Behold the NEW has come.
Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith
Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith.

Daily Spirit & Word, 445: Grandmother and Mother’s Sincere Faith.
The Church today needs more faithful Grandmothers and Mothers, who’ll be able to ignite the faith of Jesus Christ in their children and grandchildren.
Good morning my friends, I was really encouraged this morning reading through 2 Timothy, by Paul’s devotion to praying for him and the way that Paul was encouraging Timothy in so many ways. The things that jumped out at me were having people in our lives who are inspirations to keep us going, examples that we can follow and emulate and encouragements to know that because God was active in their lives, He’ll also be with us on the journey too.
2 Timothy 1:3-7
“I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Faithful In Prayer:
Firstly notice Paul’s own Faithfulness in Prayer:
Heroes of the Fath: Susanna Wesley:
NEXT Timothy is encouraged to do the same thing too: To remember the faithfulness of his own Grandmother and Mother. In an ideal world there would be generations of faithful relatives who loved the Lord Jesus, but I know that most people today, who come to faith, have very few of the Lord’s anointed in our families. My own mother became a Christian on her death-bed, my father became a Christian whilst in a coma; both of whom had been witnessed to by my brother Paul and I for years. We’d shared the Gospel, read the Bible, prayed for them, but they stubbornly refused to trust in Jesus, until they were in a desperate situation.
There’s NO Second-Hand Faith in God’s Family.
READ REVELATIONS:
No Second-Hand Faith in the Family of God.
Revelation 3:14-22
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Can also be read at St Luke’s Church Facebook Page.
The Church Today Needs The Sincere Faith and Prayers of Grandmothers and Mothers. Dads and Granddads.
Day 8: Tick Tock
Tick Tock

40 Acts Together. 40 Acts of Generosity.
Tick Tock: That’s the Sound of a Clock 🙂
You’ve probably all heard or used the phrases; “Time is ticking away” or “Time flies by” or “I can’t believe it’s March already” etc…
There is another saying, “Time stands still for no man”. You can’t STOP the clock and you can’t go back.
Lateness, without genuine reason, says ‘I’m more important than you’. If you’ve ever had to sit around waiting for someone who said they’d arrive half an hour ago, you’ll know how annoying it is. Set your alarm 15 minutes early, get organised the night before, and get there. On time.
How to use TIME to your advantage:
Plan it!
Be there ON TIME (Be early).
I don’t know why, but I hate being late, I’ll often arrive 10 or 15 mins ahead of important events. Sometimes if it’s a funeral, wedding or church service half an hour or an hour before if I’m leading or preaching.
I’ve noticed that many people don’t share the same TIME priorities as me. We’ve got lots of people in our fellowship from The West Indies: Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago. From Africa: Nigeria, Congo, Liberia, Kenya. We’ve got people from India and Sri Lanka. Europe and the UK… But we’ve ALL got different time perspectives; some don’t mind being late, even up to an hour late, in their cultrue, is not rude or disrespectful, whilst others have a much more rigid and inflexible attitude. What do you think? Is it right to keep people waiting?
I think in our busy lifestyle here in the UK, no matter what culture we’re from, we’ve got to be considerate of others. Because sometimes people are working hard and they’ve only got a very short amount of free time, so we’d better respect and honour one another with the way we handle time. I know I’ve kept some people in Church too long, but preaching for way too long sometimes and I’ve paid the price as people have stopped coming to church. We learn our lessons the hard way sometimes.
For more help on Keeping TIME: Click 40 Acts of Generosity.
Have an awesome Day.
Don.
Back to Start of 40 Acts of Generosity
As A Man Thinketh
Daily Spirit & Word, 444: “As A Man Thinketh”

Daily Spirit & Word, 444: “As a Man Thinks in His Heart, So IS He”
Principles and Precepts to Live By.
Biblical Principles and Precepts will be Illustrated in the Old Testament and Applied and Explained more fully in the New Testament.
Does the New Testament further teach or apply this principle?
- When you think about TRUTH: You’ll become truthful.
- When you think about Noble Things: You’ll become noble.
- When you think about Right (Justice): You’ll become just yourself.
- When you think about Purity: You’ll become pure.
- When you think about Lovely things: You’ll become lovely.
- When you think about Admirable Qualities in Others: You’ll become admirable too.
- When you think about Excellence: You’ll become Excellent or you’ll excell in all you do.
- When you think about what’s Praisworthy: You’ll become praiseworthy yourself.
Day 7: Where’s Your Treasure?
Day 7: Where’s Your Treasure?
40 Acts of Generosity, 40 Acts Together.
Being generous isn’t about what you have – it’s about what you do with what you’re given. Where’s your treasure? Because that’s where your heart is, too. Today, do an inventory analysis. What are you holding on to? Is there anything you need to hold a little lighter?

Jesus said, Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Wherever what you value in life is, there your heart will be also.
So many people get caught up in the things of this world, they are nothing, gold, silver, jewels and gadgets, property, fame and fortune. All of these things are nothing in God’s eyes, the love of this world is hatred towards God. So He encourages us to hold onto the things of this world with a loose grip, being ready to part with them and willing to serve Him with all we have. Is your everything at His disposal today? If God were to ask you for your precious; car, watch, trinket, etc would you be willing to part with it for use in His Kingdom business? Strip yourself of everything and you won’t be naked, for your Heavenly Father know what you need and is please to give it to you. He’ll also give the Kingdom to whomever seeks it first in life.
When our treasure is in Heaven, then the things that mere Earthlings value will be seen as utter foolishness to the Kingdom person. We know that God’s riches far exceed what the Earth offers, the luster of Heavenly treasure is more glorious by far. Store it up in Heaven. Give to the poor and provide purses for yourselves in Heaven. Nothing will ever be able to take your heavenly treasure away.
For more help with today’s focus 40 Acts of Generosity.
Let’s see how giving we can be with what the LORD has given to us.
Where’s Your Treasure?
Sermons That Will Make You Smoke With Holy Fire
Sermons That Will Make You Smoke With Holy Fire.
I’ve heard a LOT of Sermons in my life.
But here are a FEW that really speak to me today.
They’ll encourage you in your walk with Jesus.
David Wilkerson: Jezebel. (False Doctrine) Doctrine is Teaching.
The Prosperity Gospel is a Deception from Satan.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
PRIDE says, “It’s ALL about ME”
Daily Spirit & Word: 443: PRIDE says, “It’s ALL about ME” = IDOLATRY.

Daily Spirit & Word, 443: An EXAMPLE and A WARNING.
Why Was King Nebuchadnezzar Humbled?
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives for ever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No-one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honour and splendour were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
PRIDE says, “It’s ALL abut ME”Which is Idolartry: Making yourself out to be a god.
The Folly of Sir Malcolm Rifkind.
In 1992 he became defence secretary in John Major’s Government, implementing widespread cost-saving measures to his department, and was made foreign secretary in 1995
Having lost his seat at the 1997 election, he returned to Parliament in 2005, representing Kensington and Chelsea in London, and made a short-lived attempt to replace Michael Howard as Conservative leader
As chairman of the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, which oversees the UK’s intelligence agencies, he has been heavily involved in the debate over privacy and surveillance powers.
Scandal Breaks: Sir Malcom Rifkind FALLS.
PRIDE of LIFE: Will always lead to a down-fall.PRIDE says, “It’s ALL ABOUT ME”
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person, such a man is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
15 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Day 6: Saying Thank You.
Day 6: Saying Thank You.
Day 6 of 40 Acts of Generosity. 40 Acts Together.
It was wonderful saying goodbye to my grandchildren this morning, they took the time to come and find me and say, “Thank you Papa for the lovely breakfast.” Little Leila also said, “Thank you Jesus for the Boiled Eggs”… She’s only four and puts a smile on my heart.
There’s nothing quite like a heartfelt and sincere “Thank You”. We all get those warm-fuzzies when people appreciate what we’ve done for them.
My friends, Don’t forget to say thank you today to everyone who does something for you. My wife travels to work by bus and every time she gets off she shouts out to the driver, “Thank you Driver”. One day it was pouring down with rain and she was quite a distance away from the Bus Stop, but the Driver recognised her and stopped the bus. That’s unheard of in London, they don’t normally stop the bus between stops to let people on. Julie was so thankful and showed her appreciation, she could have been soaked and would have had to wait ages for another bus to come along.
Being thankful brings God’s blessings into your life.
Be Generous, even if those around you don’t appreciated it. SAY “Thank you” as often as you can.
Have an awesome day and thank you for taking time to read this.
Don.
More Ways to SAY “Thank YOU!” today.
Back to Beginning of our Lent Focus. 40 Acts Together: 40 Acts of Generosity.

Surprise
Nebuchadnezzar was to be CUT DOWN

Nebuchadnezzar was to be CUT DOWN until he acknowledges God Controls Everything.
Daily Spirit & Word, 442: Daniel Reveals the Meaning of the King’s Dream.
Good morning my friends, I’m back in the study now, it’s definitely getting lighter in the mornings. Spring is on the way with all the promise of new life after the deadness of Winter. In our reading in Daniel today you’ll observe that he interprets King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream for him, and I see some similarities between Winter and Spring or life without Jesus and the life of believer filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
Daniel 4:19-27
19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air—
22 you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
23 “You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
24 “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

In Devon and Cornwall they have a technique that keeps the hedgerows neat and tidy for a few years, before it needs to be repeated. They cut out the long thick and straggly branches of the boundary hedges until they are almost bear, and those that are left are partly cut, then forced down and kept in place with pegs. It looks terrible, you’d believe they’d killed the whole hedge when they are finished. However, this is an ancient practice and they know that within just a few weeks those dead branches will all burst forth into life again and after about four or five years, they’ll need to come back and repeat the whole process again. Some of those hedgerows are really ancient and they are host to countless forms of wildlife.

When a person like Nebuchadnezzar was cut down, you’d have been forgiven for thinking he’d never make it back again. Once a person has lost the plot and gone as wild as he was going to be, you’d normally think about locking them up and throwing away the key. Notice what it says he’ll be like in Daniel 4:25 “You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven…” Total Madness… But with God ALL Things ARE Possible.
Doesn’t that remind you of the Demoniac that Jesus encountered amongst the tombs?
Mark 5:1-20. The Healing of the Demon Possessed Man.
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
- Notice the similarity: He was wild, like an animal, and he ran and fell at Jesus feet.
- Notice also what the unclean evil spirits acknowledged about Jesus: “”What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!”” They KNEW who Jesus was.
Nebuchadnezzar would be cut down and become possessed like a wild animal until: “Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.”
He’d become wild until he repents and accepts that there is a much higher power than his own.
My friends, that’s what ALL human beings are like until they come to know and acknowledge and receive Jesus Christ as LORD of their lives. They are all like un-tamed beasts, wild and out of control. Well, at least they would be if the LORD had not been gracious enough not to let men go completely. You see God is still calling all men everywhere to come to Himself, to acknowledge that there is a Creator of ALL Things. As the Holy Spirit reveals to us in Colossians: Jesus sustains the whole universe. But look very carefully at this verse, for it tells us not only that Jesus created and sustains, but what WE Human Beings are like until we come to Him.
Colossians 1:16-23 The Supremacy of Jesus Christ.
16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour.
22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Did you notice verse 21? “Once you were alienated (cut off) from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour.”
Eveil Behaviour??? That’s a bit strong isn’t it? But we need to look upon the human heart from God’s point of view. He sees every act of sin and rebellion as ‘EVIL BEHAVIOUR’. Sin and Rebellion cut us off from God.
Though He sustains and keeps in perfect order the whole Universe; He also allows Mankind to choose if we are controlled or wild. We become wild and we get worse throughout our lives, until we regain the self-control that comes through the Holy Spirit. Thank God that He’s not let humanity go completely, but the fact remains we ALL need to come to Him to be restored to our right minds, the minds that God intended Human beings should have from the beginning when He made Adam and Eve.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, interpreted by a nervous Daniel, reveals what happens when we think we are the masters of our own destiny, that we are like a god to our own lives.
You’ll hear it many times in different ways from the Philosophers of this world: But they’re all saying the same thing: “You are the master of your own destiny”
In the film, “The Dead Poet’s Society” The well liked schoolmaster didn’t like the rules and traditions of the respected grammar school. He began to teach the boys they needed to take control of their own destiny, they looked at the existentialist poets who spouted such nonsense and the boys lapped it up with devastating consequences. It’s good story, but it reveals the world’s ways of thinking that we are better off without the shackles of faith, religion, decency, order, rules and regulations.
When a person gets renewed in the Lord Jesus Christ, the mind of Christ is imputed to us, we receive the mind of Christ, therefore we begin to think a behave as Christ did, in perfect obedience to His Father. We submit willingly to God’s order and we see His Ten Commandments differently, rather than rules to inhibit our enjoyment or life, we see them anew as liberation from the power, dominion and control of sin. When we submit and acknowledge Jesus Christ true freedom reigns in our hearts and lives.
Daniel revealed that Nebuchadnezzar would one day be restored to his position of Emperor King, once He acknowledged the KING of Heaven. We too will be lifted up once we humble ourselves before our Creator.
Life without Christ is like winter or a cut down hedgerow, but life with Jesus is truly AWESOME!
I can’t wait for Wednesday, when we go out into the streets of London to reach those who don’t yet know Christ as LORD. I want to see thousands come to experience the freedom and NEW LIFE that He brings.
Enjoy the blessings of the freedom you’ve been granted in Jesus Christ today.
Let’s endeavour to continue, as Paul reminded us in the Colossian reading above, continue in the faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Don.
NOTE: Can also be read on St Luke’s Facebook Page.
40 Acts: Fair and Square.
40 Acts of Generosity: Day 5: Fair and Square.
Fair and square
Fairtrade Fortnight starts today here in the UK. Today’s act is a simple one to start the week: support the Fairtrade movement. Because everyone has the right to earn a fair wage for an honest day’s work.
The Bible teaches that a labourer deserves his wages.
You don’t mussle an ox.
You even feed the animals that work for you.
Take a look Here for some more ideas on how to help people get what they deserve.
In the UK you can support The LIVING WAGE campaign. People deserve to be paid at a level upon which they can not just survive, but thrive. Let’s make the UK a fair place to live.
God bless and keep being GENEROUS EVERY DAY.
May the LORD give you all the strength you need.
Don.
