Good morning.

Blessings be upon you, your families and communities.

As we enter a new working week, let us give glory, honour and praise to our almighty God. He is the ultimate sustainer of all things. It is he who has made us- and not we ourselves. Reflect upon this passage and what it means. 

We may endeavour to organise our lives, our plans and our goals. But we would be foolish to do this without laying our plans before our God. The bible declares:

  Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

  Put all, your hopes, joys, sadness and despair before our maker and king. It is he who is sovereign. He has the world and our lives in His hands. We must surrender to his purpose and His will. 

Ask of him and you will receive. Knock and the door will open unto you. 

The race is not to the weak but to those who are made strong in Him. 

  Pastor Royston recently said, 

God often uses pain to get us to change. I would add hardship often draws our attention off ourselves and to God. Hardship reminds us that God is ultimately in charge- who is in control. 

  Rest in the one who is forever lovely. He loved us when we are far from him. He came, lived, died so that we could experience a fulfilled life here and life eternal. 

  Finally Paul writes about how he sought to make sense of his challenges he encountered and continued to grapple with.

  Paul writes, 

so I was given a physical condition which has been a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to hurt and bother me and prick my pride.  Three different times I begged God to make me well again.

Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities. 10 Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite happy about “the thorn,” and about insults and hardships, persecutions and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong—the less I have, the more I depend on him.

  What are you learning from those thorns you’re carrying? How are using these to give glory to God? 

  I encourage you as believers to trust in the only one who is able to keep you from falling 🙏