Three Examples of How Faith Fulfills Good Resolves

 Three Examples of How Faith Fulfills Good Resolves

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

When Paul says that God fulfills our good resolves by his power through faith (he calls our acts “works of faith”), he means that we defeat sin and we do righteousness by faith, that is, by being satisfied with all that God promises to be for us in Christ in the next five minutes, five months, five decades, and into eternity.

Here are three examples of how this might look in your life: 

If you set your heart to give sacrificially and generously, the power of God to fulfill this resolve will come to you as you trust his future grace in the promise, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). And the promise, “Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). And the promise, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

If you set your heart to renounce pornography, the power of God to fulfill this resolve will come to you as you trust his future grace in the promise, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). “It is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29). Much better. Wonderfully better. All-satisfyingly better.

And if you set your heart to speak out for Christ when the opportunity comes, the power of God to fulfill this resolve will come to you as you trust his future grace in the promise, “Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour” (Matthew 10:19).

May God increase our daily faith in the precious promises of God — promises of his inexhaustible, blood-bought, Christ-exalting future grace.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 12, 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:

To forgive 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 taught them was forgiveness: 'And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that have sinned against us.' It 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 we forgiven the people who have wronged us?'

If we document other people's sins against us, then it is rational to expect the Lord to 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 involved 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.

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 have eternal fellowship with You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

My Soul Thirsts for God

 My Soul Thirsts for God

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1–2)

What makes this so beautiful and so crucial for us is that he is not thirsting mainly for relief from his threatening circumstances. He is not thirsting mainly for escape from his enemies or for their destruction.

It’s not wrong to want relief, and to pray for it. It is sometimes right to pray for the defeat of enemies. But more important than any of that is God himself. 

When we think and feel with God in the Psalms, this is the main result: We come to love God, and we want to see God and be with God and be satisfied in admiring and exulting in God.

A likely translation of the end of verse 2 is, “When will I come and see the face of God?” The final answer to that question was given in John 14:9 and 2 Corinthians 4:4. Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” And Paul said that when we are converted to Christ we see “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

When we see the face of Christ, we see the face of God. And we see the glory of the face of Christ, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 and 6, when we hear the story of the gospel of his death and resurrection. He calls it “the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Or (verse 6): “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

May the Lord increase your hunger and your thirst to see the face of God. And may he grant your desire, even today, through the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2026.

SUBJECT: HOLY SPIRIT—THE BELIEVER'S HELPER! 

Memory verse: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." (John 16 vs 13.)

READ: John 14 vs 15 - 18:

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

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

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

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

INTIMATION:

God, in His mercy, faithfulness, and love nature came down Himself to help mankind, haven seen that man cannot help himself. He sent to those who believe in Him and do His commandments an Helper—the Holy Spirit—His Spirit according to His promise. 

In the passage we read today, Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit: "If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, standby), that He may remain with you forever—The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you." (John 14 vs 15 - 18. Amplified Bible.)

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God in and within all believers, helping them live as God wants—according to His purpose. He is the powerful person on our side, working for and with the believers; caring and guiding them to achieve their God's ordained purposes for their lives. 

How is the Holy Spirit the ultimate guide of the believer? (1) The Holy Spirit will be with the believers forever (John 14 vs 16). (2) He lives with them and in them (John 14 vs 17). (3) He teaches the believer (John 14 vs 26). (4) He reminds them of Jesus' words (John 14 vs 26; 15 vs 26). (5) He convicts all of sin, shows all God's righteousness, and announces God's judgement on evil (John 16 vs 8). (6) He guides the believers into all truth and gives them insight into future events (John 16 vs 13). 

Many people are unaware of the Holy Spirit's activities, but to those who hear Christ's Word and understand the Spirit's power, the Spirit gives a whole new way to look at life in order to achieve their God's ordained purpose of life. By faith the believer can appropriate the Spirit's power to himself each day.

Jesus said, "I will not live you as orphans; I will come [back] to you," (John 14 vs 18). He means He will come back as Holy Spirit to live with all believers. Therefore, to have the Holy Spirit is to have Jesus Himself. Through the Holy Spirit, God reveals to us all we need to know to prepare for the future. The future is known to Him from the beginning. 

When the believer lives by His standards, He will not leave him, He will come to him, He will be in him, and He will show Himself to him. God already knows what will happen and, because He will be with the believers through it all, they need not fear. They don't have to know the future to have faith in God; they have to have faith in God to be secure about the future.

The end result of Holy Spirit's work in the believers’ lives is deep and lasting peace. When God guides you, rest assured you never will miss your goal. You have confident assurance in any circumstance; with Christ's peace we have no need to fear the present or the future. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Endue me with the excellent spirit of complete obedience my Helper, the Holy Spirit, and that I will continually be guided by Him, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Different Tenses of Grace

 The Different Tenses of Grace

We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12)

Grace is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it — we call this “undeserved favor”; God’s grace is also a power from God that acts in our lives and makes good things happen in us and for us — which we also don’t deserve. 

Paul said that we fulfill our resolves for good “by his power” (verse 11). And then he adds at the end of verse 12, “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The power that actually works in our lives to make Christ-exalting obedience possible is an exertion of the grace of God.

You can see this also in 1 Corinthians 15:10: 

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

So, grace is an active, present, transformative, obedience-enabling power.

Therefore, this grace, which moves in power from God to you at a point in time, is both past and future. It has already done something for you or in you and therefore is past. And it is about to do something in you and for you, and so it is future — both five seconds from now and five million years from now.

God’s grace is ever cascading over the waterfall of the present from the inexhaustible river of grace coming to us from the future into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past. In the next five minutes, you will receive sustaining grace flowing to you from the future — in this you trust; and you will accumulate another five minutes’ worth of grace in the reservoir of the past — for this you give thanks.

Every day in the God's Word

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 10, 2026.

SUBJECT: YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE! 

Memory verse: ""Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, without walls." (Proverbs 25 vs 28.)

READ: Proverbs 8 vs 32 - 36: 

8:32: Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. 

8:33: Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. 

8:34: Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the post of My doors. 

8:35: For whoever finds Me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD; 

8:36: But he who sins against Me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate Me love death.

INTIMATION: 

How long you stay in your problem depends on your reaction to the problem. "Your attitude determines your altitude." You get trapped in the problem if your choices within the problem are not right choices. Our attitudes color our whole personality. We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our attitude toward the situation we are involved. The secret to a happy heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely; thoughts that dwell on the good things in life (Philippians 4 vs 8). This should be our secret as we face the struggles of daily living. 

The children of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years when the actual journey to the promised land could have taken them days. Experts have calculated that the Israelites could have walked across the wilderness in ninety days, but it took them forty years. Why? It is because of their attitude while in their problem in the wilderness. They were forgetful, doubtful, unfaithful, and ungrateful. Their negative attitudes only caused them to rebel even more and bring about even greater troubles to themselves. It eroded their faith in God and encouraged thoughts of giving up and turning back. 

How you conduct yourself in the problem will determine how long you stay in the problem. It took God one day to get the children of Israel out of Egypt; it took Him years to get Egypt out of them. Murmuring, complaining, rebelling against spiritual authority, refusing to forgive another, and disobedience to the known Will of God can keep you in the problem for the rest of your life. Stop it!

Do you know that some people, even believers, have been trapped in the same problem for years due to their attitude. Often such attitude runs in a family line that they become trapped in the same problem of their father, and the daughters become trapped in the same problem of the mother. The Bible calls such problems generational curses. When the same bad habits control you and those you love from generation to generation, you are mired in the pits of an inherited problem that can only be resolved by the supernatural deliverance of the Holy Spirit. 

I really don't think that anybody would like to be trapped in a problem, not even you reading this message! With God no problem is intractable, because nothing is impossible with Him. Therefore, don't be ensnared in your problem, which is a fallout of your attitude. It time to break off from such bondage, and then prepare yourself to receive your provision. Aristotle said, "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; the hardest victory is the victory over self." 

God has guiders or signposts to guide you through problems to your promised land. These signposts are to be honored and obeyed. Remove them, ignore them, or try to take short cuts, and you will die in your problem. God has given us a Road Map—His Word. Within His supernatural Guide to us are many "guiders" or "signposts" leading out of the wilderness. Among them are faith, diligence, excellence, knowledge, patience, and integrity. Look at your checklist to find out where you are lagging.

What you walk away from determines what God brings you to. You must live Egypt before you can reach your promise land. Look at your attitudes and examine what you allow to enter your mind and what you choose to dwell on. You may need to make some changes. Go straight to God, and surrender all to Him. Listen to Him, and obey.

The path to open rebellion against God begins with dissatisfaction and skepticism, then moves to grumbling about both God and present circumstances. Next comes bitterness and resentment, followed finally by rebellion and open hostility. If you are often dissatisfied, skeptical, complaining, or bitter, beware! These attitudes lead to rebellion and separation from God. Any choice to side against God is a step in the direction of letting go of Him completely and making your own way through life which leads to a dark end. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of raw and complete obedience to You, and let Your Word be my guide in all I do. Give me the grace to be satisfied all the times in Your leading, and never to try any other way outside of You and Your guidance, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Have Mercy on Me, O God

 Have Mercy on Me, O God

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)

Three times: “Have mercy,” “according to your steadfast love,” and “according to your abundant mercy.” 

This is what God had promised in Exodus 34:6–7:

“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.”

David knew that there were guilty who would not be forgiven. And there were guilty who by some mysterious work of redemption would not be counted as guilty, but would be forgiven. Psalm 51 is his way of laying hold on that mystery of mercy.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” We know more of the mystery of this redemption than David did. We know Christ. But we lay hold of the mercy in the same way he did. 

The decisive thing he does is turn, helpless, to the mercy and love of God. Today that means turning, helpless, to Christ, whose blood secures all the mercy we need.