JANUARY 2026:
Be brave - I have defeated the world! (JOHN 16 v. 33)
Seeing all the bad things that are happening in the world today and how wickedness seems to be taking over, we can sometimes feel despondent and overwhelmed as we face the beginning of another year. So, let's take a minute to dig into what Jesus meant when He said 'I have defeated the world.'
First of all, nothing that has happened - or will happen - is a surprise to our Alpha and Omega - the Bible makes that clear. But, as we begin 2026, I believe the Lord wants to reinforce in our thinking not just who He is, but who we are in Him. Paul the apostle put it this way in Ephesians 2 v. 6:
'And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.'
Here are five advantages we have due to the fact that the One who has already defeated the world lives within us:
1. By leaning into Him, we are more able to see every situation through His eyes – His perspective (Ephesians 1 v. 18, Psalm 119 v. 18, Proverbs 3 vv. 5-6)
2. We have authority to overcome the enemy – including sickness – in the Name of Jesus (Mark 16 v. 18)
3. We can hold on to peace in a way that passes all understanding (Philippians 4 v. 7)
4. We are assured that everything will work together for good (Romans 8 v. 28)
5. Last but certainly not least is that at the end of our time on earth, we get to spend eternity with God – our glorious Saviour!
So face this year with confidence. When you use God's Word as your Sword, and have Jesus Christ living within you, you really do wear that victorious Crown!
Be Blessed
-Elaine.
FEBRUARY 2026:
As you go about your daily life, you may at times think that you are invisible, or that you are of little worth because you haven't accomplished much in life. But if that's you, my friend, please put those lies to rest right now, and meditate on the truth of this month's Bible verse.
Romans 8 v. 28 can be summed up like this:
Your heavenly Father created you for Himself (1 Corinthians 8 v. 6), and has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 29 v. 11). He is always with you (Isaiah 41 v. 10), chases after you with good things (Psalm 23 v. 6), and rejoices in your prosperity (Psalm 35 v. 27). He knows every single detail about you and your daily life (Psalm 139 vv. 1-18), and nothing surprises Him.
Like the good Father that He is, He makes it His absolute joy and business to watch over you, tenderly disciplining you and moulding you towards perfection, and for the good works that He has planned for you (Hebrews 12 v. 6, Ephesians 2 v. 10).
Walk closely with your Father, loving Him back by obeying His Word and sharing the good news of the gospel with others. You will find that you will walk into your divine purpose.
Far from being invisible or worthless, you are His growing and blossoming flower in a world that is full of thorns, thriving under the gold dust of His love.
Be Blessed
-Elaine.
MARCH 2026:
I asked the Lord for help, and He answered me.
He set me free from all my fears.
Psalm 34 v. 4
I love this verse for its simple yet profound statement of fact.
After reading the whole chapter for context, the image that comes to my mind is the relationship between a mother and baby, where the mother lovingly gives her baby all the care it needs, and responds instinctively to its cries for food, warmth, hunger and attention. In such a bonding relationship, this baby is sure to to feel secure and supported, and that, in turn, helps it to develop healthily, both physically and emotionally.
Folks, this is how God wants the relationship to be between Him and us (Isaiah 66 v. 13, Matthew 23 v. 37). He wants you to be so trusting and dependent on Him, that when you cry out to Him regarding any need or problem, you are confident that He is already right there (Psalm 139: 1-12), and will answer you.
Know that His overwhelming love for you, His child, will see you through any difficulty when you submit it to His care. Indeed, you can be just like that care-free bird you see in this month's calendar image, sitting on the branch of a mighty oak tree, singing songs of praise and victory.
Be Blessed
-Elaine.
APRIL 2026
'For God loved the world this way: He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not die, but will have eternal life.'
John 3 v. 16
As we step into this special month of the year, how can I not but mention again the wonderful mercy and goodness of our God. The Bible speaks of it unendingly, but it is only when we hear about how the Son of God willingly gave Himself to be the atoning human sacrifice for our sins, that we truly appreciate the overwhelming force of His love, and His overwhelming desire to pluck us out of darkness, back into His glorious light.
Yet, let's be honest with ourselves, my friends: it's very easy, isn't it, to rest in our own salvation, and to put the matter of evangelism to one side. But the Lord's great commission to us - as indicated in Matthew 28:18-20 - is clear and pressing, and can never be put to one side!
Let's make this Easter extra-special, and ask God for more of the compassion of Christ in us, so that we become more active as 'fishers of men,' wherever He has placed us (Matthew 4:19).
Wherever people are and whatever their individual circumstance - the rich, the poor, the down-trodden, the imprisoned, the sick, the addicted, the depressed, the angry, the disillusioned, the ignorant, and the merely deceived - in other words everyone - needs to hear the Good News.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Be Blessed
-Elaine
MAY 2026
For we live by trusting in God - not by seeing Him.
2 Corinthians 5:7
I remember many years ago, when I was just into my twenties. I was at a point in my life that I think most – if not all – people come to at some time in their Christian journey, when I had begun to doubt the existence of God.
For many people that point in life is triggered by a tragic event, such as the death of a loved one, a job, or a business. For other people, the trigger can seem less poignant, such as simply wanting to feel free to enjoy the pleasures of this world and not be beholden to anyone. Well, that latter category was where I fitted in. Though I hadn't said anything to anyone, little by little, I was growing colder and colder in my Christian faith, and thinking that my life was really quite boring compared to non-Christians. I remember one day being at home thinking these thoughts, and then becoming so frustrated that I said aloud to myself "If there's a God how comes we don't ever see him?" In that instant I hears a voice in my mind saying: "God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." This was a bible verse that I had read before, and I knew straight away that it was being quoted back to me by God Himself to stop me from totally turning away from Him.
Be Blessed
-Elaine
June 2026
... in your presence there is fullness of joy ...
Psalm 16:11
Joy. It's one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Yet, I'm sure that there are many Christians who would say (perhaps quietly) that it is unrealistic to expect Christians to remain joyful when facing some of the hardest trials in life, especially in these last days when the darkness around us seems to be getting darker. But the following is what I believe the Lord would have us to appreciate.
Reality is divided into two spiritual worlds: one is the Kingdom of God, and the other is the fallen world that is ruled by Satan - who is the prince of this world. Although these two worlds co-exist, the joyful truth is that, as Christians, we abide in the Kingdom of God. That means that whatever is going on around us or in our lives, the presence of our glorious King has got us covered for protection and victory.
Now, I know that when you're in the middle of a trial, it can feel that God is nowhere around. But, Folks, we must never depend on our feelings. Instead, we must look at God's Word. In there we will see story after story of how God came through for His children in different situations, such as: Moses splitting the Red Sea, David conquering the giant Goliath, Daniel surviving being thrown into the lions' den, Paul and Silas miraculously escaping being chained in prison, and God easing the trauma of the stoning of Stephen (the very first martyr) by allowing him to be consumed by a joyous vision of the glorious place he was just about to enter.
What is the common running theme in all of these stories? Each of them had a relationship with the Lord in which they trusted Him, because they prayed often and gave Him the highest priority in thought, word, song and deed (Rom. 15:13). They proved God's promise that as we draw near to Him, He draws near to us (James 4:8); and in His presence there is not only fulness of joy for us, but strengthening (Nehemiah 8:10) and peace (Phil. 4:6-7, Psalm 23:4).
Be Blessed
-Elaine
July 2026
"I'm going to give you a future and a hope"
Jeremiah 29:11
There are many Christians today who believe that this promise from God, that was given through His prophet, Jeremiah, is not for us as Christians today, but is limited within the context that it was given in at the time - ie. it was as a message of hope to the people of Israel who were enduring a 70-year hardship in exile to Babylon.
But in my opinion, this promise is indeed for us as Christians today also. Why do I believe that? The Bible tells us that 'all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and for training to have a godly life, so that God can use us to do good things [2 Timothy 3:16-17]. Our God - being the same yesterday, today and forever [Hebrews 13:8] - was showing through Jeremiah His characteristics of being good, merciful, kind and long-suffering to a people to whom He had shown His love, but who had chosen not to love Him back. He was to show those same characteristics again in later years through the world's greatest act of love, when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins, while we were yet sinners. [John 3:16].
But let's not be deceived into thinking that the hope He promises can only be received once we pass into Eternity. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that if it was in this life only we had hope, we would be miserable! [1 Corinthians 15:19]. The truth is that our future started improving the minute we made Jesus our Lord and Master, because God says that He Himself is 'the God of Hope, who fills us with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope.' [Romans 15:13].
No one knows you and loves you better than the God who created you. Journey with Him and see your way get brighter and brighter [Proverbs 4:18].
Be Blessed
-Elaine