Daily Devotions

“Oh, grow up!” — the familiar rebuke often aimed at someone displaying immature behavior. Peter seems to voice a similar urgency to the early church in his words:

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Peter is emphasizing the importance of spiritual growth through the Word of God. He urges believers to discard sinful habits and develop a deep longing for the pure, unadulterated Word of God, which nourishes and strengthens them spiritually. Growth, he implies, comes from actively seeking and engaging with God’s truth.

A preacher once had his cholesterol checked and was told it was too high. Following his doctor’s advice, he made significant changes—more exercise, less fatty and fast food. Over two years, his cholesterol dropped by 27 points. He reflected on the change:

“Changing my diet has really changed the way I ‘taste’ food. I used to love really greasy foods. Now, if I have a pepperoni pizza, I find myself thinking, ‘Wow! This tastes really greasy!’ It’s not that pizzas are any greasier than before; my appetite has simply changed because of the foods I put into my system.”

The same principle applies spiritually. Just as our physical appetites can shift toward healthier food, our spiritual appetites can grow toward God’s Word. Like newborns longing for their mother’s milk, we are meant to crave the nourishing Word of God.

Malice. Deceit. Hypocrisy. Envy. Slander. Indulging these “unhealthy spiritual foods” dulls our appetite for God’s Word and stunts our spiritual growth. Peter’s words are clear: “Put these things aside!” Only by removing such harmful influences can we mature in faith and grow into the fullness of spiritual health.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to be mindful of what we allow to fill our minds and hearts. Increase our hunger for wholesome spiritual teaching. Draw us to Your Word and open our hearts to receive its riches. Nourish us, O Living Word, that we may grow into maturity in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Devotions

1 Thessalonians 3:12–13

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

Paul continues the theme of abounding with another beautiful image—this time of love that overflows.

To overflow with love is to experience an affection so deep and generous that it spills over into every area of life. It is a love that cannot be contained—a love that touches everyone we encounter and shapes everything we do.

This is what we might call uncontainable love. It isn’t measured or restrained. It is abundant, overflowing, and unstoppable—like water that refuses to stay within its boundaries.

As writer Kate O’Neill expresses it:

“Love is like liquid; when it pours out, it seeps into others’ lives. Love changes form and shape. Love gets into everything. Death doesn’t conquer all; love does. Love wins every single time. Love wins by lasting through death. Love wins by loving more, loving again, loving without fear.”

That is the kind of love Paul prays for—the love of God that flows through us, transforming the world around us.

Such love reveals itself in kindness, generosity, compassion, and selfless service. In the life of a disciple, it reflects both God’s abundant love for humanity and the love He calls us to share freely with others.

When our hearts are strengthened in this overflowing love, we grow toward holiness—not as perfection achieved, but as love perfected. It is love that prepares us for Christ’s coming, making us ready to stand blameless and joyful in His presence.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the truth of Your Word and the lessons it brings

Teach me to abound in love for my brothers and sisters in Christ,
and to overflow with grace toward all people.
Strengthen my heart in faith and hope,
that I may live blamelessly before You
and faithfully intercede for Your Church.
Keep my eyes fixed on the day when Christ returns
and gathers us into His everlasting love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Daily Devotions

Colossians 2:7

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him—rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

The phrase “abounding in thanksgiving” means to be overflowing with gratitude—not a passing emotion, but a deep and steady posture of the heart. True thanksgiving grows from a faith that is rooted in Christ. As our trust in Him deepens, we begin to see God’s goodness even in difficult circumstances.

To abound in thanksgiving is to live as a disciple known for gratefulness. It means choosing to look for grace in the ordinary, to celebrate what is good rather than dwell on what is lacking. Gratitude, then, becomes not just something we express—but something we embody. Our words, our actions, and our attitudes flow from the humble awareness that everything we have is a gift from God—far more than we could ever earn or deserve.

There’s a story told from the early 1900s in Chicago. A policeman, walking his evening beat, noticed a man standing quietly outside a small mission. The man had removed his hat and stood still, head bowed. Concerned, the officer approached and asked, “What’s the matter, Mac? Are you ill?”

The man looked up and smiled. “No, sir. My name is Billy Sunday. I was converted right here in this mission. I never pass this way without pausing for a moment to whisper a prayer of thanksgiving.”

That simple act captures what it means to abound in thankfulness. It’s not about grand gestures or public displays—it’s about a heart tuned to God’s presence, finding reason for gratitude in every step of life’s journey.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Just as we have received Christ Jesus as Lord, help us to walk faithfully in Him.

Strengthen our roots in Your love, build us up in Your truth,

and establish us firmly in the faith we have been taught.

May our hearts overflow with thankfulness each day,

so that our lives reflect Your grace and bring light to those around us.

We ask this in Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Daily Devotion

 2 Corinthians 13:5–7

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will discover that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not so that we may appear to have passed, but that you may do what is right, even if we may seem to have failed.”

All things of real value are tested to prove they are genuine.

When you hand a £20 note to a cashier, it’s held under a special light to confirm it is real.

In the Philippines, before modern scanning systems were used, bank tellers had another method for checking dollar bills. They would hold the note up to the light and study the fine details of the portrait. One curious customer once asked a teller how she could be so sure. She smiled and replied, “If the hair of the man in the picture is not combed properly, the dollar is fake.”

We expect everything of worth to be tested.

A faith that is never tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.

Paul’s words to the Corinthians remind us that self-examination is part of genuine discipleship. He urges us to test ourselves—to see if Christ truly lives in us. Real faith is not measured by outward appearances but by a life that reflects the character of Jesus.

Paul’s prayer is not for his own approval, but for the Corinthians’ integrity: that they would turn from wrongdoing and choose what is right, so that their lives might prove genuine in Christ, whatever others may think of him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Search my heart and reveal anything that resists Your will.

Refine my thoughts and actions, that I may walk in honesty, love, and grace.

Let the life of Jesus shine through me,

and may all I do bring honour and glory to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sunday Thoughts - 12 October 2025

Readings for 12 October (Year C)

• Jeremiah 29:1, 4–7 — The exiles in Babylon are told to build houses, plant gardens, seek the city’s welfare, and pray for it.  
• Psalm 66:1–12 — Praise for God’s mighty deeds, acknowledging testing and deliverance.  
• 2 Timothy 2:8–15 — Paul urges endurance in suffering, faithfulness, and working to present oneself “approved” to God.  
• Luke 17:11–19 — The healing of ten lepers, and only one returns to give thanks to Jesus. (A story about gratitude, faith, and recognition of God’s mercy.)  

These passages together invite us to reflect on faith, gratitude, endurance, and our role in the community.

Reflection

1. Life in Exile, and the Call to Settle Where God Places Us

Jeremiah’s instruction to the exiles is counterintuitive: though uprooted, they are told to build, settle, cultivate, and seek the welfare of the place where they are. The call is not to passive waiting or constant longing for return, but to active engagement where one is, trusting God’s presence in the “in-between.” The welfare of the city, the common life, the flourishing of others — these become our own welfare.

In our lives, we often feel exiled — from health, from ideal circumstances, from spiritual ease. Yet in those places, God still calls us to live faithfully: to work, to pray, to serve, to plant seeds of hope.

2. Trials, Transformation, and Praise

The psalm gives voice to the tension of suffering and deliverance. The people have been tested (“you brought us into the net; you laid burdens on our backs”) yet confess: “you have brought us out to a spacious place.” In our own spiritual journey, we too pass through seasons of trial and refining. The psalm invites honest lament but also insists on praise — remembering God’s past deliverance as a foundation for present trust.

3. Endurance in Faith

Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, declares that though he is chained, the “word of God is not chained.” He endures hardship for the sake of the elect, and urges faithfulness. He also warns of avoiding pointless quarrels, striving in the reading, teaching, and confession of faith. There is a sense of a lasting race: suffering, devotion, trust.

This challenges us: when the cost of discipleship seems high — socially, emotionally, physically — will we remain faithful? Will we continue in the work of the gospel, even when unseen or unappreciated?

4. Gratitude as Recognition

The gospel story is striking: ten lepers healed, but only one returns to thank Jesus. Jesus asks, “Were not ten made clean? Where are the other nine?” There is a difference between physical healing and spiritual recognition. Gratitude creates deeper intimacy: the one who returns is welcomed, affirmed, and told, “your faith has made you well.”

We are prone to take God’s gifts for granted — health, mercy, daily provision. This story reminds us that the miracle is not only in receiving, but in remembering, returning, worshipping, and giving thanks.

Practical Takeaways

• In places of waiting, or hardship, or displacement, ask: Where can I faithfully live and serve now? How do I “plant gardens” in this season?
• Keep a “memory book” of God’s past deliverance, so that in dark days you can call on those testimonies.
• Examine your endurance: are there areas where you are tempted to give up faithfulness? Pray for strength to remain.
• Cultivate a posture of gratitude — daily, small thanks, that reorients your heart toward God rather than what you lack.
• When God acts in your life, return, worship, and give thanks — not just in mind but with joy and obedience.

Prayer

Gracious and faithful God, in days of exile and longing, you call us to settle, to build, to plant, to minister to the place where you have planted us. Grant us courage to live faithfully where we are. In times of testing, when burdens press upon us, do not hide your face. Remind us of your deliverance, and bring us into spacious places of hope and freedom. Strengthen us in the race of faith — sustain us through suffering, sharpen us in endurance, keep us devoted to your Word and service. And when you heal, restore, provide, let us not be among the nine who pass by without return, but grant us hearts that recognize, return, worship, and give thanks. Through Jesus Christ, who heals and restores, and by the power of your Spirit, we pray. Amen.

Daily Devotion

 

Evident Progress

1 Timothy 4:15
Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

Reflection

“There are no short cuts to maturity,” writes Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life. “It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. The development of Christlike character cannot be rushed.”

He continues: “Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time. When you try to ripen fruit quickly, it loses its flavour. In America, tomatoes are usually picked unripened so they won’t bruise during shipping to the stores. Then, before they are sold, these green tomatoes are sprayed with CO₂ gas to turn them red instantly. Gassed tomatoes are edible, but they are no match to the flavour of a vine-ripened tomato that is allowed to mature slowly.”

Paul’s words to Timothy carry the same message: growth takes time, but it requires intentional effort. Timothy is instructed to actively engage in his ministry, to be devoted to the public reading of Scripture, to teaching, and to the way he lives. His progress was to be visible—not for his own recognition, but as a witness to the work of Christ in him.

Growing with Patience and Purpose

Paul urged Timothy to:

• Stand firm in the gospel of truth.

• Be patient in times of suffering.

• Remain faithful to God’s calling.

• Endure the loneliness that often comes with dedicated service.

• Hold on to the blessed hope of Christ’s return

He was told to meditate on these things—to take them to heart, to persevere in them, and to give himself fully to them. In this way, Timothy’s life would display the grace and glory of God, offering a living testimony to others.


Prayer

Thank You, Father, for the Scriptures and all that they contain—for they are food for the weary soul, instruction for godly living, and wisdom from above. I pray that I may be absorbed in Your Word, that the beauty of Christ may be formed in me, and that my life may bear witness to Your grace.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Daily Devotions

Growing in Grace

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Reflection

This verse is a call to ongoing spiritual growth. Peter urges believers to deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ and to live more fully in his grace. Growth in the Christian life is not about reaching perfection, but about continuous learning, maturing, and drawing closer to God.

At the time of writing, Peter was countering false teachers who promoted careless living and denied the reality of judgment. In contrast, he insists that true growth produces holiness, faithfulness, and readiness to meet the Lord.

To grow in grace means becoming more like Jesus—in character, actions, and attitudes. It is the gradual development of love, compassion, humility, and patience. As we grow, we come to a fuller appreciation of God’s unearned favour and the richness of his love and mercy. This growth draws us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with him.

Illustration

A group of tourists once visited a picturesque village. Passing an old man sitting by a fence, one of them asked, rather condescendingly, “Were any great men born in this village?”

The old man quietly replied, “Nope, only babies.”

Every believer begins the Christian life as a spiritual baby. Whether newly converted at six or sixty, we all start the same way—with much to learn and room to grow. But a Christian who remains a spiritual infant for forty years is a tragedy. God intends for us to mature, to take in the nourishment of his Word, and to grow strong enough to bless and influence others. Until we learn to feed on the deeper truths of Scripture ourselves, our growth will remain stunted.

Prayer

Lord, help me to grow in your grace and knowledge. Deepen my understanding of you and your ways. Shape my life so that it reflects your grace and is marked by an ever-growing knowledge of who you are. May my words, actions, and attitudes bring glory to you—both now and forevermore.

Amen.