Read with me, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Matthew 6:7-8

He is a giver, period. He is good, no doubt about it. He is constant, faithful, and compassionate. Why do we then struggle to see prayers answered? Does the problem lie in how we pray, infrequency of our prayers, or frequency of our faults?  If it is true that He has already provided, that He has a willing heart and able hand, an arm long enough to reach into the deepest despair, then maybe the way we look at Him could affect our faith.

At the beginning of this year I felt God pressing upon my heart the need for intentional prayer. ‘Intentional’ insists on being present and thoughtful when praying, not merely asking for things or reciting rhetoric that has been repeated ad nauseam. “Why the emphasis on prayer,” I asked. He reminded me the importance and efficacy of sincere prayer has become lost in the pursuit of praying right, the act having lost its deep meaning in the quest to find the words that will move God on our behalf. Value lost to the anticipation of looking good.  We don’t receive, because we don’t ask in faith, we eloquently demand in impatience. The church is infected with a lack of identity, because we fail to recognise who God is. Failing to know Him results in lack of knowing how He works. Faith moves Him, not your well versed rectifications. If we don’t fully know God, we will not fully know ourselves. As you find more of Him, you realise more who you are and what truly holds value in your life. I felt this year God is calling us once again to learn to pray, to understand that prayer is a conversation. A conversation is dual sided, and often times preclude self-satisfactory results. Prayer is not an opportunity to beg and plead, to appease God just enough. We often approach prayer with a mindset that says, “Ok, that method didn’t yield results. Let me try saying it like this instead.” Praying is not a weapon to force results, but an opportunity to lean into His arms, build a relationship and hear His side of the story, too.

Provision as answer to prayer shouldn’t be regarded as mystical or mysterious, tenuous, mostly unattainable. It is tangible. Like His love, it speaks loud. Provision is often times contingent on community. God’s heart is to build His church. This is represented by a network of people doing what is honest and holy. I truly believe if we all live our His love, the body will see the provision it longs for in all areas. He is the one who equips the saints, but the saints need to go and do.  Provision sprouts from community. Provision is an outstretched arm, an open hand, an exposed and vulnerable heart.  What prayer and provision are not is invocations done in secret to compel others to give to our cause. It is not magic or manipulation. It is real, and it is an extension of good theology, not bad. If we are convinced we need to persuade Him to provide for us, hinting at others, that’s a very transparent reflection of our belief systems. It says we believe we move Him by hints, we believe we convince Him by manipulation, without our interferences He would not recognise our need.

He knows what you need, before you even ask. Therefore, ask. ASK, and listen for the response. He is enough. He is sufficient. He is WILLING. Understand this today, think on this, and meditate until it becomes part of your knowing, He is willing! He is willing. He is willing. You do not have to perform prayerful acrobatics to impress Him. His arm desires no twisting. You pray now, knowing He loves you. You pray to spend time with Him. Let your prayerlife transform from you-centred to God-centred. Pray desiring to know His heart about the situation, let Him weigh in on the options and solutions. Co-labour with Him instead of coming up with prayers that will secure your preferred outcomes. Let prayer be about hearing His voice, learning His heart, and adopting it as your frame of reference.

Read with me, “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.” Zephaniah 3:15

We live in a world where visual stimulation takes prevalence. We are bombarded with optical input, our processes firing away at sorting visual information most time of the day.

What we ultimately look at matters. What we see is important. What we view carries a weighty significance.  What we focus on is a valid contributor to our state of mind.

Are you looking? What do you see? Are you seeing well? Are you seeing only what is in front of you? Caught up in the limitations of physical matter and circumstances?


“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

We cannot hope in the things we can’t see. While we can’t see the things, we look to Him who initiates our faith. Faith entails a divine exchange of my perspective for His, what I can physically see for what I can’t. Yes, this makes outrageously little sense to our senses. We hope for what we can’t see. Because He enables us to indeed, see. We look to Him, we hope in Him, we taste and see; He is good. Psalm 34:8

What we see matters. When we fail to adopt His perspective, our own intuition and interpretations will fill the gap. If you neglect asking His opinion, the world will offer myriad alternatives. Opinions shout loud, experiences talk. We adopt views due our own experiential knowledge, and often times these experiences shape our view of God, and resultantly the way we see ourselves.  As in the account of Jeremiah, today I want to ask you, what do you see? There was a precipice of breakthrough dependent on whether Jeremiah was able to see what God had put on display. For many of us standing in our callings will require a change of perspective. The call has been made, now make it sure. Spend time in the word, listen for His word, and see that He is good. Let evil speaking, the anticipation of disappointed not be found in your midst. See the evil, no more. Consecrate Christ in your heart, and ascribe to Him the honor that is due Him by fixing your gaze on Him. Look to Him, and be saved. Do not succumb to the despondency offered by circumstances that seem immune to change. The catalyst here is how you see Him. Look on Him. See evil no more. We cannot wait to see breakthrough before we believe. Hope is alive because He who we can’t see is alive.


Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
John 20:29


I pray you may have your vision restored, today. I pray the eyes of your understanding be enlightened in the glory of His Son. I pray you will taste and see. See and know. Know He is God. Know He is good, know He is for you. Understand His plans for you are for prosperity. I pray you see Him there; dying a death that brings restored life- A happening that invigorates vision and restores your hope.

Read with me, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
II Corinthians 1:21-22

The anointing has many functions. It is enough, whatever you need. The anointing is for our wellbeing. We can utilise it when in need, physically and emotionally. It is the anointing that breaks the yoke over our lives, and brings peace to our hearts. When we are in need of answers, the anointing serves as a source of truth and information. We can lean into the well-times words the Spirit speaks and experience unbounded freedoms. We lay hands on the sick and the anointing functions to bring about healing. The anointing consecrates and sets us apart; it is the mark on you that says you belong to the Most High. It is the brand of consecration on your life.  It helps us, it guides us, and it leads us.

But you belong. The Holy One anointed you, and you all know it. I haven’t been writing this to tell you something you don’t know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth doesn’t breed lies. 1 John 2:20

The anointing binds us, linking us together in Christ. We are of a body, incorporated in anointing, unified by faith, and bound as one with bonds of peace. But this does not negate the reality that we find ourselves as odds with each other now and then. There is a rest that comes from understanding that often times during conflicts it is the anointing brings the peace we desire. Understanding that the Spirit of God brings us answers and solutions makes conflict something we don’t have to fear. We would do well to minister to each other when offended, usher in anointed responses, offering sound truths and advice. The anointing operates when we need it. It operates when we need it most.  In times where our offences demand a pound of flesh, the anointing offers the option of peace that transcends our limited carnal understanding.

While we are joined together, the Spirit also operates, is willing and able. Set as a seal on our hearts, the Spirit guarantees us victory and efficiency against the oppression against us. The Spirit is the aid we need in order to live peacefully. When we are in conflict with others, the Holy Spirit offers us peace and solutions. Why? Because with the Spirit comes an amazing capacity. You are now consecrated and made new, no longer restricted by your own lack of skills, no more limited by your lack of vision. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things. We can ask when we lack wisdom, and He freely and willingly provides in all the areas we have need.

The anointing is the balm we need in conflicts. It is the power to do what the flesh can’t, for both you and the other person. It delivers us from our own limitations and filters. In the anointing, we are free. Allow the anointing to minister to your heart, the truth of how loved you are. Be free from the oppression of opinions.

The anointing is enough.

Read with me, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21


Every instance I take captive opposing thoughts I gain life. Every moment surrendered is a moment fully alive. Every time I give up my own opinion, I gain clarity. The Scriptures have an uncanny tendency to steer us in a direction opposite to the fulfilment of our wants. There is an emphasis on the denying of opinions and thoughts, on satisfying the self-indulgent whims so notoriously common for the carnal mind.

If to live is Christ, then to live is not self. Sometimes we feel more relevant when we fulfil a specific want, but it does not follow that we are consequently living fuller lives. You are only truly alive when you are fully living your purpose. You will only fully live your purpose when you have abandoned yourself to His will and Kingdom. This is the irony of it, it is a concept that seems divergent and illogical. To be more, you have to be less. To do more, you have to do less. In truth, to be more in the Kingdom, you do need to do less of what you want to do, specifically impulsively. To do more of what is significant, you need to deem your own wants less important.

To die to self is gain. If you want to be more in the Kingdom, let go of your agendas. It is the illogical maths of the Kingdom that makes perfect sense and offers an immaculate solution- less of me, more of Him.  With less awareness of self comes an intimate knowledge of the Power available to us through death. The more we seek Him, the more we find, and the more fulfilled we are for it. Living for Him yields the empowerment to accomplish great feats. With Him you can move a mountain, traverse highest walls, and in victory send armies fleeing. That sounds like a pretty fulfilling and significant life to me.

There is a marked difference between fulfilment and significance of self.  When we are all important in our eyes and elevation happens, we improve only ourselves. But when we surrender our hearts and minds to further His work, we elevate nations, families, also entire groups of people.

Greatness starts when we allow Him to be God. Significance is accompanied by surrender. He loves a yielded heart. Awareness of His power made available to you is what sets you up to live a fulfilled life. Do not become a slave to your own wants, enslaved by the desires of your carnal mind. Be free from the chains of self-gratification. Hold on for a fulfilled Christ life. Let His truth reign in your mind.

Read with me, “in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”  Colossians 1:22-23

You were made good. You were made enough. He did a good job on you. Does it do your heart well to hear this? Does introspection make you uncomfortable? When you look inside, do you hear only accusations?

Truth is sometimes offensive. Specifically, truth is often times abrasive to our preconceived ideas. There is often so many opinions about ourselves we hold dear. When faced with His thoughts, our minds tend to conjure up a myriad of past actions to support the evidence of our insufficiency. His truth aggravates our flesh, because it speaks opposite of the carnal reasoning. Circumstances will argue with His truth, because we are often left with the consequences of our actions and believe these have influence over His heart towards us. Your persistent need to do and be affirmed will testify that you are undeserving. This mindset sets you approaching at a deficit. When you arm yourself with an earning mindset, you set up yourself to fail according to your own standards, ultimately.

So give it over. Have a different thought. It is God’s goodness that leads to repentance. Knowing and remembering He is good is a very effective weapon against despondency. Did you do bad, He is still Good. Did you do wrong, He is still good.

The methodology behind change involves three things; believe, confess and do. You believe His goodness, confess your desire to change, and profess His sovereignty. This leads to freedom.  Freedom to live, change and be is contingent on love. Love is inherently freeing. Love is persistently forgiving. Love is permanent. He isn’t going anywhere, even when you mess up. While the flesh inherently pursues death and chaos, the love of God leads us in the way of life, everlasting. He is inviting you to walk in freedom and peace that the mind will struggle to understand. Your flesh will argue. Your carnal mind might feel tricked, because His love is unbelievable, His peace greater than our capacity to grasp. It cannot be worked out in your mind. This being the very reason you can’t work for it; you can’t figure out how to deserve it with your functional thinking.

Your bill of deficits was nailed to the cross. You, your list of inferiorities, your unmet potentials, and your idiosyncrasies were all nailed to the cross. So, let the lies of the enemy have no place to take hold. Give him no place to hook your heart.  Live very keenly aware of how you see Him. Be intentional with your perceptions of His heart. On a Monday, expect to see Him do good things. Wake up and believe today will be good, that His arm is still not too short to reach you.

Your thoughts are reflected in your expectations. Anticipate Him, the true nature of His heart, to come through for you. Let your eyes mirror the hope of His glory. Shine in the darkness. Hold on to the promise of His words to you. Believe. Believe He is enough. The price He paid was enough. He views you as redeemed. He sees you as sanctified. He knows you as belonging. He calls you blameless. He presents you as above reproach. Believe it. Confess it.

Put your hand on your heart today, and say this with me. Put intention behind believing His words today…
“You are a good God. You is for me. I have been sanctified. I am made righteous. You have paid the ultimate price; I no longer need to indulge any mental torment for my mistakes and shortcoming. I feel you present, ready and able to assist me.  You are all present. You are all knowing. You are wise. You love. You are for me.”

Read with me, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:4-5

Today, I want to remind us of the call on our lives. A call to come up higher. An unction to strive, again. A command to stand, still. The hard part of this journey is the fact that more often than not we will not be validated. On the contrary, it is imperative to remember that we are promised opposition. Unfortunately, much of modern preaching would have you believe you are on the right track when favor and open doors smooths every path in front of you.

He is not indebted to you, and owes you nothing for your good diligences.  In fact, you are forever at a loss if we are going to keep score of who did enough of whatever for whomever, whenever. He still wins.  The day you gave your life to Christ, you were promised and given eternal life and freedom. That was also the moment you accepted the greatest responsibility, the great commission of living worthy of the call. The call on your life is not to have favor displayed in front of 1000’s. You are unfortunately not His prized display of goodness. Christ crucified is. Your accountability is towards Him, towards the choice you made in dedicating yourself to Him. You have made your own opinion void by accepting His mind. You are now responsible not for  how you present yourself to Him, but for the fact that you indeed do offer yourself as a sacrifice.



In imperfect circumstances
During loud lies
Volatile emotions
Controversial opinions….

Do not be afraid of their faces. You are responsible for speaking the message He has given you, regardless of the integrity of the listeners.  You are responsible for doing the work you are called to regardless of it being witnessed or not. He expects you to uphold your love and intention, towards His kingdom, voice and call. He expects you to honor the day you dedicated your heart to Him. To honor the witness of the Holy Spirit that testifies of your belonging.

When no one is looking, pray. When no one is listening, praise. When friends fail to acknowledge the call, worship. When they disown you, love. When they neglect you, serve. When the road winds unforgiving, yield. When the storm rages, speak. When the burden bears down, kneel. When you forget your why, read the word. When you forget to hope, talk to Him. Do not be afraid of their faces. Look at His face, have this mind in you that He is worthy always.

Unity has never denoted uniformity, rather a singleness of mind. If my husband and I have different discipline styles, we are not divided, rather the fact that we both have a common end goal, testifies to our unity. We have a single aim, namely to discipline our children and ourselves. As long as discipline is taking place the methods he and I employ, respectively, have no bearing on the state of our union. The same is true for unity in the church; we have a common goal. Unity in the body is found not in our similarities, but in our similar goals, not in our uniform looks, but in the uniformity of our purpose, not in the fact that our doctrines measure equal line for line, but in the belief in the Word and its inherent value.

In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Jews and Greeks were baptized into one body, also the slave and the free. Can you imagine with me, after being grafted into the Vine that is Christ, that every one of those Jews and Greek were now anodyne people, dull and without opinion, having instantly lost all the colloquialisms and eccentricities afforded them by their respective cultures? Of course not! Being baptized into the same Body did not uniformly alter them beyond distinction. If our brand of unity demands someone deny themselves to within an inch of death, we have merely demanded agreement with our views. In Church we will always encounter people with view and opinions different to our own, and the greatest unknown truth to realise here is that we can still have unity, regardless. 

The aim is to come into accord with Christ, in love. Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (see also Philippians 4:2).  -‘ by being of the same mind, having the same love.‘ It is not possible to have unity without love. It is not possible to have true unity without accordance with Christ. “May God . . . grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:5.  When unity demands compliance at the cost of the person’s peace and conviction, it is not unity, but a militant regime.

Unity is a neutral concept, denoting neither moral nor unmoral implications. What assigns virtue to unity would be the motive. If you and I assemble all our friends, we all sit around a fire and badmouth all the men in our lives, we are in fact in unity. Are we not being Godly for attaining unity? Not necessarily. Are we not powerful for aligning ourselves with a common purpose? Indeed. There is tremendous power in unity, unmatched actually, if the Tower of Babel is any measure to track by. What makes our unity in the Kingdom significant is the ultimate goal of uniting in love. Being bound together in love is what makes us effective ministers, it is love that compels our hearts to seek out the gold in others, and it is love that drives our feet to spread the good news to the lost. Being united in Him is the hallmark of His love for us. We have been baptized into Him, accepted into His Kingdom, incorporated into His family, and grafted into His very person. His being testifies of union. His word encourages sameness of heart and mind. His spirit empowers us to be bound to one another, carry each other’s burdens, and by His power lead each other closer to His good heart. Unity is secured as we take hands that do not resemble our own, listening to opinions that devalue our own, and having patience with the soldier next to me who can’t shoot the enemy to save his life. We secure ourselves as one as we seek, in various ways, His heart and presence. Study, show yourself approved, work out your own salvation, and do not neglect to get together and unite hearts and minds with those who both uplift and challenge you.

Read with me, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it, and is safe” Proverbs 18:10

*Translated into the original Hebrew, this verse says that the honor of the Lord is a loud pulpit. The name of Jesus is literally very loudly calling out for you to be safe

There is a place of rest and safety that can only be found in Him. When we are faced with various trials and dire circumstances, our go-to is Him. In His name is the safe haven our hearts need for surety. In Him we are safe. In the running we find our security. In the approach we find our safety.  There is something so profoundly beautiful that happens to us when we start believing in Jesus, when we proclaim His name as sovereign. Even more when we start accessing the power that comes from believing in Him. Almost too beautiful to comprehend, He comes and transforms us completely. A shift takes place; we are transformed from ordinary to extra ordinary, translated from despair to eternal hope, displaced from darkness into a kingdom of secure trust.  Upon believing in His great name, a transcendent exchange takes place; lies for truth, chaos for security, and valiant boldness instead of fear.

Our redemption is found in believing Jesus. In His name is the power to be made free and alive. When our beliefs are skewed, we struggle to hope in His name. His name is all sufficient.  When you proclaim His name, you proclaim power, redemption, belonging, freedom, anointing, and healing. Trusting in His name makes you a Son. John 1:12 but as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. When we confess His name, He takes residence in our hearts and makes us His dwelling. (1 John 4:13-15)He becomes part of us and we in turn assume His likeness and character. This makes you belong to His kingdom; part of His family. You BELONG!   When we believe on His beautiful name and trust in His name, we rest in knowing He is who He says He is, that is when we bear fruit consistently. In His name is the power to accomplish everything we set out to. In His name is the empowerment to become whole and fully alive. We become steadfast when we fully trust and rest in His name. When we trust we consistently bear fruit without the signs of failing or faltering. (Jeremiah 17:7)

Right now, in my community and circle of friends, people are tired and despondent. There is a prevalence of hopelessness among the women specifically. The mommies and wives are tired. They just don’t have the courage or hope to believe in God. Like faith is a work, like faith is an effort. Like Christianity is burdensome. I have experienced this myself, and hear people say “Christianity does not work”, “My faith does not work”, “My faith does not accomplish what other people’s faith does”, “I believe in God, but He is not for me.”  Today I want to tell you that it is the enemy that came to steal from you. He stole from you by disturbing your peace, destroying your beliefs, and killing your personhood. The enemy has sowed chaos in your thoughts, deceiving you into thinking you are worthless and inadequate, that you cannot accomplish the tasks in front of your, that your efforts are inferior. There are so many lies voicing their opinions on our efforts, there are so many voices vying for our attention. John 5:44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Please read that again.There is a constant battle between where we believe we should be and where we are in our lives, mainly because we compare our accomplishments with those of others. We feel the need to validate our callings by having certain credentials.  The gap leaves us in despair, and the despair renders us hopeless, and hopelessness makes us inactive. Again I want to stress that if this is what you believe about yourself, if this is the standard you have set for your capacity, then today I want to challenge your beliefs. I want to challenge you to start assessing whether the things you think and say measure up to the truth of God. Philippians  4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

V9 – What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Whenever you find yourself having negative thoughts know that there is grace in Christ, Run to Him; be safe. When you find yourself entertaining a lie and being condemned, run to Him. IN Christ is both grace and truth, run to Him and think on the truth of His word, meditate on it and embrace it, and proclaim it.  The solution to pride and condemnation, inferiority and deception is in believing in the name of Jesus. His name is strong and all sufficient, in His name is the power we need to overcome. Believing on His name saves you from inadequacy and places you into a new family of acceptance, fulfillment, sufficiency, ability and empowerment. Believing on His name makes you adequate and predisposes you to success and fills you with a good nature so you can accomplish that which fills you with purpose.

Proverbs 18:10 the name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. When we turn to Jesus as our refuge, we become shielded from the lies of the enemy. The voices shouting out that we are inferior and inadequate are quieted, and the turmoil in our hearts stills. Translated into the original Hebrew, this verse says that the honor of the Lord is a loud pulpit. Not the honor we seek from one another, don’t let that speak to you. The name of Jesus is literally very loudly calling out for you to be safe, His honor is ardently beckoning you to come to Him and be saved from the lies that haunt you. God’s intention is not for you to be tormented to the point of yielding to His will, He is a good Father, and His very essence is pursuing you to make you His, His very name calls out to you so you can inhabit the rest He has prepared for you. The moment you believe and proclaim the name of Jesus, you are the righteous one running to this strong and mighty tower of refuge. He is our place of refuge, He is our place of safety, and He is our hiding place. There is no condemnation for those who belong to and are in Christ.

Read with me, “Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!”  2 Corinthians 6:11-13

God is a good Father. Life is good. But sometimes circumstances overwhelm us, and we find ourselves doubting and full of questions. Tyrannical demands on our time, increased demand on our performance, lack of finances, conflict within relationships, sinking businesses, and many other daily circumstances can lead to self-doubt, and God doubt, causing us to question His existence and consequently our own purpose. How often have you felt incarcerated by the unrealistic demands others have put on you to be or do something specific? Undue pressure can cause unwanted stress, resulting in an overburdened heart unable to cope. When we fail to do what we are called to, the result is usually a heart heavy burdened.

In much the same way, religious thinking has placed many undue burdens on people, causing a mass exodus of churchgoers. Holy living has been conflated by rigid religious beliefs. Religious thinking says don’t do this, look less like that, don’t say this, don’t eat, don’t drink, don’t think, be less, do more, but only more of what you’re told.  Holiness does not equal a demand for more work or effort on your part. On the contrary, living life in Christ affords us peace and rest. I have often heard people say that Christian living is restrictive. Religion is, for sure. But being alive in Christ is freeing.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Galatians 5:1-2  Paul understood that when we work to deserve our freedom, we make Christ of no value. When working and slaving away becomes the epitome of our faith, we live a life of restrictions and paint God as tyrannical master. He is anything but. He is a Father inviting you today to do life alongside Him, free to live. Much of what we don’t do, or do, is a result of our world view. If we view fleshly indulgences as a way of living free, we fail to realize that those actions do have consequences. Sin has an impact on our lives; consequences will impact our quality of life. But a life in Christ is expansive if you will allow your heart to be free regardless of what your flesh demands. Free to do as you please is indeed not freedom, but slavery to sin. This is a narrow minded way of living. If you live only for gaining material things, and enjoying things that make your flesh comfortable, you live small. There is a way of living that translates into eternity, casting relevance to generations to come. Legacies are formed in the faith you display at Jesus’ feet.  Many are the lies we tell ourselves in the name of self-preservation.  Let go of your need for significance, and live significantly.

Do not place you heart under undue pressure by demanding of yourself to be perfect, or to do as much of the opposite as you can to prove you are free. Place your trust in the finished work of Christ, and be free to live. You do not need to abstain to the point of dying; you just need to know Christ and love on Him. There is an organic freedom cultivated when we spend time with Him, this is where the incessant need to performs usually dies. Sitting at His feet is usually where your need for recognition fades and every effort you have taken to work well seem irrelevant in the great scope of His acceptance. Your answer, just as Mary did, is to sit with Him, regardless of the hustle around you. Do not conflate holiness with business. Let the life you are given be a vast field of righteous opportunity to love on Him, dedicating your moments to His feet, serving Him with a heart that lets stand that which can wait another moment. Because He is worthy, and life is worth living.

Read with me, “The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24

May we just make it about Him, today? Can we just marinate in this knowing right now that He is? He is a rewarder. He is a brother, a friend, a constant. Remember what He has done. We should not be looking to what could have happened, but keep our perspective on what has happened. He provided. Already. He has provided life and opportunity. He is good. He is faithful. He is tenderhearted and merciful. He has provided for your questions, for your needs, your doubts and your fears. When the questions arise and you find your heart asking what if, just sit with Him, and know Him.

Though we have been commanded to not fear, even in our scares He says He wil never leave us. Having fear and doubt doesn’t drive Him away. Even though you might feel afraid, He isn’t scared. You are not more holy when you have gone 208 days without incident of fear as opposed  to fearing in the moment. But lean into the truth of His heart for you, and rest in His dependability to act on your behalf.

He remains innocent of hate and prejudice, unable to deny His own heart of love. He is for you. He is here, now. Trust that He has you in the palm of His hand today.

Think on what He has already done for you;   was there a time you prayed and trusted and saw the fruition of that? Remember His goodness. Call to mind His faithfulness. Just let Jesus be Himself today. Ascribe to Him glory and honor. Honor Him by trusting that He is who He says He is, honor Him by believing He will do what He said He will do, and take Him at His word.

He says, I have planned hope for you, a future, I love you, I have called you, you are mine, fear not, stand and watch the enemy fall, I am willing and able to come to your aid. Rely, trust, rest, hope.

This is who He is – dependable.