, some years ago I stopped calling the Bible ‘the Bible’. WHY? Because I found that some use it as an ornament that gathers dust – it may look good but it never gets opened. Therefore, I decided to call it the ‘Divine Manual’.

But first, let’s understand the purpose of a manual and it will help you to see the reason behind my change – a manual provides instructions or guidelines on how to perform an activity and serves as a reference book for the activity.

A manual not only helps users get started but also assists them with ongoing problems they might face. It usually contains step-by-step instructions and ‘how-to’ instructions which can help users tackle any situation that might arise with the product.

Reading the manual will reduce mistakes and improve efficiency for the user; in other words, the manual will inform the users about how to use the product safely and warn them of any potential danger of its misuse. Therefore, it helps users to be alert.

We are living in days where people are saying that to have a successful life is becoming an impossibility. Well, let me tell you that although life can be challenging, the reality is that if you follow and apply the Divine Manual then you can surely succeed. So let me introduce you to THE DIVINE MANUAL, which is the BIBLE, which is definitely going to help you to succeed in your life.

Over the next couple of weeks, let’s look at five keys from the Divine Manual to guarantee you a successful life. This week, let’s look at the first 2:

1. Reading and Applying the Divine Manual has to be your life foundation 

First, imparting its knowledge and second, putting it into practice. Doing what the Divine Manual tells you must be your foundation – ‘ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it’ (Isaiah 55:11 ESV). We are called to do God’s Word – the manual has not been given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives. Many study the Divine Manual, ‘the Word of God’, but never put it into practice – ‘don’t deceive yourself by listening only to the word but do it’ (see James 1:25 NIV). Therefore, the first foundation for a successful life is practicing what we have learnt out of the Divine Manual.

‘Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do’ (Joshua 1:8-9 NLT).

So, make sure you put into practice what you learn out of the DIVINE MANUAL.

• Seeking and fulfilling God’s purposes must be your plan. 

Yes, doing what the Manual says must be your life’s foundation; but more importantly, fulfilling God’s purposes must be your life plan. ‘Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails’ (Proverbs 19:21 NIV). I’m sure you have many plans but let me tell you, ‘no one ever plans to fail but sadly many fail to plan’. Make sure that your plans are in line with God’s purpose. To prevail is to succeed, to triumph is to be victorious and that is the desire of God for your life and everyone’s life. Personally, I can categorically tell you that a verse of the manual that helps is Isaiah 55:8-9 and in fact it should be the core verse for everyone who wants to succeed: ‘you must put your complete trust in God because His ways and plans are always better than our own and to trust that everything included in His plan is for a greater good’ (see Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV). Also, my advice is to do what King David did: he ‘served God’s purpose in his own generation’ (Acts 13:36 NIV).

Therefore, make God’s purpose your plan.

So, if you want to succeed make sure that your life foundation becomes reading, meditating and applying what you’ve learned from the Divine Manual; and that seeking and fulfilling God’s purposes becomes your plan. 

It’s Fathers’ Day this weekend and I have been reflecting on the story of the Prodigal Son.

In Luke 15, it says the son, although living in a wealthy home, decided to break free from the family he had been raised with. He wanted his inheritance early so he could explore the world for himself.

He went to his father and asked for what was owed to him, not realising that by exploring the world on his own, he was removing himself from his foundation, from the source of everything that was good in his life.

Over time, the son ran out of money and found himself WANTING TO EAT pig food to survive. However, despite making a terrible mess of his life, he was still the son of a very wealthy man. He had walked away and made very bad choices, but his father still loved him.

The son decided to go home and ask if he could be a servant in his father’s home to repay his debt. However, God’s Word tells us that when the father saw his son, he ran to him and embraced him. You see, no matter what the son had done, he was still a son. No matter what he did, he would always be the son of a very influential man.

We can take many thoughts from this story, but I started to think about the nature of fatherhood and how we can rely on our Heavenly Father, no matter what we go through in life.

I am a father and a grandfather, and as a dad, I am part of the foundation of my family. It is my job to bear the burdens and responsibilities of my family as well as enjoy the many blessings. Some years ago, I wrote an acrostic of the word ‘Father’, which has helped to remind me of what a Father looks like and what our Heavenly Father longs to do for us.

Our Father is…

Faithful: ‘It is because of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lamentations 3:23)

Although grown up with families of their own, my kids expect me to be faithful. I am committed to being faithful to them and our family, and in the same way, we can trust God to be faithful to us. Just like the story of the prodigal son, He is faithful to us, even when we are not faithful to Him.

Able: ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’. (Ephesians 3:20)

When my children were younger, I was aware that they hung on to every word I said. It is the same with our Heavenly Father; we can hang on to every word He says because He is able to do more than we can ever imagine or think.

Trustworthy: ‘No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.’ (Psalms 89:34)

In the same way that my children expected me to be faithful, they knew also that I was trustworthy. Although I did not always get things right, they could always trust me. It is the same with God – we CAN trust Him.

Hope in Hopelessness: ‘Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.’  (Isaiah 40:31)

Even after the death of our son, Jamie, we discovered that God gave us hope in the middle of a hopeless situation. We don’t always get the good outcome that we hope for, but even in a very broken world, there is still hope. This is the hope our Father gives us – He came to die for us to give us the gift of hope.

Everlasting: ‘…I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee.’ (Jeremiah 31:3)

God is also everlasting, and His presence is with us wherever we go and whatever we do. As an earthly father, I love my kids with every cell of my being, and over the years, I have worked hard to provide for them. As I have grown older, I have realised that the most precious gift I could give them was my presence – not any fancy gadget. God’s love for us is everlasting, and He wants us to be and live in His presence.

Reliable/Relevant: ‘…for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’ (Heb 13:5); ‘The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand.’ (Psalms 121:5)

As a dad, when my children were younger, I would often get up in the night to check on them. If they were uncovered, I would pull the blankets up and make sure they were sleeping peacefully. The Word says that God watches over us, but (unlike a human father), He never slumbers or sleeps. He is reliable and relevant in every situation.

That is what a picture of our Heavenly Father looks like, and it is a great picture to cling to.

But what if you did not have a good father? I am blessed because my father was a wonderful dad and a Godly man, but for those who did not have that experience, this is where you can learn to love your heavenly Father.

He is the Father to the fatherless! Humans and earthly dads can let us down, but the Creator of the universe calls himself ‘Abba’ meaning ‘Daddy’. We can go to Him at any time; He is our sustainer and He can lift our heads high with hope. He knows when we feel alone or unloved, and even in death, He remains the resurrection and the life.

Even if your experience of fatherhood has been flawed, there is a great, heavenly Father who will always care for us, no matter what we go through.

He is the perfect example of Fatherhood, and He is available to us all.

As we are approaching Good Friday, the day on which Christians annually observe the commemoration of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, my question is ‘Why is it called GOOD FRIDAY?’ What is good about crucifying a man? Well, first it is important to understand that it was not just any kind of man: the man’s name was Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrated at Christmas, only a few weeks ago. In the Bible we read that Jesus, as His very name tells us, came to save the people from their sin. In fact that terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and His victory over death and sin, leading to the celebration of Easter. It is the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations, and that is because WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life, and if that is not good news, what is?

There is also an important factor in this good news. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, God’s Word tells us that we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God and that no one is righteous, not even one. And because of that, ALL were condemned to a doomed eternity. But praise God that The Heavenly Father sent His only Son to become our substitute, that through Him ALL who believe and accept Him as their Lord and personal Saviour will not only experience life but life to the full.

So today as we approach Good Friday, let’s focus on the power of the blood of Jesus and THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 7 PLACES THAT JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US:

1. He shed His blood through HIS SWEAT – It was in the garden of Gethsemane as we read in Luke 22:44 that ‘being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.’ What took place was a battle of the mind, for it was there that Jesus won back our willpower as He declared ‘Not my will but yours!’ So as you may find yourselves battling against the lies of the enemy, intentionally activate your will and declare in whatever situation you may find yourselves in ‘Not my will but yours, Lord!‘

2. He shed His blood through HIS FACE – Isaiah 50:4 tells us ‘His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would barely know he was a man.’ They savagely punched Him, kicked Him, they pulled His beard out. Just imagine, His face was battered, He could hardly be identified nevermind recognised, and He suffered all this so that we may be given a new identity to be called sons and daughters of the living God. Your identity is not in your professional status, your bank balance, your social status, but in Christ Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

3. He shed His blood through HIS HEAD – John 19:2 tells us ‘And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him.’ Jesus’ crown of thorns acquired back our affluence. Imagine the blood pouring as they pressed that crown of thorns on His head, all that for the cleansing, renewing of the mind and to set us free from any depressive thoughts, mental breakdown, wrong thinking. Paul says we can ‘take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Our greatest battle ground is between our ears! Thank you Jesus that through your blood we can ‘take captive every thought and be victorious.’

4. He shed His blood through HIS BACK and THE BRUISING of His body – Mathew 27:26 tells us ‘Pilate ordered that Jesus be beaten with a whip of leather straps embedded with metal.’ Also God’s Word tells us not only by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5) but according to 1 Peter 2:24 ‘by His stripes we were healed.’ Jesus’ bleeding back gives us access to our healing. If you are afflicted by sicknesses and diseases, today according to His Word BE HEALED IN JESUS NAME. Because of all the beatings that He endured, He was bruised and suffered internal bleeding. Isa 53:5 ‘He was bruised for our iniquities.’ This also tells us that Jesus shed His blood for all our inner hurts. So if you are hurting emotionally, with hurts that cannot be seen by the human eye, be encouraged. Jesus saw them and took care of it by shedding His blood for the healing of your inner hurts.

5. He shed His blood through the piercing of HIS HANDS – The account in Psalm 22:16 tells us that ‘They have pierced my hands and my feet.’ This was a prophecy indicating the manner of Jesus’s crucifixion: that He would be nailed to a cross (John 20:25). This signifies that whatever we put our hand to, through our service, our ministry, our workplace, we can experience victorious breakthrough. So if you are struggling in whatever you seek to do, claim your victory now!

6. He shed His blood through the piercing of HIS FEET – Psalm 22:16 tells us that not only did they pierce His hands but also His feet. Signifying that Jesus gives us back dominion over the places we walk upon. I love the promise that God gave Joshua (Chap. 1:3) ‘Every place where on the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours.’ And that is a promise to hold on to, even for us today.

7. He shed His blood through the piercing of HIS SIDE – John 19:34 highlights that ‘One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.’ Well, the fact that blood and water flowed from His side symbolises that Jesus died from a broken heart, not only His body was broken but His very heart was broken for us ALL. As His Word declares in Psalm 147:3, ‘He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.’ So today if you are experiencing a broken relationship or grieving for a loved one, know with certainty that He can and wants to heal your broken heart. Why? Because His blood was also shed for your broken heart.

So as GOOD FRIDAY approaches, let’s spend quality time to reflect on the fact that Jesus gave Himself for ALL humanity. Through the shedding of His blood, we can be made WHOLE, meaning we can experience not just a partial salvation but our COMPLETE SALVATION, allowing us to enjoy fullness of life and victorious living. All this because after GOOD FRIDAY COMES EASTER SUNDAY where we’ll celebrate the power of His resurrection.

Last week was a very troubled week for our nation when, after just 45 days, we saw another Prime Minister resign. At the time of writing, it is expected that we will have a new Prime Minister within the next day or so!

In many respects, all of these changes remind me of the verse in Mark 3:25: ‘a house divided against itself cannot stand.’ This verse speaks very clearly that success can only come by having a spirit of unity (this is also expressed in Psalm 133.) It would be so easy for all of us as Christians to spend our time debating the big ‘HOW’. How did we get in this situation? But I believe it is better to unite in prayer for the following:

• For calm in this chaotic situation. 

• For unity. Pray for the right person to bring unity in the party and the country — that they would have a real heart to serve the people of the nation rather than to fulfil their own personal ambitions. 

• For mobilisation. Pray for the church to rise up and mobilise herself to do what 1 Timothy 2:1 urges us to do: ‘I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.’

• For wisdom. Pray for wisdom for our governments as they discuss and debate what happens next —that they choose responses which are inspired by God and not necessarily their own intuition.

• For peace. Pray through scriptures such as Philippians 4:6: ‘Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

Let us always go to God’s Word for our answers. His Word (John 1:5) says that the darkness in the world will get darker, but that darkness will never extinguish light. In fact, it says that light (His light) will continue to shine brighter, and the darkness CANNOT overcome it. That is where we get our strength and hope.

So let’s intentionally pray with passion for our great nation. Pray that God’s in-extinguishable light will shine ever brighter in the middle of the darkness that we see and the chaotic season that we find ourselves in.

We all have been impacted by the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Although The Queen lived to a good age of 96 years, scripture tell us that life is very short compared with eternity. James 4:14 says, ‘Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.’

A vapour is a fine mist like fog. It quickly burns away when the sun comes up. It has no substance and leaves nothing behind. Comparing our lives to a vapour illustrates how brief our days are on this earth.

David said: ‘The days of our lives are seventy years, or even eighty if we have strength; yet their span is but toil and trouble. Our years are soon gone, and we fly away’ (Psalm 90:10).

Even if we manage to increase the span to 90 or 100 or beyond, the principle is the same. Our lives in this world are like a vapour. Appearing for a little while and then vanishing. So how can we make our life count? 

Here are some principles to help us make sure that we reach our full potential:

1. Discover your purpose in God. Purpose is defined as the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. Success, for me, is purpose-fulfilled. Purpose is what gives meaning to life. Too many people in this world today live without purpose, but we are all created with a purpose and for a purpose. We are here not by mistake but by divine design and appointment. If we are to be truly successful, we must discover our purpose and fulfil it. An apple seed is not successful until it becomes a tree and has fruit on it. My advice is that everyone needs to find what they were born for.

2. Find the plan of God. A plan is defined as a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something – an intention or decision about what one is going to do. We don’t get to decide God’s purpose for us; instead, we discover it. However, He has a unique plan for each one of us – remember that God’s desire for all of us is to experience not just life but abundant life, and He wants us to get the plan. So let’s intentionally seek God’s plan by spending time in His presence and asking Him for His plan, and He will reveal it to us through His Word (where we’ll discover that His plan is already blessed.) 

3. Execute the God-given plan. Once you discover His purpose for your life and know God’s plan, then you need to execute the plan. Some have discovered their purpose and have the plan, but they are not willing to execute it because they feel it does not fulfil their personal ambitions/aspirations. Never forget that our potential is only limited by what we believe we cannot do. However, God believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. He not only promises to be with us as we execute the plan but He also gives us the tools to fulfil it. Remember, we have access to the power of The Holy Spirit, the power of His Word, and the power of His Name. Also, we are protected by the power of His blood. So let’s reach our full potential by discovering our purpose in God, find out the blessed plan of God for our lives, and make sure that we execute the plan to the letter and experience the fullness of life.

Lastly, in reflecting on the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II, we can truly say that she not only discovered God’s purpose and plan for her life but executed it faithfully. Here is what she said at her 21st birthday speech to the nations: ‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.’ Well, by God’s grace, she surely executed and fulfilled that promise right to the end. What an example to us all. May God give us all the grace to fulfil what we have individually been called to do in the most effective and faithful way!

In a time of war, the Lord is still the stronghold of our lives.

Once again, our newspapers are filled with ‘wars and rumours of wars’, and if you are anything like me, you too might be feeling the strain of a new crisis, right on the heels of the last crisis! As believers, how should we respond when all around us is bad news, when our newspapers declare ‘the end is nigh’, or when, once again, we are surrounded by fear and anxiety. Well, I always go back to the ‘divine instruction manual’ – God’s Word – for that is where we’ll find comfort and strength. God’s Word is the only anchor in desperate times, and it is the one thing that we can ALWAYS rely on. God’s Word never changes, and it contains all we need for hope, comfort, healing, wisdom, and guidance.

Jesus told us in Matthew 24:6 that we will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but we should not be alarmed, for the end is not yet.

But also in Psalm 27, we are reminded that when darkness is all around us, ‘the Lord is MY light and MY salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will NOT fear, though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.’

And as we stand on the truth of God’s Word, how can we pray?  

 First let’s unite our prayers for the…

• Safety and protection for those seeking shelter in Ukraine.
• Provision for those fleeing.
• Guidance, direction, and divine opportunities for church leaders and Christians in Ukraine.
• Wisdom for the Ukrainian government and global leaders.
• Peace and resolution quickly.

But also, let’s pray for Russia, for…

• All those who are feeling anxious and afraid.
• The many churches across Russia.
• Russia’s leaders, for hearts to be turned back to God.

And here in the UK, let’s pray for unity not division, for peace not fear, and for heavenly wisdom.

Today, if you are fearful, grieving, or broken, let the truth of God’s Word sink into your heart, and be reminded that He is our source of light, He is our healer, He is our restorer, and He is the one who brings peace even in the middle of fear, panic, and uncertainty.

However you are feeling today, remember that God is STILL God. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and our hearts and prayers today are with everyone who is broken, lost, and feels as though their lives have been shattered. The cry of our hearts must be ‘Lord God, heal our world!’