Why fast
Fasting is something that is seen throughout the Bible during times of mourning or repentance. This type of fasting was abstinence from work and consuming food for a period of time. But what about other things we are constantly consumed by such as social media.
Phone addict. Check! I pick it up and open it up more times than I can count in a day. It’s a tool when I am stressed, tired, bored, and sometimes upset when someone interrupts me. I even find myself using it in the car (sshh, don’t call the police) and at the grocery store. There could have been many conversations I missed with strangers because I was buried in my phone. I’m quick to share a biblical quote, but do I take enough time to read the quote, feel it or hear God’s voice in it? I find myself scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter so mind-numbingly, that I often do not pay attention to who may have shared a post I’m viewing. It is terrible. It disconnects me from the world around me!
Why am I doing this fast?
– To draw closer to Jesus.
– To take a break from the fake.
How will I approach it?
Firstly, I have let my friends on social media know that I am taking a break. That was easier than I thought!
LOGOUT! Logout of all Social Media platforms!
SCRIPTURE. I will spend a lot more time meditating in God’s word.
PRAYER. Heavenly Father speak clearly to me about what this fast should look like in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.
And finally, REST. This a Social Media Sabbatical. The word Sabbatical is derived from the word Sabbath, which is Hebrew for rest. Our God invites us into His rest so that we might know Him as God.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
We are a distracted, busy, technologically connected generation in desperate need of a good long rest from all the hustle and bustle and the need to constantly keep up with the world. This fast, this rest, is my chance to do just that — to “Be Still”. Fasting from social media may be the most radical “resting away from” I can do in this humming digital age! Time to fast from the incessant distractions, that I might focus on Him, un-distracted!
Day 1 – Rest
What verse spoke to me today?
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
How I responded to God?
Social media is mostly full of jokes, motivational quotes and videos, and posts I think if I read them or watch them or share them, they’ll magically change my life. I find myself often engaging in debates on serious issues and getting quite irritated when the other’s in the debate just refuse to listen to my point of view. I took a walk this morning, a brisk walk at least, only 1 kilometre, but it gave me time to think and reflect on today’s scripture. While I walked, I got thinking about just how busy my day ahead looks. So many meetings and on top of all that, so much work and deadlines to meet. So I quietened my mind, I took a few deep breathes in and out as I walked and I could hear Jesus’s voice in the gentle breeze. I could hear Jesus telling me to listen closely, to be quiet and still, and to turn to Him when I feel overwhelmed and exhausted.
Heavenly Father, I love the invitation You give me in this passage, but sometimes I’m so desperate for it, this is one of those times. I feel like I’ve got seven balls to juggle but I’m only a three-ball juggler. I praise, bless, and adore You for the promise of rest in the middle of the “too-much-ness” and the “madness.” Sometimes I take too much on myself, and nobody’s to blame for that but me. But other times, like now, there’s a convergence of important stuff that demands more energy, mental focus, and time than I have. So today, I readily and gladly cry, “Help me, Jesus!” Grant me rest in the middle of a 24-hour day with 72 hours of demands. Jesus, thank you for Your gentle and humble heart, and Your yoke of grace. Throughout the Gospel’s, You always made time to be alone with your Father, and You always accomplished His will. May it be the same for me. I come to you expectant, fully expecting Your Holy Spirit to give me rest well before my to-do list becomes a “too-late-to-be-now-done list”. It is in Your name, I pray, Amen.
Rest in Jesus!
Day 2 – My help comes from the Lord
What verse spoke to me today?
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.Psalm 121:1-2
How I responded to God?
A quick recap of yesterday. I kept trying to open social media apps on my phone. Lucky me, I had logged out of all of them, so this helped serve as a reminder – DO NOT OPEN.
Knowing how addictive social media can be, knowing there are studies that demonstrate that social media is as addictive as recreational drugs, I knew I could not do this on my own. I was drawn to this passage today because I know I need help through this fast. Help to stay away from social media. Help to strengthen my connection to the Lord, my Maker. He is bigger and stronger than those mountains, His help is boundless, loving, compassionate and understanding. I could not have a better source of help other than that of the Lord. During my walk today, I attained a physical milestone in that I walked further, I reached a spiritual milestone while I spoke to the Lord – He reminded me that Psalm 121 has been made into a beautiful song and I gave a loaf of bread to someone in need. Thank you Lord, that you have used me in this way today!
God, the maker of heaven and earth!
Heavenly Father, I know that I can depend on You. When I’m down or when I’m struggling, I will look upward to You. Instead of relying on myself, I will rely on You. Give me courage, give me strength, and lift me when I fall. Thank You Father God that You are my ever-present help in troubled times and that by the blood of Christ I now have access to Your throne of grace, for mercy – to find help in time of need. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 3 – Protect you heart
What verse spoke to me today?
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23
How I responded to God?
Today as I reflect on scripture, I hear God telling me that the word “guard” in this Proverb is important. It refers to maintaining caring, watching and supporting. Temptations in the world today are very real and easy to fall into. It means I have to take appropriate precautions to avoid temptations. Also what stands out to me is the word “heart”. All that I do represents the condition of my heart, whether something good or not so good. My heart is at the source of good or evil. I must understand how influential my heart is in how I live out my morals and values. The Holy Spirit convicts me! He will bring to realisation that which I do as being right or wrong. It is absolutely essential, therefore, to guard the heart. I did some boxing today for exercise. It nearly killed me. They say being boxing fit you super fit. I’m not super fit. But I enjoyed it. My walk took me the same distance as yesterday.
Your heart and soul are one – so guard them!
Heavenly Father, You’ve taught me to have a heart for You and for my neighbour. Help me to guard the purity of my heart, so that I’m not corrupted by lies or deceived by temptation. I pray that You convict me when I let bad things in my life, so that I keep my heart protected. I want to do Your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 4 – Prayer in the Spirit
What verse spoke to me today?
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18
How I responded to God?
On my walk today, I meditated on this scripture. What does it mean to pray in the Spirit? How does God want me to pray for others. Then it hit me! The first thing God told me was that I am lacking in my prayer life! Boom! Smack! That is a Holy Spirit awakening. Prayer is not part of the armour of God, but it is essential in our daily lives, good and evil. I need to pray more. Praying in the Spirit, to me, means relying on the Holy Spirit not just as my guide and comforter, but as my intercessor as well. Even though I may not deliberately pray, I believe the Holy Spirit interprets my thoughts and feelings in my soul, and translates those to prayer requests to God. This is no excuse though. I need to be keeping an open dialogue with God, through the Spirit, through deliberate prayer! I have to communicate better with God, more with God. So I know Him and I can hear His voice more frequently and with more clarity. Nothing is too big or too small to discuss with the Lord. I must praise God in prayer, pray for my own needs, and also pray for the needs of others.
Prayer will help me stay connected to God.
Heavenly Father, thank you for Your incredible gift of the Holy Spirit who makes my prayers much more than just words. Thank you that I can pray in the Spirit, speaking to You spirit to Spirit, knowing that I am heard and understood and that the Spirit conforms my prayers to Your will. Thank you that such intentional praying brings powerful blessings for those for whom I pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Day 5 – The Lord Reigns
What verse spoke to me today?
1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.
7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!
8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, Lord.
9 For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name. Psalm 97
How I responded to God?
Today I felt I needed to give the Lord honour, glory and praise for who He is. And what better way to do that than through Psalm 97. There are such powerful descriptions of our Lord in this Psalm, that I can only sit back and breathe in His awesome power.
Let it Rain!
Heavenly Father, I want to be holy for You are Holy. Search me, oh Lord, search my heart and destroy all evil, that lives in me, rid me of what breaks Your heart, that I may stand righteous before You. Thank you that You have sealed me by the Holy Spirit and will keep me until the day I see Your face. How I long for that day! To worship You being free from sin! “My thankfulness is to You, Abba Father, You come after me when I walk in darkness and You bring me Your great light. Now I am living in the light by the blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son, who has cleansed me from all sin. How powerful you are that mountains melt before You, fire goes before and consumes Your foes and Your light, lights up the world. Thank You God. May I always remember Your greatness and never ever take You for granted! I ask You Lord, in Your infinite wisdom, to grant me wisdom for each day and to give to me portions of Your grace, even a little is sufficient for me, that I may be steadfast and faithful no matter the circumstances I face. All thanks and remembrance to the Holy God of heaven and earth and in control always! In Jesus Mighty name, Amen
Day 6 – Look up to Jesus
What verse spoke to me today?
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:2
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world John 16:33
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh Ezekiel 36:26
How I responded to God?
Driving to the stores today, one of South Africa’s most loved bands came up on my play list with their song “Turn Me to Stone”. Listening to it, and I was reminded of how easily life’s circumstances can harden your heart.
I have faced many many trials and losses. Not me alone but my family. And I was reminded how those circumstances began turning my heart to stone. My wife lost her dear brother in 2011, we lost our unborn child in 2013, my wife’s Mom passed in 2015 after a battle with cancer and my Mom passed in 2019 also after a battle with cancer. There have also been many other smaller battles I fought in this time. All circumstances that could (and did) hardened my heart. It’s difficult to see God’s hand and will at work in these situations. I would lash out at people for no reason. I went through a very bad depression that I questioned the very existence of God.
I soon realised, after trying to take my own life, that I had reached rock bottom. I believe the Holy Spirit speaks to us in three ways: First He whispers to us – those subtle voices you hear to do something or not to do something. Then He shouts at you, does something that makes you really pay attention. Lastly, He hits you over the head with a plank. I feel I had reached the point of the Holy Spirit hitting me really really hard. I survived my suicide attempt because God has much more planned for me!
Don’t let your heart be hardened!
Heavenly Father, Jesus came and endured the cross for me. Even though I didn’t deserve it, he bled and died to be the sacrifice for my sins. Be with me as I attempt to take up my cross daily. I need to fight temptation, love others wholeheartedly, and give forgiveness to others. I need to love others like you love me. Help me endure and overcome! no matter what I encounter today, you have already defeated it. Give me peace deep in my soul, so that anything that confronts me today doesn’t take my peace, but reassures me that it is something you have overcome! Thank You God that only You can give me a new heart. A heart that can understand Your ways is not made of stone but living and conformed to You. Thank You God that it is not easy to walk according to Your statutes, but Your word oh God helps me understand that Your statutes are good. My human mind moves against these statutes and is rebellious. I pray that You put Your spirit into me so that I may prosper in everything I do and be a testimony of the wonderful joy that is found in You. Give me the strength to walk in Your statutes so that I may not compromise with the things of the world. proclaimed and declared today, I belong to You and that my life moves in coordination with God the Holy Spirit. In Jesus Mighty name, Amen
Day 7 – Praise the Lord
What verse spoke to me today?
1 Praise the Lord.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. Psalm 106:1
How I responded to God?
I am truly blessed in my life. Praise the Lord! He has given me and my wife great jobs! Praise the Lord! We have a beautiful home. Praise the Lord! I am blessed to have a wife who loves me unconditionally. Praise the Lord! Through my toughest battles, God has provided for me, supported me and loved me. Praise the Lord! His love truly does endure forever. Praise the Lord! I have a loving and supportive family. Praise the Lord! I cannot count nor name all the ways the Lord has blessed me. Praise the Lord! Today I just want to shout out to the Lord – Thank You – Praise Your Holy Name!
Thank you Abba Father!
Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your enduring and never ending love, for all that You have blessed me with, for the hardships I have faced as these have helped me build the character and endurance I have today. Thank you that You made it possible for me to love – to love all those around me, but especially to love You. Thank you Abba Father!! In Jesus Mighty name, Amen
Day 8 – Seize the day
What verse spoke to me today?
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5
How I responded to God?
It’s a new day and a new week filled with new opportunities. Elsewhere in Scripture we are told God’s mercies are new every morning! I hear the Father telling me that the way I conduct myself not just publicly towards others, but also privately, must be in such a way that is pleasing to the Lord. I want to make the most of every minute I am alive and I hear the Lord telling me to do so! Also, not just worldly opportunities (although I need the world to do God’s bidding) but also spiritual opportunities. I must remember that today is a day of salvation for many, and that I need to conduct myself wisely, in a godly manner. Make the most of every opportunity I have to share the Good News of the gospel of Christ as I seek to walk in His wisdom and truth so that I may practice living prudently in all my relationships with others. Help me redeem the time and make the most of my opportunities to share the Good News of the gospel of Christ, who so obediently died for our sin and rose again to give us His life – so that we might become children of God. Like Peter boldly stepped out of the boat to walk on water towards Christ; so I want to boldly share the Gospel with others!
Opportunity doesn’t only knock once, it knocks again and again, every day. Seize it!
Heavenly Father, help me to conduct myself as is most effective, with all wisdom and grace in my everyday life and help me to make the most of my opportunities to share about Jesus to those who have not yet heard of His gracious salvation. In Jesus Mighty name, Amen
Day 9 – Overwhelmed
What verse spoke to me today?
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
How I responded to God?
I have a written and a mental oh-so-long to-do list today and every day and these lists do not match! From work deadlines, conference calls, specifications to write, system requirements to gather and things around the home. Let’s just say that I thought about not getting up today, I nearly didn’t. Yes, fans:….
I’m officially overwhelmed today.
I did so many things today but nothing to completion. And my to do lists just grew bigger! I haven’t exercised in 4 days and I genuinely felt so lost and tired. Thankfully I know that God is never overwhelmed. The issues that are so big to me are so tiny to Him! I must not let myself get so overwhelmed. I must wait on the Lord for renewed strength – and I’ll soar above this storm.
Nothing is too big for my God!
Heavenly Father, fountain of all blessings, I come to You to have my strength renewed. I trust You alone to renew my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Grant me the strength to walk the hard, narrow, winding path. Give me the focus to conquer obstacles, to conquer my to do lists, to conquer all that that stands in my way. I know I can’t succeed alone, and I trust You to be at my side. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 10 – Keep it in context
What verse spoke to me today?
20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20
How I responded to God?
So today I have been thinking about Scripture and how it is interpreted. Too often in churches, on mugs and t-shirts and even in application to our daily lives, we take small snippets of Scripture or a verse and apply it to our lives. Whilst this is okay if you find encouragement toward the Father from it, it is not okay if the snippet or verse you use is taken out of context. I think it so important to have the full context of the verse to have a deeper understanding of what you are reading.
Like today’s verse is so often, and probably the most misquoted scripture from the Bible. I’ve heard many churches and Christian’s alike use it in the context of prayer. So in other words, if you interpret it in the context of prayer it means : “Where more are gathered in Jesus name, there He’ll be.” This interpretation leads me to think, okay, so does Jesus give preference to prayers where more than one person is in agreement with what is being prayed for? What if there are more than 3 people, does Jesus not listen? My point is, this verse actually has nothing to do with prayer. It, in fact, has to do with discipline in the church. See what I mean? Just by taking the verse on it’s own, you get a completely distorted meaning.
I encourage you to read Matthew 18: 15-20 and make up your own mind, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to tell you what this passage of Scripture is actually talking about.
This is my interpretation of this passage is that it speaks about Jesus’ instructions for His church on how to be involved in the Father’s correction of His children. The instructions are straightforward and simple in context, but it is important to point out two important aspects of it from the beginning. First, the purpose of discipline is to win the erring brother back. Second, this only escalates due to stubbornness and lack of repentance. The goal is restoration, and note as well that this is to be approached with a humble attitude. The church is not to have some sort of spiritual police force examining others to ensure compliance with the law. The church is to be a community of brothers and sisters that actually love each other and care enough to correct and then bear the burden of helping back up a brother that stumbled. It is to be carried out after self examination because that has the needed reminder of your own weaknesses so that you are both humble in your approach and cautious of stumbling yourself.
Where the interpretation goes wrong is where Jesus adds that He will be in the midst of those making such judgments about those who are caught in sin.
See, it has nothing to do with prayer.
Have the full picture before deciding on how something is intended.
Heavenly Father, I pray that as I spend time in your Word, that you always lead me, by the power of Your Holy Spirit to a true and correct understanding of what You are teaching me and guiding me towards. May it always be in accordance with your will. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 11 – Marriage
What verse spoke to me today?
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:21-28
How I responded to God?
My wife and I have been married for just over 6 years. Some people have a picture of what a marriage should look like, but often, that picture is not a biblical picture. Has our marriage been perfect? Absolutely not. We have had many highs and many lows. But what keeps us united is having Christ at the centre of our marriage. Whenever we run into trouble, whether from an outside problem or a problem we have within the marriage, we discuss the problem, and try as much as possible not to make it a personal attack on each other. Praying together often helps us keep Christ in the centre of our marriage.
The Bible is clear – a man’s duty is to forsake his parents in the sense that he transfers his loyalty from them to his wife. Providing, living with, and caring for his wife must be his first priority in his life over doing the same for his parents. A man must remain with his wife in a willful and lasting way. God’s blueprint is that of a holy covenant between husband and wife. The two become one flesh. This speaks of their exclusive sexual bond, but also speaks of their family relationship. As one flesh, the husband and wife will become family to each other, with all of the legal and relationship rights and privileges that come with being so closely connected. One thing to remember is that, although a man forsakes his parents and gives priority to his wife, this does not mean we should not care for our parents. The bible is clear on this too – we should honour our mother and father and look after them in their old age.
A Christian husband and wife must have an understanding of salvation within their marriage. Wives are commanded to ”submit” to their husbands as they would to Christ, and to show them respect. Husbands are equally obligated to “submit” to their wives – this submission is not one-sided. Husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the church: with humility and sacrifice as if caring for their own bodies. There should be no abusive or unloving behaviour within a marriage.
Being Spiritually joined at the hip, as one flesh, in marriage is such a blessing.
Heavenly Father, I come before You to thank You for all You have done and continue to do in our lives and marriage. I come before You today, God, asking for a stronger bond of unity in our marriage covenant. Father, I ask that you will give us the ability to be a united front for You letting nothing come between us. Help us, Father to identify and work through anything that is not pleasing to You so we can continually reach higher levels of unity in our marriage – spiritually, physically, and mentally. We are thankful and excited to see the work of Your hand as we do our best to seek Your face daily. We love You and thank You for all of these things. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 12 – Focus on Jesus
What verse spoke to me today?
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:28-31
How I responded to God?
Just before my Mom was diagnosed with cancer, my wife resigned from her job because her working environment had become unbearable. It was two months later and my mom was diagnosed with cancer. We immediately recongnised God’s timing in my wife’s resignation was perfect – it opened up the opportunity for my Mom to stay with us for a longer period of time and my wife could stay home and help to look after my Mom. Thank you Jesus for this blessing of time with my Mom. My mom lost the battle with cancer in April 2019, God rest her soul, but she was victorious as her faith in Jesus remained so strong. Her eyes were always on Jesus.
My wife now has the difficulty of finding a new job. Oh how she looked and looked. Close on two years, we prayed and finally, during a difficult time in human history, COVID-19, my wife found what was the perfect job. It was close to home, exactly in her field of expertise and she got on well with the people she worked with. But then, almost exactly one month later, the company she worked for suffered a large financial loss, and they had to let people go. Considering my wife’s short time of service with the company, she was one of those let go. She was so heart-broken and despondent. As was I. I initially reacted with anger. But then, I was quickly reminded of this passage of Scripture, and I reminded her of it too. Notice how Peter is able to walk on the water toward Jesus when he focuses on Jesus, but the moment he focuses on the storm he begins to sink, crying out Jesus to save him.
The same applies to my wife’s unemployed situation again. At first, while she had the job, she was “walking on water”. When she lost her job, her and I both, took our eyes off Jesus and we focused on the problem. But now, that we have refocused on Jesus, my wife has a plan of action, laid on her heart by our Lord, and she is convinced that with the Lord at her side, she will conquer this mountain.
In the face of this giant, I raise a Hallelujah!
Heavenly Father, Almighty and Holy God, give my wife and I courage to believe and to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and not on the problems that seem so large. We believe You long to do great things in our times today. Please use us as vessels in Your service and to Your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 13 – Honouring my Father
What verse spoke to me today?
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old. Proverbs 20:29
How I responded to God?
I have learnt so much from my father growing up as a boy and even in my adult life. I am a gentlemen and chivalry, in my book, is not dead. My father, although he made mistakes, has loved and supported me to the best of his abilities. Now, in his old age and me in my youth (if you consider late 30’s youth), he can rely on me for strength and I can rely on him for wisdom.
My father, also lost his job recently. He was quite disheartened at first. But he, with the Lord’s guidance, has picked himself up and made plans to get back on his feet. He moved in with us and now it’s my turn to look after him in his old age. The Bible tells us to honour our father and our mother. I have always respected and honoured my parents, now I have the opportunity to give back to father and take care of him. He moved in and from day 1 he felt at home. Dad fitted into our routine so easily and he gets along with my wife and father-in-law too. Life is so much happier for him now that he is surrounded by people who love him.
Gray hair is a sign of great wisdom
Heavenly Father, I place my earthly father before You now and I ask that You keep him. He has kept Your word: as a Father, he did not provoke me to anger, but he brought me up in the discipline and instruction of Christ. Lord, I pray that the knowledge, morals, and principles that You led him to instill in me will also guide his life so that he may draw closer to You. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 14 – Keep on doing good
What verse spoke to me today?
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up Galatians 6:9.
How I responded to God?
Salvation comes through sowing or planting in the Spirit. Salvation does not come from doing good works, rather good works come from being saved, from being filled with the Spirit – this prompts and urges you to do good works. Doing good can be hard work, it becomes especially hard if I begin to doubt whether the good work I do actually matters. Sometimes I am impatient. It feels like I do so much good for others, but I continue to reap troublesome circumstances. I must learn to trust God more and never give up on doing good for others. Fully encouraged and feel urged by this verse, I am to keep living in a way that is consistent with what I believe. I am free in Christ, and God’s Spirit is with me. Eventually, the crop of eternal life will come up and I will see it for myself. In a more immediate sense, the good works I am doing in the power of the Spirit will also bear fruit. God will allow me, should He so choose, to see how my investment of myself to do good matters both in this life and in the life to come.
Do not give up!
Heavenly Father, I thank You that I am Your child and I want to press on, in my Christian life, to become more and more like the Lord Jesus – but I know that it will require me to put my hand to the plough and press on with patient endurance – which only comes from You alone. I pray that I may not lose heart or grow weary in doing the good works that You have prepared for me to do, and pray that in due time, I may reap a fruitful reward, In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 15 – Light of the world
What verse spoke to me today?
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
How I responded to God?
Lamps would be lit using wicks made from priestly garments during the Festival of the Tabernacle. Light is a powerful metaphor – it is the ultimate ideal, a representation of salvation, knowledge, and goodness. Jesus to claiming to be the “light of the world” is no small thing; it is a claim of equality with God. In the original Greek texts, this claim is larger than we think – Jesus claims to be the single and only source of “light”. Those who follow Christ, in truth, may stumble into darkness, but they will never perpetually “walk” in it. This, for me, is such a powerful claim from Jesus. A truth I take in faith that even if I am in a difficult place, in the darkness, Jesus’ will always be there to guide me as the light I need.
It is not always dark with Jesus as your light!
Heavenly Father, Even when temptation crosses my path, give me the wisdom and strength to follow You. When my path seems dark, please help me to follow the light. Thank you for being there to guide me. Thank you for never leaving me, In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 16 – Holy Spirit Advocate
What verse spoke to me today?
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26
How I responded to God?
Similar to “Day 10 – Keep it in context” this statement is easily misinterpreted by taking it out of context. Jesus is speaking of the teachings He delivered while on earth in this verse, it is not a guarantee of expertise in all earthly topics. Nor is the indication the Spirit will teach you all things, in any sense, a promise that the Holy Spirit will deliver new revelations, or ongoing revelations, or personal revelations. The consistent theme of this passage is that the Spirit’s role is to reinforce that which Christ has already taught. Godly guidance through the Holy Spirit bolsters the truths of His Word. I am grateful that the Holy Spirit will bring to memory and to my heart the Word of God that I need at any moment in my life. I do not expect to know everything, that is not what this passage promises – it’s a promise to bring to light those parts of God’s word you need.
The Holy Spirit links me to the Father!
Heavenly Father, How wonderful to know that I have the Holy Spirit of the living God living in my heart, teaching me the truth of Your word and guiding my steps. Thank You that my frail body has become a temple in which He has come to reside – forever. Open my understanding to the immeasurable riches of Your grace towards me – knowing that at this very moment You are resident within me. Grant me the knowledge and the wisdom that only Your Spirit gives. Thank You, In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 17 – Obedience to the Father
What verse spoke to me today?
30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” John 7:30-31”
How I responded to God?
The enemies of Jesus had tried repeatedly to seize him. Yet the Gospel of John reminds us again and again that no one could seize Jesus until he offered himself up to them. Jesus followed God’s timetable just as carefully as he obeyed his Father’s will. So we can know with assurance that when Jesus died, he did so to redeem us and obey his Father’s will, not because he was powerless to defend himself. Jesus’ death is a voluntary sacrifice, a triumph of his obedience to his Father’s will over his own will for preservation. He obeyed and we are saved! He offered himself as a sacrifice so we could be adopted into the Father’s family!
Obedience leads to triumph!
Heavenly Father, I thank you for honoring our Father and being obedient to him and his timing in your life. Thank you for choosing to die for me and redeem me from my sin. Thank you, dear Father, for such an incredible display of love and mercy that cost you so much. Please give me a more profound sense of my worth and significance to you, because I know the great price you paid to redeem and adopt me, In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 18 – Be blessed in the Lord
What verse spoke to me today?
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8
How I responded to God?
If you haven’t tried a taste of our heavenly Father, our Lord, try it; believe me you’ll like Him. I like that this is what I am urged to do in this part of Psalm 34. It is an invitation for me to experience the goodness of God’s salvation. It is a celebration that God rescues me from my fears and troubles. This is such a beautiful song of gratitude I can sing when God brings me out of a troublesome situation. The joy I experience now, is only a foretaste of the future redemption God will bring to me as someone who trust in Him, whom God redeems me through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I love God’s promises – He will deliver, guard, supply, listen, and redeem me just by trusting in his power to save. God himself also gives me the ability to believe and trust in Him. And in response I to honour Him in all things, speak truthfully, seek peace and justice, and humbly serve my God.
This psalm is an invitation to take God at his Word, to trust in the Lord and experience his goodness firsthand, to know God personally, realising that he loves me more than I can imagine.
I pray I do not pass up any opportunities God gives me to share his invitation with others.
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Sing a song of gratitude! I accept the invitation!
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and the truths it contains. I pray that like David I would bless You at all times and in all circumstances. that I may develop an attitude of grateful thanks and worshipful praise, in every area of my life – no matter how mundane the task may be. In all things and at all times I would seek to glorify You, In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 19 – The Great Potter
What verse spoke to me today?
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:5-6
How I responded to God?
Like clay in a potters hands, the potter can shape and mould the clay into anything their heart desires. I am like clay in the hands of God. There are things God is doing in my life, and I have a choice: I can respond to His working, or I can resist His working. I can yield to what He wants me to do, or I can disobey when He tells me to do something. But ultimately God will continue His work in me, and never give up on me – the same as a potter shapes the clay.
In this story, Jeremiah visits the potter’s house, and finds a field filled with cracked pots and vases. These were crafts that didn’t work out, so the potter took them and threw them into the field. Life is like that. I must either flex and move and go the way that God wants me to, and I must turn into what God wants me to be or I must resist and say no to God. Saying no to God is not an option for me for I know this will lead to self-destruction, and my life will end up in ruins, like the broken pottery in the field.
God has a plan for my life. I will work with God’s plan!
Heavenly Father, I pray in my own life, today, for a deeper level of surrender to You, like clay in Your hands. I pray for this for my life, I pray for this for those who are reading to this right now. God, help me not to resist Your forming and reforming and fashioning and remaking and transforming, God, please, have Your way in me. Help me not to resist You. Lord, help me to be as clay in Your hands, as potter, and make me a vessel for the display of Your glory. Do this today and each day in my life. I pray these things so I might be more conformed into the image of Jesus. Oh God, form me more and more like Jesus. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 20 – The Temporary World
What verse spoke to me today?
31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:31
How I responded to God?
The ways and things of this world are so temporary and short lived. For me to focus too much on worldly things will only damage my spirit and my soul. This is a theme frequently mentioned in the New Testament and from the lips of Jesus should be the great reminder that I shouldn’t spend my life working toward what is temporary. I must embrace the reality that my time on this earth is short. In any number of ways, my earthly life can come to an end at the blink of an eye. The Lord could return at any moment. Beyond that, our lives on this side of eternity are fragile and pass very quickly. I must hold every temporary relationship and possession loosely while I grip tightly to my commitment to serve Christ. This does not mean I should not live within the world and have a good life, I just must not put any hope in finding lasting meaning and purpose in the form of the world that is passing away.
My hope is in the Father!
Heavenly Father, the Alpha and the Omega, the Eternal I Am, thank you for being what everything else in the world cannot be. Please awaken my heart to things of eternal significance and open my eyes so I can see through the things that are transitory. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 21 – No longer a slave!
What verse spoke to me today?
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2.
How I responded to God?
Being a child of God is not a future event for me or any believer; I am His child from the moment when I first believed in and accepted Christ. I have an eternity waiting for me with Christ. My future is not yet completely revealed. In eternity with the Lord, I will experience a new body and exist forever in God’s presence, in a way far superior to my life today. I sometimes battle to understand this; how certain things will only be revealed to me once Christ appears to bring us home. What exactly will be revealed is the big question! Christ can appear at any moment. I will see Christ as He is at that time and become just like Him.
For me it is critical that I am not yet what I will be. I recongnise in this scripture that I will not immediately be like Christ. Still, I must heed the warnings about sin and fellowship and know that I will not be perfect andexpect the result of my salvation will be a life that grows to becoming more like Christ. What I am certain of – I am no longer a slave to my sin, God forgives me, and adopts me as His own child!
I am a Child of God!
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your incredible grace and immeasurable love – that I should be called Your child. Thank You for the wonderful revelation of Yourself in the Word of God and thank You that You came to earth and identified with my sin so that I might be clothed in Your purity and righteousness; positioned in Christ; in-dwelled by the Spirit and accepted by You. To You be all praise and glory for You alone are worthy. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 22 – It is well
What verse spoke to me today?
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
How I responded to God?
The last few months have been very unique. COVID-19 has means feelings of anxiety, fear and uncertainty. This virus has brought economic worries for our country and the world at large and for many job instability. The health and sickness realities of the Coronavirus are playing on my mind too. This Psalm speaks a lot to me in time of ever-present trouble. God is described as my refuge and strength. Living as if God is my strength to me means my life should be a lived reality in full relationship with the Father. Not just when it is convenient for me. It means my life is found in Him. He is my security, my hope, my protection. It means my strength does not come from my health, my job, my friends or family or anything else in this world – but only from Him. He is the one I turn to and trust in when things go wrong, or I am scared or need help. I need to know and believe that God is in control and is far greater than the Coronavirus.
And to stop what we’re doing. Stop allowing ourselves to be distracted and stop indulging in escapism and binging shows on Netflix, or whatever your drug of choice is. Make time to be with God.
These are extraordinary times, so living the way we ordinarily do is impossible.
No Fear! God is my strength!
Heavenly Father, I thank you for preserving my life. I thank you for hearing my cries for help and healing. I thank you for guiding my feet into ways that have been a blessing. Please, God, stay close by as I face the stresses and challenges in my life. Through your Spirit, enable me to grow and be an example to others as I pass through life’s storm. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 23 – Missing Mom
What verse spoke to me today?
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:28-31
How I responded to God?
My Mom was certainly a Proverbs 31 Mom. Although I have included a verse, it wasn’t so much the verse that spoke to me, but rather a song that came up on my playlist – Donna Taggart – Jealous of Angels (I have included a photo montage where I used the song below). This song is special because it is one of the songs that we played at my Mom’s funeral. Hearing it again brought back a rush of memories from that day and all days I have had with her throughout my life. But more so, it really brought back just how much a really miss my Mom. Mom always had a comforting word of encouragement for me. Mom knew exactly what to say when I was struggling with something. She raised me with such strong values, to be the man I am today..the gentleman I am today and sacrificed so much for us to raise us properly and always ensured we’d have a humble home to live in and bellies filled with food. The best part is that our home was filled with Jesus. She always had such strong faith, even right through her battle with cancer. No matter how much pain she was in, she always smiled, sang along with her gospel music, danced in the parking lot at a shopping mall and always had a story and a joke to share.
Love you Mom!
Heavenly Father, of immeasurable mercies, by Your power, Jesus conquered death and ascended in glory. I entrust Mom into Your care, in the name of Jesus Christ. As my mother has departed to live for eternity with You, I thank you for the memories I have. I thank you that she was made in Your image and reflected Your love. You are the Lord of all life, You brought Mom into existence and You called her home. I pray that she will enjoy the fullness of Your presence through all eternity.. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 24 – My Redeemer Lives!
What verse spoke to me today?
25 I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27
How I responded to God?
Immediately I am drawn to the opening sentence of this passage. It is a powerful declaration! God is alive. Our redeemer is alive. And this statement Job makes is during the worst time of his life. What a demonstration of faith. It got me thinking, how do I remain strong in my faith in the hardest times of my life.
- I personally know God. I must not rely on my own parents, teachers or pastors to know Him. That responsibility rest with me to personally know my Heavenly Father.
- My God is alive and in charge of all creation.
- I will see God when I pass away from this world – that I see Him with my own eyes
- Excitement fills my thoughts of seeing his God.
In the good times of my life, I must use the time to develop a strong and trusting relationship in God. I must not only believe in God, I must believe in living for God. That belief will carry me through life’s hard times.
Would you like to be able to stand for God in the worst of times?
Then make a decision today not only give your life to Him, but to give today and everyday to Him.
Heavenly Father, “I know that my Redeemer lives!” Jesus, help that belief to guide my day, Lord. Bless my week. Give me wisdom to live for You in my homes, workplace, and community. Help me to trust You to be in charge of all creation. Strengthen me to live a life of excellence that causes others to see You through my life. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 25 – More Time
What verse spoke to me today?
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-17
How I responded to God?
Each day that I wake up I rejoice to my Lord to be alive! I start each morning with the phrase “Good morning Jesus. Let me be a blessing to someone today”. I am here another day for a God-given purpose and that purpose isn’t to become distracted by the constant social media I have access to from my phone, or to ”wind-down” by watching 3 hours of Netflix. When I decided to cut out social media ( not including writing my blog) I saw a lot of time freed up. Now I haven’t stopped doing my usual weekly routines and job, even so, I have seen more time gained from this fast. I was interested to see statistics on the average consumption of TV and phone usage, strictly non-verbal use such as texting and the use of social media. The stats were unbelievable! On average, a person consumes 238 minutes of television and 197 minutes on a mobile device… that is a staggering 7 hours! I don’t know about you but to me this is alarming. We are not promised tomorrow just like Paul wrote in Ephesians, but I do have today! On a daily basis, I didn’t come close to this average before the fast but we have been investing in this free time through more social interaction with one other and by blogging a lot more that redirects my focus on God, not the world.
Time Redeemed!
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the life-example of the Lord Jesus. I know that I cannot copy Him in my own strength, but in the power of the Spirit, I pray that I may so learn to walk in love, that I become a sweet-smelling thank-offering, that is pleasing to You. Show me how to live wise and to make the most of every opportunity I can. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 26 – Clearer Mind
What verse spoke to me today?
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
How I responded to God?
During this social media fast, I have felt a lot more clear minded and focused. I find it easier to focus on the tasks at hand each day. There are a handful of reasons that can cause me to feel this way, one of them being that I spend less time on my phone for extended periods of time. Headaches I used to get frequently are no longer there, my physical well-being and my spiritual well-being are much improved. Not being on my phone with social media I believe has also caused this clearer feeling. I have felt more focused on what is going on with myself and less on what everyone else is doing. Now I am not saying I am not interested in what my friends and family are doing but the constant posts and scrolling through my news feeds can really make my mind feel jumbled and often takes away from truly honouring God through the respect of honouring myself. Besides, let’s face it, social media is mostly filled with information you do not actually need.
Clarity of Mind!
Heavenly Father, Forgive me, for the times that I have lost sight of the wonder of your presence within me. The gift of Your Spirit is a dazzling and humbling grace. Once again, Father, I pledge to present my body as a living sacrifice to please and honour You as Your Temple. At the same time, I acknowledge that I need the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit to please and honour you as Your holy child. Lead me, cleanse me, purify me, and make me like Jesus by Your Spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 27 – Experience Life In The Moment
What verse spoke to me today?
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
How I responded to God?
When I stepped away from social media, it has allowed me to be more in the present moment and to be utilising my mind with intention and purpose just as God intended me to do. Social media has a way of distracting you and allowing you to fall into typical ” patterns of this world” leaving less room for spiritual moments and quite often resulting in wasted time.
My days have felt a bit longer but not in a bad way. I have been able to enjoy my moments with more intent allowing my days to be filled with the time God has given me and it also allows me to see God working in my present moments.
Renew Your Mind!
Heavenly Father, I pray asking for transformation. Transform my mind, show me Your will, and change my ways so I can obey. I pray for a renewing of wisdom so I can make better choices. Give me the influence with others so I can show them Your love. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 28 – Better Sleep
What verse spoke to me today?
25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jeremiah 31:25
How I responded to God?
Since the beginning of the fast, I have been ignoring my phone, even if I receive a text, I try ignore it at night and not using devices before bed. The use of a screen prior to bed can cause great disruption of sleep and the longer you are on them prior to attempting to fall asleep, the longer it will take to actually fall asleep. I have seen improvement in my quality of sleep even if I am going to bed later than normal, which I have found very interesting. I have felt more rested and with no slowing down with my daily routines. The effects our phones have on our quality of living are more than we actually realise, I know we have! A good night of rest is a great starting point for a new day, without quality sleep so many areas of our lives can be directly affected. So if you don’t need to be on a device at least 1 hour prior to bed, I highly recommend reading or praying. It is so worth it! In fact, stay off your device completely at night, unless absolutely necessary.
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Good rest is so important!
Heavenly Father, I am tired and weary. Please refresh my Spirit and my body. Please help me find satisfaction in the abundance You have already so graciously shared with me. To You belongs all glory, honour, strength and power. I joyously submit myself in faith, waiting for the rest and satisfaction You have promised. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 29 – Stronger Relationships
What verse spoke to me today?
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
How I responded to God?
We live in an age where many of our so-called “relationships” are just an illusion and mostly superficial. We hoard ourselves a pile of “friends” that we have collected by simply clicking a button and though many of us have hundreds of social media friends, loneliness has become an epidemic all over the world. So what gives? Though we are interacting with people through our phones hundreds of times a day, most of us have very few meaningful interactions with people on a daily basis. This has been one of the greatest benefits of my social media fast so far. Meaningful interaction. Meaningful relationships. Not just between the people I know but with other people I come into contact with as well. I strike up conversation with strangers in queue or waiting room instead of staring down at my phone. This fast has freed up so much time that though I am constantly on the move I am not as “busy” and rushed – leaving time to relax and spend quality time in conversation. We were created for relationship with our Heavenly Father and with each other, a social media fast is an awesome way to get away from false relationships and back to the real thing!
Fellowship – Keep each other sharp!
Heavenly Father, thank you for everyone You’ve placed in my life. I pray to ask You to strengthen the relationships I have. Place me in the path of wise and like-minded people who can become my friends. Equip me with wisdom to sharpen them and make them better. Give me the humility so that they can also sharpen me and make me better. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 30 – A Reappreciation For What You Have
What verse spoke to me today?
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13
How I responded to God?
When I spend too much time on social media, its hard not to fall into a consumer mindset. Businesses use these platforms to entice us into buying their goods and let’s be honest, it works. This mindset is easily overcome through a social media fast. I know from personal experience that it can be so easy to backslide into that consumer mindset. This whole time I haven’t had to fight off that urge at all. Not only is this benefit good for my spiritual walk with Christ, it has greatly benefited my wallet! I myself have seen amazing victory over materialism through my relationship with Jesus but I know that this is still a huge need in the lives of many. When I learn to be completely content through Christ, the weight, and anxieties that tag along a life preoccupied with material things falls away. This is such a truly freeing feeling. As the spirit sweeps through and fills me with that inexpressible and glorious joy, I can’t help but wonder how I ever thought something else could fill this void.
Jesus is my strength!
Heavenly Father, I confess that my life and the circumstances in which I try to live it are beyond my ability to control. I thank you for being present to comfort, protect, guide, and empower me to face each situation with confidence and assurance. Because You are with me, loving Shepherd, I know I will have all I need to live victoriously for You until the day I go to share with You in Your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 31 – Stronger Focus On God
What verse spoke to me today?
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
How I responded to God?
The greatest benefit of this social media fast is a stronger focus on God. Even though I try to live a kingdom minded life, it can be so easy to get distracted from the journey marked out for me. When I slip out of focus with God, I see it in my life and so does the world, I become easily agitated, I feel busy and anxious. All of these things are not only detrimental to myself but to my relationships and to my testimony. As I mature in my faith I begin to see that any focus that is not fully on Jesus is completely out of focus. I need to be in the world but more so in the Word, growing and maturing so that I can better serve the kingdom and better enjoy this abundant life that Jesus died to give me. I keep re-evaluating my focus. This social media fast is an awesome way to do that and I start seeing the fruit of it right away! When I first started this fast I had to keep reminding myself to stay off my phone. This made me realise how much social media I was actually consuming on a daily basis.
Focus on God!
Heavenly Father, I praise You for the example I have in Jesus Christ, Your Son. Thank You that I am surrounded by this body of believers and this great cloud of witnesses! Help me, Father, to lay aside everything that weighs me down, and the sin that so easily entangles me. Help me to run with perseverance the race that You’ve marked out for me. Strengthen me to fix my eyes on You and You alone, the author and perfecter of my faith. Thank You for hearing my prayer. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 32 – Stop Worrying
What verse spoke to me today?
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34
How I responded to God?
There is so much in life I can be anxious about. But the problem with worrying is that it actually changes nothing. I recall a line from a song called “Wear Sunscreen” and two lines from that song go like this “Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind” . Worrying changes nothing. As this song says, my real troubles will most likely be things I haven’t even thought about. I can sometimes get myself in a state where I cannot think clearly or rationally about a problem. I cannot possibly be effective in prayer, and in working out a solution to it if I am caught up in ‘worry’. Tomorrow isn;t here yet, so why am I worrying about it. God knows what I can and cannot manage, so when tomorrow comes, I must learn to trust Him that He will have it under control. When I start to get anxious of the things that may or may not happen, the only thing I can do is give it over in prayer. There I can find God’s peace in place of our worry. Worry is the absence of faith. I’m not saying that worry means you have no faith, I am saying that worry diminishes the strength of your faith.
If you have time to worry, you have time to pray!
Heavenly Father, sometimes I am exhausted, weary, and overwhelmed with worry, stress, and anxiety for the future. I pray Matthew 6:34 over my life. Help me not to worry or be anxious about tomorrow, but instead to place my trust in You entirely everyday. Abba Father, help me remember in times of need that You have always been faithful to provide in every situation. Father, teach me to meet each days troubles as they come with grace, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that only You can provide. I know Your grace is sufficient. You will help me overcome whatever this life may bring my way. You are so good to me, and I find peace and hope in knowing You will never abandon me. There is no need to worry about tomorrow, I know You will meet me there. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 33 – Exalted over All
What verse spoke to me today?
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11
How I responded to God?
Having gratitude in my heart towards God eliminates many negative feelings – discontentment, self-pity, jealousy, and pride are no match for divine thankfulness – exalting God above all. Being thankful to God is a realisation for me of who God is and what He has done for me. Everything comes from God. Everyone, including me, are under His authority and I have to realise that God is the owner and in control everything – because of this I place my trust in Him. Reflecting on God’s glorious riches creates in me an eruption of joy and gratitude. I will never forget what He has done for me, what He is doing for me, and what He will do for me – trusting in His past, present and future faithfulness. God transforms when I give thanks to the Lord because my thanksgiving is Christ-focused and help to dissipate a troubled mind in a troubled world. Humbly I worship and praise Him for my determination to live in un-broken fellowship and obedience with Him. No matter where I am in life, I always have something to thank God for each and every day. As I see and recognise He is always with me; always providing for me and protecting me, the intimacy that I share with Him increases and my fears decrease. By the Lord’s intervention and grace, He delivered me and gave me eternal life through Jesus Christ. God is always there for me and He is longing to walk in fellowship with me, if I just acknowledge Him and let Him. The Lord is worthy of praise, gratitude, and adoration.
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What a great and mighty God I serve!
Heavenly Father, thank you for being the architect of our world. But more importantly, thank you for the promise of heaven. You are king over all, exalted above all, the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor of all, and I pray today to give You thanks, because all the greatness, power, glory, and majesty belong to You. Help me be a better servant today, In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 34 – Straight Path
What verse spoke to me today?
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
How I responded to God?
I find the emphasis of “with all your heart” important here. My entire heart and soul must trust the Lord. Trusting in the Lord is so important to me, but sometimes it is so difficult. I love the Lord and I am thankful for every single blessing He has given me. What do I do when you I am going through hard times, It seems sometimes I have prayed and all I seem to hear back from God is silence? How am I meant to hold on to my faith in such circumstances? Sometimes I feel I just have to do things on my own and I focus so much energy on finding the way out myself that my mind becomes clogged up with “solutions” and my faith begins to waiver. I know I must do the work, but I must have trust and faith that God will, not only show me in which direction to go, but my path will be straightened and He will have my reward waiting for me when I get there – – where He wants me to be – and I’ll be thankful to His grace and mercy. The question is, how do I achieve this faith? How can I make sense of all that is going on in my life, and still trust in the Lord to handle it? I believe I must first give it to God, lay down all my fears and worries and problems at His feet. This is not a difficult task. In fact, that’s the easy part. Here’s the hard part – do not pick it back up. Once I have laid it all at Jesus feet, it has to stay there. So many times I will go to God in prayer and truly empty myself of all the pain and anxiety I am going through, but the next day I find myself, once again, in the vicious worry cycle about those same problems. Why would I worry if I truly gave it to God because faith shows me it will be taken care of. I can’t do any of it alone, but only through true faith and trust in the Lord, can I accomplish these goals. God has such a beautiful plan for my life.
Isn’t it about time I allow Him to reveal the plans He has for me, so that I may flourish in a rich, new life, grounded in Christ Jesus?
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for Your grace and mercy. Thank you for loving me so much that You sent Your Son to die on the cross for me. The bible tells me that you will never leave, nor forsake us and that is such a beautiful promise – a promise that can carry me through tough times. I need only to trust in You Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 35 – Dance with the Spirit
What verse spoke to me today?
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
How I responded to God?
What does it looks like to live as one who is free in Christ? It is not a freedom to do whatever feels good to me. It is not a freedom to simply indulge in trying to satisfy all my sinful desires. True salvation is freedom from being controlled by my sinful desires. Just as I needed an external source, Jesus, to pay for my sin, I also need an external source of power, the Holy Spirit, to overcome my sinful desires and lead me in the right direction. This happens when I walk by and am led by the Spirit. This is not possession in the sense that the Spirit takes me over and does whatever He wants. I am not a spiritual robot, or puppets who suddenly lacks free will. As a Christian I must choose to use my free will to allow God’s Spirit to set the direction I will go. It’s a mysterious idea than no one fully understands – living by the Spirit involves keeping in step with the Spirit. It involves adjusting my pace to match the pace and direction the Spirit is leading. It’s allowing one’s partner to lead in a dance. In other words, it involves submitting to God’s way, but I am still the one taking each next step. This will not happen automatically. It is something I must choose from day to day. In fact, I must often choose to give the lead to the Spirit moment by moment as I follow after Christ. God’s Spirit gives those in Christ the power to serve others in love. But I must allow the Holy Spirit to lead. When I don’t, my selfishness will lead me into a sinful lifestyles. When I live by the Spirit, on the other hand, I gain more than just being able not to live in sin.
What comes out of me is a collection of powerful, positive characteristics.!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I strive to live and walk in the Holy Spirit. Open my ears so I hear Your call. Open my mind so I understand Your will. Guide me down the path of righteousness. Use the Holy Spirit to build me into a disciple of God. I give in to the Holy Spirit’s lead in this dance of life. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 36 – God’s Goodness
What verse spoke to me today?
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13
How I responded to God?
Psalm 27 is written to encourage us and to to sustain our faith through impossible situations. From beginning to end, the psalm is filled with “evildoers” and “adversaries” and “foes” and “enemies” and “false witnesses.” It echoes with the sounds of wild beasts, armies, and men breathing out violence. I can relate to these problems, albeit on a smaller scale than King David. Some people have told me that I wasted my time waiting for the Lord – in fact, I have a Christian turned atheist colleague who does just that and tries to sway me from my faith in the Lord and trusting in His timing. But, for me, there is nothing unreasonable about trusting God, especially in impossible situations. My faith may be naked, it may be blind faith, but it isn’t crazy. Who is this Lord on whom I wait? He is my light, my salvation, my stronghold, my defender. beautiful,gracious and is the lifter of my head. David celebrates these characteristics of the Lord throughout the psalm. In light of who the Lord is, it would seem that waiting on him is the most reasonable thing I could ever do. “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” I have a good idea of what God is like, so I know that God will rescue me. This is a greater reality for me in an even fuller sense – Jesus has risen from the dead and He will lose nothing of all that God has given Him, but will raise it up on the last day. Whether I live or die in my impossible situation, I will look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Jesus has seen to it.
Take courage. Wait on the Lord!
Heavenly Father, what a wonderfully faithful God You are, to all who trust in Your name. I am reminded that Your goodness and mercy lasts from generation to generation, and that all You have promised in Your Word is true and sure. Make mea man who maintains my trust in You, despite the difficult circumstances that I am facing. Your goodness, You will provide for me and protect me as You have promised. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 37 – Encouragement
What verse spoke to me today?
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
How I responded to God?
There is such a powerful blessing in this passage. A blessing that I believe applies to me. I can’t stand firm on my own and follow God’s teachings, in my thoughts and deeds, both in what I do and what I fail to do. What a difference God’s unfailing love makes for me! His love paves the way for me to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit. It guides me to the truth. I remember His love and forget my failings and my lack of faith. Through his love and grace, I get an eternal hope! My weak heart has no other source of encouragement. His love is my only source of hope, the source of my renewal. How can I then be reminded of his love? Periodic prayer and meditation on God’s presence and goodness in my life can help me remember. Another way can be through striving to love and understand others. Making conscious and persistent effort to reach out to people from all walks of life God puts around me. In addition to serving as a reminder of the love of God for me, it can also help me glorify Him through being a living Gospel messenger – an Apostle for Christ. I must encourage the people I interact with, and remind them of God’s love for them.
I can’t stand firm on my own!
Heavenly Father, You are so good to me—so kind, faithful, and immeasurably generous. Thank you for the eternal encouragement and good hope you’ve already blessed me with in the Gospel. No eye has seen, ear heard, or mind imagined the things you guarantee us through the finished work of Jesus. You love me right now as just much as You will ever love me—for you have forgiven all my sins and made Jesus’ righteousness mine. I have eternal encouragement that I, without shame, look to You for fresh encouragement. In the middle of hardships and heartaches that are depleting my emotional and spiritual resources, You are there to encourage me. By your Holy Spirit, assure me that you are in control, engaged and at work. Forgive me when I think otherwise and strengthen me in every good deed and word. Give me power to do the next right Gospel thing, and fill my heart and mouth with Your grace. Help me to worship more and worry less, bless more than I curse, and rest more than I resent. Forgive me for trying to be self-sufficient. Free me to share my burdens, cares, and load with You. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 38 – Build each other up!
What verse spoke to me today?
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen Ephesians 4:29.
How I responded to God?
I can sometimes have an exceptionally sharp tongue. I sometimes react and speak before I think or I believe that vengance is mine to take so I make sure anyone who tries to hurt me or has hurt me knows all about it – and I don’t hold back. I’ll use words and say things that should never ever pass my lips. I need to check the condition of my heart in these situations. I am certainly much better at living out Ephesians 4:29 now days, but in the past, I have been quite vicious. One thing is for certain, I hate gossip, I do not indulge others when they want to speak badly of someone else. I am more inclined to try and encourage and build others up. Every time I read this verse the Holy Spirit convicts me. I instantly think over everything I’ve said throughout the day. How did I correct someone? How did I speak to my wife? What about my coworkers? Suddenly tons of words, sentences flash through my head and I think – how many of those words were for building up? How many gave grace to the listener? And how many were corrupting? Do you know how many words we speak in a day? A study found that the average person speaks about 15,000-16,000 words per day. That’s a lot of words! The Bible makes it clear that my words matter deeply to God. I should speak carefully, thoughtfully, considering the impact on my listeners. Do I use my words as weapons? Do I use my words to be liked more or to fit in, even if it means gossiping? My words reflect the desires of my heart and if the desire of my heart is Jesus, my words will clearly display that desire. The words on my heartwill not be weapons of destruction, but they will be a new language bringing His messages of grace, they will be edifying for those who hear. These words will have a clear purpose – they will reflect the desire of my heart to follow Jesus. And my words will build up the body of Christ and be gifts of grace to the listener.
Do not gossip! Speak only words that build!
Heavenly Father, I pray that no unwholesome and degrading words would leave my mouth, but that the words of my lips and the meditation of my heart may be gracious and good. I pray that my speech would teach my brothers and sisters in Christ and honour Your name by speaking the truth in love. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 39 – Remain in Me!
What verse spoke to me today?
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4
How I responded to God?
I know have communion with God. I have access to a life-giving, soul-thrilling, joy-producing communion with God through Christ. The Christian faith is about union and communion with Jesus. My heart must desire this intimate relationship. I must long for this fellowship with God. I must earnestly seek God. My soul must thirsts for God. There is desperation. There is urgency. Oh, to have a heart that echoes this! To abide is a verb. It is active. Abiding in Christ is not a feeling or a belief, but something that is done or must be done continuously. It means to “remain” or “stay” and entails far more than the idea of continued belief in the Saviour. I can do this actively, I can abide in Christ daily. This requires dependence upon the Holy Spirit in which I do three things: Walk by faith, spend focused time with Jesus and engage in intentional actions of good that please the Lord.
Actively abide in Him!
Heavenly Father, more and more I see that when I try to do things in my own strength I will fail and not produce the fruit that glorifies You. I long that my life is lived as Christ lived – in total reliance in the Spirit of God, so that I only do those things that are prompted by You. In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 40 – Send me Lord
What verse spoke to me today?
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8
How I responded to God?
The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends not only on the condition of my ears but also the condition of my spirit and exactly what I hear depends on my attitude and relationship with God. Very few prove that they are are chosen. I believe strongly in my heart that God has called me, and my ministering to others and writing this blog, I am responding to that call. God has shown me this is where He wants me right now. That could change in the blink of an eye, God could call me in a different direction and I must be in tune enough with the Holy Spirit to hear, heed and respond to His voice. I must continually be the voice of God to others. God will not beg you to go, he has given me free will, and it is up to me to use this gift for God’s work or not. This verse is not a forceful push from God to Isaiah to make him go, Isaiah responded and said “Send me”. And so have I.
Send me God!
Heavenly Father, my Rock and my Refuge of my soul, thank You for giving me the experiences I’ve had in my life. Thank you for the abilities You placed in me while You knitted me in my mother’s womb. Thank you for the gifts Your Spirit molded in me when I became Your child. Now, Abba Father, please help me to know how and where I can use these gifts in Your Kingdom for Your glory and blessing and to bless those in the world, so that I can help bring others to You, help build up the Body of Christ, and bless Your people. In Jesus Name, Amen
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