His Word
-
Being Faithful In The Midst Of Suffering
Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Acts 16:1-2, NIV The first time Paul visited Lystra, he was stoned and greatly persecuted. It wasn’t an easy journey for him. In Acts 14:19, it was written, “Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.” If these people thought that Paul was dead, then it was evident that he was in great pain. But…
-
Better Is Open Rebuke Than Hidden Love
Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Proverbs 27:5, NIV Not everyone wants to be rebuked. It’s painful, and it kills our pride. But thank God because He openly rebukes us through His words and the things that He allows us to experience. This only means that His love is not hidden. When we receive corrections from Him or from other people, it means that we are loved beyond what we can imagine. So whenever God painfully corrects your actions, just humbly accept it and choose to thank Him. Sometimes, that’s what we need. We may think we are doing the right thing according to our understanding, but He needs…
-
He Satisfies The Thirsty And Fills The Hungry With Good Things
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107: 8-9, NIV If you are in trouble and distress, then you need to remember this verse. God’s unfailing love is with you all throughout the journey. You may not see or feel it right now, but He is doing good things in your life. He poured out the blessings that you need. God is always there to guide and assist you. The problems may try to bring you down but fix your eyes on the One who will never…
-
Like How A Shepherd Takes Good Care Of His Sheep
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Acts 16: 36, NIV Paul and Barnabas had great compassion for the early believers they visited. They didn’t just share the word of Jesus with them; they also took the time to check how they were doing. This deep concern is merely a reflection of God’s love for His people. They cared for the people like a shepherd takes good care of his sheep. They took some time to serve the early believers. They offered their strength…
-
What A Person Desires Is Unfailing Love
What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. Proverbs 19: 22, NIV The book of proverbs reminds us that our hearts desire for the kind of love that never fails. And sad to say, we can’t receive this from mere humans. We are living in a broken world that is dominated by sin and imperfections. That’s why, whether we like it or not, we will eventually experience pain not just from strangers but from people who are close to our hearts. This is the reason why there’s a space in our hearts that only the unfailing love of God can satisfy. He alone can…
-
It Is Through The Grace Of Our Lord Jesus That We Are Saved
No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. Acts 15:11, NIV Peter said these words when the Jewish Christians, Paul and Barnabas had an argument with regards to the circumcision of the Gentiles. The Jewish Christians wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised and follow the law that was written by Moses. But Paul had a different belief. So, Peter reminded them that just like them, they are all saved because of God’s grace. Sometimes, when we are so caught up with the things that we do, we became entitled of our accomplishments. We then associate our identity according…
-
It’s Because Of Faith
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Acts 15:8-9, NIV The Jewish Christians were trying to impose the law of Moses on the Gentiles, which led to an argument between them and Paul and Barnabas. Peter reminded them that God purified the hearts of the Gentiles by faith and not by works. He has no favoritism. Instead, God treats His children equally. He showed that He accepted them by giving them the Holy Spirit. Peter simply acknowledged God’s unexplainable…
-
Let’s Not Discredit The Works Of God In Other People’s Life
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” Acts 15:1, NIV A group of Jewish Christians came down from Judea to Antioch and tried to impose their customs on the Gentiles, who had a different cultural background. They don’t believe that these new believers were saved not unless they are circumcised. They wanted them to follow the customs that Moses taught. It seemed like this group of Christians discredited the grace that God poured out to the Gentiles, and they tried to insist that they should follow the law. Have…
-
The Tent Of The Upright Will Flourish
The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. Proverbs 14:11, NIV Sometimes, we tend to boast about the life we built despite the bad things we did. We put our trust in things that are temporary instead of relying on God. But in this verse, we are reminded that the righteous will flourish in the end. The wicked may appear to live in a house or a secure place, but in the end, they will be destroyed. Their foundation won’t last long. That’s why let’s choose to do good and be kind to others. Let’s do the right thing in the eyes…
-
They Chose To Intentionally Seek God In Making Wise Decisions
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:23, NIV When Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, they made sure that someone would take good care and administer to the followers there. They didn’t leave them empty-handed. Instead, they properly arranged and prepared everything they could in order for them to be guided. One of the notable things they did was pray and fast. The moment they appointed the elders, they acknowledged the truth that they needed God’s guidance in doing it. Prayer and fasting were the…
