Good day Templar family
Matthew 3:11 (ESV) – “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Fire blazes through the pages of Scripture, revealing God’s holiness, His presence, His omnipotence, His righteous judgment, and His refining touch. I’ve noticed how easily we can shrink God down in our minds, picturing Him as tame or small, when really, His holiness s... moreGood day Templar family
Matthew 3:11 (ESV) – “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Fire blazes through the pages of Scripture, revealing God’s holiness, His presence, His omnipotence, His righteous judgment, and His refining touch. I’ve noticed how easily we can shrink God down in our minds, picturing Him as tame or small, when really, His holiness sets Him apart in a way that should leave us speechless.
Doesn’t it say in Hebrews that “God is a consuming fire”? That sticks with me, pushing me to rethink who He is and stirring my soul to love Him more. I want my heart to ignite with zeal as I run after Jesus, wholly alive for Him, but if that flame’s dim, I’ve got to ask what’s stealing my devotion. It’s time to turn from whatever’s in the way and press in to know Him deeper today. What’s fueling your pursuit of Him?
1 Corinthians 3:13 (ESV) – “Each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.”
Have a blessed Wednesday
MC Louis Steyn
Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Are you using your own strength? Don’t waste your weakness! Use your trial and your struggles to rely more upon the strength of God. God provides both physical and spiritual strength in our time of need.
If God can break physical chains how much more can He break the chains that are in your life? Wasn’t it the strength of God that saved you on the cross of Jesus Christ?
Wasn’t it the strength of ... moreGood day Templar family
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Are you using your own strength? Don’t waste your weakness! Use your trial and your struggles to rely more upon the strength of God. God provides both physical and spiritual strength in our time of need.
If God can break physical chains how much more can He break the chains that are in your life? Wasn’t it the strength of God that saved you on the cross of Jesus Christ?
Wasn’t it the strength of God that helped you
before? Why do you doubt? Have faith! Food, TV, and the internet won’t give you strength in your time of need. It will only give you a temporary way to cope with the pain in the hard times.
You can do nothing in your own strength. You couldn’t even save yourself even if you wanted to. Scripture makes it clear that by ourselves we are nothing. We need to rely on a source of strength. We are weak, we are broken, we are helpless, and we are hopeless. We need a Savior. We need Jesus! Salvation is the work of God and not man.
You need the everlasting unlimited strength of God. Sometimes you have to go to the prayer closet and say God I need you! You have to come to the Lord in humility and pray for His strength. Our loving Father wants us to fully depend on Him and not ourselves.
Have a blessed Tuesday
God's blessings
MC Louis Steyn
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Psalm 73:28 “But as for me, how good is it to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.”
We’ve all heard the phrase, “God is good.” However, have you pondered the goodness of God? Have you ever thought about the fact that His goodness never ends? Are you growing in your view of His goodness? Ask yourself these questions. Also, I encourage you to read these quotes about the goodness of God and medi... moreGood day Templar family
Psalm 73:28 “But as for me, how good is it to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.”
We’ve all heard the phrase, “God is good.” However, have you pondered the goodness of God? Have you ever thought about the fact that His goodness never ends? Are you growing in your view of His goodness? Ask yourself these questions. Also, I encourage you to read these quotes about the goodness of God and meditate on the Lord. Relinquish control and rest in His sovereignty and goodness in your life.
Goodness comes from God. We would not know goodness and there would be no goodness without the Lord. The Lord is the standard of all that is good. Do you see the goodness of the Lord in the “Good News”?
God came down in the form of man to live the perfect life that we could not. Jesus, who is God in flesh, walked in complete obedience to the Father. In love, He took our place on the cross. He thought of you while being bruised and battered. He thought of you as He hung bloody on a cross. Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected for our sins. He defeated sin and death and is the bridge between us and the Father. We can now know and enjoy the Lord. There is now nothing impeding us from experiencing the Lord.
The Christian through faith in the good and perfect work of Christ alone, is forgiven and justified before God. Christ redeemed us from the punishment of sin, and He has made us a new creature with new desires and affections for Him. Our response to the gospel of redeeming grace should be thankfulness. Christians want to praise the Lord and live a lifestyle pleasing to the Lord. The good that we do is from the Holy Spirit residing in us. God’s goodness changes everything about us. Have you experienced the goodness of God found in the gospel?
I encourage you to do what Psalm 34:8 says. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.”
Have a blessed Wednesday
God's blessings
MC Louis Steyn
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
We’re so quick to give up in prayer. Our emotions and our circumstances lead us to stop praying. However, we need to PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens)
My goal is to encourage you to continually endure in prayer, no matter how difficult your situation may seem. I also encourage you to pray and nev... moreGood day Templar family
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
We’re so quick to give up in prayer. Our emotions and our circumstances lead us to stop praying. However, we need to PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens)
My goal is to encourage you to continually endure in prayer, no matter how difficult your situation may seem. I also encourage you to pray and never give up.
If we’re honest with ourselves, unanswered prayers are very discouraging. If we’re not careful, unanswered prayers can lead to weariness and despair. If we’re not careful, we will come to a place where we say, “it just doesn’t work.” If you have been discouraged by not seeing the results of your prayers, I want you to keep fighting! One day, you will see the glorious fruits of your prayers. I know it’s hard. Sometimes it takes two days, sometimes 2 months, sometimes 2 years. However, we have to have an attitude that says, “I will not let go until You bless me.”
Is what you’re praying for worth dying for? It’s better to die than to quit in prayer. There have been certain prayers in my life that it took God three years to answer. Imagine if I would have quit in prayer. Then, I would not have been able to see God answer my prayers. I witnessed God get glory for Himself by answering my prayers. The deeper the trial, the more beautiful the victory is.
We are called to persevere in prayer. I’ll be honest, persevering is hard at times. I hate to wait. The process can be so draining and you feel as if you are on a roller coaster. With that said, while persevering can be hard, we are not only called to persevere. We are also to rejoice in hope and be devoted to prayer. When we are doing these things, persevering becomes easier.
There is joy when our joy comes from Christ and not our situation. No matter what difficult situation that you are in, there is a greater glory that awaits you. We must never lose sight of our hope of future things that the Lord has promised us. This helps us to be joyful in our trials. The more that you pray, the easier that it becomes. We should make prayer our daily exercise. Sometimes it hurts so much that words just can’t come out. The Lord understands you and He knows how to comfort you.
Sometimes the best thing to do is to be still before the Lord focusing on Him and allowing your heart to speak. He sees the tears of your heart. Don’t think that your prayers are going unnoticed. He knows, He sees, He understands, and He’s working even if you can’t see it. Continue to praise the Lord. Get before Him every day and pray until something happens. Don’t give up. Whatever it takes!
Have a blessed Tuesday
God's blessings
Louis Steyn MC
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family.
Jeremiah 42:3 “Pray that the LORD your God may inform us as to how we should live and what we should do.”
We’ve all had those times where we’re scratching our heads and wondering, “What next?” Maybe you’re in that place right now. If you’re in high school, you might be wondering whether to go to college or pursue a trade. Perhaps you believe college is in your future, but which college? And what major? Maybe you’re single and wondering if God has that special someone ... moreGood day Templar family.
Jeremiah 42:3 “Pray that the LORD your God may inform us as to how we should live and what we should do.”
We’ve all had those times where we’re scratching our heads and wondering, “What next?” Maybe you’re in that place right now. If you’re in high school, you might be wondering whether to go to college or pursue a trade. Perhaps you believe college is in your future, but which college? And what major? Maybe you’re single and wondering if God has that special someone for you. Perhaps you need to make a significant career decision and wonder which step to take.
Many of us wonder what God’s plan is for our lives – in general, and specifically. David wrote that God planned our lives while in the womb: “Your eyes have seen my formless substance; and in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:16)
Let’s unwrap what God’s Word says about God’s plan for us. What is His ultimate plan for the universe, and what part do we play in His plan individually? How can we know His specific plan for us?
In the words of John Piper, “God’s ultimate plan for the universe is to glorify Himself through the white-hot worship of a blood-bought bride.”
Jesus came the first time to set right what went wrong in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin and death entered the world. In His foreknowledge, God’s ultimate plan existed from the foundations of the world – before Adam and Eve were even created. (Revelation 13:8, Matthew 25:34, 1 Peter 1:20).
God has a definite plan for all believers – specific things we need to be doing in this life. One part of that plan is the Great Commission, mentioned above. We have a divine directive to reach the lost – those nearby and those unreached worldwide. We should be intentional in fulfilling Jesus’ commission – it might mean holding a seeker’s Bible study for your neighbors or serving overseas as a missionary, and it should always involve praying and giving for the work of missions. We should seek God’s specific guidance for what we can individually do to follow His plan.
Our sanctification is a second intrinsic part of God’s plan for all believers.
Sanctification means the process of becoming holy – or set apart for God. It includes sexual purity and a transformation of our minds so that we reject the world’s standards for God’s standards.
We all have those times in our lives when we don’t understand God’s plan. We may be at a crossroads and need to make a crucial decision, or circumstances may be hitting us, and we don’t know what’s going on.
Some people just want to open their Bible and have God’s specific plan jump out at them. And yes, part of our plan is found in God’s Word, and God wants us to be pursuing that with all diligence – loving God and loving others, taking His Gospel to the unreached, walking in obedience to His commands, and so on. It’s unlikely that God will reveal His specific blueprint for your life if you aren’t following His general will revealed in His Word because they are tightly bound together.
But while God’s general plan for you and me and all believers is the same, the specifics differ from person to person. God has gifted us with different spiritual gifts. The endpoint is the same – to build up the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12) But each of us is going to do that uniquely. God also gave each of us unique personalities and natural abilities. And we all come from divergent backgrounds with different experiences that give each of us a diverse knowledge base. Therefore, having a good understanding of your spiritual gifts, natural abilities, education, experience, and skill set – considering all these factors can help you understand God’s plan for your career and ministry in the church.
Prayer is crucial for understanding God’s plan. If you are perplexed about your next step, entrust it to God in prayer. You’ll be surprised at how praying to God about your situation will make a difference. Be tender and listen to the Holy Spirit’s soft voice guiding you. It’s especially likely to happen when you are praying.
Seek godly counsel! It helps to have a Spirit-filled person with whom to discuss your situation. It might be your pastor or a firm believer at church, or it might be a family member or friend. God often will speak to you through another person who is wise, tender to the Holy Spirit, and can help you consider your options.
We can understand God’s plan and trust it through being familiar with God’s Word. The Bible won’t give you all the specifics, but if you know the Bible well and how God worked through different people and circumstances, you can gain insight into your own situation, strengthening your faith.
Sometimes, we’re afraid to “let go and let God” because we worry it might end up in disaster. Occasionally, we don’t even bring God into the picture at all – we just make our own plans without consulting Him. God’s Word warns against doing this.
God created you with a destiny. He equipped you with everything you need to accomplish His plan for your life. If you feel like you lack the wisdom to know what to do, ask our generous God – He wants you to ask! He rejoices when you seek His guidance. God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect. (Romans 12:2) As you submit to God and allow Him to transform your mind, you will fulfill the plan He has for you.
Have a blessed Thursday
Louis Steyn MC
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Scripture has a lot to say about discipline. Whether it is God’s discipline, self-discipline, child discipline, etc. When we think of discipline we should always think about love because that is where it derives from. People who play sports discipline themselves for the sport that they love.... moreGood day Templar family
Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Scripture has a lot to say about discipline. Whether it is God’s discipline, self-discipline, child discipline, etc. When we think of discipline we should always think about love because that is where it derives from. People who play sports discipline themselves for the sport that they love. We discipline our children because of our love for them.
A loving parent disciplines their child. It should give someone great joy to be disciplined by God. It shows that He loves you and He wants to bring you back to Him. As a child I was both spanked and put in timeout by my parents, but I know they did it out of love. They didn’t want me to grow up to be wicked. They wanted me to stay on the right path.
As a parent would you discipline a child that you didn’t even know? Most likely not. God disciplines His children when they start straying. He will not let them stray because they are His. Glory to God! God says you are mine I will not let you remain on the same path as the children of Satan. God wants more for you because you are His son/daughter.
Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.
Job 5:17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
When God disciplines us, He does not intend to kill us. In the same way, we should not intend to harm our children or provoke our children to anger.
God pours out His love on us. He doesn’t discipline us like He should. God knows those thoughts you struggle with. He knows that you want to be more, but you struggle. I can’t recall a time where God disciplined me for struggling with sin. When I struggle He pours out His love and helps me understand His grace.
Many times we think God I failed I deserve your discipline here I am discipline me Lord. No! We are to hold onto Christ. God disciplines us when we start diving into sin and start going on the wrong path. He disciplines us when we start hardening our heart and start rebelling.
Finally you must understand not everything is God disciplining us. I’ve done this in my life where I thought just because something bad happens that automatically means that I’m being disciplined. Some things are just our fault. For example, out of nowhere your car gets a flat tire on your way to work and you think oh no God is disciplining me.
Maybe it’s because you haven’t changed your tires in years and they wore out. Maybe God did do it, but He’s protecting you from a potential accident that you don’t see coming. Don’t be so quick to assume that you are being disciplined for every last thing.
As soon as I decided to apologize the pain lessened and after I apologized and talked it over with the person the pain was basically gone. Glory to God! Let’s praise the Lord for discipline which increases our faith, builds us up, humbles us, and it shows God’s great love for us.
Have a blessed Wednesday
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
Psalm 50:15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Sometimes when we are in tough situations we wonder where is God? Why won’t He answer? Maybe the tough situation is God’s helping hand at work. Sometimes the things that we think are bad happen because God is protecting us from an even worse situation that we didn’t see coming. We must not be stubborn and choose our will over God’s will.
We must put our full trust in the Lord ... moreGood day Templar family
Psalm 50:15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Sometimes when we are in tough situations we wonder where is God? Why won’t He answer? Maybe the tough situation is God’s helping hand at work. Sometimes the things that we think are bad happen because God is protecting us from an even worse situation that we didn’t see coming. We must not be stubborn and choose our will over God’s will.
We must put our full trust in the Lord and not ourselves. In all situations cry out to the mighty Lord for help. We tend to forget that God will work in the lives of Christians and use trials for our good and His glory. God promises that He will never leave us. He tells us to keep on knocking on His door and be patient. I always recommend believers not only to pray, but to fast as well. Fully depend on Him and have faith in the Lord.
Have a blessed Tuesday
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
Good day Templar family
1 John 1:7-9 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
In the beginning God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. He saw that the light was good. Light is al... moreGood day Templar family
1 John 1:7-9 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
In the beginning God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. He saw that the light was good. Light is always something good and positive in Scripture. It is a symbol of God, His children, truth, faith, righteousness, etc. Darkness is the opposite of every single one of these things.
I don’t want anyone to think that to be a Christian you have to walk in the light. No! To be a Christian you have to repent and trust in Christ alone for salvation. True faith in Christ alone will change your life and you will walk in the light and grow in grace.
You are going to follow the light of the Scriptures not because following it saves you, but because you are the light. If you are saved by the blood of Christ it’s who you are now. You were made new. Are you walking in the light?
What does your life say? Have you been changed by the Lord or are you still living in darkness?
Has the light so touched you that you seek to walk in it? Are you light? Examine yourself. Are you bearing fruit? If you are still living in a lifestyle of sin God’s light has not changed you. You are still in the darkness. Now repent and put your trust in Christ
We are the light of the Lord in a world full of darkness. You will be a light to others. Your light shines so bright that is why people look at Christians so carefully. This does not mean to act like something you are not or try to appear righteous to others. Glorify God not yourself. It means to be who you are. You are a light. Even a little light makes a huge difference.
Let your light shine in everything because you are the light. Being a light is the work of God conforming you into the image of Christ. You can’t try to be the light. It’s either you are light or you are not light. You can’t try to be Christian. It’s either you are Christian or you are not Christian.
Have a blessed Monday and week ahead
God's blessings
OMSDT. Priory of St.Miltiades
Freedom in Christ
CAA Scott Scoggan
Priory of St Sebastian
Acta non Verba