More to Life Today

Ladies Ministries UPCI
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Start your day with a moment of peace and purpose. A daily devotional from Ladies Ministries UPCI.

  1. 58 MINS AGO

    The Divine Appointment

    "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (II Corinthians 5:10) "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:14) In life, we are familiar with appointments. We schedule them for checkups, meetings, interviews, celebrations, and important milestones. If we miss one, we can often reschedule and try again. AN UNAVOIDABLE APPOINTMENT But there is one appointment that every person will face—and it cannot be postponed, canceled, or rescheduled. It is not a wedding, a career achievement, or a graduation or retirement celebration. It is the divine appointment before the judgment seat of Christ. Unlike earthly appointments, this one is unavoidable. Every soul will stand before God. There are moments in life that make us nervous—exams, surgeries, public speaking, or stepping into something unfamiliar. Yet none of these can compare to standing before Jesus Christ and giving an account of one's life. At that moment, no one will stand beside you. No family, no friends, no status, no title, and no possession will be able to represent you. Every hidden thought, every private action, and every motive of the heart will be brought into the light. This is not said to instill fear, but to awaken awareness. We will all give account before God. The question will not be about earthly success, achievements, or possessions. It will be, "What did you do with the life I gave you?" At that moment, earthly wealth loses its value, and human excuses no longer hold weight. Jesus Christ Himself will be the righteous Judge. "For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ . . . So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:10–12) There will come a day when every person—regardless of background, status, or belief—will stand before the Lord. The believer and unbeliever, the leader and the follower, the rich and the poor—all will appear before Him. The declaration will be fulfilled: every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But beyond confession, there will also be accountability. THE DANGER OF DELAY One of the greatest spiritual dangers is delay. Many are tempted to think there will always be more time. "I will serve God later." "I will repent when life slows down." "I will get serious with God someday." But God does not operate on human schedules. His timing is eternal, and life itself is uncertain. Scripture warns us through examples: The rich fool who planned for tomorrow but lost his life suddenly (Luke 12). The rich man who lived comfortably but died unprepared (Luke 16). The foolish virgins who missed the bridegroom because they were not ready (Matthew 25). These accounts remind us that delay in spiritual readiness can lead to eternal loss. The divine appointment will come at an unexpected time, but it will come with certainty. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12) This is a call to daily spiritual responsibility. Salvation is not lived in complacency, but in continual surrender and obedience to God. It is not enough to rely on past experiences alone. A life that pleases God is one that is continually walking in repentance, living in prayer, abiding in the Word of God, growing in holiness and obedience, and submitting to the Spirit rather than the flesh. True faith is not just attendance or outward activity—it is a transformed life lived in relationship with Jesus Christ. We are not called merely to go to church—we are called to be the Church. The Word of God is clear: salvation is not based on works or titles, but on being born again. We are called to repent of sins, be baptized in Jesus' Name for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is our foundation for salvation and the new birth experience. THE ...

    7 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Jesus, Our Protection

    "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Psalm 91:11 Over the last week, we have been examining the various ways the Lord protects and keeps us because we trust in Him. As we study the Word of God, we realize that the Lord knows our future before we are even born. He has a plan and a purpose for each one of us. He protects us even at times when we may not realize we need protection. I recently read the story of Bro. Arthur Downing. When he was a small child, his mother had booked passage on the Titanic. While preparing for her journey, she received a telephone call that they had overbooked, and she would be sailing on a different ship. God was protecting him, knowing that He had a work for him to do. He experienced many other incidents of Divine protection during his early years. I am very thankful for his story because he was the minister who brought the message of salvation to my husband's family many years ago. You can read his story in a book compiled by Mary H. Wallace, "Profiles of Pentecostal Preachers Volume II." While my husband was alive, he did most of the driving. I had driven some, but only for short distances. My daughter lived about five hours away, and my youngest son about eight hours. My mother and sisters lived farther than that. It took a lot of courage to get behind the wheel and head out on the highway. Each time I got in my van, I would pray, asking the Lord to protect me and give me wisdom and direction in my driving. I can think of many times when there were close calls. I am so thankful for His protection on all those long trips. We recently sang this song at church which speaks of God's protection: "I will not fear, I will not fear when the enemy comes near On the door frame of my life is the blood of Jesus Christ I will not fear, I will not fear there's an army of angels here I'm protected on all sides by the blood of Jesus Christ" Thought For Today: How has the Lord protected you? Devotion by: Anne Johnston

    2 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Jesus, our Gatekeeper

    "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:9 When our children are small, we often place gates at the bottom of the stairs or in the entrances to some rooms. These are not meant to limit our children, but to protect them from unsafe places. We love them. They are too young to understand the dangers, so we establish some boundaries to keep them safe. Jesus said that He was the door or the gate to salvation, which is open to all. That gate allows us to enjoy all the benefits He has provided. We have access to all the riches that He has promised in His Word. If we stay faithful to Him, we can be assured of one day entering the Gate of Heaven. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." When we repent of our sins and seek the Lord's forgiveness, we are granted access to the gate of salvation. Once inside that shelter, we have the protection of the Lord. He sets some fences or boundaries that will protect us from danger and harm. These are not to limit our movements, but because He loves us and wants us to reach our full potential in Him. Consider the following scriptures:e Psalm 141:3 "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." II Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," I John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Thought For Today: Within the narrow gate, we are safe and secure. Devotion by: Anne Johnston

    3 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Jesus, Our Guide

    "For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death." Psalm 48:14 The word guide is used to describe someone who leads others through unknown areas, or one who directs, supervises, or influences, usually to a particular end. I like to read stories about the early pioneers who travelled in wagon trains across the country. They had no GPS to follow. There were dangerous rivers to cross and mountains to climb before reaching their destination. They were fortunate if they could find a guide to go with them who had travelled that way before. In the 17th century, John Bunyan wrote a Christian allegory depicting the spiritual journey of Christian from the "City of Destruction" to the "Celestial City." His guide for the journey was Evangelist. The story represents the trials, temptations, and perseverance of faith on the journey toward salvation. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we embark on our journey toward Heaven. We are not promised a life free from trials and tests. We do not know what each day will hold. But Jesus has promised to guide us every step of the way. We need not fear as we stand on the promises in His Word. Psalm 91:9-11 "Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Matthew 28:20 "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Hebrews 13:5 "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." We have a guide who has passed this way before. He knows every step we take, and we can trust Him to bring us safely to our destinations – eternity with Him. Thought For Today: Keep your eyes on the goal and trust the Guide. Devotion by: Anne Johnston

    3 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Jesus, Our Strength

    "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." Psalm 18:2 One of the hardest things to accept as I grow older is the fact that I no longer have the same strength to do things that I once had. Simple household tasks take longer than they used to. I need to sit down and rest more often. Each morning, I find myself asking the Lord to give me the strength I need for whatever the day holds. Psalm 18 is one of David's songs of praise for all the times that the Lord had delivered him from his enemies. During his lifetime, he had many enemies who tried to destroy him, but God always gave him the victory. Consider these verses that mention the strength that the Lord gave him. Verse 39 –For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me." Verse 32 – "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." Whether we are young or old, we will all face seasons in our lives when we cannot rely on our own strength or wisdom. God gave David the strength that he needed for each circumstance he met. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can trust Him to do the same for us. Young or old, we can claim the promise that we find in the Book of Isaiah: Isaiah 40:28-31 "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Thought For Today: We may not face the battles or problems that David faced, but we do serve the same God. He has not changed. He is still able to provide the strength that we need every day of our lives. Devotion by Anne Johnston

    3 min

  6. 5D AGO

    Jesus, Our Shield

    "But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." Psalm 3:3 The Dictionary describes a shield as "a piece of metal or other material, carried to protect the front of the body when being attacked, or a person or thing that provides protection: to protect someone or something." David was a soldier. He knew the importance of a shield when battling an enemy army. When he went out to face Goliath, he did not have a physical shield. He depended upon the Lord to protect him, and he was not disappointed. Consider all the experiences he faced while fleeing from Saul, and then later from Absalom. He did not trust in his fighting ability or any armour he wore to protect Him. He trusted the Lord to be his shield and defender. II Samuel 22:3 "The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence." Psalm 18:35 "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great." We may not be fighting physical battles like David. There are voices in our world today by which the enemy would like to destroy our peace and trust in the Lord. Paul describes the battles we fight in Ephesians 6:12. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." He admonishes us to put on the whole armour of God, which includes the shield: Ephesians 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Hiding God's word in our hearts assures us that the Holy Spirit will always be our shield, protecting our body, soul, and spirit, against anything with which the enemy may attack us. Thought For Today: We may not know what today holds for us, but we do know that we have a shield that will never fail us. Devotion by Anne Johnston

    2 min

  7. 6D AGO

    Jesus, Our Shelter

    "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." Psalm 61:2-3 When I was fifteen, I was attending Vocational School in Saint John and boarding with some friends of our family. One day classes were dismissed early because of a snowstorm. There were supposed to be city buses waiting for us when we left the school, but there were none. It was hard walking, the sidewalks were slippery, and it was cold. The snow turned to sleet. When we reached Main Street, we saw that the buses had not been able to make it up the hill, and so we continued walking. At one point, my friends had to go in a different direction, and I was alone. I could hardly see because of the sleet but had no choice but to keep moving. What a relief it was to finally reach Stanley Street. My hands were so cold I could hardly push the doorbell. But how good it felt to enter the warm hallway and know that I was safe and sheltered from the storm. We had lots of snowstorms this winter, and I am always thankful that I am inside a warm home and do not have to go outside. I never want to go through that experience again. Everyone will face storms at some point. Sickness comes at one time or another to us all. We may watch as a loved one suffers and passes from this life. Financial problems may press us down. These things come to all. But it is so great to know that our loving Heavenly Father is there for us. As we call upon His Name, He is our shelter and our fortress. He protects us. He does not always take the storm away, but He guides and protects us until the storm is over. Thought For Today; When you are facing a story, this old song is a good prayer to pray. "'Til the storm passes over, 'til the thunder sounds no more. 'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand. Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by." Devotion by Anne Johnston

    3 min

  8. APR 27

    Jesus, Our Safety

    "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Proverbs 18:10 Recently, my Facebook feed has shown many videos featuring someone being pursued. When it seems they are about to be captured, a cave opening, a shed door, or some place that looks like safety opens in front of them. They dash inside, and their pursuers lose their trail. I know that these are staged videos or AI-generated. There is no way that someone with a video camera would be right there to capture such an incident. Each one is a different scenario, but all portray the message of finding safety just at the right time. In the Book of Joshua, we read about the Cities of Refuge established as the Israelites settled in Canaan. If anyone caused the death of another unintentionally, they could flee to one of these cities and be safe from their accusers until the priest decided if they were guilty of a crime. If they stayed in the city, they were safe, but once they left, they had no protection. We may not be fleeing from a human enemy that would like to destroy us. But we all face times in our lives when we need shelter from things that would harm us. With all that is happening in our world today, it is easy for us to let fear fill our hearts. But the Lord has given us so many promises in His Word that we can stand upon, knowing that He will protect and keep us. As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 18:10, we can call upon the name of the Lord and know that He will always be our place of safety. Jesus has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Hebrews 13:5 "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Thought For Today: Are you facing something today that is filling your heart with fear? Jesus is waiting for you to call upon His Name, and He will give you the victory and the protection you need. Devotion by Anne Johnston

    2 min
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Start your day with a moment of peace and purpose. A daily devotional from Ladies Ministries UPCI.

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  • Creator
    Ladies Ministries UPCI
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ladies Ministries UPCI
  • Show Website
    More to Life Today

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