Devotionals

Matthew 7: 24 Amp
“The wise man … built his house on the rock.”

A friend was visiting me recently and together we went to see a house built in the 1900’s by an architect of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was an interesting visit with many beautiful aspects of craftsmanship to admire: intricate carving, wonderfully decorated tiles round the fireplaces, beautiful pieces of furniture and so on.

In one part of the house was an art exhibition displaying pictures by an artist of the period. I didn’t like many of the pictures, despite the fact that they were skilfully painted, but some of them had a pseudo-Christian message to them. However, one spoke clearly to my friend. It was of a young woman standing on a very small rock amid a swirling sea with sea monsters circling round her, and my friend said, “That’s exactly how I feel sometimes.”

And she described how the Lord had shown her various pictures to do with standing on the Rock. Sometimes it is small and she seems surrounded by dangers, at others it is like Table Mountain in South Africa standing high above the sea, flat and broad, but always the Rock is secure and safe. The rock in the picture was rising up out of the sea bed and was flat and wide enough for the woman to stand on in safety.

Jesus is our Rock and security, and no matter what storms may come in our lives, and He warns us that they will come, He will be our firm foundation, who will never shift. We mustn’t forget that He’s also there through the good times too – sometimes we forget to thank Him for them!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Thank You that You’re our Rock, the firm foundation, who will never change or shift. You’re there in the good times and the bad. Please help us to remember that we can always call on You in the bad times, and remind us to say “thank You” for being with us in the good ones. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog

Proverbs 3:3, NIV
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

According to the dictionary, faithfulness is the concept of unfailingly remaining loyal to someone or something and putting that loyalty into consistent practice, regardless of extenuating circumstances. It means to be dedicated, steadfast, devoted, dependable, true, conscientious, and thorough.

Faithfulness is the complete opposite of self-centeredness. It is mentioned in Galatians 5:22 as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Faithfulness requires being committed to even the little things that will never earn you the applause of men, and may be tedious and seemingly insignificant. Faithfulness requires commitment and often asks of us to sacrifice personal comfort for the cause of Christ or the benefit of another. It is carefulness in keeping what we’re entrusted with.

The story is told of George Boldt who worked faithfully for years at the front desk in a small hotel. One day an elderly couple came into the lobby and asked for a place to stay. Every room in the hotel—and every hotel in town—was occupied. Realising that the elderly couple had nowhere to sleep, Boldt offered them his own room. Although they were reluctant to accept his offer, they eventually did so because George insisted. The next morning when the couple was checking out, the elderly man said to George, “You`re the kind of man who should be managing the best hotel in the country. Someday I`m going to build that hotel and let you manage it.”

Several years later, Boldt received a letter in the mail. It contained a round-trip ticket and a note from the man to whom he’d given his room years before. The man invited George to visit him in New York City. When Boldt arrived in New York, the gentleman took him to a downtown corner where a huge building stood. “George, this is the hotel I built for you to manage.” Boldt stared in amazement at the glorious structure. The hotel was the Waldorf-Astoria! The elderly man was William Waldorf Astor, one of the wealthiest men in the country. Boldt’s faithfulness in managing a small hotel had prepared him to manage one of the most magnificent hotels this country has ever seen.

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus told the parable of a man who was going on a journey, and entrusted His servants with his property. We read that he came back after a long time and wanted to settle accounts with his servants, but found that not everyone was equally faithful to what was entrusted to them. To the servant who had taken that which was entrusted to him seriously, and remained committed, the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21-23).

Be encouraged to remain faithful – faithful to your talents, faithful to your family, faithful to your friendships, faithful to both the great and the small tasks entrusted to you, but most of all, faithful to God and that which He has called you to do.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are a faithful God who never turns Your back on me, even when I’m unfaithful at times. I long to please You and to bring honour to You in both the small and the great tasks You call me to do. Please help me to do this with excellence and joy, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog

Psalm‬ 23‬:1-3‬, NIV
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.”

Sometimes we get so used to a specific scripture, that we read through it quickly and don`t really get into the practical application of it to our lives. Psalm 23 is a really good example of this. Many of us grew up hearing it so often, and it actually became a rhyme that we just repeated.

But what does the Lord actually mean by saying that He is our shepherd? A shepherd is someone who protects, guides and watches over his flock of sheep. They look to him for protection from their enemies, as well as the provision of food, water and shelter. The shepherd also helps them when they’re sick or injured.

Practically the Lord also wants to be the source of help for all our needs. When going through challenges, such as being in desperate need of a job or a positive outcome to a situation, people often put their hope in other people. When we start listening to what people are saying, we hear their panic. Their focus is on the situation they are in, in a government system of unequal rights, or in the specific person they are going to for a job interview.

If we look at Psalm 23:1 we’re reminded that the Lord is our Shepherd. We need to lift our focus unto Him, and recognise that He’s above all the earthly systems, and people in places of power and influence. God is our source of hope and will open doors for us where He chooses to. Yes, we still need to go for that interview, better our education or improve our skills, but ultimately the Lord is in control and will guide us to the place He knows is best for us. If we put our trust in Him, He fills us with hope, and gives us the strength to do our part in this, and walk the road we need to.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a conflict situation, or a place of huge uncertainty regarding our future. For most people this is very daunting. If we take a moment to firstly confide in Jesus, our Shepherd, and pour out our fears and emotions before Him, hope starts to grow again. So often we get into a panic and start making our own plans. Only then do we look to the Lord and ask for help. When things then don`t work out, we often blame the Lord, but we never put Him at the beginning of our decisions in the first place.

God is our Shepherd. He longs to guide us, protect and watch over us. But we need to allow Him to do so. We can`t do things the other way around and then expect the Lord to make everything work out the way we thought it would.

We’re living in a self-help, self-sufficient world, and this isn’t a world that recognises God`s covering over us. The best part is that the Lord will never turn away from us, even if we have followed our own ideas and plans. He’s still waiting for us to turn back to Him. Even if we’ve made a mess of things, He will guide and lead us towards a solution and healing.

‘We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His Holy Name’ (Psalm 33‬:20-21).

Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, that no matter what I’m facing, You’re my hope and place of safety. Even though I’m fearful, I choose to focus on You for guidance and provision. I know that You’ll never abandon me, and that You promise to be with me every step of the way. Thank You that You promise me hope and a future. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog

Luke 18:35 & Luke 19:1-2 NIV
“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging … Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus, he was a chief tax collector … “

As Jesus approached, and later entered Jericho, two men’s lives were changed forever. The first man was a beggar named Bartimaeus (Luke 18:35), and the second was a despised tax collector, known as Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-3).

These two men had very different needs and reasons for seeking out Jesus. Bartimaeus was blind, and when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he started desperately crying out ‘Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me.’ The annoyed crowd told him to be quiet but he refused to be silenced and cried out even the louder. He knew that the miracle worker was passing by, and blind Bartimaeus had the necessary faith for a miracle. Jesus saw his tenacious faith, stopped and responded by healing Bartimaeus. Both the beggar and the crowd who witnessed his healing were exuberant with praise towards God. Joy exploded forth and what an atmosphere of celebration there must have been.

Then, on the very same day, the spotlight moves away from Bartimaeus to a chief tax collector, who was very wealthy. Zacchaeus also had heard about Jesus and was desperate to meet him, but not for the same reasons as Bartimaeus. He was carrying a load that was too burdensome to bear; the crippling weight of unforgiven sin.

Zacchaeus had probably heard about Jesus’ reputation of being a ‘friend of sinners’ and wanted to see if His reputation was true. Many people would have despised Zacchaeus and with good reason, but perhaps this Jesus was different and could give him a new start. The tax collector went to frantic means to see Jesus for himself; ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a sycamore fig tree. How overjoyed he must have been when Jesus looked up, saw him and invited Himself around for dinner. I’m actually surprised that he didn’t fall out of the tree.

The crowd muttered and scoffed at this turn of events and put their noses up at Zacchaeus. ‘Why would Jesus bother with a man such as him?’ I can imagine them thinking. They were quick to rebuke, but eventually celebrate with Bartimaeus, but this was an entirely different scenario. Zacchaeus was a notorious sinner and prophets don’t hang out with such as him! Jesus could see what the crowd could not see though, and it was Zacchaeus’ heart cry that captivated His attention. This man wanted to get right with God, and Jesus wanted that too. His mission from God was to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). After a very public show of repentance by Zacchaeus Jesus proclaimed, ‘Today salvation has come to this house because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.’ The relationship that had been lost through sin, was now wonderfully restored.

I don’t know what your need is today, but God does. Perhaps you’re like Bartimaeus and in need of a physical miracle, or like Zacchaeus, in need of forgiveness? Or maybe you have a totally different need altogether, and neither or these two scenarios apply to you. It doesn’t matter really, as the solution is the focal point. I want you to grasp the truth that Jesus the Nazarene is ‘passing by’ YOU today. Can I encourage you to reach out in faith and take hold of whatever you may need from Him. Nothing is impossible for Him and no need is too small or too great for His intervention.

Prayer: Jesus, I have a need and You are passing by. Help me I pray. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are
those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time
is near.”Revelation 1:3, NIVThe book of Revelation is full of mysteries. But while the details are
some…

Revelation 1:3, NIV
“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are
those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time
is near.”

The book of Revelation is full of mysteries. But while the details are
…

John 6:26, (WEB)
Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. Don`t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him”.

I’m from a big family of eight, locally known by our family initials (the B.K family). We’ve been brought up to live a God-fearing life. Hanging on the wall in the sitting room of our house is a wood carving with the words ‘The B.K. family, a family of God’, and a poster ‘a family that prays together, stays together’.

Many years have passed, and I’m realising now that those were not just wall decorations, but prayers and declarations. We’re all married now, apart from my younger sister, and we’re settled in different places, far away from each other. But the amazing thing is we’re still a family, and occasionally have a bible study together via a whatsapp group, which includes our spouses. Thank God for technology when you can use it in a godly way.

So recently we were studying the scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16-17; ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work’. What seemed to be highlighted to us was the problem in the Body of Christ, where some people have narrowed down the dynamic power of God, and His vast aspects, into the gospel of financial freedom and physical gain. We have made the Gospel a means to an end, saying “give so that you can receive”. It’s really painful that God’s Word has been misinterpreted to just mean financial breakthrough.

Some people go to Church so that they can improve themselves in terms of health and economical gain. They seem to be extracting the scriptures that work for them and skipping the rest, whereas Paul is saying in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that ‘all scripture is God breathed’. They have diverted from following Christ for the sake of His teaching to following Him for loaves of bread.

So they’re allowing themselves to be exploited by the gospel of prosperity. They no longer go to Church to seek God, but to seek their own interest, appearing before God when they need Him to give them economic power or any other need. They no longer seek Him to worship Him for who He is. They have been chained with the very gospel which was meant to set them free.

There’s more to life than getting worldly possessions. They aren’t bad, but let’s follow the principle of Mathew 6:33, seeking first the Kingdom and the rest will follow. It says in Matthew 2:2 ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him’. ‘To worship Him’ should be what drives us to seek Him.

Paul says, ‘I have strength for anything through Him who gives me power’, (Philippians 4:13, Weymouth New Testament). In other words, what you have is powerful to do all that you want, in His will.

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me, if I’ve been seeking You from wrong motives rather than being ‘after Your own heart’. Help me to seek the true gospel of repentance, holiness and righteousness. Give me strength to remain true to Your calling, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog

Ephesians 1:4, NIV
“God chose us in him before the foundation of the world.”

I have been thinking a lot lately about the call of God on our lives, and this verse in Ephesians tells us that our primary calling is to be holy and blameless.

When we hear of leaders who fail, it is so sad to think that all the gifting and anointing for the works of God are made completely ineffective sometimes by a moral failure. Our holiness is very important to God, and therefore should be very important to us. It should be in front of our gifting.

God calls us by name. The scripture in John 10:27 says that we as sheep recognise the voice of Jesus and we follow Him. After our salvation, I believe God’s call on our lives is the next most important thing. I love that scripture in Romans 11:29, ‘For God’s gift and his call are irrevocable’.

Whatever God called you to do – maybe right back there in your childhood, He has not changed His mind about it. When I was a little girl of 7, a neighbour took me to a slideshow in a small Methodist chapel. It was presented by a missionary who was home on furlough from Papua New Guinea. I was riveted to the pictures and felt deeply impacted. By the time he made the appeal for “Anyone here tonight who feel that God could be calling them to be a missionary to Papua New Guinea? Please come forward”, I was up and out of my seat and stood in the front. The missionary asked me to wait while the others came out, but finally there were no others! As he sat and looked at me, about a metre high, he said, ‘You have a lot of growing up to do before you can go as a missionary to Papua New Guinea.’

However, he sat and prayed that if this was God, that one day I would go to Papua New Guinea to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I rushed home to tell my mother that, when I grew up, I was going to be a missionary to Papua New Guinea. Her reply was, “Of course you are dear. But for now go to bed!”

At the age of 14, I gave my heart to the Lord but everything to do with Papua New Guinea went straight out of my mind. A few years ago, some 60 years later, a pastor came on the NETS programme from Papua New Guinea and when he asked me to go and teach a conference in his church, suddenly the memory returned. When the wheels of the plane touched down in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, I sat and wept as I remembered the scripture – ‘God’s gift and his call are irrevocable’. If something really is of God, then be sure God will accomplish it.

So what is it that God has called you to do? Have you done it? Don’t let the enemy tell you that you have messed up so badly that God is no longer calling you to do it. The next lie of the enemy is that we are not good enough to do it.

God does not always call the qualified but he always qualifies the called. God does not always call the most likely or the most humanly gifted people. The anointing from God, which is needed to fulfil our call, will be there for us. A real call of God usually starts as a little seed, and it grows and will not go away. Be content with your call and make lifestyle choices that enable it. Remain faithful to God and to the call He has placed on your life and you will be fruitful. What He calls us to do He also enables us to do.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, that You have called me to enter into relationship with You and to be holy and blameless in Your sight. I thank You for calling me by name and leading me out. Help me to pay the cost of being obedient and thank You today that You never change Your mind about me or my call. Amen.

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Psalm 73:26, AMP.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and my Portion forever.”

When I had a heart attack nearly two years ago, far away from home, God brought me back safely. In fact, I even doubted it was a heart attack I’d had, until it was confirmed by the cardiologist. I was given recommendations from the medical profession for my future health. But despite following all the recommendations, as I was trying to avoid having to take a particular medicine, it didn’t work. The final medication with it`s side effects, albeit less than the first one given, wasn’t what I wanted to take.

I can’t say I took this in my stride, in fact I had great difficulty with it. I suddenly had less energy to do the things I wanted to do. Having to stop many of my activities caused me to look back on my life. I began to see the many times where my spiritual heart had failed and brought me into a pit of despair. Now my physical heart was failing, as it wasn’t pumping the life blood I needed to function well.

I had expectations of where help would come from to support me in this season of my life. But I found God used different people from those I’d expected. I also experienced God in a deeper way. Not only was He strengthening my heart, but also my trust in His Word.

The enemy of my soul was also prowling around, reminding me of my failures and the failures of others. Then I remembered my first attempt at painting. I let a bit of black paint make a blob on the canvas. I was devastated, because I’d ruined the painting.

I remember the teacher’s reply: “What makes you think it was a mistake, and that the picture is ruined? Look at it as a present in disguise.” My black blob turned into a lovely cat. When someone looked at my finished painting they expressed their delight at the little black cat.

Often we can feel our failings or inabilities aren’t going to bring about anything good. We feel disappointed when life goes rather differently from what we’d expected. Failures, inabilities, and disabilities, in our own families or the Church, can bring much pain and disappointment.

I’m sure God’s waiting to create something better with His final paintbrush stroke in our lives, whether it was ourselves, or others, that caused our hearts to fail. Sometimes forgiveness or repentance is needed, or we have to stand against the accuser of the brethren and send him away in Jesus’ name. Tell him to take his accusations to God, because Jehovah God has the final say.

Our hearts may fail. Others hearts may fail towards us but God never fails to be the strength of our hearts. We can always trust Him.

God makes no mistakes, and He uses everything for His purpose in our lives, to bring us closer to Him, so that our trust in Him grows in His care. Romans 8:28 says ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose’.

The enemy may bring discouragement through many sources, but the Lord of our lives has the last word. His faithfulness and mighty power is greater than our failing hearts.

Prayer: Father should our hearts fail, help us to receive Your strength for our hearts. Encourage us with Your word that You have our situations in Your hand. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that has given us victory over the enemy of our souls. Help us to stand in the authority given to us by Your Son Jesus against the works of the enemy. Show us the way through the mine fields of the enemy of our souls. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and what we need at this time. Don’t just heal our physical hearts, but also our spiritual hearts, for Jesus’ name sake. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog

Philippians 2:5, The Amplified Bible
“Let this same attitude, purpose and humble mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. Let Him be your example in humility.”

“It’s my rights!” This common human cry today is the consequence of man’s search for justice, but it’s without reference to God. The promotion of so-called innate human rights and privileges may be well-meaning, but it’s not consistent with the Word of God. God’s made it clear that, in His Kingdom, true rights are solely dependent on obedience to a covenant relationship with Him, through Jesus. Jesus came to deal with man’s sin, as it was sin that caused us to lose the rights God gave us at creation.

The existence of true human rights isn’t simply the consequence of our physical birth, as the world chooses to claim, but rather the consequence of ‘spiritual rebirth’ into God’s family. Without doubt we all have extraordinary innate value, but God alone has the authority to confer legitimate rights to human beings once again.

Jesus not only explained the true meaning of God’s laws as He walked on the earth, but He also fulfilled them. He clearly showed the way God sees the issues of authority and rights. He didn’t exercise His rightful and, in fact, supreme, authority by self-proclaimed privilege, but by humbling Himself to be perfectly obedient to the Father. Jesus is our model today.

“Let this same attitude, purpose and humble mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. Let Him be your example in humility. Although being essentially one with God and in the form of God, possessing the fullness of attributes which make God God, did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained; but stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity so as to assume the guise of a servant or slave, in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He appeared in human form He abased and humbled Himself still further and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Therefore because He stooped so low, God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:5-9).

Prayer: Thank You, Father, that, through receiving Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I have the right to become a child of God, with all the amazing privileges that flow from that fact. Remind me to remain in humble obedience to You and avoid the trap of claiming rights that aren’t from You. Amen.

Click here to read Peter Horrobin`s blog