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PARAKLETOS

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” ~ John 14:16   REFERENCE:  John 14:15-26   Jesus gives His valedictory speech to His disciples; the thought of Him dying left them morose, like a child who had just got separated from his parents. That prompted Jesus to tell them He would not leave them as orphans; although He would not be present, He would send them a Helper just like Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Greek for ‘Helper’ is Parakletos.  Parakletos describes the ministry of...
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FOSTERING FULFILLING FRIENDSHIPS

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” ~ Proverbs 18:24   REFERENCE: Proverbs 18:24   Some people cringe when they hear about friendship because friends have once hurt them, so they steer clear of it. However, God designed us for connection and community; so, friendships are vital in our lives. Friends have supported, helped, and given people leverage over the years. Friendship is a good thing, and you need good friends around you. Fostering fulfilling friendships is an asset you need on your life’s journey. To have friends,...
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REPENTANCE: TRUE TRANSFORMATION

"Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance..." ~ Matthew 3:8   REFERENCE: Matthew 3:1-8   It is a season of transformation (moving from one form to another). A transformed person is a changed person, and true change begins from the mind; hence, repentance. The Greek word 'metanoia' means a change of mind or mode of thought. Biblical repentance is a genuine turning away from sin and a sincere desire to return to God. It is not just admitting you are wrong; it is a spiritual awakening that leads to restoration and a renewed relationship with God.   Let us consider the characteristics of...
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STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE

"That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ." ~ Philippians 1:10   REFERENCE: Philippians 1:9-11 As we begin a new week, let's talk about excellence and what it means to strive for it in all aspects of your life. The pursuit of excellence is not about achieving a specific goal or level of success. The journey requires patience, dedication, attention to detail, and faith. When you strive for excellence, you are constantly growing and improving yourself. You are pushing yourself to be better than you were yesterday,...
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WHEN SUCCESS LOOKS EASY

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” ~ Luke 4:14   REFERENCE: Luke 4:1-15   Have you seen professionals at their game, work, or art? They make it look easy. Ronaldo and Messi make scoring goals in football look easy, Israel Adesanya makes mixed martial arts look easy, Lebron James makes playing basketball look easy, and several other musicians, authors, actors, preachers, scientists, etc., who excel in their vocation make success look easy. Some people seem born to be successful, make money, or excel in all...
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WORSHIP IN THE WILDERNESS

“Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water….” ~ II Kings 3:15-18   REFERENCE:  II Kings 3:8-20   The kings of Israel and Judah, Jehoram and Jehoshaphat, allied to fight against the Moabites to crush their rebellion. After a session of military strategy and projection, they concluded that they would make an incursion on Moab through the...
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A.S.K.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." ~ Matthew 7:7   REFERENCE: Matthew 7:7-11   God extends an invitation and a blank check to us in this verse. It is an invitation to come to God in prayers and supplication; it is a blank check because there are no restrictions to what we can pray for. The strength of the invitation to prayer is in the acronym, 'A.S.K.' 'A' for ask, 'S' for seek, and 'K' for knock. The acronym captures what God expects us to do in prayers...
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BE LIKE THE BIRDS

"Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on…" – Matthew 6:25   REFERENCE: Matthew 6:25-34   It is important to God that you do not worry about the details of your life. Worry is detrimental to your general well-being, so Jesus repeated, "Do not worry" three times in these few verses. We live in an uncertain world where most of the things we respond to are other people's fault – their decisions or choices; hence, we are prone to anxiety...
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MURDER AT HEBRON

"Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother." ~ II Samuel 3:27   REFERENCE: II Samuel 3:22-30   Joab deceitfully lured Abner from the well of Sirah. He tricked him into thinking King David had information from him, and he caused him to depart from his course, eventually leading to his death. Joab’s quest for revenge and his despicable nature led him to shed the blood of war in a time of...
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THE WELL OF SIRAH

"And when Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it." ~ II Samuel 3:26   REFERENCE: II Samuel 3:22-30   Joab heard that his archrival Abner, who killed his brother and was Saul's military chief, visited David to give him Israel's throne, and David let him go unhurt. Joab loathed this for two reasons: Abner killed his brother, and he sought revenge; also, his position as David's military chief could be threatened if David allied with Abner. So, he sent for Abner, whom...
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