Elaine Campbell

 'I have called upon thee; for thou wilt hear me, O God; incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech' (Psalm17:6). When we pray to God, we expect an answer from him; but sometimes the answer we get is not what we were expecting or  at times it might seem like there is no answer. David prayed to God, trusted him and with expectation was confident that God would hear him. We too, when we pray, have to believe with all our hearts that God is listening and that he will hear us. As believers, we should be confident that we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37). Like David we can confidently call upon the Lord our God for His grace and mercy and strength in the time of adversity. We are helpless without the Lord to fight our battles. We need Him and cannot do it alone. We do need the strength of our Saviour to help us through those difficulties. If you call upon the Lord, be confident that he will here you, because He who is faithful has promised. He will incline Hi

 'Our help is on the name of great Lord, who made heaven and earth"  (Psalm 124:8). Our help and our hope for the future, is in the name of the Lord; the One who made the heaven and the earth. He is our Creator and our preserver. As we worship the Creator, let us increase our trust in the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. The Lord is our help and our shield, in Him only shall we trust and be confident, because He is our everlasting strength . When we contemplate the power of God, in that, He made the heaven and earth out of nothing; He spoke and things happen, we should be in wondrous awe of his providence and power. Let us continue to study God's Word and pray without ceasing, as our  anchor hold in the storms of life. Our help is in the Lord only, not in any creature. Therefore we ought to put our total trust and confidence in the Lord. Our God is able to do more for us than we are able to ask or think. There is absolutely nothing that He cannot do, He is Creator. Let us as fo

 'When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory' (Colossians 3:4). We are admonished to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2), that we experience the true joy God wants to lavish on us. Christ is the true life of all who believe in Him. Paul was anticipating the return of Jesus soon coming, and we too should also be anticipating His coming, which is even at the door. No one knows the day or the hour Christ will come, but we know He will come again, as was spoken of Himself and the prophets of Old. Christ our Saviour died on the Cross at Calvary for everyone. When we become baptised, we are buried with Him and raised with Him into newness of life at His resurrection. How amazing! As a result we are imputed with Christ righteousness, as part of our new creation in Him. We become a brand new person, as our filthy rags are exchanged for Christ's robe of righteousness. It is important to note, that our new life is now hidden wit

 'Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation says continually, The Lord be magnified' (Psalm 40:16). God is love and we  should celebrate His love and continue to exalt His name. All of us who seek the Lord should rejoice and be glad in Him; making a joyful noise unto Him, because He is God and is worthy of our praise. He has freed us from the burden of our sins, and those who come to Him for forgiveness, will be granted such. The Lord has done so much for us, therefore, we ought to magnify him and bless His name. We must diligently seek the Lord, with our whole heart, We must serve God in Christ our Saviour, and through the power and influences of the Holy Spirit. Let us continue to rejoice  and be exceedingly glad in the Lord, who pardon our sins and clothed us with the robe of righteousness and the garment of salvation. Let us love Christ, the Lord of our salvation and the Author of our faith. Let us never tired of  ascribing pra

 'The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace' (Psalm 29:11). The joy of the Lord is our strength. He will strengthen and help us in difficult times and bless us with His peace, as we learn to trust and depend upon Him. When we are surrounded by uncertainties, faith in God will help us to stand; and we will not be in constant worry, especially over things we have no control over. We should not worry or fret but wholly lean on Jesus Christ, who is the Solid Rock. God has given us the gift of faith, and in difficult times our faith will allow us to find peace in the presence of the God. The Lord is eternal and All-Powerful; his strength brings protection, and help, power and mercy. His strength is perfect and in Him we can be perfect. Today the Lord is calling us to come to him as we are. He is gently whispering through the storm of our hearts "Peace be still." If we know the Lord, we will know there is nothing too hard for him

 'Who among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God' (Isaiah 50:10). The fear of the Lord is not a fear of His wrath to come, nor His terrible judgment. It is a reverential affection for God, a godly fear of Him. Isaiah asked the question, "Who is among you that feareth the Lord? That is, who among you that fear the Lord, and his goodness; who humble themselves and have faith in Him. We must be in awe when we think about God and his goodness, his providence and majesty. When we experience the fear of God, we will hear his word and be submissive to the will of God. Isaiah is saying to us, that if we have faith and believe in Christ and fear Him, because it's through his grace by faith in him that we are saved. Who is it... that walks in darkness, and have no light? Though for a while we may walk in darkness and have no light, but when we tr

 'Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall uplift you' (James 4:10). In order to humble ourselves in the sight of God, we must come before Jesus in awe and reverence, regardless of what people might think of us. We must understand that it's not about us, but it's about God our Creator. As followers of God, we are called to trust in the Lord with all our heart. We are to accept the free gift of salvation offered to us through God's grace  by faith in Jesus Christ. We are assured of the ongoing favour of God, that is readily available to all who believe in Christ. We have a responsibilty to walk in His ways and humble ourselves before Him. Let us not be arrogant and proud in our dealings with God and others, but be humble and meekand lowly in heart. The Word of God tells us, "... God is opposed to the proud, but give grace to the humble" (James 4:6). In humbling ourselves before God, demonstrate constant sincere prayer; seeking God's face

 'Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgment endureth for ever' (Psalm 119:160). All of God's people throughout the ages, who received His Word in faith and love, have a testimony of God's goodness and faithfulnes. God is true and his Word is true from the first moment it was spoken. Every part of God's word is true, from the Old Testament to the new Testament. There is no mistake either in the Word of God or in the providential dealings with God.  All His judgments are righteous and endures for ever. There is nothing in God's Word that need to amend or reverse; His commands and judgement are holy and righteous. The Word of God says, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, Till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). When our obedience comes from a principled place of love, it is pleasing to God and pleasant to us. Christ is our Advocate and Redeemer, all who were quickened by h

 'Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our ancestors' (Malachi 2:10). There were those who were considered professed messengers of God - the priests, that was unfaithful to God, hence the people were unfaithful to each other. The people of Israel disobeyed God and blamed him for the consequences of their sins, when they were the ones who disregarded God's law and violated the covenant of their ancestors. In our time, God's people has disregarded the law and principles of God and sometimes treat others as if they too weren't created by the same God. Malachi the prophet of God asked these rhetorical questions in light of the situation. "Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us?" The nation of Israel had one father, and was created by God as a nation (Deut. 32:6). However they have become faithless to one another and had violated God'

 'It is good that a man should both hope and, quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord' (Lamentations 3:26). The Children of Israel complained and grumbled against the Living God, throughout their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. They at times want things their own way and not doing what God desires for them. The Word of God is saying to us, wait quietly and trust that even when things are bad and reached its highest peak; our salvation is secure in Christ. We should not seek to do our own thing, in our own way, but give allowance for the Holy Spirit to work on our hearts, so we can do it God's way- the right way. There are lessons to learn about God's great faithfulness and unfailing mercies, which are new every morning. We should learn to understand the importance of trusting the Lord and to wait in His timing Our Lord had to endure many difficult and distressing circumstances while he was on earth seeking to save humanity. As Children of God, we too will fa

 'And this is the commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment' (1 John 3:23). None of us have ever seen God! But if we love one another He will abide in us, and his love perfected in us. We see two important commandments in this verse, which of a truth is actually one, as they are inseparable. One cannot go without the other. 1) We should believe on the name of Jesus Christ. 2) To love one another, just as He has commanded us. The message from the beginning was that, we should obey God; we should love God and love each other. God's love is unconditional, and his salvation is free and secure, but his approval is based on whether or not we obey Him. There is nothing we can do to change God's love for us, but when we by faith believe on His Son and love one another, it is pleasing to Him. It is important to note that, we should not merely 'feel' love; but should act on it, as well. Love is

 'But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him' (Acts 10:35). All those that fear God and does what is right are accepted by Him. As a Jew Peter still regard the Gentiles as outcast and common. But he learnt that no one was common or unclean with regards to salvation. Salvation is a free gift from God to all who will accept it by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Peter learnt something amazing when he received the vision of unclean food coming down from heaven and was told to rise, kill and eat. He responded by saying, "Not so Lord: for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean (verse 14). He was told that, what God has cleanse, should not be called common. When Cornelius messengers arrived, Peter realised the vision  wasn't about food, but people. God is saying to us, be careful of our biases, and  treatment of others who is not like us, but have a genuine heart that is searching for truth. God is sending

 'Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again' (John 3:7). "Ye must be born again,"  is an important thought to reflect on as Christians, as to who and where we will spend eternity. Jesus speaking to Nicodemus, a ruler of the the Jews, told him that he should not marvel, because He said, he must be born again. Jesus was simply saying to Nicodemus that except one is born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. He had to experience the new birth and have a personal relationship with Him. Jesus died for the sins of all, we have all sin and come short of the glory of God. When we trust and believe in Christ by faith, led by the Holy Spirit, we should experience that spiritual rebirth. The only way we can change the human nature    - the flesh, is to experience rebirth. That is, being reborn through the Spirit of God. That's why Jesus speaking to Nicodemus says that, he should marvel not, when He tells him, he must be born a

 'For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us' ( Isaiah 33:22). The Lord Jesus Christ is our Judge, committed to Him by the Father. He will Judge his people and right their wrongs. He is the One who has written His laws on our hearts and put His right Spirit within us, to enable us to keep them. The Lord is our king and will save us from all our sins with an everlasting salvation. Isaiah is reminding us that the Lord is our Judge  and is on our side. He is not looking to condemn us but to save us from our sins. He as our Judge, will judge us right and his judgment will be base on His will and his grace and love. We ought to be grateful that Christ is indeed our Judge, because He is holy and righteous and we do not have to fear his judgment. Our future and our life are secure in Him, as our king, when He returns for his people. We ought to recognise and acknowledge Christ as our Judge, Lawgiver and King. He has the right to rule our

 'Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word' (Psalm 119:114). We are God's creation, He  created us out of pure love and for us to worship Him as our Creator.  Sin caused us to be separated from the Father, but yet in His grace, mercy and justice, choose to reveal Himself and His plan of salvation to us through His inspired Word. We cannot fathom God, neither do we understand the mystery of God. God is not taken by surprise anything we have done, because He knows the end from the beginning and is God. He is our protector in times of adversity and our hiding place when we need refuge. In the Scriptures, we see on numerous occasions, recorded by Moses, where God had protected Israel and had become their safe hiding place, and a protective shield from their enemies. In this vicious world of sin, in which we live, the Lord is no less our shield and hiding place. He is our Rock in whom we hide, as He shelters us in the time of storm.   We have to believe His pro

 'Teach me thy way, O Lord: I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear your name' (Psalm 86:11) The fear of the Lord is not natural in the heart of man; but when we walk in the Lord's truth with a united heart we will reverence Him. We must ask of the Lord to teach us His way - the way of his commandments, his grace and salvation. We cannot unite our hearts to fear the Lord, because of our sinfulness, it is the Lord who has given us such a heart to fear Him. When we are in trouble and perplexity, look to the Lord for help and teaching. He will teach us His wisdom and mercy, that we may walk in His truth.  As we are taught by the Lord, we must practice that which we have been taught, and let it saturate our heart and mind and soul. Like David, we can ask the Lord to unite our hearts to fear his name. To fear God is the beginning of wisdom; it is also growth and maturity of wisdom. We are to search the Scriptures daily and conform to it, as we walk in the Lord's tru

 'Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people (Psalm3:8). Prayer is very important in the Christian' walk, and is a way to communicate to God. When we trust in God and the Son, Jesus by faith, we receive the gifts of salvation. It is a free gift that belongs to God, who shares it by grace with all who believe and trust Jesus for our salvation, even though we do not deserve it. So many times we take our eyes off Jesus, focusing on other distractions. Our trust in God falters, and when we allow our hearts to fail within us, as we experience uncertainty and other events happening in our lives, and of those we love, we lost sight of the Lord. However, it is of utmost importance to look to Jesus for strength, and rely on Him to provide all our needs, according to His riches in glory. David went through a lot and many times he became despondent and depressed, but he always acknowledged the faithfulness of God to finish the good work that He had begun into his l

 'Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things' (Proverbs 28:5). The evil men of this world know not the law of God, nor do they understand His judgment. They do not know right from wrong. The Lord will take vengeance on them, since they do not consider His work, and the operation of his hand. It's not so with those who are born again, who worship and adore Him. Those who seek the Lord will understand all things. We must seek the Lord for righteousness, life and salvation. It is only in Christ our Lord, that we are able to understand all things. That is, the things He wants us to understand that's necessary for our salvation. The Lord wants us to understand all things relating to a spiritual and saving knowledge of God,  in Christ. Men hearts are naturally wicked, so we need Christ in our hearts to love and care for each other, to forgive and have mercy and compassion. God's Word is ever true, we need to trust His Word and Judg

 'The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing' (Zephaniah 3 17). What an amazing and wonderful God we serve, who is mighty to save. The Lord our God is with us and is mighty to save. He will take great delight in us and will quiet us with his love, and also rejoice over us with singing. We didn't have to do anything for God to love us, he did because he created us and we are His. He created us and loves us just as we are. Even when we did not deserve it, the Lord took delight in us. What an awesome God! He is present in the midst of us, loving and caring for us. He protects and defend us; died to save us from sin, so we can have life and have it more abundant. He is mighty to save us from fears; our enemies and the bondage of sin and death. We all need a Saviour, Christ the Lord, who is the cure for our problems and the antidote to sin. Christ has already won

 Devotional 'He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he' (Deuteronomy 32:4). Moses referred to God as   "the Rock," because He knew he was the only true rock. He described God as a God of faithfulness, who is without injustice - One who is righteous and upright in all His ways. Moses proclaimed it in a song of praise to the Lord. He could attest to this, as a result of his encounter with and experience of Him in a mighty way. From the time of the burning bush; him leading Israel from the bondage of Egypt; to the Red Sea; the wilderness experience; to him missing out on the Promise Land. Wow! What an experience and journey that must have been. It was God who had chosen Israel as a special people, to bring light to the heathen nations around who were in utter darkness. He had redeemed them, established and guarded them as the apple of His eye. He had promised them great blessings, if they

 Devotional 'The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed' (Psalm 28:8). The Lord our God is the glory of our strength, and in His name we shall rejoice all the day. The Lord is our strength, and the saving strength of His anointed. It is through Christ our anointed that all our blessings come to us. Here we see David, who is a type of our Lord Jesus, praising God. What about you? Christ had done much for us and has achieved full salvation for us, therefore, praise Him! We, like Israel are encouraged that the Lord is our Strength and salvation. When we seek to be in a  relationship with God, He will protect us from our enemies and save us from the crutches of Satan. Just as how Satan attempts to destroy Christ many times, whilst he was on earth, God  saved him and will do the same for us. Christ died to save us all, but it is those who trust Him and have a saving relationship with him that will spend eternity with. He is our High Priest, and Judge a