Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – 1Peter 3:4. Extravagant over-reaction! That’s what we’re programmed to seek, and to display, in our modern world of sound bytes and over-hyped personality. But gentleness, that moderating grace in the midst of chaos and conflict, is so vital to bring the peace of God to conflict-laden churches, families, and relationships. How can we be gentle, how can we restrain from over-reacting to the wounds, offences, and insults that come our way? The Lord is near! He is our vindication. He is our example. He is our comfort. He is our hope. He is our strength. He is near. We are not alone and our destiny, reputation, and value are not up to us to establish or to defend. Loving Heavenly Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to be gentle at all times, that my witness of you may be evident to all. In the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.  Be encouraged. GBYAY

Many times people lose their hunger for spiritual things, and they think that if they wait long enough it will return. It won’t!!  You must decide to cultivate that hunger, if you do not cultivate that hunger your spirit will become weak and eventually die of spiritual malnutrition. Remember what Jesus said: Hunger is a blessing! Blessed are they that hunger. – John T Brown. Be encouraged! GBYAY

Thank you Lord for my walk with you, and I ask you Holy Spirit to help me to demonstrate the character of the Lord Jesus Christ in my life… His Wisdom, His Knowledge, His Power, His Love, His Loyalty, His Leadership, His Faithfulness, His Goodness, His kindness, His Gentleness, His Generosity, His Mercy, His Peace, His Joy, His Boldness, His Beauty, His Confidence, His Courage, His Compassion, His Tolerance, His Self Control, Help me Lord to imitate you, that I might be a better child for you and advance the Kingdom of God! Be encouraged!  GBYAY

REVIVAL Revivals are not usually preceded by the awakening of the Church to a sense of need, but by the awakening of devout souls here and there, who feeling the need, begin to entreat God in prayer for a revival. Gradually this deepens and spreads until the sense of need becomes a burden, until the cry, "How long, Oh God! how long!" becomes an agony. This is the cry which God cannot deny. It is for that cry that we must intently listen. Is there, then today a disposition to pray for a revival? Are devout men everywhere becoming alarmed, not for the success of the Church, but for the glory of Christ, lest it be lost altogether? Is there a sense of a burden lying upon men's hearts which will not give them rest, but which makes them agonize in prayer? If not, then the night is not far spent, a deeper darkness still awaits us. Of what use would a revival be if we are not prepared for it? It would pass over us without doing its work. - James Burns. Loving Heavenly Father, my desire is to carry out the supreme assignment of winning souls! Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to lead people to righteousness, help me to step up my prayer life for a revival in my family, my workplace, my community, my City and my country! In Jesus wonderful and mighty name I pray! Amen!  Be encouraged! johntbrownministries.com

Can you think of a more terrifying thought than God not forgiving us our sins? We know how much He paid so our sins could be forgiven! We know how much He loves us! We know how much He wants us to be in relationship with him! So why would He withhold His forgiveness? Because we demonstrate that we have not received it or do not understand it!  God is gracious and he will not accept those who are not gracious! Loving Heavenly Father, there are those that I do find it difficult to forgive. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, right now while I’m praying, soften my heart, cleanse my soul of any bitterness or resentment, and empower me to let go of the pain of the past, and forgive. I thank you for this grace to not only be forgiven, but also to forgive. In the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Be encouraged! GBYAY

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. – Luke 12:6-7.  In a cosmos so vast, what is our little planet? In a planet so diverse and so full of life, what are people? Among all the billions of people alive, and those who have lived and already died, what worth do we have? Well, Jesus reminds us that our worth is great, not because we are so important, but because we are known personally by God. We don’t have to be afraid, we are known personally, and loved by the One who is, and was, and is to come! Praise His wonderful name! Loving Heavenly Father, you already know my heart. You know where I struggle with sin, so empower and forgive me. You know my fears, so encourage and strengthen me. You know my immaturity, so nurture and grow me. You know my weakness and disease, so comfort and heal me. But even if these requests take time to be answered, I am still overwhelmed by the fact that you choose to know me, and for that I am eternally grateful, thank you! In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Be encouraged! GBYAY

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, – 2Tim 1:6. Christianity has enough compassion to do something about the plight of the outcast of society. Christianity has enough passion to care and to create ministries which will make a change in people’s lives. There is no Christianity without compassion, and there is no “compassion” without passion.” Jesus Christ was often moved with compassion to minister to the masses. Compassion should move us, it should motivate and compel us to do something. Far from the placid figure portrayed in modern media, Jesus was a passionate man. He was also moved with passion to rebuke the religionists, and to clear the temple of money changers. O for a passionate passion for souls, O for a pity that yearns! O for the love that loves unto death, O for a fire that burns! O for the pure prayer-power that prevails, That pours itself out for the lost! Victorious prayer in the Conqueror’s Name, O for a PENTECOST! -Amy Wilson Carmichael. A passionless church is a church that has left its first love, it is a church that is neither flowing with cool refreshing streams nor the hot therapeutic springs, but is lukewarm, half-hearted, empty, apathetic and complacent. Don’t let the passion die; don’t lose your first love, fan the flame and let the fire burn! I have but one passion; it is He, He only. – Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, blow across the glowing embers of the Church of Jesus Christ again, and revive within us a passion for lost souls, a passion for prayer, a passion to praise, a passion for God in all of His splendour! In Jesus wonderful name I pray! Amen.  Be encouraged! GBYAY

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. – Matthew 7:13-14.  The world desperately wants a Saviour but not a Lord. The New Testament is very clear, a Saviour who is not Lord, is no Saviour and no friend. If the Old Testament showed us anything, it’s that God’s seemingly strange laws were written not for his fascination, but for his people’s preservation. Let us not only call Jesus Lord this week, but let us live in a way that shows that He controls our lives, and His Spirit produces our character. Loving Heavenly Father, I thank you that Jesus is my Saviour and LORD. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit as you take control of my life and my will, so that I may be totally yours not just in word, but in thought and in deed as well. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen. Be encouraged! GBYAY

Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. – Psalm 4:1. At first, this cry for help seems very demanding, however, closer inspection shows that this is really the cry of desperation. Have you been there? I surely have, and I regularly hear from other Christians who are there now, but, read how this Psalm ends! What is the secret to surviving a long agony? I believe three things are important: 1. Honesty in our prayer life with God. 2. Confidence that God hears, and cares even when our prayers sizzle with pain and frustration. 3. Genuine praise for God included in our prayers, even when things seem miserable. It’s not a magical formula, but it is a Holy Spirit-inspired one… check it out in Psalm 4. Loving Heavenly Father, hear my cry for relief, as well as the relief of those I love, from agony, burdens, and suffering. By the power of the Holy Spirit, answer in amazing and miraculous ways, so that we may not only be relieved, but in such a way that you may be glorified. In the wonderful Name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Be encouraged! GBYAY