Daily Devotion: Joshua 1:9 “Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for I, the LORD your God, am with you wherever you go.” Have you ever felt that life is becoming so overwhelming that you lose courage? It is a struggle many of us have to deal with when things get complicated. However, in Christ, we find hope that all will turn out well in the end. God did not give us a spirit of fear and trepidation, through the sacrifice of His Son we received courage and a firm belief that our lives are in His capable hands. 1 Timothy 1:7: “For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control.” We therefore have a responsibility to be His messengers on earth; to carry His word to the masses directly or simply by way of the example we set. We may feel that people judge us or that they make fun of our beliefs, we may even fear that we are in danger of death if we continue to proclaim God’s love to the world. We should never fear or despair, for God will, in His time give us the words and He will protect us from those who speak out against us. Psalms 27:14: “Trust in the LORD. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the LORD.” Haggai 2:4: “But now don’t be discouraged, any of you. Do the work, for I am with you.” Are you ready to face the world as a believer, without fear, without trepidation, but with courage and faith? #Joshua1 #Godspresence #Faith #messengersofGod #Discipleship

Daily devotion: Mark 13:10-11 “But before the end comes, the gospel must be preached to all peoples. And when you are arrested and taken to court, do not worry beforehand about what you are going to say; when the time comes, say whatever is then given to you. For the words you speak will not be yours; they will come from the Holy Spirit.” How many times have you been left speechless? Times that you were surprised into giving an impromptu talk or, worse, when you were expected to defend yourself, but shocked into silence. As believers we can expect confrontation constantly. Many people will question our belief system, ask questions to ‘trip us up’ and try to prove that God does not exist. How terrible then if you are actually arrested and thrown in jail because you tried to minister to someone? Can you imagine the fear the apostles had to live with? These days we are still afraid to speak up, to acknowledge our own faith. If it is because we wish NOT to offend other religions or because we are afraid of judgment, I’m not always sure. But the truth is that we should NEVER be afraid to talk about God! We should feel COMPELLED to discuss our religion with others. This is, after all, our main objective – to make disciples of every nation. I think we are afraid, because we fear confrontation about our faith. We are scared that, if someone corners us about God, we will not be able to give the right answers. You may think that, because you are not a theologian or a pastor, you will not be able to cope. Read the scripture again. It doesn’t matter who you are! If you are a child of God, not afraid to raise the subject of your faith and are questioned about it, God Himself will provide the answers. He will guide you and give you the words, literally, to say to these people. Haven’t we learned that God is always by our side? Why would He then leave you to battle in defending His honour? Be brave, people, be brave for Jesus and speak out, for time is short and the world MUST know the truth. They must be saved or be lost forever. This is OUR responsibility, but we ARE NOT ALONE. #DailyDevotion #Mark13 #Discipleship #MessengersofGod #Courage