Pastor Chris Karuhije

Don’t strive for perfection in family devotions, strive for consistency. As you train up your children each day, remember the goal: We want our kids to know that God is at the center of the family. Kids won’t necessarily remember whether family devotions were perfect, but they will remember that they were important.

God has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us. Yet, many people do not fully understand the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit being with us. Unless we yield to the power and ability of the Holy Spirit, the Christian life can be frustrating and challenging.

In April 1932, something that was previously thought impossible happened. In a Cambridge laboratory, two men, John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton, split the atom and paved the way for the creation of the nuclear bomb. It was then that the world discovered something that is just as true in the spiritual world as it is in nuclear physics; the greatest release of power does not come by making bigger bombs, but by making changes on the smallest level. In nuclear science it came from splitting one of the smallest things in the world, the atom. In life, the biggest changes come from renewing our minds.

This Christmas season, perhaps you are believing for a miracle in your life. You may be praying for a loved one to come home for Christmas, for a financial miracle in your life, or healing from a physical or mental health issue. Looking at Mary’s incredible faith in giving birth to Jesus, we too can catch a glimpse of steps we can take to receive a miracle from God.

It doesn’t matter how you start. It matters how you finish. You may be sensing God turning the heat up on things in your life He wants to purify you from. Like David, you can say the same prayer and allow the flux of His get rid of toxic thoughts and bad behavior. “Search me, O God, and know my heart… Point out anything in me that offends you…”

“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.” How true was that statement in 1861 when Thomas Moore wrote them, and how true it is now 160 years later. Since Moore penned those words, there has been two world wars (with numerous intermittent regional wars in between), epidemics and pandemics, economic recessions and depressions, and countless environmental disasters.

When we recognize that God’s grace is freely given to all that will accept it irrelevant of their status, seniority or standards, we can choose to be grateful for what God is doing in the lives of others instead of comparing it with what we have. When it comes time to receive the wage of eternal life, we can rejoice that God’s kindness surrounds those who have served him for decades and those who have served him for one year. Both receive the gift of eternal life. And it is that celebration of the grace of God in other’s lives that I believe can unlock the things that you are believing for and break you free from the trap of comparison.

You may be in a place where you feel like you are in captivity to a career that is going nowhere, in bondage to a toxic relationship or stuck in a never-ending cycle of depression, fear and anxiety. But just as God had a plan for His people in bondage in Babylon, He has a plan for you. His plan is not to harm you but to prosper you and give you an expected end. You may be asking, “how do I discover that plan?” The answer is found in serving others.

In Ron Howard’s 1995 Academy Award winning movie Apollo 13, famed NASA flight director Gene Kranz has the iconic line, “Failure is not an option.” This line is quoted in other movies and books, its blasted in sports arenas hyping up their fans before a game and its invoked in countless speeches. Yet for how powerful the quote is, for many, failure is all too real. Whether we look at history, our own experiences, and even the Bible, disappointment is something we will have to walk through.

The Bible tells us not to be unaware of the designs of the enemy. In the original Greek language of which the New Testament was written, design literally means a scheme; a psychological, well-reasoned strategy against us.

From the time we were little, many of us dreamt of being firefighters, astronauts, doctors, soldiers… All occupations that take courage. And though we may not always maintain the same passion for that particular occupation as we grow older, something in all of us still longs to do something courageous with our lives. Yet so often, when the moment comes to make a decision or to step out in courage, we can find that we don’t have the capacity or ability to do so. The desire may be there, but often when the moment comes, we feel like we are not ready, and we can easily shy away from the moment.

very great man and woman of God that we read about in the Bible has been confronted with the question of whether they are affecting culture or if the culture around them is affecting them. And in that question, a decision arises: Will you set a new trend, or simply follow along with society and what the culture of the day dictates?

Are you in need of breakthrough? Perhaps you have been on the same level at work for many years and though you know can do more, you are unable to see a path forward. Maybe your marriage has been trending downward and you see no light at the end of the tunnel. Or you are stuck in a never-ending cycle of debt and financial shortage and don’t see a way out.

When we talk about addictions, most people will look at it from a negative standpoint. But what if you could be addicted to something positive? In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes a certain group of people who had an addiction. But it was not to alcohol, drugs or gambling that they were addicted to. Their addiction was giving: “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to nthe ministry of the saints,)” (1 Corinthians 16:15).

What does the Bible say about their roles in our life? What are they like? What are they created to do? Let’s take a look at 7 things the Bible says about angels and their ministry.

Before there was ever a Romeo and Juliet, a Cleopatra and Mark Antony, or a Pocahontas and John Smith, there was Boaz and Ruth. This tender, romantic story stands as one of the oldest and most beautiful illustrations of what true love is. But through the romance, poetry and fairytale ending, one truth rings true above all; even in the darkest hours of our life, God is still at work.

God takes the parts of our lives that are broken, battered and beaten, and revives them in remarkable fashion. Isaiah 43:18 says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Receive your fresh start today.

One of the areas that fasting has an impact in is in our purpose and call. In great men and women such as Esther, Daniel, Paul and even Jesus, we see how their destiny took off after time spent in prayer and fasting. Whether you are still discovering God’s call for your life or already living it but in need of breakthrough, fasting is a powerful catalyst to get you there. So, let me share with you three ways fasting can launch you into new realms of your destiny.

But just because you were named and labeled as something undesirable, does not mean that it’s the end of the story, and you are doomed to live out that label. In the Bible, we are introduced to a man whose name warranted a name change. But instead of living up that label, he chose God’s label instead and became a success in his life.

A Special Gift. Have you ever received a gift but did not open until much later? Perhaps you placed it away intending to open it, only to forget about it. One of my colleagues was excited to recently find some gift cards tucked away in an old forgotten Christmas card.

God has set you up in your neighbourhood, in your office tower, in your networks and in your family to bring the life changing message of Jesus.  All He requires from you is to allow the Fruits of the Spirit to come out of your life until people can’t help but ask what makes you so different.

It was late in the afternoon and I was sitting on my bed. A few inches from me sat my Bible, but opening it was the last thing I wanted to do.  I was 15 years old, and as I had often done throughout my teen years, I was bemoaning the fact that I was fatherless.  At that point in my life, I was having trouble keeping my grades up and I was extremely shy, so making friends had been difficult.  I would think, “if only my Dad was still alive, things would have been different for me.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.- Romans 15:13Biblical HopeA thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn…  These words from Silent Night perfectly encapsulate what Christmas is all about: A Thrill of Hope.