"But He turned and rebuked them and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of." ~ Luke 9:55 REFERENCE: Luke 9:51-56 The walk of love is not for the faint-hearted. Love goes against everything our flesh (selfishness) wants; it restrains us from holding on to bitterness, revenging, gossiping, getting even, etc. It is easy to profess love, but walking the love talk is a different ballgame. As believers born of God, let us strive to be ruled by love in all our dealings and relationships. It is tough, but it is God. What does...
"Therefore, David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel..." ~ II Samuel 1:11-12 REFERENCE: II Samuel 1:1-12 Out of pure jealousy, hatred, spite, and wickedness, Saul deprived David of his family, home, security, and the best of his years. He chased David to kill him and was unrepentant to the end. Upon hearing about Saul's death, one would have...
“He is not here but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying… And they remembered His words…” – Luke 24:6-8 REFERENCE: Luke 24:1-12 Happy Easter Monday! Jesus is risen and sits on the right hand of God the Father in heaven. Journey back to the tomb after He arose from the grave. The women had spices to embalm Jesus’ body, but they met an empty tomb on getting there. They were devastated, perplexed, and shocked. Confused about what it all meant, two angels lifted their spirits by telling them, “Remember how...
"But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here…” – Mark 16:6 REFERENCE: Mark 16:1-8 The Jewish leaders requested that Pilate would tightly secure the tomb of Jesus. A large stone was rolled over the entrance to the grave, sealed with an official seal, and soldiers stationed there to ensure that the fate of Jesus remained sealed. Satan did his worst and recruited the Roman government to execute his hate against Jesus. However, there would be a shocker. If those who rolled the stone...
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” ~ Romans 5:6 REFERENCE: Romans 5:6-11 Happy Good Friday! That is what we say today, but it was not ‘happy’ over two thousand years ago when Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to a rugged wooden cross. It was a painful sight as the Son of God was hanging on the cross, almost naked, bloodied, and insulted by passersby. Was he hanged like a criminal for an offense He committed? NO! It was for an offense He did not commit. You and I committed the offense, but...
“So, I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” ~ Ezekiel 22:30 REFERENCE: Ezekiel 22:27-31 Bad leaders governed Israel. Their example plunged the land into idolatry, oppression, robbery, corruption, murders, and extortion. Her religious leaders compromised God’s word and produced weak saints. The land was doomed to punishment; God wished it wasn’t, but He could do nothing about it because justice demanded it. Hence, He sought a man who would plead for mercy...
"You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you." ~ II Chronicles 20:17 REFERENCE: II Chronicles 20:15-25 God fights our battles and gives us victories. Jesus defeated satan on the cross of Calvary; thus, all our spiritual battles are against a defeated foe. When the Bible says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood…" some people stop at, "We wrestle not…" and think that we...
"Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." ~ Mark 10:17-22 REFERENCE: Mark 10:17-22 The world may not agree, but religion has significantly influenced man's engagement with his society. In most cases, it has tamed his propensity for evil and appetite for the forbidden. This is even more accurate with life in Christ Jesus; Jesus came to make us new men with the nature of God. Giving is the most prominent expression of God's...
"He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets." ~ Colossians 2:15 (MSG) REFERENCE: Colossians 2:11-15 (MSG) The enemy of man, and especially believers, is the devil. He is the serpent of old that has hounded man from the Garden of Eden. He is responsible for many tears, pains, divorces, fears, failures, sicknesses, etc. Our fight is against him; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and power. When Jesus died on the cross, he gave us a complete victory. April is...
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” ~ Matthew 5:27-28 REFERENCE: Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 31-35 & 43-44 God created the heavens and the earth with His spoken words. Genesis 1:3 says, “Then God said, “Let there be light…” verse 4 says, “And God saw the light….” The Almighty God shaped His world with words; He changed what was unpleasant to a beautiful sight with spoken words....