Category: Gospel

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Heart postures

[The Glory Unveiled]

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [ Matthew 6:21 NIV ]

Our hearts are drawn to the place of our treasures; the heart always stays with what it treasures. The posture of our hearts mirrors what it treasures. If we treasure the kingdom of God, our hearts will be in the kingdom of God. Scripture records in Matthew 6:33 that we should seek first the kingdom and its righteousness and all other things shall be added. This is so that our hearts will be fixed on the kingdom as one can only truly seek what they treasure. And so, the Lord Jesus is luring our hearts to cleave to the kingdom of God, to treasure it with all our hearts. For if our treasure becomes the kingdom of God, then our hearts will be with the kingdom. And our lives will be lived desiring the things of God; walking in righteousness. Do you realize that you seem to care more about the things you treasure and value as important than those you deem less important? It is the same with spiritual things. Our hearts lie with whatever holds importance to us because there our treasures lie too. If it does not hold any treasures, our hearts will not go after it. The heart is a seeker, chasing after treasures, mining in deep caves where treasures are assured. Wherever you want your heart to be, hide your treasures there and your heart will follow suit. Treasure the word of God and the righteousness of His kingdom, and your heart will follow in the same direction. What do you treasure? It isn’t surprising that your heart cleaves to that thing. Embrace the glory of God’s kingdom as treasure and your heart will no longer wonder.

Prayer_Bead: Treasure of my heart, thank you for luring me into your embrace. Help me to stay with you throughout my journey on earth.

Wisdom_Quote: The heart is a seeker, mining for treasure.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Let your sacrifices speak

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” [ Psalms‬ ‭50‬:‭5‬ NKJV‬‬ ]

The life of a believer is perpetually marked by sacrifices. Whatever our Father in heaven is known for becomes our second nature as His children. The entire New Testament rests on one scripture: John 3:16, where God demonstrated His love through sacrifice. The sacrificial giving of His Son paved the way for us to access the kingdom of Heaven. Sacrifices have voices; they are spiritual dictions that dictate what should be. This is why the scripture mentions making covenants with God through sacrifices. Through sacrifices, we can initiate agreements with God. The silent words of our hearts are voiced out by what we are moved and willing to sacrifice. Our sacrifices act as megaphones, announcing our capabilities even if we are not actively doing them. Abraham didnt have to kill his son to prove he could give him up, his sacrifice confirmed the state of his heart. Without saying anything, we can entreat God through our sacrifices to move on our behalf. Dorcas in the book of Acts was a woman who helped people and gave a lot of alms, and Cornelius also gave generously to the poor. What these people have in common is that heaven acted on their behalf without them having to say anything. Their sacrifices became memorials before God, and God could not ignore them (Acts 10:4). Where your voice cannot be heard, your sacrifices will be seen. God sees your acts of kindness and love. Don’t quit in your sacrificial giving, keep at it until it cannot be ignored by heaven.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the grace to walk with you in truth. Help me to make sacrifices when and where I need to. In Jesus name.

Wisdom_Quote: Sacrifices have voices.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The strategy of sin

[The Glory Unveiled]

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. [ Genesis 4:7 NIV ]

The strategy of sin is akin to the tactics employed by cavemen of old. When these ancient hunters encountered a herd of animals, they didn’t pursue all the creatures simultaneously; instead, they focused on isolating just one. They relentlessly pursued that solitary animal until capturing it. If they still had energy and time, they would then pursue another. Sin follows a similar pattern, isolating its targets through complacency and pride. When individuals are unaware, they fall into the bottomless pit of death. Before Cain murdered his brother due to resentment towards God’s favour, he received a warning about the agenda of sin. God informed him that sin was at his door, desiring to consume him. Regrettably, Cain didn’t heed the caution, leading to him fulfilling the desires of sin by committing fratricide. Prior to David’s transgression with Bathsheba, he experienced isolation. Despite the customary time for kings to be at war, David remained at home, and sin ensnared his emotions. Sin consistently isolates its victims, leaving them without aid when the pressure of iniquity intensifies. Without the strength to resist, they succumb to sin. When you detect the stench of sin approaching from a mile away, the safest course of action is to seek a community of believers who can support and fortify you when sin comes knocking on your door. Is sin crouching at your door, desiring to consume you?

Prayer_Bead: Father in heaven, thank you for showing me the strategy of sin and what I need to do. Help me to remain in the community of godly men and women at all times.

Wisdom_Quote: Sin isolates its victims.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Team Jesus: The single indicator

[The Glory Unveiled]

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [ John 13:35 NIV ]

There are specific indicators of our relationship with Christ. In the social world, certain things expose a person’s identity and background. A person’s accent can provide insight into their identity and lineage. For the believer, identification with Christ goes beyond knowing His name or calling upon Him. The Lord Jesus tells us what will make everyone recognize that we were taught by Him and have a relationship with Him. The indicator is a singular behavior. This single behavior functions like a jersey, identifying which team a believer is playing for. Just as a group of people in the same jersey belong to the same team, when we love one another, our love becomes a garment identifying us with Christ and indicating that we belong to His team. God is love, and anyone claiming to relate to Him must be filled with love and exude it. If we love one another, everyone will know that we are sent-out ones of the Messiah. Apart from love, nothing we do communicates to the world that we are related to Christ. People will recognize our connection to Christ through our love life. If we engage in every other activity, manifesting all power gifts and revelational gifts without love, it still means we are not disciples of Christ. Jesus didn’t use “these” to mean many things; He said “this” as a single indicator. Let love guide us to people and allow them to see that we have been with Christ.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me the one thing that identifies me with you. Help me to love generously.

Wisdom_Quote: Love is the only thing that identifies the believer as a disciple of Jesus.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Justified by faith

[The Glory Unveiled]

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. [ Galatians 3:11 KJV ]

It is evident that one cannot attain the righteousness of God by attempting to keep the law. God’s righteousness does not originate from the law; instead, from faith, we understand this because the just live by faith. If we measure the results of a righteous life in faith, then righteousness is attained through faith. Righteousness represents the nature of God, and those in a true relationship with Him live by faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and one cannot resemble God or embody His identity without faith. Those who seek God’s righteousness through adherence to the law eventually realize their journey was in vain. The Pharisees and teachers of the law failed to recognize that the holiness and utter otherness of the law became a stumbling block to achieving what it teaches. By making faith the criterion for righteousness with God, He demonstrates His love for us because, by the law, no one can meet God’s standards. Faith, through Christ, meets God’s standard and infuses it into us. It’s akin to hosting sophisticated software or a large dataset on a flash drive and connecting it to a device with limited memory space. On its own, the device cannot hold the vast amount of data, but with the assistance of the flash drive, it can display a considerable amount of data as if it were hosting it. Similarly, we cannot host the righteousness of God by keeping the law, but through faith, we can embody God’s righteousness. And then, our lives must clearly show that we live by faith.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me God’s righteousness. I live by your faith henceforth.

Wisdom_Quote: The righteous live their lives by faith.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Configure your affection.

[Glory Unveiled]

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [ Colossians 3:2 KJV ]

An electronic device holds numerous possibilities, yet these potentials remain concealed within a set of instructions stored in the device’s settings. Two devices from the same manufacturer, boasting identical features, can yield disparate outcomes due to variations in their settings and one’s knowledge or mastery of those settings. Similarly, there are abundant possibilities above, where Christ is seated, but these potentials are obscured by the settings of our affections. Without setting our affections on things above, we cannot experience the corresponding realities. Our lives manifest the realities of the locations to which our affections are set. To establish our affections, we must deliberately focus our minds on something until our subconscious perceives it as reality. If our minds are fixated on earthly matters, our lives will manifest earthly results. It is evident from the aforementioned points that we bear the responsibility of setting our minds on either heavenly or earthly things. Choosing not to set our affections on anything is a decision in itself, as our affections naturally assume a default posture—the fallen man’s inclination towards things on this earth. Your default affection is what you respond to consciously and unconsciously, defining you more than any external labels. What you respond to is a reflection of what your affection is pinned to. Therefore, set your affection right, and your life will mirror it.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to set my affection on things above where Christ is seated. My life reflects Jesus to my world.

Wisdom_Quote: The direction of your life is a mirror reflection of your pinned affection.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.