Biblical Christianity

How Do You Pray in the Spirit?

By Bro. Jess Cortez | August 12, 2021 | Comments 0 Comment

Praying in the Spirit is mentioned in the Scriptures three times. But what does this mean and how do you pray in the Spirit?

Prayer is one of the vital aspects of a healthy Christian life and the Bible has a lot to say about it. One of which is found in Ephesians 6:18 (NIV).

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

God is Spirit

God is Spirit (John 4:24) and because of that, we do not see Him physically. This is not to say that God is a ghost as most people might think a spirit being is. God as Spirit is also a person with the basic characteristics of a personality. God has intellect, emotions, and will. Thus, He thinks, feels, and acts.

It’s because God is a living person that we can get to know Him personally and communicate with Him freely. Isn’t this what prayer is all about? An open and free two-way communication with God? The best part is that God hears us regardless of where we are and when we want to commune with Him.

Having a personal relationship with God gives us the confidence that He hears us and can grant our requests and petitions.

You might ask, “What does this have to do with my prayer life?” When the Word encourages us to pray in the Spirit, it’s telling us not to pray based on the things we see around us. We do not pray because of the circumstances surrounding us.

Instead, as Christians and followers of Christ, we pray on things that we do not yet see. We pray because we know that God can do something for us; that He can turn things meant by the devil against us for our good.

How to Pray in the Spirit

Aside from Ephesians 6:18, praying in the Spirit is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:15 and Jude 1:20. Some equate praying in the Spirit with praying in tongues. Below are four ways by which believers may apply Paul’s encouragement to pray in the Spirit.

1. Pray Under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Praying in the Spirit is praying under the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 (NIV) says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

The phrase, “Do not get drunk on wine” does not necessarily mean being drunk with any alcoholic beverage. Rather, this is can be anything else in the world that has the potential to shape our moral points of view. In the context of the passage, “to get drunk” is basically to be under the influence of something.

So, to pray in the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit. By allowing the Holy Spirit to “control” or influence what we pray for, we can be certain that our requests are in line with God’s will. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can pray according to what God desires for us.

At times when we do not know what we should pray for, the Holy Spirit also helps in our weakness. God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, helps by making intercession for us (Romans 8:26).

2. Pray in Faith

We pray in the Spirit by praying in faith.

In the passage on the lesson from the withered fig tree, Jesus told His disciples a very important aspect of prayer. First, He told them to “have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). Then He said, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24).

Jesus explained that the miracle with the fig tree was a result of a prayer done in faith. He then encouraged His disciples to have this kind of faith and trust that God would hear them also.

Jesus is telling the same thing to His followers today. When we pray, we must have faith and believe that God will enable us to overcome any obstacle. To pray in faith is to trust God completely and rely solely on Him. And as we present our requests to God, we must believe that God has already answered them.

By the way, Mark 11:24 is not saying, “If we pray hard enough and believe, God is obligated to give whatever we ask for.” The kind of faith spoken here is faith in God; not faith in faith or anything else.

3. Pray with a Renewed Mind

To pray in the Spirit is to pray with a renewed mind. Romans 12:2 says, “… be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

To “renew” means to “change” or “to replace.” Thus, renewing your mind means changing or replacing your old way of thinking with a new way. You do this by allowing the Word of God to transform your mind.

If you used to think and believe that God does not answer prayers and that’s why you won’t bother praying, you need a new mindset. A renewed mind allows you to pray for “the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

When you pray with a renewed mind, you will pray according to God’s perfect will. So, you can be sure that you will receive what you asked for.

4. Pray with Confidence

Praying in the Spirit is praying with confidence.

Knowing who we are in God is such a huge boost of confidence whenever we come to Him in prayer. We are God’s precious children and through faith, we can approach Him freely with confidence (Ephesians 3:12).

God has given us His seal of ownership, the Holy Spirit, and when we pray in the Spirit we are confident that God hears us.

In 1 John 5:14, we see the secret of power in prayer. When we ask anything according to God’s will we have the assurance that He hears us. God is a loving and generous God, and He wants us to ask of Him.

But this does not mean we can just ask God anything we want and He would grant it. To ask God anything means we should pray about everything because God cares about every aspect of our life.

Final Thoughts

Praying in Spirit is trusting that God hears and answers our prayers. It’s because we pray only for things according to His will brought about by a renewed mind and spirit.

The Spirit teaches us what to pray for and how to pray with confidence through the righteousness that Christ has given us when He died for our sins.

If you have any thoughts on what it means to pray in the Spirit and how, please share them in the comment section below. I would love to hear from you.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission when you use any links on this page to make a purchase, but at no additional cost to you.

Recommended Resource: Praying in the Holy Spirit: Secrets to Igniting and Sustaining a Lifestyle of Effective Prayer by David Diga Hernandez

Do you ever feel like your prayers are not effective? Does your prayer life lack vitality and consistency?

The secret to a thriving prayer life is not a formula—it is the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. As you learn to engage with the Spirit of God, your prayer life will soar to levels you never dreamed were possible!

If you’ve ever been frustrated in your prayer life, this book is for you.

Our Blessings as Children of God Ephesians 1:3

The Christian’s Spiritual Blessings

By Bro. Jess Cortez | May 22, 2020 | Comments 2 comments

In the society or community, we are identified by our given names as well as our family names. On the one hand, it is a prestige to bear the family name of the famous, the rich, the influential, the powerful, and perhaps the heroic.

On the other hand, it is a shame to bear the identity of the fugitive, the criminals, the terrorists, the violent, or the unwanted. People are either looked-up to or looked down on based on their status in life, regardless of their moral or financial position in life.

Identity is the way you think of yourself and the way the rest of the world sees you. In short, it defines who you are.

Who are the Children of God?

When I was a young Christian, I thought that all people, being created by God are all called God’s children. However, as I matured in my relationship with the Almighty, I have learned through His Word that only those who received and believe in Him were given the right to become children of God (John 1:11-13).

We become children of God not because of any merit we earned; not because of our earthly father’s choice but because of God. We become His adopted sons and daughters when we are born again in spirit.

As the Word says, those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God (Romans 8:14). Well, in this world, there are only two choices. If you are not led by the Spirit of God, then you are led by the spirit of darkness. And if you are not with Him, then you are against Him (Matthew 12:30).

For a Christian who received and believed in Jesus Christ, there could never be anything more precious than being identified as a “Child of God.” It is all because of His mercy, greatness, and grace that we were given the right to become children of God. It is not because we chose Him but because He has chosen us.

It could never be more prestigious than such! Unfortunately, we sometimes underrate the blessings of being such a child of God. Many Christians due to their innocence in the true Word of God limit their identity in Jesus to be just like the rest of this world which is not what God planned for us.

Certainly, to be identified as a child of God brings many blessings and calls for many responsibilities. With this, let us unfold a few of the blessings we receive just because of His great love for us.

Because of the greatness of God, we were brought to be:

Complete in Christ

As Christians, we are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10) and not because of human merit. We are complete and it is all because of Jesus and for all that He has done on the cross.

In this spiritual warfare, we are complete because we have Jesus and we shall not lack anything nor need anyone else. No religion, ceremony, ritual, tradition, custom, or legality in any form is needed to complete His work. We need no further additions or deletions.

Jesus’ death and resurrection were more than enough. As stated in John 19:30, “It is finished.” We have been made complete to salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

So now, we can live in glory because the One who promised, the one in whom we believe, keeps His promises (Hebrews 10:23).

Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ

The privileges of being an heir of our earthly parents’ wealth, bring inexplicable joy especially if it is least expected. What more joy can it bring to be an heir of our heavenly Father, not of material things but the glorious everlasting life even if we do not deserve it at all!

While the highest glory only belongs to God, through Christ He made us heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). The route to this heir-ship is open to all but is only received by those who accepted and believed in Him. However, the route to heir-ship has some demands that are in no way light and easy.

And that is, one needs to share with His sufferings so He can also share as a co-heir to His glory.

The inheritance that is given to us, unlike our inheritance from our earthly parents is imperishable. It does not rot and does not need to be replenished. It is an inheritance prepared and kept in heaven just for us (1 Peter 1:3-5).

And because we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, we are highly blessed and greatly favored in many ways.

In our daily walks in life, we encounter unexpected favors that we cannot imagine. All these do not happen coincidentally but intentionally and freely given to us by no other than our Father in heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you not overwhelmed with this?

Innocent before God

Because of the sin that separated God and man, it took heaven’s dearest to take the blame so that we can be declared innocent in the eyes of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

He took our place on the cross that we may have eternal life in the heavenly realms. By His mercy and love, He took from us something we deserve, and by His grace, replaced it with something we do not deserve at all. We deserve the sure punishment in the flames of hell but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23)

No one is righteous but by the grace of Christ, we have become the righteousness of God. By receiving Him, we become children of God. We have been saved from guaranteed destruction. By His grace we are justified freely (Romans 3:24) and He polished us into a new creation in Christ Jesus.

God withheld the punishment for our sins in the past until the time that He sent Christ as an offering for the forgiveness of our sins. It is because Jesus has taken our place that we no longer are to be condemned (Romans 8:1).

Because of Christ, we are now free from condemnation. We were dead but now we are alive in Christ.

Loved Unconditionally

God knew us from the start. He knows us so well that He even knows the number of our hair (Luke 12:7, Matthew 10:30). While we did not even know Him and while we were wallowing in sin, God already showed His love for us by giving His only son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

God did not mind what we are, who we are, and what wrongful things we’ve done. He has forgiven our sins and He loves us unconditionally (Romans 5:8). The love of the Father is so great that He loves to call us his children (1 John 3:1).

Indeed, the Lord loved us long before we even knew Him and He remains faithfully loving us, no matter what. Until when will God love us? Until eternity! (Psalm 136:1)

Destined to be with God throughout Eternity

It is God’s special purpose to have us be called His own through Jesus Christ. That is why heaven rejoices for every soul that receives Jesus as their Savior. It gives Him great pleasure to bring us to His own family (Ephesians 1:5)

As the apostle Paul said, everything we do from now on, founded on the hope of our eternal life, would not mean anything had Jesus not risen from the dead and we could have been the most pitied people in this world (1 Corinthians 15:19). But because He is faithful in keeping His promises to us, His children, we look forward to that day when He will come back to take us to be with Him.

Jesus promised that He would go ahead of us to prepare a place for us (John 14:2-3). Are we really going to have physical mansions within our Father’s house? Will it be a huge one? Or will it be a room within a house? We can only answer that when we get there.

But one thing is certain; if it is a “place” prepared by Jesus for me, it will be extra special. Whether it be a mansion or a green pasture in the field, it will be a glorious one because I will be living in eternity with God! This is the joy and glory of being a child of God!

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In summary, it is all because of the greatness of God that we were brought to be:

C – complete in Christ

H – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ

I – innocent before God

L – loved unconditionally &

D – destined to be with God throughout eternity

Conclusion

Because of God’s grace and mercy, we receive the right to become children of God. It is the greatest blessing to be redeemed and be called a child of God. It gives us the authority to sit on heavenly realms but this also brings responsibility to each one of us.

As children of God, we bear His image and we become the light of this world. Let us all be encouraged to keep our light shining brightly so that others who are still in darkness may also come into the light.

Recommended Resource: Overcomer 2019 Movie (DVD)

From the creators of the #1 box-office hit War Room.

Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison (Alex Kendrick) after he loses his basketball team and is challenged by the school’s principal, Olivia (Priscilla Shirer), to coach a new sport he doesn’t know or like.

As John questions his own worth, he dares to help the least likely runner take on the biggest race of the year. Filled with a powerful mix of faith, humor, and heart, this inspirational story will have you on the edge of your seat.

Here’s the official trailer:

The Place for Christmas

By Bro. Jess Cortez | December 25, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Although many Christians today say that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, He is still out of place for many people in all the days of their lives and even during Christmas time. It’s just sad that Christmas is supposed to be all about Jesus, yet people neglect Him because of many concerns, especially for the occasion.

Jesus is knocking into our life but we do not have any room for Him because we are too preoccupied with the things of life. People’s thoughts are full of anxieties, parties, wishes of new material things, food, and many more. But God wants to dwell in us.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Luke 2:1-7 (ESV)

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.”

Background of the Passage

It was the time when Caesar Augustus wrote a decree that the people should be counted-in in a form of registration, not to where they dwell but rather each to his own home town. At that time, Joseph and Mary were living in Galilee in Nazareth which is about 132km away from Joseph’s hometown, Bethlehem in Judea.

Although Mary was on the verge of delivering baby Jesus, they had to travel in compliance with the decree. There could not be a good reason for the couple to travel to Bethlehem at this point in time, especially when Mary was about to deliver the baby apart from mandatorily complying with the decree

However, this is all in fulfillment of what was prophesied hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus that the ruler of Israel shall come from the clans of Judah in Bethlehem.

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2 ESV).

At that time, many people were traveling back to Bethlehem to register, and given that Mary was pregnant, they might have taken a slower pace. We could assume that most of the people arrived earlier than they did, such that all the guest rooms in the houses were already crowded with people when they finally arrived.

Why Was Jesus Born in a Manger?

The Bible does not give much detail on the circumstances of the birth of Jesus, perhaps for us to give more attention to the Savior Jesus Christ who was born that night. As to why Mary ended up having baby Jesus laid in a manger rather than on a comfortable warm crib or bed was not explicitly mentioned in the passage.

After all, were they not in Joseph’s hometown where he would have close relatives to welcome and help them out? Did the people just stand from afar watching Mary give birth without extending a helping hand? There are different versions of the Christmas story that we have heard from our childhood which is still popular today.

Another Version?

One version is that they arrived in Bethlehem and no “inn-keeper” was ready to take them in because all rooms were already occupied. No one was ready to give up their own space for an ordinary-looking couple.

Not a single “inn-keeper” was willing to eject anyone in favor of the pregnant couple and so when it was time for Mary to deliver the baby, there was no option other than the place where the animals are kept. Since the birthing place is a stable, then the manger seems to be a reasonable place to lay down the baby.

Another version is that they were already in Bethlehem days before Mary’s time to deliver the baby and since Joseph’s clan (the lineage of David) comes from Bethlehem, they were hosted in a guest room of one of Joseph’s relative’s house.

But because so many people were already there who came before them, the guest room was so crowded that there was not enough space to comfortably deliver the baby with a bit of privacy. This leaves them no other option but the place where the animals are kept. Thus, once again, the stable being the birthing place, makes laying down the baby in a manger reasonable.

There could be so many other versions of the Christmas story within man’s creative imagination but all of them would only agree on what the bible says “No place” in the inn and the baby laid in a manger.” The house is full! There was no special treatment, not enough space for Him.

This led to where the delivery could take place other than the comforts and privacy of a room. The birth taking place where the animals are kept makes the manger the safest place for a mother to lay down her baby wrapped in swaddling cloth. What a pitiful sight! Baby Jesus who was and is the Savior of us all, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the beloved Son of God was out of place at the time of His birth.

The circumstances of Jesus’ birth are not worthy of the Son of God! But all these took place in perfect alignment to the will of God.

God Wants to Dwell in Us

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make My dwelling among them and walk among them and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:16-18 ESV).

The best place that we could offer to the Lord is our heart. But what kind of heart does the Lord want to dwell in?

A Humble Heart

But He gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 ESV).

There could never be anything better than having the grace of God dwell in the lowly heart so His promised salvation will be received. Because of God’s grace, the blessing will not only be spiritual but material prosperity in this life.

Our prideful aspirations in life cause us more trouble than light. We can never be self-sufficient for it is only by grace, the undeserving favor we receive from God that all circumstances in our life get into the right place.

Jesus Himself had a humble beginning as we just read in the story of His birth. It is not because He deserves all those things but that He wanted to experience the things that most of us go through; the pain most of us go through. King as He is, with all humility, He submitted Himself to the Father’s will.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake, He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV).

Being a carpenter’s son, Jesus’ family here on earth may not have been rich materially. But because of His great love for us, He gave up His richness as God. He set aside His glory and was born in flesh as an ordinary man so that through His poverty we can become rich.

Paul here does not only mean our spiritual richness but he was also talking about our prosperity in all things, here on earth! We don’t need to wait until we get to heaven to have a glorious life.

We “might” become rich means we may experience God’s provisions; not only what we need but more so that we will have plenty to share with others (2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT).

“Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17 NLT).

The incarnation was Jesus’ humble way of getting His mission accomplished here on earth. And if we were to be like Christ, we need to have a humble heart for Him to dwell in.

An Empty Heart

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 ESV).

We must be empty so we can be filled! We need to provide a room for Him in our hearts so he can fit in! Our hearts are so populated and polluted by so many things in this life. God and sin cannot co-exist in our hearts. We, therefore, need to empty our hearts of all the heavy loads of sins and invite Jesus to dwell in them.

We need to empty our hearts with our uncleanliness, our filthiness, our anxieties, our worries, our pride, and all the things not pleasing to God. If God can only dwell in a clean heart, let it then always be our prayer and desire that a pure heart be created in us. A clean heart with clean thoughts and good deeds.

No one can do that except through the washing of our sins with the most precious blood of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in us!

In the same way that God and sin cannot be together, we cannot be cold and warm at the same time. Or else, God won’t reject us (Revelation 3:16 NIV).

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8 ESV).

Only those with a pure heart will see and enter the kingdom of God. Having a pure heart means having pure thoughts, pure intentions. Yes, we sin but we do not dwell in sin. We pass through it but we should choose not to stay in it.

“In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21 NLT).

Let us, therefore, get rid of our old hearts and keep a pure heart so Jesus can dwell in us and use us for His glory.

An Available Heart

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 18-19 ESV).

God wants us to respond to His invitation: “Come now and let us talk…let us be clear to one another”. He came to forgive us sins and wash us clean no matter what our past is.

Willingness + Obedience = Availability

God can never use us unless we make our hearts available. All we need is to have an available heart and come to Him. However, we can never escape from God’s call.

Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT).

Just the same, God invites us to come to Him. So, let us not make excuses and beg off some other time. Let us have an available heart so that Jesus can dwell in us!

A Repentant Heart

“I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent” (Luke 5:32 NLT).

Jesus did not come to save the righteous, for no one is righteous. We all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We only become righteous through faith because of Christ (Romans 5:1). He came to save the sinners … and that means everyone who comes to Him in repentance.

We cannot be friends with God unless we repent and in order to repent, we must, first of all, accept that we have sinned, confess our sins, and turn away from them.

God offers forgiveness to those who come to Him with a repentant heart. We have to confess our sins and come with a repentant heart so we can find mercy and that He can dwell in us.

We should not also hide our sins from God (Proverbs 28:13) for He is an omniscient (all-knowing) God. He loves us and He disciplines those whom He loves (Revelation 3:19 NIV).

A Trusting Heart

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT).

Jesus is just waiting for us to open up our hearts and put our trust in Him so He can show us which direction we should go. He is looking for a trusting heart so He may dwell in. Seeking His will means submitting our life with a trusting heart. We seek His will to be more like Him and let Him put our life in order.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV).

Trusting is obeying without doubting even if you do not know the reason for it. Faith is believing in something that we do not see. A trusting heart is the best place we can offer Jesus to dwell in not only this Christmas but all the days of our lives.

Summary

The place for Christmas, the best place for Christ to dwell is our H – E – A – R – T.

H – humble Heart

E – empty Heart

A – available Heart

R – repentant Heart

T – trusting Heart

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 ESV).

Here’s a beautiful Christmas worship song by Paul Baloche called The Newborn King, enjoy singing along!

4 Ways to Become a Peacemaker

By Bro. Jess Cortez | September 20, 2019 | Comments 5 comments

In the Sermon on the Mount recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus opens with a series of blessings known as the Beatitudes. The 7th beatitude is, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

But what makes a peacemaker? In this article, we name 4 ways by which we can become a peacemaker.

Who are the Peacemakers?

There is a difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker. A peacekeeper is someone who maintains peacefulness by seeing to it that things are kept in order. It’s kind of like the sergeant-at-arms in high school who always makes sure everyone in class behaves properly.

A peacemaker on the other hand is someone who makes things to happen in pursuit of bringing God’s peace to mankind and in pursuit of bringing peace between people.

One can never be a peacemaker unless he has peace in his own heart because as the saying goes, “You cannot give something you don’t have.” And in order to have peace in your heart, you must first make peace with God by acknowledging and repenting of your sins.

However, we need to be reminded that being a peacemaker does not pave the way to our salvation, for it is only by the grace of God that we are saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). And because we have come to faith in Jesus Christ and are led by the Spirit of God, we are now called sons or children of God (Romans 8:14).

As God’s children, we are to bring God’s peace to mankind.

The Bible’s Definition of Peace

Peace in the Bible does not necessarily mean the absence of conflict. Instead, peace means being still and confident even in times of trouble because we know that in whatever circumstance God is with us. God gives us peace unlike what this world has to offer (John 14:27).

A good example of an event in the Philippines where there has been thousands of “peacemakers” all at one place at the same time was the EDSA Revolution in 1986.

Jesus: The Perfect Example of a Peacemaker

No matter how hard one tries, there could never be a perfect example of a peacemaker other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Peace. Jesus is our perfect example of a peacemaker.

We were separated from God because of sin (Isaiah 59:2) and were enemies with God but were reconciled to Him by Christ’s death on the cross (Colossians 1:21-22). Jesus paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins and we now have peace with God through Him (Romans 5:1-2).

Christ as peacemaker has also united Jews and Gentiles, broken the wall of separation and reconciled them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity (Ephesians 2:14-16). Through His death, Jesus had brought a new covenant and this He has written in the hearts of His people (Hebrews 8:10).

What Makes a Peacemaker? Listed below are 4 things we must do or practice in order to become a peacemaker.

1. CONTROL over Oneself

Self Control is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit laid out in Galatians 5:22-23. What is self-control and why is it so important? Self control is not just about temperament; it is about resisting the temptation to sin by breaking God’s Law.

David is one good example of a peacemaker in whom was found godly fear, despite his power. Although David had the chance to kill Saul, he didn’t. After secretly cutting off a corner of Saul’s robe, David’s heart troubled him. He then restrained his servants from rising against Saul because He acknowledged that Saul was a man anointed by God (1 Samuel 24:1-7).

David spared the life of Saul who he could have easily killed as a result of exercising self-control. In return, Saul spoke blessings to David and said that God will reward him for sparing his life. He further added that David will surely be the king of Israel and the kingdom will be established in his hand (1 Samuel 24:16-20).

To be a peacemaker, one needs to have self-control.

Discipline is Self Control

Discipline is some sort of self-control. The dictionary defines discipline as the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.

Paul says that Christians must exercise self-control like the Greek athletes, only our goal is eternal, not temporal (1 Corinthians 9:25-27). In his first letter to the Corinthians, he was teaching them through his own example. Unlike a boxer who beats the air, Paul aims to share the Gospel through self-control and discipline. Otherwise, He finds himself to be a failure.

2. ACT on God’s Word

Bringing God’s peace to others is being active rather than passive by obeying the Word of God. Christians are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). Others must see the peace and goodness of God through the light we bear by obeying what we hear.

In essence, it doesn’t really matter how much of the Bible we know or how often we listen to preachers talk about the importance of knowing the Scriptures, if we do not live them out and put them into action.

We have to be sensitive to the weaknesses of others and bear with their mistakes while peaceably rebuking their ways. It is expected from us who have already been enlightened to do all that leads to peace for the enlightenment of everyone (Romans 14:19 NIV).

Nothing good will come from a bad source. If we only work for peace, we will get something good as a result. We cannot harm others and expect peaceful gestures in return. As James 3:18 (NIV) says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

One more thing, as a peacemaker, we must always see to it that we turn away from evil and refrain from deceiving others. If we have nothing good to say, it is far better to keep our mouth shut because a provoking tongue will only reap trouble (1 Peter 3:10-11).

To be a peacemaker, one needs to act on the Word of God.

3. LOVE Difficult People

One of the greatest teachings of the Lord Jesus is for His followers to love not only their friends and family but also their “enemies” (Luke 6:27-28). You might say, “Easier said than done.” And I totally understand. It’s hard to love the people who are against us and especially those who want to harm us.

But Jesus, through His own example, is teaching us not to retaliate and repay evil with evil. Prior to His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus was mocked, spat on, insulted and humiliated beyond imagination. Yet, He did not hold it against them. Rather, He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

As the best example of a peacemaker, Jesus demonstrated His love for us even when we were yet in our sins and died on the cross for us (Romans 5:8).

To be a peacemaker, one needs to love even the most unlovable people.

4. MEDIATE the Conflict

Man’s pride and selfishness drives to contention. Oftentimes, man can’t accept the fact that others have dominion over them. Things get even worse when a hot-tempered person is involved. Some people with impulsive spirits may start a conflict simply by the way they look at others.

When people are into each others’ throats, peacemakers mediate the conflict by trying to calm the parties involved. In case, you do not succeed, it is best to just let the situation cool down. As the saying goes, “If we cannot bridge the gap, don’t fuel the feud.”

James 1:19-20 give us three things we must do to get rid of provocation that eventually leads to anger: be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. This is because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

In Genesis 13:5-11, we read the account of Abraham and his nephew Lot in the place where Abraham first built an altar but they had to part company because the land could not support them any longer, for their possessions were so great.

In this passage, Abraham exemplified what it means to be a peacemaker by not only making the decision for him and Lot to separate in order to avoid any quarreling between them and between their herders, he also made Lot choose which area of the land he wanted to live in.

To be a peacemaker, one needs to mediate or avoid a conflict at all cost.

Bottom Line

As God’s people, we are to be peacemakers and there is a blessing that comes with it; Jesus says that “peacemakers shall be called sons of God.” We need to understand that this beatitude does not apply to worldly people. Only those who have trusted in Jesus and received Him as Lord and Savior of their lives are given the right to become sons and children of God.

What does it take to be a peacemaker? We need to be C-A-L-M:

C – control over oneself

A – act on God’s Word

L – Love difficult people

M – mediate the conflict

But again, we cannot be peacemakers without the peace that is found in Jesus alone. Jesus Christ is our peace who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation (Ephesians 2:14).

Jesus said that we will have many tribulations in this world but we have peace in Him because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). So we can become peacemakers because of the peace that we have in our hearts given by the Lord Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the King of Peace

By Bro. Jess Cortez | May 6, 2019 | Comments 9 comments

Prior to His departure, Jesus uttered these words to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV).

Jesus Christ, who is the King of Peace, does not give us the same peace that this world gives. While the peace that this world offers is the absence of conflict which often results from a positive way of thinking, the peace that God gives us is the state of being confident in knowing that He is in full control.

Knowing that Jesus Christ is not only the Prince and Ruler of Peace but also the King of Peace gives us the confidence under any circumstances that we do not have to fear the present and the future. He gives His peace to those who accept it as a result of the Holy Spirit working in their lives.

Jesus Christ: The Prince and Ruler of Peace

In John 12:12-16, we read the account of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s colt and a multitude of people came out to meet Him spreading palm branches while shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!”

The Triumphal Entry — Photo Credits: Free Bible Images (Pinterest)

This event is the fulfillment of the first coming of Jesus as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. And if we continue on to Zechariah 9:10-11, we read about the prophecy on Jesus’ second coming which is yet to come.

We refer to these Scriptures among other Scriptures, to see clearly the attributes given to Jesus as not only the “King of Righteousness” but also the “King of Peace.”

He Pardons Our Sins

The King of Peace has the authority to pardon or forgive us from our sins (Matthew 9:6 NIV).

Pardon is synonymous to forgiveness. They have a common denominator, that is, “cancellation of sins.”

In Matthew 9:2 where Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man that was brought to Him, He said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” It could have been easier for Jesus to say, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

But He did this to make known to them that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins (v.6) and He does pardon our sins!

From this passage and also the Healing of the Lame Man by the Pool near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem (John 5:14), we can say that sickness is directly associated with sin.

Sickness, however, is part of life in this fallen world as a result of our collective rebellion against God. We can see a lot of convicted murderers and criminals who have sinned against the law of man and the laws of God and yet, are in much better health than some pastors and other faithful servants of God.

This tells us that sickness befell man indiscriminately as we can read in John 9:1-3. Whether sin is associated or not with the sickness of men, one thing is for sure; and that is Jesus our King of Peace has been given the authority to forgive our sins.

This is exactly what He has done in the past, is doing at present and will continue to do in the future for those who will turn back and repent of their sins.

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:13-14

He Enriches Our Lives

The King of Peace is generous to enrich our lives (2 Corinthians 8:9).

The apostle Paul was writing to the believers in Corinth about the generosity of the Churches in Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, that despite their poverty, they have given beyond their ability.

The Corinthian church excels in many ways and Paul desired that they may also excel in the grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7). In Paul’s exhortation, he used the example of Jesus who has given all He has.

Jesus who is “rich” in every way became “poor,” in submission to the will of the Father. He assumed human nature and became subject to time, place and other limitations of a man through His incarnation. He did not cease being God but set aside the right to His glory and power.

And He did all these to make us “rich” the moment we received His gift of salvation and eternal life.

“For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NLT)

Just like the “seed” used by Paul in his illustration, God wants us to “plant” rather than to hide the provisions that we are receiving from Him in order to produce a greater harvest. God wants us to invest in our service to Him so that He can bless more abundantly for greater service. (See Matthew 25:14-30, The Parable of the Bags of Gold.)

Our God and all His children are rich. But what is the definition of rich in this context? Being rich means sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; has nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:10). We declare that we are rich with the riches that God has in store for us.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”– 1 Timothy 6:17

He Abides in Us in Trials

The King of Peace never leaves His people (Hebrews 13:5).

God has repeatedly assured us in His word that He will never abandon us; He has promised to be with us even to the end of the age. But why do we feel at times that God has abandoned us? The time that you feel abandoned by God could have been the time that you abandoned God.

It is often said that promises are made to be broken and that’s because we’re humans. But with God, there’s no such thing as broken or unfulfilled promises. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not human that He should lie, not a man that He should change His mind.”

Isaiah 43:2 is another promise of God that we can trust. He said that He will be with us when we pass through the waters and won’t allow us to be swept away. Also when we walk through the fire we will not be burned and the flames will not set us ablaze.

Deep waters, rivers of difficulty and fire of oppression all represent calamities, which in turn represent the different trials and difficulties that God allows to happen in our lifetime. But the time that we go through these calamities is also the time when God says, “I will be with you.”

Other Scripture texts where God promised to abide in us include 1 Chronicles 28:20; Joshua 1:5, Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Genesis 28:15; Joshua 1:9 and Romans 8:39.

He Comforts Us in Troubles

The King of Peace is our comfort and our resting place (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

The kind of comfort that God gives us is far higher to the highest level than the comfort that this world gives us. To be comforted by God does not necessarily mean that we are spared from any trouble. It means we receive strength, encouragement and hope to deal with whatever trouble that comes our way so that we can also comfort those who are in any trouble.

Sometimes God brings us to the oceans not because He wanted us to drown but so that we would learn how to swim. You know what? Our enemies do not know how to swim. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord, to those who have been called according to His purpose.”

Before leaving His disciples, Jesus promised that He will not leave them as orphans for He will send the Holy Spirit to be their Teacher and Comforter (John 14:16-17, 26).

Are you weary and heavy-laden? Jesus is inviting you to come to Him and He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus our King of Peace not only promises comfort but also rest. The kinds of rest found in the Lord include physical rest (Psalm 127:2), peace of mind (Philippians 4:6-7) and healing for our soul (Jeremiah 17:14).

He Ensures Us His Love

The King of Peace gives us divine assurance of His everlasting love (John 15:13).

God did not simply tell us that He loves us; He showed us by voluntarily laying down His life for us. He did not have to but He did it anyway in order to assure us of His love and to secure our salvation.

God has given us His unconditional love even when we were so unworthy of Him (Romans 5:8). He gave up His life so that we may be reconciled with God and gain access to the Father. No matter what we do, we can never out-love God. We only know love and are able to love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Should there be times when you feel defeated and you hear the devil telling you that it’s over, stand on the promise of God that you are more than a conqueror and that nothing and no one can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

Being more than a conqueror means winning with an overwhelming victory. It is not just simply being victorious but going beyond the normal scale of quantifying the win. This is all because we’re not fighting our battles anymore; Jesus is.

Because Christ is living in us (Galatians 2:20), nothing else can separate us from the love of God. This is God’s way of letting us know His great love for us so that we can feel totally secure in Him. Nothing can stop His constant presence with us.

We are also secure in the love of God because we have become an heir and legitimate son to our heavenly Father (Romans 8:17). We have lost our rights to our old family and gained the privilege of being led by the Holy Spirit, and as such, nothing can separate us from His love.

Closing Words

To sum it up, Jesus Christ the King of Peace:

P – ardons our sins

E – nriches our lives

A – bides in us in trials

C – omforts us in troubles

E – nsures us His love

We can surely receive the peace that God offers us if we only learn to put our trust in Him while we remain prayerful, thankful and present our request with a believing heart.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

Do you accept the peace that Jesus Christ the King of Peace is offering?

Organize Your Borrowed Life

By Bro. Jess Cortez | February 10, 2019 | Comments 6 comments

Year after year-end, we look backward to the past whole year just to most often than not, realize that we have not gained spiritual growth, no positive changes or we are far from realizing what we wanted to achieve. All this is because we fail to include the key player who is also the Master Planner of our future.

Where God’s presence is missing, chaos and disorderliness will surface. However, our God is not a God of disorder such that everything will only be in order if we plan and organize our borrowed life, the biblical way.

Putting your God-given Life in Order

In the church at Corinth, the believers must have gotten so excited with their experience of the Holy Spirit that they were speaking in tongues at the same time even when there was no one to interpret the message. This is one of the things that the apostle Paul pointed out when he wrote:

Paul wanted to address their disorderliness in worship because it was causing confusion among them. He reminded the congregation that our God is not the God of disorder. Although this was written to the believers in Corinth, it is also useful in correcting us at this present time both as a church and as individuals (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Pointers on How to Organize your Borrowed Life

P – Pray for God’s perfect will

L – Listen to God’s instructions

A – Abide in God’s word

N – Never compromise

Pray for God’s Perfect Will

Start by praying.

When it comes to starting our plan with prayers, we can follow Nehemiah’s great example. Upon learning that the surviving Jews from the Babylonian captivity were in great distress and that the walls of Jerusalem were also in ruins, Nehemiah wept and mourned for many days. He fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, recognizing his sins and the sins of Israel and asked for God’s guidance in his determination to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:1-4).

Each morning is the start of something new, something fresh. That is why we should start every day and every chapter of our life with a prayer, asking God to carry out His perfect will in all our thoughts and plans. Our prayer shall be for God’s guidance and direction in always seeking the truth in Him that we may take the right path because if God is with us, we can never be lost (Psalm 25:4-5; Psalm 32:8).

We do not believe in fate or fortune-telling. We’d rather ask for God’s instructions and put our trust in Him. Unlike a horse with a horse bit that is pulled in any direction by someone in control, Christians must pray for God’s perfect will.

Listen to God’s Instructions

I believe that every Christian knows how to pray and ask for God’s guidance. But do we know how to listen? I mean really listen. Hearing is different from listening. When we say we “listen” to what someone is saying, it means we “obey” that very thing that is said to us.

Listening to God’s instructions is as equally important as praying for His directions because those who listen to instruction will prosper (Proverbs 16:20 NIV). But what does it mean for us to prosper when we listen and obey?

To “prosper” does not only mean to achieve economic success; it also means to succeed. The Bible gives us several examples of great people who listened and had the heart to obey God’s instructions and prospered. Abraham obeyed God’s command to go out of his country into a place where He will show him and prospered (Genesis 12:1-4).

Noah obeyed God’s instruction to build a massive boat, making him the laughingstock of his community and was saved from the flood, along with his entire family and a pair of each kind of today’s living creatures (Genesis 6:13-20). Moses obeyed God and led the Israelites in crossing the Red Sea on dry ground (Exodus 14:1-22).

King Solomon knew nothing about ruling a nation when he succeeded his father David as king at the age of 20. But when God visited him in a dream one night and asked him whatever he wanted, instead of asking for wealth and honor, Solomon asked for a discerning heart (wisdom) to govern the nation of Israel and to distinguish between right and wrong. God was pleased that He also gave these to him in addition to what he asked for (1 Kings 3:5-9).

*Read here: Blessing Through Obedience

Just like them and many others, we should learn not only to listen but to have an obedient heart. And as God’s sheep, we must be sensitive to His voice and follow His instructions (John 10:27). God, who is our good Shepherd, knows each of us very well and He is always there to guide us if we only know how to listen and obey Him.

In organizing your borrowed life by having it in order according to God’s will, you must not only listen. More importantly, you must be a “doer” of the Word. What you hear should not only end on the blueprints; you are to take action by doing exactly what He said. This is what we call “faith in action.”

Abide in God’s Word

Without God, all our efforts amount to nothing.

Everything we plan and everything we desire will just go down the drain. But if we truly abide in Him and He abides in us (John 15:7), then we are transformed into a new creature with a changed heart and a renewed spirit. This spirit will cause our desires to be in line with God’s will so that whatever we ask for shall be done by our heavenly Father.

Joshua 1:8 exhorts us to meditate on God’s Word day and night and we will become prosperous and successful. To meditate continuously is to always tune in to God and soak our spirit in His words. If indeed we have Christ living in us, we ought to live Christ-like lives, not just momentarily or temporarily, but continuously until the end (Colossians 2:6; 1 John 2:6).

Are you abiding in Him?

Never Compromise

A. To compromise means to live like the world does (Romans 12:2).

How do you know you are not compromising? If what you believe and stand for are opposed to the “norm” and what’s acceptable to the people in the world. We are to abandon the chase for pleasures, status or possessions and stop living like everyone else.

God is good and His will is always pleasing and perfect. Nothing impure is acceptable to Him that is why we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. We must let go of our old outward behavior and start acting in a way that is pleasing to God as a result of a transformed mindset; one that is possible only when we are totally surrendered to Him.

When the mind and behavior are changed, the perfect will of God in us is completed. Our desires will no longer be based on earthly motives but on heavenly goals. Being aligned with God’s perfect will, we will develop a heavenly mindset that is centered on seeking first His kingdom in our lives (Matthew 6:33).

As new creatures in Christ, we no longer follow the desires of our flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21. Instead, the fruit of the Holy Spirit will start to manifest in our lives. Does this mean we will no longer have selfish desires? No! But the Holy Spirit will enable us to live righteous lives if we let Him.

B. To compromise means not doing what we know is right.

This is called the “sin of omission” (James 4:17).

Knowing what is good and yet failing to do it makes us guilty of the sin of omission. When James wrote this, he knew that it is far easier to think and talk about dependence on God than it is to live it. Yet he made it plain that if we know these things, we are accountable to do them.

As Christians, we have already been brought into the light and in the knowledge of God’s truth so there are no excuses.

Jesus makes the same point in Luke 12:41-48 when He told the story of servants and how they obeyed their master in his absence. Jesus concluded the story with this application: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48).

Conclusion

We are confident that as long as God is with us and provides our agendas, we will have boundless hope and will reach His promised future. God will see us through to a glorious conclusion, no matter the hardships, suffering, and trials we would have to experience for God to fulfill His will in our lives.

Waiting Upon the Lord’s Promised Return

By Bro. Jess Cortez | January 15, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Bible Verse: 2 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

Reflection and Challenge

In context, this verse is talking about the day of the Lord or what we call His second coming. In Revelation 16:15, it is written that “He will come like a thief in the night.” And as nobody knows when the thief is coming, so is the Son of God will come at a time that nobody knows precisely about. Yes, not even the angels nor the Son Himself knows when exactly He is coming back, but the Father only (Matthew 24:36).

As Christians, we are anxiously waiting for this great day when we get the chance to be finally home with our heavenly Father. The meaning of this verse can be taken by heart not only as we wait upon the Lord’s promise to return but in all His promises.

Truly, God is eternal; He has no beginning and no end. He goes beyond and over the limits of time. His time zone is different from ours and from anyone and anywhere else’s. His timing is always perfect. He is not slow but patient in answering us, in His own perfect timing. After all, He knows what is best for us all when and wherever we need it!

So, the next time you feel weary and tired waiting for answers, why not think about how unworthy we truly are, how undeserving we truly are for His love and providence. Yet, He loved us even when we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). He answers our prayers at the right time when He finds us ready to receive.

Looking forward to the joy that is prepared for you, can you wait as long as it takes?

What does it mean to be a follower of Christ

What Does it Take to Follow Jesus?

By Bro. Jess Cortez | December 26, 2018 | Comments 4 comments

Bible Verse: Luke 14:33 (NIV)

“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

Reflection and Challenge

Does God really mean that young children be left orphans, old parents and grandparents abandoned by their able children, husbands and wives part ways, all possessions big and small deserted, and everyone else preaching the Gospel bare-footed and naked? Certainly not!

Did not our heavenly Father send Jesus to give up everything including His very own life so we may be delivered, live in peace and live life at its fullest (John 10:10)? How then can He just ask us to give up all these that He has freely given?

Jesus here is showing what it would take to be His real disciples. He has bought us with His own precious life. This makes following Him as a disciple in the making, not a cheap stuff that can be easily grabbed by anyone from the drive-through of famous fast food chains with just a few coins. Truly following Jesus will not be a walk in the park either. His words meant that in order to follow Him, we must learn to let go of our attachment from everything we have.

God is talking about allegiance and loyalty because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). Although He does not mean to take away from us everything we have instantly, we must always be willing to give up anything if we are to choose between following Him or this world. This makes up a true and a loyal disciple.

Perhaps, many rich or even not so rich “Christians” are giving two thumbs up when someone says that this verse should not be taken literally. They would be jumping with a sigh of relief. But, what if God says it should? What would your stand be?

Time Is Of The Essence, Share The Gospel

By Bro. Jess Cortez | December 11, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Bible Verse: Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.

Reflection and Challenge

Every second that passes is a second that is gone forever. The Scripture teaches us to use our time wisely by making the best out of it. It can be read in the book of Genesis that when the earth became corrupt and violent, God decided to put an end to all people by destroying it and everything in it. It will be destroyed by the great flood.

Noah was given clear instructions by God to build an ark with specific dimensions (Genesis 6:13-16). He was commanded to bring into the ark pairs of living creatures including his family so they will live with him when the floods will come. God cautioned Noah that in seven days, He will send the rain for forty days and forty nights and that all living creatures on earth will be wiped out (Genesis 7:4).

Today, every one of us is a living proof that Noah had not wasted time in building the ark. It is not explicitly written in the Bible but some scholars say it took him near or about a few years lesser than a hundred to build it and he finished it on time.

More importantly, he followed God’s commandment to have the pairs of living creatures including his family settle inside the ark.

Noah respected God’s time and made sure that everything was in order. Otherwise, our ancestors (i.e. Noah and his family) did not make it and not even one of us is here today. Thanks to Noah’s diligence and respect in God’s time! He made it into the ark in seven and not in eight days or so!

Jesus is coming soon! We are running out of time. It is not good enough that we are assured of our personal salvation only. Let us use whatever time is left to bring others to Jesus too. Jesus did not give us the Great Commission for nothing.

Use your time wisely and share the good news of salvation! And while we are still living here on earth, we should keep in mind that tardiness is being disrespectful of other people’s time. It is a sign of selfishness. It is not what the scriptures teach us.

We are being taught to spend our time wisely. That way, we will get things done and we will get there on time! The next time you commit to getting things done within a deadline or the next time you promised to be in a place on a specific time, refuse to be late.

Think about the “Great Flood” that you may be caught into if you’re late!

Why Did Jesus Weep When Lazarus Died?

By Bro. Jess Cortez | December 4, 2018 | Comments 4 comments

Bible Verse: John 11:35 (NLT)

“Then Jesus wept.”

Reflection and Challenge

This is known to be the shortest verse in the Bible. It can be found in the story about “The Raising of Lazarus” (John 11:1-44). From the story, one of the many amazing works that we witness is how God allows things to happen for a good reason and for the glory of His name (John 11:4).

Before leaving for Bethany, Jesus knew that Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death but He plainly told His disciples that their dear friend Lazarus is dead. This, of course, is not to contradict His own words but to later have the people know that this had happened for God to receive glory.

The siblings, Lazarus of Bethany, Mary and Martha were loved very dearly by Jesus. However, it took Jesus two days after He was informed that Lazarus was sick before setting out to see him. When Jesus arrived at Bethany, Martha and Mary told Jesus that their brother Lazarus would still be alive had He been there (John 11:21, 32).

At that time, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days already. The siblings were very close to Jesus’ heart and He had told Martha that Lazarus will rise up from the dead and that He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:23, 25).

If Jesus knew beforehand that Lazarus had died and that He can raise him back to life, why then did He weep? One reason anyone can offer could be that Jesus felt compassion over His friends’ weeping, and the mourners’ wailing over the death of Lazarus had caused Him to weep.

This seems to be the readily available reason on the shelf because Jesus’ love and compassion can never be doubted upon. However, reflecting deeply on the Scriptures, we can see that the reason why Jesus wept comes from a rather profound cause: “UNBELIEF.”

*Read more about what Jesus is like in this article: What is the Character of Christ?

Martha and Mary expressed their faith in Jesus but their weeping and the mourners’ wailing shows otherwise. Martha heard Jesus’ assurance by His own words that Lazarus will rise again (John 11:23). Mary must have known Jesus well, and yet they seemed to be not living in what they knew Jesus can do.

Why did Jesus weep? He did so, knowing that even His closest friends did not fully believe in what He can do through the Father.

In times when we face our own trials and sorrows, do we also make Jesus weep? Do we truly and fully believe in Jesus and His deity? The next time you face some fearful things in life, just remember that there is someone greater than any of these that is within us – Jesus. Don’t make Jesus weep again! Praise His holy name!