Jesus’ first coming to earth and His life here was marked by the fulfilment of many prophecies. The one prophecy and promise by Jesus Himself that believers are expectantly waiting for, is His return.
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Opposed for following Christ
We can easily lose sight of the opposition many Christians face from their own families, their circle of friends and workplace even in countries where there is religious freedom and where Christians are in the majority. How can they remain standing?
The grand design of Christian Persecution
The central theme for the global Church in the 21st century church is still: Blessed are the Persecuted.
The authority of the Bible
People have subjected the Word of God to innumerable attacks. It has been burned, discredited, questioned, and made suspect; yet the Word is still standing. People come and go, but the Word remains forever.
Desperate prayers
Desperate prayer is like someone drowning, gasping for air. It is to grasp at God with hope – on the basis of His character, His promises, the blood, the cross, His covenant, His invitation and His throne of grace.
How to discern open and closed doors
There are several Biblical principles by which we can discern, through the help of the Holy Spirit, whether an open door before us is within the will and purposes of God for our lives. It is vital
to consider these in every season of our lives.
Experiencing God’s peace
‘Peace’ means different things to different people. Some people long for rest, silence, and a conflict and problem-free life. However, true peace inside and around us can never be found apart from the Prince of Peace.
Beholding God in prayer and praise
How do we behold God? One way is to look at how Scripture describes Him and how those in heaven respond who behold Him day and night!
Me, an evangelist?
All of us have the opportunity to share Jesus and we trust the Holy Spirit to work in each life we minister to every time we step out in obedience to do this. Our focus should be on looking for opportunities to speak about Jesus every day.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus
We often forget God in the craziness of our busy lives. But God wants worshippers before workers; indeed the only acceptable workers are those who have learned the lost art of worship (A. W. Tozer).
Prayerfully address panic, fear and anxiety
Everyone experiences fear, anxiety or even a panic attack at times. Once you have discerned the origin of the fear or anxiety you experience, what can you practically do or pray to stop it?
Preparing for revival
In recent years the Holy Spirit has been prodding many of God’s servants on the coming revival, so as to prepare His Church for what some predict will be one of the greatest visitations of God in history.
Focus on God amid suffering
Have you experienced times when it seems God is far away? Or when everything seemingly goes wrong and it becomes difficult to understand or feel that God is still present to hear your prayers?
Gen Z – finding identity in Christ
Young people are bombarded with so many influences from the world and media. Who are the Gen Zers and what giants do they face? How can the church help them to find their identity in Christ so they can walk in continued victory?
The Holy Spirit in the life of the believer
The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. He has been treated as if He were an outsider in many Christian circles. However, the Bible clearly states what the Holy Spirit does for us, in us and through us as Believers.
Reaching out to your community
God gives each one of His children the privilege to take part in the great task of building His Kingdom. Every believer in Christ has a role to play and we can all make a difference in our communities.
When a natural disaster strikes
Do you sometimes feel helpless as images of people in crisis flash across your screens? How can you pray and not feel overwhelmed as several disasters continue to hit the globe? Here are some prayer guidelines.
Invitation to tabernacle with God
Do you desire a deeper walk with the Lord? Through the Tabernacle in the Old Testament, God revealed to Moses how He wanted Israel to draw closer to Him. In Jesus Christ we have a New Testament model of how to draw near to God.
Abiding in Jesus
Abiding in Jesus brings a promise and reward of sustenance, both now and for eternity. What does abiding in Jesus mean?
Jesus’ blood shed for us
With the precious blood of Christ we were redeemed and our sins forgiven. We are now reconciled with our heavenly Father and have boldness to enter the Holiest place. Let us pour out thanksgiving to the Lord, our Saviour!
Ministering to the terminally ill
Churches seldom teach their members how to minister to unbelievers who are terminally ill. So how can one practically reach out to them in a way that will minister the gospel to them?
Tips for a daily Bible reading habit
The Word of God is the very sustenance of every believer’s spiritual life. So, take up regular Bible reading with renewed fervour!
Things to avoid in marriage
Although there is a lot of good advice available as to ‘what to do’ in marriage, it is often the ‘what not to do’ guidelines that serve us best.
With God in the eye of the storm
As women we are often under a lot of pressure and much is expected of us. Is your life creating a storm or are you like a haven?
Praying and fasting for a nation in crisis
Across the globe, nations are in crisis with more natural disasters, wars and adverse circumstances arising everywhere. How do we know what to pray as matters worsen daily and new calamities come?
When someone has lost their job
Hearing “You are fired” or “We are laying off personnel” can be the hardest words for a person to hear. How does one pray for someone (or yourself) who has lost a job and has not yet found something else?
Who am I in Christ?
It may be difficult for you to believe everything the Word says about you, but remember that it is God who is saying these things about you. Rather believe God than your own feelings.
Pray for a City or Town
We cannot pray for our town or city unless we love it and its people. Ask the Lord for a prayer in your heart such as John Knox’s when he prayed: “Lord, give me Scotland or I die!”
Pray for the government
A battle is under way in the air for political rule in each country. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 has clear instructions that we should pray “for kings and all those in authority.” This is a direct instruction from Scripture which we should regard seriously.
Our prayer responsibility in the marketplace
There is a difference between a career and a calling. A person’s calling has priority over their career, also in the marketplace.
7 Difficult things we have to pray
As sons and daughters of our heavenly Father, it is our joy to be obedient in praying for every matter near to His heart, however hard it may seem at the time.
The right way to do an Esther fast
What does it mean to do an Esther fast? When do you do an Esther fast? It is important to understand the context of a biblical ‘Esther fast’ and how Believers can apply it to their own lives today.
Who am I?
Children and young people are in a process of finding their identity. It is important for us as adults to guide our children and help them to get Biblical answers to their identity questions.
Seeking God’s direction
Although we all have a unique relationship with the Lord, the Bible gives us safeguards, principles and guidelines that help us discern what God’s will is for us in different situations.
Gratitude
How do we manage to give thanks to God after a year filled with seemingly unending challenges? G.K. Chesterton said: “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted, or you take them with gratitude”.
Honouring Jesus – the I AM
Seeking Jesus’ face by praying His Word is one sure way to draw closer to Him – Jesus is the Living Word! (John 1:1) Let us pray through the I AM statements of Jesus and honour Him.
Be still
Taking a moment to reflect on your year allows you to see it from God’s perspective and helps you realign yourself with God’s purposes before the start of the new year. This will give you much peace and confidence in Him, whatever lies ahead in the next year.
Be on fire for God without burning out
Usually, one does not end up burnt out due to hard work alone. Burnout is also accompanied by emotional and spiritual fatigue, leaving a person so tired that they struggle to regain equilibrium.
Healing from trauma
When we experience trauma it can cause us to wonder: Where was God when this happened?
Helping the Persecuted Church from home
Many missionaries are oppressed, mocked, imprisoned or beaten for sharing the gospel in countries where religious persecution is common. They endure enormous risk to keep sharing Christ with unreached peoples. You may ask the question – what can I do?
Christian persecution is a reality
In 2021, 360 million Christians lived in countries where persecution was “significant”. Nigeria has 4 out of 5 martyrs worldwide and Afghanistan’s persecution is now worse than North Korea. They want to know we are praying with them.
The blessings of suffering and persecution
What happens in the life of an individual facing and going through hardship and persecution for their faith in Christ? In this article, we will look at what the Word says about the blessings of persecution.
What the Bible says about Christian suffering and persecution
Throughout history, believers were persecuted for their faith. And persecution is still happening in many parts of the world today. What does the Bible say about the different types of hardships that a believer may be faced with?
Entering the Lord’s house of prayer (2)
Praying the ‘Our Father’ prayer can be likened to entering a spiritual house. In a sense, every part of the prayer can be viewed as a room of treasure to be explored. In this second article on the topic, we reflect on the last few facets of the ‘Our Father’ prayer.
Entering the Lord’s house of prayer (1)
Praying the ‘Our Father’ prayer can be likened to entering a spiritual house. In a sense, every part of the prayer can be viewed as a whole room of treasure to be explored in prayer. We reflect on each facet in two consecutive articles.
Fasting and prayer – a Biblical discipline
Many faithful Christians from the Old Testament to modern times fasted and prayed, and they lived extraordinary lives in God’s Kingdom.
Crowns for Christ’s glory
Have you ever wondered how you can honour the Lord more with your life? Scripture is filled with guidelines of what a life pleasing unto God looks like. Scripture also mentions the ‘crowns’ God has prepared for those who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Word is alive and powerful
The Word is powerful because God has authority and power. God will never break His Word, just as He will never break His covenant with the day and with the night (Jer.33:20). Flowers may drop off and grass whither, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. (1 Peter 1:24-25).
How not to pray
When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, he also told them how they should not pray. Clearly this is important to remember in our own prayer life.
12 Characteristics of people who strive after holiness (Part 2)
This is the second article of two parts looking at the characteristics of people who strive after holiness.
12 Characteristics of people who strive after holiness (Part 1)
What is true practical holiness? This article is the first of two parts looking at the characteristics of people who strive after holiness.
Rising above the storm
Are you feeling overwhelmed by everyday challenges and life in general? Perhaps you feel that God may have forgotten you, or perhaps that your prayers are not reaching His heart and ear. What does the Lord expect from us when facing challenges?
Are you called to the ministry?
Everyone is called to ministry, but only some are called to the ministry. How will you know if you are called to the ministry?
When God is silent
When you read the Psalms, you will often hear David say: “Lord, where are you? Why are you silent? Why don’t you speak to me?” What must we do in such times?
Keep your marriage affair-free
Many marriages, Christian included, suffer devastation through one spouse having an extra-marital affair. Temptation is never far away. If you recognise some of the warning signs in your relationship, know that you can find your way back to safe ground.
A virtuous woman
Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the virtuous woman who has a godly character and whose faith is firmly set on her Maker. How can we use this example to pray for ourselves and for other women?
Women – a great host
Women can hold on to the hope of the Lord’s promise that He has given His word of power to enable them to rise above their circumstances, to be bearers of hope and transformation.
Prayers of Blessing
To bless others and to be a blessing to people should be an integral part of every believer’s character and conduct. That includes praying the blessing of the Lord over them.
Go on to maturity
Faith does not make room for ‘treading water’ and stagnant faith will cause your heart to harden and drift away from God. The Book of Hebrews urges readers to go on to maturity in their faith and to not remain spiritual babies.
The Fatherhood of God
In your relationship with God and other people, you will only continue to grow if you continuously experience a deeper and fuller revelation of the Fatherhood of God.
Growing concern for global food security
“We are facing hunger on an unprecedented scale, food prices have never been higher, and millions of lives and livelihoods are hanging in the balance.” Ordinary solutions alone will not solve the problem.
Becoming a Praying Congregation
It was very dear to Jesus’ heart and also a command from Him that the church should be a house of prayer (Matt.21:13), but this is one of the greatest challenges for churches.
Praying the names of Jesus in Revelation 1-3
The Book of Revelation is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1). There are at least 20 names of the Lord Jesus found in chapters 1-3 and it is important that we focus on them.
The names of God in Psalm 23
Pausing and praying slowly through Psalm 23 unveils the character of God in greater depth, lighting up truths that can otherwise easily be missed.
The character of God and names of the Holy Spirit
Knowing and understanding God’s character, commands and works, will help us to discern His will and voice through the Holy Spirit.
Praying for grandchildren
Let us share our desires for our grandchildren with the Lord. When we pray according to His will, we know that He hears us and will answer our prayers (1 John 5:14-15).
Is your heart in your prayer?
If the prayers you pray do not move your own heart, do you think it will move the heart of God?
Keys to prayer from Psalm 86
In Psalm 86 David touches on 10 attitudes of the heart when coming before God in prayer.
20 Guidelines for effective prayer
Why are my prayers not answered? Why does it take so long for certain prayers to be answered? Is there a different way in which to pray that will render my prayers more effective?
Pray the Lord of the harvest
Prayer is crucial in evangelism: Only God can change the heart of someone who is in rebellion against Him. No matter how logical our arguments or how fervent our appeals are, our words will accomplish nothing unless God’s Spirit prepares the way.
When to be silent
Have you ever felt upset with yourself for saying something that was unnecessary? It is possible for us to grow in wisdom to discern those times the enemy wants to tempt us into saying or doing things that are really not displaying the fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ.
Praying 15 promises of the Cross
The Book of Peter says that God’s promises transform us into more than mere ‘flesh and blood’. Focusing on these promises literally has the power to form the image of Christ in us!
Pray for Sikhs
Sikhism is based on the teachings of the ten Gurus contained in ‘Guru Granth Sahib’. Their pursuit is forever to strive for salvation through balancing work, worship and charity. They don’t know yet that Jesus is their only Saviour.
A man of God is a mystery
A man of God commands respect without words and he is awe-inspiring, but it is not respect and awe regarding the man himself. In an inexplicable way, we instinctively know that God is in this man. Why are there so few men of God?
10 Ways to set your mind on things above
In order to trust God for the impossible and to live a life that honours Him, we need an intentional focus on something other than what can be seen. Our focus is to be on things above, where God is (Colossians 3:1). How do we do that?
Study the Word like Billy Graham
We take a look at Billy Graham’s own description of how he studied the Bible and see if we can’t find some good advice and encouragement for our own study in the Word.
Prayer thoughts for childless couples
There are more childless couples than we realise. Many have tried everything humanly possible without success and they struggle physically, emotionally and spiritually. How can you pray if this is you?
Be a cheerful giver!
Our God is both gracious and compassionate. As we choose to follow Him, He wants us to follow His example and be kind and open-hearted.
How should we live in perilous times?
The dire state of the world right now is troubling and brings fear and anxiety in the hearts of many. Instead of looking for an escape from these things, we are called by Scripture to complete our Father’s Kingdom mission.
Why conversion and revival are Biblical
Some in the Church wonder whether conversion, and its corporate expression, revival, are not just manifestations of Western individualistic thinking. What does the Bible say?
God needs men (Part 3)
The power of God works through men who consecrate their lives to God. This is the last article in our 3-part series exploring the characteristics of such men.
Practical prayerwalking ideas
The desire for people to do something practical while praying for their community is a valid one. Not everyone likes sitting down and praying through a list. We have put together 52 prayerwalking ideas that can be used to saturate communities with prayer for one year.
Connecting with God
Connecting with God can easily be mistaken as having a specific ‘feeling’ or ‘experience’ when praying. Although that can serve as a great bonus, what can you do when you do not feel or experience anything?
Connecting your child to Jesus
The age of a child and their experience will determine how able they are to pray. However, listen to the prayers of a child concerning someone or something that is close to their heart, and you will hear the fervency with which they can pray.
God needs men (Part 2)
The power of God works through men who consecrate their lives to God. In this 3-part series we explore the characteristics of such men. This is part two in the series.
Way to go… 2022
Do all the 2’s in 2022 also catch your eye? There will always be the choice between walking in the Spirit or walking in the flesh. Which will it be for you in the new year?
Was it a mountain top or valley year?
Whether the past year was a “mountain top” or a “valley of despair” year for you, pause a moment to reflect.
Gracefully sharing Jesus
Nobody likes a rude person, but often Christians leave such an impression when they share their testimony or faith. So, how can you gracefully share your faith with an unbeliever?
Prayers for first responders
We must pray for our first responders e.g. Police service, Fire and rescue service, Medical and Emergency response teams. Added to the tragic and devastating situations that they are exposed to, they are sometimes hindered to do their work with efficiency due to corruption, violence and mismanagement.
God needs men (Part 1)
When God wants to do something in the world, He always looks for a person through whom he can do it. The power of God works through men who consecrate their lives to God. In this 3-part series we will explore the characteristics of such men.
Child abuse is serious in God’s eyes
Child abuse has a serious longterm impact on a person. To know and recognise the signs of possible child abuse is the responsibility of all adults, especially Christians. We must know what to pray regarding this issue.
God wants to heal broken families
Families are a precious gift from God that should not be taken for granted, so when issues do arise, we need to turn to God and ask Him to intervene.
Standing alone for Jesus
You might come under pressure to lower your standards or your commitment, or even deny Jesus. Jesus encourages us to stay faithful to Him, despite opposition. By doing that, we may find that we stand alone.
Hear our Prayer: James Edwin Orr for Revival
In the words of a hymn written by James Edwin Orr, he asks God for revival. Pray fervently that God will bring us revival in our lifetime, and that He would start with each one of us.
Missionaries working in “closed” countries
There is a great need for missionaries in countries where Christians are persecuted, but many steer away from these harvest fields due to the challenges and dangers they will face.
Read, study and obey the Bible
You can gain a lot of information from studying the Bible, but if you do not move from information to obedience, you will not grow and your study of the Bible will be of no real benefit to you.
Children and prayer: practical activities
As Christians, we desire for our children to remain true to their identity in Christ. So we have to create opportunities to teach them the ways of the Lord and how to pray. Practical activities are provided to share with children.
Hear our Prayer: Charles Spurgeon for the touch of the Holy Spirit
May this prayer by Charles Spurgeon inspire and encourage you to pray for the touch of the Holy Spirit!
5 Areas a man needs to gain victory in
As men we want to show our strength, make our stand, show ourselves strong and able. These can be good, but only when they are birthed from the Spirit of God and from a heart of humility and brokenness.
Love the stranger
Foreigners seeking a better future in another nation is a reality across the globe. There are many reasons why people seek to rebuild their lives in a different country. Some of these are very serious and life-threatening reasons. What does God say about the way we are to treat these “strangers”?