Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 27, 2026.

SUBJECT: PLUGGING INTO THE POWER SOURCE!

Memory verse: “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6 vs 10.)

READ: Ephesians 6 vs 10 - 11; 14 - 17:

6:10: Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

6:11: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:14: Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

6:15: and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

6:16: above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

6:17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

INTIMATION:

God Himself is the source of all power, peace and victory. He is All-powerful and All-knowing. And it is through the things of God—the things we do in fellowship with God—that plugs us into the Source of power. If there is anything the devil tries to do, is to keep people out of fellowship with the Lord. Satan knows that once you are connected to the source of divine power, it is finished for him.

Do you know what happens when you spend quality time with God? You begin to act like David when he faced the giant Goliath. You begin to take a bold stand, and confront the enemy and ask as David asked, "Who do you think you are to defy the army of the living God?" (First Samuel 17 vs 26.) As soldiers of the Cross, you and I are not supposed to be afraid of our enemy, the devil. Instead, we are to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” When the spirit of fear comes along, rather than shaking like a leaf, we are to be bold as a lion, and remind the devil that "God has not given us the spirit if fear but of power, love and a sound mind" (Second Timothy 1 vs 7).

The devil comes against those who are doing damage to his kingdom, those who are doing something for God. How then do we withstand the devil? By girding on the full armor of God, taking the shield of faith, by which we can quench his fiery darts, and by wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6 vs 14 - 17.) But all of that armor, and all of those weapons come from spending time in fellowship with the Lord; “praying always....” (verse 18).

Being strong in the Lord, as we are instructed in Ephesians 6 vs 10, is being strong in fellowship with God—praying without ceasing. Then verse 11 goes on to say, “Put on the whole armor of God.” Only after being strengthened in fellowship can we properly wear the armor. Fellowship with the Lord is what ensures a victorious and peaceful Christian life. Salvation is not based on your fellowship—it is based on the blood of Jesus, and your believe and confession of Christ Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. But without fellowship with God, you will struggle the entire time you are here on this earth as a Christian, even though you will be saved because your name is in the Book of life.

It does not mean that you will be in a room with God all the time. If you will give twenty or thirty minutes of sleep in the morning in order to get up early and seek His face, God will honor that sacrifice. If you are willing to turn off the television for thirty minutes in the evening and spend some time in fellowship with the Lord, you will be richly rewarded. However, God is a Loving Father, He will not require more of you than what you are able to give Him. He is not an ogre who is out to make you miserable. He just knows what you need in order to have that abundant, enjoyable, victorious life. He also knows that it doesn't come from methods, but from Him.

When you fellowship with the Lord, you learn to quickly follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. However, you should come apart with the Lord (fellowship with the Lord in prayer) privately, before you come apart publicly. Spend time with God so you can remain stable as you deal with the daily affairs of life. Jesus, during His earth walk, has always isolated Himself most nights to fellowship with the Father, before coming apart publicly in the day, with inexplainable but undeniable powers.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of prayer and supplication without ceasing, that I may be in constant fellowship with You, and have the grace—the power of the Holy Spirit—to meet my needs in all life’s circumstances, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Authentic vs. Phony Faith

 Authentic vs. Phony Faith

Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

The question before us all is: Are we included in the “many” whose sins Christ bore? And will we be saved at his second coming? 

The answer of Hebrews 9:28 is, “Yes,” if we are “eagerly waiting for him.” We can know that our sins are taken away and that we will be safe in the judgment, if we trust Christ in such a way that it makes us eager for his coming.

There is a phony faith that claims to believe in Christ, but is only a fire insurance policy. Phony faith “believes” only to escape hell. It has no real desire for Christ. In fact, it would prefer if he did not come, so that we can have as much of this world’s pleasures as possible. This shows that a heart is not with Christ, but with the world.

So, the issue for us is: Do we eagerly long for the coming of Christ? Or do we want him to stay away, while our love affair with the world runs its course? That is the question that tests the authenticity of faith.

Let us be like the Corinthians as we “wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7), and like the Philippians whose “citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

That’s the issue for us. Do we love his appearing? Or do we love the world and hope that his appearing will not interrupt our plans? Eternity hangs on this question.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 26, 2026.

SUBJECT: LIFE WITHOUT GOD’S GRACE IS FULL OF STRIVE!

Memory verse: "But by the grace of God I am whatsleep, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (First Corinthians 15 vs 10)   

READ: Psalm 127 vs 1 - 2: 

127:1: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

127:2: It is vain for you to rise early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

INTIMATION:

A life without the grace of God is a disgrace. I hear people say things like; "I am confused; I really don't know what is happening to me; Nothing seems to be working in my life; I don't know what I have done that God has turned His back on me; on and on." All these are strife, discord, conflicts and wars going on within their own selves.

How does these disturbances get started within us? They are started when we make the mistake of leaving God out of our lives. When we do, all our accomplishments will be futile. We know that the aforementioned conditions are not God's Will for us because His thoughts for us is for good and not of evil (Jeremiah 29 vs 11). 

The Lord does not want His children to live in the midst of a constant interior war, but rather in His kingdom. Though, the nature of this world in which we live is full of toiling, striving, and turmoil, but it is not the nature of the kingdom of God that is within us (Luke 17 vs 21); “for the kingdom of God righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14 vs 17).

Jesus said that the kingdom of God is within us, not like an earthly kingdom with geographical boundaries. Instead, it begins with the work of God's Spirit in our lives and relationships. The Spirit, with His work, produces the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5 vs 22 - 23.) 

It’s the grace of God (the power of God) expressed in us through the work of the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit of the Spirit which are the character traits of Jesus Christ. They are the by-product of Christ’s control, and we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without the grace of God.

One reason you and I came to Christ in the first place is because we want to escape all that kind of endless strife and conflict. That is why we became citizens of the Kingdom of God. As followers of Jesus Christ, that is our heritage. Why is it, then, that so many of us who truly love God, who are going to heaven, who are called according to His divine purpose, still spend our earthly existence in the midst of what we are trying so desperately to escape from? What is the source of this strife? Where does it originate?

For instance, God wants our spouse and our children to be saved. We know that is His Will for us because He has said in His Word that He desires that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (First Timothy 2 vs 4). Yet you and I can get frustrated and cause all kinds of misery for ourselves and others if we go about trying to get them saved by our own human efforts, forgetting that no one can come to Christ except It has been granted to him by God the Father (John 6 vs 65), or he is drawn to Christ by the Father (John 6 vs 44).

It is certainly God's Will for us to live holy lives, but I can't tell you how much conflict I caused in my life trying to be holy. I wanted to do all things right, but I went about getting them done the wrong ways. That is what apostle James is warning us about in James 4 vs 1 - 3: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” 

The apostle James tells us that all these negative things arise from the sensual desires that are ever warring in our members. Do you know that you and I can get into conflict by wanting something that is clearly God's Will for us, if we try to get it by our own effort? If we go about trying to get it in the wrong way, we will only produce strife and war and conflict within us.

He is saying that strife and conflict arise within us because our desires, even our righteous desires, are warring in our bodily members because we want to achieve them by our own efforts outside the grace of God, and that is impossible. 

The apostle Paul, the greatest of all the apostles, found himself in this feud of wanting to achieve by his own power, and failing woefully. He then confessed; "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7 vs 24 - 25). It’s only in the grace of God (power of God) can he achieve the life he desires. Cut off from Christ you can do nothing!

In our memory vest the apostle Paul wrote of working harder than the other apostles. This was not an arrogant boast, because he knew that his power came from God and that it really didn't matter who worked hardest. Because of his prominent position as a Pharisee, Paul's conversion made him the object of even greater persecution than the other apostles; thus, he had to work harder to preach the same message. The calling of Paul into apostleship illustrates the work of God through His grace. 

Prayer: Abba Father, by my strength I cannot achieve my heart desires, especially in serving and obeying You appropriately. Give me the grace to be able to accomplish that which is deserving of me in my service to You and others, and make my boast in Christ who strengthens me to achieve, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Strength to Wait with Patience

 Strength to Wait with Patience

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. (Colossians 1:11)

“Strengthened” is the right word. The apostle Paul prayed for the church at Colossae, that they would be “strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience” (Colossians 1:11). Patience is the evidence of an inner strength. 

Impatient people are weak, and therefore dependent on external supports — like schedules that go just right and circumstances that support their fragile hearts. Their outbursts of oaths and threats and harsh criticisms of the culprits who crossed their plans do not sound weak. But that noise is all a camouflage of weakness. Patience demands tremendous inner strength. 

For the Christian, this strength comes from God. That is why Paul is praying for the Colossians. He is asking God to empower them for the patient endurance that the Christian life requires. But when he says that the strength of patience is “according to [God’s] glorious might” he doesn’t just mean that it takes divine power to make a person patient. He means that faith in this “glorious might” is the channel through which the power for patience comes.

Patience is indeed a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), but the Holy Spirit empowers (with all his fruit) through “hearing with faith” (Galatians 3:5). Therefore Paul is praying that God would connect us with the “glorious might” that empowers patience. And that connection is faith.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MOMDAY MAY 25, 2026.

SUBJECT : OUR MISSION ON EARTH! 

Memory verse: "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 18.)

READ: Matthew 28 vs 19 - 20; Mark 16 vs 15:

Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

28:20: teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Mark 16:15: Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

INTIMATION:

You are made, saved, and called for a mission. The earth is an extension of God's kingdom. From creation God has been at work in the world. He created the angels and other heavenly beings to join Him in His work in heaven, and for special missions on earth. He created us to join Him in His work on earth. The aspect of the work He has employed you to join Him is called your mission. God wants you, as a saved soul, to have both a ministry in the Body of Christ and a mission in the world. Your ministry is your service to believers, and your mission is your service to the rest of the world.

The english word 'mission' comes from the Latin word for 'sending.' Being a Christian includes being sent into the world as a representative of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you. (John 20 vs 21.) Your mission in life is both shared and specific. One part of it is a responsibility you share with every other Christian, and the other part is an assignment that is unique to you. The mission that Christ called us to is called “The Great Commission,” which was given to all followers of Christ, not just pastors and missionaries alone. This mission given to us by Jesus is mandatory, and to ignore it is disobedience.

Jesus clearly understood His life mission on earth. At age twelve He said, "I must be about My Father's business." (Luke 2 vs 49), and twenty-one years later, dying on the cross, He said, "It is finished." John 19 vs 30.) Like the bookends these two statements frame a well-lived, and purposeful life. Jesus completed the mission the Father gave Him. The mission Jesus had while on earth is now our mission because we are the Body of Christ. What He did in His physical body we are to continue as His spiritual body—the church. 

Our mission, therefore, is introducing people to God! Christ changed us from enemies into His friends and gave us the task of making others His friends also. Because we have been reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to do the same. God wants to redeem human beings from Satan and reconcile them to Himself so we can fulfill the five purposes He created us for: to love Him, to be part of His family, to become like Him, to serve Him, and to tell others about Him. 

Once we are His, God uses us to reach others. He saves us and then sends us out. The Bible says, "We are ambassadors of Christ." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 20.) We are the messengers of God's love and purposes to the world, and imploring others, on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled to God. All believers are the ambassadors of Christ. We are messengers and agents of Christ mandated to continue the work He started. Jesus did two things with us; He called us to Himself, and commissioned us to go for Him. This mission given to us by Christ is so significant that He repeated it five times; in five different ways, and in five different books of the Bible. The emphasis connotes how important and demanding of us it is to Christ. 

You may have been unaware that God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you. The Bible, in Ezekiel 3 vs 18, says, "When I say to a wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand." We are responsible to tell others about God's judgement and His message of salvation, although we are not held responsible for how they respond. But if we refuse to tell others what we know, God will judge us. Therefore, remember God's words to Ezekiel when you are tempted to remain silent among those who don't believe.

The pertinent questions you should ask, and the answers to them are; (1) When do you go? Now! (2) Where do you go? To the world beginning with where you are now. (3) Why do you go? Because it is mandatory to tell others about Christ, sharing your own experience and knowledge of Him, and (4) How do you do the work? Witnessing for Christ, preaching the gospel of repentance and remission of sins, ensuring that those who believed are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to do everything Jesus said we should do.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the privilege of calling me to the mission of reconciling others to You. Give me the grace to be committed to this mission with great zeal, preaching the Good News to all, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God’s Design in Detours

 God’s Design in Detours

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

Have you ever wondered what God is doing while you are looking in the wrong place for something you lost and needed very badly? He knows exactly where it is, and yet he is letting you look in the wrong place.

I once needed a quote for a new edition of my book Desiring God. I knew I had read it in Richard Wurmbrand. I thought it was in his devotional book, Reaching Toward the Heights. I could almost see it on the right hand side of the facing pages. But I couldn’t find it. 

But while I was looking, I was riveted on his devotional for November 30. As I read it, I said, “This is why the Lord let me keep looking for my quote in the ‘wrong’ place.” Here was a story that illustrated perfectly that nothing is wasted that we do in the name of Jesus — nothing, not even looking for a quote in the wrong place. Here’s what I read:

In a home for retarded children, Catherine was nurtured twenty years. The child had been [mentally handicapped] from the beginning, and had never spoken a word, but only vegetated. She either gazed quietly at the walls or made distorted movements. To eat, to drink, to sleep, were her whole life. She seemed not to participate at all in what happened around her. A leg had to be amputated. The staff wished Cathy well and hoped that the Lord would soon take her to Himself.

One day the doctor called the director to come quickly. Catherine was dying. When both entered the room, they could not believe their senses. Catherine was singing Christian hymns she had heard and had picked up, just those suitable for death beds. She repeated over and over again the German song, “Where does the soul find its fatherland, its rest?” She sang for half an hour with transfigured face, then she passed away quietly. (Taken from The Best Is Still to Come, Wuppertal: Sonne und Shild)

Is anything that is done in the name of Christ really wasted? 

My frustrated, futile search for what I thought I needed was not wasted. Singing to this disabled child was not wasted. And your agonizing, unplanned detour is not a waste — not if you look to the Lord for his unexpected work, and do everything in his name (Colossians 3:17).

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 24, 2026.

SUBJECT: A LOVELESS LIFE IS WORTHLESS! 

Memory verse: "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (First Corinthians 13 vs 3.)

READ: First Corinthians 13 vs 1 - 8:

13:1: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

13:2: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

13:3: And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

13:4: Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

13:5: does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

13:6: does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

13:7: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

13:8: Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

INTIMATION:

Life without love is worthless, purposeless, and godless. We are often preoccupied with our own self, and act as if relationships are something to be squeezed into our schedule. We think always that we are doing others favor by loving them. But that is wrong, instead we are doing ourselves the favor of walking in the command of God to fulfill His law. 

We talk about finding time for our children or making out time for people in our lives. That gives the impression that relationships are just part of our lives along with many other tasks. But God says relationships are what life is all about. Four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the other six deal with our relationships with people. But all ten are about relationships! We might say it is in Old Testament laws, but Jesus summarized what matters most to God in two statements: love God and love people: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22 vs 37 - 40.)

Jesus said that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep all the “Ten Commandments.” The best tact to deal with this is rather than worrying about all we should not do, we should concentrate on all we can do to love for God and others. After learning to love God, learning to love others is the second purpose of our lives. Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life. Now you know this, why will you allow relationships to get the short end of the stick in your life? When our schedules become overloaded, and overcrowded, we start skimming relationally, cutting back on giving the time, energy, and attention that loving relationships require. What is most important to God is displaced by what's urgent to you. 

Busyness is the greatest enemy to relationships. We become preoccupied with making a living, doing our work, paying bills, and accomplishing goals as if these tasks are the point of life. They are not. The point of life is learning to love God and people. Life minus love equals zero.

Our society confuses Love and lust. Unlike lust, God’s kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is impossible to have this love unless God helps us set aside our own natural desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return. 

God is love, and a source of our love. He loved us enough to sacrifice His Son for us. Jesus is our example of what it means to love; everything He did in life and death was supremely loving. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to love; He lives in our heart and make us more and more like Christ. God’s Love always involve a choice and an action, and our love should be like His.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are love, and I know You. My utmost heart desire is to live a life hinged on Your greatest commandments--to love You and others. Endue me with the excellent spirit of love, that I may be worthy to be called Your Son, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Bedrock of Your Assurance

 The Bedrock of Your Assurance

God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

The Bible speaks of our election — God’s choosing us — in Christ before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:4) before we had done anything good or evil (Romans 9:11). Therefore, our election is unconditional in the strictest sense. Neither our faith nor our obedience is the basis of it. It is free and utterly undeserved. 

On the other hand, dozens of passages in the Bible speak of our final salvation (as opposed to our election in eternity past) as conditional upon a changed heart and life. So, the question arises, How can I have the assurance that I will persevere in the faith and holiness necessary for inheriting eternal life?

The answer is that assurance is rooted in our election. Second Peter 1:10 says, “Be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” Divine election is the foundation of God’s commitment to save me, and therefore that he will undertake to work in me by sanctifying grace what his electing grace has begun.

This is the meaning of the new covenant. Everyone who believes in Jesus is a secure beneficiary of the new covenant, because Jesus said in Luke 22:20, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” That is, by my blood I secure the new covenant for all who are mine.

In the new covenant God does not merely command obedience; he gives it. “The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes” (Ezekiel 36:27; cf. 11:20). Those are new covenant promises.

Election is God’s eternal commitment to do this for his people. So, election guarantees that those whom God justifies by faith he will most assuredly glorify (Romans 8:30). This means that he will unfailingly work in us all the conditions laid down for glorification.

Election is the final ground of assurance because, since it is God’s commitment to save, it is also God’s commitment to enable all that is necessary for salvation.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MAY 23, 2026.

SUBJECT : HAVE GOOD THOUGHTS ALWAYS!

Memory verse: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4 vs 8.)

READ: Proverbs 4 vs 23 - 27:

4:23: Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it springs the issues of life.

4:24: Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.

4:25: Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.

4:26: Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.

4:27: Do not turn to the right or to the left: remove your foot from evil.

INTIMATION:

Whatever you choose to fill your mind with will affect the way you think and act. A mind filled with good things has little or no space for what is evil. An evil action begins with a single thought. Allowing our minds to dwell on lust, envy, hatred, jealousy, revenge, and other negative thoughts will lead to sin. Don’t defile yourself by focusing on evil. It is a dangerous emotion that always threatens to leap out of control, leading to violence, emotional hurt, increased mental stress, and spiritual damage. Instead, think of what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Turn your thoughts to God, His Word, and good thoughts, and you will discover more and more goodness, even in this evil world. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul lists the things upon which Christians must meditate. He exhorts believers to bring their minds into control. They must focus on that which is true (Ephesians 4 vs 25). They must focus on that which is noble (Second Corinthians 8 vs 21). They must concentrate on that which is right (First Thessalonians 5 vs 22; James 3 vs 17). They must keep their minds on the pure, lovely, and admirable things of life (First Corinthians 13 vs 4 - 7). If one will only meditate on these things, then his thoughts will be optimistic about life. 

There is no room in the Christian mentality for pessimistic thinking. When one understands that all things are under the control of God who can do all things, then he or she sees the best things of life. His or her focus is on that which is good and after the nature of God who is working all things together for good to them who love Him, and to them who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8 vs 28). This is the life about which Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10 vs 10). 

What you put into your mind determines what comes out in your words and actions. Program our mind with thoughts that are true, noble, right, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. If you have problems with impure thoughts and daydreams, then examine what you are putting into your mind through television, internet, books, conversations, movies, and magazines. Replace harmful input with wholesome material. Above all, read God’s word and pray. Ask God to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure. It takes practice, but it can be done.

The apostle Paul manifested in his life a positive view of all things. He thus exhorts believers to follow the demeanor of his life (First Corinthians 11 vs 1). The brief time he had with brethren in Philippi was enough for them to recognize the godly nature of his behavior and spirit. They were to follow his response to the work of God in his life (First Thessalonians 5 vs 22). 

As a person thinks in his heart, so he eventually behaves. One must thoroughly examine his heart in order to bring every evil thought under control. In order to maintain the way of righteousness, one must be on guard. 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? When people become Christians, God makes them different on the inside. He will continue the process of change inside them if they only ask. God wants us to have healthy thoughts and motives, not just healthy bodies. 

A man attended a funeral, and people were busy discussing the late man’s attitudes and behaviors. Then the man was called up to say something about the diseased. The man looked around and said, “I will never forget how the late man laughs.” He said that to avoid making any negative comments or fill his mind with negative thoughts. This should be a model of our thought process, knowing that we should give account of every single word we speak to the Lord in the day of judgement (Matthew 12 vs 36). 

Prayer: Abba Father, l know Your thoughts for me; they of good, and not for evil. Give me the grace to think good thoughts like You in every circumstance, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

Is Christ Worth It?

 Is Christ Worth It?

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26–27)

Jesus is unashamed and unafraid of telling us up front the “worst” — the painful cost of being a Christian: hating family (verse 26), carrying a cross (verse 27), renouncing possessions (verse 33). There is no small print in the covenant of grace. It is all big, and bold. No cheap grace! Very costly! Come, and be my disciple.

But Satan hides his worst and shows only his best. All that really matters in the deal with Satan is in small print on the back page.

On the front page in big, bold letters are the words, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4), and “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). But on the back page in small print — so small you can only read it with the magnifying glass of the Bible — it says, “And after the fleeting pleasures, you will suffer with me forever in hell.”

Why is Jesus willing to show us his “worst” as well as his best, while Satan will only show us his best? Matthew Henry answers, “Satan shows the best, but hides the worst, because his best will not [counterbalance] his worst; but Christ’s will abundantly.”

The call of Jesus is not just a call to suffering and self-denial; it is first a call to a banquet. This is the point of the parable in Luke 14:16–24. Jesus also promises a glorious resurrection where all the losses of this life will be repaid (Luke 14:14). He also tells us that he will help us endure the hardships (Luke 22:32). He also tells us our Father will give us the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). He promises that even if we are killed for the kingdom, “not a hair of your head will perish” (Luke 21:18).

Which means that when we sit down to calculate the cost of following Jesus — when we weigh the “worst” and the “best” — he is worth it. Abundantly worth it (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17). 

Not so with Satan. Stolen bread is sweet, but afterward the mouth is full of gravel (Proverbs 20:17).

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY MAY 22, 2026.

SUBJECT : FORGIVENESS BEGETS FORGIVENESS!

Memory verse: "Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." (Colossians 3 vs 13.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 12; 14 - 15; Mark 11 vs 25 - 26:

Matthew 6:12: And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

6:14: For If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

6:15: But If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:25: And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

11:26: But If you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

INTIMATION:

Forgiveness is to pardon; to acquit of sin. Forgiveness is an expression of love. When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, one of the things He told them to say was, "And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that has sinned against us." That is to say, ‘Lord forgive us, just the way we forgive others. Don't forgive us when we don't forgive others.’

When we don’t forgive others, we are denying our common ground as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. It’s easy to ask God for forgiveness but difficult to grant it to others. Whenever we ask God to forgive us our sin, we should first ask ourselves, “Have I forgiven the people who have wronged me?”

If we document other people's sins against us, then the Lord will document ours also, if we desire their hurt, He will desire our hurt also. So, when you don't forgive those who have offended you, your sins also remain unforgiven. Until your sins are forgiven, you don't have any fellowship or prayer access to God. 

The key to forgiving others is remembering how much God has forgiven you. Realizing God’s infinite love and forgiveness should help you love and forgive others. Is it difficult for you to forgive someone who has wronged you a little when God had forgiven you so much? Forgive those who have wronged you, and let God worry about the wrongs you have suffered. 

Many have been crying in all manner of prayers, fasting and vigils, yet God hasn't heard them because they are holding back the sins of others in their hearts. You probably may have told your offender, "I have forgiven you, it is all over." But it is not over yet in your heart. And because the Bible says in Psalm 66 vs 18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me," your prayers go unheard. 

You may pray as long as you like, remain on your knees all the days of your life and fast as many days as possible, if you have imprisoned somebody in your heart through unforgiveness, you will never have a breakthrough, because the Scriptures cannot be broken. Love is your vital link to God, and the foundation stones of the altar of your heart relationship with God. There is a future in forgiveness. Let love flow from your heart to everyone and you will see God step into the affairs of your life.

It is spiritual foolishness to live with unforgiveness; the cost is too high. It is one of the traps of the devil to make you lose favor with God. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 18 vs 23 - 35, likening the kingdom of heaven to forgiveness; A king had a servant who owed him and was unable to pay. The king wanted to sell him and members of his household to recover his money. But when the servant begged the king, he was moved with compassion, and he forgave him the debt.

But that same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him, and seized him by the throat, insisted he must pay him. His fellow servant begged him, but he refused and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. His master got the wind of what he did and was very angry. And since he was not able to be compassionate to his fellow servant who owed him, his master delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

When God forgives you your sins but later sees the way you are tormenting somebody who has offended you, He will bring your records out again and deal with you. Forgiveness brings you into eternal friendship with Jesus and gives you access to heaven's hotline. Until you free that man or woman, God will not hear your cry of affliction. That man might have really cheated you, and that woman insulted you terribly, but let him go! Let her go! Until the love foundation is in place, effectual prayer is impossible.

Watch any person who walks in hatred, malice and unforgiveness, the person's life keeps drying up. And because the person has no access to God's favor, he or she is a cheap prey to the devil. Your expression of love for your fellow human is the authentic prove of your salvation. 

Examine yourself, to see if there is anywhere your altar has been broken down by unforgiveness, and plead for the mercy of God for restoration. Rededicate your life to God and be determined never to be found doing what displeases Him. That long-awaited answer to your prayers will be delivered to you now, in Jesus' name!

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of forgiveness, and love for one another, that I may be able to have eternal fellowship with You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Jesus Knows His Sheep

 Jesus Knows His Sheep“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them.” (John 10:27)

Jesus knows those who are his. What is this knowledge?

John 10:3 is a close parallel to John 10:27. It says, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” 

So, when Jesus says, “I know them,” this means at least that he knows them by name; that is, he knows them individually and intimately. They are not anonymous, lost in the flock. 

John 10:14–15 provides another insight: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.”

There is a real similarity between the way Jesus knows his Father in heaven and the way he knows his sheep. Jesus sees himself in the Father, and he sees himself in his disciples. 

To some degree Jesus recognizes his own character in his disciples. He sees his own brand mark on the sheep. This endears them to him.

He is like a husband waiting for his wife at the airport, watching as each person disembarks from the plane. When she appears, he knows her, he recognizes her features, he sees in her eyes a happy reflection of his own love. He delights in her. She is the only one he embraces. 

The apostle Paul puts it like this: “God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’” (2 Timothy 2:19).

It is hard to overemphasize what a tremendous privilege it is to be known personally, intimately, lovingly by the Son of God. It is a precious gift to all his sheep, and it contains within it profound, personal fellowship and affection and the promise of eternal life.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 21, 2026.

SUBJECT: HOW TO WALK IN THE WILL OF GOD!

Memory verse: "Not with eyeservice as men pleasers, but as bondservant of Christ, doing the Will of God.” (Ephesians 6 vs 6.)

READ: Ephesians 5 vs 15 - 18:

5:15: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

5:16: redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

5:17: Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the Will of the Lord is.

5:18: And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.

INTIMATION:

God’s Will is expressed in His Word (His laws, and His ways). Walking in the Will of God is being obedient to His Word, and strictly doing them. God has specific plans for our individual lives, predetermined before the foundation of the earth, and His greatest desire is that we operate in them daily. 

How do we walk in the Will of God? The foremost thing to do is to ensure that your will agrees with God's. How? By spending time in His presence and by reading and meditating on His Word. The Scripture says, “Can two work together, unless they are agreed?”(Amos 3 vs 3.) Agreement with God is in obeying His Word, and when you are in agreement with God, He can also reveal things to you through His Spirit indwelling you. Though It is important to listen to what God’s Word says, but it’s much more important to obey and do them. 

Your obedience to Him is a demonstration of your willingness to fulfill His plan for your life. He promises that if you will hear Him and obey His commandments, His blessings will overtake you (Deuteronomy 28 vs 2). It’s for this reason that the apostle Paul tells us to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, and understand what is the Will of the Lord.

We are to walk circumspectly; cautiously, carefully, and prudently. In other words, we should be cautious of the things we do and the choices we make, and ensure we comprehend the Will of God for us. And the only way to do that is by developing a relationship with God—working together with Him. The cautious and careful followership with the Lord guarantees our enjoying the blessings of God and avoid the pitfalls that come from disobedience. 

Jesus is interested in people who wants a personal relationship with Him. On the day of judgement only our relationship with Christ—our acceptance of Him as Savior and our obedience to Him—will matter. Many people think that if they are “good” people and say religious things, they will be rewarded with eternal life. In reality, faith in Christ is what will count at the day of judgement.

Ask yourself this question: "Am I in God's Will right now?" Judge yourself: Are you following the leading of your self-will, or God's Will? God has good plans for you and I, however, if we begin to make excuses and fail to do our part, we will miss out on the blessings He longs to give us. However, we cannot do this without the help of our Helper—the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and knows the things of God. He helps us work in consonance with the things that God has willed for us.

Now, don't think that life will become a bed of roses once you begin walking in God's Will. There will be a few thorns here and there. You may think, "Will this really work?" or "Things were easier before." That may be true. But the benefits of being in His perfect Will far outweigh any rewards you've ever received by doing things your way or any other way than His. No matter what happens, don't give in. Just stay focused.

To walk in the Will of God, it's also Important to renew your mind. The best way to do this is by spending time in God's Word. The Scripture in Romans 12 vs 2 says, "And do not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God." The more time you spend in His presence, the more He will reveal Himself to you, through the Holy Spirit, and the better you will recognize His voice. 

As you spend time in the Word, also be in constant communication with God in prayer (Prayer is having a communion with God). In your communication, take God’s Word back to Him—use God's Word in your prayers (First John 5 vs 14 - 15), and expect Him to respond. 

Prayer is a two way communication, therefore, It’s very important to listen and hear from God; You talk and He talks. So often, God is ready to reveal answers to us right away. But as soon as we're finished talking, we whisk off to carry out our plans. Then we wonder, "Is He really listening?" The better question is, "I my really listening?" He may not speak to you audibly; He can speak to you in your inner man, through His Word, a vision, a dream, through His anointed man or by revelation. 

When God reveals His plan to you (and He will) write it down. Writing the vision down assures you that there is a plan for your life (Habakkuk 2 vs 2). Keeping it before your eyes serves as a constant reminder that you should be doing something daily toward accomplishing the task. God will never leave you alone if you are walking in His Will. God will send laborers to help you accomplish the goal, and they must have a clear understanding of how they may assist you in getting the job done.

If you already know God's Will for your life and is walking in it, praise God! If you know His Will and is not actively working toward fulfilling your calling, I encourage you to begin. And finally, if you don't know God's Will for your life, ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16 vs 24).

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to do Your Will at all times. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to You, that I may walk in Your Will all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God Works for You

 God Works for You

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:1–3)

Do you need help? I do. Where do you look for help?

When the psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills and asked, “From where does my help come?” he answered, “My help comes from the Lord” — not from the hills, but from the God who made the hills. “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

So, he reminded himself of two great truths: One is that God is a mighty Creator over all the problems of life; the other is that God never sleeps. “He who keeps you will not slumber.”

God is a tireless worker. He never wearies. Think of God as a worker in your life. Yes, it is amazing. We are prone to think of ourselves as workers in God’s life. But the Bible wants us first to be amazed that God is a worker in our lives: “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4).

God is working for us around the clock. He does not take days off and he does not sleep. In fact he is so eager to work for us that he goes around looking for more work to do for people who will trust him: “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). 

God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him. The sending of his Son, Jesus, was the main way the Father showed this: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). Jesus works for his followers. He serves them. The gospel is not a “help wanted” sign. It is a “help available” sign.

This is what we must believe — really believe — in order to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) and “[give] thanks always and for everything” (Ephesians 5:20) and have “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), and “not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6), and hate our lives “in this world” (John 12:25), and “love [our] neighbor as [ourselves]” (Matthew 22:39).

What a truth! What a reality! God is up all night and all day to work for those who wait for him.

day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 20, 2026.

SUBJECT : GRACE AND FAITH WORK TOGETHER!

Memory verse: "So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." (Luke 17 vs 6.)

READ: Hebrews 11 vs 4 - 7:

11:4: By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

11:5: By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not sea death, "and was not found, because God has taken him", for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

11:7: By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

INTIMATION:

There is a very fine line between grace and faith that is often missed by us. Because these two work together, the line between them is difficult for many to discern. And if we do miss it, our lives become confused. 

Many trust their faith to meet their needs. When their needs are not met, then they tried to have more faith because they are unable to discern the very fine line between faith and grace. They are not seeing beyond their faith to seek the grace of God (the power of God) to meet their needs.

Most people seemed to base all achievements on their faith, when, in reality, every victory or achievement is based on God's faithfulness bestowed on us by His grace—the power of God. If we frustrate the grace of God, we are going to feel frustrated. This explains why, by the grace of God, we receive our petition even when our faith is near zero: "So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there," and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17 vs 20.)

It is not the tiny faith (as tiny as the tiniest seed on earth) that will move the mountain, but the mighty power of God (the grace of God) which came through your tiny faith. All the faith story at the dawn of history, in the passage we read today, were the power of God (the grace of God) manifesting. But without faith, it is impossible to plug into the power source—the grace of God.

Jesus had faith (great faith I supposed) all the time He was suffering. He had faith while in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had faith before the high priest and Pilate. He had faith when He was being ridiculed, abused and mistreated. He had faith on the way to Golgotha. He had faith while hanging on the cross. He even had faith while His body lay in the tomb; He had absolute faith that God would not leave Him there but would raise Him up, as He had promised. 

But do you realize that for all His faith, nothing happened until the power of God came forth to bring about the resurrection? His faith only kept him stable until the Father's appointed time for His deliverance. We can have all the faith in the world, but it will avail us nothing until it is 'plugged into' the source of power, which is the grace of God. 

In order to get our needs met, in order to receive anything from the Lord, we must have both faith and grace. It is by grace through faith that we are saved. And it is by grace through faith that all our prayers are answered and all of our needs are met: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2 vs 8.)

In Second Timothy 2 vs 13, the Bible says, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." The Bible is teaching us here to get our eyes off our ability to believe (as the ultimate), but rather onto God's willingness to meet our needs even though we do not have perfect faith. 

Remember the man who came to Jesus asking for healing of his son. Jesus told him that all things are possible to those who believe. The man replied, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief" or "Help my weakness of faith!" The man knew his faith was lacking, but he was honest about it, and Jesus healed his son. (See Mark 9 vs 17 - 24.) God's grace (power) came on the scene and gave the man what he did not deserve.

Keep your eyes on God to deliver you, not your faith. But always pray with faith for the grace of God (unmerited favor) to come upon you, and enable you to meet all your needs.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my source of everything. By my strength I cannot prevail, for without you can do nothing. My eyes are upon You. Give me the grace to have faith in Your power to help me always obtain a good testimony of Your grace working in me and for me in all things, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

How to Hate Your Life

 How to Hate Your Life

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24–25)

“Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” What does that mean? 

It means, at least, that you don’t take much thought for your life in this world. In other words, it just doesn’t matter much what happens to your life in this world. 

If men speak well of you, it doesn’t matter much.

If they hate you, it doesn’t matter much.

If you have a lot of things, it doesn’t matter much.

If you have little, it doesn’t matter much.

If you are persecuted or lied about, it doesn’t matter much.

If you are famous or unheard of, it doesn’t matter much.

If you have died with Christ, these things just don’t matter much. 

But Jesus’s words are even more radical. Jesus is calling us not just to endure experiences we don’t choose, but to make a choice to follow him. “If anyone serves me, he must follow me” (John 12:26). Where to? He is moving into Gethsemane and toward the cross. 

Jesus is not just saying: If things go bad, don’t fret, since you have died with me anyway. He is saying: Choose to die with me. Choose to hate your life in this world the way I have chosen the cross.

This is what Jesus meant when he said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). He calls us to choose the cross. People only did one thing on a cross. They died on it. “Take up your cross,” means, “Like a grain of wheat, fall into the ground and die.” Choose it. 

But why? For the sake of radical commitment to ministry: “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). I think I hear Paul saying, “It doesn’t matter what happens to me — if I can just live to the glory of God’s grace.”

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 19, 2026.

SUBJECT: GOD TESTS NEVER TEMPTS!

Memory verse: "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone." (James 1 vs 13.)

READ: James 1 vs 12 - 15; First Corinthians 10 vs 13:

James 1:12: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

1:13: Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone

1:14: But each one is tempted when he is drawn away of his own desires and enticed.

1:15: Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

INTIMATION:

Temptation here refers to the trials of life-the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. The origin of sin is manifested when one yields or gives himself over to selfish lusts and pride and is drawn away from what God would have him be. Sin results when uncontrolled lusts and pride come into contact with the temptation to fulfill such. 

Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from God. It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. Like a snowball rolling downhill, sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way. The best time to stop a temptation is before it is too strong or moving too fast to control. A man who endures the testing of temptation is happy because the outcome of his endurance manifests that he trusts in God, not in the things of this world. 

God is our leader, He doesn't lead us into temptations, but sometimes allows us to be tested by them, and is with the believer in the temptations. God tests people, but He does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. It is the work of the "evil one" to steer them from the faith. 

However, God allows Satan to tempt people in order to refine their faith and to help them grow in their dependence on Christ. We can resist the temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey His Word. As His children, we should pray to be delivered from the temptations of Satan ("the evil one") and his deceit. 

God's test is not to trip us and watch us fall, but to deepen our capacity to obey Him, and help us develop His character. Just as fire refines ore to extract precious metals, God refines us through difficult circumstances. When we are tested we can complain, or we can try to see how God is stretching us to develop our character. It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver. Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified. Through trials, God shows us what is in us and clears out anything that gets in the way of complete trust in Him.

The apostle Peter says in First Peter 1 vs 7, "That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off. Steel is tempered or strengthened by heating it in fire. Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen our faith, making us useful to God. Therefore, when tough times come your way, realize that God may want to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.

All Christians struggle with temptation. Sometimes it is so subtle that we don't even realize what is happening to us. God helps us to recognize temptation and gives us the strength to overcome it when we ask, and helps us choose God's way instead. 

God has promised that He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear: "No temptation has overtaken you except such that is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (First Corinthians 10 vs 13.)

In our world filled with moral decadence, depravity, and sin-inducing pressures; wrong desires and temptations happen to everyone. Nobody should think he or she is alone in this situation, knowing that many others are in it, and many also have resisted temptation through God's leading. God knows our weaknesses and strength, and any temptation can be resisted because God will help you resist it. 

God helps us to resist temptation by helping us to recognize those people and situations that give us troubles, and those things that tempt us. The immediate solution is to run from anything you know is wrong, and choose to do only what is right. This you can achieve when you pray to God for help. Also acquaint yourself with friends who love God and can offer help when you are tempted.

Running from a tempting situation is your first step on the way to victory. Second Timothy 2 vs 22 advises thus: "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Running away is sometimes considered cowardly. But wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take. 

It is advisable to remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin. In so doing, you can handle any recurring temptation that is difficult for you to resist. Some people think that Christianity is a passive religion that advocates waiting for God to act. But the use of active and forceful verbs: flee, pursue, run, shows we must have an active faith, obeying God with courage and doing what we know is right. 

In John 17 vs 15, Jesus prayed to the Father thus; "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." This request made by Jesus our Messiah, to God, our Father in heaven, shows that only Him can keep us from Satan, the evil one. He does that through His leading us by His Word, the revelations He gives in fellowship with Him, and the help of the Holy Spirit (our Helper). 

God doesn't come down to physically hold us by the hand to lead us. Therefore, acquaint yourself with Him through His Word, and ceaselessly fellowship with Him in prayer, and always listen to the nudging of the Spirit in your heart for His leading and help. 

Prayer: Abba Father, by You all things consist. By strength shall no man prevail. Let the meditation of my heart be on Your Word always and endue me with Your divine strength to resist the evil one and his deceitful temptations, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

What Makes Jesus Rejoice

 What Makes Jesus Rejoice

In that same hour he [Jesus] rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Luke 10:21)

This verse is one of only two places in the Gospels where Jesus is said to rejoice. The seventy disciples have just returned from their preaching tours and reported their success to Jesus. 

Notice that all three members of the Trinity are rejoicing here: Jesus is rejoicing, but it says he is rejoicing in the Holy Spirit. I take that to mean that the Holy Spirit is filling him and moving him to rejoice. Then at the end of the verse it describes the pleasure of God the Father. The NIV translates it, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do” — what you rejoiced to do!

Now, what is it that has the whole Trinity rejoicing together in this place? It is the free, electing love of God to hide things from the intellectual elite and to reveal them to babes. “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” 

And what is it that the Father hides from some and reveals to others? Luke 10:22 gives the answer, “No one knows who the Son is except the Father.” So, what God the Father must reveal is the true spiritual identity of the Son. 

When the seventy disciples return from their evangelistic mission and give their report to Jesus, he and the Holy Spirit rejoice that God the Father has chosen, according to his own good pleasure — his own rejoicing — to reveal the Son to babes and to hide him from the wise. 

The point of this is not that there are only certain classes of people who are chosen by God. The point is that God is free to choose the least likely candidates for his grace.

God contradicts what human merit might dictate. He hides from the self-sufficient wise and reveals to the most helpless and unaccomplished. 

When Jesus sees the Father freely enlightening and saving people whose only hope is free grace, he exults in the Holy Spirit and takes pleasure in his Father’s election.

So, when we see this — in fact, when we know that we are among the chosen children — we too join the rejoicing.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 18, 2026.

SUBJECT: ASK FOR YOUR DAILY NEED!

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

READ: Exodus 16 vs 11 - 21:

16:11: And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

16:12: “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’’

16:13: So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all round the camp.

16:14: And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground.

16:15: So when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, “What is it?” For they do not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

16:16: This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, “Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; ‘let every man take for those who are in his tent.’”

16:17: Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less.

16:18: So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.

16:19: And Moses said, “Let no man leave any of it till morning.”

16:20: Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

16:21: So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.

INTIMATION:

God relates with us on a "day by day" basis, hence His telling us to ask for our daily needs. In the Scriptures, God speaks on 'our days,' not 'our years.' "Our days" is used in the Bible over 85 times, but "our years" is only used or referred to about 5 times. “The years” is often used in reference to God. For instance, the psalmist in Psalm 102 vs 24 says, "I said, "O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations."

God's provisioning is daily, not all at once. The reason God wants us to ask for our daily needs is because of our tendency to relegate God to the background if He allows us to have all our needs in one go. He is always testing us on a daily basis. This daily testing is necessarily because of His love and care for us; that we don't fall away from faith and trust in Him if He overloads us. By daily provisioning, God is only helping us to remain focused on Him, not that He is miserly or that His hands are shortened that He cannot bless us exceedingly. 

Asking for your daily need puts you in the Will of God, and He will oblige you with the need because He has already promised to meet our needs already known to Him. There is the likelihood that if we are allowed to store up His blessings, we might cut off communication with God. Therefore, we ought not to be self-satisfied. God is our “Source,” and we must remain connected to the “Source.” God wants us to completely depend on Him in everything. Depending on the provisions God has given us is idolatry, and He forbids that amongst His children.

In the passage we read today, the children of Israel in the wilderness had their daily supply of their needs: "Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." (Exodus 16 vs 4 - 5.) God never allowed them to be self-satisfied and forget their source.

Even when Jesus thought His disciples how to pray, He said they should ask for their daily need, as stated in our memory verse. When we ask in prayer for our daily need, we are acknowledging that God is our Sustainer and Provider. It is a misconception to think that we provide for our needs ourselves. We must trust God for our daily needs. 

The Scriptures in Proverbs 30 vs 8 - 9 say, "Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches - Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You. And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God." Solomon recognizes the attributes of man; in plenty man is likely to deny God, and in lack man will do anything to survive, including stealing which will eventually profane God's name. Hence the reason God wants to daily provide for us—dealing with us on a day-by-day basis.

There is the likelihood that our possessions will take away our concentration and dependence on God because we are not in need of anything hence will remember less of God. It was for this reason that Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19 vs 23 - 24.) Our life is more likely to be effective if we have neither poverty nor riches, hence God's wisdom to deal with us day-by-day, so that we can rely on Him for the strength in all things.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Source of all things. You made the heavens, the earth, and all therein. By Your Word all things bond together. Cause me not to put my trust on Your gifts to me but rather on You the Giver for by You all things consist, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Light Beyond the Light

 The Light Beyond the Light

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1–2)

Jesus Christ is refreshing. So, seek the things that are above. Don’t replace Christ this summer with trifles. Flight from Christ into Christless leisure makes the soul parched. 

At first it may feel like freedom and fun to skimp on prayer and neglect the word. But then we pay: shallowness, powerlessness, vulnerability to sin, preoccupation with trifles, superficial relationships, and a frightening loss of interest in worship and the things of the Spirit. 

Don’t let the coming of summer make your soul shrivel. God made summer as a foretaste of heaven, not a substitute. 

If the mailman brings you a love letter from your fiancé, don’t fall in love with the mailman. Don’t fall in love with the video preview and find yourself unable to love the coming reality.

Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer. He is preeminent in all things (Colossians 1:18), including vacations and picnics and softball and long walks and cookouts. He invites us this summer, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

Do we want it? That is the question. Christ gives himself to us in proportion to how much we want his refreshment. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). 

Peter’s word to us about this is, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19–20). Repentance is not just turning away from sin, but also turning toward the Lord with hearts open and expectant and submissive.

What sort of summer mindset is this? It is the mindset of Colossians 3:1–2, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

It is God’s earth! It is a video preview to the reality of what the eternal summer will be like when “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

The summer sun is a mere pointer to the sun that will be: the glory of God. Summer is for seeing and showing that. Do you want to have eyes to see? Lord, let us see the light beyond the light.