He could see his father’s house now. He rehearsed his apology for the tenth time. The prodigal son was home. He felt so unworthy and began his speech.  But the father doesn’t even let him finish. He runs to him, embraces him, and says, “Bring out the best robe.” Not a lecture. Not a delay. A robe and a celebration. The son had no song or practised prayer.  He just returned. And that was enough.

Seems that God isn’t looking for polished performances—He’s looking for hearts that return to Him. He’s not impressed by our perfection. He’s moved by humility.  “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zep 3:17. What wait! He rejoices over us with singing. Not just tolerates us. Not just forgives us. He dances. He celebrates when we come close. Our past doesn’t have to be good, our approach well-timed, or our worship pitch-perfect. Our heart just has to be real. When you draw near, He runs near. When you love Him, even in weakness, He is moved.

Friend, if you’ve been distant, distracted, or discouraged—come home! If you’ve been comparing your journey to someone else’s, lay it down. If you must compare, compare the chill of a pig pen to the warmth of a father’s arms. If you are wondering whether your love matters to God, it does.

Peter shifted his weight on the hard tile floor. He was hoping for something to happen, and it was about to! “Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him...and he struck Peter on the side...saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands.  Then the angel said to him… ‘Put on your garment and follow me’” (Acts 12:7-8). Peter is awakened by an angel who commands, “Put on your garment and follow me.”  Perhaps Peter had taken off his outer garment to lie on the cold floor. But the angel came with a message: Get dressed and follow me back into the world of need.

In biblical times, the outer garment was more than clothing. It represented dignity, readiness, and identity. You wore it when you were going out to fulfil your role in society. Peter wasn’t just being told to get dressed. He was being told to get ready—to step back into his calling, his authority, and his mission.

As believers, we wear the most powerful garment. Paul says that we have put on Christ. Literally, you are wearing Christ. Our garment is spiritual and powerful. It is not just for comfort; it is for calling. Maybe you’ve taken off your garment too? Perhaps you’ve been in a season of survival—chained by disappointment, fear, or fatigue. But the word of the Lord to you today is the same: “Put on your garment of Jesus and follow Me.” You were never meant to lie in a prison. You were meant to walk in the world with power and authority.

Friends, there are some doors God will not open until we are dressed in our garments of Christ's character and authority. Let us intentionally put on our garment and look for the doors opened by an angel and walk through them. The world outside the prison is groaning with spiritual need and waiting for us to turn up.  Let’s be ready!

Peter and John paused long enough to see more than just a face in the crowd. Peter didn't just glance at the lame man—he looked into him. The phrase “fixing his eyes upon him” means truly seeing someone beyond their outward appearance.

When we look at people, we may notice their bright yellow dress, their pink jacket, or their spiked hair. Occasionally, we might register big ears or a missing tooth, but how often do we notice their eyes? Eyes that hold sadness, loneliness, helplessness, anger, or joy. Science tells us that those who thrive socially are skilled at reading the eyes of others. Women, in particular, often excel at this. The ability to recognise the silent social cues in a person’s gaze is a skill learned in childhood.

When Peter and John looked at the lame man, they saw faith and hope. They saw his true heart—a man ready for God. Many carry hunger and need in their eyes, yet if we only see them as part of the passing crowd, we miss their silent plea to be “seen”. If we truly look "into" people, we may see them more as Jesus sees them.

And when the lame man looked at Peter, he saw power with compassion, and faith was stirred in his heart. As they look into our eyes, they may even glimpse something they don’t often see in others.

Friend, if we are not connected at the eyes, we won’t be connected at the heart. But if they see hope and kindness, we build a bridge of love—a bridge where faith and power can flow freely.

Elijah had a very big day but after confronting the king of Israel at Mt Carmel, Elijah ran on foot and still got to the city of Jezreel before the King! Did the king lose his way, or did his horse stumble? No—the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah (1 Kings 18:46). God’s power enabled Elijah to do what was beyond human ability, and positioned him in life where he could never have reached on his own.

The hand of the Lord represents divine intervention by the Spirit of the Lord—the way God ensures that His people accomplish His purposes. It supernaturally enables us to do what we could never achieve by our own strength. In the book of Acts, ordinary disciples became mighty when the hand of God was upon them (Acts 11:21). . When the hand of God was upon Ezekiel, he was carried into the Spirit, receiving visions beyond human perception (Ezekiel 37:1). David testified that in every attack from the enemy, he was delivered by the hand of God (Psalms 118:15-17). When the hand of the Lord rests upon you, you can endure where others falter.

God is laying His hand upon His church, not just so we can survive hardships, but so we can fulfil His purpose in the world. When the hand of the Lord is upon you, you can accomplish the impossible, perceive the invisible, and overcome the incredible. It’s time to run in the Spirit, work by the Spirit, and see through the Spirit. Whatever dreams or challenges lie ahead in marriage, life, or ministry, let’s humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand and hunger for His presence to rest upon us. Let’s be living testimonies of what He can do through those who surrender to Him.

Friends, His heart is in us for our sake, but His hand is upon us for the sake of others.

The land before them stretched endlessly, as far as the eye could see. This was their Promised Land and although it was promised to them, they still had to fight to fully possess it. Joshua encouraged them "Be strong and courageous, for you shall divide this land among the people as their inheritance, just as I swore to their ancestors" (Joshua 1:6-7).

In the New Testament, our inheritance is not a place but a person. Everything God has given us in Christ is our true inheritance. This includes the blessings He purchased for us—His salvation, forgiveness, atonement, and adoption into God’s family. Gifts like the Holy Spirit, peace with God, and the power to pray for miracles in Jesus’ name are all part of our inheritance in Him. But likewise, our inheritance in Christ is not automatically enjoyed; it requires a spiritual battle to possess it fully. So after describing the glorious inheritance believers have in Christ, Paul exhorts them to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6).

Being saved is like being given the key to a many-roomed mansion, and every room is filled with more of Jesus. We often stand in the lobby with a whole house yet to be explored and lived in. Our inheritance in Christ is much more than going to heaven when we die, but it takes the desire to fully experience what is ours in Christ and faith to believe in His promises.

Friend, our inheritance is complete in Jesus—He paid the price so fully, He could enter heaven and take His seat, but our happy fight to enter and enjoy Him, continues!

Gideon’s men quietly picked their way in the darkness around the Midianites’ camp. At the signal, they broke their clay vessels, revealing their flaming torches. The Midianites felt outnumbered by the great army that they thought had come upon them. It's amazing what God can do with people who have the lamp in their vessels and are willing to obey and break it in the battle. (Judges 7:19).  The Word of God is the lamp (Psalm 119:105).  And that lamp can be hidden inside our hearts (the vessel).  David said he hid God’s Word in his heart so he might not sin against God. If there is no Word stored in our heart, there will be no victory in the field.  It is the Sword that works, not garlic. How many of us still memorise scripture?   The Bible has to be more to us than an App on our phone next to Instagram and Facebook.

When Paul and Silas, vessels for God, were broken by imprisonment, they sang. Their faith-filled songs sounded so good, God turned up and every prisoner's bands were loosed - not just the Apostles. When a woman broke her alabaster vessel to worship Jesus, the room was filled with the fragrance of devotion.

Friend, today, we may find someone who is sick, or who needs our prayer of faith, or we have the opportunity to share the good news with them. Breaking our vessel is taking the risk to step out and to do it. Whenever we allow the Word of God and our devotion to shine out of our lives, there will be a breakthrough. In our lives and theirs!

Early in the morning, Jesus was walking along the edge of the lake. He saw two brothers and called them to follow him. Jesus chose His disciples deliberately. Jesus never picked any Pharisees or scribes.  No one learned or trained: instead, he chose fishermen, tax men and labourers.  Not because He disliked education but because He needed people who were teachable, not self-confident and who could be an example of the gospel’s power to change lives and empower ordinary people. Paul said the greatest witness to lost people was not the great things Paul had done or had learned, but as the chief of sinners, God had still called him and showed him mercy.  “That in me first, Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him, for everlasting life” ( 1 Tim 1:15-16).

Sometimes, we think we need to tell the world how together and strong we have become since believing. We may boast of our victorious life, instead of admitting our human struggles and boast of the miraculous help of God.  But we can tell it like it is. God isn’t frightened by our weakness, for it is His best opportunity to display His treasure. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor 4:7). God doesn’t gain greatness by making us less. Rather, He is magnified through making us stronger. God never plans to make you independent, but He does plan for His excellent power to be revealed in you. Jesus always knocks. He will bring Himself and His treasure into every part of our life that we invite Him.

Friends, we can tell it like it is: It is all of Him in all of you that makes you strong!

The final words of Jesus from the Cross declare the mission He was to accomplish, for your sake and mine.

  Luk 23:34  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.  He forgave those that crucified him, then took away His garments. When we receive His forgiveness, we walk away in His royal garment of righteousness.

 Mar 15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice..,"my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  When He became sin for us, His fellowship with His Father was interrupted so we could find complete acceptance with our Heavenly Father.

 Joh 19:28  After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"  The Cross was a triumph and because He perfectly fulfilled the Messianic promises, every promise God ever made to man, is freely ours, that we may never thirst again.

 Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit my spirit.' Jesus had committed His body to love people and finally provide the blood atonement for us. He then offers His spirit to continue the Father's mission in His journey to heaven via hell, so that our victory over Satan is complete.

 Joh 19:30  So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Everything required to set mankind free from despair, death, disease and the devil was finished in order to usher in life and a new beginning for all those that believe and receive His Spirit.

 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. The Son of God became as sin for us, so sinners could become the sons of God.