Scriptures of the Day – Page 4

Mark 5:27

“When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.”– Mark 5:27

This passage tells us about a woman who had been suffering with a bleeding condition for twelve long years. She had gone from doctor to doctor, searching for relief, hoping that someone could finally heal her. But nothing worked. Every attempt left her worse than before, and eventually she lost everything she had trying to get better.

She heard that Jesus was passing by. Absolutely this woman heard the stories how Jesus healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, made the lame walk, fed thousands, and set people free from evil spirits. And right at that moment, Jesus was on His way to heal the daughter of a synagogue ruler. Hearing all this stirred something deep within her. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and as she’s aware to what Jesus could done, faith began to rise in her heart. She became fully convinced that if Jesus could do all those miracles for others, He could heal her too. So she said to herself, “If I can just touch His clothes, I know I’ll be made well.”

I am going to focus on this woman’s behavior. As the Scripture says, “When she heard about Jesus…” she didn’t come directly in front of Him to ask for healing. Instead, she approached from behind, quietly and carefully, hoping only to touch the hem of His garment. And today, many women carry that same kind of belief that they are somehow less seen, less valued, or less welcome in the presence of God. Some have even been taught false ideas that Jesus is “anti-woman,” or that God only cares about men.

Yet look at how Jesus addressed the situation and corrected this woman’s false beliefs. At that very moment, He was on His way to help a respected ruler—a man with position and authority. If God’s priority were only men, and if women were less important in His sight, then Jesus would never have stopped. He would not have paused everything, looked for her, and halted the entire crowd just to honor her faith and reveal His heart toward her.

But Jesus refused to let her stay hidden, afraid, or ashamed to come into His presence. She was God’s child. That’s why Jesus said to her, “Be of good cheer, daughter, your faith has made you well.” He wanted her to understand that she didn’t need to sneak into God’s presence. She was His daughter not a stranger, not someone pushed aside, and not someone unworthy of His attention.

She did not need to fear.

She did not need to hide.

She did not need to fight for a place in God’s heart because she already had one.

Jesus showed her that she was seen, valued, and worthy of His full attention. Notice that He called her “daughter.” In that one word, Jesus restored the identity the enemy had stolen from her.

To understand why she acted the way she did, why she hid? why she approached Jesus from behind? We have to go back to what the Levitical law says about women with prolonged bleeding,

“‘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 ‭

Through this law, we can understand why she acted the way she did. According to Leviticus, a woman who had a discharge of blood for many days was considered unclean, and anything she touched became unclean as well.
Anyone who touched her or anything that belonged to her was considered unclean . In her mind, if she touched Jesus, she thought He would become unclean as well. Because of that, we can understand why this woman came into Jesus’ presence with fear and trembling. She didn’t dare to approach Jesus boldly. She only reached for the hem of His garment, just enough to touch Him without being seen. She didn’t want Jesus to be defiled by her condition. She didn’t want to bring shame to Him or draw any attention to herself. For twelve long years she had lived with people avoiding her, stepping away, distancing themselves so they wouldn’t be made unclean.

Yet the moment she touched Jesus, everything changed. Scripture says, “Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up” (Mark 5:29). Instead of her uncleanness flowing into Jesus, power flowed out of Jesus into her (Mark 5:30). Her impurity did not touch Him, His purity touched her. Her sickness didn’t reach Him, His healing power overcame her sickness.

Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. He carried our sins in His own body on the tree. And by His stripes we are healed

Her condition made her live separated, avoided, and treated like an outcast—just our iniquities have separated us from our God (Isaiah 59:2) reminding us that like her, we were spiritually cut off from God’s presence. What a powerful picture of how sin affects our relationship with our heavenly Father. We all have sinned before God (Romans 3:23) and that the verdict of our sin is death (Romans 6:23). Before Jesus came, none of us had the power to save ourselves. The law judged us guilty and sin separated us from God. Her situation speaks for all of us—we were unclean, hopeless, and unable to heal or save ourselves.

This is also why so many women today struggle with identity and their worth. The enemy fills their minds with lies, deceiving them until they don’t even realize their true identity has been stolen. Many women seek healing, value, and affirmation from the world, but the world only leaves them worse just like this woman who “spent all she had and was no better, but rather grew worse” (Mark 5:26).

But this woman heard about Jesus and the Jesus she heard about is the same Jesus who will stop everything just to restore you and bring you back into your true identity. To Jesus, you are worthy! Even while the ruler’s daughter was dying, Jesus did not ignore her or treat her as less important. Jesus does not rush past people the way the world does. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is not bound by time. He is not limited by circumstances. Death has no power over Him. And if Jesus stopped for her, He will gladly stop for you as well.

So let me ask you, Have you heard about Jesus like she did?

Come to Jesus! not from behind, not hiding, and not feeling unworthy. Because Jesus died for you and for me, so we can approach God with confidence through His blood. Jesus defeated sin and death, the very things that separated us from God. Jesus reconciled us to the Father. Now we have full access to Jesus not only to the hem of His clothes, but to His entire being. You don’t need to sneak your way into His presence, because He already sent His presence to dwell with you through His Spirit. Jesus restored our position to the Father, and He loves you. Isn’t He the One who died for you so that you could be with Him in His Kingdom?

November 26, 2025
Romans 8:5

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. – Romans 8:5

If you get a chance to listen to soldiers who have walked through war, or to businessmen who have built great success, they’ll all tell you the same truth, “your mind sets the course of your life”. What you focus on is what you move toward. When your mind is fixed, your life begins to follow.

What our Lord Jesus did for us delivered us from the power of sin and death, yet the flesh remains our great struggle. For our flesh has been ruled by sin for thousands of years, and we see this even in a small child, how quickly they speak a lie without hesitation. Sin has become the nature of the flesh.

So when Paul declares, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,” he is warning us that when the mind is fixed on fleshly desires, it becomes carnal. And the Word of God declares that to be carnally minded is death, that the carnal mind is enmity against God, and that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. For the works of the flesh always turn toward earthly cravings.

For us to understand this, let me give you an example from the Word of God. We know that one of the most basic needs of every human being is food, and this is exactly why the very first thing satan used to deceive humanity was food. Eve was deceived because of food; she looked upon the fruit and saw that it was “good for food” and she took of it. The Israelites tempted God because of food, and it provoked His anger, so later the Lord sent manna from heaven to test their hearts. And when satan tempt Jesus in the wilderness, the very first temptation was the same: “Command that these stones become bread.” Even today we see the same pattern, and studies showed that many Christians show higher rates of overweight and obesity.

We know that food was the very thing satan used to bring death into the human race through Adam. And even today, eating without restraint brings sickness and disease which can lead to physical death. When our bodies are sick and weak, how can we serve God the way we should? This happens when our minds are set on fleshly things. Many people even say, “Food is my comfort,” yet forget that our true comfort is supposed to come from the Holy Spirit.

When satan tempted Jesus, the Lord answered him by saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). But many believers today fill their mouths with food more than they fill their hearts with God’s Word. Instead of feeding their spirit with Scripture and prayer, they focus on feeding their flesh.

Jesus said, “Eat My flesh,” we knew that Jesus is the Word of God that became flesh. He used this picture because He knows we all enjoy eating food. Just as we enjoy eating natural food we should also enjoy to “eat (internalize)” His Word. The same way food nourishes our physical body, the Word of God nourishes our soul. And just as food sustains our physical life, the Word of God sustains our spiritual life.

This is what Paul meant when he said that those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Our first step is to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is the One who gives us the power to live for God. He is the One who leads us, guides us, and teaches us. And one of the first things He leads us to do is to spend time in the Word of God because familiarity with His Word brings familiarity with His voice, His guidance, His correction, and His leading.

How do we get to know other people? By spending time with them and listening to their words. It is the same with God. Spending time in His Word is like sitting with the Holy Spirit and listening to Him speak. As we read the Scriptures, it is as though God is talking directly to us, drawing us closer to Him.

Through God’s Word we begin to understand His nature, His ways, His love toward us, and His will and plans for our lives. His Word teaches us how to serve Him in a way that is pleasing to Him, not pleasing ourselves, because we desire to serve God and not our own flesh. And the more familiar we become with His voice in Scripture, the more easily we can discern whether a thought is from God or from our flesh.

Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). We know that God’s Word is Spirit, and as the Spirit works in us, He produces life in us. The Word of God confronts the lies of the enemy and speaks the truth. It also exposes the works of our flesh so that we become aware of them and can turn away from them. The Word strengthens us by reminding us that our power and ability come from God, not from ourselves. It gives us hope because it reveals the great and precious promises God has made for us. It speaks of a beautiful future, not a fearful one. It brings peace and assurance in every situation. The Word of God sets our minds in the right direction so we can focus on finishing the assignment God has given us, rather than being distracted by the desires of the flesh. For the Spirit and the flesh are at war with one another. The Spirit desires to please God, but the flesh desires to please itself.

This is why many Christians continue to struggle with sin not only because satan is always tempting us, but because their minds are set on satisfying the flesh instead of walking with the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8 ). And we see this clearly around us. Many believers cannot fast, yet they easily satisfy their appetite by going through a fast-food drive-through. Instead of praying, they choose parties. Instead of attending Bible study, they choose social gatherings. They cannot get up early for church, but they have no problem waking up early when it comes to worldly things.

This is also why many Christians remain unfruitful in ministry. Their comfort, their personal interests, and their desires matter more to them than the work of God. This is why so many believers pour their time, talent, and energy into building houses, careers, cars, and wealth because their minds are set on fleshly (earthly) things instead of spiritual (eternal) things. Flesh is tied to the earth, but the Holy Spirit belongs to the Kingdom of God.

Consider the life of the Apostle Paul and the other disciples, and how they walked closely with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was the One who guided them, strengthened them, and kept their hearts focused on the work of the Lord Jesus. He helped them understand that living for this world was meaningless. Because of this, the disciples gave themselves fully to God’s work. They invested their time, their abilities, and their resources into building the Kingdom of God, knowing that this world will one day be judged and destroyed at God’s appointed time. The Spirit continually reminded them that they belonged to the Kingdom of God and not to the earth. This is why they lived with eternity in mind. Their desire was to advance God’s Kingdom, not to build comfort for themselves in this world. Each day, they made the decision to crucify their flesh and to walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Now we can see more clearly why the works of the flesh produce death and create enmity with God. Living for the flesh separates us from God because the flesh is carnal, it seeks only to please itself. And a life spent pleasing the flesh leads only to destruction. But a life that pleases God leads us into His Kingdom, into eternal life with Him forever. Jesus warned us about this very thing when He said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

So how do you know if you are living according to the flesh or according to the Spirit? Look at where your time, your talent, and your treasure go. Look at what you invest your life into. If everything you work for cannot be carried into Heaven, yet you devote your whole life to it, then you are serving yourself rather than God. But those who live by the Spirit and are led by the Holy Spirit, these are the sons of God.

November 25, 2025
Romans‬ ‭8:4

“that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans‬ ‭8:4‬ ‭

Before you read this verse, I recommend you first read my reflections on Romans 8:1, Romans 8:2, and Romans 8:3, so you can better understand what I’m about to share regarding what the Lord Jesus taught me about this passage.

I’ve always wondered why so many people believe they can enter God’s kingdom without meeting the requirements God Himself has established. Jesus already made this clear when He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father” (Matthew 7:21). In earthly kingdoms, people may find ways to cross borders illegally, but that is impossible in the kingdom of God. His kingdom cannot be entered by deceit, force, or human effort. God’s kingdom is ruled in righteousness, and His kingdom is everlasting. This is why “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10). And again, we’re told that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50). Our flesh cannot please God, because nothing good dwells in our flesh (Romans 7:18). The works of the flesh are carnal, corrupt, and filled with unrighteousness, and they always produce death within us. Flesh cannot live forever, and it cannot stand in God’s presence.

This is why we must stop and understand the weight of our LORD Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Why did Jesus have to die for all of us? Because apart from Him, we were already doomed. We were dead in sin, without hope, condemned and unable to enter God’s kingdom by any work of the flesh. Our flesh cannot save us, cannot produce righteousness, and cannot stand before God. Without our LORD Jesus Christ we have no entrance at all into His kingdom.

Jesus fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law—requirements every one of us has failed to keep since the fall of Adam. Scripture says, “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). God placed our sins upon the body of His Son. On the cross, Jesus took our sins and nailed them to the cross, removing the handwriting of requirements that was against us (Colossians 2:14). In His death, He destroyed the enmity that separated us from God so that we might be reconciled to Him (Ephesians 2:16). He became sin for us, “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21), and in His body God condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3), breaking its power forever.

Through His death Jesus conquered death itself, for “through death He destroyed him who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14). Now the sting of death has no power over us, because His resurrection is the proclamation of liberty for all who believe. Sin and death no longer hold dominion over us. Now we understand what Paul meant when he said, “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Romans 8:4). Through our Lord Jesus Christ we obtain righteousness not by our own works, but by the finished work of Jesus. It is His obedience, His sacrifice, and His righteousness that justify us before God (Romans 5:19). In Him, the righteousness that the law demanded is fulfilled, and by faith we stand complete in Christ.

Now we can move to what Paul says: “who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” We know from the words of Jesus that the flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives life (John 6:63). After the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples returned to fishing. That is exactly how the flesh operates, it returns us to what is familiar, to the old life, to old habits and ways of thinking. The flesh cannot produce transformation within us. It keeps us in uncleanness and leaves us without understanding of God or His will.

But when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, everything changed. Peter, who denied Jesus three times out of fear, stood up with boldness and preached Christ openly. Transformation began the moment the Spirit came upon them. The Holy Spirit broke the power of the flesh and released His power in them. He began to manifest His fruit in their lives, bringing love, joy, peace, and all the things that produce spiritual life against such life there is no transgression in law.

When we walk in the Spirit, we begin to understand God and His nature. We begin to have fellowship with Jesus, which makes us able to hear His voice, understand His Scriptures, and gain clarity about His will. He also gives us strength to accomplish the will of God over our lives. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment to know what pleases God and what grieves Him. He seals us as God’s own (Ephesians 1:13), He intercedes for us in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26), and He comforts us so that we may comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Through the Spirit of God that Enoch and Elijah were taken. Enoch “walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). How do you think God took him? The same way He took Elijah, who was caught up by the Spirit of God in a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:11). These men did not experience death because God brought them to Himself. And Paul tells us that a similar transformation awaits every believer. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52). How will we be changed? By the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). He will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies. A bodies that can inherit and endure forever in God’s eternal kingdom.

November 24, 2025
Romans‬ ‭8:3

“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

Before you read this verse, I recommend you first read my reflections on Romans 8:1 and Romans 8:2, so you can fully understand what I am about to share with you about what the Lord Jesus taught me.

We know that the law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). God gave the law to set boundaries for us—boundaries that we should not cross. The Lord has established laws and boundaries to keep all things in order. It is written, “When He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command” (Proverbs 8:29). God gave His command to the oceans that they should not cross onto the land. Now we can understand why God set those limits, for we have all witnessed how terrifying it is when the seas cross over the land and break those boundaries. The destruction that follows is great, bringing devastation not only to human life but sometimes wiping out entire communities, even whole nations.

Here we understand that the law was given for a purpose, and that purpose is good, for it helps us discern the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness (1 Timothy 1:7–9). The law sets a boundary for us, and when we cross that boundary, it leads to death. This is exactly what God told Adam when He commanded him not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That command was the law—God’s boundary that Adam was not to cross. But God also gave him another warning, if he crossed that boundary, he would surely die! Yet Adam disobeyed and crossed the boundary that God had set, and because of his disobedience, sin entered the world. The result of his action was that through him, all humanity became condemned and fell into a sinful nature.

Now we see that the law is good, just, and holy, and that it served its purpose to instruct us, teach us, warn us, and set boundaries for us. Yet it also has its limit, for it cannot stop our flesh from sinning. Instead of producing life in us, the law produces death within us. This helps us understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh.” The weakness of the law lies in our flesh, for it cannot stop the flesh from sinning. Instead, it becomes the strength of sin, standing as a witness that the flesh has failed and fallen into sin.

Now we know that we cannot be justified by the law because even the first commandment, which many overlook or take lightly, is the one we have all failed to keep. The law commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength (Mark 12:30). If we truly walked in this first commandment, we would not fall into the rest of the commandments. Adam failed to love God above all when he chose to listen to Eve and eat the fruit that God had forbidden. Even though he knew the consequence, that he would surely die and be separated from God, he still disobeyed. In this we see that the failure to love God fully is the root of sin, and no one can be justified through the law, for all have fallen short of it (Romans 3:23).

Apart from God, no one can produce good works. The works we do in our own strength are built upon our own standards, not upon God’s. If we truly desire to please God, we must walk according to His ways and submit to His standards, not our own. This is why Cain’s offering was rejected. The ground was cursed, and so was his work, because his heart relied on his own efforts instead of obeying God’s instruction. His sacrifice was done according to his own standard and not according to God’s standard, and therefore it was not accepted. But Abel’s offering was pleasing to God because it followed God’s standard. His offering represented atonement for sin. For the Scripture says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Yet we know that the blood of animals could never truly take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Now we are all under the curse of sin, and in this fallen state, we cannot please God by our own works, our own righteousness, or our own standards.

This is what Jesus meant when He said, “No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Paul also explained this to the Romans, saying, “As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10–12). We have all failed. We stand condemned, walking toward death and destruction. This is why Paul cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). We were all dead in our sins and helpless to save ourselves. But thanks be to God, for Paul continues, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25).

This is where we understand the meaning of the passage, 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). We all in need of a Savior, for the law cannot save us. The law only bears witness that we are sinners, guilty and deserving of death. But God, in His great mercy, sent His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the likeness of sinful flesh, the same flesh we possess that is under the curse yet He Himself was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the entire law in perfect obedience. He did not overlook nor take lightly the first and greatest commandment; He loved the Father with all His heart, with all His soul, with all His mind, and with all His strength (Mark 12:30). Out of that perfect love and obedience, He humbled Himself even unto death, dying in our place (Philippians 2:8).

Unlike Adam, who disobeyed and brought death to all mankind, Our Lord Jesus Christ obeyed and brought life. Through His obedience, He fulfilled the righteousness of the law, producing life where Adam’s disobedience produced death. On the cross, Jesus bore our sins in His body (1 Peter 2:24) and nailed the cause of our sin to the tree. Through His sacrifice, He restored what was lost and broke the curse that held us captive. By His death and resurrection, we are made free from sin, something the law could never accomplish (Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 10:10).

Not only did our Lord Jesus Christ deliver us from the bondage of sin, but He also reconciled us back to God. He broke down the wall of enmity that separated us from the Father, which was sin itself (Ephesians 2:14–16). Through His death, He destroyed death; through His life, He gives us life eternal. Therefore, we give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, for now we can boldly declare with the Apostle Paul,

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:31–34).

Rejoice, beloved of Christ! Praise the Lord! Magnify His holy name! Glorify the LORD and give thanks to our God, for He has set us free from the law of sin and death and has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We shall live with Him forever in His Kingdom, where there is no sorrow, no pain, and no death. Amen!

November 23, 2025
Romans 8:2

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:2

Law is very important in our lives because it sets boundaries for us to follow. These boundaries help keep order and protect us from harm. When we cross those boundaries, there are always consequences. In school, we learn about the difference between a law and a theory. A theory explains why or how something happens, but it hasn’t been completely proven as absolute truth. A law, on the other hand, is something that has been tested and proven to always be true. Consider the law of gravity, whatever goes up must come down. We can’t go against gravity because it’s a natural force that never stops working. It doesn’t turn off, and it affects people, water, rocks, and even the air.

Now we kind of have an idea of what law means. Once a law is established, we cannot go against it or escape it, just like the law of gravity. Paul used the word law in Greek, nomos, which means anything established, received by usage, a custom, a law, or a command. This is very similar to how we understand the word “law” today.

God gave us His laws not to harm or restrict us, but to set boundaries that guide and protect us. A law is not something that is forced upon us. Every law that exists is not fully enforced by force; rather, it is set in place to keep things in order. In the same way, gravity is not forced on anyone, yet it is always working. When we choose to cross those boundaries, there will always be consequences that follow.

I expounded on Romans 8:1, where Paul says that those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned. But this raises an important question, what about those who are not in Christ? Why are they condemned?

To understand this, we have to go back to the very beginning. In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam a clear command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That command was spoken, and every word that comes from God is a law, because He is the King, the Lord, and God Himself.

God gave Adam a clear command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That command was the law, a boundary that God set for Adam. Just like the laws of nature or the laws of physics, God’s law was established, not enforced. It was created to bring order, not to take away the human right to choose. Laws exist to keep things in order, but they don’t remove our right to choose. We still have the freedom to stay within the boundaries that the Ruler has set or to cross them. In the same way, God set His law, but Adam still had the freedom to remain within God’s boundary or to go beyond it.

Sadly, Adam chose to disobey. The moment he crossed that boundary, sin entered the world, and the result was death. We know that God lives eternally. He is not bound by time or space. Before the fall, Adam also shared in that eternal nature, living in perfect fellowship with God. But when he disobeyed, death awakened within him. He became limited by time and subject to physical death. If Jesus had not come and died for our sins, humanity would have remained completely separated from God, and we all would have faced the same end — eternal separation from God. This separation is what we refer to as eternal damnation. This is what Paul describes as “the law of sin and death.” It means that whenever God’s law is broken, sin takes place, and the result of sin is death. As Scripture declares, “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

Now, praise be to God in the highest, who sent our Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross and rise again, paying the price for our sins and destroying the power of sin and death. As it is written: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Through His sacrifice, Jesus broke the wall of enmity and reconciled us back to our Heavenly Father.

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

“And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

This is what Paul meant when he spoke of “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” Through Christ, we have received a new law that gives life, freedom, and fellowship with God. This is the fulfillment of God’s promise of a new covenant, not written on tablets of stone but written on the hearts of His people by the Holy Spirit.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:16–17

The law condemns us because we are guilty of our sin, that produces death within us. But the new law, the law of the Spirit gives us life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)

Now, why does the law of the Spirit give life? From the very beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the Bible says, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.” Then the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. Why did the Holy Spirit move first upon the earth? Because the Spirit always gives life. The moment the Spirit moved, creation began to take form, light came, order appeared, and life released into the earth that was once empty and dark.

When God created Adam, He formed him from the dust of the ground, but Adam did not live until God breathed into him. The Bible says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) That breath came from God Himself , His Spirit that brought Adam to life. So from the beginning, the Holy Spirit has always been the giver of life.

Then, after His resurrection, Jesus repeated this same act of creation. He breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22). God, manifested in the flesh through our Lord Jesus Christ, demonstrated this same act of creation that once gave Adam a living soul. But now, through Christ, He breathes into us a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45). The soul can be bound by sin, as we see throughout Scripture, but the Holy Spirit cannot be touched by sin, for there is no unrighteousness in Him. He is the very Spirit of God.

Before Jesus accomplished His task when He died on the cross, He introduced the Holy Spirit to the disciples, with whom they would have fellowship after His departure. He said, “I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth.” Then He said, the Helper, the one I will send to you, is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in Jesus name. (John 14:16–17, 26). Because sin is already washed away in us when we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit can now dwell in us. When we receive the Holy Spirit, He will teach us all things about God and help us understand spiritual things, for who can search the mind of God but His Spirit? (1 Corinthians 2:11). He will also bring to our remembrance all the words of the Lord Jesus. No wonder the disciples were able to recall every detail of the Lord’s life, from His birth to His death for it was absolutely the work of the Holy Spirit.

What the LORD Jesus did on the cross paid the full penalty for our sins, breaking the separation between us and God. Break us free from the power of satan over our lives, yet the nature of our flesh still lingers in us because all it knows is to commit sin, as it has done for thousands of years. Now, the Holy Spirit was sent to give us power to conquer the routine of our flesh. The nature of our flesh can no longer rule over us because the power of the Holy Spirit now gives life to our whole being. We are no longer slaves to sin, for Jesus has set us free. We now walk in the Spirit who gives life.

Just as He did in the beginning, when the earth was without form, void, and dark such a great description of our lives but when He hovers, light begins to shine in us. Regeneration and transformation begin. Life begins not only in our earthly bodies for He will change our corruptible bodies into incorruptible ones, into glorious bodies like the body of Christ at the appointed time. (Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:53).

Now, why do birds and planes seem to break free from the law of gravity? They don’t actually defeat gravity, it’s still working. The law is still there and active, but for those who are in Christ, there is no more condemnation, for Jesus has already received the judgment on our behalf. So, just as gravity no longer has power over a bird in flight, the law of sin and death no longer has power over us.

What birds and planes do is use another law that works alongside gravity just as the law of the Spirit gives life to us. Birds and airplanes use their wings to push air downward, creating an upward force called lift that overcomes gravity. In the same way, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we overcome the works of the flesh. As long as lift is stronger than gravity, birds and planes can fly. As long as we walk in the Spirit, there is freedom, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

But the moment a bird or a plane stops creating lift, when its engine fails or its wings are damaged gravity takes over and it begins to fall. That fall leads to destruction, just as many lives are lost when a plane crashes or a bird dies in the fall. The same is true in our spiritual lives. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us, given to help us overcome sin and death, yet He will not force Himself upon anyone. When we grieve or quench the Spirit, His presence remains with us, but we begin to drift away from His leading. Our hearts grow dull, His voice becomes distant, and soon we begin to fall.

The moment we stop walking in the Spirit, the pull of the flesh takes over just as gravity pulls everything down. But when we yield to the Spirit, He lifts us above the weight of sin and restores our strength. For as the Scripture says, “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). For when we walk in the Spirit, we rise above the pull of sin and death, living in the freedom and power that Christ has given us. Amen!

November 22, 2025
Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. — Romans 8:1

This verse is often heard from the pulpit or in evangelistic messages. Yet do we truly understand what it means to be condemned? Why were we condemned in the first place?

The Word of God declares that those who are in Christ Jesus are no longer condemned. The Greek word used here is katakrima, meaning “a damnatory sentence” or “judgment of condemnation.” This is a legal term rather than a religious one. A word we would hear in a courtroom when a judge pronounces a guilty verdict upon the offender.

Paul was explaining to the believers in Rome that all humanity has been sentenced to death, which is our condemnation before God. The Lord Jesus also spoke of this to Nicodemus, saying, “He who does not believe is condemned already, but he who believes in Him is not condemned” (John 3:18). Yet when we place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that sentence of condemnation is lifted, because Jesus paid the full penalty for our sins through His death on the cross.

But why are we condemned in the first place? Even from birth, before we have committed or understood sin, we are already under judgment. This is because of our father Adam’s transgression against God. His disobedience brought sin and death to all humanity. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). As his descendants, we inherited his fallen nature and the debt of sin that none of us could repay, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

There is no one among us who can save ourselves, because sin is already rooted in our nature. Even a small child without being taught can act selfishly or lie without hesitation, revealing that the nature of sin that is within us. That sin has made every one of us condemned and guilty. “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God… There is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10–12). There is no goodness that dwells in us apart from God.

Jesus compared our nature to trees and its fruit. He said that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit (Matthew 7:17–18). In other words, olives cannot produce grapes, and those who are not in God cannot bear the fruit of His Spirit. Likewise, those who belong to God will not continue in unrighteousness, for we are children of God and His nature will be reflected in us. As Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). And “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The first fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22), Didn’t Jesus also say that those who belong to Him are known by their fruits? The way we give love to other reveals the presence of God within us. Love abounds in our hearts not only because we love God but because God Himself dwells in us, and His Spirit bears fruit that manifests in every part of our lives.

The love that comes from God is not idle, it acts and gives. “For God so loved the world that He gave…(John 3:16). Then love of God gives what is good and perfect. It will never intends anything that leads to harm or separation from Him. As it is written, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). In the same way, our love toward others must reflect the love of God. A love that gives freely, but never harms. A love that seeks the good of others and not their hurt

Jesus declared to the people the nature of the goodness of the Father, using an earthly example to show that God’s goodness surpasses ours. He says, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11). Even though we live in our sinful nature, we still know how to give good gifts to our children or to others yet how much greater is the goodness that comes from our Heavenly Father! He withholds nothing from His children. Despite our transgressions and our turning away from Him, He made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself. God demonstrated His great love toward us and to satan who influenced humanity to rebel against Him. None expected that God Himself would die on the cross in such a notorious way and be counted among criminals, all for our sake so we can be with Him eternally in His Kingdom, while satan and his minions will be thrown into the lake of fire forever. As Paul 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). Such love truly surpasses all understanding. Have you felt the greatness of that love and the goodness of God while Jesus was crucified naked on the cross? The goodness of God cannot be outgiven. God Himself is the very definition and the source of all goodness.

Then a man came to Jesus and called Him “good,” the Lord replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Jesus revealed the truth about our condition. The man wanted to justify his own goodness so he could inherit eternal life, but he went away sorrowful because he loved his earthly riches more than God (Matthew 19:16–22). He failed to keep the first and greatest commandment of all is to love the Lord his God with all his heart, soul, and strength. We are all like this man. We often choose ourselves and the pleasures of this world over God. Adam chose to follow Eve instead of obeying God and we continue to follow that same path. We are all sinful and powerless to change our nature on our own. This helps us understand what Paul means when he says we must not “walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4).

Walking according to the flesh, as Paul teaches, is not only about the outward manifestations of sin that lead to death, but also about relying on our own efforts to justify ourselves before God. It is when we try to obtain righteousness by our works by keeping the Law of God in our own strength, thinking that by doing good we can earn our way into the Kingdom of God. Many people believe that their good works will serve as their ticket to heaven, but what does the Word of God say? “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). We all failed to keep the very first and greatest commandment. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). This commandment is often overlooked, even among believers. Yet the failure of one commandment is the breaking of the whole Law. As Paul wrote to the churches in Galatians, those who seek to be justified by the Law have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4). Because no one can be justified by the law, but only by the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we obtain justification.

Jesus washed away all our sins, not so that we may continue living in sin and still expect to be with Him. Does that honor the first commandment? Living in sin is transgressing the very command to love God, for sin separates us from Him (Isaiah 59:2). How can we claim to love God while our actions say otherwise? We cannot say, “I love You Jesus,” yet continue to live in rebellion as if saying, “I love You, but I love to cheat on You.”

This is why Paul urges us to “walk according to the Spirit”. Jesus sent His Spirit to dwell within us and to give us power to bear His fruit, because He knew that after He paid for our sins, without the power of the Holy Spirit, we all will go back to the life we used to have. We see this with the disciples after Jesus death, they went back to fishing. But after they received the Holy Spirit they were all transformed. They all boldly testified about the Lord Jesus unto death and their lives began to manifest the very nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit was sent to give life within us. As it is written, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63). And to lead us into all truth, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit gives life to us but the letter [law] kills us for it condemned us (2 Corinthians 3:6). The Holy Spirit enables us not to walk according to the flesh but to live according to the will of God, producing His fruit that glorifies the Father in us and proves that we are truly His children. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The presence of the Holy Spirit within us manifests and flows through us, revealing the character of Christ in our lives. As it is written, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). But for those who do, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). And the evidence of that life is the fruit He produces in us, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Moreover The Holy Spirit freed us from the power of sins. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17). He transforms us daily, “from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

November 21, 2025
I Kings‬ ‭21:29‬
““See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”” I Kings‬ ‭21:29‬

When you read this verse, have you felt the joy of God?

Here, God was speaking to Elijah after the prophet had faithfully delivered His judgment over Ahab’s life. What happened next was completely unexpected, Ahab, the same king known throughout Scripture for his great wickedness, tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, fasted, and went about mourning. In that moment, Ahab humbled himself before God.

Before we study this verse deeply, let us first take a closer look at who Ahab was, and how the Scriptures describe his life and ways.

“But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.” — 1 Kings 21:25–26

Here we get a glimpse of Ahab’s life. He was not a weak or careless king. If you study his reign, you’ll see that he ruled over a wealthy kingdom and commanded great armies. By worldly standards, Ahab was successful. Yet despite all his accomplishments, he gave himself completely to evil because of his wife’s influence. Jezebel was deeply devoted to Baal worship, and through her, Ahab’s heart turned away from the Lord. This reminds us that a woman holds great power because of her influence in relationships. That’s why a man must be careful about the kind of woman he becomes interested in and he should also be aware of whom she follows or admires, even on social media. The people she looks up to will eventually shape her and she will begin to look like them, think like them, and act like them.

Yet interestingly, we also see glimpses of kindness in Ahab’s character. When he asked Naboth for his vineyard, he did it respectfully:

So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, ‘Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.’” — 1 Kings 21:2

Here we see that Ahab was not entirely heartless. He knew how to ask permission and showed a measure of civility. Yet his downfall came from choosing a wife whose heart was not set on the God of Israel. Jezebel’s heart was given over to Baal, and through her influence, Ahab’s own heart was turned away from the Lord.

The same tragedy was seen in the life of King Solomon. Though Solomon began with wisdom and favor from God, he too allowed ungodly influence to draw his heart away. The Scripture says:

“But King Solomon loved many foreign women… from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love.” — 1 Kings 11:1–2

For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.” — 1 Kings 11:4

Both Ahab and Solomon were kings blessed with power, wisdom, and prosperity, yet both were led astray through women who did not walk in the fear of the Lord. Their stories remind us of the importance of spiritual discernment in relationships. God’s warning is clear for men today, let God choose your future spouse.

Ahab’s marriage to Jezebel led him into idolatry, murder, and rebellion against God. Jezebel’s influence brought not honor but destruction. She silenced the prophets, killed the servants of the Lord, and turned Israel away from the truth.

Consider the story of Jacob. Though he was deceived into marrying Leah, God used what was meant for evil for good. Leah was a woman of faith, unlike her sister Rachel, who stole her father’s household idols (Genesis 31:19). This act revealed where her heart truly was. Leah, though less favored by Jacob, turned her heart toward God. Through Leah, God established the lineage of the Messiah, the priesthood, and the kingship of Israel.

When we let God choose, He gives us someone who brings honor, not judgment.

Ahab knew how to provide, but he did not know how to lead. He had authority, but he didn’t know how to exercise it. Ahab failed to lead his house and the people of Israel. Jezebel even had to remind him of his own position, saying, “You now exercise authority over Israel!” (1 Kings 21:7). That statement alone reveals his weakness as a leader, he had authority, but he was not walking in it.

Why are there so many “Jezebels” today? Because many men have become like Ahab. They are so focused on themselves, their work, and their ability to provide and protect that they have no time for God. They can put food on the table and defend their homes, but they miss the greatest calling of their lives, to be a leaders.

When King David was about to die, he gave a final charge to his son Solomon, teaching him what it truly means to be a man:

“I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” — 1 Kings 2:2–3

True manhood is not measured by strength, wealth, or success, but by obedience and faithfulness to the LORD.

Ahab’s Humility Touched the Heart of God

Ahab’s kindness did not save him. His good deeds did not please God. But his humility did. But when Ahab tore his clothes and fasted. God proudly said to Elijah with joy and delight in His voice, See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me?

Can you feel the delight of God here? The Almighty, who had just pronounced judgment, was now rejoicing because a sinful man had humbled himself.

God does not take pleasure in the destruction of the wicked, but in their repentance.

Here are the Scriptures that show this truth throughout God’s Word:

Ezekiel 18:23 “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?”

Ezekiel 18:32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’”

Luke 15:7 “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

1 Timothy 2:3-4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
God’s mercy on Ahab shows us that He is not looking for perfection, but humility. Our “goodness” can never save us; our repentance and faith in Jesus can.

Our humility moves the heart of God. Repentance opens the door for mercy. And this truth still stands today, no one is beyond God’s reach when they humble themselves before Him.

Jesus has already given His life for you so that you may have life. God never desires to destroy you but to restore you, to bring you back into fellowship with Him and give you a place in His Kingdom. His heart is not for your ruin, but for your redemption. “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)
November 20, 2025
1 Kings 18:12

“And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know. So when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.” — 1 Kings 18:12

The land of Israel was in a severe drought because of king Ahab’s sin and the Israel’s idolatry under the influence of Jezebel. During this time, Jezebel was determined to destroy the prophets of the LORD, and many were slain.

When the word of the LORD came to Elijah commanding him, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth (1 Kings 18:1). Elijah obeyed God and went to find Ahab. While he was on his way, he met Obadiah and asked him to go and tell Ahab that Elijah had come. This passage is the responds of Obadiah to Elijah request. This man was in charge of the king’s treasures. Though he served under a wicked ruler, Obadiah was a faithful man who feared the LORD greatly. During the time when Jezebel sought to destroy all the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah courageously hid one hundred of them in two caves and supplied them with food and water.

Many people think that the Holy Spirit began His work only in the New Testament, but the Scriptures clearly show that He was already moving in power throughout the Old Testament. From the very beginning, the Spirit of God was present and active among His people. He has always been the One who moves God’s servants to accomplish His purpose whether to reveal visions, show His throne, or fulfill His divine will. In Genesis 1:2, it says, “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The Spirit moved over the earth so that life could begin.

Is it not the same Holy Spirit who overshadowed Mary so that life could be formed in her womb? (Luke 1:35) Is it not the same Holy Spirit who gives life to all who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ? (Romans 8:11)

This is the same Spirit whom Obadiah spoke about when he said to Elijah, “the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not” (1 Kings 18:12). Obadiah was not speaking of something strange or new. He already knew about the Spirit of God and recognized His presence upon Elijah’s life.

And Obadiah was not the only one who believed this. When Elijah was finally taken up to heaven, just as Enoch was taken by God and did not see death (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5), the sons of the prophets said, “Lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley” (2 Kings 2:16). This tells us that the presence of the Spirit of the Lord was known and not hidden from God’s people. They had seen His power manifested in their lives and among the prophets.

The Holy Spirit is our connection to our Heavenly Father.

“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 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. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” I Corinthians‬ ‭2:9-16‬

The Bible says, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Because we are in the Lord, and the Lord is in us, we are united with Him through His Spirit. It is through the Spirit of the Lord that we come to know the heart of God. The Holy Spirit reveals to us everything the Lord wants us to understand. His thoughts, His will, and His ways. By the Holy Spirit, we are able to discern the mind of God in the things we face, to understand His nature, and to walk according to His purpose for our lives. The Spirit also unveils the mysteries of God to those who belong to Him, just as Jesus said, “He will guide you into all truth… and He will show you things to come” (John 16:13).

The Holy Spirit who took Ezekiel and showed him the glory of God, His throne, and all the works of God’s people in the temple including their abominations and uncleanness (Ezekiel 8:3–10) is the same Spirit who carried Elijah and moved upon Ezekiel again and again to speak the word of the Lord (Ezekiel 11:1, 24). This same Spirit also led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, as it is written, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1).

He is the very Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, just as Paul declared:

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” — Romans 8:11

We might think that Paul is only talking about how the Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome the desires of the flesh. But Paul is saying much more than that. He is revealing that the same Spirit who gave Jesus His glorious body after the resurrection is the same Spirit who will also transform us.

That is why it is so important for every believer to be like Obadiah, who was aware of the presence and manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians today are spiritually lifeless, and their lives show little transformation because they have not yet experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit, nor have they come to truly know Him or fellowship with Him.

The Apostle Paul met this same issue with some believers in Ephesus. The Scriptures tell us:

“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.” — Acts 19:2

Why Paul has to rebaptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus? for it is in His name that there is remission of sins. The Word says,

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” — Acts 19:5–6

This shows that even believers who already have faith in Christ still need to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is not only our Helper. He is also our Seal. Paul says, “You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). This means we belong to God completely. The same Spirit who sealed us will be the One to carry us up in the air when Jesus returns. We see this Elijah and Enoch with Philip, who was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:39–40); with Paul, who was taken up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2–4); and with John, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,” and was shown the throne of God (Revelation 4:2).

Today, you need to be like Obadiah, you need to live with awareness of the presence and manifestation of the Holy Spirit. It is not enough to simply know about Him from the stories of others; you must experience Him for yourself.

Jesus gave us the right to become children of God through His death and resurrection. Because He destroyed the power of sin, He brought us near to the Father. The veil that once separated us from God was torn apart (Matthew 27:51), and now we have full access to His presence.

When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we receive power! Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). This power is not just for completion of the task were assign for us. It is for transformation. When the Holy Spirit fills your life, you are changed from the inside out. The old life is gone, and a new life begins. You will never be the same again, because where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).

November 19, 2025
Acts 26:31

“And when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, ‘This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.’” Acts 26:31

This verse is the testimony of people about the life of Apostle Paul. It also the conclusion of Paul’s pleading his case before King Agrippa and all who were present in the court. After boldly proclaiming the resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ, which was the very reason for his imprisonment. Paul remained steadfast and faithful to his calling. His desire was that everyone who heard him might understand the great plan of God, that the only way to escape His righteous judgment is through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul would never miss an opportunity to call all who listened to repentance and faith in the LORD Jesus Christ.

What stands out to me is that this was the same kind of verdict Pilate gave concerning our the LORD Jesus Christ. Though both were falsely accused and stood before earthly judges.

Pilate said,

“You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.” – Luke 23:14–16

I am always astounded at how steadfast and determined Paul was in the calling of the LORD Jesus upon his life. His devotion never wavered, and his faith remained firm through every trial. One man can do so much when he fully lays his life at the feet of God. The apostle Paul accomplished so much because he walked closely with the LORD Jesus Christ. Every step he took, every word he spoke, and every hardship he faced showed that his life no longer belonged to him, it belonged to his LORD Jesus Christ.

Paul himself said,

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20

People blamed Paul because of his faith and his deep convictions in the truth of the gospel. They accused him, mocked him, and imprisoned him. Yet through it all, his life reflected the life of his Lord and Master, the LORD Jesus Christ.

When Paul stood before Festus and King Agrippa, the only accusation they could make was that he preached “Jesus, who had died and whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” (Acts 25:19) That was his only “crime”, that he preached the risen Christ. And truly, that should be the only reason the world finds fault with us.

Jesus Himself said,

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)

“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20)

So I ask myself, and I ask you today. If we were to stand before the judges of this world, what would they find in us? Would they find compromise and fear, or would they see a faith so steadfast that the only thing they could accuse us of is belonging to Jesus? Would our lives be so blameless before God that the only charge against us would be our devotion to Him and our obedience to His Word

This is the challenge for everyone who claims that Jesus is Lord. We are all called not only to believe in Him but to follow Jesus. To live in such a way that our lives reflect His nature, His truth, and His love to the world. Our lives should shine with the light of the LORD Jesus Christ so brightly that it draws others toward Him, because they see the difference of our life in us.

John says that those who love the world do not have the love of God in them.

“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.” (1 John 2:15)

He continues,

“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.” (1 John 2:16–17)

The world follows its own desires and rejects the truth of God. That is why the people of God are often misunderstood, mocked, and hated. The world should not love us, for friendship with the world is enmity with God.

As the Apostle James warns,

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

The world should hate us, misunderstand us, and falsely accuse us, that is the evidence that we are walking in the light of God’s. The enemy hates those who belong to the LORD Jesus Christ, because we carry the message of salvation and desire that all people hear the truth and be saved.

For the LORD Jesus says

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:11)

Let our faith and conduct be so pure before God that no true fault can be found in us, just as none was found in Paul, and none was found in our LORD Jesus Christ.

The words spoken about Paul became a testimony of his walk with Jesus. May the same be said of us, that our lives reflect the LORD Jesus Christ so clearly that even those who oppose us cannot deny His presence in us.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Amen.

November 18, 2025
Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8

This passage is often quoted in gospel preaching, but these verse were not written to unbelievers or new converts. Paul was speaking to believers to those who had already given their lives to the LORD Jesus Christ and were walking in fellowship with Him. Paul message to the church in Rome was a reminder of the immeasurable love of God. A love that had already redeemed them and continues to uphold them every day.

As a child of God, one of my greatest joys is to speak of my Father’s love. I desire that my family, my friends, and even strangers may come to know and experience this same love that transforms, heals, and saves. Because truly, the love of God is exactly what 1 Corinthians 13 says,

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…” I Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-8‬ ‭

Here we read how Scripture describes the immense love of God. I want to shed a little light on this passage it says that love “thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity.” True love does not rejoice in sin, nor take pleasure in wrongdoing. When we truly love someone, we correct them in love, not out of judgment but out of concern for their soul. For God’s Word makes it clear that He judges all sin not only homosexuality, but also heterosexual sin outside of marriage, adultery, and every form of impurity. The same standard of holiness applies to all.

This is the kind of love I long to share with you, the unfathomable love of God. A love that “thinks no evil,” a love that does not desire that anyone perish in hell, and a love that does not rejoice in witnessing wickedness or unclean living. God’s love calls us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

The love of God is where we stand today. We have received salvation because of His great and boundless love. Even from the beginning, God already knew that Adam would transgress, yet His love was neither surprised nor defeated. When God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep to bring forth Eve, it was a foreshadowing of the LORD Jesus Christ who would one day lay down His life to bring forth His bride, the Church.

This is the very nature of God’s love: it suffers long and is kind. His love does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up, and does not behave rudely. His love does not seek its own, for His love is selfless, sacrificial, and redemptive. It gives even when it is not returned. It offers mercy even when it is rejected. Though God knew that Adam would choose to separate from Him, Adam was the one to whom God had spoken His commandment. He knew what was right, and yet he still ate the fruit that he should not have eaten, following Eve. Eve ate the forbidden fruit first, and in that moment, death entered into her, for the wages of her sin is death. Yet even then, God, in His mercy, had already prepared a divine plan to bring us back to Himself through the LORD Jesus Christ. Isn’t that so great?

Now we understand “But God.” Only the love of God never grows weary in making a way for us to be with Him. Only God always loves us without end.

Paul says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) When the LORD Jesus Christ died for us on the cross, while we were yet sinners, God proved His great love for us. God stepped down from His throne, took on flesh, and was declared to be the Son of God. He was crucified on the cross, took upon Himself our sins, and paid the price with His own life.

Salvation is freely offered to us, but it was not free for Him. It cost His own life. Jesus had to bleed on the cross. The very tree that began the story of sin in the Garden became the tree upon which redemption was accomplished. Jesus was crucified upon a tree, the cross to undo the curse that began with one. That is how much the LORD Jesus Christ loves you and me.

Why did God declare Himself as the Son? Because that is the position we lost after the fall, the position of sonship that God longed to restore to us. He desired to bring us back into the relationship we once had with Him before sin entered the world. For was not Adam called “the son of God”? (Luke 3:38)

The death of a son is painful and unbearable for any parent and God is our Father. The moment Adam died spiritually, it crushed God’s heart. As He spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, when Israel kept turning away from Him, God said, “I was crushed by their adulterous heart.” (Ezekiel 6:9) The same sorrow is echoed in Paul’s warning: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), and “Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Sin always separates us from God, for “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) Those who reject Jesus are cast into the lake of fire which is the eternal separation from God.

Yet the true love of God “does not seek its own, is not provoked.” God’s love never forces, for love cannot exist without choice. Out of that same love, He allows people to choose, even those who would rather follow satan into hell than dwell with Him in His Kingdom. But behold, this is the great love of God, while we deserved judgment, God chose mercy. The LORD Jesus Christ demonstrated His love for us, to die in our place on the cross. He bore the punishment that should have been ours. Why? Because He could not bear to see His creation eternally separated from Him.

Did not Paul also say to the church in Rome,

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35)

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

When Paul says, “while we were still sinners,” he is not only referring to the sin that lived within us, but to the choice humanity made. The same choice Adam made to turn away from God and follow Eve instead of God. Yet even then, God’s love did not give up. While we were walking toward eternal death, bound for hell, a place of everlasting separation. But God, because of His great love, made a way for us to be saved.

His heart’s desire has always been that we dwell with Him in His Kingdom “And God will wipe away every tear from [our] their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Isn’t it only the love of God that reaches deep within us? It penetrates our hearts and bones. It’s a love so immense that it often brings us to tears. It overwhelms us, transforms us, and changes the way we live and make decisions.

When we come to know this great love of God, we no longer desire to commit sin because we realize how it crushes God’s heart. Every time we sin, shame fills our hearts, and we tend to withdraw from His presence, avoiding fellowship with Him. But my brothers and sisters, I urge you, run the race! Even when you are struggling with sin, do not give up. Remember what Peter said to the LORD Jesus Christ: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Do not turn away from God, for apart from Him. for those who reject the LORD Jesus Christ will be cast into the unquenchable fire. A place that was never created for us, a place of eternal separation from the presence of God.

Only God can transform you! Always repent and keep moving forward! He will break through not by our own strength or might, but by His Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) Pray to God to destroy the sins that shackle you and separate you from Him.

Do not be like Adam, who willingly chose to separate from God because he could not live without Eve, the one who led him into disobedience. Do not let the pleasures of sin cause you to choose separation from the God who loves you beyond measure.

November 17, 2025