Pastor Karen Kepkay

When we trust Jesus, we are not just hoping that God would accept us. It is not blind trust. We can place our trust in Jesus and not in ourselves or our performance, not even in faith itself. We place our faith and trust in Christ, our Savior, who provided a better sacrifice and a better covenant for us to walk with our Father God, just as Enoch did, who also simply trusted Him.

Thanksgiving involves sacrifice. You may not feel like thanking God in the storm or praising Him in tribulation; but when you remember His goodness revealed at the Cross, you can’t help but praise Him.
Today, choose to come into His presence daily with thanksgiving, and praise, be thankful to Him and bless His name, and put away any murmuring. (Psalm 100:4). Remember that a grateful heart recognizes our need for God and releases faith so our prayers bring about change. Thanksgiving keeps us in the love and mercy of God as it focuses on eternal life.

If the Holy Spirit is convicting you of sin and righteousness, and you desire for a fresh start like David did, then your first step is to surrender to Jesus, accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, then take that posture of humility and ask for forgiveness and He will cleanse you and set you free…and He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

Scripture reveals that our Father God designed us for relationships from the very beginning. At the core of every meaningful relationship is intimacy. Pastors John and Helen Burns in one of their relationship teachings beautifully described intimacy as “Into-me-see”. Intimacy is opening our hearts allowing the other person to see into us. So, relationships naturally exist on a spectrum of closeness, commitment and intimacy, like concentric circles radiating outward from our innermost circle of trust.

When you feel persecuted, or received a verbal stoning, instead of retaliating, becoming offended and biting into Satan’s trap- Know that the Lord works everything for His good (Romans 8:28) and let your faith be unshakable by abiding in His word. There is a great reward in Heaven as you live your life prepared, pray for others and through circumstances, and remain in Christ as your focus and source.

The Lord might not be literally asking us to wash someone else’s feet (though it could happen of course) but He does call us to look to serve others and find a need and meet it. What does it look like to you to love another person with actions, even when it is uncomfortable or costly?

We are all in the work-in-progress and constant growth process of our soul. Don’t get discouraged in the rebuilding of your real you and lean into the Holy Spirit for everything that you need. He is sent to you as the helper and comforter, and help in times of need. He will give you fullness and freedom as you allow Him to guide in you into all wisdom. Like Nehemiah, the Holy Spirit is saying… “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem[YOUR SOUL] , and we will no longer be in disgrace.”

Prayer changes things, changes us and changes history! Paul prayed for prisoners and soldiers on the ship, and they were saved. Who are we praying for today whose lives will be changed by Christ in the future?

Who is comfortable with relationship conflict? The truth is that we all experience differences and disagreements in our relationship with others because God has created us with unique personalities. As we grow in the likeness of Jesus, we will always be sharpening each other and God uses differences to teach us to live in harmony while learning to live in community.

The early church was growing to the seams and the apostles found themselves in a crucial situation. Being just twelve of them appointed as apostles of Jesus, they were unable to minister the Word, something they were chosen to do, while meeting practical needs of the widows. Based on what they learned from Jesus, they solved this issue by encouraging others to serve and lead in a supporting role. The outcome was extraordinary and is now the biblical recipe we follow in our local church so we can fulfill the Great Commission!