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[The Glory Unveiled ]

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” [ Luke 6:38 NIV ]

The law of reciprocity states that people tend to respond to a positive action with positive actions. In other words, what you give will be given back to you. But often with interests, a good measure of what had been given. It would seem that God gives to us more quickly when we demonstrate our willingness to give to Him or others first. A quick search through scripture will prove this observation to be true. We see the Zarephath woman blessed in famine with more flour and oil than she will ever need because she gave first to Elijah. The little boy who carried five loaves of bread and two fishes had the bread and the fish multiplied because he was willing to give it out to strangers to eat. Whenever we give to others, God gives back to us. God who is faithful even when we are unfaithful blesses those who give to others. Unfortunately, this scripture is often associated with offerings and alms giving alone. But then, the “give” in that verse is not just about money. But giving our time, energy and resources as well. So whenever we have opportunity, let us give with the understanding that the law of reciprocity works. 

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for the privilege to be your son because of the giving away of your only begotten Son. 

Wisdom_Quote: Give and it will return to you.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [ John 14:6 NIV ]

Isn’t it ironic that even today, many continue to seek the Father as if He were missing, even though Jesus clearly showed us the way to Him? Some have created religions in an attempt to find Him, yet He has already revealed the path. Imagine this: if you’ve never been to my house and I give you directions, you’d better follow them carefully—otherwise, you’ll never arrive. How much more tragic, then, to ignore the clear directions of the One who knows the way to the Father? We desire to reach the home of the Father, yet we often choose paths offered by those who do not live in the same house as Jesus. How heartbreaking it is to spend a lifetime chasing empty gestures and meaningless directions. To know Jesus is to know the Father. True knowledge of the Father comes only through union with the Son. No one can reach the Father except through Him. We enter into this union when we accept Jesus as Lord, when we believe in His works—His sacrifices—as ours. Only then can we come to the Father. Only then can we find the rest our souls have longed for.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for showing me that the way to you is your Son. As I accept Him as truth and life, help me to come to you in fellowship and living. 

Wisdom_Quote: Jesus is the way to the Father, the truth about the Father and the life giving Spirit from the Father. 

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled ]

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [ Galatians 5:24 NIV ]

A lot of things in this world are driven by passion and desire. This is why almost every ad on the internet has an element intended to arouse passion and desire in viewers. Those who live according to the flesh are driven by passion and desires. On the other hand, those who belong to the Jesus community have  distinguished identities. And this identity is evident in the fact that they live by the Spirit of God and not the dictates of their flesh. This is why the next verse, 25 says if we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit. In other words, this ought not to be said. If you belong to Christ Jesus, then you have crucified the flesh and if you have crucified the flesh, then you are in step with the Holy Spirit. The one who has been crucified with Jesus no longer walks in accordance with the desires of the flesh, instead they live on the impulse of the Spirit. They are dead to their fleshy desires. Everything that concerns their self-lives have been crucified with Christ on the cross. 

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross in my stead. So that by your crucifixion and death, I was crucified and dead with you. 

Wisdom_Quote: The new life began on the cross. 

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God. 

[The Glory Unveiled]

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. [ John 6:68 KJV ]

In life, we are all gravitated towards people and places of value. Nobody wants to be associated with things with no value. This is sometimes because people tend to derive their sense of value and importance from others and things they believe are valuable. The apostle Peter was determined to follow Jesus wherever He went because in His words, Jesus had the word of eternal life. This also meant that the apostle Peter valued eternal life. What do you value most? What is most important to you? In Matthew 6:33, the scripture says we should seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness. This scripture also suggests that the kingdom of God holds some significance for which we should seek it first. And the good thing about pursuing these valuable things or associating with them is that the rewards outweigh the sacrifice. What you tend to gain from pursuing value is way more than you can ever imagine. The question then is, where shall you go? Who will you follow, what will you seek after? Count the cost first. Think about the end result before you set off in any direction. 

Prayer_Bead: Eternal Father, thank you for the grace to know the truth and pursue it. Help me to trust and obey you in all things. Amen. 

Wisdom_Quote: Follow results, not promises. 

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. [ Luke 16:10 NIV ]

The same measuring rod that tests faithfulness also reveals unfaithfulness. Life-altering decisions often emerge from seemingly small pieces of data. How a single variable affects one outcome can often predict how it will affect many others. In this way, careful observation of even the smallest detail can guide wise judgement. This is precisely why businesses and corporations invest so heavily in data—why their research and development teams drive their strategies. They collect information about people every day, analyzing it to predict whether the company will thrive or struggle in a particular season. From small insights, they forecast large outcomes. But long before the world discovered the power of data, the Lord Jesus taught a profound spiritual principle:

“One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much.”

If someone cannot be honest with the small resources they have been entrusted to manage, how can they be trusted with greater responsibility? How we handle what is given to us—no matter how small—is the measure of whether we are ready for more. This is why stewardship matters. This is why integrity matters. Because in the kingdom of God, the little we are faithful with is the seed that determines the abundance we can receive. Manage it well, and you prove yourself ready for much. Ignore it, and even great opportunities may slip past your grasp.

Prayer_Bead: Gracious Father, thank you for showing me the need to be faithful at what I’ve been entrusted to do. Help me to serve faithfully in every capacity.  

Wisdom_Quote: How you do something define how you do anything. 

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [ John 8:32 NIV ]

The Lord Jesus asked this question, “Who do men say that I am?” He was teaching His disciples a profound truth. He asked them this question prior to telling them that the Truth frees people who know it. Our relational knowledge of Jesus is the thing that frees us. It is not the mental capacity to understand or recall what the scripture says about Jesus that frees us, even though there is some kind of deliverance that comes from knowing about Jesus. But true freedom comes from having a relationship with Jesus and growing in that relationship. It is about coming to know the heart of Jesus, seeing Him for who He is and embracing His personality. “Knowing the truth” as our anchor scripture puts it has to do with knowing the person of Jesus and not necessarily the texts that speak about Him. Nicodemus was a learned man and a Pharisee. He knew so much about what is recorded about Jesus but he didn’t have any relationship with Him. And so, he found himself trapped. One day, He had to come face to face with Jesus to start a relationship with Him. (John 3:1-2) In the opening of the verse 2, Nicodemus said, “we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” So, we see that Nicodemus knew about Jesus but He didn’t know Him through a relationship. And this was why Jesus had to take him to the beginning, through the initiation of relating with Him—born again. The same applies to anyone who needs freedom like Nicodemus needed. We must know Him through a living relationship with Him and not merely through religious theatrics. Jesus longs for a relationship with us. Come to Him through an intentional relationship and be set free. 

Prayer_Bead: Saviour and Redeemer, thank you for your willingness to save me. I surrender to you in a lifelong commitment to you. Free me from the things that hold me back. Amen. 

Wisdom_Quote: Freedom is free in a committed relationship with Jesus.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.