Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 13, 2026.

SUBJECT : SAVED AND SUSTAINED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST! 

Memory verse: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2 vs 8.) 

READ: Ephesians 2 vs 4 - 10:

2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

2:5: even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved),

2:6: and raised us up together, and made sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

2:7: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself; it is the gift of God,

2:9: not of works, lest anyone should boast.

2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

INTIMATION:

We are saved by grace through faith. Please note these two words 'by' and 'through' because the vital difference between these two words will help keep in proper perspective the different roles and functions of grace and faith.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God to draw from God’s power through the Holy Spirit, while faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11 vs 1). The Amplified Bible clearly states the same verse thus: "Now faith is the substance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

The key words that describe faith are confidence, conviction, confirmation and certainty. These qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character—He is who He says He is. The end point is believing in God's promises—He will do what He says He will do. Therefore, when we believe that God will fulfill His promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith. It is the 'believe'—the confidence and conviction—in God, and assurance—confirmation and certainty—of His promises, that is faith. And it is through faith that we receive by His grace (the power of the Holy Spirit) God's blessings.

The major problem believers have is that once we are saved by grace through faith, we immediately make the mistake of turning from living by grace to living by works. We begin to match God's blessings by our works. Or put in another form, we want to buy God's blessings by our works. What do I mean by this? We begin to think we have prayed enough, or not enough, to get God's blessings (answer to our prayers), or we have been operating enough, or not enough, in the fruit of the Spirit to get, or not to get, His blessings; we weren't nice when we got caught in that traffic jam, we weren't nice to the man at the corner of the road, on and on, hence our not being blessed by Him. 

We think of everything we did right or wrong and figure that it automatically qualifies or disqualifies us, as it were, for any of God's blessings. All these are works, though in themselves are good and should be done, but are not the channel or reason for receiving from God. It is not by works. It is even "God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2 vs 13), and He does this by His grace (the power of the Holy Spirit) in you. Disconnect from Him, and you can do nothing. (John 15 vs 5).

"For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter His rest"......(Hebrews 4 vs 3). You will enter His rest when you receive His grace and you will lead your life as the apostle Paul advised in Philippians 4 vs 4 - 6; "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men.......Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." That is life of who has entered His rest.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Your grace bestowed on me and my absolute faith in You and has enabled me to lead a life trusting in You completely, that we enable me enter Your rest, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

At the Bottom of It All

 At the Bottom of It All

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. (Ephesians 1:4–5)

The experience of Charles Spurgeon is not beyond the ability of any ordinary Christian.

Spurgeon, who lived from 1834 to 1892, was a contemporary and friend of George Mueller and Hudson Taylor. He served the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London for over thirty years as the most famous pastor of his day. 

His preaching was so powerful that people were converted to Christ every week. His sermons are still in print today and he is held up by many as a model soul winner. 

He recalls an experience when he was sixteen that shaped his life and ministry for the rest of his days. 

When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. 

I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths [the doctrines of sovereign, overcoming grace] in my own soul — when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron, and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown, on a sudden, from a babe into a man — that I had made progress in Scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, that clue to the truth of God. 

One weeknight, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. 

The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment — I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so?

Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God.”

What about you? Do you ascribe your conversion wholly to God? Is he the bottom of it all? Does this cause you to praise the glory of his sovereign, overcoming grace?

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 12, 2026.

SUBJECT : THE SIN NATURE OF INIQUITY! 

Memory verse: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear." (Psalm 66 vs 18.) 

READ: Read Psalm 32 vs 5; 130 vs 3 - 4; 

Psalm 32:5: I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. 

Psalm 130:3: If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who can stand? 

130:4: But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.

INTIMATION:

Iniquity refers to deep-seated, premeditated moral corruption or perversity of heart, acting as the root cause of outward sinful actions. Unlike accidental sin ("missing the mark"; which is the general act of wrongdoing or falling short of God's standard), iniquity is a persistent bending of what is good, often representing willful, habitual, or generational transgression and rebellion against God. 

It is the inner corruption, twisted nature, or premeditated pattern of sin. It is a more severe, persistent, and hardened state of sin that involves a warped nature and rebellion of the individual against doing the right thing. In summary, sin is the action, while iniquity is the ingrained, distorted character that produces it. Sin can definitely be seen as the expression or outward manifestation of iniquity. Iniquity, in its essence, refers to the inward corruption, the deeply rooted quest for wrong doing. 

Iniquity is a violation of the right or duty that mankind is under obligation to do. An iniquity can also be a wicked act and immoral conduct or practice. These are harmful or offensive to society and, especially to God. In the Bible, the terms, sin, and iniquity, are often used interchangeably.

The key aspects of Iniquity include: (1) Rooted Heart State: It is the internal crookedness and conceptualization of wrong that makes disobedience inevitable, which is often described as a "bent" nature. It is 

(2) Premeditated Choice: Iniquity is not a mistake; it is a willful decision to engage in wrongdoing, which eventually culminates into the actual act of doing the wrong thing.

(3) Cumulative Consequence: The guilt and consequences stemming from such actions (e.g., suffering and strained relationships) are usually grave and accumulated overtime. 

The sin nature of iniquity is present in every human being born since the Fall of Adam (Genesis 3 va 6 – 7; Romans 5 vs 12). If left unchecked, continual sin leads to a “reprobate mind,” spoken of in Romans 1 vs 28. 

Marking iniquities (keeping a record of sins or holding a grudge) is like building a wall between you and another person, and it is nearly impossible to talk openly while the wall is there. Sin leads to a downward progression that, without the restoring power of the Holy Spirit, we all tend toward separation from God. 

God forgives iniquity, as He does any type of sin when we repent. However, iniquity left unchecked leads to a state of willful sin with no fear of God. The build-up of unrepentant sin is sometimes pictured as a “cup of iniquity” being filled to the brim. This often applies to nations who have forsaken God completely. 

Continued iniquity leads to unnatural affections, which leads to a reprobate mind. Romans 1 vs 28 – 32 outlines this digression in vivid detail. The sons of Eli are biblical examples of reprobates whom God judged for their iniquities (First Samuel 3 vs 13 – 14). Rather than repent, Eli’s sons continued in their abominations until repentance was no longer possible.

Marking iniquities (keeping a record of sins or holding a grudge) is like building a wall between you and another person, and it is nearly impossible to talk openly while the wall is there. This is not to be so with Christians who ought to showcase Christ in our depraved world. God doesn't keep a record of our sins; when He forgives, He forgives completely, tearing down any wall between us and Him. 

God delights to be merciful! He doesn't forgive grudgingly but is glad when we repent, and He offers forgiveness to all who come back to Him. Today you can confess your iniquities and receive His loving forgiveness. Don't be too proud to accept God's free offer. 

Prayer: Abba Father, I will always acknowledge my iniquities before You, and ask for Your forgiveness. Create in me a clean heart and renew Your right spirit within me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Why We Should Love Our Enemies

 Why We Should Love Our Enemies

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)

There are two main reasons why Christians should love their enemies and do good to them.

One is that it reveals something of the way God is. God is merciful. 

He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45) 

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10) 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32) 

So, when Christians live this way, by God’s power, we show something of what God is like.

The second reason is that the hearts of Christians are satisfied with God and are not driven by the craving for revenge or self-exaltation or money or earthly security. 

God has become our all-satisfying treasure and so we don’t treat our adversaries out of our own sense of need and insecurity, but out of our own fullness with the satisfying glory of God. 

Hebrews 10:34, “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property [that is, you didn’t retaliate against your adversaries], since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” What takes away the compulsion of revenge is our deep confidence that this world is not our home, and that God is our utterly sure and all-satisfying reward. We know that we have “a better possession and an abiding one.”

So, in both these reasons for loving our enemy we see the main thing: God is shown to be who he really is as a merciful God and as gloriously all-satisfying. 

The power to be merciful is that we have been satisfied with God’s mercy toward us. And the ultimate reason for being merciful is to glorify God, that is, to help others magnify him for his mercy. We want to show that God is magnificent. We want our love, by God’s mercy, to make God look great in the eyes of man.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 11, 2026.

SUBJECT : THE BOOK OF THE LAW—THE BIBLE!

Memory verse: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth; but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1 - 8.)

READ: Psalms 1 vs 1 - 3: 

1:1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

1:2: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law he meditates day and night.

1:3: He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

INTIMATION:

The Bible is the comprehensive book regarded as the ultimate authority on the subject of the solemn declaration of the Will of God—the Word of God. It contains the engagement entered into between God and man. These declaration is called Testament and the engagement is known as Covenant. The Bible is the ultimate authority detailing the engagement entered into between God and man, either that with Moses (as expressed in the Old Testament) or that instituted by Christ (as expressed in the New Testament). 

The Bible has been with us for more than two thousand years, and the early books of the Old Testament have existed almost twice that long. Its enduring life attests not only to its great spiritual treasures but also to its amazing stories, astonishing miracles, and intriguing facts that continue to grip readers today. Even today, the modern scholar or scientist is hard-pressed to provide a logical, natural explanation for the events described in the Bible. We must rely on the Bible authors' interpretations to shed light on otherwise inconceivable happenings. Their confident understanding of these events points us beyond ourselves to consider the One who created all things.

It is thrilling to examine how God has providentially guarded His Word in order to provide His Word for men of all ages in written form. The very fact that the Bible has survived schemes to destroy it, gives witness to the fact that it has been held in great esteem by men throughout all history. Regardless of all attacks against it, the Bible lives in the hearts of those who have been changed by its precepts and promises. 

No other book has been preserved throughout history as the Bible. The manner by which the Bible has been providentially preserved indicates that there is something different about this book than all ancient books. If the Bible were just another book, we would at least had wondered why men have given so much attention to preserving it. Our conclusion is the great care by which the Bible has been preserved lies in the fact that men have considered the Bible to be more than another book. Those who have sought to preserve the Bible have given their testimony that it is the inspired Word of God. 

A man has deprived himself of the best knowledge in the world if he has deprived himself of a knowledge of the Bible. On the foundation of this book, civilizations have been built and sustained. Only through the Bible can we understand who God is and what we must do to please Him. The Word of God is special revelation from God of Himself, and is the solemn declaration of His Will. And the Will of God is the expression of God. 

The Bible is God’s book of instruction for all people. It contains the written Word of God. No other written words have affected so many people for so long in history. The reason for this is that men know the Bible is God’s truth that was revealed to direct our beliefs and behavior. No word from God can ever be defaulted. There never can be any denying of His own Word. Every Word of God is pure, and forever God’s Word is settled in heaven. The Word of God shall stand forever. His Word is eternal, constant, and unfailing. And only on God’s eternal Word will we find lasting solutions to our problems and needs. Your confidence is in that Word that cannot be broken. 

The Bible is a library of sixty-six Holy Spirit inspired books and letters. It is written by over forty inspired men over a period of 1,500 years. Though written by so many different people over a period of many centuries, there are no contradictions in the original writings of the Bible. The theme is the eternal salvation of man through the sacrificial offering of Jesus, the Son of God. God seeks through the Bible to inform all men concerning His desire to bring them into eternal heaven. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of constant meditation in Your Word, that the book of the Law will not depart from me. Give me the grace to put to work all I have learned from the book, that I shall prosper and have good success, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Go on to the Meal

 Go on to the Meal

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! (Psalm 34:8)

To you who say you have never tasted the glory of God, I say, you have tasted many of its appetizers. 

Have you ever looked up at the sky? Have you ever been hugged? Have you ever sat in front of a warm fire? Have you ever walked in the woods, sat by a lake, lain in a summer hammock? Have you ever drunk your favorite drink on a hot day or eaten anything good? 

Every desire is either a devout or a distorted enticement to the glory of heaven.

You say you haven’t tasted God’s glory. I say, you have tasted the appetizers. Go on to the meal. Go on to God himself.

You have seen the shadows; look at the substance. You have walked in the warm rays of the day; turn and look at the sun itself — yes, through the protective and sharpening lens of the gospel. You have heard echoes of God’s glory everywhere; tune your heart to the original music.

The best place to get your heart tuned is at the cross of Jesus Christ. “We have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). 

If you want the most concentrated display of the glory of God, look at Jesus in the Gospels, and look especially at the cross. This will focus your eyes and tune your heart and waken your taste buds so that you will see and hear and taste the glory of the true God everywhere.

That is what you were made for. I plead with you: don’t throw your life away on shadows. God made you to see and savor his glory. Pursue that with all your heart and above all else. You have tasted the appetizers. Now go on to the full banquet.

A People for His Name

 A People for His Name

“Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14)

It is scarcely possible to overemphasize the centrality of the name of God, that is, the fame of God, in motivating the mission of the church. 

When Peter had his world turned upside down by the vision of unclean animals in Acts 10, and by the lesson from God that he should evangelize Gentiles as well as Jews, he came back to Jerusalem and told the apostles that it was all owing to God’s zeal for his name. We know this because James summed up Peter’s speech like this: “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name” (Acts 15:13–14).

It’s not surprising that Peter would say that God’s purpose was to gather a people for his name; because the Lord Jesus had stung Peter some years earlier with an unforgettable lesson. 

You recall that, after a rich young man turned away from Jesus and refused to follow him, Peter said to Jesus, “See, we have left everything and followed you [unlike this rich fellow]. What then will we have?” (Matthew 19:27). Jesus responded with a mild rebuke, which in effect said that there is no ultimate sacrifice when you live for the name of the Son of Man. He said, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29).

The truth is plain: God is pursuing with omnipotent delight a worldwide purpose of gathering a people for his name from every tribe and language and nation (Revelation 5:9; 7:9). He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the fame of his name among the nations.

Therefore, when we bring our affections in line with his, and, for the sake of his name, renounce the quest for our own worldly fame and comforts, and join his global purpose, God’s omnipotent commitment to his name flies like a banner before us, and we cannot lose, even if we must walk through many tribulations (Acts 14:22; Romans 8:35–39).