Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 23, 2026.

SUBJECT: BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT!

Memory verse: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5 vs 3.)

READ: James 4 vs 7 - 10:

4:7: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

4:8: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

4:9: Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 

4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

INTIMATION:

Blessed could also be translated “happy.” Happiness in heart results from the application in life of the Christlike demeanor expressed in His sermon on the mounth. The "poor in spirit" are those who recognize their humanity, their spiritual poverty and destitution. Therefore, they are not proud, conceited or arrogant concerning their spiritual relationship with God. We must empty ourselves of self-reliance and learn to humble ourselves before God.

Being blessed means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God’s kingdom. Being “blessed by God" means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy, the deepest form of happiness, follow Jesus no matter what is the cost.

The “poor in spirit” is not proud, conceited, or arrogant, and are blessed. This character trait clashes with the worldly values of pride and personal independence. We must recognize our humanity, spiritual poverty, and destitution (Romans 7 vs 24 - 25). We must empty ourselves of self-reliance and learn to be humble before God. Those with such an attitude of mind will submit to the kingdom reign of God, and consequently are blessed.

The "poor in spirit" recognizes and acknowledges their spiritual poverty and the need for God's grace in their lives. This heart attitude is recognized by Christ as a blessing to them since they know to seek the riches of God's grace. Therefore, one must realize his spiritual poverty and the inability to save himself in order to understand that he needs the grace of God in order to be saved. One will not come to repentance if he does not recognize his sinful condition. 

The Scriptures, in Isaiah 57 vs 15, says, "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and revive the heart of the contrite ones." God relates mercifully with those who are humble and repentant ("contrite"). The High and Holy God came down to our level to save us because it is impossible for us to go up to His level to save ourselves. Though God is exalted above the heavens, at the same time the omnipresent God dwells in the hearts of the humble and contrite. 

The passage we read today enumerates what the poor in spirit who seeks God's grace should do; draw near to God, seek Him and find Him. How can we come close to God? James gives five ways: (1) "Submit to God." Yield to His authority and Will, commit your life to Him and His control, and be willing to follow Him. 

(2) "Resist the devil." Don't allow him to entice and tempt you. 

(3) "Cleanse your hands.....and purity your hearts." This simply means lead a pure life. Be cleansed from sin, replacing your desire to sin with your desire to experience God's purity. 

(4) "Lament and mourn and weep." Don't be afraid to express deep heartfelt sorrow for what you have done wrong. 

(5) "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor." Humbling ourselves before the Lord means recognizing that our worth comes from God alone. To be humble involves leaning on His power and His guidance, and not going our own independent way. Although we don't deserve God's favor, He wants to lift us up and give us worth and dignity, despite our human shortcomings. 

Drawing near to God is an imperative command that places the responsibility for our actions on our shoulders. The source of our power to resist the devil has been identified, therefore, the individual must take the initiative to keep himself in the love of God. Those who have made their hands dirty by becoming a friend to the world, must repent. Those who have allowed their lives to be directed by the world in order to create religious behavior according to their love for the world, must repent. One must purify his heart and stop seeking after the things of this world. One must become pure with the wisdom from above in order to remain in the grace by which he is saved. 

Although God and the devil are at war, we don't have to wait until the end to see who will win. God has already defeated Satan (Revelation 12 vs 10 - 12), and when Christ returns, the devil and all he stands for will be eliminated forever (Revelation 20 vs 10 - 15). Satan is here now, however, and he is trying to win us over to his evil cause. With the Holy Spirit's power, we can resist the devil, and he will flee from us. 

Those who have loved this world must turn from their materialism and seek God. They must change their lives to be worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1 vs 27). The call for repentance, therefore, is a call for a paradigm shift in the thinking and behavior of the proud. 

Since God will not save the arrogant and proud, the plea is that the first step in repentance must be to submit to the Will of God. Only through the spirit of submission is God able to mold the demeanor of the obedient for eternal dwelling. There is within the man the power to resist the temptations of the devil. 

God has never given Satan the power to voluntarily subject people to his will. If one desires to seek God, then Satan has no power to subjectively keep one away from God. For this reason each person will give account of himself before God. Our power to resist the devil is exemplified in the fact that we can make him flee. 

Since God will not allow the individual Christian to be tempted beyond that which he is able to endure, then we must assume that we have the power to make the devil flee from us. And since we have the power, then we will all stand before God in judgement and be held directly accountable for our deeds.

Our power to resist the devil makes us responsible for our own actions. However, we must keep in mind that no man has this power within himself. It is through the power of the Gospel, and Christ working in us, that we are able to resist the devil (Philippians 4 vs 13). We must choose to unleash this power in our lives in order to flee from all temptations that come to us through the work of the devil. 

It is our initiative to take the steps to deal with our pride. We cannot exalt ourselves before God on the basis of our works. Man's pride detours him from submitting to the Will of God. In order to be lifted up by God, we must come to God with a humble heart. God is able to lift up the submissive. He cannot lift up those who feel that they have lifted themselves up apart from Him. Therefore, those who are proud will not submit their lives to God in order to be lifted up by Him. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of humility; knowing that outside of You I am nothing and can do nothing. Give me the grace to seek You at all times, and the eagerness to do Your Will and walk in Your ways at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

How to Defy Sinful Desire

 How to Defy Sinful Desire

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. (Hebrews 11:24–26) 

Or, boil it down to the essentials: “By faith Moses . . . [left] the fleeting pleasures of sin . . . for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24–26).

Faith is not content with “fleeting pleasures.” It is ravenous for joy. Joy that lasts. Forever. And the word of God says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). So, faith will not be sidetracked into the deceitful pleasures of sin. It will not give up so easily in its quest for maximum joy. 

The role of God’s word is to feed faith’s appetite for God. And, in doing this, it weans my heart off of the deceptive taste of lust. 

At first, lust begins to trick me into feeling that I would really miss out on some great satisfaction if I followed the path of purity. But then I take up the sword of the Spirit and begin to fight. 

I read that it is better to gouge out my eye than to lust (Matthew 5:29). 

I read that if I think about things that are pure and lovely and excellent, the peace of God will be with me (Philippians 4:8–9). 

I read that setting the mind on the flesh brings death, but setting the mind on the Spirit brings life and peace (Romans 8:6). 

I read that lust wages war against my soul (1 Peter 2:11), and that the pleasures of this life choke out the life of the Spirit (Luke 8:14). 

But best of all, I read that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11), and that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). 

As I pray for my faith to be satisfied with God’s life and peace, the sword of the Spirit carves the sugarcoating off the poison of lust. I see it for what it is. And by the grace of God, its alluring power is broken.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JULY 22, 2026.

SUBJECT: THE BEATITUDES—THE CHRISTIANS WAY OF LIFE!

Memory verse: “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61 vs 3.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 3 - 12:

5:3: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5:5: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

5:6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

5:7: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

5:10: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:11: Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

5:12: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

INTIMATION:

The Beatitudes can be understood in, at least, four ways: (1) They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conducts for all believers. (2) They contrast kingdom values (what is eternal) with worldly values (what is temporary). (3) They contrast the superficial “faith” with the real faith that Christ demands. (4) They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom. These Beatitudes are not multiple choice; pick what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as a whole. They describe what we should be like as Christ’s followers.

Each Beatitude tells how to be blessed by God. Blessed means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God’s kingdom. The Beatitudes don’t promise laughter, pleasure, or earthly prosperity. Being “blessed” by God means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy, the deepest form of happiness, follow Jesus no matter the cost.

Blessed could also be translated “happy.” Happiness in heart results from the application in life of the characteristics expressed in the Beatitudes:

(1) Poor in spirit: Happy are those who are not proud, conceited or arrogant concerning their spiritual relationship with God. One must recognize his humanity, his spiritual poverty and destitution. One must empty himself of self-reliance and learn to humble himself before God.

(2) Mourn: Happy are those who recognize their spiritual poverty, and thus, humbly grieve over their sinfulness. The humble person recognizes his spiritual poverty and thus mourns over his inadequacies before God.

(3) Meek: When one mourns over his sin, his relationship with others changes. He becomes mild, gentle, lowly and unselfish in character. He is not arrogant or self-seeking. The meek will inherit the earth in the sense that they will enjoy the greatest things that life has to offer. Because they understand the brevity of life and the temporary nature of material things, they concentration their thoughts on those things that are above.

(4) Hunger and thirst: Those who realize their sinful condition and mourn over their sin, hunger and thirst after the justification (righteousness) that can come only from God by His grace. They seek the knowledge of God through His Word. It is the Word of God that will supply the knowledge of how to be justified of one’s sin. God is the source of all righteousness.

(5) Merciful; Those who recognize their own spiritual poverty are merciful to others. They sympathize and have pity on others. They thus seek to relieve the suffering of others because God has had mercy on them in relation to their sin. Contrary to the legalistically proud who seek to judge, the meek have mercy. Their mercy will reap mercy from God.

(5) Pure in heart: Happy are those who do not seek evil, but are sincere. Without guile or a vile heart of evil motives, they do not seek to find evil in others. The pure in heart will understand the pure nature of God.

Peacemakers: Those who recognize their own sinfulness will seek peace of mind with others. Such are sons of God for they portray the spirit of God in their relationship with others. They are not contentious, nor do they have a spirit to argue with others.

Persecuted: Those who portray in their lives the above characteristics will be sons of God. Being such will bring persecution from those of the world who do not understand such behavior. Christians are persecuted because they refuse to walk in the darkness of the world.

However, persecution can be good because: (1) it takes our eyes off earthly rewards, (2) it strips away superficial belief, (3) it strengthens the faith of those who endure, and (4) our attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow. We can be comforted knowing that God’s greatest prophets were persecuted (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel). The fact that we are being persecuted proves that we have been faithful; faithless people would be unnoticed. In future God will reward the faithful by receiving them into His eternal kingdom, where there is no more persecution.

Rejoice: This is the attitude of those who truly understand the inner nature of the Christian life. They are able to rejoice in persecution for they know that life exists beyond this world. The same evil envy that led to the persecution of the prophets of the Old Testament will also lead to the persecution of Christians who stand up for their faith.

God’s way of living usually contradicts the world’s. If you want to live for God, you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you.

Jesus said that God’s kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms. In the kingdom of heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Are your attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of Jesus, your King?

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of Christlikeness; abhorring evil, cleaving to that which is good, loving one another, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality, blessing those that persecute me, and not cursing them, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Preach to Yourself

 Preach to Yourself

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11)

We must learn to fight despondency — the downcast spirit. The fight is a fight of faith in future grace. It is fought by preaching truth to ourselves about God and his promised future. 

This is what the psalmist does in Psalm 42. The psalmist preaches to his troubled soul. He scolds himself and argues with himself. And his main argument is future grace: “Hope in God! Trust in what God will be for you in the future. A day of praise is coming. The presence of the Lord will be all the help you need. And he has promised to be with us forever.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones believes this issue of preaching truth to ourselves about God’s future grace is all-important in overcoming spiritual depression. In his helpful book, Spiritual Depression, he writes,

Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. . . . Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for a moment. I will speak to you.” (20–21)

The battle against despondency is a battle to believe the promises of God. And that belief in God’s future grace comes by hearing the word. And so preaching to ourselves the word of God is at the heart of the battle.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JULY 21, 2026.

SUBJECT: IDEAL PRAYER FOR MONEY! 

Memory verse: "Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6 vs 11.)

READ: Proverbs 30 vs 7 - 9:

30:7: Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die):

30:8: Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me; 

30:9: Lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.

INTIMATION:

The Scripture recognizes that money is necessary for survival, but it warns against the love of money: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (First Timothy 6 vs 10.) Money is dangerous because it deceives us into thinking that wealth is the easiest way to get everything we want. 

However, having too much money can be dangerous, but so can having too little. Being poor, in fact, can be hazardous to spiritual as well as physical health. On the other hand, being rich is not the answer. As Jesus pointed out, rich people have trouble getting into God’s kingdom (Matthew 19 vs 23 - 24). Like the apostle Paul, we can learn “how to be abased” of “how to abound” (Philippians 4 vs 12), but our lives are more likely to be effective if we have neither too much nor too little money.

Abundant possessions can make many feel self-sufficient, and consequently, turn their back on God and forget Him. Self-sufficiency is as destructive today as it was in biblical time. In times of plenty, we often take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our hard work and cleverness have made us rich. 

It is also easy to get so busy collecting and managing wealth that we push God right out of our lives. But it is God who gives us everything we have, and it is God who asks us to manage it for Him. If you are traveling along a smooth and easy path right now, beware of forgetting who gave you your good fortune. Don’t depend on your gifts; depend on the Giver. 

In the passage we read today, Agur, the Psalm writer prayed that he should not fall victim of falsehoods and lies. He asked that he be given only that which would sustain his life. He had seen the negative influence of wealth, and the despair of poverty. In order to live a life of contentment without the worry of riches, or the desperation of poverty, Agur’s prayer was for a life that was without the frustrations of either riches or poverty. This should be the ideal prayer of the Christian; to have enough that will make him lead a sustainable life and be content with such that he has. We must pray for those things that are necessary for the sustenance of life.

Being content results from proper perspective of life—seeing life from God’s perspective. When you do that, you will focus on what is available to you per time, and not what you feel you should have. This helps you put your priorities right and straight, and be grateful for everything God has given you. Like the apostle Paul, we should detach ourselves from the nonessentials so that we could concentrate on the essentials with eternal values. Often the desire for more or better possessions is really a longing to fill an empty place in a person’s life. 

Most people are continually greedy for more money, regardless of their financial state. Regardless of whether one is poor or rich, most people continually seek to acquire more things of this world. Those Christians who are poor must learn not to complain and murmur about their situation and blame others for their predicament. 

Contentment of mind must be learned by those who are poor. When you are rich, learn how to possess money without money possessing you. Therefore, the rich must also learn to be content with their own financial well-being. They must learn not to allow money to become the idol of their lives. 

The Scripture states that it is difficult for the rich to be about kingdom business because their minds are continually directed and controlled by that which is of this world. Their wealth diverts their attention away from those spiritual things that will exist long after the material has been destroyed. It is difficult for the rich and influential rulers of this world to become obedient subjects of the kingdom reign of God.

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to serve You with the talents, abilities, and possessions You entrust me with. May I never have anything that will drift me away from You, nor have anything that will cause me put my trust in any other thing than You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Models for Combating Discouragement

 Models for Combating Discouragement

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Literally the verb is simply fail, not “may fail.” This God-besotted psalmist, Asaph, says, “My flesh and my heart fail!” I am despondent! I am discouraged! But then immediately he fires a broadside against his despondency: “But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

The psalmist does not yield to discouragement. He battles unbelief with counterattack. 

In essence, he says, “In myself I feel very weak and helpless and unable to cope. My body is shot, and my heart is almost dead. But whatever the reason for this despondency, I will not yield. I will trust God and not myself. He is my strength and my portion.” 

The Bible is replete with instances of saints struggling with sunken spirits. Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” This is a clear admission that the soul of the saint sometimes needs to be revived. And if it needs to be revived, in a sense it was “dead.” That’s the way it felt.

David says the same thing in Psalm 23:2–3, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” The soul of the “man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) needs to be restored. It was dying of thirst and ready to fall exhausted, but God led the soul to water and gave it life again. 

God has put these testimonies in the Bible so that we might use them to fight the unbelief of despondency. And we fight with the blast of faith in God’s promises: “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” We preach that to ourselves. And we thrust it into Satan’s face. And we believe it.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JULY 20, 2026.

SUBJECT: OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS!

Memory verse: ".....There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18 vs 24.)

READ: John 15 vs 9 - 16:

15:9: As the Father loved Me, I also love you, abide in My love.

15:10: If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

15:11: These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

15:12: This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

15:13: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

15:14: You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

15:15: No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

15:16: You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

INTIMATION:

Jesus Christ is a Friend to believers. He is a friend Who sticks close, listens, cares, and offers help when it is needed, both in good and bad. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, even than the clothes we put on. Friendship with Jesus, because of His special ways, brings warmth and beauty to our heart. His goodness and kindness brighten us up so much and make many happy moments start. The apostle Paul, in the Book of Ephesians, gives the believers a rich understanding of the scope of God's eternal purposes and blessings, along with His high standard for us.

Friendship with Him ensures enjoying His presence at all times. He is ever ready to listen, and really understands and cares. He sees the best in us and helps us grow. He is a friend who knows our hopes and fears and all we're dreaming of, who is on our side in everything we do. He is a friend full of love and will give us joy our whole life through.

In the passage we read today, Jesus unequivocally told us what to do to ensure our friendship with Him brings the promised reward of abiding in His love. And to abide in His love we should keep His commandment. What is His commandment? It's that we should love one another as He loved us. Jesus here emphasizes that keeping His commandment is necessary for one to abide in the love and grace of God. The singularity of the commandment that Jesus here gave us is based on the second greatest commandment; “You will love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22 vs 39.) 

Christianity is based on love. All human relationships that are true and enduring find their bond in the action of love. The extent to which Jesus went to give Himself for His friends, the believers, manifests the extent of the love about which Jesus speaks. The greatest expression of love that can be made is that one lay down his life for his friend.   

Though this seems a very high standard and unattainable, but God will never give us an impossible task. This is because, as a believer, you are assured of His fellowship with you at all times (Matthew 28 vs 20), and with Him nothing is impossible (Luke 1 vs 37). I am persuaded that it is achievable, and starts with the very first step of obedience to the commandment. Just start today to show love, no matter how minute it might be or seem, then the Holy Spirit, our Helper, will strengthen you to do more. 

Please take just a minute to imagine and appreciate the extent of Christ's love for us. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." ,(John 15 vs 13.) He gave up His life that you and I would live. He knew no sin, but was made sin because of you and I, that we might be made that righteousness of God in Him (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21). Again for His grace, though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich (Second Corinthians 8 vs 9). In my considered opinion, His love for us is unimaginable and unparalleled!

Christians are supposed to have "an inexpressible and glorious joy" in Christ. But many have not yet begun to imagine the kind of Christian experience awaiting them in friendship with the Lord in whom they have placed their faith and trust. Unfortunately, the experience of many is more like "an inexpressible depression and life filled with worry." Nonetheless, one thing is certain; our personal and intimate relationship with God of the universe is exciting and will produce significant spiritual and physical benefits as our knowledge of Him and intimacy grows.

Prayer: Abba Father, You chose me even when I am worthless in my sin nature. You loved me and gave Your precious and inestimable life for me. You have appointed me that I should bear fruit in obedience to Your commandment. Engrace me, My Messiah, in my quest to obey, amidst my weaknesses, that I may be worthy of an intimate friendship and relationship with You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!