BE ENCOURAGED BY GOD’S CONSTANT PRESENCE (August 24, 2025)

A little girl who was afraid of the dark was encouraged by her mother, “Don’t worry. God is there with you.” The little girl responded, “I know, but I want someone with skin on.” The truth is, even we adults feel that way sometimes, although we don’t normally verbalize it.

As God’s children, we need to constantly focus on Scriptures that reassure us of His presence. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, God demonstrated His uninterrupted presence with them by the pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (see Exodus 20:21). When Jesus’ birth was prophesied to king Ahaz as a sign to the royal family of David, God said, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel (which means
‘God is with us)’” (Isaiah 7:14). What a beautiful, reassuring name! Constantly thinking of God by His name should remind us that we’re never alone.

The psalmist’s expression in Psalm 23 says it all. He experienced God’s presence, just like a sheep would with its shepherd—there’s protection, provision, direction, strength, correction, comfort, blessings, honor, goodness, and unfailing love. Oh, to God, that we’d live with a constant awareness that He is with us at all times: even when we momentarily forget. To all of us, His children, He’s promised: He will never fail or abandon us. (See Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6, 8).

When Jesus was going back to heaven after the resurrection, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with the church (John 20:22; Acts 2:1-5). So, God’s presence with His people has never been interrupted. Angels reassured the disciples on the day Jesus ascended to heaven, saying, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1:11).

Our world is getting increasingly unpredictable and worrisome; a good reason to live in God’s ongoing presence, so we can be at peace and unafraid. And if we do get overwhelmed, let’s remember, He says to us, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world” (Psalm 46:10). God’s promises are not only for while we are here on earth; He has promised to come back to take us out of this world: “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:3). That will be the fulfillment of the angel’s message to the discouraged disciples. And
in heaven, there’ll be no more fear, pain, worry, sin, or death. Hallelujah!

So, until we see Jesus face to face, let’s live with the comfort and assurance that God is with us every second, be it now or later. For now, He is only a prayer away!

GOD DEMANDS TOTAL OBEDIENCE AT ALL TIMES! (August 17, 2025)

Obedience requires giving up one’s own plans, ideas, and aspirations, and doing what another person wants. It’s natural to not want to obey every single time we
deal with people—family, bosses, friends, or authorities. With God, however, it is not enough to obey only part of the time; what He asks of us will always be in our
best interest, so it behooves us to obey every time. He knows everything, so we shouldn’t compare our little knowledge and insights to His knowledge.

Moses had led the Israelites for over forty years through the wilderness on route to the Promised Land. It was a tough assignment for him because the people were so cantankerous; they argued, murmured, whined, rebelled, and disobeyed. They were downright impossible to lead or instruct; Moses was extremely frustrated with them, but each time they rebelled and God considered destroying them, he interceded for them (Numbers 14:13-20). Moses was a great leader. God’s own testimony of him was, “Of all my house, he is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles!” (Numbers 12:7-8). The Scriptures often said of him, “He did as the Lord commanded.”

The frustrating moments Moses encountered in his leadership role included the following times: when they were sandwiched between the Red Sea and the
Egyptian army, when they were out of food, when their water was bitter, and when they were out of drinking water (see Exodus 1410-12; 15:22-225; Numbers
11: 18-20; 20:2-12). In order to provide water for them, God instructed Moses and Aaron to take the staff, assemble the people at a rock, speak to the rock, and
then He would make water gush out of the rock for the people. Out of frustration from the people’s constant rebellion, Moses struck the rock twice instead of
speaking to it; that was the one-time Moses did differently than he was instructed. As hard as Moses had worked for all those years, you’d expect that
God would cut him some slack, but that’s not what happened. Unfortunately, based on that one incident, he was forbidden from entering the Promised
Land—the land flowing with milk and honey. What a loss!

Usually, when Moses pleaded with God about something, He listened and granted his request. But regarding this one issue, God denied him (See Deuteronomy 34:1- 4). Wow! This is proof that God has no favorites and does not sweep anyone’s sins under the carpet. For instance, as much as God loved David, his adultery with Bathsheba was punished—they lost that baby. So, for us believers, I say, “Thank God for Jesus Christ who paid for our sins—past, present, and future.” Can you imagine the disappointment if we, as believers, found out at the very last minute we couldn’t enter heaven because of some sin we committed? We would have missed the opportunity to see Jesus face-to-face, and to inherit the mansions prepared for us. But thank God for Jesus’ sacrifice. He assures us that our life is secured in Him: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” (John 10:27-28)

Let’s be careful how we walk, and understand that every sin we commit stems from disobedience. God has not left us to figure out on our own what is or isn’t
sin. He has told us in plain language what to or not to do. So, if we violate any of these commands, it’s because of disobedience. If we focus on obeying His Word
with His help, we’ll have no issues with disobedience. We are reminded by Peter that judgment will begin with God’s household, and therefore we should continue
to walk in the Truth, even when it hurts (see 1 Peter 4:14-19). Verse 19 says, “If you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and
trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” If Moses’ emotions hadn’t gotten in the way, he would not have missed the reward of
entering the Promised Land.

God loving us does not bring Him down to our level; we need to love and revere Him, and the way to love Him is by obeying Him: “Loving God means keeping his
commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). May God help each one of us to obey Him at all times and in all things.

WHAT SORROW AWAITS THE WORLD (August 10, 2025)

The title suggests there’s trouble ahead for those who commit wrongdoing. In Matthew 18:7, Jesus said to His disciples, “What sorrow awaits the world, because
it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.” Just before Jesus made the statement, He had
answered the disciples’ question about who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus centered His response to their question around a little child—to welcome a little child on Jesus’ behalf is to accept Him, but causing a child to fall into sin is
asking for trouble (see verse 6). So, causing another person to sin is problematic.

So, how does the world tempt people to sin? The people tempted to sin are not only adults; children are also in the mix. Even school textbooks are teaching
questionable topics as fact. Have you watched the news lately? If not, maybe you should.

The internet is an excellent tool for the most part, but it is also a source of evil. It has all kinds of information on how to make weapons, murder and get away with
it, and trick innocent children into doing all kinds of evil. The movies and television shows are no different; many of these are filled with profanity, pornography, and the like.

The world has come out boldly against God and His Word, saying it’s okay to abort the unborn child for any and all reasons, regardless of its gestation, even all the
way to full term. It also says people can decide what gender they’d like to be and make changes to be what they want. Oh, and a man can marry another man, and so can a woman marry another woman. Children are being indoctrinated to do likewise. There was a time when people who behaved that way did it privately, but
now society has bought into the idea so much that it’s accepted as normal. Woe to the world!   

Christians who speak against it are labeled as intolerant. Still, God says, “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and
light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter” (Isaiah 5:20). The point is, whatever God says is wrong is wrong, no matter what the world calls it or says
about it.

Why was the world during Noah’s time destroyed by a flood? Because the people did not take Noah’s warning to repent earnestly (see 2 Peter 2:5), why did God

destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? “God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what
will happen to ungodly people” (2 Peter 2:6). And why is the world as we know it now going to be destroyed by fire? It is to cleanse it from evil.

The world is on a downward spiral, and if it doesn’t wake up, the predicted woe will happen: “The day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the
heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve
judgment” (2 Peter 3:10). Are you ready for this? Understand that the world includes people and everything in it, so you will be included if you don’t repent.
Would you like to escape this horror? There’s only one way!

Jesus Christ bore the punishment we deserve for being sinners when He died and rose again. If you’d like to escape the punishment God will unleash on the world, you must call on God today (the sooner, the better) for salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible expresses it like this: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Also, in the book of Romans, we are told, “God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (Romans 3:25).

If you put your faith in Jesus, you will be spared the punishment you deserve because Jesus was punished on your behalf. However, if you choose not to, you
will pay for your own sin; understand that hell is forever for non-penitent sinners, just like heaven is forever for penitent sinners. Which place appeals to you?
Choose Jesus now, and have the peace and assurance that God will never hold your sins against you because it’s already been held against Jesus.

Are you still thinking about this? Don’t think too long, because time is running out!

THE CHURCH AS A TRIANGLE (August 03, 2025)

The Church as we know it is not a physical structure. People think of it that way because traditionally, the Church meets in a designated building. But of course, it
meets outdoors or in other buildings on other occasions. However, as explained in the Bible, the Church is God’s people! So, the Church is not defined by where it
meets to worship, what it does, or how it does it; it is determined by what it is – the Body of Christ.

 The Bible also refers to the Church as a spiritual building, built on the prophets and apostles as the foundation and Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone. We,
His children, are members of the household of God. Collectively, we are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (see Ephesians 2:19-22).
Individually, all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, which is why we are each the Temple of God; when we meet collectively, we are the Church. 

The Church is also called the Body of Christ: Christ is the head of the Body, and we, His children, form the other parts: the arms, legs, etc. (see Romans 12:4-5).
The Church is also classified as the family of God, where He is the Father (parent), and we are His children.

I see the Church as a triangle because we are each joined to Christ and then to each other. How can a triangle become a single structure? Jesus has brought us to God through His death and resurrection; He tore down the wall (sin) that separated us from God! And through that one act, He broke down the wall of hostility between the Jew and Gentile, black and white (see Ephesians 2:14), whereby there’s no longer the Jew and the Gentile, black and white; there’s only the Church, the Body, or the family of God.     
 
Since all the walls are down, with nothing separating us from God or each other, how should we live and relate to each other? The Lord instructs us to live in love
just as He loved us and, by our passion, prove to the world that we are family, living in the light (see John 13:34; 1 John 2:10). He further emphasizes the kind of
love that is acceptable: “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:10). And by the same token, anyone who doesn’t love other members of the family, proves that he or she doesn’t belong to God (see 1 John 3:10).

During Paul’s last discourse with the elders of the Ephesian Church, he charged them to take care of the flock: “Guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and
shepherd God’s flock–his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders” (Acts 20:28).

Peter wrote a similar letter to church elders: “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly … Don’t lord it over the
people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example” (1 Peter 5:2-3). In verse 5, Peter admonished, “Accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 

Humility and respect for each other are necessary for a peaceful and loving environment in which to live and thrive in faith. They were to be united, humble,
and patient, cutting each other additional slack when things didn’t go as expected (see Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:2-4). These charges also apply to us; let’s watch and pray for each other, so the devil doesn’t pit us against each other.

If we loved genuinely, serving each other would be a piece of cake; we’d be able to help cheerfully, not considering race, gender, age, social status, or any such thing. In the Body of Christ, some have the gift of serving; they need to serve without hesitation (see Romans 12:7). Everyone’s gifts are meant to be used to help the Body in love; if we do, all the Church’s needs will be met.

Another way we should express love for each other is to be willing to suffer for each other as Jesus did for us; the apostle Paul said it this way: “I am glad when I
suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church” (Colossians 1:24). Of course, suffering in the

body is not the only way to suffer; we can suffer emotionally and financially as well.

And finally, since we are co-heirs with Christ, Gentile or Jew, black or white, we will enter God’s presence to enjoy our inheritance together: “And this is God’s
plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe in the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same Body, and both enjoy the promise of blessing because they belong to Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6).

Praise God, the dividing walls are down; we are one people for God’s glory! Let’s love each other well.

GOD’S HEART IS YEARNING TO BLESS YOU! (July 28, 2025)

God loves us so much; He can’t wait to bless us! He desires to bless us non-stop. And of course, we desire to be blessed, but what’s stopping Him from blessing us? The answer is simple—our disobedience!

I can literally hear and feel the pain in God’s voice when He says things like, “Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my
paths!” (Psalm 81:13) He can’t contain Himself at the thought of all that He’d do to bless us: “How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands
would be upon their foes!” (Verse 14)

In verse 8, He calls out, “Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me!” God is hurting over the fact
that there are so many ways He could bless us, but He is unable to, because of our dull ears and hearts. We don’t listen, and when we listen, we don’t obey. How
sad! He is pleading with us sinners: “Listen to me!”

He even found it necessary to reintroduce Himself to them (us): “It was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt.” Then He quickly added,
“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things” (verse 10). What are we waiting for? Why is it so hard for us to obey? Don’t we understand the price He
paid to redeem us? The apostle Paul admonishes us, “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world” (1 Corinthians 7:23). We are that precious
in His sight. A mother would spend her last penny on her child, demonstrating that even we sinners know how to give good gifts to our children. God cannot do
any less (see Matthew 7:11). He is waiting to bless us!

The blessings He promised include, “Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks” (verse 6). “I would feed you with the
finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock” (verse 16). What more do we want? Our God is able; the whole world belongs to Him, including us.
He has given us the freedom to choose so we can love, serve, and obey Him by choice, not by compulsion. He could make us obey Him, but that wouldn’t bring
Him the satisfaction of us willingly obeying Him.

After all the failed coaxing, He declared, “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So, I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living
according to their own ideas” (verse 11-12). How sad and disappointing! God is longing for a meaningful relationship with us, His children. Let’s respond with the same kind of yearning. This world is passing away, and only those who do the will of God will abide forever. My heart’s cry is, “Lord, I love you; help me love you more through obedience.” What’s your heart’s cry today? Moses was called the friend of God. Why? Because Moses yearned to know God: “Show me your glorious presence” (Exodus 33:18). Do you know God enough? Are you content with where you are in your walk? If not, then let’s put worldliness behind us and seek after Him earnestly, with all our hearts. That’s the only way we are going to be happy and satisfied in our Christian walk, and the only way God is going to open the windows of heaven and pour His countless blessings on us. Here is a promise we can live by: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land”
(2 Chronicles 7:14). May God help us to seek after Him with all our hearts!

DON’T WORRY IS A COMMAND (July 20, 2025)

Worry is the mental distress or agitation resulting from concern. We all have “good” reasons to worry about one thing or the other. We worry when we’re sick, jobless, etc., or unsure about outcomes or undesirable or unacceptable results. We like to feel in control, and often worry when we think we don’t have that control.

Worry is a natural response, but the children of the Most High God are spiritual, and therefore should respond as God directs: “Don’t worry about
anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6). Doing this brings an accompanying
promise: “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in
Christ Jesus” (v 7).

God knows the devastation of worry, including insomnia and poor physical, emotional, and mental health, so He promises us peace. What a mighty God
we have! The above verse is not a good suggestion; it is a command to be obeyed. Worrying for a Christian, therefore, is a lack of trust and intentional
disobedience that robs the child of God of the peace Jesus promised us: “I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift
the world cannot give” (John 14:27). What is your concern today, and should you worry about it? Whatever your situation, do you think God is happy about your choice to worry? (See Romans 8:28). So, don’t worry! Maybe your prayers appear ignored or not that important to God. Remember that God’s response to your unresolved issue, no matter what it is, is based on His love and plans for you. He could be saying: okay/now, okay/later, or never; regardless, that response will be the best for you in your circumstance and will bring Him glory.

Jesus teaches that worry is evidence of very little faith (see Matthew 6:30). Is that you? The reason God’s children shouldn’t worry is quite apparent–since
He cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, for whom He didn’t die, He definitely will care for us, His children. God knows us so well that He
knows how we think or feel at any given time and in every situation. Hence, He provides us solutions before we ever need them. In other words, the answer to our needs and concerns is to entrust them to God in prayer and then claim the accompanying promise of His peace.

Dear brother or sister, let’s not forget Philippians 4:6; living by it will spare us so much pain, frustration, and poor health. May God help us encourage each
other to live worry-free lives because God is more significant than our problems and cares more about us than we can ever understand. If we love Him, we will keep His command: “Don’t worry!”

ARE YOU AN ATHEIST? (July 13, 2025)

An atheist is an individual who does not believe in the existence of God. Many people claim to be atheists, and that is their right. Claiming to be an atheist is really a matter of choice; in other words, atheists choose to believe there is no God. Is their choice based on research study, experience, or hearsay?  

The Bible makes it clear, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). If you claim to be an atheist, who do you think created he world? Have you ever given any thought to that? The Bible says what may be known about God is plain to everyone, including you, because God has made it so. The knowledge of His eternal power and divine nature have been available to mankind since the world’s creation. His creation is enough proof that He exists (see Romans 1:19-20).

Nobody will be excused for claiming there is no God. Everybody will have to answer to God, whether they believe in His existence or not.  In addition, the Bible says God’s laws are written on our hearts, and our consciences bear witness to that fact (Romans 2:15). Are you ignoring your conscience? What do you hope to gain? Could it be that you wish to be released from accountability? Honestly, there is nothing to be gained from refusing to acknowledge the existence of God, because He will still hold you accountable for your sins. 

God loves you very much; He sent his only Son to die in your place for your sins (see John 3:16); however, refusing to acknowledge Him indicates that you are turning your back on His love and forgiveness. God cannot do more for anyone than He has already done through His Son. Consequently, you will have to pay for your sins, but unfortunately, it will be in hell. Is that
what you want?  

If knowing the consequences of your unbelief doesn’t help you change your mind about His existence, listen to what the Bible says about your condition. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1, 3:1).  You see, only a fool will ignore warning signs. If you came across a road sign that said, “Caution, sinkhole ahead,” would you continue down that road, or would you make a U-turn and return to safety? I’d think you would turn around. Remember, God loves you, but will not force you to acknowledge
Him. I encourage you to respond to His love by believing in His Son, Jesus, and asking Him for forgiveness so that you can escape eternal punishment.

Time is running out; do that today!

DON’T BE TOO QUICK TO JUDGE (July 06, 2025)

We all tend to verbally or non-verbally judge situations and other people’s actions. In fact, we feel so strongly about what we think that, often, our response is to single-handedly judge, convict, and condemn them. You might be thinking to yourself, “Not me. I don’t do that!” Yes, you do; no one is exempt from this kind of behaviour.
Even King David of Israel faced that challenge. God, through Nathan the prophet, told him a story in which a rich man took advantage of a poor man. David did not wait to be asked what he thought about the situation; on hearing the story, he blurted out his frustration, judged the situation, and announced the verdict: guilty, punishable by death: “As surely as the Lord lives, any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and having no pity” (2 Samuel 12: 5-6).
Prior to the conversation with Nathan, David, who had multiple wives and concubines, had coveted a poor man’s only wife Bathsheba, committed adultery with her, and got her pregnant. He tried unsuccessfully to cover up his sin. He had the poor man killed, thereby saving face. With the husband out of the way, he married Bathsheba. Why did his own situation not come to mind as he listened to
the story about the rich man and poor man? He had the nerve to pronounce death on the offender. Unfortunately, we all do that; we pronounce judgement before we hear the whole story!
On the other hand, when we do wrong, we make excuses for ourselves or cover up our actions. Why are we so forgiving of our own sins, and so critical of others? We condemn them without mercy. The Scriptures tell us, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-2).
Until David was confronted about his sins, he was very judgemental of another person whose offense was minor in comparison. Again, the Scriptures tell us, “If you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit
adultery? … You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonour God by breaking it” (Romans 2:21-23).

Before we pass judgement on others, let us put ourselves in the offender’s place and ask ourselves how we would like to be treated. If we decide we don’t deserve forgiveness, grace, mercy, or a second chance, only then should we cast our stones. Jesus said to the crowd who brought the woman caught in adultery, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (John 8:7).
This does not encourage condoning wrongdoing; we need to speak out, but not necessarily judge and condemn.
Once king David was confronted, he admitted his wrongdoing: “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13), and was instantly granted forgiveness: “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin” (2 Samuel 12:14b).
In Psalm fifty-one, David poured out his heart, and demonstrated remorse for his sin, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stains of my sins. … You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgement against me is just. … Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. … Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness” (Psalm 51:1-14).
Look deep into your heart. Have you ever judged and condemned someone for things that are wrong in your own life, or do you sin in any way at all? Let’s be careful how we judge, because we could be judging and condemning ourselves!
Only God has the right, knowledge, and power to judge, because He is holy.

SELF DECEPTION (June 29, 2025)

Self-deception is the act of lying to oneself; choosing to believe a lie or disbelieve the truth. This can happen to different people in different situations. For example, have you looked at yourself in the mirror today? What did you see? When you walked away from the mirror, did you think, “Boy, I look great or boy, I don’t look so hot today?” Whatever you walked away with could be true or false; if false then, you’ve deceived yourself.

The Bible takes a serious view of self-deception, and calls anyone who engages in that practice a FOOL:

“Fools deceive themselves” (Prov 14:8).

“Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1).

“Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. … But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it” (James 1:22-24).

“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless” (James 1:26).

The problem with self-deception is that you try to make others accept and agree with you about your lie. Those who claim, there is no God, want to raise baseless arguments to get you to believe that. However, the Bible clearly says they have no excuse for thinking and claiming there is no God, since: “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. … they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:19-20).

We Christians, can also get caught in this situation, because we make claims that don’t match our behavior or way of life. Do you claim you are walking in the light because you are born again? And you should, but do you hate a fellow believer? According to the Bible, if you do, you are deceiving yourself, and are still living in darkness (see 1 John 2:9). “Anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness” (1 John 2:11).

One can make an excuse for unbelievers, because they don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and they don’t read the Bible. But it should be different with us Christians; we must obey the Holy Spirit and strive to be holy because our God is holy. We need to allow our light to shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify God, our Father in heaven. May our lives not cause others to stumble or blaspheme our God.

How about claiming to be a Christian, but not showing it through your speech? Do you curse at people and situations? Do you use foul language? If you do, then, you are fooling yourself about your claims and your religion is vain/worthless (see James 1:26).  

One of our worst struggles as Christians is to read or listen to the Word of God and then forget it or fail to obey it. As we can see, self-deception is costly; when we fool ourselves, we make our claims questionable, and miss God’s blessings. Let’s focus on doing what God commands us to do, and do it in a timely manner.

BEING STEADFAST (June 22, 2025)

Recently, someone asked me what it means to be steadfast as a Christian. So, what does it mean to be steadfast?

According to Dictionary.com, the word for steadfast in the original Hebrew is chesed (pronounced kheh’-sed), and it refers to God’s devout loving-kindness, mercy, and faithfulness at the very core of His character and actions. Needless to say, that is the nature Christians should emulate. We have to hold fast to what we believe and follow through with determination. According to another source, we have to be dutifully
unwavering, even in the face of adversity.

Jesus, in His love and steadfastness, knowing the pain and agony He was going to endure at the hand of sinners, obeyed the Father anyway and came to earth. As prophesied about Him:” The Sovereign Lord helps me … Therefore, I have set my face like a stone (flint), determined to do his will” (Isaiah 50:5-7 NLT). In short, if we’ve decided to follow Jesus, we should be determined to follow, regardless of the outcome. We have to trust God to do for us what He did for Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration: “Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him” (Matthew
17:3). Yes, God will send us encouragement and comfort during hard times if we remain steadfast in our walk with Him. If Jesus trusted God, we can too. How can we be steadfast? Start by knowing God’s Word, attributes, and promises. If we know Him, and not only about Him, we will trust Him to be true to His nature and promises. We will understand that He won’t fail us under any circumstance, and therefore will be able to claim His promises with confidence.

For encouragement, we can refer to the life of Bible characters and how they responded to or handled difficult situations. The book of 2 Kings, for instance, tells us what happened when Sennacherib threatened to attack Jerusalem, and actually sent his army to surround it. Sennacherib’s message through his officials to Hezekiah was, “What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? Do you think that mere words
can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? … So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?” (2 Kings 18:19-20, 35 NLT).

On hearing Sennacherib’s threats, Hezekiah went into the temple to seek God’s help. He also sent a message to Isaiah, the prophet, asking Him to pray. Of course, God answered! Through Isaiah, God said to Hezikiah: “Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me. Listen! … I myself will move against him, … I will have him killed with a sword” (2 Kings 19:6-7). So, what do we learn from Hezekiah? He trusted and called upon God for help. He also called on another godly person for support and encouragement. We need to do the same; God can direct us through the counsel of other Christians. Psalm 23 reminds us of God’s faithfulness; He is so consistently faithful that, even when we walk through the darkest valley, we should not be afraid (verse 4).

Dear Christian, let’s all strive to be steadfast and unmovable; calmly hold to our chosen position and follow through with determination, without wavering.

OH, SUCH LOVE (June 15, 2025)

God’s love for mankind can never be understood. Before creating man, He already had the intention and plan to have an everlasting relationship with him, even if it killed Him: and do you know what? It did.

God said to Adam in the garden, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17 NLT). This instruction: “Don’t, or you’ll die” sounds straightforward and easy to understand.

Unfortunately, with the devil’s help, man still managed to mess up. He and his wife disobeyed God; they ate the forbidden fruit. And what was the outcome? God was heartbroken, but out of His immense love and justice, He kicked them out of the garden, as evidence of the separation between God and man. What a sad, sad day! To ensure the couple didn’t sneak back in, God set a guard at the gate entrance with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life (see Gen 3:22-24). Why was this precaution necessary? Eating of the tree of life would have made the situation worse than eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They would have lived eternally, separated from God. Ouch! What good
would that do?

In essence, God was saying, “I love you so much that I cannot afford to make this separation permanent; I have to, and I will, redeem you.” Wow, such love!

God’s dealing with man, whether or not it causes pain, has always been out of love. He always looks out for our welfare. The first command was given to avoid a separation between God and man, which unfortunately did happen. Preventing re-entry into the garden by posting a guard was to prevent the separation from becoming permanent.

God has continued to deal with man out of love; He cautions, rebukes and punishes out of love. God noticed that Cain, the first couple’s older son, was angry with and jealous of his younger brother, Abel, because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice over his. Sin has passed down from Adam and Eve to their descendants. Right away, God confronted Cain: “Why are you so angry? Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master” (Genesis 4:6-7 NLT).

Wow! Talk about conviction! That’s what the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit are supposed to do for the children of God: convict and stop us before we commit something terrible. Cain’s response to the conviction should have been that of repentance and confession, but he did nothing about his anger and jealousy. So, subsequently, he murdered Abel. Had he taken God’s Word seriously, he would not have murdered his brother (see V 8). When God confronted him about the incident, he still showed no remorse for his action; he refused to accept responsibility for the murder. He asked: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (V 9).

Dear Christian, let’s take the Word of God seriously; let’s respond appropriately when the Holy Spirit convicts us about any sin brewing in our hearts or already committed. “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts” (1 John 1:9-10 NLT). Oh, such love!

God’s Inexhaustible Promises (June 08, 2025)

“I’ll never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5).

He indwells His children; He does not go in and out, and therefore, we are never alone or forsaken. Think about that for a second and let it sink in: He is ALWAYS with you, and that includes today.

By the same token, He knows all the good and evil plans coming against you today, and either agrees and allows it or disagrees and stops it. His
eyes will be on what He allows to make sure it’s going in the way that will work out for your good, and bring Him glory. So today, walk in
peace, hope, joy, and gratitude. Don’t worry, fret, or be anxious. Instead, rejoice and be thankful that He is with you, and has no
intention of leaving you.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). (John 6:35)
How are you feeling today? What’s your need today? Do you have a health, financial, or social need? Jesus is waiting to hear from you. He is saying to you: “Come to me … I will give you rest.”

Firstly, identify your need, and secondly, bring that need to the Savior, thirdly, trust that He can and will do what He promised. And don’t forget to be thankful for His answer/solution.

“My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying” (Proverbs 3:1-2).

God’s commands are for our good. To benefit from them, we have to:

1) Know and remember them,
2) Believe them, and
3)Obey them.

THE BENEFITS OF TRIALS (June 01, 2025)

What are trials? Trials are hardships and sufferings that come one’s way, testing one’s stamina and faith. Trials can cause a lot of pain and frustration to the point of feeling God has abandoned us. You are probably wondering, “How can there be benefits to trials if they involve so much suffering?” The truth is, there really are benefits: you learn how to respond to adversity in a godly manner and prepare for future trials.

What are some examples of trials? Trials can come in the form of poor health, difficulty in relationships, financial challenges, and the like. With that said, have you ever experienced trials? How did you respond and what did you learn from it? Jesus went through all kinds of trials; He was falsely accused, mocked, rejected, beaten, and crucified. How did He respond?

1.) He let the Father know about His pain and loneliness: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27-46).
2.) He prayed for His enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I invited my pastors to come and anoint me and pray over me, and they did. My children and church family surrounded me with love and care. My suffering gave all involved the opportunity to practice hospitality. I learned God provides through both people I know and those I don’t. In answer to our prayers, I believe God provided me with a good medical staff; they took very good care of me.

For almost a year after my discharge, family and friends continued to sacrificed their time taking me for follow-up doctor visits and anywhere else I needed to be since I couldn’t drive myself. They called, visited, prayed, brought food, etc. I’m not sure I’ve learned everything yet; there’ll always be more to learn.

I wouldn’t wish my experience on anyone, but I have learned enough that I could encourage others who might have a similar experience in the future.

Trials are not fun by any means, but they are beneficial to the individual and also to their family and friends. Nothing happens to us by chance; either God causes it or allows it for a good reason. Let’s learn to trust Him in all situations-pleasant or unpleasant and give Him the glory along the way and at the end.

BE A SAINT (May 25, 2025)

Who is a saint, and how and when does one become one? Some think sainthood is pronounced upon a person after death based on how good and/or holy they lived. According to the Scriptures, however, “saint” is another word for Christian. The apostle Paul, addressing the believers in the church at Ephesus, called them saints: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). The people Paul addressed were alive, so death is not a requirement to be called a saint. Those of us who are in the body of Christ Jesus are saints, whether in or out of our individual earthly bodies.

Having established that we are saints, we should also show that unless the Lord draws us, we cannot come to Him (see John 6:44); therefore, sainthood is a calling. Paul, writing to the church in Rome, addressed them this way, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be
saints” (Romans 1:1). The online dictionary definition of Call includes making a request or a demand, and one of the definitions for to be is to become.

We are transformed from unbelief/ungodliness to belief/faith in Christ, resulting in the newness of life and the renewal of the mind (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We are not called to act like saints; we are called to be saints. So, to be CALLED TO BE SAINTS is God requesting or demanding
that we become saints. To become something different from what we are requires a transformation from one state of being to another: for example, going from a cocoon to a butterfly.

Sainthood is not a cloak we put on and take off when we feel like it. It should be our new nature, our state of being. We are to be saints around the clock, 24/7. We are to be saints at home, away from home, when we are awake and asleep. We should be saints at all times, no matter what. A saint should be our identity, the name by which we are known.

God told His people, the Israelites (and us), “You must be holy because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16). So, how does one become holy? God doesn’t only command us; he provides detailed directions: “Set yourselves apart to be holy … Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy” (Leviticus 20:7-8). There we are: We must put God’s decrees into practice (sanctification)! The rules are summed up in two commands—Love the Lord and love your neighbor. So, to be a saint is to be a Christian, and to be a Christian is to have salvation through Christ and then be God’s image-bearer around the clock.

How can we vibrantly maintain our sainthood? Let’s compare sainthood to professions in the secular world. We must have the mindset that we are saints. Every so often, professionals undergo certification and recertification to ensure their skills and knowledge are up to date. As a
retired nurse, I attended many of those during my working years. As saints, we will receive our certifications and recertifications through trials to confirm that we are applying the lessons we learn to maintain our sainthood. Like other roles we hold in life, we must learn all we can about
being saints by studying the manual for saints, which is the Bible, and by attending in-services, seminars, and training sessions about saints in the form of attending church and Bible studies. Through these activities, God will equip us to get better at being saints. The Word says

we should not neglect the assembling together of the saints, as some are in the habit of doing, but we should encourage one another (see Hebrews 10:25). It also says we should correctly handle the Word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Sainthood is ongoing and takes perseverance and dependence on the One who called us to be saints: Jesus Christ, our Lord. We will get better at being saints with time as we obey His decrees and keep our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).

100% DEBT FREE FOR LIFE! (May 18, 2025)

Do you ever wish you were debt-free? How and when can that happen? You would need to start by identifying your debtor, figuring out how much you owe, when payment is due, and how to settle that debt. So, who are your debtors? What would you do if you couldn’t afford to pay that debt? You might file for bankruptcy or try to find someone to pay on your behalf.

I’m sure my questions so far make you think of your financial obligations. While they are important, I’m actually talking about your spiritual debt, which you may not even know you have. This is what God says: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). How did we fall short? “When Adam [our ancestor] sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 15:12).

God, being holy and just, has to punish sin, and He declares what the punishment is: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Although He has clearly stated the punishment, He has also shown us how to be debt-free—how to receive debt forgiveness. It isn’t that our sins will be swept under the carpet, but rather, someone else has already taken our punishment on Himself—Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God’s justice is therefore satisfied in Christ.

We each have a role to play. Although Jesus paid our debt, each individual has to personally accept Jesus’ payment as their own, and pray, asking God for forgiveness based on that. Anyone who does not take this step cannot benefit from Jesus’ work, which means that person will have to pay for their own debt through death, also known as eternal separation from God in hell.     

What would you like to do now, or have you settled this issue already? If not, where would you go if you died tonight: heaven or hell? This question is important because “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). If you are not sure where you’ll go, I’d like to encourage you to call on Jesus today; tomorrow might be too late. You can repent and ask for forgiveness only while you’re alive.

 If you have prayed and asked God for forgiveness, I’d like to welcome you to the family of God. He has forgiven you and adopted you into His family, and has come to dwell in your heart through His Holy Spirit. Now you are His child—a new person: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So, as a new person, where do you go from here? The Holy Spirit is going to direct you as you pray and read the Bible: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). As you obey what you read, your desires and interests will begin to change gradually to line up with the Bible. You should focus on becoming more like Jesus: “You must be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). In addition, seek to join other believers for fellowship, prayer, and studying the Word of God. And don’t forget to share your experience with others who need to do the same thing. Again, welcome to the family of God; rejoice that God has removed your sins as far away as the east is from the west, never to be brought up again. Your debt is fully paid! 

BE A SAINT (March 9, 2025)

Who is a saint, and how and when does one become one? Some think sainthood is pronounced upon a person after death based on how good and/or holy they lived. According to the Scriptures, however, “saint” is another word for Christian. The apostle Paul, addressing the believers in the church at Ephesus, called them saints: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). The people Paul addressed were alive, so death is not a requirement to be called a saint. Those of us who are in the body of Christ Jesus are saints, whether in or out of our individual earthly bodies.

Having established that we are saints, we should also show that unless the Lord draws us, we cannot come to Him (see John 6:44); therefore, sainthood is a calling. Paul, writing to the church in Rome, addressed them this way, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be
saints” (Romans 1:1). The online dictionary definition of Call includes making a request or a demand, and one of the definitions for to be is to become.

We are transformed from unbelief/ungodliness to belief/faith in Christ, resulting in the newness of life and the renewal of the mind (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We are not called to act like saints; we are called to be saints. So, to be CALLED TO BE SAINTS is God requesting or demanding
that we become saints. To become something different from what we are requires a transformation from one state of being to another: for example, going from a cocoon to a butterfly.

Sainthood is not a cloak we put on and take off when we feel like it. It should be our new nature, our state of being. We are to be saints around the clock, 24/7. We are to be saints at home, away from home, when we are awake and asleep. We should be saints at all times, no matter what. A saint should be our identity, the name by which we are known.

God told His people, the Israelites (and us), “You must be holy because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16). So, how does one become holy? God doesn’t only command us; he provides detailed directions: “Set yourselves apart to be holy … Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy” (Leviticus 20:7-8). There we are: We must put God’s decrees into practice (sanctification)! The rules are summed up in two commands—Love the Lord and love your neighbor. So, to be a saint is to be a Christian, and to be a Christian is to have salvation through Christ and then be God’s image-bearer around the clock.

How can we vibrantly maintain our sainthood? Let’s compare sainthood to professions in the secular world. We must have the mindset that we are saints. Every so often, professionals undergo certification and recertification to ensure their skills and knowledge are up to date. As a
retired nurse, I attended many of those during my working years. As saints, we will receive our certifications and recertifications through trials to confirm that we are applying the lessons we learn to maintain our sainthood. Like other roles we hold in life, we must learn all we can about
being saints by studying the manual for saints, which is the Bible, and by attending in-services, seminars, and training sessions about saints in the form of attending church and Bible studies. Through these activities, God will equip us to get better at being saints. The Word says

we should not neglect the assembling together of the saints, as some are in the habit of doing, but we should encourage one another (see Hebrews 10:25). It also says we should correctly handle the Word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Sainthood is ongoing and takes perseverance and dependence on the One who called us to be saints: Jesus Christ, our Lord. We will get better at being saints with time as we obey His decrees and keep our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).

A SONG IN THE NIGHT (February 16, 2025)

What do you think of nighttime? Some synonyms for the word include hours of darkness, night, dark, and darkness. Sometimes, we refer to life’s difficulties as nighttime, and we look forward to daytime when hopefully, things would be different. What do we do while we wait for the clarity of the day? The easiest option is to worry; some even get depressed, short-tempered, and withdrawn. even though we know and tell ourselves we should be praying.

Paul and Silas took a different path. They had been jailed by the authorities. Although they could have lain awake worrying, they sang praises to God. They could have wondered what their fate was going to be in the morning, how they could get out of their situation, and on and on. Instead, they praised God, knowing that He knew all about their situation, that He’d rescue them, and could bring good out of that situation.

How did they get to be in jail anyway? They hadn’t committed any crime; they were doing what they believed was the right thing to do. They had cast out a demon from a slave girl who was making money for her owners by fortune telling. Needless to say, the owners were unhappy when they lost their source of income. Consequently, Paul and Silas were brought before the magistrate, who had them thrown into prison (see Acts 16:16-24).

Are you struggling with a situation (darkness) in your life that was not the result of anything you’ve done wrong? What are you doing about it? Are you trying to justify yourself, thinking about how unfair life has been to you, or are you going to pray and sing in the midst of your trouble?  The apostle Paul knew from experience the benefits of giving thanks in all circumstances, including dark ones (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18).  

What were the results of their jail experience? God responded; He intervened! He sent an earthquake, violent enough to shake the foundations of the prison, fling the prison doors open, and loosen every prisoner’s chains. Prior to the earthquake, Paul and Silas did not know how, when, or if God was going to intervene, but they trusted Him to work it all out. And He did!

Like the three Jewish boys in Babylon (see Daniel 3:1-30), God’s deliverance or intervention was not the basis of their decisions to praise or obey God; it was their determination to obey God, no matter the outcome. Can you and I just trust God with our problems in an attitude of praise? If we postpone praise until the night is past, we might not be praising any time soon, because with God one day is like a thousand and a thousand like a day.

Through that experience, the jailer and all his family became Christians. So, all things did work out for good.  People were saved; Paul and Silas experienced God’s faithfulness all over again. The Bible doesn’t name the song they were singing, and I don’t think that makes any difference. The most important thing is that they were praying and singing hymns to God. Their night didn’t stop them from singing. Does yours?

GOD’S COMMANDS NEED NO EDITING! (February 9, 2025)

Editing is the preparation of a document for publication by correcting, rewriting, or updating it. Writers and authors know the benefits of editing; after reading one’s own work over and over again, mistakes can still be missed. A fresh pair of eyes catches missed mistakes, thus making the document more polished. Editing can sometimes alter the author’s intended message, however.

There are many instances when, knowingly or unknowingly, we edit God’s commands. Both Christians and unbelievers are guilty of tampering with God’s instructions. We do this by misinterpreting what God says; we pick commands apart and take the pieces that appeal to us, and ignore what we find non-palatable.
We can find a good example of this kind of behavior in the Book of first Samuel. God commanded Saul through Samuel: “I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys” (1 Samuel 15:2-3). King Saul led his army of 210, 000 soldiers to go and carry out God’s command.

With such clear instruction, nothing should have gone wrong, but something did. “Saul and his men spared king Agag’s life and the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality” (1 Samuel 15:9).

What didn’t Saul understand about the word ENTIRE? When he met Samuel on his return from the campaign, he said to him, “I have carried out the Lord’s command!” (Verse 13). When confronted with the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle, he explained: “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle. But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else” (verse 15). God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He has no need for the Amalekites’ cattle; he wanted them destroyed, period!

Samuel’s rebuke went like this: “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” Verse 22). Let’s learn a lesson from that.

Needless to say, God was very unhappy about Saul’s disobedience; He rejected Saul as king. Later, the kingdom was transferred from Saul’s family to David and his descendants.
How did Saul think he had obeyed God when he didn’t destroy everything? It’s sad, but we sometimes fall into the same trap. For instance, when we know God wants us to take action about something, we put it off, sometimes indefinitely. When we finally get around to doing it, we convince ourselves that we have obeyed Him. We need to obey God in a timely manner every time; His command should take precedence over everything else.
It’s not enough to say we love the Lord; we should honor and obey Him as proof of that love. Although He doesn’t have to reward our obedience, He often does. In the book of Malachi, the Lord confronted the Israelite priests (and us) about bringing Him unworthy sacrifices: “A Son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? (Malachi 1:6).
Let’s be careful how we live our Christian lives; God is watching! He will reward or rebuke us accordingly!

GOD’S HEART IS YEARNING TO BLESS YOU! (February 2, 2025)

God loves us so much; He can’t wait to bless us! He desires to bless us non-stop. And of course, we desire to be blessed, but what’s stopping Him from blessing us? The answer is simple—our disobedience!

I can literally hear and feel the pain in God’s voice when He says things like, “Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!” (Psalm 81:13) He can’t contain Himself at the thought of all that He’d do to bless us: “How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes!” (Verse 14)

In verse 8, He calls out, “Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me!” God is hurting over the fact that there are so many ways He could bless us, but He is unable to, because of our dull ears and hearts. We don’t listen, and when we listen, we don’t obey. How sad! He is pleading with us sinners: “Listen to me!”

He even found it necessary to reintroduce Himself to them (us): “It was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt.” Then He quickly added, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things” (verse 10). What are we waiting for? Why is it so hard for us to obey? Don’t we understand the price He paid to redeem us? The apostle Paul admonishes us, “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world” (1 Corinthians 7:23). We are that precious in His sight. A mother would spend her last penny on her child, demonstrating that even we sinners know how to give good gifts to our children. God cannot do any less (see Matthew 7:11). He is waiting to bless us!

The blessings He promised include, “Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks” (verse 6). “I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock” (verse 16). What more do we want? Our God is able; the whole world belongs to Him, including us. He has given us the freedom to choose so we can love, serve, and obey Him by choice, not by compulsion. He could make us obey Him, but that wouldn’t bring Him the satisfaction of us willingly obeying Him.

After all the failed coaxing, He declared, “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So, I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas” (verse 11-12). How sad and disappointing!

God is longing for a meaningful relationship with us, His children. Let’s respond with the same kind of yearning. This world is passing away, and only those who do the will of God will abide forever. My heart’s cry is, “Lord, I love you; help me love you more through obedience.” What’s your heart’s cry today?

Moses was called the friend of God. Why? Because Moses yearned to know God: “Show me your glorious presence” (Exodus 33:18). Do you know God enough? Are you content with where you are in your walk? If not, then let’s put worldliness behind us and seek after Him earnestly, with all our hearts. That’s the only way we are going to be happy and satisfied in our Christian walk, and the only way God is going to open the windows of heaven and pour His countless blessings on us.

Here is a promise we can live by: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). May God help us to seek after Him with all our hearts!

GOD HAS DIFFERENT WAYS OF SOLVING A PROBLEM, EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES
TO SALVATION (January 26, 2025)

(January 19, 2025)

God created the world mostly by the Word of His mouth, saying, “Let there be.” He has since then done numerous other things in different ways with the same results. Below are a few of those times:

● In Egypt, He turned water into blood, but in Cana, He turned water into wine (Exodus 7:20; John 6:6-10).
● Once, Jesus healed two blind men by touching their eyes, because they confessed that they believed He could heal them. He also told them it would happen because of their faith. But on another occasion, Jesus spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on a blind man’s eyes, and instructed him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam (Matthew 9:28-29; John 9:6). Although methods were different, the result was the same: sight was restored.
● The city of Jericho was conquered without weapons: the Israelites marched quietly (except for the priests blowing their horns) around the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. On the last round, they shouted, and the walls collapsed. In the city of Ai, however, the Israelites were instructed to lay ambush behind the city, and then attack from the front, and when the Ai troops engaged them and chased them out of the city, those in ambush would attack the city from the back and conquer it. In both cases, the Israelites were victorious, but the strategies were different. (Joshua 6:1-20; 8:3-19).

Salvation, however, is a one-way process; nothing else will do! Salvation is the process by which sinners are brought into a personal relationship
with God based on the fact that Jesus took mankind’s sin on Himself when He died on the cross and rose again on the third day. This process is called by many names, including being born again, becoming a child of God, and being adopted into God’s family.
Why do we need to be saved? Currently, having inherited the sinful nature of our fore parents, Adam and Eve, we are alienated from God just like they were; the Bible says we are His enemies. For the relationship to be restored, we need our sins forgiven. If we don’t get forgiven before we depart this world, our destination after this life will be hell; it will be too late to do differently.

So, how does this process work? The Bible tells us: “This is how God loved the world {people}: he gave his one and only Son {Jesus}, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). So, out of God’s love for mankind, He had Jesus die in payment for man’s sins. And the only way this would apply to anybody is for each person to individually pray to God, admitting that they are a sinner, and accept Jesus’ sacrifice in their place. And Jesus Himself said clearly to His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). The result of this prayer will be God’s forgiveness and the indwelling of His Spirit that testifies that the individual who prayed has become a child of God; his sins are washed away, never to be remembered: “He has removed our sins as far from
us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Individuals who think they can get to heaven through any way other than Jesus are frighteningly mistaken. God does not go back on his Word; it will always be as He says or not at all. Dear reader, don’t count on your good deeds or some other religion; none of those will save you. This is the time to make a decision to either be a child of God or His enemy; God will honor your choice either way, and you have to live with your choice forever, with no possibility to change your mind in eternity. Please give this some serious thought and choose wisely; time is running out!

JESUS IS LOOKING FOR YOUR LOST NEIGHBOR (January 19, 2025)

Quite often, you find neighborhood posts asking for help finding a lost pet. They describe the pet, and the owner provides his contact information. Sometimes a reward is listed. Have you ever seen a homeless pet, and how did that make you feel? Did you wish you could reunite that pet with its owner?

Jesus paid a ransom for you and all mankind, including your neighbor. Your neighbor does not know or understand that he or she is lost, and if never found and returned to God, his or her owner, it will lead to eternal separation. On the other hand, you understand that the stakes are high; you are glad you have become a child of God by repenting of your sins and putting your faith in Jesus. Plus, you know and enjoy the benefits of your relationship with God, like joy, peace, and hope for the future; your neighbor could benefit from that knowledge. So, what are you going to do about your lost neighbor?

God has made all believers, including you, His ambassadors, and is making His appeal through us; we must ask unbelievers to return to God through Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). What’s stopping you from being an ambassador? Could it be that you feel ashamed to openly declare that you’re a Christian, are afraid of persecution, or feel unsure how to present the gospel message?

Jesus’ response to those who feel ashamed is: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels” (Luke 9:26; also Mark 8:38). And if fear is your problem, Paul cautioned Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord” (2 Peter 1:7-8). If you’re unsure how to present the gospel, befriend your neighbor, show him love and respect, and avoid topics that lead to arguments. Pray for him, and as your friendship grows, you can share what God has done for you.

Sharing the gospel is not the time for a lecture. Jesus asked the woman at the well for a simple favor: “Please give me a drink” (John 4:7). That led to a discussion, and before she knew it, Jesus had confessed: “I AM the Messiah!” (V 26). The woman went back home to share her experience, and before she could really think about it, many from the village had put their trust in Him because of what she told them (see 39-42).

Jesus is waiting to welcome your neighbor; He is counting on you to introduce them. Your neighbor will appreciate knowing what you already know; he or she will appreciate going home to the Father he or she didn’t even know they had. Stop procrastinating because time is running out; it could soon be too late for your neighbor.

And just as neighborhood posts offer a reward, Jesus promises: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds” (Revelation 22:12).