Category: Gospel

[The Glory Unveiled]

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” [ Matthew 26:39 NKJV ]

Worship is an expression of our allegiance to God. It demonstrates what we are willing and ready to let go of because God asks for it. Abraham was willing to let go of his only son, Isaac. That was his true worship. The owner of the donkey’s cult in Matthew 21:2-3 gave it up for the master’s use, that was worship. Esther and Moses were willing to give up their royal positions to serve God’s purpose. Worship is the voice that says, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” It is when we set aside anything that points to us and embrace everything that points to God. When Jesus lay in Gethsemane hours before His crucifixion and said, “Not my will, but Thine be done,” as recorded in our anchor text, He was worshiping. We know how that turned out—His own life had to be lost. He had to die to His will, which was independent of the Father. Every kind of true worship contains an element of death. No wonder the Old Testament worshippers always killed animals; these were symbolic of what worship meant. Romans 12:1 similarly asks us to present ourselves as living sacrifices (a type of death), which it calls our reasonable and acceptable act of worship. When Romans 12:1 instructs us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, it doesn’t limit the presentation to our bodies alone. Some people assume that only our bodies are meant to be sacrificed in holiness, but it’s more than that. Our desires and wants must also be on the table and given up when God calls for it. Are you ready to give up anything the Father needs from you?

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me the acceptable expression of worship. Help me to die to my will and desires. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Genuine expression of worship is death to self.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God._

[The Glory Unveiled]

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [ 1 John 2:15  NKJV ]

The world is not merely the physical space we inhabit but the society, philosophy, ideals, and customs that shape our lives. Consequently, the world exerts a certain influence on its inhabitants, presenting them with what appeals to their desires. The world offers what our willpower is often too feeble to resist and what our appetite is often too weak to reject. In simple terms, the world offers temptations that can be difficult to refuse. John 3:16 says that God loves the world so much that He gave His only Son for us. The kind of love that God has is shared abroad in our hearts. However, love for the world stifles our love for God, which is why one who loves the world cannot love as the Father does. Jesus came as the embodiment of the Father’s will to teach us how to be children of God. Through His actions, Jesus demonstrated that He did not love the world or the things in it. He showed this by not loving His life so much that He wouldn’t sacrifice it. The willingness to part with one’s life for the sake of others is a powerful expression of love for God. In contrast, some people today take their own lives, not to save others, but without regard for the impact their death will have on others. Yet, the love of God teaches us selflessness—to prioritize the needs of others over our own desires. Practicing this kind of love helps to drive out love for the world and the things in it.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me with your life how to love. Help me as I endeavour to imitate you.

Wisdom_Quote: One’s love for God stifles their love for the world. 

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” [ John 20:27 NKJV ]

When the apostle John wrote, “that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life we declare to you,” he meant it literally. They lived with Jesus, walked with Him, learned from Him, and were transformed by Him so profoundly that they could speak about Him with certainty. One can only write the biography of another if they deeply understand and identify with that person. The disciples of Jesus were given the privilege to make mistakes and question Jesus for as long as they needed. God did not destroy them or turn them into animals or stones because they struggled to believe in the Son of God. In fact, He allowed them so much freedom that one of them dared to say that unless he touched Jesus and put his finger into the nail scars, he would not believe what the other disciples said about Jesus’ resurrection. When Jesus returned, He did not rebuke Thomas; instead, He reached out to him with His nail-pierced hand. Jesus was ready to provide him with proof of His resurrection. As ambassadors of Jesus, we need to carry proof to the world that Jesus died and rose again. We must equip ourselves with the knowledge of God so thoroughly that we can confidently tell others about the sacrifice of Christ. And to those who hear of what Jesus has done and who He is, let us not be unbelieving.

Prayer_Bead: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the privilege to represent you in this world. Help me to believe you with all my being.

Wisdom_Quote: The unbelieving believer is an embargo to the spread of the gospel.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling —that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones! [ Ephesians 1:18 TPT ]

There is a heavenly expectation for our being called into the family of God. Yet, the full revelation of the hope of that calling in our lives is only experienced when we are flooded with light. We are flooded with light when we stay in the presence of God—when the light of God overwhelms our understanding and imagination, and when God’s soothing and peaceful presence calms the cares of this world and drowns out the noise in the silence of His peace. As we enter into this experience, we come to understand the depth of God’s love for us. The hope of God’s calling in our lives is a glorious inheritance deposited within us. However, the reality of this deposit is Christ. God made Him the custodian of all the realities of God, which is why this reality is encountered through our knowledge of God. When we embrace the truth of God’s word, we are equipped with light, and our souls become illuminated, radiating the beauty of God. Whatever God has in store for us, no matter how precious, will only benefit us once we have received adequate knowledge of God. The gifts that God has deposited will only truly benefit the body of Christ and ourselves when we approach these gifts from a position of knowledge rather than mere sentiment and emotion. May the light of God illuminate our minds and hearts so that we can experience the full revelation of the hope of God’s calling.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for the hope of your calling. Let the eyes of my understanding be illuminated with light.

Wisdom_Quote: The word of God is the light of the souls of men.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world. [ 1 Peter 2:9 TPT ]

There is a purpose for everything under the sun; every action is initiated by a purpose. God called us out of darkness into His marvelous light for a reason. God had a plan for the creation of humanity, and that plan will come to pass regardless of the challenges and confrontations that arise. Often, when we make plans, we also create contingency plans so that if the original plan fails, the secondary plans can take effect. God called us and set us apart to experience His marvelous light. We are His chosen treasure; we are kings who are also priests. This is why we can enter the presence of God as if we were high priests, yet we are also able to make decrees and enforce the will of God as kings. Scripture says we are a spiritual nation set apart. In the Old Testament, God set apart the Israelites to be His special nation. In the same way, God has set us apart as His chosen people to live for Him. When we fulfill our part, God is committed to doing His part for His glory. Now that God has called us out of darkness, let us live as those who have truly been called out of darkness. Let us proclaim and make known to the whole world God’s glorious wonders. We are valuable to God—so valuable that He paid the ultimate price for our redemption. This is why we need to live to the praise of the One who called and saved us.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for your mercy and love. As you have called me out of darkness into light. Help me to showcase your works.

Wisdom_Quote: The purpose of God informs the calling of God.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

[The Glory Unveiled]

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. [ Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV ]

The salvation that the Lord Jesus made available to the fallen human race is priceless. It cost the life of God’s only begotten Son. Scripture says it is by grace that we have been saved. This grace is God’s initiative to save us, regardless of what we would choose. God did not consult us before He made this ultimate provision. He took the initiative as a caring Father; this is grace! But then, this grace had to be conveyed to us through a certain kind of faith—a kind of faith we cannot generate, the God-kind of faith. It is like being served at a table where all you have to do is eat. You were not part of the preparation or the planning. Therefore, you cannot go about telling everyone that you prepared the meal; hence, Scripture says no one can boast. James says, “Show me your works without faith, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). This means faith is meant to be expressed through works. But if our scripture text says that salvation is a gift from God so that no one should boast, then this faith does not originate from man but from God. God made everything accessible to us in Christ Jesus so that no one can claim to have done anything to earn salvation. In fact, God gave humanity many centuries, from the time Adam and Eve were driven from the garden, to try to save themselves—but we couldn’t. It was at the end of our futile endeavors that Jesus came to the rescue. We have nothing to contribute to our own salvation. It may seem as though God is asking something of us for our salvation, but in reality, He requires nothing from us to make provision for our salvation. It is like when God asked Abraham to go to Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son, Isaac. At the last moment, God intervened and provided a ram for the sacrifice instead. Christ was slain in our place. Our sins have been paid in full. Glory!

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for taking the responsibility for my salvation. Thank you for how much you love me.

Wisdom_Quote: We contributed nothing to our salvation.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.