Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY APRIL 21, 2026.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS HAVE THE SAME SPIRIT AS CHRIST!

Memory verse: “But if the Spirit of Him that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8 vs 11.)

READ: John 14 vs 15 - 18:

14:15: If you love Me, keep my commandments.

14:16: And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you for ever;

14:17: the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and will be in you.

14:18: I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

14:19: A little while longer and the world will see Me no more; but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.

14:20: At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

INTIMATION:

The “new creation” (the believer) has that same spirit that was at work in Jesus; the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. And that same Spirit is at work in the believers that will enable them to do what Christ did; working in the power of that Spirit—the Holy Spirit. Jesus used the illustration of moving the mountain to show that God can do the impossible with the believers. The qualification for being able to command the power of the supernatural demands that you believe. You require a non-doubting faith that will enable you to do great things for God. 

This “new creation” is with God's nature, and God is indwelling him, he has been given a legal right, and the power of attorney to the use of the Name of Jesus; the name that is above every other name in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth, and to receive help from the Holy Spirit. This believer; this new creation in Christ, is a child of Deity. He stands before the world as a very branch of the vine. He is taking the place of Jesus in the world. He is really an incarnation. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, came the day of Pentecost, to make His home in the body of the believers. He not only has God's nature, but has God actually living in him.

Have you been worried about whether or not you really are a Christian? A Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in him or her. If you have sincerely trusted Christ for your salvation and acknowledged Him as Lord and personal Savior, then the Holy Spirit lives within you and you are a Christian. You are assured that you have the Holy Spirit because Jesus promised that He would send Him. The Christian has a new life through the Holy Spirit, and his heart is continually renewed by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s promise or guarantee of eternal life for those who believe in Him. 

The Spirit is within the believers now, and by faith they are certain to live with Christ forever. The Holy Spirit is a powerful person on the side of the believer, working for and with the believer; He is the very presence of God within all believers, helping them live as God wants and building Christ’s church on earth. By faith the believers can appropriate the Spirit’s power each day. He helps them to act as Christ directs (Romans 8 vs 5; Galatians 5 vs 22 - 23), and find help in dealing with their daily problems and also in praying accordingly in the Will of God (Romans 8 vs 26 - 27). 

Jesus, during His time on earth, was going to leave the disciples at some point, but He would still remain with them. How could this be? The Helper—the Spirit of God Himself—would come after Jesus was gone to care for and guide the disciples. The regenerating power of the Spirit came on the disciples just before Jesus’ ascension (John 20 vs 22), and the Spirit was poured out on all the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2 vs 3 - 4), shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven. 

The Holy Spirit will never leave the believers; the world at large cannot receive Him; He lives with them and in them; He teaches them (John 14 vs 26); He reminds them of Jesus’ words (John 14 vs 26; 15 vs 26); He convinces the world of sin, shows them God’s righteousness, and announces God’s judgement on evil (John 16 vs 8); He guides them into truth and gives them insight into the future events (John 16 vs 13); and He brings glory to Christ (John 16 vs 14). 

Prayer: Abba, Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who are recreated in Christ Jesus. Give me the grace not to quench the Spirit, but always follow His leading in all things, and at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Key to Radical Love

 The Key to Radical Love

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11–12)

One of the questions I posed while preaching on loving our enemies from Matthew 5:44 was, How do you love the people who kidnap you and then kill you?

How can we do this? Where does the power to love like this come from? Just think how astonishing this is when it appears in the real world! Could anything show the truth and power and reality of Christ more than this? 

I believe Jesus gives us the key to this radical, self-sacrificing love, described in Matthew 5:44, earlier in the very same chapter. 

In Matthew 5:11–12, he is again talking about being persecuted, just like he was when he said in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” What is remarkable about these verses is that Jesus says that you are able not only to endure the mistreatment of the enemy, but rejoice in it. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you. . . . Rejoice and be glad.”

This seems even more beyond our reach than praying for our enemies or doing good to them. If I could do this humanly impossible thing — namely, rejoice in being persecuted — then it would be possible to love my persecutors. If the miracle of joy in the midst of the horror of injustice and pain and loss could happen, then the miracle of love for the perpetrators could happen too.

Jesus gives the key to joy in these verses. He says, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” The key to joy is faith in God’s future grace — that is, being satisfied in all that God promises to be for you. He says, “Rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.” Our joy in persecution is the joy of heaven streaming back into this moment of horror and setting us free to love. So, this joy is the freeing power to love our enemies when they persecute us. 

If that is true, then the command to love is implicitly also a command to set our minds on things that are above — all that God promises to be for us — not on things that are on the earth (Colossians 3:2).

The command to love our enemy is a command to find our hope and our deepest soul-satisfaction in God and his great reward — his future grace. The key to radical love is faith in future grace. We must be persuaded in the midst of our agony that the love of God is “better than life” (Psalm 63:3). Loving your enemy doesn’t earn you the reward of heaven. Treasuring the reward of heaven empowers you to love your enemy.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 20, 2026.

SUBJECT : GIVE YOUR WHOLE HEART TO GOD!

Memory verse: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God." (Psalm 42 vs 1.)

READ: Psalms 119 vs 34 - 36:

119:34: Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

119:35: Make me walk in the path of Your commandments; for I delight in it.

119:36: Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. 

INTIMATION:

The heart is the chief organ of physical life. The heart is used figuratively for the hidden springs of our personal life. It is the custodian of man’s entire mental and moral activity, both the rational, irrational, and the emotional elements. The Bible describes human depravity as in the heart, because sin is a principle which has its seat in the centre of man’s inward life, and then defiles the whole circuit of his action. 

On the other hand, Scripture regards the heart as the sphere of Divine influence. The heart, as lying deep within, contains ‘the hidden man’—the real man. It represents the true character but conceals it. It denotes the seat of physical life, moral nature, and spiritual life.

God desires a heartily relationship with us, hence His demand on us to seek, serve, and love Him with all our heart. As I said, the heart contains ‘the hidden man.’ A wise person once said, "When God measures you, He puts the tape around your heart, not your head." How is your heart relationship with God? We work hard to keep our outward appearance attractive, but what is deep down in our heart (where others can’t see) is more important to God. What are you like inside? God desires the spiritual heart relationship with His children; where they will seek Him with all their heart. 

Unfortunately many people never really seek Him with all their heart. They are content to learn as a child would. That is, learning and following rules in order to avoid big problems, but not as willing to spend any great period of time with the Lord in the free time they have. There is little delight in the relationship, only obedience out of necessity. They have salvation from penalty of sin, but they will enter heaven "through the flames" (First Corinthians 3 vs 15). They have yet to cross that line of spiritual familial relationship into spiritual heart relationship.

Spiritual heart relationship can best be explained through a human illustration. Some children grow up in families where their father is a strong disciplinarian. They obey because they do not want to suffer the wrath of their father. Although they may even respect the father and his accomplishments, they want nothing to do with him on a personal basis. It is not unusual for such children to dread the return of their father in the evening. As adults they spend as little time with him as possible. There is a physical relationship with obedience, but not the close heart relationship. Fear and mistrust are barriers to their ever being close.

On the other hand, some have fathers who have definite standards and rules to obey, but the relationship is one of love and respect. They are excited when Dad walks through the door at night. They love the weekends because Dad can be with them and they do fun things together. Such children obey because they love and trust their father, not because they fear him or the consequences of disobedience. In our relationship with God we can respond and obey either out of love or out of fear.

When we realize God's desire to be our Faithful Companion in our relationship, we find Him less an authority figure and more a desirable companion Who is no less in charge in our lives. We now realize He is on our side, how much He wants the best for us and how absolutely dependable He is. The inborn unhealthy fear of God that stems from our sin nature and is often stirred up by the enemy of our souls, is weakening as we are getting a clearer picture of who He really is.

Throughout our lives, we look for those rare individuals with whom we feel relaxed and comfortable and can share our heart and our secrets and know they will not betray us, who will always be there for us, and in whom we can have confidence; individuals we can respect and who in turn admire us and want us to be successful.

God wants to be in that type of role with us, but He is even better than any earthly companion. For God is a perfect companion: the One who knows the road we are traveling on and all of the problems that lay ahead; the One who can give us dependable advice; the One who wants to share our life with us and will not put us down when we stumble; the One who will never desert us if we fail or do not live up to His standards. He accepts us just as we are, wants to be with us forever, is able to help us be all that we can be, and can enable us either to avoid or overcome every obstacle or problem in our lives.

So, let your heart relationship be like that of David as indicated in our memory verse; the man God testified thus, "a man after My own heart, who shall do all My Will." ( Acts 13 vs 22.) In the passage we read today, Moses had such heart relationship with God, that he enjoyed the presence of God most times. God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is an intimate heartily relationship with You; to seek, serve, and love You with all my heart. Build in me Your steadfast spirit, and uphold me with Your right spirit. Endue me with the strength and grace to accomplish and flourish in intimate heartily relationship with You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Afraid to Stray

 Afraid to Stray

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! (Psalm 31:19)

Consider two important truths in Psalm 31:19.

1. The goodness of the Lord

There is a peculiar goodness of God. That is, there is not only God’s general goodness that he shows to all people, making his sun rise on the evil and the good (Matthew 5:45), but also a peculiar goodness, as the psalm says, for “those who fear” him.

This goodness is abundant beyond measure. It is boundless. It lasts forever. It is all-encompassing. There is only goodness for those who fear him. Everything works together for their good (Romans 8:28). Even their pains are filled with profit according to Romans 5:3–5.

But those who do not fear him receive a temporary goodness. Romans 2:4–5 describes it like this: “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” Kindness. Forbearance. Patience. Goodness. But it does not meet with the fear of the Lord, but hardness.

That’s the first truth: the goodness of the Lord.

2. The fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is the fear of straying from him. Therefore, it expresses itself in taking refuge in God. That’s why two conditions are mentioned in Psalm 31:19 — fearing the Lord and taking refuge in him. “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have 1) stored up for those who fear you and 2) worked for those who take refuge in you!” 

They seem to be opposites. Fear seems to drive away and taking refuge seems to draw in. But when we see that this fear is a fear of running away — a fear of straying from him — then they work together.

There is a real trembling in the heart of the saints. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). But it is the trembling one feels in the arms of a Father who has just plucked his child from the undertow of the ocean. It is the trembling at the terrible prospect of thinking we don’t need a Father.

So, cherish the goodness of the Lord. Fear straying from him. Flee from every sin and take refuge in him. “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you!”

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2026.

SUBJECT : GOD’S STANDARDS OF MORAL UPRIGHTNESS! 

Memory verse: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6 vs 8.)

READ: Psalm 15 vs 1 - 5:

15:1: LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

15:2:He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart;

15:3: He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbour, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

15:4: In whose eyes a vile person is despised; but he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt, and does not change;

15:5: He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

INTIMATION:

God calls His people to be morally upright, and, in the passage we read today, He gives us eleven standards or principles to determine how we are doing; (1) to walk uprightly (righteous behavior of life), (2) to work righteousness (do that which is good in response to faith), (3) to speak the truth (do not lie or speak hypocritically), (4) not to backbite (do not speak behind the back of someone in order to destroy his or her reputation), (5) not to do evil, (6) not to take up a reproach against a friend (do not slander a friend). (7) to despise a vile person (to be disgusted with those who do wickedly), (8) to honor those you fear the Lord (align with those who do good).

Others are (9) to swear to one’s own hurt (though it may be to his own detriment, he promises to do that which is right and fair to his neighbor), (10) do not put your money at usury (seeks to help his or her neighbor by lending money without interest, and thus does not take advantage of one’s neighbor when he or she has fallen into hard times). God is against charging interest or making a profit on loans to the needy among His people. Interest is permitted for business purposes, as long as it isn’t exorbitant (Proverbs 28 vs 8), and (11) do not take bribe (bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous). Being a dependable person, the one who lives according to the preceding principles will not be changed by the changing times. 

People have tried all kinds of ways to please God, but God has made His wishes clear. He wants His people to do what is just, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. We live among evil people whose standards and morals are eroding. Our standards for living should not come from our evil society but from God. Therefore, in your efforts to please God, examine these aforestated standards or principles on a regular basis. 

Words are powerful, and how you use them reflects on your relationship with God. Perhaps nothing do identify Christians as much as their ability to control their speech—speaking the truth, refusing to slander, and keeping oaths (promises). We may be tempted to believe that some lies are relatively harmless, even useful at times. But God does not overlook lies, flattery, deception, or boasting. Each of these sins originates from a bad attitude that is eventually expressed in our speech. The tongue can be our greatest enemy because, though small, it can do great damage (James 3 vs 5 - 6).

God greatly values honesty! Dishonesty comes easily, especially when complete truthfulness could cost us something, makes us uncomfortable, or put us in an unfavorable light. Dishonest communication hinders relationships. Without honesty, a relationship with God is impossible. If we lie to others, we will begin to deceive ourselves. God cannot hear us or speak to us if we are building a wall of self-deception.

Making up or spreading false reports is strictly forbidden by God. Gossip, slander and false witnessing would undermine families, strain neighborhood cooperation, and make chaos of the justice system. Destructive gossip causes problems everywhere and anytime. Even if you do not initiate a lie, you become responsible if you pass it along. Don’t circulate rumors; squelch them. 

In the heat of emotion or personal turmoil it is easy to make foolish promises to God. These promises may sound very spiritual when we make them, but they may produce only guilt and frustration when we are forced to fulfill them. Making spiritual “deals” only brings disappointment. God does not want promises for the future, but obedience for today.

Sinners cannot live in the presence of a holy God, for He is like a fire that devours evil. Only those who walk uprightly and speak what is right can live with God. We demonstrate our righteousness and uprightness by rejecting gain from extortion and bribes, refuse to listen to plots of wrong actions, and shut our eyes to evil. If we are fair and honest in our relationships, we will dwell with God, and He will supply our needs. 

God wants changed lives. He wants His people to be fair, just, merciful, and humble. God wants us to become living sacrifices (Romans 12 vs 1 - 2); not just doing religious deeds, but living rightly. it is impossible to follow God consistently without His transforming love in our hearts. As we grow in our relationship with our Redeemer, we develop a desire to live by His standards. The depth of our eternal relationship with Him can often be measured by the way we reflect His standards in our daily activities.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to follow after the standards or principles of life approved by You; that I will walk uprightly, work righteousness, speak the truth, not slander, backbite, nor do evil, show mercy, despise the wicked, align with those who do good, do justice at all cost, not take bribe, and be helpful to others, so help me God, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

A Future for Failures

 A Future for Failures

“Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” (1 Samuel 12:20–22)

When the Israelites have been brought to fear and they repent of their sin of demanding that Samuel give them a king to be like the other nations, then comes the good news: “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil.” Do you hear how backward that sounds — how wonderfully backward? You might expect him to say, “Fear, for you have done all this evil.” That’s a good reason to fear: you have done the great evil of demanding another king besides God! But that’s not what Samuel says. “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil.”

He goes on, “Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.”

This is the gospel: Even though you have sinned greatly, and terribly dishonored the Lord, even though you now have a king which it was a sin to demand, even though there is no undoing that sin or its painful consequences that are yet to come, nevertheless there is a future and a hope. There is mercy.

Fear not! Fear not!

Then comes the great ground — the basis and foundation — of the gospel in 1 Samuel 12:22. Why don’t you need to fear, even though you have done all this evil? “For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” 

The ground of the gospel is God’s commitment to his own name. Did you hear it? Don’t fear, though you have sinned, “The Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake.” This should have two effects on you: heart-breaking humility and toe-tapping happiness. Humility because your worth is not the foundation of your salvation. Happiness because your salvation is as sure as God’s allegiance to his own name. It can’t get more sure.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2026.

SUBJECT : OPEN UP YOURSELF!

Memory verse: "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 to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57 vs 15.)

READ: Romans 7 vs 14 - 20:

7:14: For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

7:15: For that what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will do, that do I not practice; but what I hate, that do I.

7:16: If, then, I do what I will not do, I agree with the law that it is good.

7:17: But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

7:18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me; but how to perform what which is good I do not find.

7:19: For the good that I will do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

7:20: Now if I do what I will not do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

INTIMATION: 

The starting point of ministry is being moldable. The more you open up yourself to God, the more He comes in to mold and use you. The more you let down your guard, take off your mask, and share your struggles, the more God will be able to use you in serving others. It is notable that opening yourself can be risky. It can be scary to lower your defenses and open up your life to others. When you reveal your failures, feelings, frustrations, and fears, you risk rejection. But the benefits are worth the risk. Opening up yourself is emotionally liberating; it relieves stress, defuses your fears, and is the first step to freedom.

We have already seen that God "gives grace to the humble," but many do not understand humility. Humility is not putting yourself down or denying your strengths; rather, it is being honest about your weaknesses. The more honest you are, the more of God's grace you get. You will also receive from others. Being moldable or meek, that is, opening up yourself, is an endearing quality; we are naturally drawn to humble people. 

Pretentiousness repels, but authenticity attracts, and meekness is the pathway to intimacy. Your life becomes a testimonial when people see God using you in spite of your weaknesses, and they are encouraged, and they will then think that God can use them too. This is why God wants to use your weaknesses, not just your strengths. Our strengths create competition, but our weaknesses create community.

At some point in your life you must decide whether you want to impress people or influence people. You can impress people from a distance, but you must get close to influence them, and when you do that, they will be able to see your flaws. That's okay. The most essential quality for leadership is not perfection, but credibility. People must be able to trust you, or they won't follow you. How do you build credibility? Not by pretending to be perfect, but by being honest, and open.

Our Scriptural model, the apostle Paul, openly and honestly shared his impressions at various times. In his failures he said, "For the good that I will to do, I do not; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." (Romans 7 vs19.) Concerning the openness of his heart, and his feelings, he said to believers in Corinth, "O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open." (Second Corinthians 6 vs 11.) On his frustrations, he said, "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life." (Second Corinthians 1 vs 8.) On his fears, he said, "I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling." (First Corinthians 2 vs 3.)

In the passage we read today, the cry of the apostle Paul is more than the cry of a desperate man, it describes the experience of all Christians struggling against sin or trying to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit’s help. He opened up himself, emphasized his weakness, and sought help. 

We must never underestimate the power of sin and attempt to fight it in our own strength. Satan is a crafty tempter, and we have an amazing ability to make excuses. Instead of trying to overcome sin with our own human willpower, we must take hold of God’s provision for victory over sin: the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and gives us power. And when we fall, He lovingly reaches out to help us up.

The inward struggle with sin was as real for the apostle Paul as it is for us. From him we learn what to do about it. Whenever he felt overwhelmed by the spiritual battle, he would return to the beginning of his spiritual life, remembering how he had been freed from sin by Jesus Christ. 

When we feel confused and overwhelmed by sin’s appeal, let us claim the freedom Christ gave us. His power can lift us to victory. Self-determination (struggling in one’s own strength) doesn’t succeed (Romans 7 vs 15). The apostle Paul found himself sinning in ways that weren’t even attractive to him. Becoming a Christian does not stamp out all sin and temptation from a person’s life (Romans 7 vs 22 - 25). Being born again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. 

Prayer: Abba Father, all to You I surrender, all to You I freely give myself. I will ever love and trust You, and in Your presence I will daily live, and humbly at Your feet I bow daily. Give me the grace to put my complete trust in You and never have any form of trust in myself, but to follow You to the end, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God, Touch Our Hearts

 God, Touch Our Hearts

Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. (1 Samuel 10:26)

Just think of what is being said in this verse. God touched them. Not a wife. Not a child. Not a parent. Not a counselor. But God. God touched them.

The One with infinite power in the universe. The One with infinite authority and infinite wisdom and infinite love and infinite goodness and infinite purity and infinite justice. That One touched their heart. 

How does the circumference of Jupiter touch the edge of a molecule? Let alone penetrate to its nucleus?

The touch of God is awesome not just because it is God who touches, but also because it is a touch. It is a real connection. That it involves the heart is awesome. That it involves God is awesome. And that it involves an actual touch is awesome. 

The valiant men were not just spoken to. They were not just swayed by a divine influence. They were not just seen and known. God, with infinite condescension, touched their heart. God was that close. And they were not consumed.

I love that touch. I want it more and more. For myself and for all of you. I pray that God would touch me anew with his glory and for this glory. I pray that he would touch us all. 

Oh, for the touch of God! If it comes with fire, so be it. If it comes with water, so be it. If it comes with wind, let it come, O God. If it comes with thunder and lightning, let us bow before it.

O Lord, come. Come that close. Burn and soak and blow and crash. Or still and small, come. Come all the way. Touch our hearts.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY APRIL 17, 2026.

SUBJECT : WORD AFFIRMATION AS A LIFESTYLE!

Memory verse: "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." (Titus 3 vs 8.)

READ: Revelation 12 vs 11:

12:11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to death.

INTIMATION:

Living your life in the Word involves believing, confessing and affirming the Word of God. Affirmation is the last part of the process of this living. To affirm is to make firm. An affirmation is a statement of truth that you make firm by repetition. The Scripture, in our memory verse says, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly....." The bold declaration or affirmation of the Word is indicative of the inherent truth, and your trust and believe in it. 

In the first five Books of Moses, God's expression of "I am the LORD" occurred more than two thousand five hundred times, indicating the truth, and lays credence to the fact, and the value of affirmation. That should be the lifestyle of every child of God; confessing, and affirming the Word. 

You should constantly affirm to your own soul the great, and outstanding facts of redemption, reminding yourself constantly of your identity in Christ Jesus, confessing and affirming the fullness of Jesus Christ and His finished work in the presence of your enemies; in the presence of your weakness; in the presence of your adversary. 

They may not mean much the first time you repeat them, but constantly reaffirm them. By and by, the Spirit will illumine them, and your soul will be flooded with light and joy. Every time you repeat what God has said about you as an individual, about Himself—The Trinity, and the church, these truths reach down deep into your inner being with strength, courage, joy and victory. 

Our spiritual lives depend upon our constantly affirming what God has declared, what God is in Christ, what we are in Christ, and what we are before the Father in Christ. It is for this reason that the apostle Paul, in Philemon verse 6, says, "That the sharing of our faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

In the passage we read today, Satan, our accuser, was defeated when the Lamb, Jesus Christ, shed His blood for our sins. The victory is won on our behalf by that supreme sacrifice, that is, Christ's death in our place to pay the penalty of our sin, and the sacrifices we make because of our faith in Him; testifying of Him as our Lord and Savior, and affirming what He wrought for us in redemption. These good works of believe, confession, and affirmation, in faith, are all good and profitable for Christians. 

The Bible includes hundreds of passages that speak about the power of the Word. Locate as many as you can, confess, and affirm them continually. They will be more effective as you speak them with volume, feeling, conviction, and enthusiasm. Words weakly spoke have minimal results. I encourage you to speak some of these affirmations as many times as you can, but at least, three to five times a day. 

Prayer: Abba Father, forever Your Word is perfect, and settled in heaven. Endue me with the spirit of bold declaration of Your Word at all times, that I may reap their manifestation in my life, in Jesus” Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Embracing Jesus

 Embracing Jesus

This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. (1 John 5:3–4)

Notice: Loving God is not just keeping his commandments. It is having a kind of heart for God that means that commandment-keeping is not burdensome. That’s what John says. But then he puts that truth in terms of new birth and faith, rather than love. He says, without a break, “For” — that is, here’s why God’s commandments are not burdensome: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.” So, the new birth is what overcomes the worldly obstacles to keeping God’s commandments without burdensomeness. 

And finally he adds, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” So, the new birth overcomes the worldly obstacles to burden-free commandment-keeping, because the new birth gives rise to faith. So, the miracle of new birth creates faith, which embraces all that God is for us in Christ as supremely satisfying, which makes obedience to God more desirable than the temptations of the world. And that is what it means to love God. 

The eighteenth-century pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards wrestled with this text and concluded, “Saving faith implies . . . love. . . . Our love to God enables us to overcome the difficulties that attend keeping God’s commands — which shows that love is the main thing in saving faith, the life and power of it, by which it produces great effects.”

I think Edwards is right and that numerous texts in the Bible support what he says. 

Another way to say it is that faith in Christ is not just assenting to what God is for us, but also embracing all that he is for us in Christ. “True faith embraces Christ in whatever ways the Scriptures hold him out to poor sinners” — that’s another quote from Edwards. This “embracing” is one kind of love to Christ — that kind that treasures him above all things. 

Therefore, there is no contradiction between 1 John 5:3, on the one hand, which says that our love for God enables us to keep his commandments, and verse 4, on the other hand, which says that our faith overcomes the obstacles of the world that keep us from obeying God’s commandments. Love for God and Christ is implicit in faith. 

John then defines the faith that obeys as “the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:5). This faith is “embracing” the present Jesus as the glorious divine person that he is: the Son of God. It is not simply assenting to the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, because the demons assent to that. “They cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’” (Matthew 8:29). Believing that Jesus is the Son of God means “embracing” the significance of that truth — the value of the reality. It means being satisfied with Christ as the Son of God and all God is for us in him.

“Son of God” means that Jesus is the greatest person in the universe alongside his Father. Therefore, all he taught is true, and all he promised will stand firm, and all his soul-satisfying greatness will never change. 

Believing that he is the Son of God, therefore, includes banking on all this, and being satisfied with it.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY APRIL 16, 2026.

SUBJECT : GOD’S COMPANIONSHIP!

Memory verse: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God." (Psalm 42 vs 1.)

READ: Exodus 33 vs 8 - 11:

33:8: So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. 

33:9: And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.

33:10: All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each one in his tent door.

33:11: So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend...

INTIMATION:

Throughout our lives, we look for those rare individuals with whom we feel relaxed and comfortable, and can share our heart, our secrets, and rest assured they will not betray us, who will always be there for us, and in whom we can have confidence—individuals we can respect and who in turn admire us and want us to be successful. God wants to be in that type of role with us, but He is even better than any earthly companion. 

For God is a perfect companion: the One who knows the road we are traveling on and all of the problems that lay ahead; the One who can give us dependable advice; the One who wants to share our life with us and will not put us down when we stumble; the One who will never desert us if we fail or do not live up to His standards. He accepts us just as we are, wants to be with us forever, is able to help us be all that we can be, and can enable us either to avoid or overcome every obstacle or problem in our lives.

Such companionship with God starts with a spiritual heart relationship with Him. In the passage we read today, Moses had such heart relationship with God, that he enjoyed the presence of God most times. God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. If we desire God’s companionship, our heart relationship with God must be obedient response out of love. When we realize God's desire to be a Faithful Companion in our relationship, we find Him less an authority figure and more a desirable companion, Who is no less in charge in our lives. We now realize He is on our side, and wants the best for us. 

Unfortunately many people never really seek Him with all their hearts. To obey “from your heart” means to give yourself fully to God, to love Him “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22 vs 37). Many are content to learn as a child would. That is, learning and following rules in order to avoid big problems, but not as willing to spend any great period of time with the Lord in the free time they have. There is little delight in the relationship, only obedience out of necessity. Therefore, such people’s efforts to know and obey God’s commands can best be described as “halfhearted.” Consequently, they lose the best companionship they could ever get. 

Those who seek God and long to understand Him find eternal life. One of the special privileges we have as believers is sharing our heart with God, and in turn learning more about His heart toward us and others. We get to see His overwhelming goodness, infinite patience, unchanging love, and unending mercies as we read the Bible—His "Code of Conduct," and "Owner's Manual" to us. The Holy Spirit makes the Word come alive in our hearts and points things out from it that are specifically for us and our situation. 

A relationship that culminates into companionship entails learning from superior partner. As we spend time with God, our relationship allows us to learn about Him, about ourselves, and about others. We come to appreciate Him more as we get to know Him better. We become more relaxed in His presence as we now are His companion. 

Prayer: Abba Father, I desire You as my companion. Build in my heart Your steadfast Spirit, so as to follow and obey You in every aspect of my life. My utmost heart desire is an intimate relationship with You. Help me to accomplish this, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Mercy for Today

 Mercy for Today

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22–23)

God’s mercies are new every morning because each day only has enough mercy in it for that day. God appoints every day’s troubles. And God appoints every day’s mercies. In the life of his children, they are perfectly appointed. Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Every day has its own trouble. Every day has its own mercies. Each is new every morning.

But we often tend to despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know: We won’t. Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.

Sometimes we wonder if we will have the mercy to stand in terrible testing. Yes, we will. Peter says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14). When the reviling comes, the Spirit of glory comes. It happened for Stephen as he was being stoned. It will happen for you. When the Spirit and the glory are needed, they will come.

The manna in the wilderness was given one day at a time. There was no storing up. That is the way we must depend on God’s mercy. You do not receive today the strength to bear tomorrow’s burdens. You are given mercies today for today’s troubles. 

Tomorrow the mercies will be new. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Don’t Be Like the Mule

 Don’t Be Like the Mule

Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. (Psalm 32:9)

Picture God’s people as a farmyard of all sorts of animals. God cares for his animals, he shows them where they need to go, and supplies a barn for their protection. 

But there is one beast on this animal farm that gives God an awful time, namely, the mule. He’s stupid and he’s stubborn and you can’t tell which comes first — stubbornness or stupidity.

Now the way God likes to get his animals into the barn for their food and shelter is by teaching them that they all have a personal name and then calling them by name. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8).

But the mule will not respond to that sort of direction. He is without understanding. So God gets in his pick-up truck and goes out in the field, puts the bit and bridle in the mule’s mouth, hitches it to the truck, and drags him stiff-legged and snorting all the way into the barn.

That is not the way God wants his animals to come to him for blessing and protection. 

One of these days it is going to be too late for that mule. He’s going to get clobbered with hail and struck by lightning, and when he comes running, the barn door is going to be shut. 

Therefore, don’t be like the mule. “Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle.” 

Instead, let everyone who is godly come to God in prayer at a time when he may be found (Psalm 32:6).

The way not to be a mule is to humble ourselves, to come to God in prayer, to confess our sins, and to accept, as needy little farmyard chicks, the direction of God into the barn of his protection and provision.

God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2026.

SUBJECT : OBEDIENCE TO GOD BREEDS SUCCESS!

Memory verse: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth; but you shalt meditate in 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 vs 8.) 

READ: Psalm 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 whatsoever he does shall prosper.

INTIMATION:

Only two paths of life lie before us—God’s way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction. God judges people on their faith in Him and their response to His revealed Will—His Word. Those who diligently try to obey God’s Will are blessed. These are the righteous; they are defined by their desire to seek the law of God. Their study of, and meditation on the Word of God identify them as the people of God (Second Timothy 2 vs 15). They do not simply read, but think on the things that have read. They are those whose minds are focused on godly things. Their minds are not so busied with the things of the world that they do not have time to think on God’s Word. 

The faith of the righteous is continually nourished by the Word of God (Romans 10 vs 17). God is working for the righteous. They are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots (Jeremiah 17 vs 7 - 8), and God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust. Be sure to choose God’s path because the path you choose determines how you will spend eternity.

You can learn how to follow God by meditating on His Word. This means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read. It means asking yourself how you should change so you will live as God wants. Knowing and thinking about God’s Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what He says. The more we know of the whole scope of God’s Word, the more resources we will have to guide us in our daily decisions. The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are. 

In the passage we read today, the writer begins the Psalm extolling the joy of obeying God and refusing to listen to those who discredit or ridicule Him. The phrase “whatever he does shall prosper” does not mean immunity from failure or difficulties. Nor does it guarantee health, wealth, and happiness. What the Bible means by prosperity is this: When we apply God’s wisdom, the fruit (results or by products) we bear will be good and will receive God’s approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God’s Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God’s Word in our hearts. 

God told Joshua that to succeed he must obey the rules for living found in God’s law. Often we can’t see what the results or future benefits of following God will be. When we are not certain what to do, obedience to what God has revealed in the Scriptures is the only sure step we can take. Resolve to set aside time each day to read and think about God’s Word. Remind yourself of God’s Word day and night. Act today on what you know God has said, and God will assure your success in carrying out His purposes.

God told Joshua that success and prosperity come from obeying and being controlled by Him. God said that to succeed, Joshua must (1) be strong and courageous, because the task ahead would not be easy, (2) obey God’s law, and (3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law—God’s Word. To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes—and His opinion is most important and the final.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of obedience to, and meditation on, Your Word that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Pray for His Fame

 Pray for His Fame

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)

Dozens of times Scripture says that God does things “for his name’s sake.”

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3) 

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt. (Psalm 25:11) 

He saved them for his name’s sake. (Psalm 106:8) 

For my name’s sake I defer my anger. (Isaiah 48:9) 

Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12) 

If you ask what is really moving the heart of God in all those statements (and many like them), the answer is that God delights in having his name known and honored.

The first and most important prayer that can be prayed is, “Hallowed be your name.” I used to think this is an acclamation. Like, “Hallelujah! The Lord’s name is hallowed!” But it’s not an acclamation. It’s a petition. Actually a kind of imperative or command. Lord, let it be! Cause it to be. May your name be hallowed. This is my request, my prayer. I am urging you to this: Cause people to hallow your name. Cause me to hallow your name!

God loves to have more and more people “hallow” his name. That’s why his Son teaches Christians to pray for it. In fact, Jesus makes it the very first and paramount prayer. Because this is the first and great passion of the Father.

“Lord, cause more and more people to hallow your name,” that is, esteem, admire, respect, cherish, honor, reverence, and praise your name. More and more people! So, you can see it is basically a missionary prayer.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 13, 2026.

SUBJECT: THE DUTY OF A BELIEVER TO PRAY ALWAYS!

Memory verse: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: Acts 12 vs 5 - 10:

12:5: Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

12:6: And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

12:7: Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off from his hands.

12:8: Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself, and tie on your sandals”, and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 

12:9: So he went out and followed him; and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

12:10: When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city; which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out, and went down one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.

INTIMATION:

Praying is a duty assigned to every believer. Apart from the specific functions God created us for in the body of Christ, one common function of all the members of the body is communing with our Father in prayers. Therefore, every believer ought to take their place in the duty of praying always. 

Since prayer is a common denominator for all believers, we all should develop the lifestyle of prayer. The most effective way of developing a lifestyle of prayer is praying at all times. How can anyone pray at all times? One way is to make quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Another way is to order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You don’t have to isolate yourself from other people and from daily work in order to pray constantly. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence. 

It’s wrong to think you are not called or set apart to give your life to prayer. It’s a demand on all believers in the body of Christ. And it is for this reason that Jesus said in our memory verse, ‘Men always ought to pray and not lose heart.’ The apostle Paul advised all believers thus, “Pray without ceasing.” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17). You may not have been set apart by the Spirit for other special ministries, but not in prayers, because it’s one of the only two ways (the Word and prayer) of getting acquainted with the Lord. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Peter was arrested by King Herod and put in prison after he has killed James, and saw that it pleased the Jews. It was the Easter period, and he intended to bring him to the people after Easter to be killed also. However, constant prayers was offered by the church to God. Consequently, God sent His angel to deliver him from the prison. If the church had failed in its prayer duty the King would have succeeded in his plot to kill him. 

It is noteworthy that believers need no specialized gifts to be functional in the body of Christ. The prayer duty requires no specialities. If anyone thinks that because of lack of training or for lack of one thing or the other, he or she has no place in the body of Christ, the fellow is deluded by the enemy. We all have a place, and with the place comes responsibility, and with responsibility comes a reward or demerit. Know it now that if you don't take your place in the body of Christ, and begin to function, the body of Christ is weakened.

Therefore, one duty that you will ever perform for your family, the church, all Christians, your nation, your friends, your enemies etc, is your prayer duty. Take up your responsibilities now! Do you realize that there are people who will be utterly lost unless you take your place in your prayer duty. Unless you do your part, some people will cry against you through eternity. There are men and women who are defeated and are breaking down in their businesses, homes, and spiritual lives because we haven't prayed. Or better still, because you didn't pray. You have been occupied with your pleasures and your dreams; while men and women, staggering under the burdens you should have carried are breaking down.

It is for this reason that God said in Ezekiel 22 vs 30, "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." The wall spoken of here is not made of stones, but of faithful people united in their efforts to resist evil. God is looking for us to take our places, stand in the gap for others, the nation, Church, our families and so on. He needs us to pray, to be in constant communion with Him, knowing that our requests are only made to Him through prayers. Give yourself, therefore, to meditation, prayer, and study of the Word. The most important thing in life is to be in the Will of the Lord. Life will not mean much outside the Will of God.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of prayer and supplication at all times, that I may take my place in the body of Christ, communing with You in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Talk to Your Tears

 Talk to Your Tears

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5–6)

There is nothing sad about sowing seed. It takes no more work than reaping. The days can be beautiful. There can be great hope of harvest. 

Yet the psalm speaks of sowing “in tears.” It says that someone “goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing.” So, why are they weeping?

I think the reason is not that sowing is sad, or that sowing is hard. I think the reason has nothing to do with sowing. Sowing is simply the work that has to be done, even when there are things in life that make us cry. 

The crops won’t wait while we finish our grief or solve all our problems. If we are going to eat next winter, we must get out in the field and sow the seed, whether we are crying or not.

If you do that, the promise of the psalm is that you will “reap with shouts of joy.” You will “come home with shouts of joy, bringing [your] sheaves with [you].” Not because the tears of sowing produce the joy of reaping, but because the sheer sowing produces the reaping, and you need to remember this even when your tears tempt you to give up sowing.

So, here’s the lesson: When there are simple, straightforward jobs to be done, and you are full of sadness, and tears are flowing easily, go ahead and do the jobs with tears. Be realistic. Say to your tears, “Tears, I feel you. You make me want to quit life. But there is a field to be sown (dishes to be washed, car to be fixed, sermon to be written).”

Then say, on the basis of God’s word, “Tears, I know that you will not stay forever. The very fact that I just do my work (tears and all) will in the end bring a harvest of blessing. So, go ahead and flow if you must. But I believe — though I do not yet see it or feel it fully — I believe that the simple work of my sowing will bring sheaves of harvest. And my tears will be turned to joy.”

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY APRIL 12, 2026.

SUBJECT: IDEAL ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BELIEVERS WITH UNBELIEVERS!

Memory verse: "But go and learn what it means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9 vs 13.)

READ: Mark 2 vs 15 - 17: 

2:15: Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

2:16: And when the scribes and the Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

2:17: When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

INTIMATION:

Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and no sinner is beyond His saving power. He gladly associated Himself with sinners because He loved them, and because He knew that they needed to hear what He had to say. He spent time with all manner of people—poor, rich, bad, good, etc. Therefore, as ambassadors of Christ, our ideal witnessing for Him is reaching out to those who have need for His saving grace, no matter their kind. 

We too, must befriend those who need Christ, even if they do not seem to be ideal companions. Are there people you have been neglecting because of their reputation? They may be the ones who mostly need to meet and ensure they hear the message of Christ’s love from you. 

However, this fact of ideal witnessing has inadvertently been contrasted by many with the apostle Paul’s sayings in Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 16, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols....”

Here the apostle Paul advises that believers and unbelievers cannot be joined together effectively for a common purpose, such as; business partnership, marriage, etc. This is because of the difference in their beliefs. It would be a mismatch, and such can weaken the believer’s commitment, integrity or standards, especially for new converts, and those not yet deeply rooted in Christ. 

The apostle Paul had earlier explained that this does not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers which is against Christ’s leading; “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.” (First Corinthians 5 vs 9 - 10.)

Paul even urges believers to stay with their unbelieving spouses; “But to the rest, I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (First Corinthians 7 vs 12 - 13). 

The apostle Paul made it clear that we should not disassociate ourselves from unbelievers—otherwise we could not carry our Christ’s command to tell them about salvation (Matthew 28 vs 18 - 20). Rather, we are to distance ourselves from the person who claims to be a believer, yet indulges in sins explicitly forbidden in Scriptures by rationalizing his or her actions. By rationalizing sin, a person harms others for whom Christ died and dims the image of God in himself or herself.

He wanted believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers, but they should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalty. 

Also, the apostle Paul did not want single believers to enter into marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages cannot have unity in the most important issue in life—commitment and obedience to God. Because marriage involves two people becoming one, faith may become an issue, and one spouse may have to compromise beliefs for the sake of unity. Many people discount this problem only to regret it later. Don’t allow emotion or passion to blind you with someone who will not be your spiritual partner. 

One secret of effective witnessing for God is to recognize opportunities to relate God to person’s experience. When the opportunity arises, we must have the courage to speak out, using the situation to turn attention to God. 

PRAYER: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to be an effective witness for Christ, recognizing every opportunity, and utilizing the it to speak out and to turn attention of all around me to You and Your Good News, and in doing so without boundaries, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

You Cannot Lose in the End

 You Cannot Lose in the End

“You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” (Matthew 27:65)

When Jesus was dead and buried, with a big stone rolled against the tomb, the Pharisees came to Pilate and asked for permission to seal the stone and guard the tomb.

They gave it their best shot — in vain.

It was hopeless then, it is hopeless today, and it will always be hopeless. Try as they may, people can’t keep Jesus down. They can’t keep him buried. 

It’s not hard to figure out: He can break out because he wasn’t forced in. He let himself be libeled and harassed and blackballed and scorned and shoved around and killed.

I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. (John 10:17–18) 

No one can keep him down because no one ever knocked him down. He lay down when he was ready.

When it looks like he is buried for good, Jesus is doing something awesome in the dark. “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how” (Mark 4:26–27). 

The world thinks Jesus is done for — out of the way — but Jesus is at work in the dark places. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). He let himself be buried — “no one takes [my life] from me” — and he will come out in power when and where he pleases — “I have authority to take it up again.” 

“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). Jesus has his priesthood today “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16).

For twenty centuries, the world has given it their best shot — in vain. They can’t bury him. They can’t hold him in. They can’t silence him or limit him. Jesus is alive and utterly free to go and come wherever he pleases. 

Trust him and go with him, no matter what. You cannot lose in the end.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 11, 2026.

SUBJECT : THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS!

Memory verse: "But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him." (Mark 16 vs 6.)

READ: Luke 18 vs 31 - 34:

18:31: Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man will be accomplished.

18:32: For He will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon.

18:33: They will scourge Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.

18:34: But they understood none of these things; and this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken. 

INTIMATION:

Resurrection is the state of rising from the dead with new life. The bodily resurrection of Christ is the center of the Christian faith. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history. On it, the church is built; without it, there would be no Christian church today. Jesus’ resurrection is unique. Only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died for His people, and was raised again in power and glory to rule His church forever. Jesus’ resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. The Resurrection is vitally important for many reasons.

(1) Jesus kept His promise to rise from the dead, so we can be confident, therefore, that He will accomplish all He has promised. And because Christ was raised from the dead, we know that the kingdom of heaven has broken into the earth’s history. Our world is now headed for redemption, not disaster. God’s mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and preparing us for Jesus’ second coming. 

(2) The Resurrection ensures that the ruler of God’s eternal kingdom will be the living Christ, not just an idea, hope, or dream. Jesus’ bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ is ruler of God’s eternal kingdom, not a false prophet or impostor. We are assured that Christ is alive and ruling His kingdom. He is not a legend; He is alive and real.

(3) Christ’s resurrection gives us the assurance that we also will be resurrected. We can be certain of our resurrection because He was resurrected. Death is not the end—there is a future life. Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has been conquered and we, too, will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ.  

(4) The power of God that brought Christ’s body back from the dead is available to us to bring our morally and spiritually dead selves back to life so that we can change and grow (First Corinthians 15 vs 12 - 15). We can now live for Him in an evil world. Death is no longer a source of dread or fear. Christ overcame it, and one day we will also since Christ has defeated it, and we have hope beyond the grave. The law will no longer make sinners out of us just because we cannot keep it.

(5) The Resurrection is the basis and authority for the church’s witness to the world. Jesus is more than just a human leader; He is the Son of God. We do not merely tell lessons from the life of a great teacher; we proclaim the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look at the early evangelistic sermons in the book of Acts: The apostles’ most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead. 

(6) The Resurrection gives meaning to the church’s sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Like Jesus’ followers on the Emmaus Road, we break bread with our risen Lord, who comes in power to save us. 

(7) The Resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord, the Resurrection gives us hope for the future. 

(8) God’s power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to us so that we can live for Him in an evil world.

Christians can look very different from one another, and they can hold widely varying beliefs about politics, lifestyle, and even theology. But one central belief unites and inspires all true Christians: Jesus Christ rose from the dead! 

People who hear about the Resurrection for the first time may need time before they can comprehend this amazing story. Like the disciples, they may pass through four stages of belief: (1) At first, they may think it is a fairly tale, impossible to believe. (2) Like the apostle Peter, they may check out the facts but still be puzzled about what happened. (3) Only when they encounter Jesus personally will they be able to accept the fact of the Resurrection. (4) Then, as they commit themselves to Jesus and devote their lives to serving Him, they will begin fully to understand the reality of His presence with them. 

Because Christ rose from the dead, as He promised, we know that what He said is true and that He is God. The Resurrection affirms the truthfulness of Jesus’ life and words. The Resurrection confirms Jesus’ unique authority to say, I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11 vs 25). Because He rose, we have certainty that our sins are forgiven. Because He rose, He lives and represents us before God. Because He rose and defeated death, we know we also will be raised. Christ’s resurrection guaranteed both His promise to us and His authority to make that promise. We must take Him at His word and believe. 

His resurrection proved His lordship over the material world. All who trust in Christ will also defeat death and rise again to live eternally with Him. Because Christ is spiritually supreme in the universe, surely we should give Him first place in all our thoughts and activities. And the driving power that carries missionaries around the world and sets Christ’s church in motion is the faith that comes from the Resurrection.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the power of Resurrection available to me to bring my morally and spiritually dead self back to life so that I can change and grow and live for You in this evil world. You have defeated death and has assured me of eternity with You, and I know that You who promised is faithful and will do it, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Great King’s Wine

 The Great King’s Wine

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

I have never heard anyone say, “The really deep lessons of my life have come through times of ease and comfort.” But I have heard strong saints say, “Every significant advance I have ever made in grasping the depths of God’s love and growing deep with him, has come through suffering.”

This is a sobering biblical truth. For example: “For [Christ’s] sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Paraphrase: No pain, no gain. Or:

Now let it all be sacrificed, if it will get me more of Christ. 

Here’s another example: “Although he was a son, [Jesus] learned obedience through what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The same book said he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). 

So learning obedience does not mean switching from disobedience to obedience. It means growing deeper and deeper with God in the experience of obedience. It means experiencing depths of yieldedness to God that would not have been otherwise attained. This is what came through suffering. No pain, no gain.

Samuel Rutherford said that when he was cast into the cellars of affliction, he remembered that the great King always kept his wine there. Charles Spurgeon said, “They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.”

Do you not love your beloved more when you feel some strange pain that makes you think you have cancer? We are strange creatures indeed. If we have health and peace and time to love, it can become a thin and hasty thing. But if we are dying, love becomes a deep, slow river of inexpressible joy, and we can scarcely endure to give it up.

Therefore brothers and sisters, “Count it all joy . . . when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2).

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY APRIL 10, 2026.

SUBJECT : THE BREVITY OF LIFE!

Memory verse: "Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4 vs 14.)

READ: Psalm 39 vs 4 - 6:

39:4: Lord make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.

39:5: Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You.

39:6: Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.

INTIMATION:

Life on earth is the period between birth and death. And because it has a beginning and an end, it is temporary, and not permanent. The brevity of life is a theme throughout the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The Bible is full of metaphors that teach about the brief, temporary, transient nature of life on earth. The earth is not our permanent home or final destination. We are just passing through, just visiting earth. The Bible uses terms like alien, pilgrim, foreigner, stranger, visitor, and traveler to describe our temporary and brief stay on earth. 

Ironically, people spend so much time securing their lives on earth but take little or no thought about life after here; where they will spend eternity. They are busy with the things that are temporary, but neglecting the things that are permanent. Amassing riches and busily accomplishing worldly tasks would make no difference in eternity. Few people understand that their only hope is in the Lord. The only thing that matters in eternity is your relationship with your Maker, and it is the relationship built with Him while on earth that you take to eternity. All other things you have acquired, built, accomplished and so on, are abandoned here on earth to the cares of others, and they will one day perish.

To make the best use of your life is build a superb relationship and fellowship with the Lord which is the only thing that qualifies you for eternity with Him, and your mansion in His house. Realizing that life is short helps us use the little time we have more wisely for eternal good, and don't get too attached to this world. May God help us see life on earth as He sees it. 

In First Peter 2 vs 11, the apostle Peter stated, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." As believers, we are "sojourners and pilgrims" in this world, because our real home is with God. Our true loyalty should be to our citizenship in heaven, not to our temporary stay here, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3 vs 20.) How prepared are you to receive Him at His coming?

Real believers understand that there is far more to life than just the few years we live on this earth, and that their homeland is heaven. When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about "having it all" on earth. God is very blunt about the danger of living for the here and now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us. When we flirt with the temptations of this world, God calls it spiritual adultery: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4 vs 4.)

Believers are in the world and constantly in association with the world, its standards, and circumstances. Though they are in the world, but they are not of this world (John 15 vs 19). The prince of this world is the greatest enemy of God, and by extension, our greatest enemy. "Believers are ambassadors of Christ" (Second Corinthians 5 vs 20). As an ambassador they will not be able to isolate themselves from the rulership of the prince of this world where they accomplish their ambassadorial assignment. This is because to fulfill their mission, they would have to have contact with the world.

God warned us not to get too attached to what's around us because it's temporary, "For the form of this world is passing away" (First Corinthians 7 vs 31). The cares of this world; financial security, self actualization, worldly happiness, marriage, and so on, are not the ultimate goal of life. As much as possible, we should live unhindered by the cares of this world, not getting involved in burdensome life activities that might keep us from doing God's work.

Compared with other centuries, life has never been easier for much of our world today. The advancement in technology has made life much more easier and enjoyable. We are constantly entertained, amused, and catered to. With all the fascinating attractions, mesmerizing media, and enjoyable experiences available today, it's easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is about. Only as we remember that life is a test, a trust, and a temporary assignment will the appeal of these things lose their grip on our lives. 

Life is short no matter how long we live. Be conscious of the two divides in eternity—heaven and hell. Take time to evaluate your life and days on this earth by asking, “Where do I want to be in eternity?” “What do I want to see happen in my life before I die? What small step could I take toward that purpose today?” If you want to be with the Lord, deal with an undisciplined area in your life, and tell someone about Jesus. Because life is short, don’t neglect what is truly important.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to be eternity conscious, and not be consumed in seeking after the cares of the world that are seen, but focus on the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

What Is Well-Placed Shame?

 What Is Well-Placed Shame?

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. (Romans 6:20–21)

When a Christian’s eyes are opened to the God-dishonoring evil of his former behavior, the Christian rightly feels ashamed. Paul says to the Roman church, “When you were slaves of sin . . . what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed?”

There is a proper place for looking back and feeling the twinge of pain that we once lived in a way that was so belittling to God. To be sure, we are not to be paralyzed by dwelling on this. But a sensitive Christian heart cannot think back on the follies of youth and not feel echoes of shame, even if we have settled it all with the Lord. 

Well-placed shame can be very healthy and redemptive. Paul said to the Thessalonians, “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed” (2 Thessalonians 3:14). This means that shame is a proper and redemptive step in conversion, and even in a believer’s repentance from a season of spiritual coldness and sin. Shame is not something to be avoided at all costs. There is a place for it in God’s good dealings with his people.

We can conclude that the biblical criterion for misplaced shame and for well-placed shame is radically God-centered. 

The biblical criterion for misplaced shame says, Don’t feel shame for something that honors God, no matter how weak or foolish or wrong it makes you look in the eyes of other people. Or another way to apply this God-centered criterion of misplaced shame: don’t feel shame because of a truly shameful situation unless you are in some way participating in the evil. 

The biblical criterion for well-placed shame says, Do feel shame for having a hand in anything that dishonors God, no matter how strong or wise or right it makes you look in the eyes of others.

The reason we should feel shame is disapproval for behavior that dishonors God. The reason we should not feel shame is behavior that honors God, even if people try to shame you for it.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY APRIL 09, 2026.

SUBJECT: MONEY AND THE LOVE OF MONEY!

Memory verse: "For the love of money is the root of all kind 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.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 19 - 24:

6:19: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal:

6:20: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal:

6:21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

6:22: The light of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

6:23: But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

6:24: No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will be loyal to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

INTIMATION:

I know that money is a sore subject that a lot of people want to avoid, but in my considered opinion, learning how God views money is basic Christianity. The importance of this subject is reflected in how much the Bible teaches about it. The Bible has more to say about money than most Bible doctrines like heaven and hell or faith and prayer. The influence of money in our lives is very real, so it isn't surprising that Jesus taught more on the subject of money than any other single topic like prayer and faith. 

In the anchor Scripture we read today, the apostle Paul used money and people's attitude toward money to reveal their hearts. Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. It is ideal that we make wise use of the money opportunities we have toward realizing our eternal inheritance in Christ. For instance, if we use our money to help those in need or to help others find Christ, our earthly investment will bring eternal benefit. Heaven's riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. When we obey God’s Will, the unselfish use of possessions will follow.

It's a common scenario in our present time to see those who love money take exception to the Lord's teaching on money. We are in the age that measures people's worth by how much money they have. God doesn't operate by the world's value system, and it's more important for us to understand how God's financial system works. 

Jesus says that we can have only one master. We live in a materialistic society where many people serve money. They spend all their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind, and would not know what happens to all that wealth thereafter. For many, their desire for money and what it can buy far outweigh their commitment to God and spiritual matters. 

Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. If you store up your treasures in heaven, definitely your thoughts will be heavenly bound. Don’t fall into the materialistic trap of busy pursuing after money to acquire wealth because “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Many who chase after money, to be rich at all cost, fall into temptations, traps, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition, thereby piercing themselves through with many sorrows. 

Scriptures recognize that money is necessary for survival, but it warns against the love of money. Money is not evil. What is evil is the materialistic heart that is obsessed with obtaining it. In some people’s desire to satisfy their thirst for wealth, they have marginalized their relationships with friends, family, others, and even God. The sorrows that they produced through their striving to be rich manifest the error of the greedy motives of their hearts. If one sacrifices his or her good works in relationships because he or she has no time for others as a result of running after riches, then his or her spiritual life is void of the very foundation of the community of God. 

Money is a hard master, a deceptive and dangerous one. It is dangerous because it deceives us into thinking that wealth is the easiest way to get everything we want. It is so deceptive that it can take God's place in one's life. Most people will trust in money rather than God to solve their problems. This is sinful, and those who pursue its empty promises will one day discover that they have nothing because they are spiritually bankrupt. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made, and lost overnight, and it is noteworthy that no amount of money can assure one of good health, happiness, or eternal life.

Jesus made it clear that having the wrong treasures leads to our hearts being in the wrong place. What we treasure the most controls us, whether we admit it or not. If possessions or money become too important to us, we must re-establish control or get rid of unnecessary acquisition of riches. Jesus calls for a decision that allows us to live contentedly with whatever we have because we have chosen eternal values over temporary, earthly treasures. Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth.

Always aspire to a spiritual vision of money, that is, visualizing it from God’s perspective. Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants us to do and to see the world from his point of view. But this spiritual insight can be easily be clouded. Self-serving desires, interests, and goals block that vision. Serving God is the best way to restore it. A ‘good’ eye is one that is fixed on God.

Money can become our master. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? (1) Do you think or worry about it frequently? (2) Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? (3) Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? (4) Is it hard for you to give money away? (5) Are you in debt? A sincere answer to these questions will reveal truly your attitude toward money. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are above all things and by You all things consist. My most sincere aspiration is to love You and adore You above all things. My utmost heart desire is to serve You our Creator, and not serve Your creation. Nothing can ever take first place in my life, and nothing other than You will I serve, rather they will serve me as I serve You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Talk to God, Not Just About Him

 Talk to God, Not Just About Him

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4)

The form of the 23rd psalm is instructive.

In Psalm 23:1–3 David refers to God as “he”: 

The Lord is my shepherd . . .

he makes me lie down . . .

he leads me . . .

he restores my soul.

Then in verses 4 and 5 David refers to God as “you”: 

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me.

You anoint my head with oil.

Then in verse 6 he switches back:

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord.

The lesson we can learn from this form is that it is good not to talk very long about God without talking to God. 

Every Christian is at least an amateur theologian — that is, a person who tries to understand the character and ways of God and then put that into words. If we aren’t little theologians, then we won’t ever say anything to each other, or to God, about God, and will be of very little real help to each other’s faith.

But what I have learned from David in Psalm 23 and other psalms is that I should interweave my theology with prayer. I should frequently interrupt my talking about God by talking to God. 

Not far behind the theological sentence, “God is generous,” should come the prayerful sentence, “Thank you, God, for your generosity.”

On the heels of, “God is glorious,” should come, “I adore your glory.”

This is the way it must be, if we are feeling God’s reality in our hearts as well as thinking it in our heads and describing it with our lips.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY APRIL 08, 2026.

SUBJECT: THE SIN OF EVIL DESIRES!

Memory verse: "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (First Timothy 6 vs 9.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 27 - 30:

5:27: You have heard that it was said by those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

5:28: But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

5:29: If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from you; for it is profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

5:30: And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

INTIMATION:

A desire is a craving or longing for something. Some desires are evil or sinful and is frequently translated as “lust.” Some desires are good. For instance, the apostle Paul had the good desire to be with Christ; “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1 vs 23). Just as the Lord’s desire concerning the last Passover with His apostles; “Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22 vs 15.)

For evil desires, or inordinate affections, the apostle Paul says, such should not be tolerated by believers because, “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.” (Galatians 5 vs 24.) When we accept Christ as our Savior, we need to turn from our sinful ways and willingly nail our sinful nature to the cross. This doesn’t mean, however, that we will never see traces of its evil desires again. As Christians we still have the capacity to sin and sometimes sin, but we have been set free from sin’s power over us and no longer have to give in to it. We must daily commit our sinful tendencies to God’s control, daily crucify them, and moment by moment draw on the Spirit’s power to overcome them. 

“Lust” is a devilish desire. Jesus said “lust” is as good as the “deed” itself. For instance, the Old Testament law says that it is wrong for a person to have sex with someone other than his or her spouse (Exodus 20 vs 14). But Jesus said that the desire to have sex with someone other than your spouse is mental adultery and thus sin. Jesus was emphasizing here that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. In the passage we read today, Jesus is condemning the deliberate and repeated filling of one’s mind with fantasies that would be evil if acted upon. Therefore, desires that will lead you to wrongdoing should not be accommodated. 

Some people may desire to be rich, which in itself, is not wrong or evil, but the desire to be rich at all costs will definitely build up ideas in their minds that will expose them to temptations, snares, and many foolish things that are harmful and destructive. For instance, somebody might desire to make wealth by all means, and will be harboring stealing, money rituals, or obtaining by false pretenses, and if such desires are acted upon, the person may be committing murder, and other heinous crimes that are evil in themselves. 

Sinful actions are more dangerous than sinful desires, hence desires should not be acted out. Nevertheless, sinful desires are just as damaging to obedience as the actions proper. Left unchecked, wrong desires will result in wrong actions and turn people away from God.

Jesus was speaking figuratively when He said you should get rid of your hand or your eyes, He didn’t mean literally to gouge our your eyes, because even a blind person can lust. But if that were the only choice, it would be better to go into heaven without eyes or hands than to go to hell with the two. It takes the help of the Holy Spirit to resist any actions on our evil desires. The world is full of enticements. Daily we are confronted with subtle cultural pressures and overt propaganda. The only way to escape these destructive influences is to ask God to help crucify our interest in them.

Evil acts begin with evil desires. It isn’t enough to ask God to keep you away from temptation, make you stronger, or change your circumstances. You must ask Him to change you on the inside—at level of your desires. The Scripture says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4 vs 23.) We should keep our hearts with all diligence, making sure we concentrate on those desires that will keep us on the right path. Make sure your affections push you in the right direction. 

Put boundaries on your desires: Don’t go after everything you see. And don’t get sidetracked on detours that lead to temptation. “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things that are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things that pure, whatever things that lovely, whatever things that are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4 vs 8.)

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to put boundaries on my desires, to concentrate on those desires that will keep me on the right path of obedience to You in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!