Stay with Jesus

[The Glory Unveiled]

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish . He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. [ Jonah 1:3 NIV ]

Jonah went in the opposite direction of his calling and assignment, finding ready transportation to his desired destination. The scripture indicates that the ship was bound for the port of Tarshish. However, the availability of a ship heading where he wanted to go did not necessarily signify God’s involvement, as later verses reveal God sending a great wind to thwart Jonah’s journey. Believers are meant to live by faith, not solely relying on what is readily available. The mere availability of something during your search doesn’t make it a provision from God. For any provision that appears to come from God, confirmation from God is still necessary. It’s crucial to seek God’s confirmation for what you perceive as the path of wisdom to avoid destruction and death. Attempting to escape from God, as Jonah did, often leads to destruction, even if the alternative promises comfort and peace. The safest place is in the fire if God is present. Therefore, our primary task is to always inquire of God’s presence in every season of our lives. Similar to Jonah and those attempting to escape God, the consequences extend beyond destruction to the loss of resources. Jonah lost his possessions and money, including his transport fare. When we deviate from the center of our lives, our life’s anchor becomes unstable. The Lord Jesus serves as the center and anchor of our lives; hence, we should refrain from running away from Him.

Prayer_Bead: Father in heaven, thank you for being my anchor and my shield. Help me to stay with you throughout life.

Wisdom_Quote: The safest place to be is in fire if God is in that fire.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

God’s love gift

[The Glory Unveiled]

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—[ Ephesians 2:8 NIV ]

Our salvation is solely the result of God’s grace. We did nothing to deserve or earn it; it is a love gift. Like all gifts, you don’t have to do anything to earn it. However, even though it is a gift, you must receive it, and in this case, you must receive it with faith. Without faith, even though the gift is available and free, you cannot have it. Faith is the only hand that can take from God; without it, we cannot receive from Him. The first step to receiving this gift is to look away from ourselves, as salvation does not come from us. Depending on ourselves for what we cannot offer is a futile pursuit. Since salvation cannot come from us, we cannot boast that we attained it ourselves or received it as a reward for something we have done. The truth is that we had countless opportunities to save ourselves from the time of Adam and Eve until the birth of Jesus, but we couldn’t do it ourselves. These opportunities were meant to convince us that we cannot achieve salvation on our own. In the garden of Eden, God made it clear that humans couldn’t clothe themselves with His identity as it was depicted in their attempt to clothe themselves. The man and the woman clothed themselves with leaves, while God made a covering for them out of animal skin. God’s provision was better than what they did for themselves, but they had to accept the gift before it could benefit them. Similarly, we need to receive the gift of salvation, which comes to us by grace, in order to enjoy its benefits.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace that brought me salvation through your Son Jesus Christ.

Wisdom_Quote: Faith is the only hand that can receive from God.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Decide your use

[The Glory Unveiled]

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. [ 2 Timothy 2:20 NIV ]

There are various types of articles in our homes, each crafted from different materials based on the potter’s default design. Similarly, none of us created ourselves; we didn’t decide how we should be made or where we should be born. We are shaped by God. However, our impact on the world depends on our choices. What we’re made of is not crucial for influencing our world; background isn’t a disadvantage. You can shape your life positively, regardless of where you are. Just like articles in a house, their use depends on cleanliness. According to 2 Timothy 2:21, an item for common use can become “special purpose” through self-cleansing. Whether an article serves a common or special purpose has nothing to do with the material it is made of. Gold can serve common purposes if unclean, while a clean clay article can fulfill a special purpose. The purpose we attract is linked to our cleanliness. Often, we blame life’s situations on others instead of examining our souls for “uncleanliness” affecting our experiences. Our lives are influenced by what happens within us more than external events. External events can only do so much, but what truly drives our lives is what we permit within us. Whether God will use us or not, and for what purpose depends on us. Keep your vessel clean from common use, and your true purpose will surface.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace to keep myself clean from common use. Use me for your special purposes. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Your impact in life is influenced by your choices.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

Maintain your saltiness

[The Glory Unveiled]

Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? [ Luke 14:34 NIV ]

The value of salt lies in its saltiness; without it, it serves no purpose. Moreover, once salt loses its saltiness, it cannot be restored. Similarly, as believers, we’re akin to salt, having only one life to fulfill our purpose. Like salt maintaining its saltiness, we must make the most of our lives. Our significance, glory, value, and purpose stem from our saltiness. The world depends on us for this. Losing our saltiness, as the Bible notes in Luke 14:35, results in being discarded. Our earthly assignment is to fear God and follow His commandments, aligning with Jesus’ words to love God wholeheartedly. This way, our saltiness benefits the world, glorifying God. Conversely, succumbing to worldly pleasures renders us ineffective. Sin is the force that depletes our saltiness as believers, corroding the divine nature within us and transforming us into something monstrous. The solution to the sin predicament lies in aligning with the Lord Jesus; in doing so, our saltiness remains intact. Rather than permitting sin to erode your essence, make a resolute choice to stand with Jesus in every aspect of life. Turn away from the distractions and temptations orchestrated by Satan. Firmly declare to sin, “No more!” and affirm to righteousness, “You are my new nature.” Embrace the life exemplified by Jesus and dedicate yourself to living for God. Living for God brings glory and praise to Him. Let us live in a manner that magnifies God through our actions..

Prayer_Bead: Almighty God, thank you for giving me a unique purpose for life. Help me to live out my calling as I embrace righteousness.

Wisdom_Quote: Salt is useful because of its saltiness.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

You are light

[The Glory Unveiled]

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [ Matthew 5:14 NIV ]

The Lord Jesus was very specific about our identity: we are the light of the world. However, some believers are only the light of their churches and families, not the world. The Lord Jesus didn’t say we are the light of the church but the light of the world. Many believers who act as the light of their churches are not truly shining; they are merely reflecting the light around them through pretense, not emitting their own. They resemble candles or Catholic rosaries, absorbing and emitting light without burning or being lit with a matchstick. Our identity as the light of the “world,” has to do with influencing the cosmos, the world’s systems. We are meant to radiate the light of Christ Jesus in the dark systems of the world. If we’re in the world and there’s no noticeable difference, our light is darkness. In the earthly days of the Lord Jesus Christ, wherever he went, the testimony was that he was different; his light was so bright that it couldn’t be ignored, like a city upon a hill. Our light should make us visible wherever we are. If we abandon our identity as light, we risk being swallowed by the darkness we’re in. Darkness can engulf light if it’s not bright or illuminated. Remember, you are light, so shine. The world must see our light and feel our impact. We must live with the consciousness that we are the world’s light, and the world is always watching. Therefore, we must represent Christ well wherever we find ourselves.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for making me the light of the world. Help me not to hide but to shine, to the glory of your name.

Wisdom_Quote: The true light of the world cannot be hidden by darkness.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.