The first thing must always be first!

“He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:14).

Rehoboam was the son of the king of Solomon, the king of Israel. Solomon began his kingship in the right way by honoring and obeying the Lord. However, later in his life, he sought many foreign wives who turned his heart away from the LORD God of heaven, and he started serving idols and making temples for them to please his wives. The wisest man ever lived on the face of the earth was influenced and corrupted by his ungodly alliance and yoke with foreign wives who served the idols. God warned Solomon that most of his kingdoms would be taken away from him after his death because he did not seek the Lord later in his life.

Now after the death of Solomon, his son Rehoboam became the king. Our daily insight today says about him, “He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD.” Basically, Rehoboam went with the inclination of his own heart. Bible says in Romans 15:4, “For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction.” Beloved, today’s insight warns us if we do not set our heart on seeking the LORD, we may also end up doing evil. Not seeking the LORD means end up doing evil.

When Rehoboam became the king, the people in the nation came up to him with a request to lower their work burden and taxes. His father, Solomon, when he became king, he prayed and sought LORD for wisdom to rule the nation and to judge between good and evil, instead of long life, wealth, and honor. God loved because he sought Him and granted him wisdom and a discerning heart. But Rehoboam when he faced with the first major decision when he became king, he did not seek the LORD. Instead, he sought people’s advice first instead of God’s advice. He should have sought the Lord first. He asked counsel of older men. They advised him to grant the petition of the people and speak to them kindly.

However, he did not like the advice of the older man and turned to his peers and young friends. His peers advised Rehoboam to make people’s live harsher by increasing the work burden and taxes. Rehoboam followed the foolish advice of his peers. People who came to him for help left there upset and angry, and this is how the kingdom was divided into two as the LORD had already planned -northern kingdom called Israel and southern kingdom called Judah.

Beloved, the Bible says we need to seek the LORD for his help and counsel first. We need to seek the face of the LORD in prayer before we even go to Godly people for their counsel or advice. First thing First. Of course, a Godly person, a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, who loves the LORD and the Bible can give us valuable Godly counsel from the Bible. But first, before anything else, we should seek the LORD in prayer. This is for small and big decisions in our lives. We need to ask Him in prayer, LORD what do you want me to do? Do not just follow the intuitions of your heart. Following the intuitions of the heart without listening to the LORD and His Word in the Bible is dangerous. Bible says in Proverbs 28:26, “Those who trust in themselves (means in their heart’s thoughts) are fools.” Bible says our hearts are fallen and tainted with sin, evil, and wickedness. Luke 7:20 says, “out of a person’s heart come evil thoughts.” Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” Then how can we follow the intuitions of our hearts?

The reason for Rehoboam’s failure was this-he did evil. Why did he do evil? Because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD. Is this not God’s warning for us today?

Beloved, did you set your heart to seek the LORD continually? If not, first set your heart to seek the LORD. Seek Him in prayer every day and all day for His guidance, advice, and wisdom. Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6 “do not lean on your own understanding,” Instead “trust the LORD with all your heart, submit to Him all your ways and He will make your paths straight.”
Do not fret or sweat as you wait for Him to act on your behalf. Understand God knows better than you and He has better and superior plans for you even though sometimes it may not make sense to you in the short term. Psalms 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.” The LORD shall bring it to pass. He will ‘it’ to pass- your desires and God’s glory in our lives and you will end up glorifying God because He brought it to pass.
Beloved, all these words above would be meaningless if you still do not know Christ Jesus personally. I am not talking about religion. I am talking about a personal relationship with the Son of God, Jesus, who died, buried, and rose again for the remission of our sins and grant us eternal life in heaven. Accepting Christ Jesus as your savior and Lord is the first step to seek the Lord in prayer and to obtain all God’s blessings.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I want to seek you every day and all the time. Help me to lean on you, Lord. I do not want to lean on the intuitions of my heart or anyone else. I give my heart to you fully and completely. I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord because I believe he died and rose again for all of my sins. Please save me. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

You don’t fall in love; you chose to love!

“Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence.  Because of his love, he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ.” GW. Ephesians 1:4-5.

We usually hear the statements I fell in love as if it all happened in a moment with no choice from your side. Fell in love sounds like an accident on the way. Bible affirms love is not an accident; it is a choice. You can’t just fell in love. You choose to love. Not only is love your personal choice, but also love is a commitment. 

Our Bible insight says God chose to love us even before the creation of the world. It was God’s choice to love, predestined, and adopted us into his household. NIV says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” He chose to love the ones he would redeem from the eternity past, even before the creation of this world. God exercised His will and chose to love in Christ Jesus. You see, He did not have to. We did not have anything in us, deserving His love. 

However, He chose to love. In love, he did three things – chose, predestined, and adopted us. Ephesians 5:27 says as God chose you in love and Christ would present you in all glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, and one day in front of him, you would be holy and blameless. Praise the Lord. Marvelous truths, right?

It is the same with you. You love because you chose to love, not because you just fell in love with no choice of yours. Love becomes costly, precious, and valuable when you decide to love. It becomes your commitment because you chose to do it. 

Bible says you chose to love God. God would not force you to love him. It is your personal choice to honor and love God with all your heart. If God forces you to love him, it may not come from your heart. Pure and real love happens when it comes to your personal choice.  

Loving others is also your choice. You chose to love others regardless of their background, color, race, gender, or anything like that. God would not force you to love others. He wants you to love others, and that is His commandment. But won’t force you to do it. You see, love is a personal choice. God showed an example for us to follow by choosing to love us, not considering our merits or backgrounds. 

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, You chose, predestined, and adopted me into your household as your child in Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. I understand that love is a choice. Let me love based on my choice and not merely considering it as a moment of attraction or an unplanned event on which I do not have any control. Because you chose me, Christ died, buried, and rose again for all of my sins and shortcomings. I accept Jesus as my savior and Lord. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. 

What is lost in Eden’s garden restored in Christ Jesus!

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39.

The more you think about the Scripture called the Bible, it amazes your minds and hearts. The Bible has 66 books written by 40 authors over a period of 1600 years. The Bible is written by forty authors who lived on different continents at different times. They all differed in their ages, cultural backgrounds, and style of life. Their lifestyles were also different over the 1600 years because authors included kings, prophets, priests, soldiers, shepherds, fishermen, tax collectors, and physicians. However, they all wrote about one theme- the redemption of humanity. The scarlet thread of the redemption plan is from the beginning book called Genesis to the last book Revelation.

Beloved, this is the reason why the Bible did not originate from this earth. It originated in God’s mind, and the Bible itself testifies that it did not originate in the human will. However, 40 human authors over such a long period in history penned it. 2nd Peter 1:21 says, they “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” It is a fascinating usage when it says, ” the authors were carried along by the Holy Spirit” of God to write the Scripture called the Bible.

Jesus said to the Jews who meticulously search the Bible because they knew in it they can find eternal life our today’s insight, “the very scriptures testify about me.”

Listen, on the day of Jesus’s resurrection from the dead, two of his disciples were going to a village called Emmaus. They were very sad about the crucifixion of Jesus because they hoped He was the one who would free them. While they were walking and talking, the resurrected Jesus approached and began walking with them. They saw him but did not recognize him. Jesus asked, “what are you discussing”? They stopped and looked very sad about what happened in Jerusalem –the death of Jesus. However, they said few went to the tomb of Jesus early on that morning and did not find his body there. They who went to the tomb reported they had seen angels who said that Jesus is alive. Some men from us also went to the tomb and found it empty. You know, they were sad and puzzled with all this news.

At that time, Jesus said to them, “You are slow to believe everything the prophets already told in the Bible. Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into his glory? Jesus began explaining to them what was said about him throughout the pages Bible from Moses’s teaching and the prophets.”

Later, when they reached home, and Jesus disappeared, they said to each other, “weren’t we excited when he talked with us on the road and opened up the meaning of the Scriptures for us?”

Is there any other book on the face of the earth written by 40 authors of different lifestyles over 1600 years portraying one theme? What are the odds of seeing a book like it? From the first page of the Bible to the last page of the Bible, there is only one central theme- how to come to God and enjoy His peace and fellowship. In other words, how to get redeemed or saved to experience God’s loving companionship is the theme of the Bible.

And Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Scripture. All 66 books in the Bible pointed toward Jesus as the only savior who can save people from their sins, reconcile people with God the Father, grant forgiveness, and eternal life. What we lost in Eden’s garden – the sweet and loving fellowship and friendship with God – is restored to us by the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Christ on our behalf, and is appropriated by faith and trust in the work of Jesus. In short, Jesus paid the ransom for our redemption by His blood. The Bible wraps the redemption plan in its last book called Revelation, by portraying the picture of God dwelling with His people and wiping every tear from their eyes. Revelation 21:3-4.

The Bible asserts this truth – the blood of Christ shed on the cross is the only way to get reconciled with God and live with Him in heaven at the moment of your death. Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

“Father in heaven, The Bible that you gave me in my hand amazes me because it did not come from the earth. It came from you and every word of it is God-breathed as the Bible asserts me. Only You can produce such a wonderful book. I know you wrote a personal letter to me in the pages of the Bible and I can read and understand it in my own language. How wonderfully you restored all we lost in the garden of Eden by the person and work of your Son and the only savior of the world, Jesus Christ. I believe Jesus died, buried, and rose again for my sins to restore me to full fellowship with God. I accept Jesus as my savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me and granting me eternal life. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

 

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power and of love and of a good mind” 2 Timothy 1:7.

People are in fear of many things that include fear of financial condition, fear of failure, fear of losing the job, fear about the future of our children, fear of diseases, fear of losing our dear one, etc. God gave young Timothy a ministry in Ephesus. Paul says to Timothy to keep using the gift God gave him without fear. It is God who called, appointed and gave him his ministry. So do not be timid or afraid.
Beloved, when you decide to live by faith and trust in God and especially when you start reaching out to do things that are impossible and when God starts showing up in your life something else going to happen. The enemy will try his best to discourage and bruise you physically and emotionally. He does this to stop God’s progress in your life. You may experience discouragement and fear. In those times remember what the Bible says God has not given you a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power and of love and of a good mind. The source of this type of fear is not God’s Holy Spirit. God’s spirit gives power, love and a good mind.

Bible says there is a fear that should be encouraged and that is the fear of God. Fear of God means very high reverence to God. Faith in God and trust in Him. Proverbs 1:7 says, “Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” If you want to know more about the fear of God which is a healthy fear, please read another article in teachbible.org-https://www.teachbible.org/pastor-always-says-fear-the-lord-why-should-i-fear-him-what-does-it-mean/

Beloved, as people we all face fears. Our God knows this very well. That is why the Bible says hundreds of times- do not fear, be not afraid and fear not. This is the most common command in the Bible given by God. Someone said 365 times Bible says we should not be afraid or fearful.

What can we do with our fears? Fear has to be substituted with faith and trust in God. This is what David did. If we read David’s psalms, we can see the lament to God due to his fear. David wrote Psalm 56 when his enemies surrounded him. Fear was about to conquer him. Then he says he won’t be afraid. He substituted his fear with faith and trust in God. Listen to what he said, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God, I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalms 56:4). He again says in verse 11, “In God, I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?”
When we substitute faith and trust in God for fear, God’s Holy Spirit will give us the power to face our challenges, love toward people and a sound mind. Our mind would not be clouded and confused. God will grant sound mind which will help us to make the right decisions.
When the Israelites were faced with the red sea in front of them, and Pharaoh’s army in the back, Moses said, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14. God’s command is this- do not be afraid and you standstill. This is followed by His promise- you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you. Do you know the Lord will fight for you? Yes, the Lord will fight for you, Bible says. You only need to stand still by faith and trust in God. This is what Israelite did, and they saw the wonderful deliverance of the Lord. The waters of the red sea were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. Praise the Lord! He will do the same to us when we substitute our fears with trust, faith and hope in the Lord.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I know you love and says to me “do not be afraid.” Lord, hold my hand and give me your peace, protection and guide me when fear and confusion grips on me. I put my faith, trust, and hope in you Lord. Lord, please deliver me from anxieties. I believe Jesus Christ died and rose again for all my sins and His blood will wash away my sins and make me a brand new person again. Please save me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.”

 

When the enemy comes in like a flood…

“When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will rise up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19 (New King James Version).

A big promise for us to claim! In Isaiah’s time, the nation was filled with wicked and rebellious people. God won’t listen to their prayers. 59:1 says,  they prayed, but LORD does not hear not because His ear is too dull to hear, but because of their iniquities and unrighteous acts that have separated them from God. Their hands are stained with blood and their fingers with guilt. Their lips have spoken falsely, and tongue uttered wicked things. (vs. 3). They utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil. (vs4).
They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know and there is no justice in their paths. (vs.5).

The LORD looked, and he was displeased because there was no justice and then he looked to see if there is any man to intercede in His presence. He did not see anyone. What a sad and pathetic condition? Is this the condition of the USA and the countries of the world? Wickedness, crime, injustices, and immoralities abound around us. Verse 15 says, God looks down from heaven to see if anyone here on this earth come to Him as an intercessor, to stand in the gap between wickedness and God in heaven. Is there anyone?

You see God’s preferred way of doing things on this earth is by responding to His people’s intercessory prayers. He raises people to pray. Would God do without His people’s prayer? Yes, He can and will. But first, He always looks to see if anyone there to intervene or stand in the gap in prayer seeking the face of the Lord. When Daniel stood in the gap and interceded for Judah during their exile in Babylon, God fulfilled His promise of restoration. Verses 15 and 16 say, God looked down from heaven, but because He has not seen anyone, He said he is going to act by Himself.

Interestingly, the garment God puts on to face the enemy resembles the armor of believers Paul explains in Ephesians 6.

Verses 17-18 says, ” For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly, He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries,
Recompense to His enemies.”

Then our today’s beautiful insight suddenly appears in verse 19, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.”

Beloved, God will place his armor and goes to fight when the enemy comes in like a flood against Him and His chosen ones. The Spirit of the Lord has already set a boundary for iniquities and wickedness. He says ‘Enough is enough. Now I am going to move in with a vengeance. When the boundary is crossed, the spirit of the Lord will see it for sure and raise up a standard against God’s and our enemies.

Beloved, are you facing enemies? I experienced enemies suddenly comes in like a flood when we start bearing fruits for the Lord. The darkness cannot cope with the light and its good works, because the light exposes the darkness. There is always a fight between the light and dark. When you start doing something good for the Lord, suddenly enemy comes from unexpected sources, like a flood to stop what you are doing.

Teachbible.org ministry has experienced the work of the enemies via anonymous, condemning, and threatening letters. Dear ones, thank you for your prayer support. Sure, we pray for the enemies of this ministry as well. The enemy comes in like a flood confirms to us that we are doing the right work for the Lord reaching out to a lost world. All praise and thanks only to the loving Lord who uses this feeble ministry to touch lives around the world. Glory to God only!

Per our insight today, one thing is sure – In such times, the Holy Spirit will raise a powerful standard against your enemies so that he or they cannot cross the boundaries. God will go to war for you with the breastplate of righteousness and helmet of salvation and garments of vengeance of clothing. God and His Spirit will repay their deeds. He will repay accordingly. The Lord will fury the adversaries. Surely He will recompense the enemies.

You see, what we face are spiritual battles and our weapons are not physical or carnal. Our weapons are spiritual. This means we will let God go to war.  Our weapons are prayer in the name mighty of Jesus Christ, the power of the blood of Christ, praise, and worship, and the Word of God. Nothing can stand against these powerful weapons. Beloved, you are protected by these powerful weapons day and night.

Romans 8:31and 34 say, “If God is for us, who can be against us? Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
The God of Nehemiah is our God! Remember, when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will rise up a standard against Him. Picture your enemy and the spirit of the Lord standing against him or her with a STANDARD! Leave it there in the hands of the Spirit of the Lord. He will not allow the enemy to cross the boundaries without severe and dangerous recompense.

If you have not accepted Christ as your savior, believed, you need the help of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and face life’s challenges. Come to Jesus Christ and accept Him as your savior today.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, Thank you we can come to you and pray in the name of Jesus Christ for help and deliverances. I believe Jesus Christ shed His blood, died, and rose again for my sins. I accept Him as my savior. I pray for your help. I know your Spirit will set a standard against enemies when they come in like a flood. I submit the problem I am facing into your hand. I love you, Lord. Guide me in your truths every day. In Christ’s name, I pray.” Amen.

You are ripe for God’s intervention!

Luke 22:40, “Jesus said, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
Luke 11:4, “And lead us not into temptation.”

Bible says temptations to do sin have two sources. One is self, and the other is the devil. Bible says in James 1:13 God does not tempt anyone to do sin or evil. It says there each person is tempted when they are dragged by their own desires and enticed. Once succumbed to the enticement, it gives birth to sin and later to death. Secondly, the Bible indicates devil can lead us into temptation. Bible says in Luke 4:13, “when the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him (Jesus) until an opportune time.”

Now we know God does not tempt us to do sin or evil, and the two sources of temptations to do sin and evil our selfish desires and the devil’s influence. Either way, the final choice is ours. God won’t do it and the devil cannot make us sin though he can tempt us. We have a choice to obey our own selfish desires or to obey God and His will.

It is easy to say all these things. But the hard truth is this- we are not divine but are human. We do not live in heaven now, but we live on this sin-bound earth. We live in a body that is touched and tainted by the original sin of our parents. We have inside us strong propensities to be influenced by temptation when its force comes on us. We will never live a perfect life here on this side of the earth. If anybody claims we can live a sinless life here now by not succumbing to temptations, they are only saying a lie. They are hypocrites hiding the truth. Bible says there is not even one person in this entire world who can live without sin. It says there is no one, not even one, all are touched and tainted by sins (Romans 3:11).

Oscar Wilde said, “I can resist anything except temptation” and “the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.” However, this is not true. The truth about a child of God who accepted Christ as his savior is this -we may not be able to get rid of temptation. But we can resist the temptation. When you accepted Christ as your savior, you have the Holy Spirit indwelling in you to guide you and help you. You are not just flesh only as before. Now you have Holy Spirit living in you. “And the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Jesus informed us of the first remedy to combat temptation. “Pray that you will not fall into temptation”. When Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, he taught them to pray “lead us not into temptation.” Do you know your major temptations? Are you seeking the Lord in prayer? Or you pray for everything else, but not praying for this need? Start praying so that you won’t fall into temptation. Second, strike it back with the Word of God. This is what Jesus Christ did. He defeated all the temptation by speaking the Word of God. The Bible verses are the “Sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). A sword is used as an offensive and defensive weapon by the soldiers. Sword can protect from harm and can be used to attack and kill enemies.

Third, always remember God is faithful even in our tempting times. Bible says, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). So look for the way out that God offers in your temptations. Joseph had to run away from Potiphar’s wife, and Daniel had to be strong in standing on his commitments in a foreign land.

Fourthly, if you fell into temptations, you do not need to be hopeless. Listen again, no need to be hopeless! You know the toddlers are not hopeless when they fall to the floor, are they? They get back and walk again. Looking back we all failed several times, didn’t we? Remember, if all ok with you, why do you need God? However, when you fail, discouraged and hopeless, then you are ripe for God’s intervention, supernatural new directions, and success. Bible says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9-10). We can go to Jesus, admit and confess our sins. His blood will cover your sins upon your confession. He is our faithful advocate and High Priest in heaven with the Father. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to Him in  prayer.”

Got a moment for today’s prayer? Father in heaven, I believe Jesus Christ is my savior who died and rose again for my sins. I accept Him as my Lord. Please help me not give in to the temptations to do sin. I seek your help and help me to grow in the knowledge of your Word- the Bible. In Jesus Christ’s name, I pray.” Amen.

Forgiving is divine and not human!

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Matthew 18:35.

Forgiving others for their trespasses is always divine, not human. The source of forgiveness is the grace and compassion you received from God. He wants us to extend the same grace we freely received toward one another.

Jesus said a parable, and you can read it in Matthew 18. One king decided to settle his account with his debtors, who borrowed money from him. One debtor owed him millions of dollars, and he could not pay. The master ordered him to sell all he has, including his wife, children, to pay back the debt. However, the man fell before his master and begged by saying, “please be kind and patient toward me, and I will pay it all. The master was filled with compassion and mercy for him and released him and forgave his debt.

Now, listen carefully to what this man who received mercy did to his debtor. Jesus said, he went from his master, who forgave his huge debt. On the way, he saw the fellow servant who owed him just a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded payment instantly. His friend fell before him and begged for a while. He said I would pay but be patient with me, he asked. However, the creditor would not wait or had patience. He arrested the man and threw him in prison until he paid back all the debt in full.

Other friends heard about this incident. They went to the king and said all that happened. The king called the man and said to him; You are evil because I forgave your huge and tremendous debt because you begged with me, didn’t I? Shouldn’t you have mercy on your friend because I had shown mercy on you? King became angry and sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

You see, because he received patience, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness from the master, he should have shown patience, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness to his debtor. However, instead of showing patience and mercy, the man was cruel to his friend.

There are at least two simple and straightforward lessons from this parable. Our patience, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness must be based on how much we received from God. Bible says in Colossians 2:13-15, beloved when you were dead in sins and your sinful desires, God gave you a share in the very life of Christ by forgiving all your sins. He blotted out all the charges that were listed against you, all the list of his commandments which you had not obeyed. God took your sins and destroyed them forever by nailing them to the cross of Jesus Christ. God took away Satan’s power to accuse you of your sins. In Jesus and what he has done for you (by his cruel death, burial, and resurrection), God forgave all of your sins and took them away forever. You see, this is what you received from God. By thankfully remembering what great things God had done for you in Jesus Christ, we must forgive others for their trespasses against us.

This is why I said forgiveness is always divine. Its source is not human.

Secondly, if you do not forgive from your heart, you would experience torture. Not anybody else, but you would pay for the unforgiveness. The price you would pay would be higher. It costs higher. Keeping grudge and unforgiving attitudes make you miserable. In short, you do not have any right to keep unforgiveness in your heart toward another. Your fellowship and friendship with God and your peace are based on your divine ability to forgive.

Your ability to forgive is directly proportional to your understanding and appreciation of what God has done for you. Ephesians 4:32 reminds us, “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

“Father in heaven, Help me to forgive others as you forgave me. Christ paid for all of my charges that were against me on the cross. You gave me abundant grace, mercy, and love. May I forgive others with this knowledge and appreciation of your love toward me? In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.

The antidote to fear!

“They will have no fear of bad news;

     their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

  Their hearts are secure; they will have no fear; in the end, they will look in triumph on their foes”. Psalm 112:7-8.

We live in unprecedented times of economic collapse and human disaster all over the world due to difficulties and hardship caused by the COVID-19. Day after day, we hear bad news. Coronavirus cases are on the rise in certain parts of the world. We hear the word ‘death’ or understand someone we know well ‘passed away’ more often. People are suffering financially and relationship-wise. 

Our insight reminds the best secret of your health in such an unhealthy and sometimes fearful season. It is trusting in the Lord Almighty. Assuredly, trust in the Lord is the best antidote for fear, worries, and struggles. It says the hearts of those who trust in the Lord are steadfast. Secondly, their hearts are secure. Thirdly, they have no fear. They have no fear means every time fear enters, they substitute/replace it with faith and trust in the Lord. Thirdly, in the end, they will come out triumphant to their enemies. Don’t you want to be a person like this? The absence of trust in the Lord produces confused and unsteady minds, insecure hearts, fear, and defeat. 

Beloved, Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 2:14, “But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ.” GW. Paul was deeply troubled and anguished. (vs.4). He had no peace of mind (vs.13). However, later he thanked God and wrote that God always leads us in victory because of Christ. God always leads us to success even though we may get troubled, anguished, and without peace of mind in the process. Bible says God cares for those who put their faith and trust in him in these words,

“No eye has seen,

     no ear has heard,

         and no mind has imagined

             the things that God has prepared

                 for those who love him.” 1st Corinthians 2:9. GW

I bet you won’t see this in the midst of your struggles. However, God promised His wonderful and amazing deliverances in terms explained in these verses.

Isaiah 26:3 says God keeps him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts you.” Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” In short, those who put their faith and trust in God, even in troubled times like this, have perfect peace and safety. Not only those who trust in God have peace and security, but God allows all things to work tougher finally for the good of the person who loves and trusts in Him. A person who trusts in the Lord is not a loser. He is the only one who wins triumphantly because of his unshakeable trust in the eternal God and His never-changing promises. Sometimes we go through heavy and shaky situations. However, God leads us to victory because of Christ. 

Remember, 2nd Corinthians 2;14 says, God always leads us in victory because of Christ. It is Christ’s name that grants victory over sad and fearful circumstances. The reason is that God took the charges against us away by nailing them to the cross of Christ. He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power. He made a public spectacle of them as God celebrated his victory in Christ.

“Father in heaven, I believe Jesus because there are victories over all my seemingly difficult situations in the matchless name of Christ. I know God took all the charges against me and nailed them to the cross of Christ. He abolished the evil rulers and authorities of their power and celebrated His victory in Christ. Christ died, buried, and rose again for my sins. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. May I place my hope and trust in you until all these difficulties go away? I find my peace and safety in you. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. “

Are you ready for the moment? Death is a departure. It does not need to be hopeless and fearful.

“the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7.

We hear and read about many deaths during this pandemic time. Many people lost their dear ones and it was a sad time all around the world. One man recently asked me ‘what happens after death? Only the Bible gives an authoritative answer about what happens after death. Our insight says, “the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” When God made Adam, he made him out of the dust and then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7). Therefore man has material and immaterial parts in him. The material part is the body, and the immaterial part is his soul and spirit.

Jesus said this: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and can do no more after that. But I will show you who you should fear: Fear him who has the authority to throw you into hell after your body has been killed. I tell you to fear him.” You see, man is more than the body. After this, Jesus said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. God knows all about the sparrows. However, regarding people, he said, “indeed, your very hairs on the head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

People are worth/valuable more than sparrows and other birds or creatures because God uniquely made them in His image, and they have a spirit inside them with which they can pray and communicate to God. You see, death is simply the departure of your spirit from the body. We often say he or she ‘passed away.’ Death is not an end in itself. Our existence does not stop at the time of death. ‘Passed away’ means the most valuable soul or spirit inside us has flown away from us to the presence of God.

Jesus asked these questions, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Matthew 16:26. You can work hard and gain all the wealth, name, and many other things in this world. However, in the process of all these material gains, if one loses his own soul or spirit, what does it benefit him? Jesus asked, “Is anything worth more than your soul?” The implied answer no, there is nothing worth more than your soul.

Beloved, you and I are much more valuable than all because we have a precious treasure called soul/spirit. At the time of death, the most valuable soul or spirit moves out of you. Spirit departs from your body. Where will your spirit goes determines your future well-being and security? Apostle Paul said absence from the body means he is present at home with the Lord Jesus in heaven. He was assured of his security because although he was once a murderer, blasphemer, and hated the true Christians, he later believed in Jesus Christ as his savior and Lord.

Jesus said about two people who died- a rich man and a poor man called Lazarus. Luke 16:19-31. At the moment of death, the poor Lazarus was taken to heaven by the angles, where he was comforted. However, the rich man who never bothered his soul’s value and honored God ended up in a place of torment where he begged for comfort.

Understanding death is the time of the departure of your soul from the body, there are only two places for it to go- either at home with the Lord Jesus with all good bliss and comfort or in a place of eternal torment where there is no trace of hope of God’s love and support.

Beloved, I want you to know the truth about what happens at the moment of death. As a result, you would be ready for the moment. The Bible explains it with no shadow of a doubt.

Do you have a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I understand what happens at the time of death because you explained it in the pages of the Bible. I want eternal comfort, love, and care of you. I want to be at home with the Lord. I believe Jesus died in my place, buried, and rose again to save me and grant me eternal life in heaven. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me and granting me everlasting life in heaven with you. In the name of Christ, I pray. Amen.”

The fire around you will not burn you; you would come out with more power, a new vision, and brand-new opportunities.

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18.

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and Judah. He brought Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, three Jewish young men to Babylon as captives. They were faithful to God in heaven who determined no matter what they would not worship idols or images. The king issued a decree that all should bow down, worship in front of a golden image that he erected when the sound of the horn, flute, and music is heard. If anyone who would not bow down and worship the image will be cast down into a furnace of blazing fire.

Shadrach who was named Daniel and his three friends were Jewish men who were already made up their minds to follow and obey the LORD who made the heavens and the earth, even if they live in a foreign land full of idols. They said to the king, oh king, we already made up our mind, and there is no reason to change our mind on this issue. The living God in heaven is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will deliver us from your hand. But even if our God does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

In a foreign land away from Jerusalem, although no one was there to watch them, these young men did not cave in to the pressures of the culture, did they? What an excellent model and example for us to follow in our culture that increasingly pressures us to compromise our Bible values and principles?

The king filled with wrath and gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual. These young faithful men were bound and cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. The furnace was extremely hot, and the people who carried the young men to the furnace were slew by the flame of fire. When threw them into the blazing fire, the three young men fell in the fire still tied up. As the king was looking at the flaming fire, he asked this question. Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire? His men said, Certainly, OH King.” Then King said “look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like the son of the gods.”

My dearly beloved, are you in a trial now? Fiery furnace trial is the most severe trial of your faith. The divine companion they had in the middle of the fire protected them from all harm. They safely came out because of the presence of the Son of God. Do you know, in the midst of the severe furnace the Son of God came down and walked with them?

King Nebuchadnezzar called the young men, ‘servants of the most high God.” King asked them to come out of the fire. They walked out of the fire, and verse 27 says the fire had no effect on their bodies, their trousers were not damaged and not even their hair damaged. It says there was not even a smell of the fire on them.
Do you know, the Bible promises in Isaiah 43:2 (b) says, “When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.”

I believe the Son of God who walked with three young men on that day is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ who later came to this earth to give His life for all of your sins and rescue from your problems? Even the pagan king admitted the fourth man walking along with the three young men in the blazing fire appears to be a son of god, didn’t he? By witnessing this spectacular site, King Nebuchadnezzar made a decree to all people to honor only the living God in heaven. This incident changed him inside out, and many people believed in the one and true God.

The three young men came out of their severe trial with more strength, power, great faith, stronger witness, ministry, and more spiritual fruits, didn’t they? Yes, they did!

Beloved, are you facing severe trials today? Are your faith in the living God and the savior Jesus Christ is being tested severely? Remember God promised His presence in the midst of your severe trials. Do not be afraid! The flame around you will not burn you. The presence of the Son of God, Jesus, will protect you from all harm. You will come out with no harm, and many will be amazed later by seeing your supernatural delivery and listening to your story. A child of God comes out with more power, a new vision, and new opportunities.

Dear, do you have the Son of God, Jesus,  in your life? If you want Him to be in your life, please pray with me now. “Father in heaven, I come to you, the living God in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe Jesus Christ is my savior who loves me. I believe He died and rose again for my sins. Please be my companion in the midst of my severe trials and deliver me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.