Author: Anna

  • Malachi‬ ‭1:6

    ““A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts. To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’” Malachi‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭

    How is your relationship with your father? Do you have a healthy and respectful relationship with your parents? How about your relationship with your boss or those in authority over you? Are you faithfully carrying out the responsibilities and duties entrusted to you?

    Why am I asking this? Because if we cannot build a good relationship with our parents or with those in authority over us, and if we are lacking in the duties entrusted to us, then how can we truly love and serve God with fear, honor, and high reverence?

    When the LORD says, “A son honors his father, And a servant his master,” the LORD is speaking about the expectation within family and societal relationships. We know that one of the greatest commandments after loving God is to honor our father and mother, and this command comes with a promise (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2–3). This commandment is so serious that in the Old Testament, anyone who cursed or struck their parents faced severe judgment (Exodus 21:15, 17). That shows how heavy this command is before God. If we cannot honor our earthly parent, how much more should we honor God, our Heavenly Father?

    In the same way, as servants honor their masters, we are also called to respect those in authority over us and to carry out our work diligently and faithfully (Colossians 3:22–23). If we cannot faithfully do the work entrusted to us here on earth, how much more can we be faithful in the work God has entrusted to us for His kingdom?

    Then the LORD says, If then I am the Father, Where is My honor?” When I first read this, it broke my heart because I am so convicted. The LORD proclaimed that He is the Father of Israel and also our Father. Because when we believe in the LORD Jesus Christ, we become children of God, and God becomes our Heavenly Father (John 1:12). Is not the Holy Spirit also bearing witness with our spirit, crying, “Abba, Father”? (Romans 8:15–16). Let me give you a simple yet crucial example of how many of us dishonor God. The root cause is our lack of intimate fellowship with our Father. Many of our brethren nowadays neglect spending time in God’s Word. They are illiterate! We know that only through His words did we come to understand His heart, His will, and His character. How can we truly know our Father if we do not spend time listening to Him through His Word?

    What is even more unfortunate is that many of us boldly proclaim Jesus as their LORD and Savior while unknowingly bringing shame instead of honor to His name because they neglect spending time in His Word. A child who truly loves and reveres their father listens carefully to his words and values what he says. Yet look how many Christians support and tolerate things that clearly go against their Father’s word, such as supporting same-sex marriage and abortion?

    I am not speaking this to condemn anyone. I am speaking truth with boldness because great and holy is the name of our LORD Jesus Christ. His name deserves reverence, honor, and glory. Yet many of us, through our ignorance, compromise, and negligence, bring shame instead of honor to His name. Just like the Israelites, God declared that wherever they went, they profaned His name among the nations (Ezekiel 36:20–23).

    Then the LORD continues and says, “And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence?” The Hebrew word for “reverence” here is môrā’, which carries the meaning of fear, reverence, and something awe-inspiring. But the word “reverence” used here is not as strong compared to the word Moses used when he gave his final charge to Israel before they entered the Promised Land, yet these two prophets strongly emphasize the importance of giving God the highest reverence and fear. Why? Because our God is the LORD of lords and the King of kings. He is the Almighty God, the Most High above all. The day will come when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD (Philippians 2:10–11). As it is written,

    “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” Deuteronomy‬ ‭10:12-13‬ ‭

    Did you notice that the very first thing God required from them was to fear Him? The Hebrew word used here is “yārē’,” which means to fear, to stand in awe, to tremble, to be fearful, to be dreadful, to be astonished, and to deeply revere. This is a very strong word because God is holy!

    Throughout the Bible, when prophets such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and John encountered the glory and presence of God, they fell facedown before Him. Daniel said that no strength remained in him (Daniel 10:8–9). Ezekiel fell on his face when he saw the likeness of the glory of the LORD (Ezekiel 1:28). John also fell at His feet as though dead when he saw the glorified Christ (Revelation 1:17). Their bodies responded to the overwhelming holiness, majesty, and power of God. This helps us understand the seriousness and the great importance of giving our highest reverence to God, because we are standing before the absolute and sovereign Being, the living Almighty God.

    As our LORD Jesus Christ said,

    And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” — Matthew 10:28

    Even Hebrews declares:

    “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” — Hebrews 10:31

    So just as the priests and the Israelites failed to give God the reverence due to His name, many of us today are doing the same. Why do so many professing believers no longer walk in the fear and reverence of God? Why do many continue bringing shame to His holy name and crucify Him again through continual rebellion and willful sin (Hebrews 6:6), choosing sin over God again and again? We know that sin separates us from fellowship with Him (Isaiah 59:2), yet many still cling to the very things that grieve His heart.

    Isn’t that what the LORD Jesus said:

    “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” Luke‬ ‭6:46‬ ‭

    If we genuinely love and reverence Jesus as our LORD, then we would hate the very things He hates and flees from the sins that dishonor Him.

    And when the Scripture says, “Says the LORD of hosts,” God is emphasizing His absolute sovereignty, authority, and dominion over every power, kingdom, force, and realm. The title LORD of hosts means that God is the LORD of heaven’s armies. He is the chief commander! He is in charge! These angels are mighty and powerful servants of God. Scripture tells us that just one angel struck down 185,000 Assyrians in one night by the command of God (2 Kings 19:35). Yet this same God is the One whom many of us continue to dishonor and rebel against.

    Then the LORD directly addresses the ones who committed this impudent act against Him. He says, “To you priests who despise My name.” The book of Leviticus can give you detailed instructions concerning the duties and responsibilities of the priests. They were appointed by God to minister before Him, maintain the holiness of the Temple, offer sacrifices according to His commandments, discern between what is holy and unholy, and teach Israel the commandments and statutes of God. Yet God declared that these very priests failed to give Him the honor and reverence due to Him, which eventually led them into despising His name. 

    A little context here: Malachi prophesied during the period when the Temple in Jerusalem had already been rebuilt under Zerubbabel (Malachi likely ministered around the same era as Ezra and Nehemiah). The Temple in Jerusalem had already been rebuilt after the exile. The priestly service was restored, sacrifices resumed, and temple activities continued. But the hearts of the priests and the people were not right before God. The priests failed to consecrate themselves and neglected the sacred responsibilities entrusted to them (Ezra 9:1–2; Nehemiah 13:28–29). As Malachi later reveals, they were offering polluted sacrifices to God such as lame, sick, and blind animals upon the altar (Malachi 1:7–8). They were never supposed to offer such corrupted sacrifices because the God they served is holy. God had already given clear instructions in the Law that offerings presented to Him must be without blemish (Leviticus 22). Yet the priests profaned the very sacrifices that were meant to sanctify themselves, the Temple, and the people of Israel before the LORD.

    They no longer placed value on the holy things God entrusted to them. What was sacred became common in their eyes. Is this not also happening today among us? Scripture says that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and that we are a royal priesthood before God (1 Peter 2:9). Yet many of us continue to corrupt and defile the very temple where God chooses to dwell, treating our bodies casually instead of honoring them as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Just like this priest, no longer treat holy things with reverence and fear before God. Instead of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1), many have become contemptuous toward the sacred calling entrusted to us. We no longer place high value upon what the LORD Jesus Christ has done for us through the cross.

    That is why Scripture commands us:

    “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” — 1 Corinthians 6:20

    This is truly terrifying. What makes it even more fearful is that the priests seemed completely unaware of the seriousness of what they had done.

    When God rebuked them, they responded by saying, Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ They were unable to recognize their own sin and dishonor before Him. This is frightening because it reveals how hardened and spiritually blind a heart can become. Their consciences had become dull, and what was holy no longer convicted them. Their minds become corrupted and reprobate because of the deceitfulness of their sins and as they continually reject the truth (Romans 1:28). Is this not also happening to many of our brethren today? As they all continue living in sin, compromise, and rebellion against God while justifying themselves, unable to see their own transgressions before a holy God. Their minds become reprobate!

    A reprobate or hardened heart is terrifying because a person can reach a point where they no longer feel conviction over sin. What once grieved the heart now feels normal. What God calls evil, people begin to justify. Instead of trembling before the Word of God and repenting before God. Many now use Scripture itself to justify their wrongdoing while still claiming they belong to Jesus, yet their actions do not reflect the character of God. We must remember that we are called children of God (1 John 3:1). If God is truly our Father, then our lives should reflect the character of our Heavenly Father. We are called to walk in holiness, righteousness, love, truth, and obedience just as Christ walked (1 Peter 1:15–16; 1 John 2:6).

    To remain in this spiritual condition is a terrifying thing because a hardened heart can reach the point where a person no longer even feels the need to repent and ask God for forgiveness of sins. Remember that the LORD Jesus commanded the church in Thyatira to repent because they were tolerating sin and corruption among them (Revelation 2:20–22). A hardened heart slowly loses sensitivity to conviction, repentance, and reverence before God (Ephesians 4:18–19). This is the dangerous point where a person can unknowingly begin drifting away and turning away from the salvation Jesus freely offered through His sacrifice (Hebrews 2:1–3).

    Remember, no one can take away the salvation God freely gives to us because it is a gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8–9; John 10:28–29). Yet Scripture also warns believers not to depart from the living God through unbelief and the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:12–13). We still have the choice to reject, abandon, or turn away from that gift through continual rebellion, unbelief, and refusal to repent before God (2 Peter 2:20–22; Hebrews 10:26–29).

    But here is the good news: God spoke these rebukes not to condemn the priests but to reach their hearts and call them back to Him. He is also doing the same for us today. God’s correction is an act of His mercy and love, because He desires repentance rather than destruction. As it is written, Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings …” (Jeremiah 3:22) and “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be blotted out …” (Acts 3:19)

    Therefore, repent and return to the LORD while your heart is still sensitive to His voice!

    Ask God to create in you a new heart of flesh, a heart that truly seeks after Him (Psalm 51:10 & Ezekiel 36:26).

  • Ephesians‬ ‭2:14

    “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,” Ephesians‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭

    When you hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, what is the first word that comes to your mind?

    If you say “salvation,” and you are either an unbeliever or still a baby in the LORD, that is understandable. However, if you have been walking with the LORD for more than five years, your understanding of the Gospel should have grown beyond that. Why? Because by now, after reading the Scriptures from cover to cover, you should realize that the Gospel of Jesus Christ does not only offer salvation.

    Salvation deals with the problem of sin, the wall that separated us from God. But Jesus already dealt with sin through His death on the cross. He conquered sin once and for all. Yet the greater purpose of His sacrifice was reconciliation with the Father. As it is written, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Through our LORD Jesus Christ, we have now been given access to the presence of God. As the Scriptures declare, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). That means you are not far from God anymore. Jesus took your sins away and buried them through His death. His sacrifice was complete and sufficient once and for all.

    That is why the Scripture says:

    “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12).

    And again:

    “Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18).

    Now, He wants you and I to walk in the access He endured and purchased for all of us, which is genuine intimacy and fellowship with the Father (1 John 1:3). Because when we remain in the presence of God, we are slowly transformed into His image. As it is written:

    “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” II Corinthians‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭

    Sadly, many Christians, just like the church of Ephesus, remain stuck in the mindset of “salvation” alone. Many are still trying to earn salvation by their own efforts, and the moment they sin or fall short according to the standard they have in their minds, they immediately think they have lost their salvation. But the moment you received Jesus Christ, you became a new creation.

    As it is written,

    “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

    Our relationship with the Father was not established by our works but by the finished work of our LORD Jesus Christ.

    You will never have an issue living a life well pleasing to the Father when you truly begin to walk with Him daily. Many of us have this anxiety about losing our salvation because we know more about our mistakes than what God has already spoken concerning us through Jesus Christ. Instead of being rooted in the truth of God’s Word. That is why the Scriptures say, “But you have not so learned Christ” (Ephesians 4:20). Sadly, many Christians today are illiterate concerning the Word of God. They know church culture, opinions, and their favorite social influencer, yet they do not truly know what God has spoken through the Scriptures. The Bible says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). No wonder many Christians live defeated lives, not because God has failed them, but because of their lack of knowledge concerning the Word of God. It is similar to someone being deceived or taken advantage of in certain areas of life simply because they are unfamiliar with their legal rights. The rights may already belong to them, yet they live as though they do not have them because they do not know what has been given to them. In the same way, many believers do not know what Jesus Christ has already accomplished for them through the cross. 

    Yet God said to Israel, who was constantly rebelling against Him, “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7). The God desire has always been restoration and fellowship. Abiding in Jesus is what truly matters!

    Remember the parable of the vine. Jesus said, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

    Fruit is not produced by striving in the flesh but by abiding in the LORD Jesus Christ.

    So why do many lives remain unchanged? Because many have never pressed into genuine intimacy and fellowship with Jesus Christ.

    That is why Hebrews 6 exhorts us, saying:

    “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” Hebrews‬ ‭6:1-2‬ ‭

    All of this listed here is centered on the teaching of salvation. But when you begin to understand reconciliation, you move forward beyond only seeing the wall that once separated you from God. You no longer see division through skin color, ethnicity, or background, because that is exactly what Paul was teaching before this verse. The Gentiles, who were once far from the presence of God, have now become fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God because of what Jesus Christ did for all of us.

    We now begin to give God thanks, praise, and worship because through our LORD Jesus Christ, we now have access into our heavenly Father’s presence.

    Through His blood, Jesus removed the separation and gave all of us access to the Father. No matter who we are or where we come from, through Him we have become children of God. As it is written, “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).

    So when Paul says who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. He is showing us that in Christ it no longer matters whether you are Jew or Gentile, male or female, because all of us were separated from God by sin regardless of our ethnicity or background. That is why, through Jesus Christ, both Jew and Gentile now have access to the Father. The wall has been removed. As Paul also says,

    “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians‬ ‭3:28-29‬ ‭

    We are all one in Christ Jesus.

    Have you studied the woman who bled for twelve years? According to the Levitical law, the moment she entered the crowd and touched people, she would have made everyone around her ceremonially unclean. Yet in the sight of God, everyone in that crowd was already unclean because of sin. There was only One who was truly clean there, and that was the LORD Jesus Christ.

    Some would say, “Then did that make Jesus unclean?” Absolutely not! Instead, Jesus took upon Himself our uncleanness, our sins, and our transgressions so that we might receive His righteousness.

    As it is written,

    “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter ‭2:24‬ ‭

    And again,

    “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

    The woman’s uncleanness did not corrupt Jesus. Rather, His righteousness overcame her condition. The power of God flowed from Him and made her whole. That is why the woman touched Jesus’ hem, because she knew what the hem represented. Jews knew the hem represented identity and righteousness. She said within herself by faith, not by works, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well” (Mark 5:28). In other words, she believed that if she could touch His righteousness, she would be made whole. As it is written, “And by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). In Him we are complete because His righteousness is enough to make us whole (Colossians 2:10).

    The moment that woman believed in Jesus, everything changed instantly. She was healed and made whole. Jesus took away the uncleanness that separated her from the people and from God. For twelve years she lived rejected and unclean, but one touch by faith changed her identity completely. Again, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

    What is beautiful in her story is that after Jesus delivered her from the infirmity that separated her, He restored her identity. That infirmity is a picture of our sins. Sin is like an infirmity within us. It slowly destroys us, and in the end it leads to death (James 1:15) because we are separated from the Source of life, which is God Himself.

    Yet after Jesus healed her, He called her “daughter” (Mark 5:34). “Daughter” is a title of relationship, acceptance, and restoration. The moment she believed in Him, she was no longer identified by her infirmity, but she was restored to relationship and acceptance. Jesus restored her identity immediately after healing her. As it is written, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John‬ ‭1:12). ‭

    Through faith in Jesus, she became a member of the household of God. Then lastly Jesus said to her, “Go in peace” (Mark 5:34). Just as Paul says, “For He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14).

    That is why our walk with God should not be filled with constant fear and anxiety about salvation. Jesus already finished the work! He said, “It is finished!”

    Our background no longer matters. Whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, all have sinned before God. But through Jesus Christ, all who believe are brought near and become members of the household of God.

    What matters now is this: do you believe in Jesus Christ? Do you walk with Him? Do you abide in Him?

    And if you truly abide in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, His peace will begin to rule your heart. As He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you…” (John 14:27). The world cannot give this peace because the world itself is filled with fear, uncertainty, and division.

    But anyone who truly receives Jesus as LORD and Savior becomes like this woman: restored, made whole, accepted, and at peace with God.

    “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans‬ ‭5:10-11‬ ‭

    I wanna end to this verse.

    Do not try to earn your salvation, because you never could!

    That is exactly why Jesus came and died for all of us, to freely give what we could never obtain by our own works.

    Now be at peace, because Jesus has already “broken down the middle wall of separation. ” The separation between you and the Father has been removed through His blood. So enter the presence of God not with shame, fear, or condemnation but with boldness!

    Have fellowship with God, your heavenly Father! For you are no longer a stranger or a foreigner but now His child!

  • Matthew‬ ‭6:20‬

    “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” — Matthew‬ ‭6:20‬

    From verse 19, we come to understand that the LORD Jesus made it clear that we were not created to be ruled by earthly things, but rather to have dominion over them. The things of this world were never meant to master us. As He says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24). We are created to be ruled by God, not to be ruled by the things of this world.

    We also understand that building wealth is not an easy task. It requires our strength, our time, our talents, and even our resources. Because of this, whatever costs us the most often becomes what we value the most. Instead of us ruling over these things, these things begin to rule over us. We become servants to what we have built, instead of being ruled by God in righteousness. Look at a man who is ruled by money. We can see it in how he lives. Their mind is set on gaining more. They will do whatever it takes. Even if it means walking in something crooked and wicked. What they own begins to own them.

    That is why the LORD Jesus commanded us His disciples, saying, “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” For the Greek word for “treasures” is “thēsauros,” which speaks of a place where good and precious things are gathered and stored. It is like a treasury, a storehouse, a repository where valuables are laid up and kept. The LORD Jesus desires us to store all the good and precious things we gathered in His Kingdom in a place where we are meant to live forever.

    The LORD Jesus is not saying that we should have no possessions or money at all. We need a place to live, a roof over our heads, and money for the things we need. Jesus said, “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things” (Luke 12:29–30). No one in this entire universe wants what is good for us more than our Father in heaven. It was He who made Abraham very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold (Genesis 13:2). Isaac sowed and reaped a hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him (Genesis 26:12–13). Job also had his latter days blessed more than his beginning (Job 42:12). Our Father in heaven knows that we all need things here on earth. That is why He created the trees, so we can build our houses. He created gold and silver and many other things for our provision. The Father already knew our needs before we even thought of them.

    And above all, Jesus died for us. If He did not come, everything we have accumulated would be destined for destruction. We were all on our way to perish in the lake of fire. As it is written, ““For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John‬ ‭3:17‬)‭ Yet the LORD Jesus came and said, “… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Because He desires that all of us would live, not just have life, but live with abundant life. He does not want all our hard labor to be destroyed, “where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” Even the treasures we work for, He wants to preserve. He wants them to be laid up where they cannot be destroyed not taken away from us.

    Have you understood that everything we build here is going to be wasted? All the ornaments of your house are appointed to be burned. All your wealth, all your accomplishments, can pass away. As it is written, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10).

    Have you ever wondered why the Apostle Paul said, ““Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians‬ ‭3:8)‬? For how can we gain Christ if we are caught up in the things of this world? We can’t walk with Jesus if our hearts and minds are on worldly things. As it is written, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). If our mind and heart are set on the things of this world, then Jesus is no longer at the center of our lives. He is pushed aside while other things take His place. If you use your time, talents, strength, and resources for God, your treasures are stored in His eternal Kingdom. As it is written, “…And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). The LORD Jesus cannot fill us with Himself if we are still full of ourselves.

    I hope you begin to notice this as you begin to do the will of God. When the things of this world no longer have a hold on you, you are no longer bound by them but free, walking with God, and ruling over the things that once tried to rule over you. Nothing in this world can threaten you anymore, because your treasures are not found here but in heaven. Even your life is in Him.

    Doing the work for God is not always something great in the eyes of men. Many think it must be something big and grand. Yet Jesus said, “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42). Even in the smallest act we do, we are already laying up treasures in heaven. For God sees what men often overlook. And what is done for Him, no matter how small, is never wasted but stored up in His Kingdom.

    You are here on earth not to accumulate wealth, but to do the work God has given you. And after that assignment is finished, you return home to your Father in heaven, where your true home is and where your treasures are stored. As it is written, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (I John‬ ‭2:15-17‬) ‭

    So you must know your priority. Put God first. As it is written, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew‬ ‭6:33)‬ ‭

  • Matthew‬ ‭6:19

    ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;” – Matthew‬ ‭6:19

    The sermon of the LORD Jesus on the mount, when we look at it carefully. He exposes all the issues that are dwelling within our hearts. It is very opposite to the ways and teachings of the Pharisees of His time and even to the ways of the world today.

    The LORD Jesus speaks of the blessings of those who are poor in spirit, are pure in heart, and are meek. He teaches that murder and adultery begin in the heart. He also teaches that giving to others should be done in secret, not to be seen by men. Praying to God should be done in secret, not for display. Fasting should not be outward and for attention but inward before God.

    Then the LORD Jesus turns to the matter of money. He says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” Laying up treasures or building wealth is not careless work. It requires focus and careful planning. It requires vision and wisdom to carry out that vision. It demands strategy, patience, strength, and determination. A person must devote much of their time and talent in order to gather and build wealth.

    Wealthy people often appear to live easy and comfortable lives now. As it is written, “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.” (Proverbs‬ ‭18:11‬) What we see today is the fruit of their labor. But in the beginning of their journey for many years, they walked through a difficult and uncomfortable path. They labored with focus, gave up comfort, and endured much in order to build what they now have. Even after the business is established, they do not cease from their efforts. They set their minds to expand it and to increase it further. Their time and their talent remain centered on it. Because of this, they guard what they have built. They protect their treasures by securing them and insuring them. That’s why wealthy people are obsessed with all kinds of insurance, for they fear losing what they have been pouring out their time and talent for.

    This kind of life is not only for the wealthy but for us also. How many of us are consumed with work just to pay for our house, our cars, and our many bills? Even we give our time and strength to maintain what we have built. And like them, we also seek to protect it. We insure what we have, and we try to secure our lives against loss. Because the more a person treasures something that can be lost, the more their heart will be troubled by the thought of losing it. And without knowing it, our hearts become tied to these things.

    When something costs us years of our life and strength, it becomes very precious to us, and it begins to bind us. That is why it is so hard to let go of the things we have gathered. We become servants of what we have created and stored up. We become servants of things where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

    In the time of the LORD Jesus, wealth was measured differently than it is today. Abraham and Job were considered very wealthy because they had many flocks and herds (Genesis 13:2; Job 1:3). People stored garments or produce that could be eaten by moths, and the currency they used, such as silver and gold, could also corrode. They can also be stolen. Even the places we trust to protect it are not without risk.

    How many of us trust in banks, yet those same banks use the money we entrusted to them to lend to others. Sadly, throughout history, there have been times when banks have failed, and people have not been able to recover what they had stored.

    The message of the LORD Jesus for us is very simple. Do not spend our lives building something that is subject to decay, loss and that binds us. I want to remind you of God’s purpose for mankind when He decided to create us. As it is written, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion… (Genesis 1:26). We were created to have dominion over possessions, not for possessions to have dominion over us. For when possessions rule over us, we have lost the very purpose for which we were created.

    Let us build something that abides forever. For all these things of the world are temporary and passing away. As it is written,

    “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (I John‬ ‭2:15-17)‬ ‭

    And it’s appointed to be burned. As it is written,

    “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10)

    Neither can these things help us in the day of judgment. For it is written,

    “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.” – Proverbs‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭

    “Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.” – Zephaniah‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭

    The LORD Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) So the call of the LORD Jesus fos us is not to chase after possessions but to seek God first. For when God is first, everything else finds its proper place.

    So why should we spend our lives on what will not remain and trust in what cannot save?

  • Mark‬ ‭5:26

    “And had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.” Mark‬ ‭5:26‬ ‭

    To fully understand this passage, I encourage you to first read Matthew 9:20,21–22. I have taken time to explain each verse because it is important that when we read and study the Scriptures, we go word by word so that we may truly internalize the Word of God.

    We know that this woman had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years. Just imagining it makes me feel exhausted already. For more than a decade she endured this condition without relief. If you understand how distressing a few days of menstruation can be, you can only imagine how unbearable this period was for her. Day after day, she lived with the continual flow of blood. She did not have the conveniences we have today. She had to wash her garments again and again, carrying both the physical burden and the constant reminder of her condition. Also, according to the law, she was considered unclean. Because of this, she was separated from her family and her community. Anything she touched became unclean, and anyone who came near her would also be made unclean. So she lived in isolation. She was avoided, cut off, and likely rejected by many. 

    Her condition made her desperate to find healing. As the scriptures say, had suffered many things from many physicians. This passage reminds us of how desperation can lead a person to places that do not bring healing. Desperation can make us vulnerable to those who take advantage of us, causing more harm than good. In her desperation, she endured many painful and perhaps unusual treatments, yet none could restore her.

    Desperation can lead us into even more terrifying situations, as many of us have seen in our own lives. When desperation leads us, we often end up suffering instead of finding relief. In that vulnerable condition, we lose clarity and become driven by our circumstances, which leads to us suffering even more. As it is written, “the heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9), and “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). In this state, we are blinded by our circumstances, so it is easy for us to reach for anything that promises help yet only brings more harm. But desperation can become beneficial when it leads us to God. For the LORD God does not take advantage of our weakness or our condition. As it is written, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psalms‬ ‭34:18‬). ‭The moment we place our desperation into the hands of God, it is no longer a place of danger but a place where restoration begins. As it is written, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalms‬ ‭51:17)‬. The reality is that many will choose to run to worldly sources but hesitate to come to the LORD Jesus. Yet He invites us, saying, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

    So here we see how the Scripture gives us a deeper picture of her desperation that reflects many of our own lives: “She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.” How many of us have followed the same path?

    How many have given everything, yet instead of getting better, only became worse?

    How many have poured out their love on someone, only to receive pain and heartbreak in return? (Micah 7:5–7)

    How many have spent their lives building wealth, pouring out their strength and years, only to reach the end and realize that all must be left behind, and they must face death alone? As it is written, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

    How many of us have traded our God-given identity for the identity of this world, believing it would make us better, yet finding ourselves becoming worse? As it is written, “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:24). ‭

    How many have spent their lives pursuing pleasures, only to find themselves
    only to end up worn down in their bodies and sell their souls to the devil. For it is written, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

    I could go on and on with these things. But God speaks of our true condition, saying, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13). We are all broken cisterns, and nothing in this world can restore, repair, or fill what is broken within us. Nothing in this world can satisfy the longing within us. For the soul was made for God. As it is written, “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel‬ ‭18:4)‬ ‭and apart from Him, it will always thirst. As it is written, “My soul thirsts for You” (Psalm 63:1). And also Jesus said, “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John‬ ‭4:14)‬ ‭

    Have you ever considered that when this woman encountered Jesus, He did not accuse her of making others unclean? Instead, He received her. The deeper truth of our condition is that it was not she who made the crowd unclean; the whole crowd was already unclean. For all were under sin (Romans 5:12). And in the midst of them all, only One was clean. As it is written, Jesus is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). He alone is without sin. He alone is pure. He alone can make us all clean. As it is written, “… By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. … And He bore the sin of many, …” (Isaiah‬ ‭53:11-12)‬ ‭ and “… the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Jesus restored what this woman had lost: her identity, her health, and her freedom. Only Jesus could restore her and heal her brokenness, and this is the same for all of us.

    The wisest decision this woman made was to believe in Jesus and come into His presence. She turned to the One who could restore her and heal her brokenness. For it is written, “when she heard about Jesus, she came…” (Mark 5:27). And this is the same call for you. Do not let your desperation lead you to things that only make your condition worse. Instead, come to Jesus. For He says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬). Jesus came so that you might have life, and not just life, but life in abundance.

    This woman did not receive her healing the moment she first came into the presence of Jesus. Her healing had already begun when she first heard about Him and chose to step out of her darkness, believing that only Jesus could bring her out of her situation. The action of her faith was seen when she pressed through the crowd to come to Him. In this, we see why Jesus calls us to believe and then to follow, as these two actions are interconnected. How can we show or demonstrate our faith? By our actions. For faith is not only something we say but also something we live. As it is written, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (II Corinthians‬ ‭5:7‬) ‭Did you notice the word “walk”? “Walk” is an action word, not a passive one. It speaks of movement, progress, and stepping forward. Faith is not something that remains still. It moves. It acts. It follows. That is why it is also written, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17).

    When a person chooses to step out of the darkness or bondage they were in, that step is evidence of their faith. Faith is shown by action (James 2:17-18). And it is in that step that healing, restoration, transformation, and deliverance begin. As Jesus said, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22). So we understand that the moment any person chooses to step out of darkness and draw near to God, As it is written, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. …” (James‬ ‭4:8)‬. When you are in the presence of God, that is where healing, restoration, transformation, and deliverance begin. For in His presence is the fullness of life (Psalm 16:11).

  • Matthew‬ ‭9:22‬

    “But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.” – Matthew‬ ‭9:22‬ ‭

    To understand this passage, read Matthew 9:20–21 first. In the previous scriptures, I shared why this woman approached Jesus from behind and when her healing truly began. Did it begin when she physically met Jesus, or did it begin when she first heard about Him?

    Have you heard people often claim the Bible is against or suppresses women? This woman’s story shuts down that claim. There is no man in history who honored, protected, and restored women the way the LORD Jesus did.

    The world often tells women that we are an afterthought of God because we were created second, after Adam, and for Adam. But when we read the scriptures carefully, we see something profound and deeper. After God created Adam, He did not say creation was complete and very good. It was only after the woman was created that God looked at everything He had made and said it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Creation was not perfectly completed without the woman. The creation of man and woman made God creation complete and very good.

    Now watch how we will see what God thinks about us compared to what we think about ourselves by how Jesus moves for this woman with the issue of blood. Because of her condition and the society she lived in, she believed she did not have the right to approach Jesus from the front. For some reason she kept her distance. According to the law, she was not supposed to touch anyone, because anyone she touched would become unclean. I discussed this more in the previous passage. So she came from behind. Yet the scripture says, “But Jesus turned around.” In just a few words reveals the depth of God’s love towards us, a love so overwhelming and poweful. He turned around not to address the crowd, but to search for her. Mark says,

    “And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” – Mark‬ ‭5:30‬

    and Luke tell us,

    “And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”” Luke‬ ‭8:45-46‬ ‭

    The accounts in Mark and Luke give us additional details about what was happening. They show how this woman, who felt unworthy to approach Jesus openly, was the very one who made Jesus pause and stop the great crowd. At that moment, Jesus was on His way to Jairus’ house because his daughter was dying. The situation was urgent. Yet, even in the middle of that urgency and with a crowd pressing all around Him, Jesus stopped and asked His disciples, “Who touched Me?”.

    Think deeper about this moment. Jesus is surrounded by a crowd pressing all around Him. That means everyone is touching Him, brushing against Him, and pushing through. Yet in the middle of all that contact, no one is truly touching Him. That is why Peter and the other disciples were surprised by His question. With the crowd pressing all around Him, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” (Luke 8:45). If we think about it, the question of Jesus did not making sense at all. Everyone was touching Jesus. But Jesus was not talking about the crowd brushing against Him.

    Pause and think about that for a moment.

    A touch happened that the crowd did not notice. It came from a woman hidden in the crowd, someone who felt unworthy, someone who quietly snuck in from behind and reached out to touch Him. Yet that very touch made Jesus turn around and search for that person.

    Why? Because that touch was different. He was talking about the one touch that reached Him in faith. And in that moment, Jesus felt that power had gone out from Him. Here God is showing us something profound about how His power moves. It is not activated by gender. It is not controlled by circumstances. It is not impressed by status or wealth. The world often moves according to those things, but God does not. As it is written, “For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). God’s power responds to faith.

    If you want to see the power of God move, then believe in Him. Faith is what moves God. What Jesus said to Martha before Lazarus was raised from the dead after four days. “Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’” (John 11:40).

    Side note: Jesus knew that this woman had touched Him. What is amazing about God is that, even though He is all knowing and not bound by time, space, or circumstances, He still encourages us to step forward. God often does this. He invites us to come out of hiding, to speak, and to encounter Him personally.

    Just reflect on this moment. The woman may have thought she had successfully snuck away after receiving her healing. She touched Jesus, and the bleeding stopped. Perhaps she hoped to disappear quietly into the crowd because she was not supposed to be there, and anyone she touched or who touched her would become unclean. Slipping away unnoticed may have seemed like the safest thing to do. But Jesus kept asking. He persistently searched for the one who touched Him. How many of us are like that?

    Most of the time, we want the power of God more than God himself. We are satisfied with receiving something from Him, but we do not necessarily seek God to know Him and be known by Him. We settle for less when God is offering us everything. Scripture says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

    Mark provides us more detail about this moment:

    “And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.” – Mark‬ ‭5:32-33‬ ‭

    This moment is like a child who has been caught doing something she was not supposed to do. When the child is discovered, they come forward fearing and trembling, expecting punishment or to be scolded. That is how this woman came to Jesus—fearful and trembling.

    But watch what Jesus said to her. Be of good cheer.” The Greek word used here is tharseō, which means ‘take good courage’ or ‘be comforted’ or be of good cheer.’ Jesus did not look at her with condemnation. He looked at her with grace and love, giving her comfort. Why? Despite the fact that the law said she was not supposed to touch anyone, because whoever she touched would become unclean—which I discussed in more detail in the previous passage

    Jesus responded differently to those who believe in Him. Instead of condemning her, He welcomed her. The Scripture says,

    “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

    Jesus did not come to condemn those who believe in Him. He came to save them and give them life.

    As it is written:

    “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (‭‭John‬ ‭3:17)‬ ‭

    Instead of rebuking her, He called her “Daughter.” Do you see how powerful that is? In all the Gospel accounts, this is the only time Jesus directly calls someone “Daughter.” Reflect on that for a moment.

    A woman who had been labeled unclean for twelve years…

    A woman who felt unworthy and sneak from behind…

    A woman who tried to remain hidden in the crowd…

    A woman who had been isolated for twelve years…

    A woman who suffered under many physicians and only grew worse (Mark 5:26)…

    A woman who lost everything she had trying to be healed…

    A woman with no title, no status, no wealth…

    Just a woman who represented everyone who feels forgotten and unseen…

    A woman who society expected to stay silent and suffer alone…

    A woman many believed had no right to approach God because of her condition or cirumtances…

    And yet, this was the very woman whose touch alone reached Jesus, even though everyone around Him was pressing against Him. Her faith activates the power of God. In the middle of a pressing crowd, Jesus paused for her and even caused a man of status, wealth, and importance to wait.

    Be the judge for yourself, knowing all of this about how Jesus responded to this woman. What Jesus said was, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do” (John 5:19). He also said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). And He declared, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58).

    Who first said “I AM”? It was God Himself speaking to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). So if Jesus reveals the Father…

    If we see Jesus, we are seeing the Father. Then what is this telling us?

    If God weren’t concerned about women at all, as many claim, Jesus would have ignored her. He could have kept walking. He could have focused only on Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter was dying.

    But He did not.

    He stopped the entire large crowd for her.

    He turned around and searched for her.

    And He called her “Daughter.”

    In that moment, Jesus declared a powerful statement—even though it was just one word. This woman represents all of us who have been lied to that God is not concerned about us, that we are meant to suffer alone, to stay silent, and to have no voice. But look at what Jesus called her “Daughter.” What does that mean?

    It means we belong!

    Remember the story of Mary and Martha. Martha expected Mary to stay busy serving, as if her role was only to work while the men sat and learned. But Mary knew she have the same rights as men does as she sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teaching. When Martha questioned it, Jesus defended Mary and said, “Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Because she is a daughter of God!

    In they’re culture, sitting at the feet of a rabbi meant being a disciple. Jesus allowed Mary to learn His word alongside the men. She was not excluded. She was welcomed. Because she is a daughter of God!

    Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet in the presence of God—her Father. That moment is a radical and profound affirmation not only for women but also to the discples how they should treated women. Just like the woman who touched Jesus was not an outsider, neither are we. Women are also part of the work of God’s kingdom. Scripture shows that we are fellow heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16–17) and fellow workers in the gospel (Philippians 4:3; Romans 16:3).

    We belong in the family of God and in the work of His kingdom. This is not a validation but an absolute truth!

    It means we also have the same access to our Father. Peter understood and witnessed this absolute truth. That is why he instructed the husbands to honor their wives, ““Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7). If a man mistreats his wife, even his prayers can be hindered. This shows how seriously God cares for His daughters, whom He has entrusted to her husband to love, protect, and lead with honor.

    The moment Jesus declared her “Daughter,” He secured her identity. In that moment, He disarmed the work of satan and the lies spoken over her by people and society. By Jesus declaring her as His Daughter, He made it clear that she had the same access to the Father that any man has—the same access that every child has to a loving Father, regardless of gender or circumstances. That is why Jesus said to her next, “Your faith has made you well” Not the law. Not her works. Not her gender. Not her status. That made her well, It was her faith.

    Again, what made her catch Jesus’ attention? It was her faith!

    And again, what activated the power of God? It was her faith!

    After living in darkness, being lied to, isolated, condemned, oppressed, and taken advantage of by men, Jesus did not send her away empty handed or leave her to continue living in isolation and separation from others. Jesus set her free, not only before the crowd but also within herself. He sent her away restored, saying, “Go in peace.” Jesus set her free from the uncleanness that had separated her from God and from her community. He set her free from darkness and isolation. He restored the identity that had been stolen from her. He declared God’s truth over her life: she belongs to God, and she has access to the Father as His child. Her portion was no longer just the hem of His garment. Now she could stand her Father openly as His daughter who belongs to Him. Jesus transformed Her life!

    But she would not have attained any of this if she had not first believed in Jesus. Take note of that.

    That is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    He forgives us from all our uncleanness (1 John 1:7).

    He removes and disarmed all the power of darkness that once held us captive.

    He restores what the enemy has stolen (John 10:10).

    He gives us eternal life (John 3:16).

    He reconciles us to the Father and gives us bold access to Him (Ephesians 2:13–18).

    And He gives us the Holy Spirit, who testifies that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).

    Before we receive all the benefits of the gospel, we must first believe in the LORD Jesus Christ. As the Scripture says, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). And again, “If you confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9–10). It is by faith that we receive salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9)‬

    Amen!

  • Matthew‬ ‭9:21‬ ‭

    “For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”” – Matthew‬ ‭9:21‬ ‭

    To understand this passage, read Matthew 9:20 first. In that verse, we learned that the woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years approached Jesus from behind and not from the front and touched the hem of His garment. I also explained what the Levitical law says about someone with this condition because those laws help us understand why she acted the way she did. They provide us the background that explains her hesitation, her isolation, and the weight she carried before she reached out to Jesus.

    If you are a woman or a man who feels unimportant, look closely at how the LORD Jesus moved in this woman’s life. Jesus stopped the crowd for her. Before this moment, He was on His way to Jairus’ house. Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue, a respected and important man. He was pleading with Jesus because his little daughter was dying (Mark 5:22–23). Everything about that moment says time is running out. Hurry. Do not delay.

    But Jesus stopped the crowd in the middle of urgency, in the middle of a crowd, and in the middle of an important request. For a woman who had been isolated for twelve years because she was considered unclean. A woman who lost everything. A woman who had no title. No position. No influence. A woman who came from behind and tried to remain unnoticed.

    Here we also see that God was not bound by time or circumstances. He was not pressured by status. He was not moved by titles or position. He was moved by faith.

    How did this woman make Jesus stop the crowd for her? That is what we are about to learn in this passage. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” Now before we go deeper into that moment, let us look at the Gospel of Mark, because it gives us more detail about her situation.

    Mark tells us that,

    “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” – Mark‬ ‭5:25-28‬ ‭

    Mark gives us important details about what she went through. She sought help everywhere she could. She tried different doctors. She spent all her money. She endured treatment after treatment. Some historical writings suggest that certain ancient remedies for this kind of condition were harsh, strange, and even humiliating, often leading to further suffering rather than relief for the patients who underwent them. Whether every detail is certain or not, one thing Scripture makes clear is this: she suffered under their care. Instead of getting better, she grew worse.

    I want you to contemplate this: her uncleanness, which separated her from God and from the people she loved is a clear picture of how sin works in our lives. Sin separates us from God. Scripture says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2). Also, sin does not only create distance. It brings death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). We were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Just as her condition kept her from full fellowship, sin keeps us from fellowship with God.

    God is the very source of life. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). He also said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). He is our life (John 14:6). When we are disconnected from Him, we grow weary, dry and become spiritually lifeless (John 3:3). That is how serious sin is. God hates sin not because He hates us, but because sin separates us from Him and destroys us. That is why Jesus came to deal with sin. As it is written, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

    The moment this woman heard about Jesus, light began to shine into her dark world. Hope began to rise in her despair. Her healing did not begin when the bleeding stopped. It began when she stepped out of her isolation and followed the crowd that followed Jesus. She risked being noticed. She risked crossing the distance the law required (Leviticus 15:27). Some may say she violated the law. Some may say she made everyone unclean by pressing through the crowd. But let me tell you the truth. We are all unclean!

    Sin entered through Adam, and death spread to all men (Romans 5:12). Before the Law was even given, sin was already in the world (Romans 5:13). The Law did not create sin. It revealed it. The Law could declare her unclean, but it could not justify her or make her clean. “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20). The Law exposes our sin. It shows us our condition. It condemns our sinful nature. But here is its limitation. The law cannot cleanse! As it is written, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3). The Law can diagnose, but it cannot heal.

    That is why she needed more than the law. She needed Jesus!

    Believing in Jesus is what saves her. But here is what I really want you to see in this passage. “When she said within herself…” Before anyone else heard it, she first declared it to herself. Before the miracle was visible, it was already alive inside her. Before it was broadcast in the open, it was born in the hidden place.
    The light did not begin to shine when she physically saw Jesus. It began when she heard about Him in the darkness of her isolation. When she began to speak within, something shifted. Her confession of faith started in the secret place of her heart before her miracle appeared on the outside. That is how God works. He begins inside. What is formed in the heart is later manifested in life.

    From her life, we learned that the miracle of God did not begin from the outside. It began within when she believed in Jesus. Before her body was healed, faith was awakened in her heart. So let me ask you, how do you speak to yourself? Do you speak life over yourself, or do you speak death? Scripture says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). What you say within will reflect your life.

    Rahab saved herself and her family because she believed what she heard about the God of Israel, even while she was hidden in the massive walls of Jericho (Joshua 2:9–13; Hebrews 11:31). Ruth was restored despite her misfortune because she chose to believe in the God of Naomi (Ruth 1:16). The woman at the well, despite her past and broken relationships, began to be transformed when she met Jesus (John 4:28–29). What do all these women have in common? They all believed!

    Now the question turns to us. How convinced are you, like this woman when she said, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well. How convinced are you that God can move your mountains?

    Paul writes about the faith of Abraham and how his faith was counted to him as righteousness. He says,

    “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”” Romans‬ ‭4:16-22‬ ‭

    Many people question whether Jesus was defiled when the leper touched Him or when this woman touched Him. According to the Law, touching the unclean would normally make someone unclean (Leviticus 15:27 & 13:46). But they miss that we are all unclean no matter what. Abraham was counted righteous because he believed, not because of works or the Law. His righteousness came through faith. The faith of the lepers and this woman reached Him before their bodies were healed. Jesus Himself said, “Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24). Just as Abraham was counted righteous by believing, those who believe in Jesus are also counted righteous but those who refuse to believe they’re sins remain in them.

    Here you see the power of faith. Faith made us righteous and move mountains. Isnt Jesus said, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). You do not call on Jesus while doubting Him. When you come to Him, you must come believing. Scripture says,

    “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark‬ ‭11:22-24‬)

    And again,

    “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

    Faith does not come empty. Faith comes expecting. Faith is believing that God is able. The woman expected healing when she touched Him. And she received more than healing. She received restoration and identity.

    Also, just this short and simple passage, We learned that repentance and healing do not begin in a church building. They do not begin in performance, rituals, or trying to look spiritual. They begin within!

    As it is written,

    “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬).

    Her life did not begin to change when she stood in front of Jesus. Jairus stood before Jesus publicly and still struggling to believe that He is able to heal his daughter. The crowd pressed around Him. Yet not everyone in that crowd was transformed because there is a difference between brushing against Jesus and believing in Him. The LORD Jesus power was not activated by distance. It was activated by belief!

    That is how salvation works. We recognize we are sinners (Romans 3:23). We recognize sin has separated us (Isaiah 59:2). And sin does not only separate us from God; it brings death (Romans 6:23). We come to the realization that we are hopeless in our condition. We cannot fix ourselves. We cannot cleanse ourselves. We are in need of a Savior. That is why Jesus came. He came to rescue us from this predicament. He bled and died on the cross to pay for our sins. And He rose again so that we might walk in newness of life.

    And what does He ask of us? To believe! (John 3:16)

  • Matthew‬ ‭9:20

    “And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. – Matthew‬ ‭9:20‭

    Every time I study the women in the Bible, it brings me to tears. So many of them represent the oppression and injustice that some of us still experience today.

    We will begin to see how oppression and injustice can shape how a person sees themselves. The scriptures say, “And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind.” Notice that she came from behind; plus, she suffered from her illness for twelve years. Before we look at that moment, we must understand what the Law said about someone with this condition.

    “‘If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.” Leviticus‬ ‭15:25-27‬

    Here we begin to see a fuller picture of her situation. According to the law, she was unclean. Her condition isolated her. Everything she touched became unclean. Anyone who touched her became unclean. That alone would create distance between her and the community.

    At first glance, someone might say this seems unfair. But if we believe in what we think is right, then we miss what God was revealing. The Levitical laws show us that God’s standards are holy and high. They also show us that in our own strength we cannot meet those standards. The law exposes uncleanness. It reveals how serious impurity is before a holy God. This is also a picture of sin. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). Just as her condition separated her from people, sin separates humanity from fellowship with the LORD God. Uncleanness in the law reminds us how damaging sin is and how it isolates.

    Because of her condition, she lived separately from everyone around her. Isolation makes a person vulnerable to lies. For twelve years she was known as unclean. For twelve years she likely could not freely participate in worship or public gatherings while in that state. She was shunned for twelve years because anyone who touched her would likewise be considered unclean (Leviticus 15:27). But notice something important. God did not command women with this condition to live outside the camp the way lepers were commanded (Leviticus 13:46). Lepers were sent outside. Women with a discharge were marked unclean, but they were not expelled from the camp. That distinction matters.

    But here is the question I want you to meditate on. Why did she come from behind while the leper approached Jesus from the front (Matthew 8:2), even though both were considered unclean?

    The woman with the issue of blood did not approach Jesus from the front like the leper did (Matthew 8:2). She did not cry out as loudly as the blind men did (Matthew 9:27). She came quietly from behind.

    For twelve years of being isolated and called unclean, her condition and circumstances shaped how she saw herself, leading to feelings of worthlessness and despair that affected her interactions with others. Twelve years is a long time to live under a label. It’s a period of twelve years during which she must exercise caution and refrain from interacting with others. That kind of life forms an inward belief about who she thinks she is. This also helps us see something about the social realities between men and women in many circumstances. Women have often faced injustice and oppression in ways that shape their confidence and their voice, leading to a struggle for equality and recognition in various aspects of society.

    Why did she come from behind? There are many possibilities we can consider. Her condition, her social status, and her circumstances could have made her feel unworthy to stand face-to-face with Jesus. She knew that according to the law, whoever she touched would become unclean. She was aware of the risk. She knew that by touching Jesus, she was crossing a boundary. But she also knew that only He could save her from her conditions. It was her moment. Do or die. She must have heard that Jesus did not reject sinners. He allowed a sinful woman to wash His feet (Luke 7:37–39). He spoke publicly with a Samaritan woman (John 4:7–9). He welcomed children (Mark 10:14). He touched a leper and made him clean (Matthew 8:3). Everywhere He went, “great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all” (Matthew 12:15). These stories must have stirred hope in her heart. If He did not turn away from sinners, if He touched the unclean, and if He healed all kinds of diseases, maybe He would not turn away from her.

    So even though she felt unworthy to approach Jesus openly, she took courage within herself and said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”” (Mark‬ ‭5:28‬) ‭

    But here is something intriguing. Why did she choose the hem?

    Let us see what the Scriptures say about the hem.

    “Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”” – Numbers‬ ‭15:37-41‬ ‭

    The fringe or tassel was a reminder for Israel of obedience to God’s commandments. God instructed it so that when they looked at it, they would remember His commandments and not follow the desires of their own hearts. It was meant to guard them from wandering. Before they commit harlotry, they have to remove their garments. And when removing their garments, that visible tassel would also be removed. That tassel was a reminder of the covenant they agreed upon with God. It pointed them back to holiness, purity, agreement with God, and belonging. It reminded them, “You are set apart.” You are not like the other nations! It was a visible sign of covenant identity. It marked Israel as God’s chosen people.

    That hem carried symbolism. It represented righteousness. It represented cleanliness. It represented obedience. It represented identity as God’s set-apart people. But was that all she struggled to attain?

    So when she reached for the hem of Jesus, she was reaching toward what she had not been able to attain. She was reaching for cleanliness that would allow her to confidently approach God again. She believed that if she could just touch Him, even the hem that symbolized obedience and covenant identity, she could receive healing for what had been denied her.

    So when she touched Jesus’ hem, she was not just touching fabric. She was reaching for righteousness she could not produce.

    She was reaching for the restoration of the identity she had been stripped of.

    What she could not achieve through the law, she received through faith in Jesus Christ.

    So when you feel hesitant to approach or call upon God, do not be! Do not let lies of satan and shame strip away what Jesus is offering you. When He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), it meant the work was done. You do not have to earn it. You only need to believe what He did for you on the cross. The sins that separated and isolated you from God were taken away the moment you believed and received Jesus into your life (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13–14). Through His blood, you are brought near, and you can approach God confidently to obtain mercy (Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 4:16). Jesus restores our identity to God. He makes us children of God (John 1:12). He removes shame and gives us belonging (Romans 8:15–16).

    So come to Jesus today! There is no other name given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

    In Jesus, you are forgiven, restored, and welcomed.

  • John‬ ‭6:63

    “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

    It is astonishing and troubling to think that in our generation is no different from the time when the LORD Jesus was teaching and even after He rose from the dead that many people were not fully aware of the Holy Spirit. The LORD Jesus spoke of Him and said, “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him…” (John‬ ‭14:17). ‭The people of Israel were entrusted with the scriptures, yet they were not aware of the Holy Spirit and His power when He was given to people. And later, when Paul came to Ephesus, he found disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered that they had not even heard that the Holy Spirit had been given. (Acts 19:2). These were believers, yet they were unaware of the gift that had been poured out to all of us who receive Jesus Christ and believe on Him.

    And even today, many Christians have not received and experienced the Holy Spirit. They do not understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit, nor the indwelling of the Spirit within them. Some have indeed received Him, yet they do not have a intimate fellowship with Him, nor do they live unaware of the greatness of the One who dwells in them. As it is written, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (I John‬ ‭4:4)‬ ‭

    This is a sobering thing to consider. For they are not aware of the power given from above, the very power by which a man enters the kingdom of God. For it is only through the Holy Spirit that we are born from above. This is the great requirement for all of us who desire to enter the Kingdom of God. A man must be born of the Spirit (John 3:5). Without Him, there is no entrance into the Kingdom of God. And because they do not know the Holy Spirit and His power, many Christians live a defeated life. They strive with their own strength. They struggle in the flesh. They try to overcome it by willpower, not knowing that help has already been given freely.

    As the LORD Jesus said, It is the Spirit who gives life. So why walk as though you are dead when life has been promised? If a man has not been born from above, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. If he has not received the Holy Spirit, he cannot walk in the newness of life. Consider this: From the very beginning, When the earth was without form and filled with darkness, the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). As the Holy Spirit hovered over darkness, the creation of God began, and the first creation it brought was light. The Spirit moved over what was empty and void, and creation began. In the same way, He can move over the dark and empty places of your heart. Where there is confusion, He brings order. Where there is darkness, He brings light. The Scripture also says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans‬ ‭8:11‬). The very Spirit who raised Christ from the grave has also raised you. The Spirit that is dwelling in the LORD Jesus and the Spirit given to us are not different Spirit. This is the same Spirit of resurrection power.

    And consider the vision granted to the prophet Ezekiel. The valley was full of dry bones, lifeless and scattered. But when the breath of God came, the bones lived. “Come from the four winds, O breath (Holy Spirit), and breathe on these slain, that they may live” (Ezekiel 37:9). And when the breath (Holy Spirit) entered them, “they lived and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Here you see these were dry bones, long without life, without strength, and without hope. Yet when the Holy Spirit came, what was dry was filled. What had no life was quickened. They did not merely live again. They became more than a breathing bodies. They become not a weak army but an exceedingly great army. They stood upon their feet. Strength came into what was once dry. Order came into what was once broken. Purpose came into what was once lifeless.

    So it is when the Holy Spirit moves upon us. He gives us not just life; He gives us abundant life. As our LORD has said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). What was empty within us, He fills. What was weakness, He strengthens. What was fear, he replaced with courage. For “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). What was scattered, like sheep without direction, He gathers. What was lost, He restores. As the LORD Jesus has said,
    However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth… (John 16:13). And “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). He does not merely cause us to survive day by day. He reminds us of all the promises of God over our lives. He equips us. He raises us up. He causes us to stand.

    And greatest of all, the Holy Spirit is the seal of our redemption. (Ephesians 1:13). A seal marks ownership. A seal secures what belongs to the King. So the Spirit Himself is the guarantee that we belong to God. As it is written, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). He also bears witness within us that we are His. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). When He dwells within us, we are no longer strangers or orphans. We become sons and daughters of the living and mighty God. And not only this, but He helps us in our weakness. As it is written, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26, NKJV). When we do not know how to pray, He intercedes. When we are burdened beyond words, He speaks before the Father on our behalf.

    What more do we need, when the very presence of God who creates the heavens and Earth dwells within us? What greater treasure could there be than this?

    My brother and sister, The moment you believed and received the LORD Jesus Christ over your life, He did not leave you an orphan. He gave you His Spirit freely. Not sparingly. Not reluctantly. But generously, that life might come into what was once your dead life. For it is written, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). The Spirit of God was given to breathe life into your mortal body so that you would no longer be weak and trembling before evil spirits but be endued with power from on high.

    When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you receive not only life but also abundant life. You receive power to overcome the hold of sin and the rule of the flesh. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14). You are under grace because of what Jesus did for you on Calvary, and the power of the Holy Spirit dwells within you! You are not defeated! Perhaps you were unaware. Perhaps you were ignorant of the gift within you. But ignorance does not mean absence. The Holy Spirit has been given.

    As the Scripture declares,

    “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” ‭‭(Titus‬ ‭3:4-6)‬ ‭

    Do you see it? He poured Him out abundantly. Not a drop. Not a measure. But abundantly. Therefore, walk with Him. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Do not live as though you are powerless. Do not bow as though you are alone. The Spirit of the living God dwells in you. Stand! Not as a weak and trembling Christian, but as one made alive, renewed, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit of God.

    Then the LORD Jesus continues and says, “the flesh profits nothing.” I think this will be easier for all of us to comprehend or grasp when we reflect on what our flesh can do for us. The flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. The Scripture plainly says, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:50). Our greatest goal is to be with our God in His kingdom; therefore, we realize that our flesh, by itself, profits nothing toward that end.

    Our confidence in the flesh works only here on earth. Education, achievements, titles, and reputation may have value in this present world, but they do not open the gates of heaven. Paul himself, who was highly educated and zealous, said, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ… and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7–8).

    What about wealth? Men labor day and night to gather treasure. Yet heaven’s glory cannot be compared to earthly riches. The city of God has “the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21). The foundations of its wall are adorned with precious stones (Revelation 21:19–20). What we call most precious things on earth is common in heaven. How then can earthly wealth profit us there?

    What about our own righteousness? The Word declares, “All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). God’s standard is holy and perfect. What we call good, what we present before men as virtue, cannot stand before the holiness of God. His standard is not partial obedience. It is perfection. Even the first commandment says, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3) And our LORD Jesus revealed the fullness of that command when He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Who among us has loved God perfectly at all times? With all the heart, without distraction? With all the soul, without wandering? With all the mind, without doubt? If we are being honest right now before God, we know and aware that we have fallen short. Therefore, to justify ourselves is pride. And pride itself is a transgression, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Pride exalts self not God. This is why we cannot trust in our own righteousness. We need a righteousness that comes from above. As Paul said, that he might “be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:9). Our righteousness fails but God righteousness saves us!

    Lastly, consider our flesh. It is weak. It is prone to sickness and disease. It grows weary. It ages. It decays. And in the end, it returns to the dust, just as it is written, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).
    This body must be sustained daily with food and water just to survive. One day without water weakens it. A little sickness troubles it. Time itself works against it. How then can something so frail inherit eternal life? But thanks be to God, this is not the end of the matter. For there is a body prepared for eternity for all of us who believed and receive the LORD Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:53).

    Truly, our flesh profits nothing! It cannot save us. It cannot sustain us. It will return to dust not to God.

    When the LORD Jesus said, The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. He was declaring that the very words that proceed from His mouth carry life within them. Why His words are not empty words. As it is written, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. …And the Word became flesh…” (John‬ ‭1:1-2, 14)‬. Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. He is a walking bible who came down from Heaven. Because He is God, all of His words are Spirit who gives life. They bring life to what was once dead. They bring something that doesnt exist. As it is written, “ …God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;” (Romans‬ ‭4:17‬) ‭As Jesus says, Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live” (John 5:25).

    Before He said this, many of His disciples were offended and turned away from Him. For He had said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). Those who had followed Him stumbled at these words because they listened with earthly understanding rather than heavenly discernment. Yet Jesus was speaking of a spiritual reality.

    The reason we all struggle to hear and understand the Word of God and why we often take everything only in a literal sense, is because of our true condition apart from God. We were all dead spiritually because of our sins that we all inherited from Adam. In that state, our heart and mind cannot properly perceive the things of God. As it is written, ““But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14). So when Jesus spoke of eating His flesh. He was using something familiar in our daily life for us to be able to grasp of what He all wants us to understand. We all eat food every day. When food is placed before us, we do not simply stare at it. We take it. We eat it. It enters into us, and through it we are nourished, strengthened, and sustained. Without it, we grow weak. In the same way, the Word of God must be received. It must enter the heart. It must nourish our spirit. If we neglect it, we grow weak spiritually. But when we feed upon it daily, life begins to grow within us.

    And when He spoke of drinking His blood, even the word drink carried meaning in their culture. To drink together could symbolize agreement, covenant, and celebration. So when we drink of Him, we are agreeing with His covenant. We are believing His promises. We are celebrating what we have received through His sacrifice. Communion carries even deeper meaning, but I will not focus on that here.

    What I want to emphasize is what the LORD Jesus was truly declaring that His Word is Spirit, and it brings life within us! He calls us to value His Word, to set aside time to read it, meditate on it, and speak it. As we do, life begins to form within us.

    For how can we truly know God? We know Him through His Word. Through the Scriptures, His character is revealed. His will is revealed. His promises are revealed. We do not discover God by imagination, nor by human reasoning. Left to our own thoughts, we become ignorant of Him. And ignorance opens the door to deception and destruction. As it is written, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Without His Word, we are guided by feelings, opinions, and the wisdom of this world. But through His Word, we come to know Him as He truly is. His Word gives us discernment. It gives us discretion. It makes us wise. “The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). And again, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

    Because how can we truly know God? We know Him through His Word. Apart from His Word, we are left to our own imaginations. But through His Word, He reveals who He is, what His will, and what He has promised. This is why in evangelism we speak the Word of God. As it is written,

    “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans‬ ‭10:14-17‬

    As we understand, the Word of God is a seed. When we speak it to someone, we know that something is being planted. It may not be seen immediately. It may not appear to grow at once. But a seed has entered the soil. Jesus Himself said, “The sower sows the word” (Mark 4:14). And again, “The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). This is the main reason for creating this blog: to plant the seed of the Word of God, to inspire, to build, and to call hearts back to Jesus.

    Through the Word of God “seed”, life can begin in someone who was once spiritually dead. Just as a natural seed carries life within itself, so the Word carries life within it. 

    So speak Jesus. Speak His Word. Let His Word be planted in hearts. Let His Word bring light into darkness and life into dead places.

    For His words are Spirit, and they are life!

  • Ephesians‬ ‭4:14‬

    “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,” – Ephesians‬ ‭4:14‬

    We are living in very perilous times. When our LORD Jesus Christ died upon the cross and rose again in victory, satan’s defeat was certain, and his fate was decided. He stands condemned (John 12:31), awaiting the day when he will be cast into the lake of fire. Because he knows that his time is short, his wrath is great (Revelation 12:12). From the moment our LORD Jesus ascended into heaven until this very day, the enemy has been working fiercely, seeking to deceive and to draw as many souls as he can away from the truth that is in Christ to be with him in the lake of fire.

    This is one reason why there are so many Christian denominations today. Scripture tells us that satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and through deception he seeks to mislead many. We should not be ignorant of his devices. To be clear, I am not saying that every denomination teaches false doctrine. Not all divisions are the result of heresy. However, the reality of divisions, disagreements, and false teachings was already prophesied and spoken of in Scripture

    Before Paul went up to Jerusalem, where he would later be arrested and imprisoned, he called for the elders of the church in Ephesus and gave them a earnest warning, saying,

    “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (Acts‬ ‭20:29-31‬) ‭

    By reading Paul’s warning, we gain an understanding of what we are about to learn in this verse, where he becomes more specific about the very causes that would later contribute to the downfall of the Ephesian church.

    When Paul says that “we should no longer be children” , the Greek word he uses is nēpios, which means an infant, a little child, or someone who is childish, untaught, and unskilled. In every generation, even in our own time, when a grown adult behaves immaturely, we say, “You are no longer a little child.” This was a common way of speaking, and Paul uses this picture to speak to the Christians in Ephesus. He is calling believers to grow up spiritually. He is not speaking to unbelievers here but to the church. The epistles were written to those who already believe and receive Jesus Christ. These letters are given to correct us, to teach us, and to bring us into maturity. Growth requires correction. Paul is essentially saying, “You have been with Christ.” You have heard the truth. You have received teaching. Why then remain unskilled in the Word of God? Why remain spiritually illiterate when you have been given the Scriptures? The call of this passage is not condemnation but exhortation. It is a loving rebuke.

    Then Paul continues, saying, “tossed to and fro.” The Greek word used here is klydōnizomai, which means to be tossed by the waves. It paints the picture of a ship driven back and forth by the sea, unstable in direction and without firm control. It speaks of instability in character and purpose, being carried about from time to time by every blast of the ocean winds. This is the same imagery James uses when he writes, 

    “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James‬ ‭1:6-8‬ ‭

    This is very important for us to be watchful about. Both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle James were writing to warns the church. They themselves had encountered Christians who were easily swayed, unstable, and vulnerable to deception. Their warnings were not written without reason. They saw with their own eyes how easily believers could be influenced. And if we are honest, we must admit that we too can be swayed if we are not firmly grounded in God’s Word. The Ephesian church itself stands as an example. When we look at their history, we can better understand the weight of Paul’s warning and the seriousness of our instability. The Ephesian church was not lagging in outward activity. In fact, it was rich in works and labor. How do we know this? Because the LORD Jesus Himself testified concerning them. He said,

    ““I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.” Revelation‬ ‭2:2-3‬ ‭

    Yet the LORD Jesus rebuked the church because they had left their first love (Revelation 2:4). A Christian being active in church does not necessarily mean he/she deeply loves the LORD Jesus; he/she may serve faithfully, labor diligently, and remain busy in ministry, yet his/her heart can slowly drift away from true devotion to our LORD Jesus Christ. This teaches us something very serious. When our heart begins to cool and intimacy with the LORD Jesus fades, danger follows. That is often how false doctrine finds its way into the church. When the person behind the ministry is no longer firmly rooted in a genuine love for the LORD Jesus, the foundation begins to shift. Ministry can slowly become rooted in personal effort, ambition, tradition, or even pride. The focus moves away from the LORD Jesus Christ and subtly turns toward self.

    This is what happened to the Christians in Ephesus. They were once grounded and well taught under Apostle Paul and were established in sound doctrine. Yet when believers are no longer anchored deeply in the LORD Jesus Christ, instability begins to grow. That is why Paul commanded Timothy, whom he left to shepherd the church in Ephesus:

    As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith.” 1 Timothy ‭1:3-4‬ ‭

    It is a sobering thought when we consider the church in Ephesus. Paul labored there. Timothy shepherded there. They worked faithfully so that the gospel would take root and be grounded in that region. At one time, that area had a strong Christian witness. Yet today, the region of modern Turkey is mostly Muslim. This does not mean the purposes of God failed, but it does remind us how serious it is when we let ourselves drift from God to ourselves.

    They were warned about false doctrine. Paul clearly told them that wolves would come. But the deeper issue was not only what might enter from outside. It was what was happening inside their hearts. Jesus did not first rebuke them for heresy. He rebuked them because they had left their first love. The real danger begins within. When devotion cools, when zeal fades, and when love for our LORD Jesus Christ is no longer central, instability follows. If our hearts are truly burning for God, we will not be easily swayed, because the LORD Jesus Himself is our stability. As the psalmist cried, “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). And again, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). When He is our Rock and Shepherd, we are secure. But when believers remove their eyes from God and begin to focus on themselves, their strength weakens. They begin to be tossed to and fro. The problem is not always outward pressure. Often it is inward distraction.

    Paul himself gives us the right example that his stability was not in ministry success but in knowing Jesus. He said,

    Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” Philippians‬ ‭3:8, 10

    The apostle Paul’s success in ministry was not founded on his knowledge but on his great love for his Savior and his LORD Jesus Christ. Consider this carefully: the Ephesian church did not fall overnight. Their hearts drift first. Their love grows cold first. Their devotion weakens quietly before doctrine is affected openly. Did not our Lord Jesus say, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12)? And Paul warns by the Holy Spirit saying,

    “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,” I Timothy‬ ‭4:1-2‬ ‭

    This warning remains for us today. When the LORD Jesus Christ is no longer the center of our hearts, everything else begins to shift. Doctrine may still be discussed. Ministry may still continue. Activity may even increase. Outwardly, everything may appear strong. But once our love for the LORD Jesus Christ is no longer burning within us, we begin to be easily swayed.

    Now that we have addressed the issue within the heart, we can speak about the danger from outside. Paul says that we must not be “carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.” When Paul speaks of “every wind of doctrine,” he is warning about false teachings. A wind changes direction suddenly. It is unstable and shifting. In the same way, false doctrine moves people away from the steady truth of God’s Word. Paul warned the church in Galatia about this very thing, saying, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (Galatians 1:6). They were turning quickly, easily influenced. Anything that contradicts to the Word of God is false doctrine. When people worship the creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25) that is a sin, when God’s design for marriage is redefined though Scripture speaks of one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27) that is going against His Word. When human life is treated as disposable, even though God forms every child in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16),
    These are not minor differences in opinion. These are direct departures from biblical truth. When culture normalizes what God calls sin, and when the church softens what Scripture speaks clearly, we are no longer dealing with harmless ideas. We are dealing with false doctrines that pull hearts away from the absolute truth of God.

    Paul then says, “by the trickery of men.” We must understand this clearly: just as God uses people to proclaim His truth, satan also uses people to spread deception. Scripture says that satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). That means deception does not always look evil. It often appears good, reasonable, and even spiritual. Look at the garden. He deceived Eve by twisting God’s words (Genesis 3:1 to 5). He did not begin with open rebellion. He began with a question. He introduced doubt. He slightly altered what God had said. Subtle persuasion came before open disobedience. That is how deception works. It rarely announces itself boldly at first. It whispers. It questions. It reframes truth. Even today, we see how persuasion works in the world. Marketing, media, and public voices know how to influence emotions and shape thinking. Words are carefully chosen. Messages are crafted to appeal, to soften resistance, to make error seem reasonable. In the same way, false teachers use persuasive speech to sway your hearts.

    Paul continues, “in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.” The Greek word panourgia carries the idea of calculated cleverness, a methodical strategy designed to mislead. Deception is often organized and intentional. Sometimes when listening to debates between Christian truth and worldly ideology, what is being said can sound convincing. It may even seem logical at first. That is how deception works. It plays with words. It reframes definitions. It appeals to emotion. And if we are not grounded deeply in Scripture and anchored in the LORD Jesus Christ, we can begin to waver.

    This is why I love the encounter between Nicodemus and the LORD Jesus. Nicodemus was a teacher of Israel. He had been trained, instructed, and shaped by religious tradition. Yet he still came to Jesus personally. He wanted to know for himself whether what he had been taught would truly lead him into the kingdom of God. And Jesus told him plainly, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemus did not rely only on his knowledge. He came to the LORD Jesus Christ directly to verify the truth. In the same way, when Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, he did not argue endlessly. He simply said, “Come and see” (John 1:46). There is something powerful about coming to the LORD Jesus personally and seeking Him for yourself. This is what we all must do. We must abide in the presence of the LORD Jesus Christ. We must read our Bibles daily. Not occasionally. Not only when convenient. Daily!

    I will speak practically and honestly. I myself struggled with consistency, especially in my early days as a new convert. There were days I felt exhausted. There were days I did not feel like reading. But I pushed myself to read, even if it was just one chapter. I disciplined my flesh to build the habit. Because I learned something: when you stop for several days, it becomes harder to return. The flesh quickly grows comfortable with spiritual neglect. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). And remember how the LORD Jesus overcame the deception of satan through strong familiarity with God’s Word. When He was tempted in the wilderness. He responded every temptation with the Word of God. If we are not deeply familiar with Scripture, we will not recognize when it is being twisted. If we only know verses casually, we can be persuaded by half truth. But when we are rooted in the whole counsel of God, deception becomes easier to detect. The only way not to be carried about by every wind of doctrine is to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God.

    If you truly do not want to be swayed by false doctrine, then understand this:

    The most important thing in being a disciple of the LORD Jesus Christ is that you must be born again (born from above)-the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within you. There must be a real and tangible transformation of your life. As our LORD Jesus said,

    “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”” – John‬ ‭3:5-8‬

    When you receive the LORD Jesus, you become a new creation, you gain citizenship from the heaven and royal status. You do not joining a denomination or adopting a religious identity. This is not about culture, tradition, or affiliation. It is a divine work of the Spirit of God within our life. The Holy Spirit, who moved upon the face of the dark and formless earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:2), is the same Spirit who now gives life to a soul once dead in sin. The Spirit who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in believers, and He shall also give life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). He is the Spirit of truth, who guides us into all truth. So when you truly have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, and you walk with Him daily and live in submission to Him, you will not be easily swayed by the lies of Satan. For He is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13).

    The Holy Spirit does not lead us into confusion. He does not contradict the Word He inspired to wrote. He guides, corrects, convicts, and anchors us in what is absolute truth of the Word of God. When deception comes, He gives us discernment. When error sounds persuasive, He gives us understanding. The Spirit of God equips us to understand the things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:14).

    So the question you must ask yourself is this, Have I received the Holy Spirit when I believed? For Scripture says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). This is not about whether we grew up in church. It is not about what denomination our family belongs to. It is not about how long we have been Christian.

    The real question is this: Does the Spirit of God dwell in you?

    If you have never truly surrendered to Christ, do not harden your heart. Come to Him now. Confess Him openly. Believe from your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again (Romans 10:9).

    Call upon the Father sincerely: Our heavenly Father, I confess with my mouth that I believe in Jesus Christ, Your Son. I believe He died on the cross for my sins and rose again to give me newness life. Forgive me. Cleanse me and I ask that Your Holy Spirit dwell within me, give life to my mortal body, and seal me for the day of redemption. Let Your Spirit bear witness with my spirit that I am Your child.

    Brother and sister, do not be guided merely by denominational identity, traditions, or indocrinated teachings. These cannot save you and cannot anchor you. The true disciple of the LORD Jesus Christ is Spirit led, for “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Not self led. Not culture led. Not tradition led. But Spirit led!!!