Author: kagi03

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

When Midnight Comes

This week, we reflect on what it means to be thankful even in trials.

How often do we find ourselves at midnight—in those dark, difficult moments of life—where the easiest response is to complain, worry, or try to find our own way out?

Imagine visiting someone who was wrongly accused and imprisoned and telling them, “You need to praise God for where you are.” Their first reaction would likely be, “Are you nuts?”

It sounds unreasonable—until we look at Paul and Silas. They were faithful servants of God, yet they found themselves beaten, chained, and thrown into prison. At midnight, when most would question God or lose hope, they chose to pray and sing hymns

Acts 16:25 (ESV): About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Faith Over Feelings

If Paul and Silas had focused on their problems, they would have found many reasons not to worship:

• “It’s midnight—everyone’s asleep. We’ll disturb them.”
• “What’s the point of singing? We’re already locked up.”

But they didn’t let their circumstances silence their worship. Instead, they said—not on our watch.
They knew their problems were real, but they also knew that God was greater than their problems.

When we understand who God is, our response changes. Trials may come—because they will—but we face them with praise, not panic.

Knowing God More Than the Problem

It’s not a matter of if trials come, but when. And when they do, we must remind ourselves of who God is.

David knew Goliath was a giant. Everyone could see that. But unlike the rest of the army, David also knew God more than he knew Goliath. He had confidence, not in his sling or his skill, but in the power of the God he served. And we all know how that story ended—victory.

So, let’s not let the size of our problems make us forget the greatness of our God. Spend more time with God than with your worries, and your midnight will turn into morning.

Takeaway

I love Mondays—they remind me of new beginnings.
A new week, a new chance to trust God again.

So, what are you grateful for today?
Even in your trials, find something to thank God for—because gratitude turns prisons into places of praise.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

The Struggle to Please

One of the things many of us struggle with in life is pleasing people—let alone pleasing God. A friend once told me, “We can disagree all we like, but we are all people-pleasers to a certain degree.”

That’s one of life’s ongoing battles. We long for acceptance, for others to see our efforts and value what we do. Yet, when it comes to pleasing God, that is what we were created for (Revelation 4:11). Still, we often find ourselves in situations that make it difficult to truly live in a way that pleases Him.

The Redirecting Power of Gratitude

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to realign our hearts with God’s purpose is through gratitude.

Think about it: when a struggling parent receives sincere thanks from their child—a simple “thank you” that says your efforts are seen, your love is felt, and your giving is enough—their heart softens and their joy is renewed.

Now imagine what a grateful heart does to our Father in heaven. When we thank Him sincerely—not only for the big things but also for the small, everyday mercies—we bring delight to His heart. Gratitude turns our focus from striving to pleasing, from performance to presence.

Isaiah 12:4 (ESV): And you will say in that day, “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Make Gratitude an Everyday Practice

Can we make this our daily habit? Often, we wait for “big days” or visible breakthroughs before expressing gratitude. But who said we must wait?

Who said we can’t make known His deeds among our family, friends, co-workers, or community today?
Who said we can’t proclaim that His name is exalted right now—simply because He is worthy every day?

A truly grateful heart is not a once-off reaction or a seasonal feeling. It is a lifestyle—a daily rhythm that pleases God.

Takeaway for the Week

As this week comes to an end, take a quiet moment at home.
Write down the things you’re grateful for—big or small.
It’s your list; no one else can tell you what belongs there.

Let your gratitude rise like worship,
and let your heart rest in the joy of pleasing God.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

As we continue to make worship our lifestyle, let us not forget to accompany it with thanks and appreciation toward God. Worship is not meant to be reserved for a special day or a specific moment. It should flow from our hearts daily.

In the same way, gratitude should not wait for big miracles or major breakthroughs. It is in the small, everyday blessings—the breath we take, the peace we feel, the strength to keep going—that we find reasons to thank God. These little moments build our confidence in His faithfulness.

And just as we worship God for who He is, we must also express gratitude for who He is. Gratitude completes our worship; it turns our reverence into relationship.

Hebrews 12:28 (CEV): We should be grateful we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect.

We live in a world where everything around us is constantly shifting—economies, systems, and even people’s beliefs. Yet, as believers, we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. This is not something to take for granted.

Too often, eternity feels distant, like something that belongs only to the future. But the truth is, eternal life begins now—and it shapes how we live each day on this passing earth. Because we have received this unshakable kingdom, we have direction, purpose, and guidance.

Let us, therefore, be grateful—not only for the blessings we see, but for the Kingdom we belong to, a Kingdom that stands firm when everything else falls apart.

Gratitude is not just good manners—it is an act of worship. It is our essential response to God’s grace, a reflection of a heart aligned with His will. Through gratitude, we:

• Acknowledge God’s sovereignty,
• Express our dependence on Him, and
• Cultivate a spirit of humility and thankfulness that honors God and strengthens the church.

May we, therefore, live each day with worship on our lips and gratitude in our hearts—pleasing God in all that we do.

Takeaway: What is one thing for which you are grateful at this moment?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Have you ever noticed how we complain about the traffic or when our cars have problems? Then a thought came to mind: imagine if we didn’t have cars and we had to walk to work or school. Some of us would even be walking for more than two hours. The car has been working all along, and regardless of traffic, we still arrive where we are going, so why, when the car is not working, is the very best thing to do to complain or, when we are stuck in traffic? And this is just one example of many to show us that the circumstances won’t be favorable. But in every circumstance, we have a choice to be thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV): Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I think now we see why God is displeased with complaints, because giving thanks is His will for us. And note that Apostle Paul is not telling them to avoid unfavorable circumstances or act as if they are not there. In verse 16, he tells them to “rejoice always.” So “always” suggests that there will come times when rejoicing doesn’t seem like an option, but he tells them that they have to find something; there’s always something. Here is an interesting story to illustrate that:

It is the story of an elderly blind woman who was being moved to a nursing home. When she arrived, she was taken to her room. She entered and told her attendant enthusiastically, “I love it!” The attendant questioned the woman, “How can you say you love it when you’ve never been in it before, and you can’t see what it looks like?” The woman spoke up, “Seeing the room doesn’t have anything to do with it. Happiness is my choice. I have decided to love my room. Every morning, I have a choice on whether I focus on what I don’t like about my life or what I do like about it. I’m choosing right now to love the new room where I’m going to live.”

Takeaway: What is one thing for which you are grateful at this moment?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to complain than to give thanks? But at the end of the day, it is our choice to make; it is our choice to choose whether to focus on appreciation and what is good or on what is wrong. One article stated that “there is always something to be grateful for. On the other hand, there are always things to complain about if that’s your choice.”

Numbers 11:1 (NKJV): Now, when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.

If there’s one thing that the children of Israel were good at, it was complaining, and funny enough, no amount of God’s wonders shook their complaints. Because after God performed the wonders, you would hear them complaining, and they would come back to ask for forgiveness, and God, being merciful, forgave them. But one thing to note is that “complaining” displeases the LORD. Because what complaining does is that even the little work gets thrown away, as you are not even conscious of the little things that are being done for you; the only thing you are focusing on is what you didn’t get or wanted.

We are in a month of Thanksgiving and have one month left to end the year, meaning it is easier to complain now than it was in May or July. So for the rest of this month, we will be dealing with Thanksgiving and being intentional about it.

Takeaway: What is one thing for which you are grateful at this moment?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

Have you ever wondered why, in all these things that are happening in your life and in the world at large, you are still standing? I still ask myself that in everything Israel went through, there was never a time they were totally defeated to the point that they perished, and they suffered. But in all, God was and is faithful. So what is it that we are battling personally, as a family, as a community, and as a country?

Romans 8:37 (ESV): No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

One thing that we need to be assured of is that there is victory in trials and tribulations. Why? Because the victory doesn’t come from us, but through Him who loved us, we obtain that victory. What a privilege it is to fight from victory and not fight for victory. And if you don’t understand that, you will struggle and become frustrated as a believer. One thing that we should never stop emphasizing is that “all these things” (trials and tribulations) will happen without our permission, so let our focus not be on these things but on Him who loved us.

This victory is so overwhelming, and to think that it came because He loves us still blows my mind to this day. For God so loved the world…

Takeaway: What are you grateful for this week?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

We are living in a world where competency is glorified, and there’s nothing wrong with that; being incompetent is not good in every aspect of your life, but we must remember that we are not the source of our sufficiency. What does that mean? Well, we work so hard to the point that we end up thinking of everything as coming from ourselves, and that’s pride. Paul asks the Corinthians, “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)
So no matter how competent you are, you are not the source. Who is the source, then?

2 Corinthians 3:5 (NIV): Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Whether we like it or not, God empowers us, and not just any empowerment, but divine empowerment. And that’s why we have the Holy Spirit. This is not a substitute for hard work; oh no, not at all. God never endorses laziness. This is to show us that we are not as sufficient as we think we are, and as long as you think you are sufficient, then there’s nothing God can do.

Here is a takeaway: Are you hindering God from empowering you because you already think you are enough?

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

God’s work is done; He has made us to be the light of this world. What’s left is for us to do our part, and God cannot do that for us, nor can our brothers or sisters do that. Everyone who is the light must allow the light to shine. It is one thing for people to block your light or try to hide your light from shining, and it’s another thing to block or hide that light by yourself. So what is stopping us from allowing that light to shine? Do we think maybe our families, communities, or colleagues don’t need that light? Well, newsflash: where there is darkness, there is a need for light.

Matthew 5:16 (ESV): In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Yeah, we are doing good works, but people are not giving God the glory. Why? Because our light is not shining before others. The world is already full of people who boast in their work and who think they are all-powerful. Until our light shines before others, our good works are no different from those who are not the light. You don’t need to be the light for your good works to be seen, but you need to allow your light to shine if you want your good works to be seen and your Father to receive glory.

There is a need for light. People are in desperate need of seeing the light shining, and when that light is so near, it makes a significant difference. Until we make it a matter of urgency or a part of our daily lives, we won’t feel the need to allow our light to shine.

Takeaway: Ponder the title of this bread and write things down, and see what steps you can take to consistently do things that glorify God, unless you want the glory to be given to you.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

It is easy to get lost in titles. The danger of titles is that they can lead you to believe you are in a higher place while contributing nothing. My pastor once said, “Christianity is not a title but a way of life.” Sometimes, just because you are a Christian, you think you have arrived; sometimes we even behave as if we are already in heaven. Even at your workplace, be careful not to be consumed by what your position is, because first of all, you are neither the first one to have that position nor the last one to hold it. What do we have today?

Matthew 5:16 (ESV): “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

One thing we cannot shy away from is that we are the salt of the earth; then what should follow is we have to ask ourselves, “What does that mean?” It means the earth is in need of you. And being needed is not a ticket to “Pride Avenue” (starting to become prideful). Be humble; you can lose your saltiness.

So the next thing to follow is to ask ourselves, “What causes us to lose our saltiness?” According to scientists, external factors, such as moisture, impurities, or improper storage, cause the salt to become ineffective. So yes, external factors can affect who you are, as much as “who you are” is an internal matter.

Takeaway: Find out how moisture, impurities, or improper storage can affect your saltiness.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!

Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day is a gift to you and me, so let’s cherish it.

I find it interesting that we, children of God, can’t stand to be corrected or disciplined; we like to jump to conclusions and say, “Why are we being judged?” One thing I don’t mind is being judged , as hard as it is and sometimes cruel, but the same measure the person uses on you, that same measure will be used on him or her (Matthew 7:2). So can we move away from hiding behind judgment? It is becoming hard for children of God to be corrected or rebuked. It is interesting that we say, “Only God can judge me,” but we refuse to listen to the very same words that God spoke. So the question is, which God are we referring to?

Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV): My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

What does it mean for us to despise the LORD’s discipline? It means we look down on that discipline, and what it means for us to look down on what God does to us to correct us is that we look down on Him. So how can we call Him Lord when we despise what He does or says to us? Let us ponder those questions.

In everything that God does, the ultimate intention is love. Why? Because He is love; even in His anger, love always pulls through. Jeremiah says, “Because of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.”

Takeaway: Love being disciplined; it will take you far.

Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name. Ameni!