The story of Jesus

Christ is enough.

2026-10-17T09:19:46.797-04:00

Christ is enough.

Read: Colossians 3:10-11; Ephesians 1:23

In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle and the Temple were very important to God’s people, Israel.

The Israelites had to respect these holy places and obey God’s instructions about them.

The Tabernacle and the Temple point to Jesus Christ and His work.

So when the Israelites honored Christ and stayed faithful to Christ, Christ gave them strength and victory over their enemies, even when they were weak and had little power to fight.

Their strength did not come from themselves but from Christ!

The important thing was to give Christ the place Christ deserves.

Christ must be at the center of every part of their lives.

When we put Christ first, we learn to depend on His strength instead of our own.

No matter how difficult our problems may be, we can trust in His power to help us face them.

So the secret to true strength and victory is putting Jesus first in everything.

There is no power greater than Christ, and nothing can stop His plan.

The New Testament tells us about a small group of Christians who were hated, rejected, and persecuted by the world.

Powerful empires tried to destroy them and put an end to their faith.

But what happened in the end?

Those great empires lost their power and eventually fell.

Today, we can only see the ruins of many of them.

But the Christian faith continues to spread, and followers of Jesus are found throughout the world.

Why? Because it is God’s plan for Jesus Christ to have first place in everything.

The world may oppose Christ and His followers.

But it cannot stop God from fulfilling God's purpose.

Those who remain faithful to Christ can trust Christ, even in times of suffering and uncertainty.

Our victory does not always mean escaping hardship in this life.

But we can trust that God’s purpose will be fulfilled in the end.

When God has a plan, no power in the world can stop it.

Jesus Christ will have first place in everything, and in the end, God’s plan will succeed.

The Church is not mainly about religion, buildings, or programs.

It is about a group of people who make Jesus Christ the center of everything.

God’s purpose for the Church is not just to spread Christianity, but to bring people together who give Christ first place in every part of their lives.

In God’s eyes, the Church is a place where Jesus is above everything else.

Jesus is the center of everything.

Everything the Church does should point people to Christ!

God is not simply looking for a big organization or a large number of people.

God desires people with humble hearts who truly love, worship, and obey Jesus above everything else.

When Christ has first place in the lives of His people, it brings joy to God’s heart!

This is God’s eternal purpose for the Church: that Jesus Christ would be everything to His people and have first place in everything.

Colossians 3:10-11

You have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!

Ephesians 1:23

The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

The Church is not just a group of people from different backgrounds who come together for a time.

It is a new creation in Christ, where people are united as one!

In Christ, there is no difference between Greek or Jew, slave or free.

Everyone is one in Christ!

The Church is not meant to be divided by denominations, backgrounds, or personal differences.

Instead, Christ should be the center of everything.

Christ should be everything to everyone.

If Christ is not at the center of a group, then it is not fulfilling God’s true purpose for the Church, no matter what it is called.

The Church is meant to be a people united in Christ, where Christ is above all, in all, and everything.

It is not about labels or divisions.

It is all about Jesus Christ!

A true Christian is someone who has made Christ the most important part of their life.

Through the Cross, we are called to give up anything that takes Jesus’ place in our hearts.

God’s purpose is for Christ to be everything in us and to have first place in our lives.

When we keep holding on to the things of the world more than we hold on to Christ, we fail to live according to God’s purpose!

If we feel that we need the world to make us happy or complete, it may show that we have not yet learned to find our true satisfaction in Christ.

A true Christian learns to trust Jesus and finds in Jesus what the world cannot give.

This does not mean we must abandon everything in the world, but that nothing should take Christ’s place in our hearts.

Christ is enough.

Christ is our true satisfaction.

God’s desire is for Christ to have first place in every part of our lives.

From the beginning, God’s purpose has been for Jesus Christ to have first place in everything.

If we say we belong to Jesus but do not give Jesus the most important place in our lives, then something is wrong.

We are not living according to God’s purpose.

So, we need to ask ourselves:

Is Christ truly everything to us?

If we are willing to follow Christ with all our hearts and put Christ first in every part of our lives, Christ will become more real to us.

But sometimes, we hear voices telling us, “If you give up this or that for Christ, you will lose something important. Your life will become empty, and you will have nothing left.”

But that is not the truth.

We do not become empty by giving Christ first place!

Instead, we discover the true riches of knowing Christ!

God wants us to experience all that Christ has to offer!

We cannot turn away from Christ and expect to find that fullness somewhere else, because the fullness of God lives in Christ in bodily form (Colossians 2:9).

True fullness is found in Christ alone!

When we give Christ first place, we discover that we have not lost everything—we have gained what matters most.

So nothing in this world can replace Christ.

Life is not what God wants it to be if we do not give ourselves fully to the Lord Jesus.

When we dedicate our lives to Christ, we begin to experience a new way of living.

When we fully surrender to Christ, our service to Christ becomes more genuine and meaningful.

As we let go of anything that pulls us away from Christ, Christ begins to change our hearts and lives.

Even in Christian service, we can sometimes depend on our own strength instead of trusting Christ.

We may think that depending completely on Christ will only bring worry and struggle.

But the truth is that a life surrendered to Christ can be filled with joy, peace, and new discoveries.

Living with Christ means growing in our love for Christ every day!

Each day gives us a chance to know Christ better; trust Christ more; and experience God's goodness.

When we stay close to Christ, even simple, everyday moments can help us feel His presence and experience His grace.

Life with Christ is a constant journey of feeling weak and helpless, and then being made strong again by God's power.

Sometimes, we may feel completely exhausted, with nothing left to give.

But then God comes to our help, gives us new strength, and reminds us of God's purpose for our lives.

Suddenly, we find ourselves moving forward again, not because of our own strength, but because Christ is working in us.

Later, we may feel weak once more.

But we can remember how God helped us before and trust that God will help us again.

This is what makes our relationship with the Lord so beautiful.

We learn to trust Christ completely and do so with joy, knowing that Christ is working in us and through us.

We begin to understand that what is impossible for us is possible when God works in God's own way and time.

This is the beauty of walking with Christ: we may be weak, but Christ is strong.

We may feel helpless, but God's grace is sufficient.

Everything depends on God, and all the glory belongs to God.

It is all by God’s grace!

When it comes to the Church, the most important question is:

Where is Jesus truly honored?

We should not be guided only by traditions, names, or organizations that call themselves the Church.

What matters most is whether Jesus Christ is truly at the center.

True Christian fellowship is found where Christ is given first place and honored above everything else.

Our hearts should be drawn to places where people, their lives, and their service show that Jesus is everything.

This is where God’s purpose is made known, and where others can see the life of Christ through His people.

When we follow God’s plan and put Christ first in our lives, God can give us opportunities to serve others, especially those who truly seek the truth.

Where Christ is truly honored and comes first, His life and purpose can be seen in His people.

The Church is not just a name or a building.

It is a group of people who live to show others who Christ is.

Again Christianity is not just about knowing the Bible, understanding doctrines, or agreeing with statements of faith.

It is about experiencing Christ in our daily lives.

Simply knowing the truth about Jesus does not mean we are living out that truth.

We need to allow God’s Word to change our hearts and shape the way we live.

For example, knowing that Jesus died on the Cross is not enough.

We need to understand what His death means for us and allow it to transform our lives.

The Cross reminds us to turn away from sin, give up our selfish desires, and live for Christ.

The Church should not be built only on people agreeing with certain teachings.

It should be a community of people who practice what they believe and show the life of Christ through their actions.

Christianity is not just about knowing Christ in our minds; it is about knowing Christ personally and allowing Christ to change our lives.

Doctrine is important because it teaches us the truth about Christ.

But that truth should not remain only in our minds.

It should become real in our hearts and be seen in the way we live.

True Christianity is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

It is not just about believing in Christ, but also experiencing His presence and living out our faith every day.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, help us to give Jesus first place in every part of our lives.

Teach us to surrender our desires, plans, and preferences to You.

Give us the strength to not only speak about our faith but to live it every day with all our hearts.

May Christ be all in all in everything we do.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are we trying to make Christ more important than anything else?

2026-10-10T08:35:46.129-04:00

Are we trying to make Christ more important than anything else?

Read: Job 3:11; 3:3-4; Psalm 17:15

Job 3:11

“Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?"

Job 3:3-4

“May the day of my birth perish...

That day—may it turn to darkness.

May God above not care about it.

May no light shine on it.

Sometimes, like Job in the Bible, we may feel very discouraged and wonder why we were born or whether life is worth living.

Job suffered so much that Job wished he had never been born.

But the Bible reminds us that this is not how God intended life to be.

Even on our “blue days,” when we feel sad or question our purpose, we should remember how God sees us.

From God’s point of view, being alive is a great privilege!

God’s purpose for us is to become more like God's Son, Jesus Christ.

God wants people to reflect Christ and show His glory to others.

That is the real purpose of human life.

It is a beautiful purpose to live for.

Even when we don’t feel that way, we can remember that our lives are meaningful and important to God.

God had a good plan for the world.

God wanted everything to show how great Jesus Christ is, because Christ is everything and is in everyone.

But Satan opposed God’s plan.

Satan wanted to be the ruler instead of Christ.

Because of Satan’s rebellion, sin entered the world; and people became different from the way God originally created them.

The image of Christ in humanity was damaged.

But God did not give up on God's plan.

God’s answer was redemption through Jesus Christ.

So Jesus gave His life on the Cross to save us.

Through His sacrifice, people can be restored and God’s original purpose can be fulfilled!

The Cross of Jesus means that Jesus took the sins of the whole world upon Himself and suffered in our place.

Jesus did this to save us and bring us back into a right relationship with God.

But the Cross is not only about what Jesus did for us.

It also has a personal meaning for Christians.

As Christians, we are called to experience the power of the Cross in our lives.

This means letting go of our old sinful ways and learning to live differently.

We must die to our selfish desires and choose God’s ways instead.

This process can be difficult and painful because it means giving up things we want and changing the way we live!

The purpose of this is for Christ to become the center of our lives.

Everything we do, say, and become; should reflect Jesus and bring glory to Jesus.

So, the Cross is not only something that Jesus did for us.

The Cross is also something that changes us and makes more room for Christ to live through us.

The reason we sometimes go through pain, brokenness, and suffering is to make more room for Jesus in our lives.

The Holy Spirit works in us, helping us let go of our old selfish ways.

Our old nature must be “crucified” so that Christ can have first place in our hearts and lives.

Sometimes, we misunderstand what is happening.

Satan may try to make us think that God is being cruel or unfair when we experience pain, rejection, or difficult situations.

Satan may make us feel like our suffering will never end, causing us to become hopeless and discouraged.

But the truth is that God can use these difficult experiences for a good purpose.

God uses them to change us and help us become more like Christ.

It is not about God punishing us.

It is about God transforming us and making room for Christ to become everything in our lives.

The purpose of the Cross is to make Jesus the most important part of our lives so that Christ becomes everything to us and is present in every part of our lives.

Through the suffering we experience, God can use the Cross to bring us closer to Jesus.

Difficult times can help us see Jesus in a deeper and more personal way.

Many of us have experienced this.

After going through hard times, we may come to know Jesus and love Jesus in ways we never did before.

The Cross helps us see that Jesus is more precious than anything else.

One of our biggest struggles is our sinful nature, our “flesh.”

Our sinful nature can pull us away from God’s peace and joy!

It makes us restless and always wanting more, but never truly satisfied!

The hymn “O Give Me Rest from Self” describes this struggle like this:

“This cruel self, O how it strives.”

So, what can we do about our sinful nature?

The Cross is the answer.

Through the Cross, Jesus frees us from our sins and helps us stop putting ourselves and our selfish desires first.

We learn to let go of our old ways and allow Christ to have control of our lives.

The goal is for Jesus to become more important to us than our own desires, plans, and feelings.

Jesus becomes the most important part of our lives.

Going through suffering and brokenness can be very painful.

But it can also be a blessing!

People who have gone through deep struggles often say that knowing Jesus more closely was worth the pain they experienced.

The difficult times helped them grow closer to Jesus and understand Jesus in a deeper way.

The purpose of the work God does in us through the Cross is to make more room for Jesus!

God wants Jesus to be the most important part of everything we do!

So, even though the pain is difficult, it has a purpose.

God can use it to change us; draw us closer to Jesus; and allow Christ to fill our lives completely.

Just as the Tabernacle and Temple had a big altar, we need to give Jesus, who died on the Cross, an important place in our lives.

Jesus should be a part of every area of our lives.

We should focus less on ourselves and more on Jesus.

This should not scare us.

Instead, we can look forward to the day when we will be completely like Jesus.

As the Bible says, “I will be satisfied when I see His likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)

Psalm 17:15

As for me, I will be vindicated and I will see your face.

I will be satisfied when I awake, seeing your likeness.

The purpose of the Cross and God’s work of saving us is simple:

Christ should become everything to us!

That is why we sometimes go through difficult experiences that other people may not experience.

We may look at others and feel that their lives are easier; and we might even become jealous.

But God can use our difficulties to shape us and make more room for Christ in our lives.

God can use everything we go through, both good and bad, to help us make Jesus the most important part of our lives.

The way God led the Israelites through the wilderness shows us how God can work in our lives too.

Even though God freed the Israelites from Egypt, they still went through many struggles.

Sometimes, they even wanted to go back to their old lives.

So why did God allow those struggles?

Because God was using those experiences to teach them and shape them.

In the same way, God may allow difficulties in our lives to teach us that Christ is all we truly need!

When we lose our own strength or the things we normally depend on, we can learn to depend on Christ instead.

Our struggles can teach us not to depend only on ourselves, but to trust Jesus as our true strength, help, and provider!

God knows each of us personally.

God does not use the exact same method with everyone.

God knows what each person needs and knows how to lead us!

Everything God does in our lives helps us learn to depend on Christ and make Christ the most important part of our lives.

Spiritual growth is not just about learning more Bible verses, doctrine, or theology.

It is not just about gaining more knowledge.

Growing spiritually means thinking less about ourselves and making Jesus more important in our lives!

As we grow spiritually, we become more aware of our own weaknesses and limitations.

At the same time, we see more clearly how great, powerful, and important Christ is!

A person can know a lot about the Bible and still not be spiritually mature.

True spiritual growth happens when we focus less on ourselves and allow Jesus to become more important in our hearts and lives.

This is what spiritual maturity means: we become less, and Christ becomes more.

Christian service is not about being busy or filling our schedules with church activities.

It is not about how much we do; how excited we are; or how many programs we organize.

What really matters is why we are doing it.

We need to ask ourselves:

Are we serving God to make Jesus the center of our lives?

Are we trying to make Christ more important than anything else?

There is a danger in Christian service when we become too focused on being busy, receiving attention, or getting praise.

We may start focusing on our own plans, success, and work instead of focusing on Christ.

True Christian service is not about making ourselves important.

It is about making Christ important!

When our service becomes about us instead of Christ, we have lost the true purpose of serving Christ.

There is a big difference between serving just to stay busy and serving because we want Christ to be the center of everything.

Sometimes, our service can actually be about ourselves.

We may enjoy being active, getting attention, receiving praise, or feeling important.

The real test comes when God asks us to step back or stop serving for a while.

Can we still be happy if Christ is glorified, even when no one notices us or knows what we have done?

If God can bring more glory to Christ by us stepping aside, are we willing to do that?

True Christian service means being willing to stay in the background if it helps others see Christ more clearly!

The goal is not for people to notice us.

The goal is for Christ to be seen, honored, and glorified through our lives!

Let us pray.

Dear Lord God,

Thank You for reminding us that Christ should be the center of our lives.

Help us to let go of ourselves, our pride, and our desire for recognition.

Teach us to serve You with humble hearts and be willing to step back so that Christ may be seen more clearly!

Help us grow closer to You and make Christ greater in every part of our lives.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In the end, Christ will be “all, and in all.”

2026-10-03T09:25:55.071-04:00

In the end, Christ will be “all, and in all.”

Read: Colossians 1:16-18; 3:11; Romans 8:19-22; 8:29

Colossians 1:16-18

In Christ all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through Christ and for Christ.

Christ himself is before all things.

And in Christ all things hold together.

Christ is the Head of the body, the church.

Christ is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, so that Christ might come to have first place in everything.

Many scientists have written books to help ordinary people understand the universe.

They ask big questions about how the universe began, whether there are other universes, and whether there are dimensions we cannot see.

People are curious and want to know how the universe works.

But even after learning about these ideas, many questions are still unanswered.

For us, the answer is simple: the answer to the universe is Jesus Christ!

Everything in the universe—what happened in the past; what is happening now; and what will happen in the future—is connected to Christ.

No matter how much we study and learn, we cannot fully understand the universe without seeing it through Christ and God’s eternal plan.

Colossians 3:11

In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!

Paul says, “Christ is all and in all.”

The words “Christ is all, and in all” summarize God’s purpose for creation.

This means Christ is at the center of everything, from the beginning of creation to the end.

The important question is:

Why was everything created?

Why does the universe exist?

The simple answer is that everything exists so that Christ can be “all and in all.”

Everything around us, from the stars in the sky to the smallest parts of life, shows us something about how great Christ is and what His purpose is.

Christ is the beginning of everything.

Christ is the reason everything exists, and Christ holds all things together.

Everything in the universe—everything we can see and even what we cannot see—was created by Christ, through Christ, and for Christ!

This is the truth we want to share.

This is not simply an idea or a theory.

This is the foundation of how we understand creation, the universe, and all of reality.

God created the universe to show the great glory of God's Son, Jesus Christ.

The universe exists to display Christ’s glory and point people to Christ.

The Bible teaches that Christ holds everything together.

Christ is at the center of creation and gives everything its purpose.

Without Christ, creation would have no true purpose or meaning!

From the very beginning, God’s plan was for Christ to be at the center of everything.

Everything exists because of Christ, is held together by Christ, and points back to Christ!

God has planned for everything in the universe to show the glory of Jesus Christ.

One day, everything—even the smallest part of creation—will show how great Christ is!

We may not fully understand this right now, but this is part of God’s plan.

God decided this from the very beginning.

In the future, we will look at people, nature, and the whole universe and see Christ’s glory everywhere.

It is a wonderful and blessed future to look forward to!

It is a wonderful experience when we, as believers, spend time together focusing on Christ.

It is a joyful and peaceful time when we are united in our love for Christ.

But when we leave that special time and return to our everyday lives, things can feel very different.

We may feel like we have lost that close connection with Christ.

But we have a wonderful future to look forward to!

One day, we will never have to leave the presence of Christ.

We will always be with Christ!

The whole universe will be filled with Christ, and everything will point to Christ.

Everything, everywhere, will point to Jesus and show how great Jesus is.

That is God’s wonderful purpose for the future!

Right now, we can see many things in each other that are not like Christ.

But one day, things will be different.

There will come a time when we will see Christ in one another because God is changing us to become more like God's Son, Christ Jesus!

God’s plan is for Christ to be at the center of everything.

One day, everything will show how great and glorious Christ is.

This is why God created the universe—to make Christ the center of everything and show how great Christ is.

God has already decided this!

And God will make God's plan happen.

Romans 8:19-22

The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

All of creation is waiting and longing for the day when God’s mature children will be fully revealed.

Right now, creation is suffering because of sin and decay.

Creation did not choose this, but God allowed it for a purpose.

One day, creation will be free from sin, decay, and destruction.

Creation will share in the freedom and glory that God’s mature children will experience!

Right now, creation is longing and waiting for that wonderful day to come!

This does not mean that the universe is simply falling apart.

Instead, creation is waiting for two things: for God’s mature children to be revealed and for creation itself to be freed from decay and corruption.

There is hope in this waiting.

Even though there is suffering now, God has a plan.

God will make everything right at the right time.

Romans 8:29

Those God foreknew God also predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, that the Son might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

God had a plan from the very beginning.

God's plan is centered on Jesus, God's Son.

God’s plan is for God's children to become more like Christ.

Then Christ would be the first among many brothers and sisters who follow Christ.

Romans 8:20

The creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope.

The Bible said, creation was made subject to “frustration,” meaning it became unable to fulfill the purpose for which it was created.

Because of human sin and the influence of Satan, corruption and suffering entered the world.

As a result, all of creation has been affected.

Everything experiences decay, suffering, and the effects of sin.

Creation is under a curse and is waiting for the day when God will restore it.

Even though creation is suffering now, this is not the end.

God has a greater plan.

Through Jesus Christ, God will restore everything and bring creation back to the purpose God intended from the beginning.

The universe can only fulfill its true purpose when it is in harmony with God and reflects God's holiness.

That is where the work of Christ comes in.

Because Christ lived without sin and gave His life for us, Christ made it possible for us to have a right relationship with God and belong to God.

Through His death on the cross, Christ made the way for creation to be redeemed and restored.

Christ defeated the power of sin, Satan, corruption, and death!

Now through Christ, believers can be born again and become a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here!

Only through Christ can everything be fully set free and made new.

One day, when God’s people are fully revealed and those who reject Christ are separated from God's people; all of creation will be freed from sin and brokenness and restored to what God intended it to be.

In the end, Christ will be “all, and in all.”

Everything will point to Christ and show His glory, fulfilling God’s plan for the whole universe.

Human beings were created by Christ for a purpose, just like everything else in creation.

The Bible talks a lot about the struggles people face because of weakness, sin, and wrong choices.

But Romans 5:14 gives us an important picture of what humanity is meant to be:

“Adam is a pattern of the One to come.”

This means Adam was a picture of Jesus and pointed us to Jesus Christ.

God’s plan is for people to become more like God's Son, Jesus, and reflect His character.

Sadly, many people may never understand or live out this purpose.

But people from every nation and background will come to know Christ and discover God’s purpose for their lives.

Even when people feel lost or question why they were born, God’s plan is for every person to know Christ; become more like Christ; and live according to His purpose.

This is a beautiful and meaningful purpose for humanity.

It helps us understand why we are here.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your wonderful plan for us and for all of creation.

Thank You for Jesus Christ, who brings us forgiveness, new life, and hope.

Help us become more like Christ and show His love and glory through our lives.

When we go through struggles and suffering, remind us that You are working everything together for a good and beautiful purpose.

Keep our hearts focused on Jesus and help us live for Christ each day.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When the Holy Spirit is truly working in us, our lives begin to change.

2026-09-26T09:27:43.377-04:00

When the Holy Spirit is truly working in us, our lives begin to change.

Read: 1 Corinthians 6:17; 1 Corinthians 2:10

Jesus dealt with the problem of sin through the Cross.

But we still need to deal with selfishness and thinking only about ourselves in our daily lives.

Selfishness can be deeply rooted in us, so God does not always remove it all at once.

Instead, learning to overcome selfishness is part of growing as a follower of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit helps us see how selfishness can affect our thoughts, attitudes, choices, and relationships.

Then the Holy Spirit teaches us to put ourselves aside and choose God’s way instead.

As we follow the Holy Spirit, we slowly learn to think less about ourselves and more about God and others.

So the Cross deals with sin.

Then the Holy Spirit helps us overcome selfishness and stop letting it control our lives.

Even Paul went through this process.

Paul wrote about a “messenger of Satan” that troubled Paul and helped keep Paul from becoming proud. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

God allowed Paul to experience this struggle.

God used it to keep Paul humble and dependent on God.

In the same way, God uses the work of the Cross to remove the things in our lives that should not be there.

The Cross teaches us to let go of our old selfish ways and make room for God’s life and Kingdom within us.

Sometimes this process can be painful or difficult.

But God can use those struggles to shape our character, humble us, and draw us closer to God.

God removes the things that get in the way so that God's life can grow more fully in us.

We experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection deeply when we experience what the Cross means for us.

The Cross brings us to a place where we realize that our strength and efforts are not enough.

Sometimes we reach a point where we know we cannot do it on our own anymore.

That is when we learn to fully depend on God!

When we stop trying to do everything ourselves and learn to depend on God, we discover God's power in a new way.

When we let go of ourselves and trust God, God gives us new spiritual life.

This new life is greater because it comes from God, not from our own ability.

The process may be difficult, but God uses it to change us from the inside out.

The more we learn to depend on Christ, the more room there is for His resurrection life to work through us.

Everything we go through can help us know Christ more deeply.

The Christian life is not mainly about what we can accomplish by ourselves.

It is about allowing God to work in us.

Anything that comes only from our own strength will not have lasting spiritual value.

Eventually, we may reach a point where we realize that our own efforts are not enough.

That is when we learn to depend more on God and allow Christ to take control of our lives completely.

Jesus’ death on the Cross helps us leave our old way of life behind.

Then His resurrection gives us new life—a life that comes from His power rather than our own.

The Holy Spirit works in us through this whole process.

The Holy Spirit helps us see ourselves and God more clearly; grow spiritually; and keep our attention focused on Christ.

The goal is not to become stronger in ourselves, but to know Christ more deeply and allow His life to work through us.

When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, everything changed.

Before this, people might have seen serving God as mostly following many rules, traditions, and religious practices.

But through the Holy Spirit, God gave God's people a new relationship with God—a relationship filled with freedom.

But this freedom did not mean everything changed right away.

Some old habits, traditions, and ways of thinking still needed to change.

For example, Peter had to learn to accept Cornelius and understand that God’s message was also for Gentiles.

The Holy Spirit was teaching Peter to see people in a new way and follow God’s leading rather than being controlled by old traditions.

This is how the Holy Spirit works in us too.

God wants us to move beyond fear, legalism, and human traditions and learn to follow the Holy Spirit with an open heart.

The Christian life is not simply about following rules from the outside.

It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to live and work within us, teaching us God’s ways and leading us into the freedom God has given us.

The Holy Spirit gives us freedom—not to do whatever we want, but to follow God with all our heart.

God wants God's people to have two important things: vision and surrender.

- Vision means being able to see what God wants to do.

- Surrender means letting go of our own plans and allowing God to work through us.

The Book of Acts shows what can happen when people are willing to follow the Holy Spirit instead of trying to control everything themselves.

But over time, there is always a danger that people can become more focused on rules, systems, traditions, or human organization than on the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Something may begin as a genuine work of God.

But if people gradually take control, it can become something that serves human interests instead of God’s purpose.

That is why we need to remain open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

We should never let human traditions or religious rules replace the work of the Holy Spirit.

God wants God's people to keep following God with a fresh heart, freedom, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

The goal is not simply to preserve what worked in the past.

The goal is to remain open to what God is doing now and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

Vision helps us see God’s purpose.

Surrender gives God room to accomplish that through us.

The Holy Spirit cannot be controlled by rules, systems, or human plans.

When we try to limit the Holy Spirit, we can miss the freedom and power the Holy Spirit wants to give us.

God wants God's people to be free—to follow the Holy Spirit, listen to His guidance, and be willing to change when God shows us something new.

This does not mean ignoring God or doing whatever we want.

It means being open to God’s leading, even when God asks us to make big changes.

Living in the freedom of the Holy Spirit means moving with God, trusting God's guidance, and allowing the Holy Spirit to help us grow beyond our own limits.

Living in the time of the Holy Spirit means living a holy life.

The Holy Spirit wants to work in us, but we need to keep our hearts open and right with the Holy Spirit.

When we ignore sin or leave problems unresolved, they can slow down our spiritual growth.

The Holy Spirit teaches us, guides us, and speaks to us, so we need to listen and obey.

Sometimes even small things, like missing a meeting or not responding when God is calling us, can cause us to miss something important.

We should stay open, sensitive, and ready to follow where the Holy Spirit leads us.

Some people find it hard to enjoy life or feel true joy because something inside them needs to change.

It can be like a spiritual operation that brings healing and a new beginning.

In the same way, some Christians need the Holy Spirit to help them experience true joy.

The Holy Spirit helps us in every part of our lives, including enjoying life.

Taking God seriously does not mean we have to be sad or unhappy.

We can take God and our responsibilities seriously while still being happy, joyful, and positive.

God wants us to live responsibly while also enjoying God's blessings and having joy in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit wants us to have both joy and a sincere heart for God.

The Holy Spirit wants us to enjoy life fully while following His guidance.

Growing spiritually means listening to the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives, even in small things like how we dress and how we treat others.

It is not about following a long list of strict rules.

It is about listening to the Holy Spirit and responding to His guidance.

The more we follow what the Holy Spirit teaches us, the closer we become to Christ.

Over time, our lives begin to show more of His love, character, and way of living.

In the book of Acts 10, the Holy Spirit showed the believers that God’s message and love were not only for Israel.

Gentiles were included too.

In the Book of Acts, we see the Holy Spirit guiding God’s people to reach and serve the Gentiles.

For example, in Acts 8, the Holy Spirit led Philip a Jewish man, to meet an Ethiopian man.

Philip explained the good news about Jesus to him, and the man believed.

The story of Jonah teaches a similar lesson.

Jonah struggled because God wanted to show mercy to people outside his own nation.

Jonah was angry that God was willing to forgive and bless the people of Nineveh.

But God’s heart was bigger than Jonah’s heart!

Jonah’s story reminds us that God’s love and mercy are for people from every nation and background.

The Bible gives us many examples that show God cares about everyone, not just one group of people.

For example, Ruth was a Moabite, and Rahab was from Jericho!

Both women put their faith in God, became part of Israel, and were included in the family line of Jesus.

Their stories remind us that God’s grace is not limited to one nation, background, or group of people.

We should never decide who is worthy of God’s grace or treat some people as less important than others.

Instead, we should allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts and help us love, welcome, and serve people from every background.

The Holy Spirit teaches us to love, help, welcome, and reach out to people from every background.

The Holy Spirit leads us to reach out to people who may be different from us, so that everyone can have the opportunity to know God’s love.

When the Holy Spirit is working in us, our love should not be limited to people who are like us.

God’s heart is for everyone, and the Holy Spirit teaches us to have the same heart.

God wants us to care about everyone, including those who do not yet know God.

As the Holy Spirit changes our hearts, we should become more loving, caring, and accepting of others.

When the Holy Spirit is truly working in us, our lives begin to change.

The Holy Spirit gives us freedom and helps us move beyond old traditions, legalism, and rules that can keep us from experiencing the life God wants for us.

This does not mean ignoring the Bible.

Instead, it means learning to follow the Holy Spirit and listen to His guidance.

We need to keep our hearts open to God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide every part of our lives, including our choices, relationships, attitudes, and the way we serve others.

God does not want us to live in fear or be controlled by human traditions.

God wants us to live in the freedom of the Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us every day.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit and for Jesus Christ, who is at the center of everything.

Help us to live in the freedom of Your Spirit, listen to Your guidance, and surrender our ways to You.

Give us open hearts to love and serve everyone, and help us grow closer to Christ each day.

May our lives reflect Your glory and point others to Christ.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Christian life is meant to keep growing as we see, know, and experience Jesus more deeply.

2026-09-19T09:19:46.411-04:00

The Christian life is meant to keep growing as we see, know, and experience Jesus more deeply.

Read: Isaiah 6:9-10, Acts 26:17-18

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit often worked through prophets.

Prophets gave people a small picture of what God would do in the future.

Their prophecies had many layers, each showing a different part of God’s plan.

But prophets did not fully understand everything they were saying.

Their prophecies are not just something happening in history or in the Church.

Many of the prophecies were pointing toward a future time—the time we live in now.

We are now living in the time when many of the things the prophets spoke about are being fulfilled.

The prophets spoke about having spiritual vision.

Today, this vision begins to happen inside us.

Everything God wants to do in our lives starts with this inner vision.

It happens inside every believer.

It doesn’t matter if you are new to faith or have been a Christian for many years.

God wants every believer to experience this inner change, growth, and transformation.

First, the Holy Spirit helps us understand, in a general way, what God wants to do in our lives.

We may not know all the details right away.

As we continue to follow the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will slowly help us understand more clearly what God has planned for us.

We need spiritual sight.

We need to be able to see what God is doing.

The prophets often said that the people of Israel refused to see what God wanted them to see.

They were focused on their own ideas and understanding instead of God’s plan.

Because they refused to understand God’s ways; they could see and hear; but they did not truly understand or experience healing (Isaiah 6:9–10).

They closed their hearts to what God was showing them, so they remained spiritually blind and were rejected.

Isaiah 6:9-10

God said, “Go and say to this people:

‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend.

Keep looking, but do not understand.’

Make the mind of these people dull.

And stop their ears.

And close their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

When Jesus sent Paul on his mission, Jesus told him.

Paul’s mission was to help people open their spiritual eyes and move from darkness into God’s light.

Acts 26:17-18

“I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.

I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

In other words, Jesus said that we must be born again to see and understand God’s kingdom.

When we are born of the Holy Spirit, we are given the ability to see spiritually.

Spiritual sight is a gift for every child of God.

Every believer can begin to see spiritually from the moment they are born again.

You don’t have to be a Christian for many years before you can see what God is doing.

You don’t have to become more experienced or reach an “advanced” level of faith first.

When you are born again, God gives you the ability to see spiritually from the very beginning.

In the gospels, Jesus healed blind people.

It was a sign of what the Holy Spirit would do later.

It showed that people would begin to see spiritually.

We may not understand or see everything right away.

But when we are born again, the ability to see spiritually is given to us.

If we feel like we cannot see spiritually, we should ask God to show us what may be blocking our vision.

We have the ability to see spiritually, but what we see matters.

The most important thing we are meant to see is Jesus Christ!

When the Holy Spirit came, people began to understand that Jesus was more than just a man from history.

Jesus is not just one person in history.

Jesus was not simply a man from Galilee.

Jesus is the key to everything!

Jesus is at the center of God’s eternal plan!

Everything God is doing points to Jesus Christ!

The disciples did not understand this all at once.

As they followed the Holy Spirit, they gradually began to see how great and important Jesus truly is.

Seeing Jesus like this changed their lives!

It should change our lives too!

Jesus is the purpose and center of everything God is doing.

Our lives should be guided by that understanding.

The prophets saw small parts of something amazing about Jesus.

But they did not understand the whole picture.

For example, Isaiah described Jesus as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

These words showed what Jesus would be like.

But the prophets could only see part of the full picture.

But now the time has come!

We are living in the time when the prophets’ words are being fulfilled.

Through the Holy Spirit, we can see Jesus more clearly and understand who Jesus truly is.

Now we live in this new age that has two main things:

1. Jesus is in heaven, sitting at God’s right hand.

2. The Holy Spirit is on Earth, working through the Church to help us experience and live out what Jesus has done for us.

When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, people began to see Jesus in a new and powerful way.

As they saw Jesus more clearly, everything else that was not centered on Jesus became less important.

Those who could not see Jesus clearly became spiritually stuck or even opposed those who saw Jesus.

Seeing Jesus clearly is not just about learning facts or listening to teachings.

It is a personal experience that changes our life.

When we truly see who Jesus is, it touches our heart, moves us deeply, and draws us closer to Jesus.

Without a clear vision of Jesus, we can lose our direction.

We may feel confused and unsure about what to do or where to go.

Vision gives us direction and helps us move forward.

In John chapter 9, Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man.

The man said, “One thing I know: I was blind, but now I see.” (John 9:25)

But the people who refused to believe in Jesus rejected him and cast him out.

There can be a cost to truly seeing Jesus.

Truly seeing Jesus can come with challenges.

It may bring rejection, challenges, or difficult choices.

But it is worth it.

Seeing Jesus clearly can change our whole life.

God wants people who can see spiritually.

God wants people whose spiritual eyes are open.

This is especially important in the time we are living in now.

God wants us to see things from God's perspective and understand what God is doing.

We do not have to earn this ability.

It is a gift given to everyone who belongs to God.

In the past, people often looked to priests and prophets to understand what God was doing.

But now, the Holy Spirit allows every believer to see and know Christ for themselves.

This is not just about learning facts or listening to teachings.

It is a real and growing relationship with Jesus.

Many Christians today depend on only sermons, books, or what others teach them.

But they may not have their own personal experience of Jesus.

The important questions are:

Are we seeing Christ for ourselves?

Are we growing in our understanding of who Jesus is and what Jesus is doing?

Without seeing Jesus for ourselves, we miss an important part of the life the Holy Spirit wants to give us.

The Christian life is meant to keep growing as we see, know, and experience Jesus more deeply.

The Holy Spirit uses the Cross to help us grow in spiritual vision.

The Cross is not just something that happened in the past.

It is a way of life.

Through the Cross, the Holy Spirit helps us let go of our selfish ways and make more room for Christ in our lives.

As we allow the Cross to work in us, we begin to see Christ more clearly and understand God’s purpose for our lives better.

The Cross helps us let go of selfishness and stop putting ourselves before God.

Selfishness can be obvious, like pride, wanting control, or seeking power.

But it can also be hidden, such as feeling sorry for ourselves or always focusing on our own needs.

All of these come from the same attitude: “I want my way.”

This is similar to Satan’s desire to make himself like God. (Isaiah 14:13–14)

No matter how selfishness appears in our lives, we need to let the Cross deal with it so that Christ can grow in us.

Let us pray.

Father, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit and opening our spiritual eyes to see Jesus more clearly.

Help us to let go of selfishness and anything that keeps us from following You.

Teach us to trust You instead of relying on our own strength.

May the work of the Cross remove what does not belong in us and make more room for Christ to live in us.

Help us grow in knowing Jesus, seeing Your purpose, and walking in the power of His resurrection.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Holiness is very important for our spiritual life.

2026-09-12T09:20:10.279-04:00

Holiness is very important for our spiritual life.

Read: Ezekiel 43:12, Psalm 119:75, Acts 13:27

In the time of the Holy Spirit, as shown in the Book of Acts, the Old Testament prophecies were understood in a new way.

On Pentecost, Peter said, “This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel!” (Acts 2:16)

Peter quoted the prophet Joel and other Old Testament prophets to explain what was happening.

What the prophets had said happened exactly through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

So Peter spoke about Old Testament prophecies and showed how they were being fulfilled at that time.

Those old prophecies now help us understand deeper truths that people did not fully understand before.

The Holy Spirit came with great power in the book of Acts chapter 2.

We can see a similar picture in Ezekiel’s vision, in the book of Ezekiel chapter 1.

In Ezekiel’s vision, the living creatures may represent the Church.

And the Holy Spirit is connected with living creatures and wheels covered with eyes.

The wheels covered with eyes may show the Holy Spirit’s perfect wisdom and ability to see everything.

The Holy Spirit is a powerful heavenly presence that guides God’s work on earth.

The Holy Spirit is connected to God’s throne and moves according to God’s eternal plan.

In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit leads and moves the Church to carry out God’s eternal plan.

Ezekiel 43:12

This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. This is the law of the temple!

At the end of the book of Ezekiel, we see a vision of a perfect heavenly temple. (Ezekiel 40–48)

This temple can represent the Church, built by Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit.

This is not a physical building but a spiritual building.

Life flows from it, like the river in the vision, bringing God’s power, victory, and life to the world.

In the book of Acts, we see this happening.

The Church, filled with the Holy Spirit, carries God’s life and power to people everywhere, showing God’s purpose in action.

When the Holy Spirit leads, the Church does not have to force things to happen.

Just like a tree naturally grows leaves and fruit; the Church grows naturally when it follows the Holy Spirit.

The early Church did not grow by following strict rules.

The early Church was not built by human plans or rules.

The early Church began with God’s life coming through the Holy Spirit!

The early Church grew through God’s life and the Holy Spirit!

Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18), and the Holy Spirit made it happen!

When the Holy Spirit leads, things naturally happen according to God’s plan.

Since the Book of Acts, people are encouraged to keep an open heart and be willing to grow in their faith.

People need to let go of old habits and ideas and be ready for the Holy Spirit to do new and powerful things in their lives.

God’s truth is greater than what we already know.

There is always more to learn, even when it challenges what we already believe.

If we only hold on to old traditions, we may miss the deeper and newer understanding God wants to give us.

The new way helps us understand God’s true purpose more clearly.

Early Christians often faced spiritual struggles and confusion.

They went through difficult times, but the Holy Spirit guided them.

For example, Peter had a vision that challenged his understanding of the Old Testament.

Paul also had a vision that challenged Paul's understanding of the Old Testament.

After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul was confused.

Paul spent time thinking deeply about what had happened.

Paul struggled to understand how the Old Testament pointed to Jesus as the Messiah.

Paul spent about two years in Arabia as Paul worked through these questions.

The Holy Spirit helped Paul understand the truth!

Then later, Paul became a powerful messenger of Jesus!

When someone became a follower of Jesus, two important things happened:

1. Baptism – showing that their old life had ended and a new life in Christ had begun.

2. The Holy Spirit – came to live in them and gave them the power to follow God’s ways.

This was not mainly about rules.

It was not about following strict rules or a fixed system.

It was about receiving new life and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide them.

It was about having a real and active relationship with the Holy Spirit! (1 Peter 1:12)

The Church grew naturally because it was filled with the new life of Christ!

Christ is completely holy and pure! (Luke 1:35)

Christ is perfect and has never sinned. (Hebrews 9:14)

Even though Christ was tempted like we are, Christ never sinned. (Hebrews 4:15)

But now Satan the enemy tries to harm what belongs to Christ by using lies and deception.

In the book of Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit.

Their hearts were not pure (Acts 5:3; John 8:44).

This was very serious because they went against God’s will for God's holy Church.

God wants God's people to show Christ’s life both inside and outside.

When there is dishonesty or impurity in the Church, it goes against God’s plan and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Holiness means living in a way that shows God’s heart, not just following rules.

Holiness was not only about following outward rules.

Being holy means living the way God wants us to and becoming more like Christ.

Christ is our perfect example, so being holy means shaping our lives according to the way of Christ.

Unholiness means doing things that go against Christ.

When we choose to sin on purpose, it can get in the way of God’s work and the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Ananias and Sapphira lied, going against God’s holiness and the pure life of Christ.

Ananias and Sapphira knew what they were doing (Acts 5:2).

But they chose to deceive others.

They heard the Holy Spirit’s warning but ignored it and listened to the wrong voice instead.

Unholiness is knowingly choosing to go against what the Holy Spirit wants.

This is a serious matter.

We need to be careful because the enemy can deceive us.

Only Christ is truly holy.

No one else can say they are completely holy or that they can teach perfect holiness.

This is a humbling truth that we need to accept.

We live in the time of the Holy Spirit!

If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, the Holy Spirit will help us know what is right and what is wrong.

But if we ignore or resist the Holy Spirit, our spiritual life can stop growing!

Even if the Holy Spirit does not punish us in the same way the Holy Spirit punished Ananias and Sapphira, sin and disobedience still have serious consequences.

When we resist the Holy Spirit, our spiritual growth is hindered.

In a way, we can move away from God’s purpose, just as Ananias and Sapphira were physically removed from the Church.

Holiness is very important for our spiritual life.

When we follow the Holy Spirit, we grow, understand Christ better, and experience His life and victory.

But unholiness, especially when we know about it and choose not to deal with it; can stop us from growing spiritually.

Ignoring sin or disobedience can be dangerous.

It can affect not only us but also the people around us.

Ignoring sin can have negative effects on our spiritual lives and on others.

Not dealing with things that are wrong between us and God is serious.

We need to deal with them because they can affect our relationship with God and our lives.

It is not only about us.

Our choices can also get in the way of God’s bigger plans.

Even small acts of disobedience or ignoring God can prevent God from working through us!

If we do not deal with these things, we may miss the important purpose God has for our lives.

Psalm 119:75

I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

The writer of this psalm is saying that difficult times are not always a punishment.

They can show that God is faithful.

Even when we are hurting, God acts according to who God is and cares about the bigger picture, not about making us suffer.

God deals with us in a way that is fair, right, and part of God's plan, even when it feels painful.

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

The people of Jerusalem did not understand who Jesus really was.

But by rejecting Jesus, they unknowingly fulfilled the prophecies about Jesus.

The people of Jerusalem ignored the things God wanted them to change.

So they missed their opportunity to be part of God's plan.

Others stepped in and did what God wanted.

This is a warning for us.

Even though we have salvation, we can still miss God’s purpose for our lives.

We should ask God to help us stay faithful and not miss what God has planned for us.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for giving us new life through Your death and resurrection.

Help us to follow the Holy Spirit and not rely on our own ways or understanding.

Give us humble and sincere hearts.

Help us recognize and turn away from anything that goes against You.

Keep us faithful to Your purpose for our lives.

May Your life grow in us.

May Christ be seen through everything we do.

Lord, guide us so we do not miss what You have planned for us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Holy Spirit is here to guide us and change our hearts.

2026-09-05T09:13:28.189-04:00

The Holy Spirit is here to guide us and change our hearts.

Read: Acts 13:27; Hebrews 10:5-7; Ephesians 4:1

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

These people followed the Bible very carefully and paid close attention to every rule.

But they focused too much on outward actions and small details.

For example, they were very careful about giving even a tenth of their herbs.

However, they ignored what mattered most to God—being fair, kind, and faithful. (Matthew 23:23)

They focused more on rules and religious practices than on the deeper meaning of the Bible.

They understood the Bible in a very literal and earthly way, but failed to see its deeper spiritual meaning.

So, they knew the rules, but they missed the heart of God’s message.

When people focus only on outward rules and religious rituals, they can miss the deeper spiritual meaning of the Bible.

Their religious practices may look right on the outside.

But they can become empty and lifeless if they miss God’s real purpose.

The Holy Spirit does not replace or reject the Bible.

Instead, the Holy Spirit helps us understand its deeper spiritual meaning.

God’s goal is not just for us to follow rules.

God wants us to have a real spiritual relationship with God and live according to God's purpose.

When we understand this, we no longer depend on old rituals or rules.

Instead, we experience the fullness of what God wants for us.

In the Book of Acts, the apostles gradually moved away from the old religious practices.

At first, they still went to the temple and synagogues.

But as they grew in their understanding of God’s plan, they began to move beyond these old practices.

They discovered something greater—the deeper spiritual meaning of God’s plan.

So the old rituals were no longer the main focus because they were now experiencing a deeper relationship with God; and understanding God's heavenly truth.

It was no longer just about following religious rules.

It was about knowing God; experiencing God's presence; and living in the spiritual life God had planned for them.

When the Holy Spirit truly guides us, we stop focusing only on rituals or traditions.

At first, these things may help us understand spiritual truths.

But over time, they become less important.

We begin to live in the real spiritual reality of God.

It is no longer only about knowing the historical Jesus that we read about in the Bible.

It is about experiencing Jesus as alive in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

It is a deep and personal relationship with God that goes beyond outward religious practices.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the people.

Then many people in Jerusalem were confused.

They asked, “What is happening?” (Acts 2:12)

Peter stood up and explained, “This is what the prophet Joel spoke about!” (Acts 2:16)

Peter used Old Testament prophecies, including the words of David, to show that these things had been spoken about beforehand.

Peter explained that what they were seeing was God’s promise coming true.

But many people still did not fully understand what was happening.

They did not realize that the Bible they had known for so long was now being fulfilled and understood in a new and deeper way.

The Holy Spirit brought a big change in how people understood the Bible and God's plan.

This was a big change!

It was no longer mainly about following religious laws or rituals.

It was about Jesus and the new spiritual life Jesus brought.

This is what the prophets were pointing to.

Even in New Testament Christianity, there is a danger of turning faith into a strict list of rules and steps.

We may follow everything exactly and still miss what Christ really wants.

If our faith is only about following rules, we may focus too much on outward things and not allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

Even if our intentions are good and we want to honor God; simply following rules does not give us the full spiritual life God wants for us.

The real power comes when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us!

When the Holy Spirit is in control, our faith becomes alive, spiritual, and heavenly.

It is no longer just about following a list of rules.

It is about living in a real relationship with God.

When the disciples asked Jesus if Jesus would restore Israel’s kingdom, they wanted to know when and how God’s plan would happen.

Jesus told them not to worry about the timing or try to control what God was doing.

Instead, they were to wait for the Holy Spirit, who would guide them and help carry out God’s plan.

When we try to control everything or depend only on our own ideas, we can become stressed and burdened.

But when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we can trust the Holy Spirit and have peace!

We do not have to control every detail!

Our role is to follow the Holy Spirit, trust God’s plan, and let the Holy Spirit work things out according to God's purpose.

Even when we resist or do not fully understand, the Holy Spirit can still guide us.

For example, Peter had always followed the Jewish laws about clean and unclean animals.

When the Holy Spirit gave Peter a vision telling Peter to eat animals that were considered unclean, Peter objected and pointed to the law in the Bible.

The Holy Spirit was not going against the Bible.

But the Holy Spirit was helping Peter understand a deeper meaning that Peter had not seen before.

Something similar happened with Cornelius.

Since Cornelius did not yet have the Holy Spirit, God sent an angel to guide him.

But Peter already had the Holy Spirit and was guided by the Holy Spirit.

This shows that even when we have strong beliefs, the Holy Spirit can change our way of thinking.

The Holy Spirit can help us move from limited, earthly understanding to greater spiritual truth.

These changes may take time.

But when we stay open to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit helps us understand things more deeply and see beyond what we already know.

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit did two important things:

1. The Holy Spirit came “upon” the people.

This was shown by the appearance of fire above them.

The Holy Spirit had come to lead them and begin God’s work in their lives.

2. Then they were “filled” with the Holy Spirit.

This gave them power to speak in other languages and do what God wanted them to do.

So, first, the Holy Spirit comes "upon" a person to lead, guide, and direct them according to God’s purpose.

The Holy Spirit leads them so that God’s plan can happen in their lives.

Then, after the Holy Spirit came “upon” the people, the Holy Spirit also came “in” them and filled them.

This means that what is inside us—our hearts, thoughts, and lives—should match what we do on the outside.

In the past, the people of Israel practiced many outward rituals, such as sacrifices and offerings.

But their hearts were not always following God.

God made it clear that God did not want empty religious practices without a sincere heart (Isaiah 1:10-14).

When Jesus came, Jesus showed that God wants more than outward rituals.

Christ wants our hearts, our faith, and our whole lives to be truly connected to God.

Hebrews 10:5-7

When Christ came into the world, Christ said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire.

But you prepared a body for me.

You were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings.

Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’”

Jesus came to do God’s will perfectly.

Jesus gave Himself fully to fulfill God’s purpose.

Jesus shows that following God is not just about what we do on the outside.

What matters is that our hearts are fully aligned with God’s purpose and will.

Simply following rules or doing religious rituals on the outside cannot truly please God.

Even if everything looks right, it is nothing if our hearts are not sincere.

The Holy Spirit did not come to give us another set of rules to follow mechanically.

The Holy Spirit came to change our hearts and help our inner life match God’s will and purpose.

The Holy Spirit also exposes hypocrisy.

For example, Ananias and Sapphira pretended to be sincere and honest.

But the Holy Spirit knew what was in their hearts and exposed the truth.

The Holy Spirit wants to guide us from within, not just from the outside.

The Holy Spirit cares about what is happening inside us, not just what people see on the outside.

Many people want to experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

They want to feel God’s presence or have powerful spiritual experiences.

But that is not enough.

If our hearts and daily lives do not match God’s purpose, then the experience is not complete.

God wants us to experience God's Spirit.

But God also wants us to live in a way that matches God's calling for us.

So Paul said.

Ephesians 4:1

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

It is not just about excitement, spiritual experiences, or doing spiritual work.

The Holy Spirit wants to change our hearts, shape our character, and guide us in every part of our lives.

True spiritual life comes from having a deep and ongoing relationship with God—not just from occasional moments of spiritual power.

Sometimes, even Christians who serve God can unknowingly say or spread things that are not true about other people or ministries.

They may not mean to hurt anyone.

But their words can still cause harm.

This encourages us to pray honestly:

“Lord, if I am saying things that are not true or giving people the wrong impression about others, please correct me.

Help my words reflect Your truth.”

The Holy Spirit is here to guide us and change our hearts.

If we notice bad habits in ourselves, like being negative, difficult, or careless with our words, we should ask the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside.

It is not enough to look spiritual on the outside.

Our hearts, words, and actions should show God’s truth within us.

The Holy Spirit comes "upon" us to lead and guide our lives according to God’s plan, and comes "within" us to change our hearts so that our inner life matches God’s purpose.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit.

Help us not to focus only on outward actions, but to let Your Spirit change our hearts and guide our lives.

Help our thoughts, words, and actions reflect Your truth and Your purpose.

Lead us each day and help us follow You faithfully.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, the Holy Spirit can show us amazing things.

2026-08-29T08:51:28.279-04:00

When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, the Holy Spirit can show us amazing things.

Read: Acts 1:6-9

Acts 1:6-9

They gathered around Jesus and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Jesus said to them:

“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes.

A cloud took him out of their sight.

The disciples asked Jesus if Jesus would restore the kingdom of Israel.

Jesus explained that they did not need to know when God’s plan would happen.

At this time, the disciples expected an earthly kingdom.

They were expecting a physical kingdom on earth, as the prophets had talked about.

They misunderstood the Old Testament prophecies.

But Jesus showed them a spiritual mission empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would give them power to be His witnesses all over the world.

Instead of bringing an earthly kingdom, Jesus went up to heaven and gave them a mission to spread His message everywhere.

When Jesus spoke to His disciples, Jesus was starting a new era that was different from what they expected from the Old Testament.

Jesus helped them understand that God’s plan was bigger than they thought!

They had to let go of their old ideas and learn to think differently!

This new era was the time of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit would help the disciples understand the Bible more clearly and deeply.

The Holy Spirit would change their lives and guide them to follow God’s plan.

The book of Acts shows how these changes greatly affected the disciples.

The Holy Spirit changed the way they understood their faith and how they lived it out.

The Holy Spirit came to help people live and follow God in a new way.

It was like a new leader taking over a company and changing the old ways.

At first, people may resist change because they are comfortable with their old ways.

But those who are willing to change can see the good results.

For example, Peter had to let go of his old understanding of the Bible when the Holy Spirit led Peter to visit Cornelius in Acts 10.

The Holy Spirit did more than give the disciples new knowledge.

The Holy Spirit changed how they thought, lived, and followed God!

The Holy Spirit began a completely new way of carrying out God’s plan.

When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, everything changed!

Before that, people followed the old way of doing things.

But God had a greater plan.

The Holy Spirit came and began putting God’s full plan into action.

Some people resisted these changes.

The leaders in Jerusalem did not accept the new way and missed what God was doing!

But those who were open to the Holy Spirit accepted the change and experienced amazing things.

They became one with Christ and were connected to Christ through the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 6:17)

The Holy Spirit brought a new way of living and helped people understand and experience God’s plan more deeply.

So when the Holy Spirit came, a new era began!

The Holy Spirit began guiding God’s people and helping them understand God's eternal plan!

Now there are two different ways people can respond to God’s Word:

- Some focus mainly on the written words—the “letters.”

- But others are led by the Holy Spirit and understand the deeper meaning of the Bible.

This difference has continued from the time of the early church until today.

The Holy Spirit helps people understand and live out God’s Word in a deeper and more meaningful way.

The difference is this:

Some people are “servants of the Holy Spirit.”

They are open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and willing to let it change their lives.

Others can become “prisoners of an organization.”

They may become stuck in strict rules and systems that can limit their spiritual freedom.

Now let us think about how organizations form.

Sometimes, a prophet or inspired person receives a new message from the Holy Spirit.

Over time, that message may grow into a church or religious group.

As the group grows, people may start caring more about keeping the organization running than following the original message from the Holy Spirit.

That is the danger of institutions.

When an organization is created, the original message can slowly lose its meaning and power.

The group may focus more on rules, traditions, and keeping the organization together.

This can make it harder for new ideas or new understanding to be accepted.

Something that was meant to bring fresh spiritual truth can become a barrier that stops people from growing spiritually.

Conflict may also happen when people question old beliefs or try to understand their faith in a new way.

Religious organizations can sometimes stop helping people understand God’s truth and instead make it harder to understand.

Over time, they can become too strict, controlling, or focused on their own rules.

One way to prevent this is to remember that an organization should serve God’s purpose, not replace it.

Its authority should never become more important than truth and spiritual growth.

So here are some practical steps for us.

1. We need "Partial Detachment."

We can be part of an organization.

But we do not let it completely define who we are or what we believe.

2. We need "Perpetual Rebellion."

We should be willing to question an organization when its rules start to limit spiritual growth or go against the truth.

3. We need "Temporary Loyalties."

We need to keep our loyalty in the right place.

We should not become so attached to an organization that we lose our spiritual freedom.

Our goal is to follow God and the Holy Spirit instead of letting an organization control us completely.

We want to be servants of the Holy Spirit!

Our goal should be to follow and serve the Holy Spirit, not to be controlled by an organization’s rules or structure.

We want to stay connected to the Life of God.

So, we keep our focus on God and the Holy Spirit, who give us true spiritual life and help us grow.

We do not want to become stuck in traditions or systems that prevent us from growing.

The point is that organizations can be helpful.

But they should not become the most important thing.

We should stay focused on the Holy Spirit and be open to His guidance, change, and help; as we grow spiritually.

Life is temporary, like a bridge that we cross to reach our destination.

We pass through it!

But we should not become too attached to it.

This world is not our permanent home.

Everything around us is temporary and will eventually pass away.

The goal is to keep moving forward and stay focused on God, rather than becoming too comfortable or attached to temporary things.

The Book of Acts shows two different groups of people.

Some people hold tightly to rules, traditions, and religious systems.

They believe that anything outside their system is wrong.

This can limit their understanding of how God works.

Others are led by the Holy Spirit and are open to the Holy Spirit working in new and unexpected ways.

The Holy Spirit is not limited by human rules or traditions.

The Holy Spirit leads people into a deeper understanding of God’s purpose and helps them grow beyond old ways of thinking.

For God’s full plan to happen in our lives, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us!

We should not allow traditions, churches, or fixed beliefs to take the place of the Holy Spirit.

If we reject something simply because it is different from what we were taught; we may miss what the Holy Spirit is trying to show us.

We need to be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance!

The Holy Spirit can teach us new things, change our hearts, and shape our lives.

When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we can continue to grow and move forward in our spiritual journey.

Also we should be careful about focusing too much on specific times or events.

These events can be important.

But also they can cause us to miss God’s bigger plan.

In the past, some people believed that events like General Allenby entering Jerusalem or Benito Mussolini coming to power were connected to Bible prophecy or marked the beginning of a certain era.

Today, some people believe that events like the U.S. Embassy moving to Jerusalem or the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence or the rise of cashless systems are connected to Bible prophecy or mark the beginning of a certain era.

However, these interpretations can sometimes be misleading.

God’s purpose is much bigger than specific dates, people, or events.

We should not try to fit God’s plan into our limited timeline.

Instead, we should stay open to the Holy Spirit and remember that God’s work goes beyond what we can see happening in the world.

Important times and events are part of God’s plan.

But we should not focus too much on them.

Instead, we should focus on God’s spiritual and heavenly work, not only on what happens here on Earth.

When Jesus went to heaven, it showed that God’s work is bigger than what we can see from an earthly point of view.

The Holy Spirit understands God’s deep purposes!

The Holy Spirit can reveal things that we cannot understand on our own. (1 Corinthians 2:10)

So we should not limit the Holy Spirit with human rules, traditions, or fixed ideas.

Instead, we should remain open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into a deeper understanding of God and God's purpose.

When we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, the Holy Spirit can show us amazing things.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Help us to stay open to Your guidance and not be limited by our own ideas or traditions.

Lead us into a deeper understanding of Your Word and Your purpose.

Give us wisdom, faith, and courage to follow You each day.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

God reveals more to us based on how committed we are to God.

2026-08-22T09:23:27.130-04:00

God reveals more to us based on how committed we are to God.

Read: Acts 13:27; Ezekiel 12:2; Revelation 19:10; Ephesians 4:11-13; Matthew 11:12-15; Psalm 18:26

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

The prophets had spoken about Jesus.

But people did not understand the messages of the prophets.

The leaders in Jerusalem knew the words of the Bible.

But they did not recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah.

They did not understand the deeper meaning of what God was saying.

So simply knowing the Bible is not enough.

We need the Holy Spirit to help us truly understand the Bible and live it out.

God’s true plan was hidden in the Bible, but is revealed through the Holy Spirit.

But without this deeper understanding, we can read the Bible but miss God’s full plan and power.

So it is not just about reading the Bible.

It is about allowing God’s Spirit to reveal deeper truths and bring them to life in us.

Ezekiel 12:2

“Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people.

They have eyes to see but do not see; and ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious people."

Rebellious people have ears but not truly listening.

They hear God’s message but not take it seriously.

Likewise, the people in Jerusalem heard the prophets’ words every week.

But they did not understand what God was saying through the prophets.

They missed the deeper meaning and the voice of God behind the words of the prophets.

Sometimes we hear a sermon or read the Bible and only remember the words without letting them change our lives.

But when the Holy Spirit works in us, those same words come alive.

Then we may say, “I have read that before, but now I truly understand it!”

The Holy Spirit gives us a deeper and living understanding of God speaking through the Bible.

That is the difference between simply reading the Bible and truly hearing God.

The Old Testament is often mentioned in the New Testament.

But things can be different when the Holy Spirit works in us.

The Holy Spirit does not make a new Old Testament.

Instead, the Holy Spirit uses the same Bible in a fresh and powerful way.

Through the Holy Spirit, the Bible can have a deeper meaning and greater impact than we understood before.

Even if we have read a Bible passage many times, the Holy Spirit can show us something new.

We may suddenly understand a deeper truth that we did not see before.

So it is not just about knowing the words of the Bible.

It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to make the Bible come alive in our hearts.

Then we understand how the Word of God works in the New Testament.

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

This verse is important because it shows the difference between simply knowing the words (the letter) and understanding their deeper meaning (the Spirit).

Words alone may not mean much if we do not understand God’s true message.

But when we understand the deeper spiritual meaning, the Bible comes alive and becomes powerful.

The key is not just reading the Bible, but allowing the Holy Spirit to help us understand the true meaning.

Prophecy is not only found in the Old Testament books called the “prophets.”

People like Moses, Samuel, and David were called prophets in the Bible (Deuteronomy 18:15; 1 Samuel 3:20; Acts 2:30).

True prophecy goes all the way back to the beginning, even before Enoch.

It starts with God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 about the seed of the woman, which points to Jesus!

So prophecy is much more than just a few books or certain people.

It is the ongoing message of God throughout the entire Bible, pointing to Jesus and revealing God's greater plan.

We need to understand what the prophets taught and be open to God’s message.

The entire Bible, from beginning to end, points to Jesus.

Even when it describes history or events in specific places, there is a deeper purpose that leads us to Jesus.

Revelation 19:10 says, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

This means that all prophecy really points to Jesus!

Everything in the Bible connects to Jesus in some way.

Even when a passage talked about events happening at that time, it had a deeper meaning that pointed to Jesus.

We need to understand the prophets and how their words point us to Jesus.

But even the Apostle Paul did not understand everything about Jesus.

Paul received powerful revelations from God early in his life.

But as Paul grew in his faith, God showed Paul even more amazing things.

2 Corinthians 12:3-4

"I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell."

Paul’s understanding of God’s plan kept growing because Paul was determined and serious about following Christ.

Paul was very determined.

Paul never gave up but always pursued God’s will with all his strength.

But even Paul admitted that Paul did not fully understand everything about Christ.

So even at the end of his life, Paul wanted to know Christ more deeply.

Philippians 3:10

"I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."

This reminds us that no matter how much we know Christ, there is always more to learn.

The question is:

Will we limit ourselves by what we already know or by what others know?

Or will we keep seeking to know Christ more deeply, as God wants for everyone?

Ephesians 4:11-13

Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Paul teaches that the goal for all believers is to grow into the fullness of Christ—to become mature in Christ.

To reach this goal, we must be serious and committed to following Christ.

We should not let anything—even good ideas or voices that seem right—stop us from seeking the fullness of Christ.

We must be determined and say, “I will keep moving forward with Christ, and nothing will stop me.”

Our goal is to be fully committed and intentional in following Christ.

When Paul shared the message of God’s Kingdom, Paul faced a lot of opposition, especially from the Judaizers who tried to prevent others from following Jesus fully.

They even warned people not to listen to Paul and said his teaching was dangerous.

Jesus also faced the same kind of opposition.

Matthew 11:12-15

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and violent people take it by force.

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

If you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was to come.

Whoever has ears, let them hear!

Jesus is saying that those who are willing to listen should hear and truly understand.

Jesus said, “The Kingdom suffers violence,” meaning that entering and fully living in God’s Kingdom requires determination and effort.

We cannot grow in God’s Kingdom unless we are willing to overcome anything that tries to stop us from experiencing God’s full plan.

God reveals more of God's plan to those who are serious, willing to overcome challenges, and fully committed to following the purpose of God, no matter the cost.

Psalm 18:26

“To the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the devious (the crooked) You show Yourself shrewd.”

This Psalm teaches us an important truth:

God reveals more to us based on how committed we are to God.

If we want to follow God and are fully committed to God, God will help us understand more about God.

There is so much to learn and discover about the Kingdom of Christ.

No matter how much we already know, there is always more to learn about Christ and God's plan.

There are always more opportunities to grow in God’s Kingdom.

Are we truly serious about following God’s plan?

If we are lazy or careless, we may miss what God wants to give us.

But if we are determined and fully committed to Christ, we can receive all that Christ has prepared for us.

May we not only hear God’s truth, but truly listen to it and live by it.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for showing us Your Kingdom and allowing us to experience Your presence.

Thank You for speaking to our hearts, guiding us, and living through us each day.

Help us to follow You with all our hearts and live according to Your will.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Amen.

Entering the Kingdom of God takes serious effort.

2026-08-15T09:33:07.543-04:00

Entering the Kingdom of God takes serious effort.

Read: Galatians 4:6, Isaiah 9:7, Matthew 11:12, Luke 16:16, Matthew 23:13

Galatians 4:6

Because we are children, God has sent the Spirit of God's Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

God gives us the Holy Spirit, because we are God’s children,

Then when the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, we can call God “Father.”

The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and helps us call God “Abba, Father.”

Then the Holy Spirit gives us a new life and helps us feel close to God, who loves us like a Father.

When we call God our Father, our new life with God begins.

Then we love God and feel close to God.

We do not need to be afraid.

God is not far away.

God is close to us and cares for us.

Jesus also taught us that we can know God as our Father. (John 17:6)

Jesus showed us what it means to have a close and special relationship with God.

Having a relationship with God is more than just believing in God or being interested in God.

It changes the way we think, live, and see the world.

It is a completely new way of living.

As God’s children, our lives can show God’s miracles.

Our whole journey with God is like a miracle from beginning to end.

Many amazing things God does for us happen even when we do not notice them (John 6:52).

The challenges we face and the strength we have to keep going come from God!

God protects us, guides us, and helps us through difficult times.

When we struggle and still find the strength to move forward, it shows that God is working in our lives.

God carries us and gives us strength.

God gives us new life, new abilities, and new possibilities that are greater than what we could do on our own.

God’s work in our lives is special and beyond what we can fully understand.

God gives us a new purpose in life.

When we are “born again,” our hearts and minds change.

We begin to understand why God created us and why we are here.

Before this change, life may have felt confusing or without meaning.

But when we begin a new life with God, we discover a greater purpose.

We learn to live with meaning, serve others, and follow God’s plan.

Life is no longer just about getting through each day.

It becomes about being part of something bigger—the Kingdom of God.

God’s Kingdom gives us direction, meaning, and a true purpose for our lives.

The Kingdom of God is not just about following rules.

It is not about following a long list of strict rules.

The Kingdom of God is something that begins inside us!

It changes our hearts, our minds, and our spirit.

Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)

This means that following God is not only about what we do on the outside.

It is about becoming a new person on the inside.

God changes us, gives us new strength, and helps us do things we could not do on our own.

The Kingdom of God has already begun, but it is also still coming.

We can experience God’s Kingdom in our lives now.

But there is still more to come as we continue to grow closer to God.

Yes, we are already part of God’s Kingdom.

But we are still growing and learning.

Step by step, we learn what it means to live the way God wants us to live.

It is like starting a journey.

We have begun the journey.

But we have not reached the end yet.

God is still changing us and helping us become the people God wants us to be.

It is important to understand the difference between conversion and salvation.

Conversion is when we choose to turn to God.

It is a special moment when we decide to begin a new life with God.

It is like making a big change or turning point in our lives.

Salvation is the ongoing process of being saved and changed by God.

Conversion is the beginning of our journey with God, while salvation continues as we grow and change in our relationship with God.

Salvation is not just something that happens once.

It is an ongoing journey.

It begins when we turn to God, but it continues throughout our whole life.

As we follow God, we grow in our faith and become more like Christ each day.

Some people think we cannot know if we are saved until the end of our lives; because the Bible sometimes talks about salvation as something in the future (1 Peter 1:9).

But we can understand salvation as something that begins now and continues as we grow.

Think about a newborn baby.

A baby has everything it needs to live.

But a baby still has a lot to learn and grow.

In the same way, when we are “born again,” we begin a new spiritual life.

We have the potential to grow.

But we still have much to learn and understand.

Salvation begins with new life in Christ and continues as we grow closer to God.

Hebrews 12:28 says that we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

God’s Kingdom is strong, lasting, and will never change.

The Bible tells us that God’s Kingdom lasts forever (Daniel 4:3).

It is greater than anything we can imagine and will never end.

It will continue to grow and expand without ever stopping.

God’s Kingdom will last forever and never end.

Isaiah 9:7 says, “There will be no end of the greatness of his government and peace.”

This means that God’s Kingdom will last forever.

It has no limits and will never come to an end.

God’s Kingdom is bigger and more amazing than we can fully understand.

It has endless possibilities and blessings.

There is always more to learn and experience about God and God's Kingdom.

Even throughout eternity, we could never discover all of its greatness and richness.

Matthew 11:12

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence.

And violent people have been raiding it.

Luke 16:16

“The Law and the Prophets were until John came.

From that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being proclaimed.

And everyone tries to enter it by force. (violently, with great determination)"

This leads to the idea of “violent people” entering the Kingdom of God.

This does not mean we should hurt others.

It means that entering and living in God’s Kingdom should be taken seriously.

We should not be careless or uninterested in our faith.

Following God takes strong commitment, determination, and a willingness to keep going even when it is difficult.

We must give our whole heart to God and make God a priority in our lives.

Entering the Kingdom of God is not something that happens automatically or without effort.

When Jesus says that the Kingdom is “taken by force,” Jesus does not mean that we should use violence.

It means that we should be serious, determined, and committed to following God.

Following God can be difficult at times.

We may face challenges.

But we should keep going and not give up.

Living under God’s rule requires faith, commitment, and a strong desire to follow God.

We must be willing to make God a priority in our lives and continue trusting God.

Matthew 23:13

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.

You yourselves do not enter.

When others are going in you stop them."

Entering the Kingdom of God takes serious effort because there are many things that can try to stop us.

It is not enough to simply want to follow God.

We must be serious and committed.

Jesus warned about religious leaders, such as the Pharisees, who stopped people from entering the Kingdom while they themselves were not entering.

There can be opposition from the devil and from people who try to turn us away from God.

That is why we need to stay strong and determined.

When Jesus talks about being “violent,” Jesus does not mean hurting people.

It means being strong, persistent, and fully committed to following God.

We should keep pursuing God’s Kingdom and not give up when we face challenges or obstacles.

Entering the Kingdom of God is not something that happens only once.

It is a lifelong journey.

Becoming a Christian through conversion is just the beginning.

God wants to continue working in our lives and helping us grow.

Following God takes ongoing effort and commitment.

We will face obstacles, such as other people’s opinions, difficult situations, or even our own doubts and fears.

We need to keep going and stay determined.

We need to say, “I am committed to following God and doing what God wants for my life.

I will not give up.”

The Bible teaches us to have strong faith and keep pursuing God, even when it is difficult.

We must be intentional and willing to overcome anything that tries to hold us back.

Many people get off track because they are not serious enough about following God’s plan for their lives.

Sometimes, we get distracted by things that seem good or even have some connection to God.

But these things may not lead us to everything God wants for us.

To experience all that God has for us, we need to be serious, determined, and committed.

We need to say, “Nothing and no one will stop me from following God’s purpose for my life.”

When we truly commit ourselves to God, God will help us move forward and guide us according to God's plan.

Let us pray:

Dear God,

Thank You for giving us a new life and making us Your children.

Help us to grow in our relationship with You and become more like Christ each day.

Give us strength and determination to follow Your purpose for our lives.

Help us overcome anything that tries to hold us back.

May we stay committed to You and faithfully live as part of Your Kingdom.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God is shaping, teaching, and transforming us.

2026-08-08T09:54:18.917-04:00

God is shaping, teaching, and transforming us.

Read: John 3:2-3, Matthew 3:2; John 1:29; Acts 13:27; Matthew 11:11

John 3:2-3

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said to Jesus:

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do; unless God is with that person.”

Jesus answered him:

“Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above!”

Nicodemus did not ask about the Kingdom.

But Jesus knew that the Kingdom was on his mind, just as it was on the minds of many Jewish people. They often thought about God's coming Kingdom because they had read about it in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament, God's prophets spoke about many things, including the coming King and His Kingdom.

The people were waiting for the King to come and for God's Kingdom to be established.

Because the Old Testament spoke so much about God's Kingdom, the people in the New Testament already knew about it and were expecting it.

So when we read the Gospels, we see that people already understood the idea of the Kingdom.

That is why Jesus could talk about the Kingdom without explaining what it was first.

John the Baptist was the final prophet of the Old Testament.

John connected the Old Testament promises with the New Testament reality.

John marked the beginning of a new time.

From the time of John, it was no longer only about prophecies of the coming Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Heaven was beginning to become a reality.

God's power was now at work in a new way.

So John preached:

Matthew 3:2

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

Then John pointed to Jesus and said:

John 1:29

"Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

John was announcing that God's Kingdom had come with Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Through Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven came near and God's plan was being fulfilled.

Paul said:

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem read the writings of the prophets every week.

They knew what the prophets had said.

But they did not see what God was doing.

They did not recognize the Kingdom of God, even though Jesus was with them for three and a half years.

They heard about His miracles!

The blind received sight; the lame walked; the sick were healed; the deaf heard; the dead were raised; and the poor heard the good news!

But they did not stop and say, “Something amazing is happening!

We need to understand what this means!”

Instead, they rejected Jesus!

Jesus was God's gift to them and their opportunity to enter God's Kingdom!

The Kingdom of Heaven was right there among them!

Every moment they spent with Jesus was an opportunity!

But they did not recognize it.

They did not see its value.

Instead, they responded according to their own thinking; their own traditions; and the condition of their hearts.

Jesus did not establish the Kingdom with the Jewish leaders at that time because they did not receive Jesus or recognize what God was doing.

Because they kept refusing to believe, they could not understand or reflect the true nature of God's Kingdom.

So Jesus said in Matthew 23:38:

"See, your house is left to you, desolate."

Jesus warned that they were losing their opportunity to receive the Kingdom.

Jesus warned them that God's judgment was coming!

Jesus warned that Jerusalem would be destroyed because the people did not recognize the time when God came to them.

Because the leaders did not recognize Jesus; did not understand His message; and did not see the Kingdom of God at work among them, they faced God's judgment instead.

Then in the year 70 AD, Jerusalem was destroyed.

Then the Jewish people experienced many hardships throughout their history.

Using this story God is warning about the eternal judgment that comes to those who remain separated from Christ.

This is a serious message with eternal consequences.

Their history serves as a reminder of the danger of rejecting Christ; and the importance of responding to Christ while we still have the opportunity.

Jesus said that John the Baptist was more than a prophet. (Matthew 11:9, 13)

But Jesus also said:

Matthew 11:11

"Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.

But whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John."

John preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was near.

John prepared the way for Jesus.

But John did not fully understand everything about it.

The true nature of God’s Kingdom had not yet been shown.

After Jesus' death, resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles understood more clearly and began to explain the true nature of the Kingdom of God!

They taught that God's Kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, established through Christ and experienced by those who belong to Christ.

You may be like John the Baptist or like many of the Jewish people in Jesus' day.

Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven are being offered to you today!

But you may not yet understand why the Lord Jesus Christ had to die for you and in your place.

You may not realize what His death and resurrection mean for your eternal future!

But this is the opportunity that can change your eternal destiny!

Jesus will judge every person by how they respond to Jesus and to the opportunity God has given them.

The Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus and His apostles spoke about is not a physical kingdom on earth.

It is a spiritual kingdom that comes from Christ and reveals His nature!

This Kingdom is not of this world.

It is living; and brings us new life.

It always draws us closer to Christ and lifts our hearts toward heaven.

The Kingdom of Heaven is the new life that we have in Christ.

Before we knew about God’s Kingdom, this world felt like our home.

We believed that everything we needed could be found here.

We did not look beyond this life.

But when we belong to Christ and become part of God’s Kingdom, something begins to change within us.

We start to see that this world is not our true home.

Our hearts become less attached to the things of this world and more drawn toward God and heaven.

We begin to understand that we belong to Christ, not to this world.

Over time, we may find that the things we once valued no longer satisfy us as they did before.

If we belong to Christ, we may experience this change in our heart.

But if we feel completely comfortable and fully satisfied with the ways of this world, it is worth examining our relationship with God’s Kingdom.

When our heart desires God more and the things of this world less; it can be a sign that God’s Kingdom is working in our life.

The Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus:

John 3:3

"Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above!"

Jesus explained that entering God's Kingdom requires being born again.

This means a complete and total transformation.

It is not simply changing our interests, improving our behavior, or trying to add God into our old way of life.

It is not about bringing our old worldly way of life into Christianity.

The Kingdom of God is much greater than that.

It is a completely new kind of life—a heavenly life that comes from Christ.

The Kingdom of God is the new life we receive in Christ!

When we belong to Christ, we become part of God’s Kingdom and begin to live according to God's will.

The Kingdom of Heaven is all about Jesus Christ.

The Kingdom of Heaven reveals who Christ is and shows Christ's character in every way.

The Kingdom of God has the same nature as Christ!

The Kingdom of God reflects Christ's heart, Christ's thoughts, and Christ's ways!

The Kingdom of God comes from heaven and reveals the character and nature of Christ.

When we are in Christ, we receive a completely new relationship with God.

When we are born again through the Holy Spirit, God becomes real and close to us.

God is no longer distant or someone we only fear.

Instead, we can know God as our loving “Heavenly Father.”

In Christ, we come to truly know God and experience God's life and power within us.

Each person can recognize this change in their own hearts.

It is a real and living relationship with God.

We know that we have received new life in Christ and that the Holy Spirit is working in us.

The more we live in Christ, the more we stand against the works of Satan.

As we grow in God’s Kingdom, we may face more opposition because our lives reflect Christ and God's purpose.

We may experience difficult times mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or even physically!

During these struggles, it is easy to focus only on the pain and challenges!

But when we face strong opposition, we can remember that our faith and our lives have meaning and impact!

Instead of only feeling discouraged, we can remember that these struggles may remind us that we belong to Christ and are part of His Kingdom!

Our lives are valuable and important to Christ!

God is not focused on the size of our church or organization, or on how many activities we do.

God is not impressed by how many services we attend, sermons we preach, or meetings we join.

These outward things are not what matter most to God!

What matters to God is how we live for God's Kingdom and stand against evil spirits and Satan!

Our true value is found in how much our lives reflect Christ and His ways.

This is the real challenge: not just doing religious activities, but living a life that honors Christ!

Are we living where God wants us to be today?

When we are in God’s will, we are in God's “training center.”

This does not mean a church, school, or any human organization.

It means that God is shaping, teaching, and transforming us!

When we live in God’s Kingdom, God is working in our lives for God's purpose!

Even through difficult and challenging times; God is teaching us, growing us, and giving us God's wonderful gifts.

May we live in God’s will and stand firmly for God, resisting the works of Satan’s kingdom.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for showing us Your Kingdom through Jesus Christ.

Help us understand the gift we have in Christ and live as people who truly belong to You.

Change our hearts and help us become more like Jesus.

Teach us to follow Your will, trust Your ways, and stand strong against evil Satan.

When we face difficult times, remind us that You are growing us and working in our lives for Your purpose!

May our lives show Your love, bring glory to Your name, and reveal the reality of Your Kingdom to others.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Amen.

To truly know Christ, we must let the Cross change us.

2026-08-03T11:39:51.649-04:00

To truly know Christ, we must let the Cross change us.

Read: 1 Peter 1:10-12, Ephesians 1:18-21

We all need the Cross in our lives.

Even those who understand the Cross well still need the Cross every day.

Some people may understand the Cross well.

But later they may become proud, impatient, and quick to get angry.

They may become difficult for others to be around.

Are we often impatient or quick to get angry?

We are not talking about making a mistake once in a while.

We are talking about doing it regularly as a habit.

If this is true of us, it shows that we are not living out the meaning of the Cross.

Then this may hurt many people and harm ministries.

The Cross keeps working in our lives until the end of our lives, and even beyond.

The Cross is not only about dealing with our mistakes, but also about God changing us from the inside.

As we grow closer to Christ, we keep letting go of our own ways so that we can become more like Christ.

We may admire people whom God uses in powerful ways.

God has blessed them greatly!

But often they face deeper struggles than before.

These struggles are not without purpose.

God uses them to help them know Christ more deeply.

This is all part of God's work of shaping and growing us.

The Cross is very important, especially when God begins to use us.

The more God blesses us, the easier it is to become proud, depend on ourselves, or think we are better than others!

This is not because we are bad, but because we are human.

Paul the Apostle received great revelations from God!

But Paul knew that he needed the Cross to stay humble.

Paul wrote about a "thorn in the flesh" that kept Paul from becoming proud. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

This shows that even someone greatly used by God needed God's ongoing work in their life.

When God blesses us spiritually, we should let "the work of Christ on the Cross" keep us humble and help us depend on Christ instead of ourselves.

Before the Cross changed Peter, Peter was very independent.

Peter often acted on his own and followed his ideas without asking others.

But after the Cross, Peter became different.

Peter worked closely with John and learned to serve together with others.

Peter learned from his mistakes; that doing things on his own, even with good intentions, could cause problems.

The Cross changes our independent and impulsive nature.

The Cross teaches us to stop depending on ourselves or being proud.

Instead, we learn to trust God and work together with other people.

This change is important if we want to serve God faithfully.

We become more useful to Christ as we grow in knowing Christ.

That happens when we allow the Cross to keep changing our lives.

The Cross is the key to truly knowing Christ.

Reading and studying the Bible is important because it allows the Holy Spirit to teach us God's truth.

But reading the Bible or listening to teachings alone does not give us deep spiritual understanding.

The Holy Spirit uses what we learn from the Bible.

But real understanding comes when we experience Christ and allow the Cross to change our lives.

The Cross opens the way for us to truly know Christ!

To truly know Christ, we must let the Cross change us.

The Cross teaches us to be humble, not depend on our strength, and put our trust in God!

We come to a place where we realize we cannot live for God without God's help!

Then we begin to truly know Christ.

Sermons and Bible teachings are important.

But they are not enough by themselves.

Real spiritual understanding comes from walking with Christ and allowing the Cross to shape our lives.

We can understand Christ's ways more deeply when the Cross guides our lives.

Peter wrote about this in his letter.

1 Peter 1:10-12

Concerning this salvation, the prophets; who spoke of the grace that was to come to you; searched diligently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when the Spirit predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you; when they spoke of the things that have now been told to you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

Even angels long to look into these things.

Peter said that the prophets spoke about God's grace and tried to understand the time and events they were writing about.

The prophets did not fully understand everything they were saying.

But they knew their message was for people who would come later!

Now these truths have been made known to us through the gospel.

These truths are so wonderful that even the angels long to understand them!

Here we see two groups—the prophets and the angels.

They did not fully understand the truths that have now been revealed to us.

The prophets spoke by the Holy Spirit.

But they kept asking what their messages meant; and when they would happen.

They could not fully understand because the Cross had not yet taken place.

Even the angels do not fully understand these things.

Peter says that angels long to look into them.

Angels know a great deal.

But angels have never needed the Cross because it was not for angels. (Hebrews 2:16)

But we can know God more deeply through the Cross!

The Cross opens the way for us to understand God and God's work in our lives.

The Cross is the key to this deeper knowledge!

The work of the Cross is not just about saying "no" to ourselves or giving things up.

The work of the Cross is not meant to hold us back or make us feel discouraged!

Instead, God uses the Cross to help us grow and know Christ more deeply.

The Holy Spirit teaches us about the Cross to help us grow, know Christ better, and do God's work well.

The Cross is not only about what we give up.

The Cross is also about what we receive!

Through the Cross, God gives us spiritual growth, new life, and a closer relationship with God.

The Cross is the key to this deeper spiritual life.

Ephesians 1:18-21

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which God has called you, the riches of God's glorious inheritance in God's holy people, and God's incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is the same as the mighty strength God applied when God raised Christ from the dead and seated Christ at God's right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the age to come.

Jesus’ resurrection did not just bring Jesus back to where Jesus was before.

It lifted Jesus to a much higher place of glory and power!

In the same way, the work of the Cross in our lives may sometimes make us feel weak, empty, or broken.

But God uses it to bring us to a deeper spiritual level.

When we feel like we have nothing left, we should not lose hope!

If God is working through the Cross in our lives, God is preparing us for something greater!

Just as Jesus was lifted up, God wants to bring us closer to God and help us grow spiritually.

This process may be difficult, but it leads to something far greater.

The Cross is not just something we know about or talk about.

The Cross is something we must experience personally.

For some people, the Cross changes their life!

They leave their old life behind and start a new life with God!

This experience can be even more meaningful; than when they first became a Christian.

The Cross is not only about what Jesus did for us.

The Cross is also about being united with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection.

At some point, we need to make a clear choice to accept the work of the Cross in our lives.

It is not something that happens only once.

Every day, we choose to leave behind our old habits and follow God's ways.

Even if it is not a dramatic experience, we need to understand that through Christ, our old self has died!

This is the foundation for victory over sin and the power of the enemy!

We need to say:

“I believe that Christ died for me!

I believe that I also have died with Christ!

I give myself to the work of the Cross in my life!”

We need to say this to understand fully what God wants to do in us and through us.

A personal experience like this with Christ is important.

Let us not fight against the work Christ is doing in our life.

When we give ourselves fully to this process, Christ will continue to lead us into a deeper understanding of Christ.

True service for Christ does not come only from what we do, but from our growing relationship with Christ.

The important thing is not just our actions, but knowing Christ more deeply!

This is the true secret to serving Christ in a meaningful way.

The sign of a strong spiritual life is knowing Jesus Christ.

Our reward in heaven depends on how well we know and follow Christ.

The people who matter most to God are those who know, love, and obey Christ.

Everything God does in our lives is to help us know Christ better, because knowing Christ is the most important part of the Christian life.

Let us pray.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for the gift of the Cross and for working in our lives.

Help us not only to understand the Cross in our minds but also to experience its power in our hearts and live it every day.

Teach us to let go of our pride, our own ways, and relying on ourselves!

Help us become more like You and know You Christ better every day.

May Your Cross change our hearts, keep us humble, and help us serve Your purpose!

Give us the strength to trust You through every challenge, knowing that You are leading us to a better life and victory.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Cross is the key to truly knowing Christ.

2026-07-25T08:29:03.551-04:00

The Cross is the key to truly knowing Christ.

Read: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Many Jewish people did not believe that the Messiah would have to suffer.

They did not want to accept the message of the Cross!

One example is the rich young ruler.

He came to Jesus but walked away because he could not accept what Jesus asked of him.

At that time, Jesus had not yet died on the Cross, so Jesus did not speak about it directly.

Instead, Jesus taught the same truth:

We must be willing to give up everything to follow Christ!

Jesus told the young rich man that if he wanted eternal life and a place in God's Kingdom, he should sell what he owned; give the money to the poor; and follow Jesus.

The young man was very rich!

When he heard this, he became sad and left because he did not want to give up his possessions.

Then Jesus said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God." (Luke 18:24)

Why is it so hard?

Because the message of the Cross calls us to surrender everything to Christ!

We should not hold on tightly to our money, status, or personal desires.

That is why the Cross can be offensive!

The Cross shows us what we are not willing to give up in order to follow Christ.

The Jewish people expected God's Kingdom to be an earthly kingdom that fit their own ideas.

But we should not be too quick to blame them, because we often think the same way.

We may not be seeking a throne or crown in this world.

But we still want to see clear results.

We want proof!

We want to see, feel, and experience what we are hoping for.

When God does not answer in the way we expect, we may become discouraged or frustrated.

We may want a kingdom that we can see and understand with our eyes.

We want our faith and hard work to bring visible results!

But God does not always work like that!

Sometimes we cannot see what God is doing behind the scenes.

This tests our faith and makes us ask an important question:

"Do I trust God, even when I cannot see the results yet?"

We may ask, “Why doesn’t God do this or that?” because we want to see proof.

We want to see or feel something that shows us God is working!

Because of this, we can be drawn to big events, large crowds, or powerful displays that seem to prove the Holy Spirit is moving!

But the enemy can also copy outward signs and use impressive displays to deceive people.

We may be influenced by what we can see with our eyes.

True faith is different!

The way of the Cross is not about impressive signs or outward success.

The Cross calls us to give ourselves completely to Christ.

It means surrendering our own desires, plans, and need for visible proof.

The goal is to make Christ the most important thing—not crowds, not miracles, or not exciting experiences, but Christ Himself!

When we let go of everything else, we make room for Christ to guide our lives.

The message of the prophets was that people needed to know Christ.

In those days, many people wanted Christ because of the blessings and miracles Christ could give them.

But they were not interested in knowing Christ Himself.

The prophets kept reminding them that the important thing was a close, personal relationship with God—not just receiving God's gifts, but knowing who God really is!

Jeremiah 9:23-24

"This is what the Lord says:

Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom.

Do not let the mighty boast in their might.

Do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth.

But let those who boast boast in this.

That they understand and know me, that I am the Lord.

I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness on the earth.

For in these things I delight, says the Lord."

God does not value wisdom, strength, or wealth the most.

What matters most to God is that we know God, understand God's ways, and live according to them.

God delights in love, justice, and doing what is right.

These are the things that should guide the way we live.

Christ cares more that what we do comes from truly knowing Christ than about how much we do for Christ.

We can be busy doing many things for Christ.

But if those things do not come from a close relationship with Christ, they miss what is most important.

More than anything else, Christ wants us to know Christ personally.

The message of the Cross is often seen in the times when God says "no" or asks us to wait.

We may feel disappointed because we do not get what we want!

Sometimes we may even question our relationship with God!

But during these times, Christ is helping us know Christ more deeply!

What matters most to Christ is not how much we do for Christ or where we serve.

What matters most is that we truly know Christ!

When we know Christ better, our service will grow; out of that relationship!

As we become closer to Christ, Christ will lead us to the places where Christ wants us to serve and where we can make the greatest difference.

In the New Testament, God brought Jesus to the Samaritan woman because she needed Jesus.

Jesus had what she needed.

Jesus offered her living water—the new spiritual life that only Jesus can give.

God brings people who need help to those God has prepared to help them.

Knowing Christ is the foundation of serving Christ well.

If we do not have a close relationship with Christ, our work for Christ can become empty.

We first must receive life, strength, and guidance from Christ!

Then we can truly help and bless others.

The message of the Cross works in many ways to test us and help us let go of ourselves so that we can know Christ more deeply.

When this happens, our joy is no longer based on being busy, speaking at meetings, or succeeding in ministry.

God wants something deeper than outward success!

This does not mean we will never feel happy or see good results.

But Christ makes us useful; by helping us know Christ better and grow closer to Christ.

Whether we are serving a lot or only a little, what matters most is that we love Christ more than anything else!

Even when we cannot do much, Christ should still be the greatest treasure in our hearts!

That is what matters most to Christ!

This truth is simple, but it is the foundation of everything.

Even if we are in a situation where we cannot speak much about Christ or do much for Christ, we are still serving Christ if Christ is precious to us!

Christ can use us when Christ sees that Christ has first place in our heart!

Before Christ gives us greater responsibility, Christ wants to know that we value Christ above everything else—even when we do not get everything we want!

The message of the Cross asks us to let go of anything that takes God's place so that our hearts can be filled with God's presence!

Nicodemus came to Jesus with his high position and great religious knowledge!

But Jesus told him that Nicodemus needed to let go of these things and start over, like a newborn baby!

Jesus was teaching that Nicodemus’s achievements, knowledge, and status could not bring Nicodemus into God’s Kingdom.

The same was true for the rich young ruler.

Jesus showed him that his wealth could not give him a place in the Kingdom of God.

No matter how much money, power, or influence someone has, everyone comes to God the same way!

God’s Kingdom is not based on what we have achieved in this world.

It is based on spiritual life!

This new life begins when we are born again; a new beginning that comes only from the Holy Spirit!

The true measure of spiritual life is knowing Christ!

That is what matters most in God’s Kingdom.

Our value in heaven does not depend on our position, success, or what we want.

It depends on how deeply we know Christ!

The people who are important to God are those who know and follow Christ.

Everything God does in our lives is meant to help us grow closer to Christ, because knowing Christ is the heart of true spiritual life.

The Cross is the key to truly knowing Christ.

Many people could not understand the prophets because they did not want to accept that the Messiah would suffer.

Even Jesus’ disciples had the same struggle.

When Jesus told them that Jesus would suffer and die on the Cross, they rejected that idea and said it should not happen! (Matthew 16:22)

But after Jesus was crucified, everything changed!

The disciples had to let go of their own dreams of an earthly kingdom and their own expectations.

Only then did they begin to truly understand Christ!

Their relationship with Jesus became deeper and completely changed!

In the New Testament, two things work together: the Cross and the Holy Spirit!

The Cross means giving up our own way, our selfish desires, and the things of this world to follow Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gives us God’s power to live for God's purpose.

Both the Cross and the Holy Spirit are needed.

The Cross helps us surrender everything to Christ.

The Holy Spirit gives us strength to follow Christ.

Together, they help us know Christ more deeply, and our relationship with Christ continues to grow.

The most important thing to God is that we truly know Christ!

We cannot truly know Christ without continuing to follow the way of the Cross.

The work of the Cross never stops.

The work of the Cross continues throughout our whole lives.

We should not think that there will be a time when we no longer need the Cross or that we have moved beyond the Cross.

The more we know Christ and the more Christ works through us, the more we must give ourselves to Christ and follow His way of sacrifice.

May Christ help us understand and remember this truth in our hearts!

Let us pray.

Lord God!

Thank You for teaching us that the most important thing is to truly know Christ!

Help us understand the message of the Cross and give us hearts that are willing to surrender everything to Christ.

Remove anything that keeps us from seeing Christ clearly.

Help us trust You even when we cannot see the results.

Teach us not to seek only Your blessings, signs, or success, but to seek You above everything else!

Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and help us grow deeper in our relationship with Christ.

May our lives be guided by Your love, justice, and righteousness.

Make Christ precious to us every day, and use us according to Your will.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Mount Zion is a place where people can know God’s truth clearly.

2026-07-18T09:02:52.616-04:00

Mount Zion is a place where people can know God’s truth clearly.

Read: Revelation 11:15, Hebrews 11:27, Ephesians 1:17-19, Hebrews 12:22, Isaiah 25:7-8, Acts 13:27, Galatians 5:11

What is God’s vision for the church?

God’s vision is that the Church exists for Christ!

The Church belongs to Christ, is united with Christ, and is built on Christ.

Today, the Church is a sign to the world of what is to come.

The Church reminds people that one day Jesus will return and reign as King!

Revelation 11:15 says:

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His (Messiah) Christ.”

Until that day fully comes, we are called to stand for Christ and show that we belong to Christ.

We are like an altar that declares:

“This place belongs to Christ!

Jesus has the right to be here!

Christ bought us with His blood!”

We may see many things that seem to go against this truth of Christ.

The situation around us may look like Jesus is not in control.

The devil may try to say to us.

"Jesus does not belong here.

Christ is not working.

You should give up and walk away."

But when we stand firm in faith, our life says: “No, this place belongs to Christ!”

This is why God's vision is so important!

We cannot stay strong just by being excited, because excitement itself does not last forever.

Also we cannot rely on someone else’s vision to keep us going.

It may not be enough to carry us through the whole journey.

Like the Apostle Paul and others, we need our own personal vision of Jesus to keep us going!

Hebrews 11:27

By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger.

Moses endured because Moses saw God who is invisible.

This does not mean Moses only saw God once in the past.

It means Moses lived each day remembering what Moses had seen.

This vision continued to grow in Moses and gave Moses strength to keep going.

God helps us understand God's purpose for God's Son.

As we grow, that understanding becomes clearer.

This vision is the foundation of our calling.

We should be passionate about sharing the gospel of salvation.

But to truly complete God’s purpose and continue for a long time, we need to see more of God’s plan!

We can only go as far as God's vision leads us.

How far we can go depends on the vision God gives us.

This is simple, but very important.

That is why we should pray like Paul prayed:

Ephesians 1:17-19 (in simple words)

“I pray that God will give you wisdom and understanding.

I pray that your heart will be opened so you can see the hope God has given you; the great blessings God has for God's people; and the powerful work God does in those who believe.”

This vision is what God wants us to have.

The most important thing is that everything we do follows God’s vision!

Hebrews 12:22

You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.

You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.

Isaiah 25:7-8

God will destroy (swallow, בָּלַע) on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the covering that is spread over all nations; God will swallow up death forever.

Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.

God will take away the disgrace of his people from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

“This mountain” refers to Mount Zion.

But the physical Mount Zion in Jerusalem did not remove this covering.

The true meaning of Zion is found in those who belong to Christ!

Spiritually, Zion means people who belong to God, live under God's rule, and experience God's victory.

Mount Zion is a place where people can know God’s truth clearly.

In Zion, God will remove the covering that hides the truth from people.

This victory came through Jesus’ death and resurrection, where Jesus defeated death forever (verse 8).

When people live in Christ’s victory and allow Christ to lead their lives, they become like Mount Zion!

Wherever God’s people live in this way, others can see and experience God’s power through them!

So the question is:

"Are people seeing Christ through us?"

It is not just about how much we teach or preach.

What matters is whether people are experiencing and meeting Christ!

We are not only asking you to gather together and study the Bible.

We are asking you to pray that God’s presence will be strong and real in your group.

Wherever your group meets, people should be able to say, “Christ is here!”

May this be true of us wherever we are.

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

Paul says they read the prophets' writings every Sabbath.

People would read the law and the prophets all day long in their synagogues.

But even though the leaders and people in Jerusalem heard these readings so often, they did not really understand the true meaning behind them.

They missed the deeper meaning that the prophets were trying to share.

Because of that, they lost what God wanted to give them.

So in Acts 13, the Apostles stopped focusing on them and turned to the Gentiles, who were more open and ready to listen.

This is very important and serious.

We need to make an effort to listen to the prophets and understand what they are saying.

Again Paul said.

"The people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus or understand the message of the prophets."

Why did they not recognize Jesus?

Why did they not understand the prophets?

There is one reason.

It comes from a deeper problem in their hearts.

Let us think about this.

The reason they did not understand was simple: they did not want to accept the Cross!

The problem was that they could not accept that the Messiah would have to suffer!

They already had their own ideas about what the Messiah would do and what the Messiah would be like.

Anything different from their expectations was rejected; and seemed wrong to them.

They could not believe that their Messiah would be someone who suffered!

But the prophets, especially Isaiah 53, said that the Messiah would suffer!

Isaiah 53 even begins by asking, “Who has believed our message?”

This shows that many people did not believe or accept what God was saying!

We do not need more proof because this was their attitude from the beginning.

Some people came to Jesus because they were interested and wanted to learn from Jesus.

But when Jesus showed them that following Jesus meant accepting the way of the Cross, they turned away because they did not want it.

Many people did not want to accept the way of the Cross in their own lives.

It was not just a problem for the nation of Israel.

It was also a personal choice of each person.

Take Nicodemus as an example.

Nicodemus was excited about the coming kingdom of the Messiah.

Nicodemus was expecting the Messiah to come with great power and glory.

But Jesus showed Nicodemus a different truth!

Jesus talked about the Cross and mentioned the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness, which pointed to His own death on the Cross.

This was difficult for Nicodemus to understand and accept.

Nicodemus did not expect the Messiah to suffer, or to ask His people to give up their own selfish desires and die to self.

Many Jewish people rejected the idea that the Messiah would suffer.

They did not want to accept the message of the Cross!

Paul talked about this in the book of Galatians.

Galatians 5:11

"My friends, why am I still being persecuted if I am still preaching circumcision?

In that case, the offense of the cross has been removed."

Paul said that the message of the Cross was offensive to many people.

Paul faced many problems from a group called the Judaizers, who preached circumcision and opposed Paul.

So Paul was saying, “If I preached circumcision like the Judaizers, people would not attack me.”

So then why did Paul suffer?

Because Paul preached the message of the Cross!

Because Paul preached about the Cross, Paul experienced many troubles.

Paul even had physical scars from suffering for Christ! (Galatians 6:17)

But Paul would not stop preaching about the Cross of Jesus, even though the message offended many people.

Why?

Because to truly know Christ, we must be willing to let the Cross humble us, change us, and help us let go of our own selfish ways.

The Cross opens the way for us to truly know Christ.

Let us pray.

Christ Jesus!

Thank You for showing us Your purpose for our lives and Your churches.

Help us stay focused on You and not be distracted or divided.

Open our eyes to see You more clearly and understand our part in Your plan!

Give us strength to trust You, follow You, and obey You every day.

Guide us so that our lives bring glory and honor to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When we live as God’s people, we show God's purpose.

2026-07-11T09:18:53.616-04:00

When we live as God’s people, we show God's purpose.

Read: Psalm 46:5; Matthew 24:14; Romans 10:18

We have been talking about seeing a fresh vision of Christ.

But we cannot give you that vision.

Only Christ can give you that vision.

So we encourage you to go to Christ and ask Christ yourself, saying.

“Lord, if You want to use me, I am here!

Open my eyes and help me see what You want me to see.”

This is for every believer, not just those who serve God full-time.

We all need this vision to live out God’s purpose for our lives.

It is not enough to just know facts about Jesus.

We need to know Christ truly and experience Christ in a deeper and more powerful way!

In the Old Testament, this is what God did.

There were many nations in the world.

But God chose one man, Abraham.

From Abraham, God made a nation called Israel!

God placed Israel among all other nations.

God wanted Israel to be different because they followed God!

Their laws, worship, and way of life were based on God's ways, not human ideas.

Because of this, other nations could look at Israel and see what it was like to live with God.

Israel was meant to be an example and a light to the world!

Because God lived with them and guided them.

That was their purpose and calling.

Israel’s purpose was to show God to the world!

Israel’s purpose was to show the world that God is real and present with God's people!

But Israel forgot that purpose.

Israel lost that vision of God.

So the prophets were trying to help them see again.

When Israel lived the way God wanted, other nations noticed something special.

It was not because Israel preached or gave speeches.

But the people could see that God was with them!

Why?

Because Israel lived differently.

They followed God's ways and God's presence was real.

God was with them so powerfully that other nations sensed God's presence even before Israel arrived.

Look at the story of Rahab in the book of Joshua.

When the spies came to her city, Rahab said, "We have heard about you!

We know what your God has done!

We are afraid because your God is real and is with you!"

Israel did not have to preach.

They did not talk about God or preach about God.

But God's power went before them!

The way they lived, stayed united, and obeyed God showed that God was with them!

Their purpose was to live in a way that helped others see God's presence, even without saying a word.

Psalm 46:5 says:

"God is in the midst of her; she will not be moved."

It says God was with God's people, and nothing could overcome them.

When people saw Israel, they were supposed to say, “God is with them!”

This made the other nations respect them; pay attention to them; and recognize God's power!

That was Israel’s purpose from God!

Their purpose was to live in a way that showed people God was with them!

Some people may think this was only a symbol of something greater.

But it was not just a symbol.

God's presence was real.

God was truly with Israel, and other nations could see it.

That was Israel’s purpose!

They were to show that God is living and present by the way they lived, obeyed God, and walked with God.

In the New Testament, this is what God did.

God came to live among people through God's Son, Jesus Christ!

Jesus’ other name “Emmanuel” means “God with us.”

When people met Jesus, they were meeting God in a personal way!

Jesus said His body was a temple—the place where God lived on earth.

After Jesus died, rose again, and returned to heaven, Jesus came to live in His people through the Holy Spirit.

Now the Church—all believers together—is Jesus’ body, where Jesus lives and works!

Because Christ is truly with His people, amazing things happen—not only because of teaching or preaching, but because God’s presence is real and powerful.

The Church’s purpose is to show the world that Jesus is Lord, not only by words, but by the way we live with His presence!

When we live as God’s people, we show God's purpose!

This is our true calling and mission!

Jesus said: (Matthew 24:14)

“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations.

Then the end will come.”

Even after 2,000 years, there are still people who have not heard about Jesus.

If Jesus returned today, that would be true still.

The gospel should be shared with everyone as a witness, so all people can hear and see the truth before Jesus returns!

We should keep preaching and doing everything we can.

We should share the gospel.

At the same time, we need to understand what Jesus said about this time.

This time in history is not only about trying to make everyone believe or reaching every person in the world with the gospel before Jesus returns.

But Paul says:

“Their message went out into all the earth.” (Romans 10:18)

At that time, it looked like the whole world had heard the message!

But the world has grown much larger since then.

But what really happened back then?

God began creating small groups of believers—churches—in different nations.

Each church was a living example of Jesus and showed that Jesus is King!

God’s goal is to have a group of God's people in every nation who show that Jesus is Lord.

Yes, we need to preach, teach, and share the message.

But the most important thing is that Jesus is truly present among us!

Sometimes, those who serve God may not be able to preach or do big things.

Sometimes all we can do is stay where we are, hold on, and stay close to Christ!

There will be pressure and many challenges.

Before things grow and move forward, there is often a difficult time of simply standing strong!

During that time, we must ask:

“Can we stay faithful?

Can we keep standing?”

Satan will try to stop us and make us give up.

But if we stay strong, even quietly, God’s purpose will continue to happen.

The question is:

Will Jesus, the heavenly Lord, be truly known and present among the nations of the world?

This was Israel’s purpose!

Now it is the purpose of the Church!

But one person cannot do this alone.

It takes a group of people working together.

Even two or three people united for God’s purpose can make a big difference!

The more people who work together with one heart and one goal, the stronger it becomes.

But selfishness, pride, or different goals can destroy unity and stop God’s work.

Spiritual forces are working behind people and nations.

These spiritual forces are real powers that we cannot see.

The battle between good and evil is not only about what God’s people say.

It happens when God’s people are living in the world!

Wherever believers gather, spiritual battles begin!

Why?

Because Satan knows when people see Jesus as Lord, his power is challenged.

So Satan tries to stop God’s work.

Satan tries to divide churches, cause arguments, destroy love and unity, and weaken their witness about Jesus.

Satan wants to remove God’s people and stop them from showing God’s presence in the world.

It is like Satan saying, “As long as they are here, my kingdom is in danger.

I must try to stop them.”

This is the spiritual battle that is still happening today.

Are you facing a difficult battle alone?

You need support from others.

You need to stand together.

Satan will try to make you give up and leave; if Satan can.

If you can preach, then preach!

But if you cannot preach, do not give up!

Unless God clearly tells you to move on, stay where God has placed you and stand strong!

Many people know how hard Satan fights to make us give up.

But Christ calls us to remain faithful and stand strong until Christ says otherwise.

May Christ help us stay strong and keep standing until Christ tells us to do something different.

Let us pray.

Christ Jesus!

Thank You for showing us Your purpose for our lives and Your churches.

Help us stay focused on You and not be distracted or divided.

Open our eyes to see You more clearly and understand our part in Your plan!

Give us strength to trust You, follow You, and obey You every day.

Guide us so that our lives bring honor and glory to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To serve Christ well, we need a growing, deeper vision of Christ.

2026-07-04T08:28:04.845-04:00

To serve Christ well, we need a growing, deeper vision of Christ.

Read: Hosea 8:8; Jeremiah 22:28-30; Acts 13:27; Galatians 1:11-12; 15-16

When God brought Israel out of Egypt, God gave them a clear purpose.

God showed them how they should live and how they could be a blessing to the world.

They celebrated that vision in their song after crossing the Red Sea, showing their excitement about God’s plan for them.

But over time, they lost that vision.

Israel’s message was not just about being freed from Egypt.

Yes, that was an important part of their history.

But it was not God’s final goal for them.

God wanted them to fulfill God's great purpose!

God brought them out of Egypt for God's bigger vision!

A lot of Christians today focus only on salvation—being saved from sin and the world.

That is very important, but it is only the beginning.

If we do not understand God's bigger plan for our lives, we can become stuck and grow little in our faith or influence others.

When we understand God's full vision, it gives us the desire to keep moving forward and live the life God has planned for us.

If we are going to serve Christ in a deep and meaningful way, we need to understand God’s bigger purpose for God's Son, Jesus Christ!

It is not only about being saved from sin.

It is also about understanding God's plan for Jesus and knowing our place in that plan!

This is God's bigger vision for our life.

At one time, Israel clearly understood God's purpose for them.

They were called to be a strong nation that followed God and influenced the world.

They were meant to boldly say, “This is what the Lord says,” and be a powerful witness to other nations.

But over time, they forgot that vision.

As a result, they failed to fulfill their calling.

The prophets wanted to help the people understand God's vision again.

They knew that without seeing God's vision, the people could not fulfill the purpose God had for them.

The prophets gave the people one important message:

"You can not fulfill God's purpose without seeing God's vision."

If they did not see God's plan, they could not carry out all that God wanted them to do.

They needed to see God's plan to do what God wanted them to do.

God wanted them to accept God's whole plan, not just part of it.

If they stopped growing or moving forward, it showed that they needed to see God's plan better and follow God's purpose.

The prophets wanted Israel to understand the true reason for their problems.

The people committed many sins and disobeyed God, but these were only the results.

The real problem was that the people could not see God's vision and purpose for their lives.

The prophets often warned that the people failed because they forgot God's purpose for their lives.

Hosea 4:6 says God’s people are destroyed because they rejected knowledge or vision.

By rejecting God's vision, they refused to follow God's plan.

Because of this, they could no longer fulfill the purpose God had for them.

Hosea 8:8

Israel is swallowed up.

Now she is among the nations like something no one wants.

This verse shows the people are defeated and scattered among other nations because they had turned away from God's purpose.

They became like something no one wanted.

That shows how much they had fallen.

Without seeing God's vision, they lost their identity, their strength, and the purpose God had given them.

Jeremiah 22:28-30

Is this man Coniah a despised broken pot, a vessel no one wants?

Why are he and his offspring hurled out and cast away in a land that they do not know?

O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord!

Thus says the Lord!

Record this man as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days.

For none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David, and ruling again in Judah.

This shows that King Coniah’s children were rejected, and his children would not become a ruler like him.

King Coniah (Jeconiah) was recorded as having no children to continue his royal line.

This shows that Israel had lost its purpose and place.

Israel had become useless—like a broken container that no one wanted anymore.

Israel had reached a dead end because they had turned away from God’s full plan.

The message is clear: without seeing God’s vision and purpose, there is no progress, no future.

To move forward and fulfill God’s purpose, they needed to see and follow God’s complete plan.

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

The people of Jerusalem heard the prophets' messages every week.

But they did not understand the true meaning of what was being read.

They could repeat the Scriptures and the prophets' messages.

But they did not understand what God was saying.

They did not ask, "What do these words mean?" or "What were the prophets trying to say?"

They understood the words on the surface but did not see the deep message the prophets were giving.

Because they did not understand God's message, they did not recognize Jesus when Jesus came!

The disciples knew all the facts about Jesus—His life, His miracles, His death, and even His resurrection.

But Jesus asked them to wait in Jerusalem.

Why?

Because knowing the facts was not enough!

They needed to have a deep spiritual vision and power from the Holy Spirit before they could go out to fulfill their calling.

The disciples needed to understand Jesus deeply and the power of the Holy Spirit to begin their mission.

The apostles knew the facts about Jesus who lived, died, and rose again.

But they began their work after they understood who the risen and ascended Christ really was!

They understood why God glorified Christ according to God's plan.

They saw that Jesus was the center of God's great plan for the world!

This understanding gave them direction and purpose!

When we see who Christ really is and understand God's plan, we find direction and purpose for our lives and can serve Christ faithfully.

The disciples used to focus on the coming Messiah who would establish a physical, earthly kingdom.

They imagined themselves sitting next to Jesus, having power and honor on earth.

Their vision was all about earthly victory—defeating the Romans and taking back their country.

They were focused on fighting with physical weapons and reclaiming their land.

That was the limit of their vision at that time.

What a dramatic shift when they finally saw the eternal kingdom of Christ!

What a huge shift this was from their old way of thinking!

The things they once thought were important, like earthly power and victory, faded away.

They were no longer focused on those things.

Instead, they saw Christ’s true kingdom that was much greater!

Jesus promised them, "Some of you will see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." (Matthew 16:28)

So, what is this kingdom?

It is Jesus Christ Himself—above all power, authority, and earthly kingdoms!

Christ is the center of God's eternal plan!

Galatians 1:11-12

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.

I did not receive it from any man.

I was not taught it.

Rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:15-16

When God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal God's Son in me so that I might preach Christ among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.

Paul knew about Jesus.

But his ministry began when God personally revealed Christ to Paul.

Paul's ministry and calling came from a personal revelation from God.

At that moment, Paul understood God's purpose for his life!

This vision gave Paul the courage and strength to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

Paul's ministry was built on this personal relationship and encounter with Christ.

Knowledge alone is not enough for God's work.

We need God's guidance and vision to carry out our purpose effectively.

Knowing the facts about Jesus (like what is in the New Testament) is not enough to make us a true messenger of the gospel.

Just having knowledge about Christ does not automatically give us the power or calling to go out and share that message.

Many people may know the facts!

But without a deep personal revelation from Christ, they often don’t go very far.

The church today faces a huge problem!

Many people, even those who have been Christians for years, struggle to understand and talk about the deep things of Christ!

There is a limit to their relationship with Christ, even though they know the basic facts.

To fulfill God's purpose for our life, it is not enough only to know about Christ or feel inspired.

It is not about simply following other people's ideas or emotions.

We need a personal understanding of what Christ wants us to do.

We need to know and accept God's plan for God's Church and our part in it.

How well we fulfill God's purpose depends on how fully we accept and live by that vision.

We might hear these words, but to truly understand them, we need to see that vision in our heart!

To serve Christ well, we need a growing, deeper vision of Christ!

It is not enough to just know a few facts about Christ.

We need the eyes of our heart to be opened, to truly see Jesus and understand His purpose in our life.

That is what will carry us through to God's full plan!

Let us pray.

Father God!

Thank You for Your clear vision and purpose for our lives and for Your Church.

Help us not to be distracted or divided, but to stay focused on Your will.

Open our eyes to see Christ more clearly and understand our place in Your plan!

Strengthen us to walk in faith, learn from You, and grow in obedience each day!

Guide our steps so that our lives bring glory to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There is a cost to having God’s vision

2026-06-27T09:38:00.061-04:00

There is a cost to having God’s vision

Read: Proverbs 29:18, Hosea 4:6, Acts 13:27

The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)

It means without God's guidance, people can lose their way, make bad choices, and forget what is right.

During the time of Eli the high priest, when there was no clear vision, Israel became weak and divided.

Eli, as the High Priest, represented the whole nation of Israel.

Because Eli was not faithful to God, the nation also suffered.

In the Bible, God often deals with God's people based on the condition of their leaders.

This is also shown in Zechariah 3:1–5.

When leaders do not follow God's will, it can have a bad effect on the whole Church.

But when Israel followed God's vision, they became strong and moved forward together.

Because they were united and followed God's plan, no one could stop them.

A good example is when they defeated Jericho.

They worked together with one purpose , trusted God, and won the victory.

When Israel followed God's vision, they were strong and worked together.

But when they lost God's vision, they started thinking only about themselves.

They became divided, argued with each other, and stopped moving forward.

This made them weak.

Satan tries to confuse God's people so they lose God's vision, become divided, and grow weak.

God's vision protects God's people.

When God's people are united and focused on God's purpose, Satan has little power against them.

But when people become selfish or distracted, they become divided.

Then Satan has a chance to bring confusion and cause harm.

But when our vision is clear and we focus on God's purpose, we stay united and strong.

As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:11, we should serve the Lord with energy, passion, and dedication.

A clear vision helps us avoid distractions and keeps us working together.

When we are united with one purpose, we become strong and are difficult to defeat.

God's vision helps us see clearly and gives our life purpose.

When we know what God wants, we become active and committed instead of lazy or careless.

Without God's vision, we can feel confused, stuck, and stop growing.

God's vision helps us grow and keeps us moving forward.

The prophets and apostles were not perfect.

They made mistakes just like everyone else. (1 Kings 19:9)

But because they were fully committed to God’s vision, God even used their mistakes to teach them about God.

Their commitment to God’s will allowed God to guide them, even when they failed.

The prophets and apostles learned about God through both their successes and their mistakes because they truly wanted to follow God's will.

When they served God with passion, they sometimes made mistakes.

God used those mistakes to teach them more about how God works and what God does not do.

People who do their best and step out in faith learn the most, even if they make mistakes.

If we wait until we know everything, we will not grow.

We grow by trusting God and taking steps of faith, even when we are not sure.

People who are always afraid or hesitant often do not grow much in their relationship with Christ.

God's clear vision helps us keep moving forward, even when we make mistakes.

People who love God and follow God's guidance learn and grow the most.

When they make mistakes, God does not let those mistakes destroy them.

Instead, God uses those mistakes to teach them and help them grow.

They can look back and say, "I made some mistakes, but God used them to teach me."

When we follow God’s purpose, it guides our whole life and gives our lives direction.

Even when we make mistakes, God continues to work in our lives because God's focus is on God's purpose, not just our plans.

Israel became strong and leaders when they followed God's vision.

God chose them to be different from other nations and show God's rule on earth.

God promised they would be "the head, not the tail" (Deuteronomy 28:13).

God wanted them to be a people above all others.

But that did not happen automatically.

It happened when they were unified and followed God’s vision!

When they followed God's vision together, they became strong and had a big influence.

The prophets came because Israel had lost God’s vision.

Because of this, powerful nations like Assyria and Babylon were able to rule over them.

The minor prophets show this problem very clearly.

Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

This is the message of the prophets.

The prophets were sent to remind Israel of the vision they had forgotten.

The prophets helped the people see things from God’s point of view.

They clearly understood God’s purpose and spoke His message like a light in darkness.

Their job was to remind Israel of their purpose and why God chose them.

Their goal was to bring Israel back to God's vision and help them become who God wanted them to be.

God's vision is important for every believer and for the whole Church.

We may not deeply understand God's vision or God's eternal purpose for Christ and the Church.

But that is not the main point right now.

The important thing is that we need to have God's vision.

Everyone needs this vision, both as individuals and as a Church.

This vision is not just for a few people.

God wants all God's people to share it, even if it begins with a small group.

At the same time, it must also be personal.

Each person should be able to say, “I see it. I understand what God wants!”

God's vision should guide our lives and shape everything we do.

We may ask, "Why is the Church so weak and divided today?"

What can bring real change?

The prophets knew the answer because God gave them God's vision.

Prophets were not better or more important than other people.

They were part of God's people, not separate from them.

The prophet worked closely with God's people.

Their role was to help God's people understand God's purpose and direction!

They were like the eyes of the community, helping everyone see God's vision.

The prophets never saw themselves as separate from God's people.

For example, Daniel was not personally guilty, but Daniel still confessed the sins of the nation as if they were his own.

The prophets shared the people's struggles, problems, and experiences.

They spoke as people who were part of the situation, not as people looking down on others.

They shared the people’s pain and felt responsible for them.

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

People heard the prophets every week, but they did not recognize Jesus when Jesus came.

They heard the words, but they did not truly understand them.

When people finally listened and understood, amazing things happened.

Truly hearing God's message can change our lives.

We should ask ourselves, “How much do we really see and understand?”

After many teachings and meetings, did we hear God’s message, or just the words?

If we truly hear God’s message, it can change everything in our lives.

If not, we need to spend time with Christ and ask Christ to help us understand.

Things cannot stay the same as they are now.

We cannot only rely on ministers, prophets, or apostles to bring vision to us.

They are there to remind us who we are in Christ and help us stay focused on God’s purpose.

But each of us is called to have this vision and live according to God's will.

The Church is meant to show God’s truth to the world.

Every believer should understand what God is doing and share what Christ has shown them.

This is not just for a few people, but for everyone in the body of Christ!

We all need to carry this vision, even if we understand it in different ways or levels.

God wants all of us to understand God's heart and live by it.

God's vision requires courage.

Many people hesitate to take a strong stand because they worry about losing relationships or opportunities.

Some people start speaking about God’s vision, but stop when they face opposition.

They become afraid of the consequences and step back.

Fear and overthinking rules can stop people from moving forward.

But the prophets were different.

The prophets were not afraid to stand for God, even when others opposed them!

When they understood God’s message, they stayed faithful no matter the cost.

So we need to ask ourselves:

Are we willing to follow God’s vision even if it brings difficulty or rejection?

There is a cost to having God’s vision, and we need to accept it.

The book of Hebrews chapter 11 talks about people who suffered for their faith.

Tradition says Isaiah was killed because he spoke God’s truth.

Isaiah paid a high price for sharing God’s message.

But Isaiah was right, and his message from God is still true today, including Isaiah 53.

The enemy tried to stop Isaiah, but could not stop God’s truth.

Following God’s vision can cost a lot!

But holding on to it is more valuable than anything else.

There is a cost, but there is also a great reward!

Let us pray.

Christ Jesus!

Help us see Your vision and follow it with our hearts.

Give us courage to stay faithful, even when it is difficult or when people oppose us.

Help us not to be afraid or hesitate, but to trust You in every step.

Unite us as Your people and shape our lives by Your purpose.

Teach us to learn from You even when we make mistakes, and help us stay faithful no matter the cost.

Guide us with Your truth, and let our lives show Your will.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

God's vision gives real meaning to life.

2026-06-20T09:02:15.986-04:00

God's vision gives real meaning to life.

Read: 1 Samuel 8:5-7, Acts 13:27, Isaiah 49:6, Matthew 6:22

1 Samuel 8:5-7

They said to Samuel, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways.

Now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.

The Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you.

It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king."

Samuel was a faithful servant of God and always wanted to do what God wanted.

Samuel followed God’s truth with all his heart.

But the people of Israel asked for a human king and rejected God as their king.

God also told Samuel they were not rejecting Samuel, but rejecting God.

Then King Saul was chosen.

At first, Saul also tried to look good.

At first, Samuel also showed great patience and kindness to Saul.

But King Saul represented that Israel had chosen to turn away from God’s perfect rule and accept something less.

Having a king was part of God's plan, just like God uses the prophets to speak about God's plan.

The lion aspect of Cherubim represented God’s power and God's rule as king.

But King Saul was different.

His rule was not God’s perfect plan.

King Saul was more like the kings of other nations.

Samuel understood this.

Samuel felt sad because Samuel saw what would happen when Israel chose a king like other nations.

But Samuel was patient and gave Saul many chances to do what was right.

But deep down, Samuel knew this was not God's perfect plan for Israel.

Today, something similar can happen.

Sometimes, instead of following God’s direct guidance through the Holy Spirit, people rely on human systems like committees and boards.

People try to manage things themselves instead of seeking God through prayer and fasting.

Spiritual people can often see that something is wrong.

But spiritual people still try to stay kind and patient, like Samuel stayed kind and patient.

However, when people refuse to obey what God has shown, patience cannot continue forever.

When Saul directly disobeyed God’s command, Samuel could no longer be patient with him.

Samuel stood firm for God’s plan!

God’s message through Samuel was clear:

"You have rejected God’s word, so God has rejected you as king." (1 Samuel 15:23)

Samuel had done everything he could.

But when Saul refused to obey, the time for patience ended!

Samuel teaches us to be patient with situations that we disagree with, hoping that people will understand and change.

Samuel was very patient with things he knew were wrong, even though he did not agree with them in his heart.

Samuel hoped that people would eventually understand, obey God, and make things right.

Moses also had to learn patience and humility.

Moses needed to be shaped in this way to become a better servant of God’s purpose.

We are closer to God’s plan when we can put up with things that we disagree with instead of quickly criticizing or attacking them.

Christ does not want a harmful or destructive attitude.

Christ wants us to be patient and understanding.

We emphasized that prophetic ministry is not just about following rules or beliefs.

It is about staying in line with God’s true purpose!

It is not just about learning something or memorizing teachings.

It is about Christ shaping us through our own experiences, through what Christ uses to teach and change us.

We don’t just achieve this.

We become it over time through the process!

Only then are we truly ready to serve in God's work!

Acts 13:27

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus.

But in condemning Jesus they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

The people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus, even though they heard the prophecies about Jesus every week during the Sabbath.

They were familiar with these teachings.

But when the time came, they acted completely against what they heard!

But even though they rejected Jesus, they were unknowingly fulfilling God's plan, as everything was happening according to God's will.

It is a warning that we can hear important truths many times but still fail to understand them.

If we are not careful, we may do things that hurt us and lead us to problems that we could have avoided.

Prophets don’t speak just words, they also share a deep message.

We can hear the words but still miss what they really mean!

If we only listen to the words and not the deeper meaning, we may miss what Christ is trying to say!

That can lead to serious problems!

It is not about hearing the words, but about understanding the deeper meaning behind them.

In Acts chapter 13, there was a significant shift.

The Holy Spirit sends Paul and Barnabas on a special mission.

This was a big turning point!

But when many people gathered and the Jewish people rejected the message, those apostles say they now will go to the Gentiles instead. (Acts 13:46; Isaiah 49:6)

They used the words of the prophet Isaiah to show this was part of God’s plan!

Isaiah 49:6

"I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth!”

The Jewish people heard the prophets many times but did not understand the deeper meaning.

Because of this, they missed God’s message, and now the Gentiles are included.

There are serious consequences when we don’t truly hear God’s message.

Not listening can lead to serious losses that cannot be undone.

In Acts 13, when the Jews didn't understand the deeper meaning of the prophets, it changed the course of history!

But when the Gentiles heard the message, they were glad and accepted God’s word!

The point is that we need to be willing to hear God’s voice!

When we do, it brings life and blessing.

Prophets have a very important role in the New Testament.

In the Gospels, we often see phrases like “this happened to fulfill what the prophet said,” especially referring to major prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah.

But in Acts and the Epistles, we see many references to the minor prophets.

Even though their books are shorter, minor prophets are quoted more than 30 times in the New Testament, showing that their messages are very important.

Prophets are called “seers” because they have spiritual insight and can see things others cannot. (1 Samuel 9:9)

Prophets are like the eyes of God’s people, helping them understand what they cannot see on their own!

In the New Testament, prophets are important because this kind of spiritual vision helps God’s people to do what God has called them to do.

Without visions, they cannot fulfill what they are called to do.

It is not just about seeing visions, but about understanding how to live out God’s plan.

Vision is not just daydreaming or having unclear ideas.

It is a clear understanding of God’s plan for our life!

For those who have it, this vision guides everything they do and shows them the right direction.

They clearly know why they exist!

Every part of their life is aligned with this purpose.

It is not just about getting by or doing random things.

It is about living with a clear purpose, where everything they do is connected to that main goal.

God's vision gives real meaning to life!

The vision the prophets gave Israel was the source of their strength and unity.

When they had a clear vision, they could come together as one people focused on God’s plan.

Just like Israel needed to be focused on God’s plan, the Church today must be focused on God’s plan.

It is not just about existing or getting by.

It is about having a clear, specific vision that guides everything.

Like the prophets, the Church needs to clearly know its purpose and live according to it.

Everything it does should focus on God’s plan!

All parts of life, including work and daily tasks, should line up with that higher vision!

In the New Testament, prophets are important because they show how important it is to have a clear and focused vision.

If we pay attention, we can see how their teachings apply to different parts of the Church’s life.

They remind us that the Church should stay united and follow the same purpose.

Matthew 6:22

“The eye is the lamp of the body.

If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light."

When our eyes are healthy, we have one clear focus that guides everything we do.

It is like we are strongly focused on one idea and everything in our life lines up with it.

In a positive way, this can bring all of us into harmony and purpose!

For God’s people, this vision brings unity and guides everything they do!

May we see God's vision clearly and follow God's plan.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus!

Help us live out Your truth, not just talk about it.

Shape our hearts and lives so we can carry Your message.

Give us patience, humility, and strength to follow Your plan, even when it is hard.

Help us trust Your will and stay faithful to what You are doing in us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Christ wants us to live the message we share.

2026-06-13T09:30:11.788-04:00

Christ wants us to live the message we share.

Read: 2 Corinthians 2:16; Exodus 2:14; Numbers 12:3; 11:14

People often talk about Paul’s natural talents—his intelligence, training, and skills.

But when Paul faced difficult spiritual problems, Paul realized those abilities were not enough.

Paul cried out, “Who is enough for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:16; 3:5)

Paul realized that only Christ could give him the strength and wisdom he needed.

In fact, Paul went through times when Paul felt like Paul was not going to make it.

Paul felt Paul was going to die. (2 Cor. 1:9)

But through those struggles, Paul learned to trust in God, who has the power to raise the dead.

Paul’s strength did not come from his own abilities, but from Christ!

Christ does not only want us to talk about the message.

Christ wants us to live the message.

We can see this in the lives of many prophets.

To God, prophets and the work they do are closely connected.

That is why the prophet Ezekiel had to go through the pain of losing his wife.

But then God told Ezekiel to act as if everything was fine, even though his heart was broken.

Why?

Because Ezekiel had to live out God’s message in his own lives like the prophet Hosea was.

A prophet’s life is part of their work.

The message was not only spoken—it was shown through what they went through, even their suffering.

God used their experiences to speak through them.

This is how God often works with God's servants.

God allows them to go through things that help them understand and help others.

Their message was not just something they taught, but something they lived every day.

God does not want us only to talk about God's message.

Christ wants us to live the message.

God wants our lives to show God's truth.

When the Holy Spirit guides us, our life itself becomes a message from God.

We speak because God has already changed our hearts.

Sometimes this process is painful and takes a long time.

But through it, Christ shapes us to become the message Christ wants us to share.

When people listen to us, they don’t only want to hear our words.

They want to see Christ changing our lives.

They want to see the truth we live, not just what we say.

Living this way is not easy, because it means letting Christ change us, even when it is hard.

But this is how the message becomes real and alive.

Moses was rejected by his own people.

They did not accept him and said, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” (Exodus 2:14)

From a human point of view, it looked like they did not want Moses.

But from God’s point of view, this was part of God's plan.

It was not an accident.

God used this rejection to prepare Moses for the work God had chosen for him.

Moses’ time in the wilderness was not only because his people rejected him.

It was part of God’s plan.

During those years, when it looked like everything was going wrong, God was actually preparing Moses.

It was a painful and difficult time that felt like losing everything.

But it was needed to shape Moses into the leader God wanted Moses to be.

Sometimes, when life feels empty and difficult, Christ is still shaping us.

Even in our most difficult times, Christ is working in us preparing us for God’s purpose.

Moses went into the wilderness, where God removed his self-confidence and human strength.

God humbled Moses and brought Moses to a place where Moses felt empty, so God could shape Moses into the person God wanted him to be.

This process was painful, but it was needed to prepare Moses for what was coming.

At first, Moses might have been very strict and forceful, thinking Moses had to control people with rules and authority.

Moses might have acted like a dictator, trying to control everyone.

But during his time in the wilderness, God changed Moses!

Then Moses became the most humble man on earth, as the Bible says in Numbers 12:3.

This change prepared Moses to do the work God gave Moses!

In his earlier years, Moses would have fought to defend his position and authority.

But after God worked on Moses, Moses became humble and patient.

When people questioned his leadership, Moses didn’t fight for himself.

Instead, Moses trusted God to prove that Moses was chosen.

Moses had no personal agenda to defend.

Moses’ attitude was, “If God has chosen me, God will show it!

If not, I am ready to step aside.”

Then God showed clearly that Moses was God's chosen servant when others opposed Moses.

Because of this changed attitude, God was able to use Moses in a powerful way.

When Moses had to lead the Israelites, the pressure was huge!

If Moses had relied on his old Egyptian ways, driven by anger and self-confidence—Moses would have failed.

In the past, Moses could not handle even a small amount of stress.

But God had changed Moses!

Now Moses could handle the hard work of leading the people.

Moses was able to keep going because God had done something in his heart over many years.

It was no longer about Moses’ own strength and abilities but about God’s strength working in Moses.

Moses no longer depended on himself but on God’s strength, which God had built in Moses over time.

This inner change allowed Moses to stand firm and do God's will, even when things seemed impossible. (Num. 11:14)

When we face a lot of pressure or temptation, the desire to compromise can be strong.

We may think that breaking the rules could give us more chances or make things easier.

But what will help us stay faithful and strong during those tough times?

The only thing that keeps us going is what God has done deep in our hearts!

It is not something we know in our minds, but something that becomes a part of who we are!

We can not give it up because it is now connected to our very life.

God wanted the ministry to become such a deep part of Moses' life that it could not be separated from who Moses was!

Moses and his message became one.

God worked in Moses until Moses' whole being showed God’s calling!

Then Moses was able to stand firm when everything around Moses was falling apart.

A prophet and prophetic ministry is not just about teaching or sharing beliefs.

It is about Christ working deeply inside a person (or a group) to completely reshape their entire beings.

So Christ works like this.

- First, Christ reaches out and takes hold of a person or a group.

This could be an individual or a whole community.

- Then Christ begins a deep process, where Christ breaks, reshapes, and transforms them.

Christ changes their old thinking, beliefs, and stubborn attitudes.

In the end, they become humble, open to learning, and willing to be guided instead of insisting on their own way.

This is more than just believing certain things or following rules.

It is a deep inner change that affects their whole life.

So prophetic ministry is not just about teaching ideas or doctrines.

It is about living out what Christ has done in us.

Then what we say, what we do, and who we are all come from this inner change.

Prophetic ministry is a way of life, not just a teaching.

What the Holy Spirit has done in us becomes our message and our work.

It is not about teaching rules or beliefs but about living God's truth every day.

The Holy Spirit is calling us to go beyond just following rules, beliefs, or certain teachings.

Because following those rules or knowledge is not the goal.

What matters is living a life that comes from what Christ has done in us.

The goal is not just to follow rules or know the right teachings but to live from the change Christ has made in our hearts.

So again this is how Christ works:

First, Christ humbles us and brings us to a place where we feel weak and empty.

Then Christ rebuilds us on a new spiritual foundation that shows His life, love, and purpose.

After that, our ministry comes from this deep inner change.

It is not only about what we teach but about what Christ has done in us over time, which shows in how we live and what we say.

So ministry is not about following ideas.

It is about being shaped by Christ so we can truly share God’s message with our lives.

So this is how Christ works to help us live what we preach and practice what we teach.

Then truth is not just something we say, it is something we have lived through and experienced.

We have gone through tough trials where that truth became our lifeline, something that saved us!

Then that truth becomes part of who we are because it has shaped our lives.

Then when we speak, it is not just sharing knowledge but something real that we have gone through and lived.

It has been tested and lived out in our own lives.

May Christ work in us and do God's will.

Let us pray.

Christ Jesus!

Thank You for Your love and for what You are doing in our lives.

Help us listen to and follow Your Holy Spirit in everything we do.

Help us trust You in both good and hard times, knowing You are shaping us to be more like You.

Teach us to trust You, even in hard times, as You make us more like You.

May Your character, love, and power be seen in our lives.

May You live in us and help us to obey You and give us strength to follow Your plan each day.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Holy Spirit guided them in everything they did.

2026-06-06T08:18:02.956-04:00

The Holy Spirit guided them in everything they did.

Read: Ephesians 4:4-6, Galatians 4:6, Acts 4:13, John 14:12; Acts 8:17; Acts 16:7

John baptized people with water as a sign.

But Jesus promised that people would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come and live inside them.

Then on the Day of Pentecost, all the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The promise of Jesus came true. (Acts 1:5; 2:4)

Then they became one new humanity.

Their unity came from the Holy Spirit not just from outward actions or routines.

Ephesians 4:4-6

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit.

In the past, the Holy Spirit was known as the Spirit of God.

Now, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, helping people see and experience Jesus!

The Holy Spirit helps us see and know Jesus Christ the Anointed One.

Jesus is called the Anointed One, the Messiah because God anointed Jesus with the Spirit of God.

That means the Spirit of God was on Jesus. (Luke 4:18)

The Holy Spirit is always with Jesus.

The Holy Spirit and Jesus always work together to fulfill God’s plan.

Yes the Holy Spirit and Jesus are two different Persons.

But they always work together and cannot be separated.

They work as one.

So the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of Jesus” and “the Spirit of the Christ.”

Galatians 4:6

“Because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of God's Son into our hearts.”

God has given us the Spirit of God's Son in our hearts.

In the past, the Holy Spirit helped Jesus in His work on earth.

But now the Holy Spirit continues to carry on Jesus’ mission through His body, the church.

So when Jesus left the earth, His mission did not stop.

His mission continues in a greater way from heaven.

At the beginning, the apostles preached with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Because they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit guided and inspired their preaching.

Then what did they preach about?

They preached that Jesus is the Lord!

The Holy Spirit made them bold and excited to share that Jesus is the Lord in heaven. (Acts 2:4,14)

The Holy Spirit helped them tell everyone that Jesus is the Lord over everything.

In the early Church, Christ was alive and active in the believers through the Holy Spirit.

They were “filled with the Holy Spirit.”

That does not just mean that they felt excited or spiritual.

It means they were filled with Jesus Christ.

His life, His presence, and His power were living in them.

Acts 4:13

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized that these men had been with Jesus.

People were surprised by how boldly they spoke, especially because they were seen as ordinary people with little education.

Their boldness, along with their deep understanding and strength they had, came from the Holy Spirit.

The apostles lived so much like Jesus that others could see Jesus through their actions.

In the first 30 years of the Church, people everywhere noticed that Christ was living in believers.

That amazed them.

So they called Jesus' followers Christians, meaning Christ was living in them!

It did not just happen because they agreed with Christian teachings.

It happened because the Holy Spirit makes Jesus alive and real in them.

The Holy Spirit not only helps them believe facts about Jesus, but also makes Jesus real in their lives.

The Holy Spirit wants to bring Jesus into our lives.

When Jesus was on earth, the Holy Spirit worked in ways people could see.

But now the Holy Spirit helps Jesus live inside us.

We should judge everything in our Christian life by how much Christ is living in us.

When Jesus lives in us, amazing things will happen, just like in the early Church.

We will be able to honor and glorify Christ in our lives.

As Christians, we should judge everything we do by how much Jesus is living in us.

When we plan our work, teaching, sacrifices, or programs, we should ask.

Does this help Christ live in us and in our people?

Would the Spirit of Jesus do this kind of works?

What is the goal of the Holy Spirit?

The goal of the Holy Spirit is to make Jesus alive in us and make the power and character of Christ seen in the world. (John 14:16-18; 16:7-15; Luke 12:50)

John 14:12

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing.

They will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Jesus said that because Jesus went to the Father, we, His followers will do even greater works than Jesus did.

Then Acts 8:17

Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit!

Just like that, people receive the Holy Spirit and are "filled" with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:15)

They did not just receive the Holy Spirit but were totally filled with the Holy Spirit.

They were living in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and lived the full life Christ has for them.

We love to live this kind of life that Christ wants for us. (1 Cor. 4:8)

As for us, God’s people, two things are important.

First, we should want to live the full Christian life possible.

When we desire this, we follow God’s plan for our lives.

Second, we should care that the Church is strong and shows Christ to the world.

The Church should show and share Jesus’ love and message in every nation, as Jesus wants it.

These two things are very important as we want to understand and follow God's plan.

So we ask this question again.

What do we need to do so the Holy Spirit can work in us?

What makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives?

What must happen for the Holy Spirit to work in us or in our groups?

We learned that the Holy Spirit’s work became weaker and started to disappear in Church history.

So we looked at when and why this happened, so we can understand what is needed for the Holy Spirit to work and continue working.

In the early Church the Holy Spirit was behind all the powerful events.

All those events in the book of Acts were really the acts of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit not only worked miracles, but also guided the apostles to make plans.

The Holy Spirit guided them in everything they did.

For example, Acts 16:7

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia.

But the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

Here Paul and his friends wanted to share the gospel in Bithynia.

But the Spirit of Jesus stopped them!

Then the Holy Spirit guided them to another place.

The Holy Spirit not only performed miracles but also guided their actions.

The Spirit of Jesus Christ also wants to guide our lives in every decision.

If you allow, the Holy Spirit will guide everything, even about what to wear and what to eat.

Even in everyday conversations, we should ask ourselves:

"Are my words guided by the Holy Spirit?"

It is not enough just to have good intentions.

We need to be acting in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We should ask the Spirit of Christ to guide us in everything we do.

Every day, we need to remember that our lives should be led by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wants to have complete control, not just parts of our lives.

To live this way, we need to be willing to give up some things.

It is not always easy.

But may the Holy Spirit lead us in everything and teach us how to live.

Let us pray.

Christ Jesus!

Thank you for filling us with the Holy Spirit so that we may honor You.

May the Holy Spirit make You more real in our lives.

Because we ask for Your satisfaction.

Amen

The Holy Spirit came to make Jesus Christ real in people’s lives.

2026-05-30T17:12:44.595-04:00

The Holy Spirit came to make Jesus Christ real in people’s lives.

Read: John 16:8; 16:13; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 14:25

Who is the Holy Spirit?

What is the Holy Spirit like?

How does the Holy Spirit work?

The Holy Spirit chooses people carefully to do His work.

Then what kind of people does the Holy Spirit work through?

To understand this, we need to understand what the Holy Spirit is not.

The Holy Spirit is not just a feeling or sense.

We may feel the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is more than just feelings.

The Holy Spirit is not just an influence.

The Holy Spirit may influence, but the Holy Spirit is more than that.

Even though the Holy Spirit works with great power, the Holy Spirit is not just a force or power.

The Holy Spirit is not just a principle, even though the Holy Spirit may work through principles.

Feelings, influence, power, and principles, are all part of what the Holy Spirit does.

But they do not fully describe who the Holy Spirit is.

The Holy Spirit is not just a power at work, but a Person we can know and follow.

The Holy Spirit is a Person, just like God the Father is a Person and Jesus the Son is a Person.

Jesus never called the Holy Spirit “it.”

Even though the Greek word for “spirit” is neutral, Jesus always called the Holy Spirit “He!”

For example:

John 16:8 (in simple words)

“When He comes, He will show the world its sin, its wrong ways, and its need for judgment.”

John 16:13 (in simple words)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”

This shows that the Holy Spirit is a personal being, not just a force, feeling or influence.

We may not need to say this because most Christians already know this.

But we can get into trouble if we are not careful.

The problem comes when we pay attention only to what the Holy Spirit does—such as giving power, wisdom, or guidance—instead of knowing who the Holy Spirit is.

When we serve Christ, we do it through the Holy Spirit.

So we can ask for help, understanding, and strength.

But what we really need is the Holy Spirit, the Person!

The Holy Spirit is fully God, just like the Father is fully God and Jesus the Son is fully God.

God is truly present in the Holy Spirit, just as God was present in Jesus when Jesus lived on earth.

In the book of Acts, we see that people—both believers and non-believers—were not just dealing with an idea or an impersonal force but a real, living Person, the Holy Spirit who was there.

For example, Peter said to Ananias in Acts 5:3-4. (in simple words)

“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit?

You have not lied to humans, but to God.”

You cannot lie to an idea or a force—you can only lie to a Person.

In the book of Acts, people were meeting and experiencing the real living God, the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:25

After the secrets of the unbeliever’s heart are disclosed, that person will bow down before God and worship, declaring: “God is really among you!”

Paul was talking about outsiders coming into a church meeting.

They could see and feel that God was there, not just feel a certain influence or emotion.

When their hidden things in hearts are revealed, they will know that God is truly there and will worship God.

This is the work of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is not just a thing or a force but a living Person who is God.

Now we need to understand what the Holy Spirit did not come to do.

The Holy Spirit did not come to start a new religion.

Christianity is not just another religion to study.

Christianity is not meant to fight against other religions or simply replace them.

Even the apostles did not fully understand this at first.

They did not realize right away that something completely new had started.

At first, they thought in their old Jewish way.

But slowly, they began to change and move into something new.

Over time, they left their old understanding behind and entered a completely new way of life!

But at the beginning they did not fully understand it.

Think about Peter at Cornelius’ house. (Acts 10)

Peter did not understand what the Holy Spirit was doing.

Peter was not sure about what this new change meant.

If Peter had believed that Judaism was finished and replaced, Peter would not have struggled with accepting Gentiles.

But in Jerusalem, even other apostles and church leaders took a long time to understand this change.

Some of them may never have understood it.

The Holy Spirit did not come to start a new religion called “Christianity.”

That is the negative way of saying it.

The positive way is: we need to understand what Christianity really is.

It is not just a new religion.

It is much deeper and directly connected to Christ.

The Holy Spirit did not come to start just another organized group in this world.

If that had been God's purpose, the book of Acts would mainly talk about plans, committees, leaders, and organized systems for spreading the Gospel.

But that is not what happened.

The work didn’t start with human planning or organization.

It began in a completely different way.

The Holy Spirit did not come to start a new organized group.

There were no organized campaigns or long-term plans.

The apostles and their followers were often surprised by what the Holy Spirit did.

They had to do things they never intended or expected.

Many of their plans never happened or were set aside.

The Holy Spirit did not come to create a new organization.

The Holy Spirit also did not come to promote a new “teaching.”

The apostles did not go out into the world spreading “the teaching of Jesus.”

The apostles were not just spreading a set of teachings or saying, “Follow what Jesus taught,” like Confucius or Buddha or other religious teachers.

That was not their mission.

That was not their plan, and it was not the plan of the Holy Spirit.

They were not trying to spread a “system of teachings” or a set of rules.

In fact, in the New Testament the teachings came after what had happened.

Things happened first.

Then the Holy Spirit helps the apostles to explain what had happened.

Actions came before the teaching.

The New Testament teaching did not come first as a set of rules.

It was not like: “Here is the teaching.

Now follow it and build everything around it.”

Instead, things happened first.

Then the Holy Spirit helps the apostles to explain what had happened.

That is what Peter experienced.

After the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, Peter could explain saying, “This is not something new.

God spoke about it in the Bible.

This is what the prophet Joel spoke about.” (Acts 2:16)

So Peter explained that what was happening was already written in the Bible.

So they did not get a New Testament church by first giving teaching and then trying to make everything fit.

The Holy Spirit led the church forward first, even beyond what people could understand.

Only afterwards did the Holy Spirit give people understanding and teaching to explain what had happened.

Experience comes first, teaching comes after!

Sometimes, the Holy Spirit does amazing things.

But when the Holy Spirit does something, at first, we may not understand what the Holy Spirit is doing or what it all means.

But later, when we look at the Bible, we may say:

“Ah!

That is what it means!

It is written here in God’s Word to explain this!"

So first we experience what the Holy Spirit does.

And then we understand what that means!

Finally, the Holy Spirit did not come just to create something called "the Church."

Yes, the Church began on the Day of Pentecost.

But we need to understand what that means.

We may think of the Church as an organization, a building, or a group of people called “the Church.”

But that is not what the Holy Spirit came to create.

It was not about starting a new group or organization with a name.

The Holy Spirit came to make Christ Jesus real in people’s lives!

The Church exists for that purpose.

If the Church does not make Christ real in people’s lives, it is missing its true purpose.

The Holy Spirit wants to bring Christ into people’s lives—not visibly like when Jesus lived on earth, but by living inside us.

The Holy Spirit did not come to start a new religion, create an organization, or establish a set of teachings.

The Holy Spirit came to help people know and experience Jesus in a real way.

May we recognize and experience this deeper work of the Holy Spirit among us.

Let us pray.

Holy Spirit!

Thank You for coming and bringing Jesus alive in our hearts.

Help us to experience Your presence, and know who You are.

Fill us with Your life, power, and love, so that everything we do honors and glorifies Christ.

May You guide us, teach us, and make Christ real in us, just as You did in the early Church.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When the Holy Spirit has the right conditions, the Holy Spirit continues the powerful work.

2026-05-23T05:48:51.893-04:00

When the Holy Spirit has the right conditions, the Holy Spirit continues the powerful work.

Read: Romans 10:18, Acts 17:6, Acts 1:1-2, Matthew 28:20

Jewish people have been celebrating Pentecost for more than 3,000 years.

Pentecost was a normal, familiar part of Jewish life.

Pentecost was a Jewish festival, celebrated every year.

It was called the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot.

It happened 50 days after Passover.

In the Old Testament, Pentecost was one of the three important festivals.

During this time, all Jewish men were expected to go to Jerusalem to celebrate. (Exodus 23:14–17; Deuteronomy 16:16)

But the Pentecost described in the book of Acts was completely different! (Acts 2:1–4)

Nothing like that had ever happened before.

What happened on that day was so powerful that it gave full meaning to all the earlier celebrations.

In the Old Testament Pentecost was a Jewish festival that celebrated the wheat harvest.

Pentecost marked the end of the grain harvest. (Leviticus 23:16–22)

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples at this time.

Because Christ is glorified, the Holy Spirit could be given.

Because Christ is in heaven at the right hand of God, the Holy Spirit can "harvest" people.

The Holy Spirit can start the Christian church, and bring people to follow Christ!

When we say “Pentecost” today, we think of this special day when the Holy Spirit came in a new and powerful way.

With the Holy Spirit, a new way of living with Christ had begun.

The Holy Spirit started the Christian Church and made the Christian Church happen.

So, the Church was born, and real Christianity began!

There is no true Christian life without the Holy Spirit.

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no real Church that belongs to Christ!

This is important.

The Christian Church cannot become what Christ wants them to be without the Holy Spirit!

There is no other foundation and no replacement for the Holy Spirit.

There are no alternatives, no substitutes for the Holy Spirit in Christian life and in the Church.

If the Holy Spirit is not leading and guiding, the Christian Church loses its purpose!

In the Bible we have a book called “the book of Acts."

Some people called it the Acts of the Apostles.

But that can be misleading because most apostles hardly appear in that book.

After the first chapter, many of them are never mentioned again.

Peter and Paul, and maybe one or two others—are involved in the story.

Peter led the early church in Jerusalem (Acts chapters 1–12).

Paul led the mission to non-Jews (Acts chapters 13–28).

The book explains what the Holy Spirit did through Peter and Paul.

These early works of the Holy Spirit show a series of connected actions happening step by step.

These are intentional steps—linked together—showing the real spiritual plan of the Holy Spirit at work.

These are not just a collection of amazing events.

These events were not just one-time moments without deeper meaning.

They are not just isolated random events.

They show the basic and important ways the Holy Spirit works!

These first signs of the Holy Spirit carried a deep meaning and truth that was much more important than what appeared on the surface.

These events showed how the Holy Spirit works to make a heavenly church real, in powerful ways.

If we want to live as Christians and help the church to be powerful and clear in its mission, we have to see "why" these events happened and what the Holy Spirit is teaching us through it.

Because that is where real strength comes from.

The first 30 years of the Christian church were different.

The Holy Spirit was super strong!

The early Church had an amazing impact on nations of the world.

The church boldly shared the good news of Christ and reached various nations.

Think about the Apostle Paul.

When Paul was first converted, the Church was small, weak, and limited in influence.

But after 30 years, churches were planted in many nations, spreading far beyond borders and cultures.

Romans 10:18 says,

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Even though the world was smaller back then, the message spread so widely in just 30 years, mostly because of Paul.

But after 30 years, problems began, and the church started to weaken instead of becoming stronger.

The Christian church slowly moved away from the simple community faith and became a large, powerful, and political organization.

It began mixing Christian beliefs with pagan ideas, collecting wealth, and seeking political power.

Those who disagreed with church leaders were often punished.

There were many divisions in the church.

Then only small, scattered witnesses remained, often in remote places.

As a whole, the Church lost its strong witness to the world and even forgot its responsibility to share the message.

For many years, the church went through a long period of decline and corruption.

Around 1792, William Carey (1761–1834) was speaking in a small country church.

William Carey talked about the Church’s duty to take the gospel to people who had never heard it!

Then suddenly, someone stopped him and said, "Young man, if God wants to reach the non-believers, God can do it without you.

God will use better people than you!”

This shows how far the Church had drifted from its original mission.

That attitude was there at the time.

The Church had lost its sense of responsibility of sharing the gospel, just like today.

Then a revival came, bringing back a renewed sense of responsibility.

People became aware again.

We are not trying to give a full history of missionary work over the years.

That is not the point.

But think about all those things that have been done in the last 200 years to spread the gospel.

Think of all the people who went to different nations, inspired to share the message of Christ!

A huge number of people have gone as missionaries.

Think of all the money that has been given to support this work.

If someone wrote a full story about all the mission teams; who joined them; how they were organized, and which countries supported them—history would be amazing.

But even with all this effort, today less than half the world knows anything about the Gospel.

Today half the world is still untouched!

What is worse?

Christianity is losing its influence in the world.

We can see it in our own country today.

God’s message is being ignored in important places, and leaders no longer honor Christ.

More and more people are ignoring or turning away from Christ.

Many people in the Western world are forgetting Christ.

So, what went wrong?

We are saying all this to make a comparison.

In the beginning, the Church had a huge impact on the world.

At that time, some people said this against Paul and others:

Acts 17:6

“These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also.”

The early Church shook nations, leaders, and even the forces of evil.

People were afraid because of the power the early Church had!

But that is not how it is today.

We will not cover all the details, but it is clear: today, Christianity is often weak and not very effective.

Even though we respect devoted and selfless believers, the Church as a whole is not making the spiritual difference it should.

This is a big problem, so we need to ask: what went wrong?

This brings us back to the Holy Spirit!

It makes us ask important questions:

Will the Holy Spirit continue or repeat the powerful work of the first 30 years of the early Church?

Or was it only for that time?

Did the Holy Spirit act in a powerful way only once, just to be remembered and never repeated?

Acts 1:1-2

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when Jesus was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom Jesus had chosen.

The gospel of Luke wrote about what Jesus did and taught, up until Jesus went to heaven.

Then the book of Acts explains what Jesus continues to do after Jesus was taken up into heaven!

Jesus did not stop working after the few years Jesus lived on earth.

Jesus was continually giving instructions to the apostles through the Holy Spirit!

After Jesus was taken up to heaven, His work didn’t stop!

Jesus continues His work from heaven!

And Jesus is still working today!

Jesus said in Matthew 28:20

"Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age!”

The “end of the age” did not happen when Paul died.

It is still going on today.

Jesus’ work is meant to continue throughout this whole age, not just for a short time.

We also have other proof.

Throughout history, even today, wherever the right conditions exist, Christ continues His work.

This work happens because Christ does it!

It may not happen everywhere in the world.

But sometimes, the Holy Spirit has worked; as powerfully and effectively as the Holy Spirit did in the early Church.

In some parts of the world, the Holy Spirit is still doing it today!

It is the same kind of work described in the book of Acts!

If the Holy Spirit has the right conditions, the Holy Spirit will continue the same powerful work the Holy Spirit did at the beginning!

May the Holy Spirit have the right conditions with us and continue the powerful work.

Let us pray.

Christ Jesus!

Give us the right heart and conditions so You can continue Your holy work in us, just as You did at the Pentecost.

We trust in Your power and grace; and pray for Your glory in Your powerful Name, Christ.

Amen.

"How much of the risen Christ am I experiencing?"

2026-04-05T11:52:00.000-04:00

"How much of the risen Christ am I experiencing?"

Read: 2 Peter 1:18, 1 Peter 1:3, Matthew 16:17

When Peter went through the time of the Cross, it was a time of total confusion.

It broke his brain and his heart at the same time.

Peter promised to stay with Jesus, but Peter ran away!

That made the whole situation feel even more like a terrible nightmare.

Peter never expected Jesus to actually die.

So when Jesus died, Peter felt lost and confused.

The friend Peter loved was gone, and the future Peter imagined had vanished.

But something deep was happening inside.

When Jesus was on the Cross, Jesus was fighting a battle that Peter could not see.

Even when things seemed dark and hopeless, Jesus was working secretly in the situation.

When Peter was falling apart on the outside, Jesus was strengthening Peter on the inside.

That deeper work kept Peter from giving up completely.

Peter could not explain what Jesus was doing.

But the resurrection of Jesus was a hidden safety net that Peter did not know about.

The resurrection changed everything, so failure, like Peter’s, doesn’t have to be the end.

That victory of resurrection helped Peter stay strong and get through the storm.

The resurrection of Jesus was healing Peter’s broken heart from the inside.

We also get through tough times because God is doing a deeper work that we don’t understand right away.

After Jesus was risen from the dead, Peter said.

1 Peter 1:3

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Peter was saying, "God has given me new hope and new life, taking away my despair, through Jesus rising from the dead!"

Because of God's powerful work Peter had this new life and new hope.

The resurrection of Jesus gave Peter a hope that was beyond his understanding!

Christ did something deeper than what Peter could understand.

Then people experienced the risen Christ in Peter on the day of Pentecost and beyond!

We still meet the risen Christ through the letters of Peter.

2 Peter 1:18

"We heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with Jesus on the holy mountain."

After the resurrection of Jesus, Peter understood who Jesus was on that Mount of Transfiguration.

So Peter says, "We were with Jesus on that holy mountain!"

Jesus was always honest with His friends, telling them what they would go through!

We also need to understand following Jesus is not easy.

We need to accept this truth.

Whether we are young or old, we have to face the fact that following Jesus is not easy!

Many of us realized that it is not easy.

Sooner or later, we will face moments when our faith is deeply tested.

We will face times when we feel everything good and wonderful we have experienced before is gone.

We will feel like it has faded away or disappeared.

We might even question "was it all real?"

In those moments, we question if our experiences with Christ were true or just imagined.

Do you know what that feels like?

Everything feels dark, and we are left asking, "Where are we?"

It is like going through a winter season.

Everything that was green and blooming seems to have died and gone.

And we are wondering if the sun will ever feel warm again.

It is easy to trust God when we feel God's presence.

But sometimes, we have to trust God even when we don't feel anything!

Sometimes, our old feelings need to go away so that God can give us something better.

How are we going to get through those tough times?

God is working in us, to show us that it is not about our own strength or abilities.

It is not about our human strength or effort.

We will get through because of God.

God is the reason we can stay strong.

Only God's power is keeping us!

What God has done in us will never fade away or disappear.

So we will rise again.

When Jesus died, Peter and the friends of Jesus felt like they had lost everything.

But when Jesus came back to life, Jesus did not just give them back their old lives.

Jesus gave them something much greater.

Jesus gave them a new power, a joy, a deeper friendship with Jesus that could never be broken again.

So what was lost came back, but something even better was added.

That is the same with us!

What we had before will return, but with something more.

This happens again and again in our Christian life.

Praise God!

Again we are grateful when we receive something from the Lord.

It is a great blessing.

But, sooner or later, a difficult time comes.

We go through a time of darkness.

We began to question,"was that experience real?"

It feels like it fades away, and darkness takes over.

But even then, Christ is working something deeper in us.

Then, we stand up again based on what Christ did, and we keep moving forward!

As we learn more teachings, truth, and Bible knowledge, we need to ask the Lord:

"How much has this truly impacted us?

Is it truly in us?

Or is it just from preachers, teachers, or church services?

Is this just in my mind, or has it become a part of me?

Have I truly made it a part of me?"

At first, we cannot know for sure.

Then we go through tough experiences and trials, and come out stronger.

After that, we can say, "Yes, it is real! It is really real!"

Peter said to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Then Jesus said to Peter.

Matthew 16:17

“Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.”

Jesus is saying, "This is not from your human understanding!

It is from My Father in heaven!

I will build My church on that foundation, and the gates of hell will not overcome it."

We will make it through when it is like that!

It is not just about our Christian background, teachings, or church activities.

It is not about how we were raised in a Christian home, going to Sunday School, attending meetings, listening to preachers, or even reading the Bible.

These things are good and can help.

But they are not the most important part.

In the end, it is about how much of Christ is in us!

This is the real test:

"How much of the risen Christ am I experiencing?"

"How much do people experience Christ in us?"

"How much of Christ, the Father in heaven, is in us?"

"How much of the risen Christ are we meeting in our spiritual fellowship?'

In the end, that is the real question.

The real test of our faith is not in our strong words we say about our faith, like Peter did.

It is in how much people actually experience Christ through us.

The real test of our faith is not just what we say about our beliefs but how much people see Christ in us!

It is not about how much we know or how we practice Christianity, but how much of the risen Christ lives in us!

Sooner or later, we will be tested on this, maybe even many times.

We are not judging anyone or saying this is not true for you.

We are saying this:

Understand the purpose of your testing, trials, and hard times.

The challenges and hard times you go through are meant to show what is from Christ in you.

So we pray, "Lord Jesus!

May Your cross work to break down our natural selves!

Through all our tests and trials, may what is truly Yours be shown.

May what can never be destroyed be revealed!

May we find that what is left is from You—something You have done that will last forever."

We do not want to be in a false spiritual position.

So we pray, "Lord, save me from having a false faith.

Save us from having a faith that is empty.

We want to really know You!

We want to be truly alive in You.

Let Your life be real in how we think, speak, or treat others.

We don't want to just say the right words or look like a Christian on the outside.

We really want to know You!

Take away anything in us that is just pretending, and replace it with a deep, honest, and real faith.

We want to know You, as that is what You want for us."

No matter how we say it, we are aiming for that true faith from God.

May we truly have real, genuine faith so that Christ can say, "this is shown to you not by your own power, but by My Father in heaven.

God the Father has revealed this to you!"

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus!

Through our trials and challenges, reveal what is from You.

May what is left in us be Your work, something that lasts forever.

We trust in Your strength and grace!

We pray for Your glory.

We pray this in the victorious name of Jesus.

Amen.

Christ is destroying death in us.

2026-04-04T04:58:00.002-04:00

Christ is destroying death in us.

Read: Revelation 1:18, John 10:18, Hebrews 2:14

Revelation 1:18

“I am the Living One.

I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!

I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Jesus did not say:

“I was killed.”

“I was murdered.”

“I was put to death.”

“They took My life!”

No, Jesus said:

“I gave up My life on purpose.

I died willingly.

But now, I am the Living One."

Even before His crucifixion, Jesus said,

John 10:18

“No one can take My life from Me.

I give it up freely, by My own choice!

I have the power to give it up and the power to take it back again.

This is what My Father has told Me to do.”

Jesus chose the cross and gave up His life to obey God!

Not only that, Jesus guided the Jewish leaders to act, speak, and make decisions according to God’s will.

Everything was under His control.

Jesus decided how things would happen and when.

Those who wanted to kill Jesus said, “Let us not do this during Passover.”

But Jesus said, “Yes, during Passover!”

Jesus was in control of His death—when and how it would happen.

It was all in His hands!

But why did Jesus choose to die willingly?

Hebrews 2:14 says: (in simple words)

"Because we are human, sharing flesh and blood, Jesus also became human.

Jesus went to death so that through His death, Jesus could defeat the one who has power over death—the devil."

Jesus patiently faced suffering, struggles, and pressure to help us.

Then Jesus died in our place, and experienced death for everyone.

Because Jesus wanted us to be free from the fear and control of death!

In order to do that, Jesus had to defeat the devil, Satan!

Jesus had to overcome Satan, who had power over death.

So Jesus came to stop death from taking over our lives.

Jesus wanted to take away the "dead" parts of us that feel hopeless, cold, or far from God.

Jesus wanted to take away the sadness, sin, and emptiness in our hearts.

Jesus wanted to make our hearts full of life again!

In order to do that Jesus must defeat death with His power!

So Jesus used His own power to break free and come back to life. (John 10:18)

It is like Jesus walked into the dark room and turned on the light that can never be put out.

Death tried to stop Jesus, but it could not!

Jesus was stronger than death.

Jesus broke the power of the grave and proved nothing is too big for Jesus!

Death lost its power when Jesus stood up and walked out of the tomb alive.

When Jesus rose again, Jesus showed that His life is stronger than any ending.

Jesus came out victorious, showing that death is not the final end.

Even the worst endings can become new beginnings in Christ!

Jesus won the battle so that we don't have to fear death anymore.

The same power that brought Jesus back to life helps us every day.

Everyone in Christ shares in this victory!

When we understand this, it changes how we see our problems.

Instead of seeing a "problem," we see that Christ is defeating death in us!

So, when things go wrong, we ask:

"Is Christ using this to remove some of my pride or fear so the life of Christ can grow?"

Christ is destroying death in us.

So our struggles are not just accidents.

Our hard times are when Christ is clearing out the old, dead parts to make room for His new life.

So nothing—not even the hardest day—can truly defeat us.

But they are part of God's plan to replace our old, dying ways with God's eternal life!

Through our struggles, God is "healing" us so we can be alive in Christ — really, genuinely, fully alive — for the first time.

God is doing something greater than just healing us.

God is shaping us to be more like God's Son.

God is using the death of the Cross to change everything in us that is not like Christ, not to bring us back to what we were, but to raise us up to something we have never been before.

This helps us understand why we struggle and it gives us a reason to keep going.

May we believe in Christ, who is God’s chosen Heir of the world to come.

May we trust in Christ, who is God’s chosen Heir of all the universe.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus!

May our hearts welcome You!

Thank You for giving Your life willingly to defeat death and the power of the devil.

Help us to listen to You, follow Your will, and trust You completely.

Teach us to depend on You every day, live in Your victory, and share Your hope with others.

May Your life flow through us!

In Your powerful Name, Christ.

Amen.

Human effort and strength can not enter the kingdom of heaven.

2026-04-02T06:45:00.003-04:00

Human effort and strength can not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Read: Matthew 16:13-18, 16:21, 1 Corinthians 2:14; Matthew 16:17; Matthew 26:33, 35; 1 Corinthians 15:50

Lord Jesus!

According to Your knowledge and understanding of our need, may You speak to us.

In the name of the Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Matthew 16:13-18 (in simple words)

Jesus goes to the area of Caesarea Philippi and asks His disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and some say Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

Then Jesus asks them, "But who do you say I am?"

Peter answers, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Jesus tells Peter, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, because this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.

I tell you, on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it."

Matthew 16:21

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that Jesus must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Up until now, Jesus was teaching and showing people through His words and actions.

Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount and the parables.

But now, we come to a turning point in their relationship with Jesus.

So when Jesus asks His disciples who they think Jesus is, Peter answers that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

Then Jesus tells Peter that this truth comes from God, and Jesus will build His church on that truth, and it will never be defeated.

Then Jesus began telling His disciples that Jesus would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise again on the third day.

From the very beginning, Jesus knew the Cross would change everything.

So everything Jesus did and said was preparing them for the Cross!

They will truly understand His words and actions only after the Cross is finished!

Now they are not just going to learn about Jesus but truly know and experience Jesus in real life.

The cross was a very important turning point in His mission.

The cross is what true Christianity is all about.

We may know a lot about Jesus’ teachings and miracles.

But something important must happen inside to really understand Jesus’ teachings and miracles.

So Jesus asks us, “Who do you say I am?”

We may have our own opinions about Jesus, based on what we hear or think.

But now Jesus is asking us personally, “What do you say?

Is your opinion just a human opinion?

Or have you truly experienced who I am in a real and personal way?”

Peter answers with confidence, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Peter is not guessing or repeating what others say!

Peter says this with confidence.

Peter knows that Jesus is the promised Messiah, Savior and God’s Son.

Yes the people of Israel were waiting for the Messiah.

But usually they thought that the Messiah is “the Servant of the Lord.”

They did not think that the Messiah is God’s Son or God in human form!

But Peter confidently says that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God!

Peter has a deeper, more personal understanding.

This was something new!

What matters is not just that Peter said something new, but how Jesus responded to Peter.

Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon, because you did not learn this from human thinking, but from my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17)

Jesus knew that Peter’s understanding came from God, not from human wisdom; not from human thought.

God has given this message to Peter.

People can do amazing things.

Think about science and AI.

People are trying to go to the moon again and beyond.

Think about theology, organizations, and even Christian work.

People can achieve a lot.

Our minds, emotions, and willpower are powerful.

There is a big and impressive world of human effort.

But even with great human achievements, people are still limited to what they can do.

There is still a difference between what humans can do and what God can reveal.

Jesus shows that human abilities, no matter how strong, have limits.

Human effort can not go beyond that limit.

So here Jesus points to something higher—spiritual understanding that comes only from God.

Real spiritual understanding of truth comes from God, not just from human effort or intelligence.

God alone can reveal this spiritual truth!

God alone can help us know who Jesus is!

We humans can not reach this divine revelation on our own.

The New Testament talks about what human nature, effort, and thinking cannot achieve.

For example, 1 Corinthians 2:14 (in simple words)

"A person without God’s Spirit cannot accept or understand the things of God.

They seem foolish to them, because only the Spirit helps us truly understand spiritual things."

In 1 Corinthians chapter 2, Paul explains what human effort cannot do.

Human thinking on its own cannot understand spiritual truth.

Even philosophers, with all their intelligence and knowledge, could not understand the things of God’s Spirit!

To them, these things seemed foolish.

Humans can understand many things.

But when it comes to spiritual matters, only God’s Spirit understands them. (1 Corinthians 2:11)

So Jesus said to Peter.

Matthew 16:17

“Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.”

Here the human world is called the world of flesh and blood.

Jesus said that human effort and thinking cannot receive this spiritual truth.

It only comes from God the Father in heaven!

We cannot know who Jesus is no matter how much we study, think, or believe.

It is not about how many books we read, or how smart we are.

Spiritual understanding is about what God does inside us, something only God can do!

This is God’s work, changing us in a way only God can.

So we ask ourselves:

"What do we have inside us?

Where did it come from?

Did it come from our Christian upbringing, Sunday School, or what preachers taught us?"

Those things can help.

But what is the real source?

Can we say: “No, it was not by any person, meeting, family, or organization.

God did something in me that no human can do.

The Father in heaven has done something in me.”

Peter said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!"

Then later Peter said to Jesus.

Matthew 26:33, 35

“Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.

Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you!”

Peter was confident in his own strength, and believed Peter could do anything for Jesus!

Peter was ready to die with Jesus, thinking Peter's own will could carry Peter through!

But later, Jesus was arrested and was on trial and facing the Cross!

Then Peter denied Jesus three times.

Peter broke down under pressure and fell apart completely.

Peter's human strength—Peter's own will—was not enough to keep Peter strong!

So we see the limits of human ability.

It happened because Peter relied on his own strength!

Peter thought Peter could handle anything on his own.

But the Cross showed Peter that human strength is not enough!

So we see after failing, Peter wept bitterly, full of regret and shame.

Peter might have thought, "I was brave and sure of myself. Now, what use am I?"

But after the resurrection and the Pentecost, Peter overcame his failure and grew stronger as the risen Christ worked deeply in Peter.

The risen Christ changed Peter inside.

Then Peter made it through not by his own strength.

So Peter learned that Peter’s own power cannot save Peter but God’s power in his heart was stronger than his own human ability.

So Paul says.

1 Corinthians 15:50

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

No matter how great human abilities and achievements are, they cannot enter God's kingdom.

It is like this.

Our human bodies are made for the earth—for breathing air, eating food, and growing old.

But the Kingdom of God is a totally different kind of place.

We cannot go there in these "earthly suits."

We need a new, heavenly body that God has designed to last forever.

May Christ reveal to us who Christ is and give us a new heavenly body to be with Christ forever.

Let us play.

Christ Jesus!

Thank you for saving us from relying on our own strength.

Thank you for helping us trust in Your work and Your revelation in our hearts.

We pray through the blood of Christ.

Amen.