Every day in the Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 25, 2025.

SUBJECT: GIVE GOD THE CREDIT AND GLORY DUE TO HIM!

Memory verse: “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner.” (Like 17 vs 18.) 

READ: Genesis 41 vs 15 - 25:

41:15: And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

41:16: So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

INTIMATION:

Glory primarily signifies an opinion, and hence, the honor resulting from a good opinion. It is used of God’s nature in self-manifestation, that is, what He essentially is and does, as exhibited in whatever way He reveals Himself in these respects, and primarily in the Person of Christ, in whom essentially His glory has ever shone forth and ever will do.

When His grace and His power manifest, it constitute His glory. And we should always give due acknowledgment of the exhibition of His attributes and ways. How easily we take credit for what God does through us! This rubs God of the honor that He alone deserves. Instead, we should, in any achievements in our lives, give credit to God thereby pointing people to God so that we give Him the glory. 

In our anchor Scripture, Jesus asked the question here to stimulate all to think concerning their obligation of returning credit to God for all that He would do in our lives, and through us, especially in showing mercy to men. The gratitude of the one leper in contrast to the ingratitude of the nine, illustrates how often men forget God’s blessings in both material and spiritual realms. 

In the passage we read today, Joseph made sure that he gave the credit to God. We should be careful to do the same. To take the honor for ourselves is a form of stealing God’s honor. Don’t be silent when you know you should be giving glory and credit to God. When the interpretation of dreams came up, Joseph focused everyone’s attention on God. Rather than using the situation to make himself look good, he turned it into a powerful witness for the Lord. One secret of effective witnessing is to recognize opportunities to relate God to the other person’s experience. When the opportunity arises, we must have the courage to speak as Joseph did. 

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had a dream and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then he gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell him his own dream and its interpretation. However, none of them was able to tell the king his dream, nor its interpretation. But Daniel did. In Daniel 2 vs 27 - 30, before Daniel told the king anything else, he gave credit to God, explaining that he did not know the dream through his own wisdom but only because God revealed it.

In Daniel 2 vs 47 - 48, the Scripture says. “The king answered Daniel and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret. Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.” 

Nebuchadnezzar honored Daniel and Daniel’s God. If Daniel had taken the credit himself, the king would have honored only Daniel. Because Daniel gave God the credit, the king honored both of them. Part of our mission in this world is to show unbelievers what God is like. We can do that by acts of love and compassion, and if we give God credit for our actions, they will want to know more about Him. Give credit and glory to God for what He is doing in, and through you.

God appreciates giving Him credit and glory due to Him hence Christ’s question concerning the lepers that were cleansed. And the benefits include. (1) perfection of the blessings, (2) preservation of the blessings, and (3) qualification for more blessings; Joseph was made a prime minister in a foreign land, Daniel was made a great man, and received many great gifts, and was made the ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon, and the leper that returned was made whole.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with a heart of gratitude for Your acts and works in my life, and to testify of Your works in my life at all times. Give me the grace never to take credits and glory due to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

When God’s Love Is Sweetest

 When God’s Love Is Sweetest

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. (Ephesians 5:25–26)

If you only hope for unconditional love from God, your hope is great, but too small.

Unconditional love from God is not the sweetest experience of his love. The sweetest experience is when his love says, “I have made you so much like my Son that I delight to see you and be with you. You are a pleasure to me, because you are so radiant with my glory.”

This sweetest experience is conditional on our transformation into the kind of people whose emotions and choices and actions please God.

Unconditional love is the source and foundation of the human transformation that makes the sweetness of conditional love possible. If God did not love us unconditionally, he would not penetrate our unattractive lives, bring us to faith, unite us to Christ, give us his Spirit, and make us progressively like Jesus.

But when he unconditionally chooses us, and sends Christ to die for us, and regenerates us, he puts in motion an unstoppable process of transformation that makes us glorious. He gives us a splendor to match his favorite kind: his own.

We see this in Ephesians 5:25–27. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [unconditional love], that he might sanctify her . . . and present the church to himself in splendor” — the condition in which he delights.

It is unspeakably wonderful that God would unconditionally set his favor on us while we are still unbelieving sinners. The ultimate reason this is wonderful is that this unconditional love brings us into the everlasting enjoyment of his glorious presence.

But the apex of that enjoyment is that we not only see his glory, but also reflect it. “The name of our Lord Jesus [will] be glorified in you, and you in him” (2 Thessalonians 1:12).

Everyday in the Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY AUGUST 24, 2025.

SUBJECT : GOD CAN PREVENT YOU FROM SINNING AGAINST HIM!

Memory verse: "But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good or bad.” (Genesis 31 vs 24.)

READ: Genesis 20 vs 2 - 7:

20:2: Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.

20:3: But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken, for she is a man's wife.”

20:4: But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, “LORD, will You slay a righteous nation also?”

20:5: Did he not say to me, “She is my sister?” And she, even she herself said, “He is my brother.” in the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

20:6: And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.

20:7: Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

INTIMATION:

God, in His infinite mercy and love for us, can prevent us from sinning. He does this in so many ways unknown to us. Have you ever tried to imagine how many times God has done same for you, holding you back from sin in ways you can’t even detect? It is obvious we have no way of knowing—we just know that He can. God works just as often in ways we can’t see as in ways we can. 

In our anchor Scripture, God appeared to Laban in a dream and warned him concerning Jacob, thereby preventing him from doing anything contrary to His plan and purpose in Jacob’s life. If Laban’s intentions were to harm Jacob, surely this would have been a nightmare. In order to strike fear in the heart of Laban, God warned him not to speak harshly to Jacob, the heir of Abraham and the one through whose seedline the promises would be fulfilled. 

In the passage we read today, Abimelech had unknowingly taken a married woman to be his wife and was about to commit adultery. But God somehow prevented him from touching Sarah and held him back from sinning. What great mercy on God’s part! Through some providential manner God kept Abimelech from touching Sarah, or else he would have reaped the judgement of God. 

In First Samuel 25, Nabal, Abigail’s husband, and very rich, rudely refused David’s request to feed his 600 men, not withstanding the fact that David and his men had been protecting Nabal’s workforce, and part of Nabal’s prosperity due to David’s vigilance. David was greatly outraged by his action and planned to take vengeance on Nabal’s property, and to kill all the males in his household. 

However, the wife Abigail, sensible and capable, by her swift action and skillful negotiation, kept David from taking vengeance upon Nabal. Both Abigail and David saw the hand of God in all that transpired between them. Abigail said to David, “Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm to my lord be as Nabal.” (Genesis 25 vs 26,) 

David said to Abigail, “For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!” (First Samuel 25 vs 34.) David sensed that Abigail was sent to him by God, for he expressed gratitude to her for her wise advice. The tender heart of David was here revealed because he accepted the advice of a woman who pled for the case of her foolish husband. 

David was in no mood to listen when he set out for Nabal’s property. Nevertheless, he stopped to hear what Abigail had to say. If he had ignored her, he would have been guilty of taking vengeance into his own hands. Abigail did not want him to regret any rash actions on his part that would lead to killing innocent people. In this case, the rest of the clan of Nabal would have been innocent victims of the unrighteous Nabal.

God works in all things for His children. What you may consider as a “coincidence” or that “It just happened,” I call or term “God-incidence.” “For all things work together for good to them that love Him.” (Romans 8 vs 28). Therefore, all glory must be returned to Him at all times.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are so merciful and Your mercy endures forever. Lord, even in our unfaithfulness You remain faithful. Your compassion never fails us. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to, and trust in You in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Message of Creation

 The Message of Creation

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:22–23)

It would be a great folly and a great tragedy if a man loved his wedding ring more than he loved his bride. But that is what this passage says has happened.

Human beings have fallen in love with the echo of God’s excellence in creation, and lost the ability to hear the incomparable, original shout of love and power and glory.

The message of creation is this: 

There is a great God of glory and power and generosity behind all this awesome universe; you belong to him because he made you. He is patient with you in sustaining your rebellious life. Turn and bank your hope on him and delight yourself in him, not merely his handiwork.

According to Psalm 19:1–2, day pours forth the “speech” of that message to all who will listen in the day, speaking with blindingly bright sun and blue sky and clouds and untold shapes and colors and beautiful designs of all things visible. Night pours forth the “knowledge” of the same message to all who will listen at night, speaking with great dark voids and summer moons and countless stars and strange sounds and cool breezes and northern lights.

Day and night are saying one thing: God is glorious! God is glorious! God is glorious! Turn away from the creation as your supreme satisfaction, and delight yourself in the Lord of glory.

Everyday in the Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY AUGUST 23, 2025.

SUBJECT: DO NOT REVENGE!

Memory verse: "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.” (Romans 12 vs 17.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 38 - 42:

5:38: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’

5:39: But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

5:40: If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tonic, let him have your cloak also.

5:41: And whoever compels you to go a mile, go with him two.

5:42: Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants borrow from you do not turn away.

INTIMATION:

To revenge is to take an action in return for an injury or offense; to retaliate or get even for a perceived wrong. In our fallen world, it is often deemed acceptable by some to tear people down verbally or to get back at them if we feel hurt. The Lord Jesus Christ, in His teaching, admonished us not to revenge or get even with our offenders. In God’s kingdom, revenge is unacceptable behavior, as is insulting a person, no matter how indirectly it is done. No Christian should seek to get even with someone who has wronged him. 

It is not the place of any Christian to seek revenge. A true heart is not one of malice or hate. Hearts of malice and hate identify those individuals who are of the world. Wrong that is committed against another originates from Satan. Disciples of Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Retaliation against those whom Satan uses to promote his work is not a Christian principle. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you. Instead of reacting angrily to these people, pray for them. Jesus encourages us to pay back wrongs with a blessing, such as praying for the offenders. 

In this day of lawsuits and incessant demands for legal rights, Jesus teaching or command sounds almost impossible. When someone hurts you deeply, instead of giving him or her what he or she deserves, Jesus says do good to them and never revenge. Instead return good for evil. 

Why do we need to forgive our enemies or do good to those who hurt us? (1) Forgiveness may break a cycle of retaliation and lead to mutual reconciliation. (2) It may make the enemy feel ashamed and change his or her ways. (3) By contrast, repaying evil for evil hurts you just so much as it hurts your enemy. Even if your enemy never repents, forgiving him or her will free you of a heavy load of bitterness. 

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the believers in Rome, recounted and reemphasized Christ’s teaching, he says, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12 vs 17 - 21.)

These verses summarize the core of Christian living. If we love someone the way Christ loves us, we will be willing to forgive. If we have experienced God’s grace, we will want to pass it on to others. And remember, grace is undeserved favor. By giving an enemy a drink, we’re not excusing his misdeeds. We’re recognizing him, forgiving him, and loving him in spite of his sins, just as Christ did for us.

Forgiveness involves both attitudes and actions. If you find it difficult to feel forgiving toward someone who hurts you, try responding with kind actions. If appropriate, tell this person that you would like to heal your relationship, lend a helping hand, send him or her a gift, smile at him or her. Many times you will discover that right actions lead to right feelings.

Again, in the course of our lives’ travails, we can never know God’s intentions for any happenings or circumstances we face in life. All things are known to Him, even the end is known to Him from the beginning. And only the council of God stands as He does His pleasure: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46 vs 10.) The circumstances of life we face can be God’s design to cause His plans and purposes in our lives to be accomplished. God has ordained our pathways from the beginning for a His predetermined purposes, and these include the circumstances and trials we face in life. 

The story of Joseph in the Bible is a clear example of God’s use of our travails in life for the fulfillment of His ultimate plan (Genesis 37, 39 - 50). Although Joseph’s brothers had wanted to get rid of him, God used even their evil actions for His purpose. He had sent Joseph ahead to preserve their lives, save Egypt, and prepare the way for the beginning of the nation of Israel. 

God is sovereign. His plans are not dictated by human actions. When others intend evil toward you, remember that they are only God’s tools. As Joseph said to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50 vs 20.) It is for this reason we should not avenge, for man’s cruelty can be God ordained pathway for your lifting.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of love that I may love as Christ loves us and gave His life of inestimable value for our lives that are completely worthless as sinners. Give me the grace to overcome evil with good, and never revenge or get even with another, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God Is Not an Idolater

 God Is Not an Idolater

When he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:10)

Paul says that Christ is coming precisely to be glorified and to be marveled at. That is why he is coming.

People stumble over the teaching that God exalts his own glory and seeks to be praised by his people because the Bible teaches us not to be like that. For example, the Bible says that love “does not seek its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5, NASB).

How can God be loving and yet be utterly devoted to “seeking his own” glory and praise and joy? How can God be for us if he is so utterly for himself?

The answer I propose is this: Because God is unique as an all-glorious, totally self-sufficient Being, he must be for himself if he is to be for us. The rules of humility that belong to a creature cannot apply in the same way to its Creator.

If God should turn away from himself as the Source of infinite joy, he would cease to be God. He would deny the infinite worth of his own glory. He would imply that there is something more valuable outside himself. He would commit idolatry.

This would be no gain for us. For where can we go when our God has become unrighteous? Where will we find a Rock of integrity in the universe when the heart of God has ceased to value supremely the supremely valuable? Where shall we turn with our adoration when God himself has forsaken the claims of infinite worth and beauty?

No, we do not turn God’s self-exaltation into love by demanding that God cease to be God.

Instead, we must come to see that God is love precisely because he relentlessly pursues the praises of his name in the hearts of his people. Our praise for his greatness is the capstone of our joy and his greatness.

Everyday in the Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY AUGUST 22, 2025.

SUBJECT: PRAISE AND THANK GOD CONTINUALLY! 

Memory verse: "So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations." (Psalm 79 vs 13.)

READ: Psalm 69 vs 30 - 31; 92 vs 1 - 6:

69:30: I will praise the name of God with song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 

69:31: This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which have horns and hooves.

92:1: It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. 

92:2: To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night,

92:3: On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound.

92:4: For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work: I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

92:5: O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep.

92:6: A senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand this.

INTIMATION:

Praise is an act of worship, commending or given honor to; when you express yourself in such manner, it is praise. Thanksgiving is acknowledging a goodness. We can count the few things that make us feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it, too. He is pleased when we express our adoration and gratitude to Him. 

We praise God for who He is, and thank Him for what he has done. We acknowledge God when we shout our praises, appreciate His status as our Creator, accept His authority in every detail of life, enthusiastically agree with the guidance He gives us, and express our thanks for His unfailing love.

Praise and thanksgiving are forms of sacrifice to God. The Bible in Hebrews 13 vs 15 says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." These sacrifices are ever pleasing to God. Our lips should confess God’s name in praise. It is a sacrifice that can be offered anywhere and anytime. A “sacrifice of our lips” today would include thanking Christ for His sacrifice on the cross and telling others about it. Offer Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise. Acts of kindness and sharing are particularly pleasing to God, even when they go unnoticed by others. 

The psalmist, in Psalm 30 vs 12, says, "To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God. I will give thanks to You forever." "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34 vs 1.) In the Bible, praise and thanksgiving to God is emphasized over 350 times, to indicate their usefulness in our relationship with our Maker.

Amazing things happens when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy! The Lord inhabits the praises of His children (Psalm 22 vs 3). God comes in His might to answer to our prayers when we worship Him in praise and thanksgiving. For instance, the apostle Paul and Silas suffered persecution, and were imprisoned in Philippi. The Bible recorded in Acts 16 vs 25 - 26: "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed." 

The praises of Paul and Silas brought God to the scene in His might and power. The earth quaked at His presence, and the foundation of the prison was greatly shaken. The prison doors were opened. Can anything resist the Almighty? Certainly not.

Thanks should be on our lips every day. We can never say thank you enough to our parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble. Have you worshipped God in all other forms and nothing seem to happen? Praise Him, and He will personally come in His might and power to attend to your prayers. No matter our circumstances, we should praise God. 

Those you praise God always are assured of enjoying His presence at all times, and consequently the fullness of joy! We enjoy what God has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it brings Him joy and also increases our joy. Yet, in your typical day, how many times do you hear God’s name used profanely? Christians should turn the frequency of the use of His name toward praise! Praise God early in the day before the rush, then again in the hurried middle, and at the end as business winds down. It is pleasing to Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of joy forevermore. Give me the grace to continually offer the sacrifice of my lips to You, and thank You for Your ever unchanging faithfulness in my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!