Bible Study 2025
THURSDAY 19th JUNE 2025
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Today as we continue with sessions on “Resilience’’, the focus is :
"Emotional Resilience : When You Are Overwhelmed"
Icebreaker : What brings you energy and what takes or saps energy from you ?
If you are into some physical sport activity or you like to entertain people,
what aspects have you jumping around with excitement and which parts have you dragging your feet to participate ?
Some people love to listen as people talk through their problem with them.
But listening, loving AND the talking can take a lot of energy.
Perhaps there is a need for a little of both - so that they compliment each other.
How can you can tell when someone is in a good place emotionally ?
When there is balance; our emotions do better when they are balanced.
Being overwhelmed or having emotional overload can bring imbalance.
We, limited human beings, are vulnerable to exhaustion, suffering and feelings of being overwhelmed.
>How can we manage feelings or regulate emotions ? Two ways we can build our emotional resilience are :
1: To Build Emotional Resilience - Spend time with God daily.
Love Him and let Him love you back with His abounding grace.
Read Mark 12:28-31
We are made up of many parts ,namely ‘heart, soul, mind and strength.’
We are made to first love God with these parts that God created in us. And then love our neighbour.
Jesus gives the double-love command : Love God, then love people.
What happens when we focus on loving God who is limitless first ?
The Spirit works in us - we cannot manufacture this all-consuming love in our fallen nature.
The Spirit brings peace as we intentionally love God with our entire being.
Living in the fullness of His love equips and empowers us to selflessly love others.
Life can be exciting. But God is the One Who can truly meet our deepest needs. We need to spend time with Him.
“Spending time with God” can be energising/refreshing for us.
It builds our resilience so that we can bounce back or adapt when faced with adversities and disappointments in life.
This kind of love implants itself in the fabric of our being. So when hard times comes, it remains.
How can we do this ?
Meditating on His Word, in worship, the Lord’s Supper, gaining spiritual encouragement with other followers of Jesus, etc.
It’s in the “being’’ and stillness with God that we break away from all the energy-giving and energy-taking of this world
to be with Jesus and His Word.
Does ‘being’ with God, stillness with God or loving God solve all our problems or even the the world’s problems ?
No.
Spending time with God in this way brings the peace that God gives.
And our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths thrive in God’s gift of peace when we are overwhelmed
or when the world is swirling all around us.
2 :To Build Emotional Resilience -
Spend time with God especially when life is 'too much' and emotions are overloaded
Read Psalm 116
This psalm is intimate and deeply personal. Observe some of the ‘emotion’ words/ actions in this Psalm.
It begins by the psalmist declaring his profound love for the Lord.
What are some other key feelings/emotions captured here ? :
Love and gratitude - God is attentive to the psalmist’s suffering (Verse 1)
Distress and despair - fear of death, overwhelming grief (Verse 3)
Peace and comfort - inner calm, reminder that God’s goodness is enough (Verse 7)
Trust and faith - a willingness to believe even in suffering. This shows emotional resilience (Verse 10)
Humility, awe and devotion - the psalmist is overwhelmed by God’s generosity and wants to respond to grace (Verses 12-14)
Praise and celebration - the psalmist commits to praising the Lord as he moves from ‘sorrow to song’ (Verses 18-19).
Emotional overload happens when life presents to you from a million directions.
Examples are like when there is conflict/war in the world, relationship problems, and disappointments you experience,
as in this Psalm.
It can also happen when things are going well.
You are so busy you don’t take time to rest in the Lord.
It’s too much !
God is never far off. Yet in overwhelming scenarios, sometimes it is hard to see Him at work.
In those times, you have to remind yourself that Jesus is our Great High Priest Who understands.
He has been there (Hebrews 12:1-3).
>God cares about your emotions, no matter what they look like.
Offer your emotions to God because He is with you in this.
We are limited people created by a limitless God Who loves us.
He is with us in every high and low.
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THURSDAY 12TH JUNE 2025
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We are continuing with Bible Study sessions on ‘Resilience.'
RESILIENCE/RESILIENCY is the quality or capacity to come back from a struggle with renewed hope,
life, and a greater ability to respond to future stressors.
It is a gift of God - the way He created us.
Resilience is also built inside of us through life’s challenges and hope in Jesus’ finished work on the Cross.
We have to remember always that Jesus is the foundation. He ran with endurance to the Cross and Resurrection,
so that we can run this race of life. He is cheering us on as we do so.
Icebreaker : what film or book character comes to your mind when you think or talk about resilience ?
‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ is based on a true story. This film follows the struggles of single father Christopher Gardner. Financial crisis, homelessness, and abandonment by his wife don’t stop Gardner from being a loving parent,
or following his dream of being a successful stockbroker.
Today we are discussing "Shame Resilience : When Grace Seems Far Away"
READ GENESIS CHAPTER 3 : deals with the fall of man into sin and sin’s companion shame.
Adam and Eve had no shame in all their work and relationships before the serpent entered the story.
Chapter 2:25 - the first humans, Adam and Eve are in relationship as God ordained it.
There is a state of innocence characterised by the purity and sinlessness of Adam and Eve.
They are not embarrassed or ashamed ;no guilt. They live in perfect harmony with God and creation. No shame.
How did that change ?
Their work and relationships in the Garden changed completely from what God intended
when the serpent (the devil) brought distance and shame into the Garden.
Sin is introduced as Adam and Eve failed God’s test of obedience.
They decided in their choice that God was wrong and the devil (in the body of a serpent) was right.
What were the consequences of their disobedience to God ?
In two words : Judgement and Grace
JUDGEMENT : Verses 7-13 describe the shame and fear, feelings of separation from God that Adam and Eve experienced.
How does God judge ?
By asking three questions as in verses 9,11,13 to compel confession.
Verses 14-19 describe the penalties God pronounced to all involved in the Fall :
God judges the serpent (V14). God judges Eve (V16). God judges Adam (V19).
Then there is the ‘blame - game.’
Adam points finger to Eve and hints that God is partly responsible too. Eve points finger to the serpent. They all had issues.
Shame turns to blame when we try to avoid looking at our problems/sin and point at others.
How would you define shame ?
The belief that something is so inherently wrong with us that we are not able to receive God’s grace.
Guilt believes "I did something bad, something wrong." We feel guilty for what we did.
Shame internalises this and shame believes “I am bad, I am wrong, dirty.”
We feel ashamed for who we are.
Shame creeps into our lives when we are faced with challenges. Sometimes shame creates challenges.
GRACE : Grace — God’s undeserved favour — really wins because Christ has won the victory over sin and death forever.
How does God show grace to Adam and Eve, and to us ?
In many ways :
God steps into their world.
By asking questions, He helps them to resolve their problems including sin and shame.
Even in the consequences of their action, God provides the Gospel in the middle of it all.
He sends them out of the Garden, but not out of relationship with Him.
The big narrative of God’s salvation plan is in this small narrative of Adam and Eve’s experience.
Three times there is reference to God’s plan of redemption :
Verse 15 - redemption is promised. Satan’s doom will come when Jesus the seed of the woman will overthrow Satan.
Verse 21 - redemption is typified/characterised.
God provided a covering for the shame and nakedness of Adam and his wife with the skin of a slain animal.
It pictures the death of Jesus on the Cross to cover our sins, clothing us in His righteousness.
Verse 22 - redemption is possible. God in His grace and mercy barred Adam and Eve from the Tree of Life.
If they would have partaken of that Tree, they would have had to live forever as sinners.
What a dreadful thing to live in a frail body subject to the ills of life forever.
Read Hebrews 4:14-16
We can draw near freely and boldly to the grace that is available in Jesus
for every sin and every shame so we that we can become resilient in Him.
Jesus made right what Adam made wrong. We are never outside of God’s grace and relationship with Him.
Grace is what makes us resilient because we part of God’s story.
Grace defines who we are in Christ Jesus : “I am forgiven child of God.”
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THURSDAY 5th JUNE 2025
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Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing some study sessions on the topic of ‘Resilience.’
Icebreaker : Can you use the word ‘resilience’ in a sentence ?
What is it ?
RESILIENCY/RESILIENCE - the quality that allows you to bounce back and adapt
when faced with adversities like stress, dark seasons of life, disappointment, and even tragedy.
Picture a stress ball or a memory foam pillow. But we are not stress balls !
How can we ‘bounce back’ or have the capacity to come back from a struggle with renewed hope and strength
and an even greater ability to respond to future stressors ?
Resilience has a lot to do with our emotions, health, relationships, challenges, hope and also God’s promises.
For the Christian, our identity is in Christ.
A Christian can navigate the challenges/struggles in life whilst maintaining our identity in Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Read Hebrews 12:1-3
The Jewish believers who received this book of Hebrews were growing weary and wanted to give up.
Their life of faith was hard, a struggle.
The writer of Hebrews compares their life of faith to a race and pleads with them not to to quit.
Who do you think is resilient ?
There are lots of people here. Some running, some like the heroes of the past cheering the runners on (Chapter 11).
Jesus is our perfect example of enduring faith and He leads the way.
In this race, we are to look to Him — turn our eyes away from other things and giving full attention to Him.
He is our firm ‘foundation of resilience’. We look to Him to access resilience with eyes full of faith, as we move toward eternity.
Resilience is related to the word “endurance,” in Hebrews 12:1-3.
The Greek term for endurance here is what Scripture calls “stand firm.”
What does it mean to endure ?
Endurance is the ability to bear prolonged hardship, determined to keep moving forward at a steady, unyielding pace.
It paints the picture of staying or remaining when something is weighty or hard.
Verse 3: How can we “consider’’ Jesus ?
When we feel we can’t run anymore, life’s pressure is too much, stop and “add up/calculate all that Jesus has endured’’ for us. He endured shame, being beaten beyond recognition. He faced the full wrath of God on the cross for the sins of the world.
Some other Scriptures about staying resilient and standing firm :
Read Exodus 14:12-14
The Israelites feel fearful, confused and helpless.Their comfort and peace are threatened .
Since our lives are defined by Christ, how comforting do you find these words ?
We are called to completely trust, ’stand firm’ and depend on the Lord just like the children of Israel.
Read Ephesians 6:12-15
How imperative is it for us to suit up with the spiritual armour and stand strong ?
Paul reminds us that spiritual warfare is real.
In Christ Jesus, we are not called to find a power in our selves to overcome the battles we face.
Human effort to remain resilient is inadequate.
The power is in the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ who lives in us. That power is invincible - it cannot be overcome !
Ponder : What piece of this armour do you think would be most helpful to you currently ?
For example, stand firm in His Truth or Word, clothe yourself with his righteousness for protection.
Read Psalm 119:13-18
The psalmist actively engages with God’s Word. Observe some of the words he uses : (ESV ) I will "declare," "delight,"
“meditate,” “fix my eyes,” and “not forget,” “open my eyes..” He is asking for insight.
So too we can invite God’s Spirit to illuminate and enlighten our hearts and minds to what He wants us to learn.
He is our Teacher.
>In the hard seasons of life we have the ability to endure and not lose hope.
In fact it’s an opportunity to ‘bounce back’ with a resilient faith as we grow, with new insight and strength.
We become more like Jesus as we grow spiritually.
Read Galatians 5:22-25
Part of experiencing the new freedom in Christ is the necessary transformation from the works of the flesh
to the fruit of the Spirit.
How does this happen ?
It is by God’s Spirit working in our lives that the flavours of the fruit of the Spirit become more evident in our behaviour.
The fruit in your life makes it easy to see who lives in you.
TO WRAP UP :
So where do you most need the Spirit’s help today to grow in grace and become more resilient ?
In what part of your life do you think that God may be building resilience in you currently ?
You matter to God. Resilience is a gift from God .
As resilient people in Jesus Christ (our identity), we stand firm when life is hard.
God is working resilience in us every day as we intentionally choose to turn away from distraction
and have a focused view of God.
Remember, Jesus is enough.
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THURSDAY 29th MAY 2025
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DEVOTIONAL FOR WORSHIP EXPERIENCE : “Do we trust God to be God ?’’
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ISAIAH 26:3-4
“You will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock” (ESV).
The theme of this song of praise is the trustworthiness of God and the peace and joy that comes from dependence upon Him.
A few months ago we had to get someone to replace the guttering at one part of the edge of our roof.
The strong winds made it gradually loose, unstable and not able to stay firmly fixed.
With no real support remaining, one morning we heard a big bang ! It all fell to pieces !
We had to do something about it, because it was risky and unstable.
Looking at our feelings about any situation we face instead of God’s truth can be dangerous ground.
Because we we don’t assess God’s goodness and faithfulness based on how we feel at any given moment.
Feelings are fragile props. Only God’s truth is solid, stable, and unchanging.
Isaiah is looking forward to the end of all things and the new heaven and the new earth. Peace forevermore !
But we are not just promised peace on the other side of eternity.
Isaiah is telling us how we can experience and walk in strength and peace today.
“Perfect peace” in the Hebrew is "shalom, shalom"- it’s an all-embracing, complete peace.
The peace that God gives in Jesus Christ.
The Hebrew word for the phrase “stayed on,” means 'to brace, uphold or support.' This is amazing !
In other words, those with minds fully held, supported by trust in God will be kept in perfect peace (shalom - twice !).
So God by the power of His Spirit is giving us the strength, peace internally to face whatever comes our way externally.
His plans for us are good.
He is moving us toward that day when death will be swallowed up, and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
The thing is do we trust God to be God ?….'the more than enough' God ?
It does not mean our circumstances will feel peaceful. Or hard, painful seasons will suddenly get better.
What it does mean is that our minds can be steadied, braced, or supported with God’s Truth.
So that we are not overwhelmed with negative thoughts of fear, worst-case scenarios
and worries that pull us in different directions emotionally or otherwise.
The challenge for all of us is that we have do something … like when we had the problem with the unstable guttering at home.
We as followers of Jesus, worshippers of the King of Kings need to keep our minds focused on the Lord our Rock.
We have to realise that the LORD is the source of our peace.
We have to establish/fix our minds on the firm foundation of the Lord continuously.
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you ! Trust in the Lord always for the Lord God is the Eternal Rock" (Isaiah 26:3-4, NLT).
There will always be something in life that will rock our world, overwhelm us, or we don’t know how to handle.
Focus on Jesus who is far greater than those somethings. Worship Him. Cry out to Him.
Let His peace flood your soul.
Rest in the Lord !
If you must know, we contacted a workman who recommended replacing the guttering completely
as it was unstable and risky.
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‘FROM OVERPOWERED TO EMPOWERED’
THURSDAY 22nd MAY 2025
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Often the Bible talks in counter-intuitive statements. Different from what is the normal flow.
For example : ‘if you want to gain, you must give up,' ‘if you are weak, then you are strong.'
This can be stuff that can sometimes leave us scratching our heads in confusion.
No one wants to be weak, experience trials, and struggle in life. Right ?
How can we develop an expectant heart, a hopeful heart in the face of weaknesses and difficulties that we experience ?
What does an expectant heart look like ?
How can we move from feeling weak and overpowered by trials to being empowered and hopeful ?
2 CORINTHIANS 12:1-10 (read)
Paul writes to the church in Corinth to explain to them the true nature -
the joys, sufferings and rewards -and humble calling of Christian ministry.
He had the mindset of being content or to take 'delight' in his struggles.
‘Content’- it’s not a word I would use easily to describe myself in weakness and hardship.
It seems impossible and challenging, yet it is possible to have this mindset.
It does not mean Paul was not affected by trials (refer to v.7).
But what changed is that Paul heard this word from the Lord (refer v.9).
He begins to appreciate the good that would come out of these moments of weakness and hardship.
He experiences the power of Christ though a grace that encourages, strengthens, and sustains him.
So Paul did not just react or respond to his circumstances he faced. He had an expectant heart.
>How do we cultivate an expectant heart ?
Paul demonstrated three spiritual practices in his own life that can help us to develop expectant hearts :
1) Shift your gaze from your weakness to God’s power
Paul boasted of things that revealed his weaknesses.
But he did this so that he could point to God, point to what God was doing and could do.
In Scripture, we are instructed to remember what God has done.
This practice humbles us and stirs up gratitude to God and His character.
How can you do this ?
Look back at the Cross where we see God’s love and power at its greatest strength, depth, and height.
It is the ultimate illustration of God’s power through weakness.
Look back at specific ways in which God has shown His love and power in your life.
You look at Israel’s history and see that there is really no good reason or explanation
for how they have survived as a people group.
Despite their unfaithfulness, God remained faithful demonstrating His power and favour to them.
Even in our day-to-day weaknesses and challenges we can surrender them to God.
Ask for His help. He has the power so we shift our focus on Him.
Our weakness like Paul’s, becomes a platform for showing God’s power and grace.
So allow Him to speak powerfully into your struggle/weakness.
2 ) Shift your focus from happiness to holiness
The world says, “be happy, live the good life.”
God says “be transformed, live the Christ-centred life.”
God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness. His desire is for us to be more like Jesus.
When do you think this is more readily achieved ?
Is it when things are going right for us ?
Like in Paul’s situation, the trials, weaknesses, and suffering that we experience play a major role
in our spiritual growth and transformation.
Read James 1:12 and Romans 5:3-4
Trials/weaknesses move us to holiness. Our weakness pushes us to Christ. Paul realised this.
So we can develop an expectant, hopeful heart as we seek God’s holiness instead of ‘my happiness.’
3) Shift your expectation and embrace the transformation it brings rather than relief
What do we look for when we face trials, setbacks struggles like Paul ?
We have to be intentional of focusing on the work that God is accomplishing in us and through us.
Read verses 7-9
Look for God’s hand at work.
How was God changing Paul ?
Ask yourself what area do I need to grow in ?
Is God working on that weak area right now ?
Invite God into the process.
Read verse 9 b- “that Christ’s power will work through me.”
Paul understood God’s sustaining grace and the fact that it threw him back onto greater, humble dependence on the Lord.
Or as in Isaiah 30:15 (the Lord) says, “in quietness and in confident trust shall be your strength.”
This kind of perspective or mindset that Paul had changed the way he faced weaknesses and insults (as in verse 10).
He makes a counter-intuitive statement that
"the more I am aware of my own weakness, the more I can depend on His strength."
It helps us to realise we don’t have to try harder to be self-sufficient.
Rather that "His grace is always sufficient to meet your need."
In this passage Paul is grateful for his weakness. It seems God is quite fond of using weak people - unlikely people.
Then He gets the Glory for the good that comes from our frail and faulty efforts.
Not us. We are just on display for His Glory !
To Wrap-up :
Remembering God’s faithfulness in the past can help us keep moving forward with hope
in whatever areas we struggle right now.
Where have you seen God ’s power show up in the midst of weakness before ?
How can this give you hope today ?
Allow God to speak in your weakness today … to fill you with His grace and strength.
That we will remind ourselves that our ability is not based on what we can do.
Rather our ability and strength come from God Who does all things well.
Take all our insufficiencies to the All-Sufficient One.
Lean into His power and become strong, only in His power !
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THURSDAY 15th MAY 2025
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‘LIVING IN GOD’S FAMILY’
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When you hear the word ‘family’ or talk about ‘our family’, what kind of thoughts or feelings do you have ?
The word ‘family’ can evoke a lot of different emotions and feelings.
These can range from warm and fuzzy or tender feelings on one side.
One the other end, the word ‘family ‘ can trigger feelings that are hard, filled with dysfunction, trauma, and struggle.
How does God define His family ?
If you have trusted Jesus as Saviour, you know the power of redemption and the gift of salvation,
then you are part of God’s family. You are no longer outside of the family of God.
You are part of Jesus’ family because you know what it is like to be forgiven by God, received,
and to be adopted into the Father’s amazing family.
READ MATTHEW 12:46-50
Jesus continues to teach the crowds about His Kingdom. And there is this moment that He talks about His family.
As we unpack these verses, we see three things that Jesus identifies and defines as “This is My family” :
1- If you are in Jesus’ family, you are always in close proximity to Him
Verses 46-47 : if you are walking with Jesus, you are within speaking distance of Him.
Here, it is physical speaking distance as Jesus talks to the crowd.
The people are listening to Him, they can literally hear His voice.
For us today, how does that proximity look like ?
It is a spiritual proximity where we can hear Him speak to us and we can talk to Him.
Read John 10:27-28
Jesus is saying, “Those who hear Me are Mine.” They submit to the Shepherd’s words. They know the Shepherd personally. Jesus’ sheep live by His words. There is spiritual intimacy .
And the reward in the end far outweighs the cost of obedience now to what He says.
We are related to Jesus not by blood but by obedience.
2- If you are in Jesus’ family, you receive from His hand
Verses 48-49 : Jesus responds to the person who tells HIM that his mother and brothers wish to speak with Him.
Verse 49 in ESV says ‘And stretching out His hand toward his disciples, (Jesus) said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers and sisters !"
It is like a gesture where Jesus lifts His hands straight out and upward welcoming you into His space.
Perhaps like a parent reaching out their hand to their child, offering a hand of help, comfort and love and their presence.
In this scripture, here is Jesus reaching forward to His disciples, saying, “This is My people … My family.”
Read John 10:29
God’s hand is powerful; greater than the enemy and any who oppose us for being in the family.
Being in His family means that you are secure. God will keep those who belong to Him.
How do we receive from God’s hand ?
By His hand of blessing, His hand of correction, comfort, being with us, by His guidance.
3 - If you are in Jesus’ family, you will obey the Father
Verse 50 : Jesus redefines ‘family’ for Christians.
Those who form His family are God’s obedient people ! And Jesus regards them as his brother, sister, mother.
Membership in God’s spiritual family is evidenced by obedience to Him.
>To Ponder : Is it more important than any other membership or human families ?
We are not to reject natural family.
Jesus’ reply here is emphasising the higher priority of a spiritual and intimate relationship with Him,
if we trust as Him as Saviour and Lord.
The fruit of our faith is that we have chosen to believe and receive His Word and His will for our lives. And we are not alone.
Read John 14:15-17
We have the Holy Spirit, known as the Comforter, Helper or Spirit of truth who will be with us and in us forever.
He is just like Jesus.
This is Jesus’ gift for His disciples to stay connected into the family. He leads us into the will of God.
To wrap up :
The world in which we live pulls us into not wanting to obey God. It is hard, tough world !
Whatever temporary predicaments we face as minor inconveniences in this life in being obedient
cannot compare with the glory that awaits the faithful children in God’s holy family (Romans 8:18).
So by saying “yes” to Jesus and obeying Him — putting His words into practice — we remind ourselves :
We are His; We are in God’s family; we are in His hand; and we are in close proximity to Him.
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THURSDAY 8TH MAY 2025
THURSDAY 1ST MAY 2025
THURSDAY 10th APRIL 2025
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‘THE GRIEF JOURNEY’
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For the Christian, death is never the end of the story.
As we go into this Easter season, we think about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
We can learn to grieve well like Jesus. Jesus gives us a model of how to handle pain, suffering and grief and still be hopeful.
We can learn what to do in the worst days of life by looking at what Jesus did on His worst days of life.
Biblical lament, it is a way to demonstrate sorrow or regret.
When we are hurting because of sorrow, God the Father wants us to receive His comfort.
‘Anticipatory grief’ : symptoms include anger, depression, denial, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
But there is a touch of hope attached to it.
For example, the person who is experiencing terminal illness and suffering may anticipate an end to their suffering.
Those who give care like relatives may imagine a sense of relief from the burden of caregiving.
Read Matthew 26:36-46
The night before Jesus’ death, Jesus takes refuge in the garden of Gethsemane.
He laments before the Father to take the cup of deep sorrow and unique suffering from Him.
Jesus is experiencing symptoms of ’anticipatory grief.’ Yet He commits to the Father’s plan of redemption for us.
Jesus drinks the cup of wrath meant for us and replaces it with His grace.
Read Luke 22:42-46
Jesus dreaded the horror of crucifixion in His humanity and even more bearing His Father’s wrath for our sins.
His Father sends spiritual support. Jesus is comforted by an angel.
In Jesus’ deep distress and anguish to the point of death, Luke, the doctor in this account records Jesus even sweating like drops of blood.
This is a potentially lie-threatening physical response to extreme stress (it’s called hematidrosis).
Some things you can do in dealing with loss and grief as you seek to follow Jesus’ example :
- TURN TO GOD :
Often there is the tendency to turn away from God, when we experience pain and grief.
Read Psalm 22 :1-2
This psalm is a prophetic foretelling of Jesus’ sacrificial death.
Many of the words of this psalm foreshadow the events of Jesus’ crucifixion that are found in the Gospels.
David in his anguish turns to God : ”My God, My God , why have you forsaken Me?….”
Words uttered/quoted by Jesus on the cross (see Matthew 27:46)
- NAME THE GRIEF/SORROW :
David feels forsaken by God. God does not answer. “I find no rest” (Psalm 22:1-2).
How you feel in grief does not match your understanding of God’s goodness and mercy.
Jesus names the horror of death as He prepares for/anticipates it. He does not like it.
He is grieving death which is the result of the fall. Yet He gives way to the Father’s will, not His.
- PRAY AND INVITE OTHERS TO PRAY :
Jesus spends His last moments with His close friends/disciples.
Grief might sometimes numb our prayers so we can ask others to pray too.
Two things Jesus did as Matthew and Luke record :-
1 - Jesus reaches out to His friends with gut-level honesty about His overwhelming feelings.
He gathers His closest friends together and says to them, “I just need you guys to be with Me, stay here.”
This is the Ministry of presence.
2 - Jesus reaches out to His Father, God by kneeling down and praying. His heart is breaking yet He prays to His Father
Read Hebrews 12:2b
Jesus endured the cross. He never lost sight of where He was headed.
Even as He suffered/grieved, He was preparing for Glory.
Death was not the end for Jesus and so for us who believe in Him too.
Grief will give way to glory .
You will never again face the grief or illness or pain.Talking about grief like we do will no longer be necessary !
Yes, we will die.
Oh, what a glorious future awaits us when we do !!
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THURSDAY 3rd APRIL 2025
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‘THE GRIEF JOURNEY’
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As you walk through sorrow and loss, it is our prayer that you will discover that God is able to carry you
through the storm you are facing.
What is the hardest part of grieving you have experienced ?
Example : you know you have to be strong for another yet you are feeling the extreme pain of the loss.
If you fall apart, a few others are going to fall apart too.
Grief and loss allow you to see your greatest convictions, your greatest strengths and weaknesses.
Sorrow and grief are not the end of your story; they are part of it.
Undoubtedly, it changes us. It does not define us, but refines us.
Theses are some realities in the journey of grief.
Many have discovered a greater reality : there is a Love that is unshakeable and a Hope the is indestructible (in Christ Jesus).
GRIEF AND OUR SENSE OF TIME
Sometimes we wish the world around us would stop when we are in grief.
The poem “Stop All the Clocks” by W. H. Auden reflects these feelings. It was used in the film ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’.
The author of Good Grief says about this poem :
“it encapsulates for me the way in which grief affects our experience of time.
When I was grieving, I wanted everything to stop ... for traffic to stop, for music to cease. My loss consumed me.
The sense of everything slowing down when someone we love dies is a common experience … excruciatingly painful.”
In loss and grief, we are to take things slowly.
You may feel that you need to manage everything when facing a loss and sorrow.
If we think too far ahead, your mind can begin to wander about the “what ifs”, so provoking anxiety.
Worrying and anxiousness do not change WHAT we have to face. It changes HOW we face them.
Read Matthew 6:25-34
Jesus encourages us not to worry. In fact, Jesus’ words to His disciples here are a command.
Jesus is saying that whatever concerns/ cares we have, do no let them turn into negative worry.
Do your part in caring for what needs caring for appropriately, but leave the next step to Him.
Worry never meets our needs and aways destroys our peace.
It cannot extend our life span or add anything positive to our lives.
God cares about us. Trust Him ... the ultimate Provider. He gives us grace to face each moment of each day’s trouble.
In the grief process, there is a sense in which we have to learn to manage our time. Otherwise things can get overwhelming.
Read Philippians 4: 4-14
Like Jesus, Paul finishes his letter to the believers in Philippi with a list of commands.
So there must be a way of following the command not to worry.
How can you obey this command without being buried under the weight of your sadness and pain?
You only need to deal with what is in front of you as you grieve your loss.
Walk one step at a time and leave what’s ahead until you actually face it.
Paul encourages the Christians to reflect/focus on what is wholesome and good (verses 8-9).
Perhaps share a photo/memory of the loved one : this is something good to remember.
He then reveals how he has managed his own circumstances (read verses 10-14).
Paul’s conviction is that his peace, strength, hope and well-being are rooted in the presence and power of God.
He discovers that he is able to do everything through trusting the One - Jesus Christ - Who gives strength.
He is depending on God for each moment and step he is taking in his challenges.
Like Paul, you can express your appreciation that others have been willing to come alongside you in your troubles/grief.
Other Christians supported Paul and shared in his distress.
Some days will be harder than others.
You can face each moment, the next breath, by a continual reliance on God’s constant, available grace and mercy.
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THURSDAY 27th MARCH 2025
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‘THE GRIEF JOURNEY’
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We hope that these sessions will create a space where you can share your thoughts on/experiences of grief.
We would like to encourage each other, as we negotiate loss and grief and see what the Bible says about this.
The author of the book ‘Good Grief’ describes grief not only as ‘deep darkness’ but ‘as living with a squatter’ :
“I did not invite, welcome, or allow grief to take up residence in my life.
Grief and loss were not surprise “guests” in my life. They were squatters …thieves.” They arrived uninvited and unwelcomed.
“To me, the presence of grief and loss in my life has felt like coming home to find that someone has moved in while I was away …and I cannot get rid of them. It’s like a violation. Guests leave eventually. Grief doesn’t. It breaks in and stays.”
(Book : ‘Good Grief’).
Some occasions when grief shows up : anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day.
You experience sadness which reminds you the grief is ‘still here’, uninvited.
Death is alien. We were not made for death, but for life. To share in God’s Eternal Life. We see this in the creation account.
Read Genesis 2:4-9
God intends life for us. It comes directly from Him. He has placed in us a desire to be alive, a deep love of life in relationship with Him.
So we treasure life and resist death.
SOME BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO GRIEVE :-
Read Genesis 50:10 —> when Jacob died
The people mourns with great demonstrations of sorrow, loudly and bitterly; according to Egyptian custom.
Joseph observes a seven-day mourning for his father. Another version describes it as a ’solemn memorial service’ (NLT).
Read Deuteronomy 34:7-8 —> when Moses died
The Israelites are facing a future without Moses.
It must have seemed like he would always be there. Moses “their leader” is gone.
Maybe they felt disbelief as they grieved the death of Moses.
Even at 120 years old, he was still bright-eyed with strength…’’fresh or green’’ like a new plant.
The people’s mourning for Moses was thirty days.
Read 2 Samuel 12:16-18 —> when King David’s child died
David is desperate for God to intervene after the death of his first child with Bathsheba.
The loss inflicted by death in this story is devastating .
Even the servants are terrified of telling David the sad news. They know that David has been begging God to let the child live.
He is not glazing over death. He fights it…it is not welcomed. Yet David accepts it when it arrives.
Maybe he is thinking ‘a child going before the parents’… this is the wrong way round’
It’s important to take the time to grieve. It will be different for every mourner. Note the different periods of mourning here.
> Be attentive to time - in each of these passages a certain amount of time was allotted for grieving. A season of grief.
Grief is also directly proportional to your relationships.
For example, a widow whose soul has been ripped apart is going to grieve more intensely for her husband than her friend.
Give yourself grace, as you succumb to the emotions and the highs and lows.
> Decide in your mind that you will give yourself time to grieve. You are thrown into this time of sorrow.
You feel powerless and you have no control over the loss you have experienced.
As you prepare mentally, you are having some measure of control :
“I am going to give space to feel the emotions and do the things I need to ultimately bring me into the place of healing.”
> Grieve in community. Allow others to walk with you through your season of pain and heart-break. Feel the pain together.
There is ministry in presence, "just being there, communicating without communicating."
“A burden shared is a burden lightened”
> In your deep moment of grief, engage spiritually with God as you process grief. Set aside time for God to do work in your life.
Read Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
It’s ok to be vulnerable before God.
This is a powerful reminder that in our deepest pain, God is close.
He is there with arms open wide, extending grace and mercy.
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THURSDAY 20th MARCH 2025
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‘THE GRIEF JOURNEY’
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“Death has descended on my life like darkness. Losing people that I love has felt like stepping into the shadows.
I consider the world to be a darker place without them.’’ (from the book Good Grief.
Some things that grieving people may say : “this feels unreal, I cannot believe this is happening to me”
or “this happens to other people but not to us.”
Read Job 16:16
The Bible character Job, as his life is stripped back and he felt like he had lost everything cries out
“My face is red with weeping, and deep darkness on my eyelids.” Dark shadows circle his eyes.
This image of darkness resting on Job’s eyelids is powerful. The light is gone.
In many ways, death can be a dark place for those in grief.
The impact can be varied :
PHYSICALLY - from appetite, digestion to draining you of energy and lacking desire to exercise. Sleep is interrupted.
Maybe dehydrated due to tears.
Jesus understands physical suffering. He cares as the Great Physician.
Medical attention is advisable to address grief’s physical impact on you.
EMOTIONALLY - a wide range of emotions like sorrow, despair, anger, may be felt/expressed.
A Christian writer said, “and when you catch your breath, take a deep inhale of hope.
Drink deeply the rich words joy that the Scriptures offer you.”
You are not a failure even though you are expressing such emotions.
It’s ok NOT to be ok. You do not need to be ashamed.
SPIRITUALLY - it is ok to ask “why”, especially after a shocking loss.
We take comfort that even Jesus, as He hung on the cross, lamented :
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me ?” (Matthew 27:46).
Perhaps Jesus repeatedly screams with a hoarse, loud voice.
He names the grief that He feels. He was always in the Father’s presence, yet He feels forsaken now.
We may not understand ‘’the why’s.” Yet God in His mercy sustains us.
COMFORTING THOSE WHO GRIEVE - what to do or not do ?
Some tips on what NOT to do/say :
Don’t say:
‘God picks his best flowers first’ - because the child who died was not a flower.
‘The Lord must have needed another angel in heaven’ - do people become angels ? Not right theologically.
‘I know what you are going through my dog just died’ - you don’t know their particular pain.
‘If one person comes to Christ because of the loss of your son, it’s all worth it.’ - God sent His Son to die.
He did not need my son to die for someone to come to Christ.
‘Rejoice your son is in heaven.’—Yes he is in heaven, but I am sad because he is no longer on earth with me.
Don’t ask a mourner if their loved died by suicide, how did they do it,
or what signs did you see that he was planning to commit suicide.
These comments might be well-intentioned because we want to relate to others in grief.
But such a comment may not be appropriate at the time.
Read Proverbs 25:11
“Timely advice (right word at the right time) is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.”
Read Isaiah 50:4 (NLT)
“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary …”
The idea of weariness here is that individuals can feel overwhelmed with life’s burdens and grief.
It shows human frailty and the need for Divine strength and refreshment.
Some tips on what TO do/say :
We may not be able to answer the “why did this happen“ question. We can answer the “who do we turn to?“ question.
To the Lord Whom we know.
If the loved one is a believer, you know where they are. You know, you will see them again.
The loved one who has left you is part of your past and they are part of your future.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) — share their grief.
So you can say it’s ok to cry, even to cry out to God : if they mourn properly, they will heal properly.
The place of tears can become a place of springs, as you discover the sustaining presence of God.
Be a listening ear : Allow the mourner to vent, complain, to feel mad, glad, sad, angry — these are all some core feelings.
Facilitate their grief by being there; don’t let them grief in isolation.
Share a memory of the loved one with those who grieve.
Read Psalm 84: 5-7
The “Valley of Baca” can translate into “valley of tears.”
Knowing that this life isn’t all there is gives courage as you walk through the valley filled with sadness, tears, and pain.
This knowledge makes the valley of tears into a ‘place of springs.’
God will provide the strength by His Spirit in the place of uncertainty, vulnerability, and weakness.
You can go from ’strength to strength’ with the hope that Christ has already done everything needed
to secure our eternal future.
We will be welcomed by God !
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THURSDAY 13th MARCH 2025
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‘THE GRIEF JOURNEY’
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Over the next few weeks we will be spending time discussing the topic of Grief :
What does the Bible say about Grief ? How can we negotiate loss and grief ? How does grief change us ?
There is also the reassuring truth that God is with us each step in the journey of grief.
Our prayer is that in your time of grief or someone you know who is grieving,
that you will discover that God is strong enough to carry you in your time of grief.
What is loss ?
The act of losing possession of someone or something important.
It is inevitable, can be sudden and may present in may forms (like being a victim of crime, some illness, someone dies).
Grief can be defined as deep sadness over a loss; sorrow. It is a feeling or emotional response caused by a significant loss.
Grief is a natural part of the healing process after a loss. God uses this process to bring us into that place of wholeness.
It is good thing.
The pain of the loss brings grief and it is unique to an individual.
The process cannot be rushed — each grieving person responds differently. You cannot ”snap out of it and get with it.”
C.S.Lewis speaks of grief as being like fear, or concussion, or being mildly drunk.
ECCLESIASTES 3:1-11 (read)
These verses give us a representation of different life experiences /rhythms of life. Different season in life.
We like some (like a cool autumn) and we hate some (like a hot summer !) We humans have no control over times and changes.
We are to embrace the changes that come with seasons of life. God has purposed these seasons Sovereignly.
In our lives, there will be seasons of loss and grief.
There will be times when your grief cannot be articulated in words, only tears.
STORY : There was a poem about “loss” carved in stone. It was only three words long.
Two of the words had been scratched out of the rock, with only the word ‘loss’ remaining.
The reason for that ? Sometimes loss can find no words.
“What we need above and beyond everything else, is time.
Time to grieve, to weep. Time to shout. Time to be. Time to be honest, open, and vulnerable…” (from the book ‘Good Grief’).
A part of everyone’s story is sorrow and grief. Losing someone you love is inexplicable.
But it is not the end of your story. No experience is wasted God is using everything you experienced and making it beautiful.
If God purposed it, He can be trusted with it.
ISAIAH 53:3-4 (read from ESV)
Whether grief has blown on you like a hurricane suddenly knocking down houses
or slowly like a steady drop of rain bringing gloom and sadness,
we can take comfort in this truth : The suffering Servant, Jesus knows grief too.
We need to remind ourselves that our Saviour Jesus Christ is acquainted with grief. The facts speak for themselves.
In verses 3 -4 we read words like “despised, forsaken/rejected, acquainted with grief, borne our griefs, carried our sorrows..”
Sometimes all you want to do is wrap yourself in a blanket, maybe read a book - although you are expected to be at work.
Or you might be leading a meeting. As you drag yourself out of bed and get dressed, you may ask yourself :-
“Did the others forget that my wife/husband/child/close friend died a few months ago?”
As you do that, you are becoming a person acquainted with grief.
Jesus not only knows grief, He has also borne our grief for us. He enters our suffering, pain, loss, and grief.
He knows what it is to be broken. He takes our grief and sorrow upon Himself, as if they were His.
He steps into the painful experiences of His people. He carries the people’s burdens of griefs and sorrows.
So in your journey of grief with all its twists and turns, you are united to the Saviour Who is compassionate.
We all may grieve differently - but we still grieve deeply.
PRACTICAL TIP : When a person grieves, it is good to come alongside the person.
Just being present is enough to support them.
You may not necessarily have to use words.
As a fellowship, we are to follow Jesus’ example of carrying another’s burdens.
Paul exhorts us to bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
While we have hope and optimism of a future in Christ,
we must allow the mourner space to address the confusion and uncertainty of their pain.
It is possible that even as they navigate their darkness of grief,
this could be an opportunity for them to have a real encounter with God.
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THURSDAY 6th MARCH 2025
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DEVOTIONAL : “BATTLE PLAN - WORSHIP MORE, WORRY LESS”
JOSHUA 5:13-15 (READ)
Here we read Joshua is on the outskirts of the pagan city of Jericho.
He is about to lead the people of God into the promised land.
He and the Israelites have a battle to face. They have to get past the secure wall/gates of Jericho.
I imagine there is a lot going through Joshua’s mind at this pivotal moment in his life.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a situation ?
If ever someone might feel overwhelmed at a situation totally out of their control, Joshua’s experience facing Jericho was it.
Not only did the wall surrounding Jericho 'look' invincible, there was also the issue
of Israel’s army lacking the proper weapons for tackling such an impressively guarded city.
You can’t pull walls down with spears and arrows !
They needed battering rams and catapults which were not part of their arsenal.
Suddenly the presence of God meets him in that moment.
The scripture says a man stood in front of Joshua with a sword in his hand.
This man is ready for battle.
Perhaps Joshua is seeking reassurance to clear up any doubts in his mind.
Maybe he is not so confident so he asks an honest question :
“Are you for us or for our enemies ?” (Verse 13)
In response to Joshua’s question, the man identifies himself to Joshua as the Captain or Commander of the Lord’s army.
This is no mere human
(Many scholars believe this experience is an encounter with God in human form-theophany, or with Christ - Christophany).
So at this critical moment for Joshua, the Lord who is ultimately in command speaks to Joshua.
Joshua must take orders from the Commander of the army of the Lord.
I wonder what kind of message Joshua was expecting, or even longing for.
Maybe a message detailing war strategies and tactics ?
Verse 15 : Joshua receives a call to worship. He is told to take off his sandals, for the place he is standing is holy
This is an invitation for Joshua to worship the One who is big enough to handle the battle at hand.
Joshua is invited also to worship a loving God Who is able to address any doubts and fears
that may be running through his mind.
And as Joshua removes his sandals, it reminds me of what I need in the face of my own challenges,
and seemingly insurmountable situations : I need to worry less and worship more.
Focus on the One Who is greater than any battle I face.
It is a reminder that :-
when I really want God to show me the bigger picture or the details of my situation,
when I am ruminating over ‘what ifs’ or trying hard to find answers, or
when I am wondering if God is for me …
I need to stop/pause and lift my eyes to the One — as the psalmist says, 'to the Lord from where my help comes,'
and worship Him.
Worship honours God. It gives us Divine perspective for our battles. Worship changes us.
It is easier said than done. So it’s not the first thing we might do when we feel overwhelmed.
Yet as we worship, we remind our anxious and trembling hearts that God is mighty and loving.
We are declaring that God is able and in control.
It helps us refocus, preparing our hearts and minds for whatever out battle looks like
Our responsibility is not try to figure things. The Lord Who is Sovereign is taking charge.
Our responsibility is to bow before Him.
Realise that as you follow God’s lead and His Spirit lives in you, you are always on holy ground.
The Commander-in-Chief, our Lord will lead His people into victory.
So put the battle plan into action : Worship more. Worry less.
Trust the One Who never fails and is always good. God is good at being God !
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THURSDAY 27th FEBRUARY 2025
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DEVOTIONAL: 'OUR GOD SEES, HEARS, AND KNOWS'
THURSDAY 20th FEBRUARY 2025
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BIBLE STUDY TOPIC : ‘HOW TO STEWARD YOUR SEASON OF SUFFERING WELL’.
(Based on verses from Daniel 1 and 2 )
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How can you stay on course when “life as you know it” is disrupted ? How do you respond when life does not go as planned ?
When you find yourself in a hard place, how can you lean wholly on the One Who holds every circumstance in His hands ?
In our dark season of pain and suffering, sometimes we can lack the confidence that God’s power is still at work in our lives.
You need a confidence boost in the Lord.
CONTEXT : Daniel was a Jew who was taken captive along with many other Jews during the Babylonian exile.
Daniel’s life was literally turned upside-down when the Babylonians invaded Israel. In verse 1, Jerusalem was ‘besieged.’
In the Hebrew, this word implies being shut in or confined. It paints a picture of being surrounded on all sides by the enemy.
There is turmoil all around Daniel, yet his life is focused and untroubled.
His heart is settled and at peace in the midst of dire circumstances.
What can we learn from Daniel’s life that can help us steward and manage well seasons of suffering that we experience ?
In Daniel’s life there are noteworthy features that helped him stay on course even after his ‘life as he had once known it’ was disrupted.
Firstly, Daniel PURPOSED to stay obedient
READ CHAPTER 1:8
Daniel chooses obedience and to live purposefully.
He is not allowing his decisions to be dictated by the new culture or by circumstances.
Instead of buckling under pressure, Daniel resolves to live faithfully as a worshipper of the true God.
He is not ‘going with the flow’ in the midst of a people who serve many gods and glorified a pagan culture
instead of the one true God
To eat Babylonian foods was to be Babylonian. It was more than a meal — it was a matter of identity.
How do you think that kind of resolve in Daniel’s life was established ?
Certainly not in one day. Daniel had a habitual practice of surrendering his day to God.
All the “ifs, ands, and buts’’ of life did not change his pattern of behaviour when his city was besieged.
So, too, we can stand firm if our hearts are well-established and confident in Christ Jesus.
When we are suddenly besieged by unexpected circumstances we remain purposeful and so we don’t drift away.
Secondly, Daniel was PRUDENT in his responses
READ CHAPTER 2 :14 and 23
Daniel stewards this season well by the way he responds in the time of crisis.
The well-known executioner Arioch is ready to put all the wise men to death as decreed by the angry King Nebuchadnezzar.
The wise men could not reveal the content of the king’s dream.
How did Daniel respond to the king’s harsh decree ?
With prudence and discretion or wisdom and tact.
The word 'Prudence' here implies having discretion and a full understanding and wise counsel.
He did not respond purely emotionally to this seemingly impossible situation.
He is relying on his faith in God. He knows the Word of the Lord and he lets this guide his responses.
A prudent response can diffuse a really difficult situation (Refer to the Book of Proverbs).
So too for us :
When facing seasons of adversity, we can ask the Holy Spirit to give us wise, right words at the right time
to communicate rather than just ‘reacting’ in the heat of the moment.
Thirdly, Daniel turned to PRAYER…instead of panicking
READ CHAPTER 2:17-18
What action did Daniel take in stewarding this situation ?
Daniel invites his friends to join him in interceding for God’s mercy in their dire situation.
Prayer is Daniel’s first response, not panic. He relies on God’s strength.
Their very lives are at stake. They don’t despair. They put their faith into action through prayer.
Faith in action means confidently ‘praying for’ and ‘patiently waiting’ our Lord’s perfect will and timing.
Like Daniel and his friends, we might be called to walk difficult paths.
Yet we can turn to the great Mystery Revealer and Problem-Solver, Jesus.
When have you faced difficult, daunting or dire circumstances where you needed to put your faith into action ?
(Share your experience)
Be encouraged. Like Daniel, you can press in to prayer instead of giving way to panic.
This helps you to persevere when the storms are raging and you are experiencing your darkest hour.
Fourthly , Daniel PRAISED God
READ CHAPTER 2:19-23
Daniel blesses the ‘God of heaven’ who reveals deep and hidden things and for His gracious mercy He has shown.
God answers their prayers by revealing the king’s secret dream and its interpretation to Daniel.
Note the name “God of heaven” : this surely would bring comfort to the displaced Israelites.
Jerusalem is in ruins, but not the true and living God !!
Daniel acknowledges that God is still on the throne and in control of circumstances, events, kings, and nations.
He adopts a posture of praise to God who is his source of strength.
Daniel acknowledges humbly it was God Who has done these things.
It is God Who reveals to us what we could not possibly know otherwise (vv. 20-23).
How does remembering that God is on the throne change the way you view your struggles and challenges ?
TO WRAP-UP :
So these are four ways to steward your season of suffering well. They all begin with the letter “P” :
Purpose - Daniel purposed to live obediently
Prudent - Daniel was prudent in his responses
Prayer - Daniel prayed instead of panicking
Praise - Daniel praised God, acknowledging God as the source of his strength
In this fallen world, we all experience hard, painful situations. How we steward suffering is a ministry in the Kingdom of God.
We must understand that Jesus takes everything - our past, present, and future and fully redeems it all for His glory.
God brings beauty out of ashes and restores the broken pieces of our lives.
Out of the tests, God gives us a unique testimony that we can share with others
and encourage them with our story of God’s grace.
Be encouraged.
The steadfast love of the Lord gives you the strength to stand firm as you steward your season of suffering.
Wait well.
God is fighting for you !
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THURSDAY 13th FEBRUARY 2025
Changing your perspective, changing your mind
Intro
* In problems, challenges, trauma or even day to day, how do we change our perspective?.
1. Look back...
Maybe David remembered his days as a shepherd, finding grass, providing winter feed, giving shelter, protecting
Making sure they lacked nothing
When we look back we get confidence
"Hey, he's done it before, he can do it again..."
We see the bigger picture
It changes our perspective
2. Look in...
David would take his sheep through the valleys because he know there were rivers and pools and rich vegetation
Note: THE VALLEYS ARE THE BEST WAY TO GET TO HIGHER GROUND
The sheep did not understand but the shepherd knew best
When we look in we get comprehension
"Hey, God is inside me too, I am not alone..."
We see the bigger picture
It changes our perspective
3. Look up...
Maybe David remembered when he went ahead to higher ground and prepared the land, dug out the weeds,
He was preparing the table for his sheep
GOD PREPARES A TABLE FOR HIS SHEEP
and it has exactly what you need
When we look up we get capability
"Hey, I have resources, I am not empty handed"
We see the bigger picture
It changes our perspective
4. Look forward ...
Maybe David remembered coming down from the higher ground towards the sheepfold
David was looking forward because.....NOTHING CAN FOLLOW YOU UNLESS YOU'RE MOVING
Maybe David saw his flock healthy and he saw the ground healthy too. They had eaten the weeds, they had cleaned up the land and left behind healthy ground
THE PRESENCE OF THE SHEPHERD GUARANTEES THE BLESSING OF THE SHEEP
When we look forward we get courage
"Hey I have a hope and a future..."
We see the bigger picture
It changes our perspective
Final thoughts:
Look back it gives you confidence..
We live in a visible world and when we meet Jesus, we wake up to an invisible one.
2 Cor 4 18, 1 Cor 13 12, Eph 6 12.
We operate in the visible world but there is (should that be are, I don't know?) ocean loads of provision in God's world.
1. LOOK BACK
Because when we look back we get CONFIDENCE
V1 The Lord is my SHEPHERD. I LACK NOTHING.
V2 He makes me LIE DOWN in green pastures,
He LEADS ME beside quiet waters
2. LOOK IN
Because when we look in we get COMPREHENSION
V3 He REFRESHES MY SOUL
He GUIDES ME along the right paths for his names sake
V4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will FEAR NO EVIL,
for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they COMFORT ME
3. LOOK UP
Because when we look up we get CAPABILITY
V 5 You prepare A TABLE before me in the presence of my enemies.
You ANOINT MY HEAD with oil;
My cup OVERFLOWS
4. LOOK FORWARD
Because when we look forward we get COURAGE
V6 Surely you goodness and love will FOLLOW ME all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
THURSDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2025
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BIBLE STUDY TOPIC : 'BECOMING A STORM EMBRACER'
Have you ever walked through something so difficult, so terrifying, that you’ve caught yourself asking, “Jesus, where are You?’’
Sometimes when life gets messy, it can feel like our Messiah has gone missing.
How do you make sense of suffering ?
In this fallen world, problems, and struggles are inevitable.
It is in these hard times, we might ask why God is allowing what is happening.
Why would a good God allow so much bad into the lives of His people.
God wants us to lean in to Him, so He can get us through whatever dark and difficult seasons we experience in life.
The storms we face in this life are not without God’s providential care. Storms may surprise us; they never surprise God.
And storms do not get the final say in our lives.
Read from MARK 6:45-52
Context : Jesus had just fed the 5,000 plus people miraculously.
He immediately sends His disciples away, telling them to return to the boat and go ahead of Him.
Jesus then goes to pray to His Father. His whole ministry depended on Him remaining in unity with the Father.
Now, Jesus knows everything. He knew there would be a messy storm, but He sent his disciples into the boat anyway.
I think when we face really hard times we can feel like if Jesus does not see us.
Why would Jesus allow them to go into the boat ?
Three realties of storms we face in this life :
1 - God allows storms
It does not make sense to inflict pain or struggle into our lives in our natural thinking. We can feel betrayed by God.
When Jesus “made the disciples get into the boat,” this means He was literally urging them strongly.
The Greek word used here gives the sense that Jesus pressed them to embark.
Have you ever questioned your trust in Jesus when He sent you into a storm ?
Have you ever asked : is God good when life feels so bad ? The feeling could be one of disillusionment.
I have struggled that storms are allowed when I was being faithful to God.
But we need to understand that storms are part of life.
And that there is comfort in knowing that Jesus already knows about the storm. He is in the storm with you.
Do you think there is a purpose for your storm ?
There is a purpose in the storm - this does not make sense to our worldview of a comfortable life.
Yet it makes sense in a fallen world to know that we have a Sovereign God Who remains in complete control.
2 - God’s timing is simply not our timing in storms
Another reality we can struggle with is this : We want deliverance from the storm immediately, pronto !!
But this passage says Jesus went to pray.
Then Jesus saw the disciples struggling. BUT… it was not until later that He intervened.
Have you ever felt that God is delaying too long while you were in a storm ?
Sometimes it feels really long ! And it can make us battle weary.
When did Jesus walk on the surface of the lake towards them ?
In their darkest hour — During the fourth watch of the night which is between 3a.m. and 6 a.m.
There is a beauty in trusting God’s goodness while you wait.
Read Psalm 27:13-14
While you wait in the storm, God is still at work whether it is through a miracle or giving you the grace to persevere.
He is with you. He wants you to learn more to depend on Him. He want to be your refuge IN the storm.
So when it seems that God is taking too long, it is a good time to remind yourself of your need.
>>Your need : God’s presence in the storm and His purposes for your life rather than the removal of the storm.
3 - Jesus reveals Himself in storms
The disciples are all terrified. They might have lost sight of hope in the storm. But Jesus never loses sight of us.
They are scared, thinking He is a ghost as He “passes by.”
This phrase -“to pass by”(v.48) can be understood as a test of faith for the disciples.
It is similar to God’s “passing by” Moses in Exodus 33:19-22, revealing His glory, magnificence, and His incomparable power.
It invites the disciples to recognise Jesus’ Divine nature and call out to Him in their trouble,
so they don’t miss the miracle in their mess.
Jesus is revealing Himself to His disciples.
It teaches us to embrace the storm as part of God’s plan for us.
Verses 50-51 : What is Jesus’ response to His disciples who cried out in fear, not faith ?
Immediately Jesus speaks reassuringly to them : “Take courage ! It is I ! Don’t be afraid.”
He instills confidence, dispels fear. He reveals who He is … the Great I AM. He is God Himself !
His presence brings peace and calm in the storm as He joins them in the boat.
WRAP-UP :
We would rather avoid storms in life.
But consider that if we avoided a storm, we might just miss an encounter with God and maybe even a miracle.
Verse 52 - it was a long process to bring the disciples into a changed mind-set
that included the supernatural and was not limited by natural thinking.
The disciples had seen Jesus do the miracle of feeding the five thousand with the loaves and fishes.
They were inspired, but their perspective did not change.
They had not applied personally what they had seen and heard of Jesus.
Heart transformation comes when we apply the truth of God - what we have learnt - to our lives.
We see Jesus more clearly.
So when we encounter natural problems, we are to remind ourselves of this truth :
We have a Supernatural God Who is not limited by the laws of nature nor by anything or by anyone.
We are to learn to embrace storms as part of God’s plan and purpose for our lives.
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THURSDAY 30th JANUARY 2025
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‘DEVOTIONAL FOR PRAYER, FASTING AND GREATER INTIMACY WITH JESUS’
As a fellowship we have been engaging in two weeks of seeking God more and drawing closer to Him.
We have been calling out to God. We have been saying ’no’ to the flesh and ‘yes’ to His Spirit as we spend more time with Him.
Here is some spiritual encouragement as we conclude this special time today.
I believe God is ushering us into a new season of spiritual fruitfulness, Christ-likeness and refreshing by His Spirit.
Oh, how we need His Spirit !!
JOEL 2:28-29 (read)
Context :
The prophet Joel paints a dark picture in the first part of this book.
There is pain, struggle and unrepentance in the midst of a plague of locusts.
Every aspect of the lives of God’s people have been disrupted.
The prophet instructs the people to cry out to the only One who can save them.
God promises to hear their cry and restore their land.
This echoes the words God spoke to King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14.
God promises to bless his people IF they humble themselves and seek Him and turn with repentant hearts to God.
In the last half of Joel chapter 2, there is a shift.
The Lord answers that He will restore the relationship with his people and renew their land.
You could just imagine the joy this brings to a people who are weary.
Perhaps they can still smell the ‘stench’ of dead locusts that brought terror and famine.
Nestled within God’s offer of renewal and restoration is yet another promise. God will "pour out" His Spirit on all people.
Read Joel 2:28-29
God’s Spirit - the Holy Spirit is available to everyone regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, or any other variable.
We read of the outworking of this in Acts 2 when the gift of the Holy Spirit came.
"I will pour out My Spirit." This is one of the greatest statements in the Bible.
The letter "I" — speaks of the Sovereignty of God
The word "WILL" — speaks of God’s determination
The words "POUR OUT" —speaks of God’s generosity
The words "MY SPIRIT"— speaks of God’s personality
This is how God ignites kingdom life in us, His people. He pours out His Spirit on them and they are never the same again.
So when God promises to 'pour out' His Spirit, it is more than a trickle.
God releases the floodgates of heaven into our hearts !
This is God doing only what He can do.
This is God coming by the Spirit and indwelling everyone who calls on the name of the Lord —
who worships and prays to Him. (Verse 32).
We simply need to acknowledge our wrongs humbly and turn to God.
Then we become His - where He lives in us and we live in Him by His Spirit.
Ask God to refresh you by His Spirit. Take some God-alone time.
The Holy Spirit empowers us to live our lives like God wants us to live : for His glory and for the good of His people.
“COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME!”
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THURSDAY 23rd JANUARY 2025
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‘DEVOTIONAL FOR PRAYER , FASTING AND GREATER INTIMACY WITH JESUS’
As a fellowship, we are continuing in our two weeks of seeking God and drawing closer to Him.
It is more about what God is filling us with when we decide to give up certain activities to seek Him.
When we make such sacrifices, we are not losing but gaining in many ways.
We are saying ‘no’ to the flesh and ‘yes’ to the Spirit of God
So this is some spiritual encouragement to help us keep focussed during these two weeks. For, it’s all for His Glory.
In his early years as king, Solomon was passionate about God’s people encountering God’s presence
in a heart-transforming way.
In 2 Chronicles 6, Solomon prays.
He believes the temple he built would ultimately open the door for God’s transforming work in the people.
God’s responds to Solomons prayer
READ 2 CHRONICLES 7:12-15
VERSE 14 : The Lord says, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins
and restore (heal) their land.” (NLT )
So God gives three promises/blessings to His people : "I will hear you. I will forgive you. I will heal your land."
But there are conditions God requires from His people :
1 ) WE ARE TO HUMBLE OURSELVES - Humility allows us to let go and look up.
It is the starting point for a great move of God.
Humility recognises how inadequate we are while at the same time declaring that God is All-sufficient.
2) WE ARE TO PRAY AND SEEK GOD - we are to be hungry for God. Seeking involves searching with purpose.
It means desiring His presence more than anything else and going deeper in our relationship with Jesus over these 14 days.
Jesus says when you long for Him — when you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will be completely satisfied.
So the hunger precedes the filling according to Jesus (Matthew 5).
3 ) WE ARE TO TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS - as we turn TO God, we are to turn FROM wicked ways.
God has no interest dwelling with wickedness. Turn from, repent and leave behind the old ways. Change direction !
God responds to our humble hearts, to us seeking Him and to our repentant hearts.
God draws near with compassion to those who turn from sin. He responds to those
who adopt a posture of repentance and humility.
He responds in mercy, forgiveness and healing and restoring.
We need to examine our hearts before God. Ask ourselves questions like
Is my heart looking to God with reverence and awe ?
Or is there something that holds your attention and your affection more than Jesus ?
Am I humbly seeking the Lord with a repentant heart ?
READ SONG OF SONGS 2:15
“You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationship.
For they raid our budding vineyard of love to ruin what I’ve planted within you.
Will you catch them and remove them for me ? We will do it together.” (TPT )
We must be aware of the 'little foxes' that can interfere with our relationship with Jesus.
These could be attitudes that are not Christ-like. Things we might have left unattended like unforgiveness, selfishness, pride, self-sufficiency instead of God-sufficiency.
They are like compromises that are hidden deep in our hearts.
They are areas where we have not yet allowed the victory of Christ to shine into or reign.
They keep the fruit of the Spirit from growing within us.
The only thing I believe that can make a difference is the life-changing power of Jesus Christ in our hearts.
That will happen when we are intentional about seeking God.
When we are so dissatisfied with the status quo or the way things are that we begin to cry out to God for Him to intervene.
God waits for us to bow low before Him, to humble ourselves, to turn away from wicked ways and turn to Him.
He will hear us as we cry out to Him.
He will restore and bring freedom in our lives so we live continuously in Jesus’ victory.
"COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME !"
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THURSDAY 16th JANUARY 2025
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‘DEVOTIONAL FOR PRAYER, FASTING, AND GREATER INTIMACY WITH JESUS’
This is some spiritual encouragement as we begin two weeks of seeking God and drawing closer to Jesus.
The prophet Jeremiah gives the children of Israel news that they are going into Babylonian captivity for 70 years.
Now this would seem like a lifetime of hardship without a lifeline of hope.
READ JEREMIAH 29:10-14
This is what God told His people in the difficult season of their lives.
The Lord assures His people that His thoughts and intentions towards them are fixed and established.
But the people have a responsibility. God reminds them what they must do, as they await the fulfilment of His promises.
What is the part they must play ?
The children of Israel need to call on the Lord. They need to intentionally and wholeheartedly seek Him.
Seeking God would allow us to see God at work more. And we gain His perspective as we start to see more of what He sees.
And so our hearts are willing to trust Him more — so our trust in Him grows as His good plans for us unfold.
Seeking God is more than just emotion. It’s about giving all of our will and energy.
Verse 13 - the Lord says, “You will seek Me and find Me, WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”
It’s about sacrificing the the things I feel compelled to chase, so I can be available to follow God’s clear direction.
It’s more about being so wrapped up in Jesus,
to fall so much in love with Jesus that you don’t want lesser desires of this world.
The point is that God works in partnership with us, as His Kingdom advances.
God never planned to leave His people in captivity in Babylon. He is the God Who restores
Yes, He was disciplining them in love to bring them to repentance, obedience, and restoration.
The prophecies of Jeremiah inspired Daniel (now about 80 years old) to pray and cry out to the Lord.
Israel’s restoration from 70 years of captivity was imminent.
And Daniel entered into a time of humble fasting and prayer, partnering with God to see it happen.
READ DANIEL 9:1-4
Daniel turns to the Lord by seeking Him in prayer and pleas for mercy.
He acts in obedience to seek the Lord as Jeremiah prophesied.
He cries out to the Lord.
He intercedes for his people because of their disobedience. He asks God to forgive as they repent.
In verse 4, Daniel addresses God as “the awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love
with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”
Daniel’s prayer teaches us to draw near to God : to confess our sins humbly, to plead for God’s mercy,
to declare truths and God’s promises and in all of that to seek God’s Glory.
Such a prayer will be answered.
Let’s cry out to Him friends. Let’s seek Him today and over the next 14 days.
And let’s see God bring breakthrough like a dam bursting with God’s favour upon us.
PRAY WITH ME :
“O God, hear the prayers and petitions of your people.
For Your sake, Lord, look with favour on our lives, our fellowship and our community.
Give ear, our God, and hear. We cry out to You.
You see our hearts and the things that are competing with Your holy desires for us.
We want to be a people who bear Your Name.
We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy.
Forgive us, when we have chosen lesser things instead of You.
We repent and turn to You, for You have the words of life.
Lord, listen ! Lord, forgive ! Lord, hear and act ! For Your sake, O God, do not delay.
Intervene and by Your Holy Spirit restore us and birth something new in our hearts .
That we would desire greater intimacy with You. That we would truly be people who bear Your Name and live for Your Glory.”
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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THURSDAY 9th JANUARY 2025
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"HOW TO PREPARE FOR A BETTER YEAR"
Each year is an opportunity for a fresh start.
Actually every day God graciously blesses us with is an opportunity for a new beginning.
The week between Christmas and the New Year helps us to refocus on what God has for us in the coming year.
In a way we get to reset our lives. And in the first few days of the New Year we begin to implement some of our goals/plans.
SOME WAYS THAT COULD HELP US REFOCUS ARE :
1 - Remembering God’s faithfulness
‘Remembering‘ is a very Biblical word. God encourages us to remember His faithfulness.
For example, where did you see God come through for you in 2024 ?
As you look back, how can you recount His mercy and goodness ?
Was there a moment in 2024, where God supernaturally strengthened and comforted you ?
You sensed God’s favour upon you ?
‘Remembering’ strengthens your faith.
You get a sense of confidence that the same God Who has been faithful in the past,
He is going to continue to be faithful in 2025.
READ PSALM 106:9-15
This is an encouraging, yet troubling and sobering passage. God leads His people into the promised land.
He does miraculous things for them. They start with faith and praise. Yet quickly they forget what He had done !
Are we guilty of forgetting what God has done for us in 2024 ?
When we share stories or memories, we are reinforcing in our minds the faithfulness of God … over time.
‘What gets repeated gets remembered.’
So when you sense God’s favour showing up in your life, it is good to share it. You ‘repeat’ it and it gets remembered.
Practical tips to help remember God’s faithfulness :
- keep a journal of those “God moments.”
- keep a ‘Grace jar’ with little reminders written on notecards of where God showed up in your life,
your family, during the year.
2 - Reprioritising your goals/routines
As you move from the chaos of Christmas time into the New Year, there is a realigning that needs to take place.
For example, eating habits at Christmas time can be erratic.
It may not be in alignment with your goal to lose weight or not put on weight.
Can think of another example ?
We have to be intentional about arranging our lives so that it reflects what we prioritise.
Things like :
- My time alone with God and how that impacts in relationships like marriage, work, or social relationships/activities.
- Physical health concerns and prioritising those in any given week.
- Seasons of life have to be taken into account, as you reset your life for the New Year.
Your priorities/goals help you to move towards the trajectory you want your life to go.
Arranging our lives with intentionality reflects what we prioritise.
It reflects what we value and this is evident in our day-to-day, week-to-week rhythms and habits.
READ PSALM 90:12
Moses contemplates the brevity of life and that life has a deadline. He acknowledges that God is eternal in nature.
In humility he asks the Lord to "teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."
We can pray similarly : to remember our days are short and to live wisely,
understanding that the things we do for God’s glory have eternal value.
READ ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8
King Solomon says that seasons or rhythms of life come into our lives.
Every season has hardship and every season has blessing.
A lesson we can learn is that we are to identify the season we are in and embrace the change that comes with it.
That way we can live in whatever season God has appointed us with confidence and purpose.
So be INTENTIONAL about the realignment of godly goals. Think about what is eternally valuable to you.
How is that reflected in the way you spend your time ?
3 - Renewing your mind and recommitting to serve the Lord
It is so easy to get stuck in a rut doing the 'same old habit/routine.' Then we miss the 'new' that our God desires to do.
READ ROMANS 12:1-2
Paul reminds the believers that God has been merciful to them. And he appeals or begs them to respond to God’s mercy.
How? By surrendering yourself to God; to live sacrificially for His purposes.
He also says that you are to stop imitating the ideals/opinions of the culture around you and be inwardly transformed
by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think.
This is the key to a better 2025 : Change the way you think.
New thoughts come from new godly perspectives. New thoughts bring new responses.
So how can we do this ?
Immerse yourself in God’s Word. Seek Him more.
Engage in praying and fasting. This is a way of reminding yourself that you will not be ruled by your flesh.
That you don’t have to make decisions out a lack of self-control.
(Galatians 5:16) You are controlled by the Holy Spirit. So we are to ‘go on walking’ by the Spirit.
It’s a healthy habit spiritually.
The Spirit produces in believers the fruit of self-control.
Let the beginning of this New Year be significant for you. It seems such a natural time for renewal and recommitting.
Invite God’s favour, direction, and blessing on your life.
And let it be a year of spiritual fruitfulness in your life and for His Glory.
To Ponder:
What do you think needs to change in your heart and mind to help you fully release your godly priorities and plans ?
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