Most of us live pretty comfortably. We have food on the table and a roof over our heads. We can get away with saying we 'need' something, when in actual fact we actually only 'want' it. Sometimes things can get tough, but most of us could say we generally live well. 

But what about the times when the things we have just aren't enough, when the future is looming and we're not sure we can afford it? What about those university fees or rental deposit or car payments? Will we ever be earning enough to have our own place?! But, let's slow down and think about this from God's perspective. This is the God who 'covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills' (Psalm 147:8 NIV). He's aware of our needs (Matthew 6:32) and he wants us to lay them before him expectantly (Psalm 5:3). 

That doesn't mean we have a wish-fulfilling genie who gives us everything we ask for, but it does mean we've never had a friend like him. God's able to see our real needs and he's ready to help us. Whether it's emotional strength, physical energy or financial stuff, God's ready to help us face it and provide all we need as it's required.



So what now? Have a read of Matthew 6:25-34 - then pray that God will help you learn to rely on him for everything, the big things and the little things.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.' Matthew 6:32 NLT
— SOULFOOD —

	Rev 15-18, Luke 18:18-43, Ps 19, Pro 8:6-7
	

Most of us live pretty comfortably. We have food on the table and a roof over our heads. We can get away with saying we 'need' something, when in actual fact we actually only 'want' it. Sometimes things can get tough, but most of us could say we generally live well. But what about the times when the things we have just aren't enough, when the future is looming and we're not sure we can afford it? What about those university fees or rental deposit or car payments? Will we ever be earning enough to have our own place?! But, let's slow down and think about this from God's perspective. This is the God who 'covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills' (Psalm 147:8 NIV). He's aware of our needs (Matthew 6:32) and he wants us to lay them before him expectantly (Psalm 5:3). That doesn't mean we have a wish-fulfilling genie who gives us everything we ask for, but it does mean we've never had a friend like him. God's able to see our real needs and he's ready to help us. Whether it's emotional strength, physical energy or financial stuff, God's ready to help us face it and provide all we need as it's required.So what now? Have a read of Matthew 6:25-34 - then pray that God will help you learn to rely on him for everything, the big things and the little things.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.' Matthew 6:32 NLT 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	Rev 15-18, Luke 18:18-43, Ps 19, Pro 8:6-7

Rely on him for it all

In puppet shows, sometimes the puppeteer uses puppets with two characters sewn into one? They're often characters with opposing personalities. Some people think that God is a bit like that: a lovely, kind character who's helpful and wise when people do their best, but then when bad stuff happens he's hard and mean. Although we may not admit it, sometimes we may think that about him too. We could be tempted to think he doesn't care about our situation or that he's trying to teach us a lesson. 

But here's the truth: God always cares because he never changes. In fact, Hebrews 13:8 NIV says, 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.' This is the Jesus we read about in the Bible, the one performing miracles and transforming broken lives. He's still at work today, and he still cares about us - in fact, he cares way more than anyone else. 

There will be times when we don't understand what God is doing, but if we understand his good and unchanging character, we can trust that he's always working for our good (see Romans 8:28). 



So what now? If you've been feeling like God doesn't seem to care much about what's happening in your life, it may be that you've not been on the best speaking terms with him? Today, take some time out, sit in your secret place and chat with him. When you do, remind yourself of his real character; Psalm 103 is good to help you remember. Read it out loud and be encouraged.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.' Hebrews 13:8 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

	Rev 10-14, Luke 18:1-17, Ps 11, Pro 8:4-5
	

In puppet shows, sometimes the puppeteer uses puppets with two characters sewn into one? They're often characters with opposing personalities. Some people think that God is a bit like that: a lovely, kind character who's helpful and wise when people do their best, but then when bad stuff happens he's hard and mean. Although we may not admit it, sometimes we may think that about him too. We could be tempted to think he doesn't care about our situation or that he's trying to teach us a lesson. But here's the truth: God always cares because he never changes. In fact, Hebrews 13:8 NIV says, 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.' This is the Jesus we read about in the Bible, the one performing miracles and transforming broken lives. He's still at work today, and he still cares about us - in fact, he cares way more than anyone else. There will be times when we don't understand what God is doing, but if we understand his good and unchanging character, we can trust that he's always working for our good (see Romans 8:28). So what now? If you've been feeling like God doesn't seem to care much about what's happening in your life, it may be that you've not been on the best speaking terms with him? Today, take some time out, sit in your secret place and chat with him. When you do, remind yourself of his real character; Psalm 103 is good to help you remember. Read it out loud and be encouraged.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.' Hebrews 13:8 NIV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	Rev 10-14, Luke 18:1-17, Ps 11, Pro 8:4-5

Always for our good

In the 16th Century, some women copied Queen Elizabeth's pale complexion by applying something called 'ceruse'. Unfortunately this stuff contained white lead and whilst they may have achieved the skin tone of a royal, they'd soon end up with hair loss and skin damage (and quite possibly death). 

Why the history lesson? Beauty is a weird thing. Whether it's haircuts, clothes, jewellery or white lead, we're constantly updating what's seen as beautiful. We hear the whole 'beauty is on the inside' spiel, but here's a radical thought... what if true beauty is only found in Jesus? What if the beauty inside of us is only there as a result of the transforming power of Jesus? We're not perfect, but when we chase after the things of God we allow him to reveal more of his beauty to those around us. 

In 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV it says, 'The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' What a heart-stopping, amazing realisation. God is looking for beauty in our everyday actions and thoughts. Will he find it?



So what now? Ever tempted to think of yourself (or others) as ugly? Write down today's verse: 'Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun' (Psalm 34:5 CEV). Stick it on your mirror as a reminder that you are filled with a beauty beyond comprehension. And that you should look beyond skin-deep when it comes to others too.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun.' Psalm 34:5 CEV
— SOULFOOD —

	Rev 5-9, Luke 17:20-37, Ps 115, Pro 8:1-3
	

In the 16th Century, some women copied Queen Elizabeth's pale complexion by applying something called 'ceruse'. Unfortunately this stuff contained white lead and whilst they may have achieved the skin tone of a royal, they'd soon end up with hair loss and skin damage (and quite possibly death). Why the history lesson? Beauty is a weird thing. Whether it's haircuts, clothes, jewellery or white lead, we're constantly updating what's seen as beautiful. We hear the whole 'beauty is on the inside' spiel, but here's a radical thought... what if true beauty is only found in Jesus? What if the beauty inside of us is only there as a result of the transforming power of Jesus? We're not perfect, but when we chase after the things of God we allow him to reveal more of his beauty to those around us. In 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV it says, 'The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' What a heart-stopping, amazing realisation. God is looking for beauty in our everyday actions and thoughts. Will he find it?So what now? Ever tempted to think of yourself (or others) as ugly? Write down today's verse: 'Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun' (Psalm 34:5 CEV). Stick it on your mirror as a reminder that you are filled with a beauty beyond comprehension. And that you should look beyond skin-deep when it comes to others too.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun.' Psalm 34:5 CEV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	Rev 5-9, Luke 17:20-37, Ps 115, Pro 8:1-3

Beauty, Jesus-style

Ever seen the comedian Tim Hawkins talking about the 'hedge of protection'? (It's pretty funny - search YouTube for it). At one point he impersonates someone saying to him 'Tim, we are praying a hedge of protection around you, buddy.' To which he responds 'A hedge, huh? I don't mean to complain, but is that the best you can do? How about a thick cement wall? With some razor wire on top of that bad boy'. Good point! 

But let's put the hedge analogy in context. In ancient times, the Middle East had some pretty wild animals. The Bible mentions lions, wolves and bears. Shepherds were keen to have decent predator-defying pens for their livestock. Walls made of stone? Great idea, but they'd take too long to make. Fence? Wood was saved to make other things. Hedge made of thorns? Good. Dense, sharp and deep. The bonus to this sort of compound was that it was also a good way to keep the livestock from escaping. 

Turns out hedges are a perfect solution. 

And, today we can still claim a 'hedge of protection around us. God, our Shepherd, promises to keep us safe from the attacks of our main predator, Satan. Unlike in Tim Hawkins' skit, let's thank God that his 'hedge' is the best protection we can have, ever.



So what now? When you go into your secret, private place today, thank God for the perfectly designed 'hedge of protection' he's placed around you and your loved ones.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household?' Job 1:10 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

	Matt 6:11, John 6:31-40, 1 Cor 11:23-24
	

Ever seen the comedian Tim Hawkins talking about the 'hedge of protection'? (It's pretty funny - search YouTube for it). At one point he impersonates someone saying to him 'Tim, we are praying a hedge of protection around you, buddy.' To which he responds 'A hedge, huh? I don't mean to complain, but is that the best you can do? How about a thick cement wall? With some razor wire on top of that bad boy'. Good point! But let's put the hedge analogy in context. In ancient times, the Middle East had some pretty wild animals. The Bible mentions lions, wolves and bears. Shepherds were keen to have decent predator-defying pens for their livestock. Walls made of stone? Great idea, but they'd take too long to make. Fence? Wood was saved to make other things. Hedge made of thorns? Good. Dense, sharp and deep. The bonus to this sort of compound was that it was also a good way to keep the livestock from escaping. Turns out hedges are a perfect solution. And, today we can still claim a 'hedge of protection around us. God, our Shepherd, promises to keep us safe from the attacks of our main predator, Satan. Unlike in Tim Hawkins' skit, let's thank God that his 'hedge' is the best protection we can have, ever.So what now? When you go into your secret, private place today, thank God for the perfectly designed 'hedge of protection' he's placed around you and your loved ones.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household?' Job 1:10 NIV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	Matt 6:11, John 6:31-40, 1 Cor 11:23-24

Hedged in

Friends are great, right? But what about when they confront us or challenge us when we mess up big time? Are we likely to admit we were wrong or, will we treat it like a weird blip in the friendship and wait for normal service to resume? Let's face it...if they were 'real' friends they wouldn't be judging us and the way we live would they? Oh really...

Proverbs 11 is full of little warnings about how to conduct ourselves and gives advice on how to keep ourselves healthy. This includes taking a good hard look in the mirror and admitting when we've messed up. 'Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2 NLT). Yes, admitting we're wrong is a tough pill to swallow, but it's not too hard to get over, right? Well, Proverbs 11 is just getting warmed up: 'Where there is no counsel, the people fall' (Proverbs 11:14 NKJV). To put it bluntly, it's not enough to quietly admit to ourselves that we were wrong - we need to make the decision to take on board the advice that good, trusted friends give us. 

It's useful to keep in mind that the book of Proverbs was written over a thousand years ago, to the people of that time - they experienced the same day-to-day relationship issues that we do. It's a timeless training manual for people to grow in godliness: God's word squarely focused on us.



So what now? Any friends you need to take some advice from? Humble up and organise a chat. 





— SCRIPTURE —

	'Where there is no counsel, the people fall.' Proverbs 11:14 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

	Rev 1-4, Luke 17:1-19, Ps 26, Pro 7:26-27
	

Friends are great, right? But what about when they confront us or challenge us when we mess up big time? Are we likely to admit we were wrong or, will we treat it like a weird blip in the friendship and wait for normal service to resume? Let's face it...if they were 'real' friends they wouldn't be judging us and the way we live would they? Oh really...Proverbs 11 is full of little warnings about how to conduct ourselves and gives advice on how to keep ourselves healthy. This includes taking a good hard look in the mirror and admitting when we've messed up. 'Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom' (Proverbs 11:2 NLT). Yes, admitting we're wrong is a tough pill to swallow, but it's not too hard to get over, right? Well, Proverbs 11 is just getting warmed up: 'Where there is no counsel, the people fall' (Proverbs 11:14 NKJV). To put it bluntly, it's not enough to quietly admit to ourselves that we were wrong - we need to make the decision to take on board the advice that good, trusted friends give us. It's useful to keep in mind that the book of Proverbs was written over a thousand years ago, to the people of that time - they experienced the same day-to-day relationship issues that we do. It's a timeless training manual for people to grow in godliness: God's word squarely focused on us.So what now? Any friends you need to take some advice from? Humble up and organise a chat. 
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'Where there is no counsel, the people fall.' Proverbs 11:14 NKJV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	Rev 1-4, Luke 17:1-19, Ps 26, Pro 7:26-27

Admit when you mess up

Here's a scenario... two friends are so close and really love each other. When they get the chance, they chat for hours on end. But the problem is, they don't get together very often and the moments when they are together seem like fleeting moments. One friend is constantly trying to get in touch with the other, but the other quite often puts off or even ignores attempts to meet up. Ready for the big reveal? 

The friend who always seems busy, that's us - and it shouldn't really be a surprise that the other friend is God. That's what our relationship with God can be like if we aren't careful. By nature, we're all at least a little self-centred. We may not even realise that we're acting that way sometimes. But, if something's even a little bit inconvenient for us, we may find ourselves making excuses and trying to get out of things just to get or do what we want. 

The solution? Easy: choose to spend time with Jesus. Even if we have to fight ourselves to do it, treating our relationship with Jesus as our closest and dearest relationship may just revolutionise it.



So what now? Make space for Jesus and re-commit to visiting your secret place. It may be at home, at a park, a coffee shop, by the beach, wherever. Put the time in your schedule and guard it - it is time with the love of your life.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'I no longer call you servants...I have called you friends.' John 15:15 NCV
— SOULFOOD —

	2 Ki 24-25, Luke 16:19-31, Ps 24, Pro 7:24-25
	

Here's a scenario... two friends are so close and really love each other. When they get the chance, they chat for hours on end. But the problem is, they don't get together very often and the moments when they are together seem like fleeting moments. One friend is constantly trying to get in touch with the other, but the other quite often puts off or even ignores attempts to meet up. Ready for the big reveal? The friend who always seems busy, that's us - and it shouldn't really be a surprise that the other friend is God. That's what our relationship with God can be like if we aren't careful. By nature, we're all at least a little self-centred. We may not even realise that we're acting that way sometimes. But, if something's even a little bit inconvenient for us, we may find ourselves making excuses and trying to get out of things just to get or do what we want. The solution? Easy: choose to spend time with Jesus. Even if we have to fight ourselves to do it, treating our relationship with Jesus as our closest and dearest relationship may just revolutionise it.So what now? Make space for Jesus and re-commit to visiting your secret place. It may be at home, at a park, a coffee shop, by the beach, wherever. Put the time in your schedule and guard it - it is time with the love of your life.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'I no longer call you servants...I have called you friends.' John 15:15 NCV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	2 Ki 24-25, Luke 16:19-31, Ps 24, Pro 7:24-25

Make space for Jesus

One of Jesus' more hard-hitting stories is the parable of the talents, in Matthew 25:14-29. It tells of a man who trusted his servants with his property; and most of them looked after the talents they were given by doubling what they'd received. A 'talent' was an amount of currency, like a 'dollar'. All good. But, one told his boss: 'I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground' (Matthew 25:25 NKJV). In response he is called a 'wicked and lazy servant' (Matthew 25:26 NKJV). The story ends with the servant being sacked and punished. 

Harsh? It may seem so on the surface, but if we dig a little deeper we'll see the point Jesus is trying to drive home. The servant told his boss he was afraid. He was afraid to take a risk with the gift he had been given. He was afraid of how his master would react if he failed, so he didn't even try. 

God's pretty keen for us to develop the gifts he's given each of us, especially the gift of himself. By spending time with him, and stepping out of our comfort zone to share him with others, we're investing in his Kingdom. To not do so is a wasted opportunity to introduce people to a wonderful God who saves and loves them.



So what now? Comfort-zone testing time. Today, ask God to meet someone's needs. Better still, if you can, step out and ask that person if you can meet with them to pray for their situation. Use your God-given talents.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'I was afraid...hid your talent in the ground.' Matthew 25:25 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

	2 Ki 21-23, Luke 16:1-18, Ps 135, Pro 7:21-23
	

One of Jesus' more hard-hitting stories is the parable of the talents, in Matthew 25:14-29. It tells of a man who trusted his servants with his property; and most of them looked after the talents they were given by doubling what they'd received. A 'talent' was an amount of currency, like a 'dollar'. All good. But, one told his boss: 'I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground' (Matthew 25:25 NKJV). In response he is called a 'wicked and lazy servant' (Matthew 25:26 NKJV). The story ends with the servant being sacked and punished. Harsh? It may seem so on the surface, but if we dig a little deeper we'll see the point Jesus is trying to drive home. The servant told his boss he was afraid. He was afraid to take a risk with the gift he had been given. He was afraid of how his master would react if he failed, so he didn't even try. God's pretty keen for us to develop the gifts he's given each of us, especially the gift of himself. By spending time with him, and stepping out of our comfort zone to share him with others, we're investing in his Kingdom. To not do so is a wasted opportunity to introduce people to a wonderful God who saves and loves them.So what now? Comfort-zone testing time. Today, ask God to meet someone's needs. Better still, if you can, step out and ask that person if you can meet with them to pray for their situation. Use your God-given talents.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'I was afraid...hid your talent in the ground.' Matthew 25:25 NKJV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	2 Ki 21-23, Luke 16:1-18, Ps 135, Pro 7:21-23

Use your talent

Have we ever said to ourselves: 'Right, I've a free evening, I'll just pray for the next 30 minutes', then four minutes in we've covered everything we can think of and we're done. It's easy to start feeling guilty about it. Classic guilt-train destinations: 'Wow, God must be pretty peeved at me, I can't even concentrate for five minutes', 'I must be one of those bad Christians', etc.

It's OK, it happens. Instead of beating ourselves up about it, use whatever's on our mind as something to pray about. Our work, a relationship or a health matter - if it's something that's weighing us down then God wants us to tell him about it. 'He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him' (Psalm 91:15 NIV). It's clear that God will have our backs when we call out to him for help. For those who need a little more convincing, Jesus said 'If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honour you' (John 12:26 CEV). 

The more we offer everything up to God, the more our prayer life will flow into our everyday life. The more we find our flow, the more we'll experience God working beautifully and supernaturally in our lives.



So what now? That secret place you found yesterday. Get settled in it and pray through the first things that came into your mind this morning. 





— SCRIPTURE —

	'He will call upon me, and I will answer him.' Psalms 91:15 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

	2 Ki 18:17-20:21, Luke 15:11-32, Ps 27, Pro 7:10-20
	

Have we ever said to ourselves: 'Right, I've a free evening, I'll just pray for the next 30 minutes', then four minutes in we've covered everything we can think of and we're done. It's easy to start feeling guilty about it. Classic guilt-train destinations: 'Wow, God must be pretty peeved at me, I can't even concentrate for five minutes', 'I must be one of those bad Christians', etc.It's OK, it happens. Instead of beating ourselves up about it, use whatever's on our mind as something to pray about. Our work, a relationship or a health matter - if it's something that's weighing us down then God wants us to tell him about it. 'He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him' (Psalm 91:15 NIV). It's clear that God will have our backs when we call out to him for help. For those who need a little more convincing, Jesus said 'If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honour you' (John 12:26 CEV). The more we offer everything up to God, the more our prayer life will flow into our everyday life. The more we find our flow, the more we'll experience God working beautifully and supernaturally in our lives.So what now? That secret place you found yesterday. Get settled in it and pray through the first things that came into your mind this morning. 
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'He will call upon me, and I will answer him.' Psalms 91:15 NIV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	2 Ki 18:17-20:21, Luke 15:11-32, Ps 27, Pro 7:10-20

Find your flow

One of the Kings of Israel, Hezekiah, was being intimidated by Sennacherib, King of Assyria. And Hezekiah's first response? 'After Hezekiah had read the note from the king of Assyria, he took it to the temple and spread it out for the Lord to see' (Isaiah 37:14 CEV). In his letter, Sennacherib was playing the intimidation game. He was trying to throw his weight around, talking up how big his army was, about all the nations he had conquered and how Hezekiah's God couldn't save him. 

Any guesses what happened next? He was made to eat his words. Hezekiah didn't try and oppose the Assyrian army in his own power; he turned to God and laid the bullying letter out to him. How did it turn out: 'The Lord sent an angel to the camp of the Assyrians, and he killed 185,000 of them all in one night' (Isaiah 37:36 CEV). 

So, what's our 'intimidating letter'? What's our distressing news, work deadline, failing relationship? No matter what it is, know this: our God is greater than what we face, and he doesn't want us to carry our fear alone.  



So what now? If you're feeling intimidated, at work, college or, yes,  even at church - chat to someone godly who has people experience under their belt. Ask God to provide you with good advice





— SCRIPTURE —

	'Hezekiah read the note...and spread it out for the Lord.' Isaiah 37:14 CEV
— SOULFOOD —

	2 Ki 13-15, Luke 14:25-35, Ps 106:24-48, Pro 7:3-5
	

One of the Kings of Israel, Hezekiah, was being intimidated by Sennacherib, King of Assyria. And Hezekiah's first response? 'After Hezekiah had read the note from the king of Assyria, he took it to the temple and spread it out for the Lord to see' (Isaiah 37:14 CEV). In his letter, Sennacherib was playing the intimidation game. He was trying to throw his weight around, talking up how big his army was, about all the nations he had conquered and how Hezekiah's God couldn't save him. Any guesses what happened next? He was made to eat his words. Hezekiah didn't try and oppose the Assyrian army in his own power; he turned to God and laid the bullying letter out to him. How did it turn out: 'The Lord sent an angel to the camp of the Assyrians, and he killed 185,000 of them all in one night' (Isaiah 37:36 CEV). So, what's our 'intimidating letter'? What's our distressing news, work deadline, failing relationship? No matter what it is, know this: our God is greater than what we face, and he doesn't want us to carry our fear alone. So what now? If you're feeling intimidated, at work, college or, yes, even at church - chat to someone godly who has people experience under their belt. Ask God to provide you with good advice
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'Hezekiah read the note...and spread it out for the Lord.' Isaiah 37:14 CEV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	2 Ki 13-15, Luke 14:25-35, Ps 106:24-48, Pro 7:3-5

What's your letter?

Those times when we're in a prayer meeting and absolutely everything's going through our mind - except what's being prayed for. Everything seems to be a distraction, from the rumble informing us we haven't eaten to organising our schedule. 

Here's something that should be a relief: we have someone praying for us 24/7. A wise, patient, kind person who just enjoys spending time with people and with God. We find the identity of this person in Romans 8:27 GWT: 'The Spirit intercedes for God's people the way God wants him to.' Let's take a moment to let that sink in. The Holy Spirit is constantly praying for us, for our family, for our anxieties, for our future. That's a sweet deal. The work of the Holy Spirit is to join our spirit with God's, making us more like him. 

To maximise this godly connection, let's work towards a more focussed prayer time. Here are two tips: (a) Phone on silent (or off completely!). It's very possible to survive 15 minutes without our phone! (b) Do our best to fight through any tiredness or distractedness - if we can fight past tiredness to watch an extra episode, we can do it for God.



So what now? Make a dedicated effort to spend quality time with God today. Firstly, thank the Holy Spirit that he has brought you before your heavenly Father already.





— SCRIPTURE —

	'The Spirit speaks...for his people in the way God wants.' Romans 8:27 NCV
— SOULFOOD —

	John 1:1-5, Matt 5:14-16, 1 John 1:1-10
	

Those times when we're in a prayer meeting and absolutely everything's going through our mind - except what's being prayed for. Everything seems to be a distraction, from the rumble informing us we haven't eaten to organising our schedule. Here's something that should be a relief: we have someone praying for us 24/7. A wise, patient, kind person who just enjoys spending time with people and with God. We find the identity of this person in Romans 8:27 GWT: 'The Spirit intercedes for God's people the way God wants him to.' Let's take a moment to let that sink in. The Holy Spirit is constantly praying for us, for our family, for our anxieties, for our future. That's a sweet deal. The work of the Holy Spirit is to join our spirit with God's, making us more like him. To maximise this godly connection, let's work towards a more focussed prayer time. Here are two tips: (a) Phone on silent (or off completely!). It's very possible to survive 15 minutes without our phone! (b) Do our best to fight through any tiredness or distractedness - if we can fight past tiredness to watch an extra episode, we can do it for God.So what now? Make a dedicated effort to spend quality time with God today. Firstly, thank the Holy Spirit that he has brought you before your heavenly Father already.
	
	— SCRIPTURE — 
	'The Spirit speaks...for his people in the way God wants.' Romans 8:27 NCV 
	— SOULFOOD — 
	John 1:1-5, Matt 5:14-16, 1 John 1:1-10

Lifted in prayer

Word For You Today is the writings of Bob and Debby Gass in The Word For Today, adapted for the next generation.

It meets teens and young adults right where they are at.

Word For You Today is the writings of Bob and Debby Gass in The Word For Today, adapted for the next generation.
It meets teens and young adults right where they are at.

Word For You Today

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