LJB Ministries, Auckland (2026)

01/10/2026

Guarding the Heart
By Lisa-Jane Bosse

Key Scripture

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Reflection

The Bible speaks a lot about guarding our hearts and minds and being mindful of what we choose to dwell on.

Proverbs 23:7 says:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

Meditation doesn’t necessarily mean sitting quietly for hours or spending all day in the Word. While spending time in Scripture is so important, meditation can simply mean what we repeatedly think about. The thoughts we return to again and again.

I know this personally.

I can put so much pressure on myself to be perfect and get everything right. I can focus on everything I haven’t done, everything I still need to do, and everything I think I should be doing, rather than stopping to recognise all that the Lord has already blessed me with.

It can be exhausting.

Always striving. Always chasing. Always feeling like I need to be more, do more, achieve more.

But God never asked me to live that way.

Our thoughts can shape how we feel, which is why Scripture tells us to take our thoughts captive and to guard our hearts and minds.

Sometimes guarding your heart can be as simple as replacing the thought that is consuming you with the truth of God’s Word.

“I wish I looked a certain way.”
→ I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

“What if something bad happens?”
→ If God is for me, who can be against me?

“How am I going to achieve everything I need to?”
→ With God, all things are possible.

We don’t have to believe every thought that enters our minds.

We can stop, recognise it, and replace it with truth.

So what are you meditating on today?

What thought has been taking up too much space in your heart and mind?

And what truth from God’s Word can you replace it with?

Today, choose to stand on what God says about you rather than what fear says about you.

Guard your heart. Guard your mind. And let God’s truth have the final word.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that I have Your truth to combat the lies that try to take root in my mind.

Thank You for all You have done for me. Today I choose to stand in Your truth. Help me guard my heart and my mind and declare victory over my circumstances, freedom from fear, anxiety and depression.

I pray the blood of Jesus over my life. I declare that I am a child of God, and that no weapon formed against me shall prosper.

Help me to fix my thoughts on what is true, good and pleasing to You.

In Jesus’ mighty name,

Amen.

Today’s Practice

Pay attention to one thought you keep returning to today.

Ask yourself:

What am I meditating on?

Then ask:

What does God’s Word say about it?

Replace the thought with His truth and speak that truth over yourself today.

16/09/2026

I always try to have a wallpaper on my phone that reflects what I need to be reminded of in that season. ❤️

We pick up our phones and look at them so many times throughout the day, so why not use that moment to redirect our thoughts back to God and His truth?

This is my current one, and I need these reminders daily:

Choose faith over fear.
Let God’s Word define you, not the opinions of others.
Pause. Pray. Choose peace. 🙏

Sometimes it’s the simplest reminders that help us refocus when our thoughts start running away with us.

God is with you. You will not fall. ❤️

Feel free to download it and use it as your wallpaper too, I hope it encourages you as much as it encourages me. 🤍

15/09/2026

Where Is Your Focus?
By Lisa-Jane Bosse

Romans 8:5–6 (AMP)
“For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose]. Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever, because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God, both now and forever].”

I have read this Scripture many times before, but when I read it again this week, I had one of those lightbulb moments.

I knew it, but suddenly I understood it.

The words felt so simple, yet so profound.

Live according to the flesh and experience death. Live according to the Spirit and experience life and peace.

And it made me stop and ask myself:

Where is my focus?

Suddenly I could see this Scripture reflected in my own life.

If I am honest, I spend far too much time focusing on things I cannot control. I replay conversations, thinking about what I said and what I should have said. I worry about outcomes before they have even happened. I try to work out what someone might be thinking or feeling.

And one of my biggest struggles has always been people’s opinions of me.

Do they approve of me?
Have I disappointed them?
What are they thinking about me?
Did I say the wrong thing?
Do I need to explain myself?

I can go over and over these things in my mind, looking for reassurance or trying to make myself feel better.

Before I know it, I am looking to people to give me the peace that can only come from God.

And then I wonder why I feel anxious?!

I can be praying for peace while focusing on the very things that are stealing it.

Romans 8 is incredibly clear. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.

That word death suddenly felt so much more real to me.

When my mind is consumed by fear, insecurity, people’s opinions and circumstances I cannot control, I experience the death of my peace. My joy gets quieter. Fear gets louder. I become exhausted trying to control things that were never mine to control.

But I don’t have to stay there.

A fearful thought may come, but I don’t have to give it my focus. Someone may misunderstand me, but I don’t have to spend the rest of the day replaying it. Something may be outside of my control, but I don’t have to carry it as though everything depends on me.

I can change my focus.

I can read the Word instead of allowing worry to consume me. I can pray instead of rehearsing the situation for the hundredth time. I can remind myself of what God says about me instead of trying to work out what everyone else thinks about me.

Sometimes my prayer can be as simple as:

“Lord, I cannot control this, but I trust You with it.”

It isn’t about getting it right every time or never feeling fearful, worried or insecure again. It is recognising when my focus has shifted and choosing to bring it back to Him.

Some days I find it easy to keep my focus on God. Other days, it is a constant choice to bring my focus back to Him.

So perhaps instead of continually asking, “Why don’t I have peace?” I need to ask myself a different question:

Where is my focus?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I surrender my life and my will to You. Teach me to keep my eyes on You and what Your Word says, rather than the circumstances around me. Thank You for Your love, Your mercy and Your grace in my life. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for Your discernment and peace.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

23/08/2026

Grace for Today

Day 17 - Freedom in Forgiveness

Key Scripture

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Reflection

Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. I know what it is like to look back and wish I had made different choices. There are things in my own life I would change if I could. But I have learned that continually punishing myself cannot change my past. It only keeps me bound to something Jesus has already set me free from.

Romans 8:1 tells us that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Not less condemnation. Not condemnation until we have suffered long enough to make up for what we did. No condemnation.

The Bible says:

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 (NIV)

Through Jesus, our transgressions have been removed!

Maybe today there is something you have carried for far too long. You have confessed it. You have repented. God has forgiven you, but you have never truly released yourself from it.

Today, receive His forgiveness.

You are not who you were.
You are forgiven.
You are restored.
And because of Jesus, you are set free.

Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who took my sin and shame upon Himself at the cross so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Forgive me for the times I have continued to condemn myself for things You have already forgiven. Help me to stop looking back at who I was and to see myself through the truth of Your Word.

Thank You that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Today, I choose to receive Your forgiveness, and I release the guilt and shame I have been carrying. Today, I choose to live in the freedom Jesus gave me.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Today’s Practice

Declare aloud:

“I receive God’s forgiveness. My past does not define me. There is no condemnation for me in Christ Jesus. I am forgiven, restored, and free.”

17/08/2026

Grace for today

Day 16 – Called and Chosen

Key Scripture

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:14 (NIV)

Reflection

I remember when the Lord first called me to start writing. I was afraid and felt completely unequipped. I had done well in English at school, but I would never have considered myself an author, and definitely not a teacher with the limited theological knowledge I had at the time.

But I said yes.

I didn’t have the tools or the knowledge, but I had a willing heart. I began spending time in God’s Word, studying and allowing the Holy Spirit to personally teach and guide me.

God reminded me that it is “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).

Step by step, He began equipping me for what He had called me to do. Today, I am writing my third book, with many more still on my heart.

Looking back, I can see that God wasn’t waiting for me to become qualified before He called me. His Word says that “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9).

Maybe God is calling you to something today that feels bigger than you. Perhaps you are looking at what you don’t have—the experience, knowledge, confidence, resources or ability—and wondering how you could possibly do it.

You don’t need everything before you say yes.

Jesus tells us that faith even “as small as a mustard seed” can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). God is simply asking you to trust Him with the next step.

You bring your yes. God brings what you need.

Where God calls, He will equip. Where He leads, His grace will go before you.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that You have called me according to Your purpose and grace.

When I feel afraid or unequipped, remind me that I don’t have to rely on my own strength. Holy Spirit, teach me, guide me and equip me for everything You are calling me to do.

Give me the faith and courage to say yes, trusting that You will provide everything I need along the way.

Today, I choose You and I choose to follow where You lead.

In Jesus’ mighty name,
Amen.

Today’s Practice

Read 2 Timothy 1:9 and Zechariah 4:6. Ask God: “What are You asking me to say yes to today?”

Declare:
“I am chosen and qualified because of Jesus. I don’t need to have everything I need before I say yes. Where God calls me, He will equip me.”

13/08/2026

Grace for today

Day 15 – Anchored in Grace

Key Scripture

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

Reflection

There are seasons when life feels like a storm. The circumstances around us may feel uncertain, the pressure may be relentless, and we can find ourselves trying desperately to hold everything together.

Our natural response is often to try harder. We carry more, plan more, worry more and attempt to fix what feels beyond our control. But God never intended for us to navigate the storms of life in our own strength.

He gives us something far greater—His grace.

The Greek word for grace, charis, speaks of God’s favour and His active work in our lives. Grace is not simply something we received when we were saved; it is God sustaining, strengthening and carrying us every day.

Paul discovered this when he pleaded with God to remove the difficulty he was facing. God’s answer was:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

God was reminding Paul that he did not need to have enough strength of his own. God’s grace was enough.

Acts 27 gives us a beautiful picture of what this can look like. During a violent storm at sea, those aboard Paul’s ship “dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight” (Acts 27:29).

The anchors did not stop the storm.
They did not calm the waves.
They held the ship steady until daylight came.

Sometimes God changes our circumstances, but sometimes His grace holds us steady while we walk through them.

When you feel overwhelmed, you do not have to pretend you are strong. You do not have to have every answer or fix everything yourself. Your weakness is not the absence of God’s power—it can become the very place where you learn to depend upon it.

Hebrews 6:19 tells us:

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

Whatever you are facing today, anchor yourself in God. Release what you have been trying to carry in your own strength and trust the One who holds you.

The storm may still be raging, but you are not drifting.

His grace is enough.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me and that Your power is made perfect in my weakness.

Forgive me for the times I have tried to carry everything in my own strength. When I feel overwhelmed, afraid or uncertain, remind me that I do not have to have all the answers or hold everything together.

Today I choose to anchor myself in You. Help me to release what I cannot control and trust in Your strength, Your faithfulness and Your grace.

Thank You that even when the storm around me has not changed, You are holding me steady.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Today’s Practice

1. Read and meditate on 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Ask God to show you where you have been relying on your own strength.
1. Release one thing you are trying to control.
Place it into God’s hands in prayer and choose to trust Him with the outcome.
1. Declare aloud:
“God’s grace is sufficient for me. I am anchored in Him, and He will hold me steady.”

09/08/2026

Grace for today

Day 14 – God’s Masterpiece

Key Scripture

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Reflection

Have you ever looked at a beautiful painting or an incredible piece of art and wondered how much care and attention went into creating it?

Every brushstroke is intentional. Some layers are bright and beautiful, while others seem messy or even out of place. Yet the artist can already see the finished masterpiece, even while the painting is still unfolding.

The Greek word used in Ephesians 2:10 for masterpiece is poiēma, meaning something beautifully crafted with purpose. You are God’s masterpiece, created by God with intention and purpose.

But sometimes we can lose sight of that truth. We begin to define ourselves by our mistakes, our weaknesses, what we have achieved, or even what others have said about us. Yet none of these things determine who we are.

Your identity begins with your Creator.

Genesis 1:27 tells us that we were created in the image of God. Your worth is not determined by your performance, your past, or how the world sees you. You bear the image of the One who created you.

Like a masterpiece, you are not ordinary or without purpose. You are the work of God’s hands, intentionally created and uniquely made. There is no one else exactly like you, and you do not need to compare yourself with anyone else to determine your worth.

Today, when you look at yourself, remember whose workmanship you are.

You are God’s masterpiece.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that I am Your masterpiece, created in Your image with intention and purpose.

Forgive me for the times I have allowed my mistakes, my weaknesses, my achievements, or the opinions of others to define how I see myself.

Help me to see myself through the truth of Your Word. When I am tempted to compare myself to others or question my worth, remind me that I am the work of Your hands, uniquely made by You.

Today I choose to believe what You say about me and remember that I am Your masterpiece.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today’s Practice

1. Read Ephesians 2:10 and Genesis 1:27 aloud.
2. Declare throughout the day:
“I am God’s masterpiece. I am created in His image with intention and purpose.”

02/08/2026

Grace for today

Day 13 – Chosen and Loved

Key Scripture
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Reflection
Every one of us longs to know that we are loved, accepted, and chosen. Yet so often we allow our value to be determined by the opinions of others, our successes, or even our failures. God's love is not like human love. It is perfect, constant, and unchanging.

The Hebrew phrase ahavat olam speaks of a love that is eternal, unending, and unchanging. It has no beginning and no end because it flows from the very character of God. Because God never changes, His love never changes. As God declares in Malachi 3:6, “I the Lord do not change.” His love for you is not based on your performance but on who He is.

Before you ever chose Him, He chose you. Before you ever loved Him, He loved you. Through Jesus, God demonstrated the fullness of that love by giving His Son so that you could be forgiven, restored, and welcomed into His family.

There will be days when you don't feel lovable. There will be moments when you wonder if you've disappointed God too many times. But His love is not sustained by your strength. It is upheld by His faithfulness. Nothing you face today, no mistake from your past, no fear about your future, and no circumstance around you can separate you from the love of Christ.

Today, stop trying to earn what God has already freely given.

Rest in this truth:

You are chosen. You are deeply loved. You belong to Him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving me with an everlasting love. Thank You that Your love never changes because You never change. Thank You for choosing me, calling me Your own, and making me Your child through Jesus.

Help me to stop trying to earn Your acceptance and to rest confidently in who I am in You. When fear, shame, or insecurity tries to tell me otherwise, remind me that nothing can separate me from Your love.

Today I choose to receive Your love, walk in Your grace, and live with confidence, knowing that I am chosen, deeply loved, and forever Yours.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Today's Practice

• Meditate on Romans 8:38–39 (AMP):

“For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38–39 (AMP)

• Declare aloud:

“I am chosen. I am deeply loved. I belong to God, and nothing and no one can separate me from His love.”

30/07/2026

Grace for today

Day 12 – Redeemed and Restored

Key Scripture
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Reflection
God has declared you a new creation in Christ, fully forgiven, made righteous, and surrounded by His grace. One of the hardest parts of our journey of faith can be accepting the forgiveness that God has already freely given us.

Sometimes we continue carrying guilt and shame long after Jesus has already set us free. This can be especially difficult when our past has left emotional wounds in our own hearts and in the hearts of those we love. We wish we could go back and change what happened, but the past cannot be rewritten.

The enemy knows this, and he uses those memories to keep us in bo***ge. He whispers:

"You should've known better."

"You don't deserve healing."

"You failed them."

"You'll never move beyond your past."

But God's Word declares a greater truth:

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, your sins have been washed clean, and there is now no condemnation for those who belong to Him.

The moment you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you became a new creation.

Jesus didn't come simply to forgive your sins, He came to set you free. As you receive His forgiveness, allow His love and grace to lift every burden of guilt and fill your heart with His perfect peace.

His grace does not erase the past, but through His love and His grace, it no longer defines you.

When God looks at you, He doesn't see your failures. He sees His beloved child, forgiven, redeemed, restored, and deeply loved.

Your past is not your identity, Jesus is.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who through the cross redeemed me and set me free. Thank You that because of His sacrifice I am forgiven, made new, and I stand with no condemnation because I am in Christ Jesus.

Help me to let go of every burden of guilt, shame, and regret that I continue to carry. Teach me to see myself the way You see me, not through the failures of my past, but through the finished work of Jesus.

Fill my heart with the assurance of Your love. Help me to walk in the freedom You have already given me, knowing that my identity is found in You alone.

In Jesus' mighty name,

Amen.

Today's Practice
1. Speak Your Identity Aloud

Declare:
"I am forgiven, redeemed, and made new. My past does not define me, and Jesus does."

1. Release One Memory
Write down one moment from your past that still carries weight.

Pray over it, then declare:

"This no longer defines me."

Tear up the paper as an act of surrender, leaving that burden with Jesus and choosing to walk forward in the freedom He has given you.

LJB Ministries

01/10/2026

16/09/2026

15/09/2026

23/08/2026

17/08/2026

13/08/2026

09/08/2026

02/08/2026

30/07/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Place Of Worship

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Other Religious Organizations in Auckland

Listing takedown request