PATRICK

  “Each one, as they have received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.” - 1 Peter 4:10 Do you know why the Lord created you? Are you fully utilizing the spiritual gifts He has given you? Recognizing and using your gifts is essential for a meaningful life here on earth. Think of a skilled craftsman who must know which tool to use for each job. In his workshop, he has many tools, each with its specific purpose. When he uses the right tool, he can accomplish his task with ease and produce exceptional quality. But when tools are used incorrectly, both the tool and the work can be damaged. This same principle applies to the gifts God has given you. Through the Holy Spirit, He has uniquely equipped you to build His kingdom by giving you his gifts which might include teaching, compassion, leadership, hospitality, or other talents intended to uplift others. These gifts can look different for everyone—some might have the gift of encouragement, w...

  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. - Isaiah 55:8 One of the biggest challenges humanity faces is not understanding the ways of God. This disconnect grieves God, as it keeps us from experiencing the fullness of His love and guidance. As He said about the nation of Israel: "For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'They are a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.'"  (Psalm 95:10). When we don’t know God, we tend to expect everything to be done according to our own plans. When Naaman came to the prophet Elisha to be healed of his leprosy. Naaman already had a vision in his mind of how this healing would happen. But instead of Elisha coming out to perform a dramatic healing ritual, he simply sent a messenger with a strange instruction: "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River." Naaman was offended and angry, saying, "Behold, I tho...

  "For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." - Matthew 9:21 (KJV)   During a Gospel revival in southern Africa, a man attended an evangelistic meeting for the first time. He had never heard of Jesus or read the Bible—this was his first encounter with these teachings. As the preacher spoke about salvation, he repeatedly quoted John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."   These words touched him deeply. He believed the message of the Gospel and accepted Jesus as the Lord and Saviour of his life. As the meeting continued, the preacher prayed for the people, and remarkable miracles happened—the sick were healed, the blind received their sight, and the lame walked. Then, the preacher announced that those who accepted Christ could perform similar miracles in His name. And this new believer believed. In those days, when someo...

  "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Matthew 26:41 (NIV) Don’t say you have never been weak or that you never will be. We all face challenges that can drain us, moments when we feel like giving up. Even Jesus recognized this struggle, saying, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."  But unlike us, Jesus always found strength in prayer. When you’re in a state of weakness, what you need most is to turn to God in prayer, just as He did. A certain pastor's wife was diagnosed with cancer. When she started feeling ill, she kept confessing that she was healed and well, quoting Isaiah 53:5, " and by His stripes we are healed."  She even refused treatment. Her husband prayed for her and even asked his fellow pastor to pray for her, but she insisted, "I am healed" Her condition worsened, and she was admitted to the hospital. When people came to visit, she wouldn’t ask for ...

  "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." - James 5:16 NIV Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who constantly tells you that you've wronged them? Some people only see the mistakes of others, believing they’re always right. This person might be a coworker, a friend, or even your spouse. Ironically, those who always think they’re right are often the ones making the biggest mistakes. Yet, because they already assume they’re right, they rarely see their own faults. May be this person is you. If you notice that your relationships are strained or not progressing as you’d like, it could be time to look inward and examine yourself correctly. Our Scripture says, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."  Some interpret this verse as a call to confess sins publicly to fellow believers, inviting them to pray for y...

  "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8 NKJV) One day, I was watching a sermon on television, and the Pastor was teaching about family curses, specifically focusing on the curse of poverty. He explained how decisions made by parents can cause curses for themselves and future generations. After the lesson, he organized a special day of prayer for families, asking the congregants to come with their relatives. During the prayer, he would pray for families to break curses and declare blessings. On the following program, A young lady had brought her father from their village, hoping to break the curse of poverty that had plagued their family. She explained to the Pastor how she had been struggling in the city, working hard but unable to achieve her goals, and believed it was due to a curse. The preacher asked her to call her father forward. When the father sto...

  "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty." — Proverbs 22:3 NIV While we often focus on investing in the Kingdom of God, we must also be wise stewards of the resources God entrusts to us in our personal lives. Important questions to consider are: Will your current job or income always be secure? Will your ability to work remain as strong in the future? Recognizing the potential for financial challenges is a sign of prudence, as Proverbs 22:3 tells us, and it’s crucial to take steps to prepare for such uncertainties. We have three choices with any money we receive: we can spend it, give an offering, or save it. Wisdom calls for balance—doing all three. As believers, we begin by giving an offering to honour God. After that, spending wisely and saving are essential to managing what remains. Today, I want to focus on saving. Proverbs 6:6-8 GNT Says; Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live. They have no leader, chief,...

  "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." — 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) Living with purpose means setting both short-term and long-term goals, but these should always be guided by God's wisdom. Your presence on earth is part of God's divine plan, and true fulfillment comes when your goals align with His eternal purpose. As the Bible reminds us, "What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  God’s plans for you go beyond this life. He wants you to enjoy your time on earth, but also to invest in eternity by focusing on spiritual things that last forever. Jesus said: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your he...

  "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." Matthew 7:6 Jesus often used figurative language to convey deep spiritual truths. In this case, He is teaching us to be mindful of how we share what we value with others. God’s Word instructs us to love even our enemies, so that we may reflect His nature, as He sends rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:43-45). However, while God is loving and merciful, He also sets boundaries. For example, though God loves all people, not everyone will enter Heaven. Revelation 21:7-8 tells us that only those who are holy will enter because Heaven is a place of great value to God, a place He protects. Similarly, God withholds blessings when they are requested with selfish motives. James 4:3 says, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." In the same way, we are c...

  "But you, brothers and sisters, never become tired of doing good." 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NCV) Without a doubt, you who are reading this message have helped someone before and have done acts of kindness to many people. As you were doing so, you've encountered challenges, which is why this scripture says, "Do not grow weary in doing good."  It’s true that sometimes the very people you help may hurt you, leaving you feeling discouraged to the point of saying, "I will never help anyone again." I, too, went through this challenge, but I did not give up. Instead, I prayed to God to show me what to do. In my prayers, God gave me the grace to understand that I had not sought His guidance before helping people. He taught me that not everyone who needs help is someone you should assist. Child of God, you should not be driven by emotions, but by wisdom and God's guidance. This is because some people know how to manipulate others to appear needy when they ar...