Author: Sarah Afan

Alive Day 5 Dead To Me

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:10-13
Colossians 2:4-14
Colossians 3:1-11
Romans 5:6-11

Alive, Day 5

“Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.

“So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:10-13)

After reading these verses, we might wonder what it means to be “dead to sin, but alive because of righteousness”. The Apostle Paul is charging us not to live according to the flesh anymore. If we do, this amounts to death for us; but, if by the Spirit, we put sin to death, we would live.

How can one be both dead and alive?

When it comes to questions in Scripture, other passages help us find the right answer. According to Romans 5:12,
“sin entered the world through one man,
and death through sin,
in this way death spread to all people,
because all sinned.”

As a result of our corruption by sin, our physical bodies are frail, mortal, and short-lived.
In our natural state, we are “owned” by Sin. We are “alive” to Sin and it’s torment, which makes us “dead” to Christ and the true life that flows from God.

Our bodies are limited by death:
“And just as it is appointed for people to die once” (Hebrews 9:27).
This means, if our physical bodies die on earth without having the spiritual Life of Jesus breathing inside of us, we will forever be separated from Life in God. We will have “died once”, and for the rest of eternity, we will perpetually experience the full, un-ending wrath of God with broken bodies and all of our consciousness intact.
We will never again have the opportunity to be “alive” in righteousness.

But the Spirit who lives in all who trust Jesus will bring to life our mortal bodies,
just as Christ was raised from the dead. (Romans 8:11)

Here is the good news of Jesus!
Christ came to “kill” Sin and Death forever,
offering us to “come alive” with the abundance only He gives!
In the Life of Jesus, we too can be “dead to sin” and made “alive in righteousness”. 

However, God’s gift of life in the Spirit does not bring instant, automatic change in our everyday lives. The transformation of our once-sin-loving character to reflect the righteous character of God is a continuous life-long process. The Holy Spirit needs our cooperation, in the form of obedience to His leadership. While the Holy Spirit gives us life, we must also yield to Him as He transforms us to the likeness of Christ, day by day.

Therefore, we must continually remain dead to sin (also called the desires of the flesh) by following the Holy Spirit as He guides us into righteous living. We are not to subject ourselves to sin anymore, for “He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14)

Jesus freed us from the eternal and unpayable debt of our sin; how foolish then would we be to rip that certificate from the blood-stained wood of the cross and embrace it once again, by continuing to pursue sin?!
We may fall into temptation, but this habitual pattern of death no longer needs to control us.

For if we neglect the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and return to lives dominated by following our human, rebellious nature, we would die spiritually.

The Lord Jesus said anyone who does not remain in Him is like a branch cut off from the vine; it withers. That branch is good only for burning. (John 15:6)
“For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgement and the fury of fire about to consume the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26)

We harm ourselves if we abandon the work of the Spirit within us, knowingly and volitionally becoming slaves to sin once again.

We must put to death the desires of the flesh (meaning sin) through the Spirit, for — hear me, sisters — we cannot conquer sin on our own!
Instead, we should “walk by the Spirit and you
will certainly not carry out
the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

Walking by the Spirit means “to present your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1) In obeying the Spirit, we “take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

We “put on the new self” by constantly reminding ourselves we have died to sin.
We must always weigh our thoughts against the Word, and allow them to be refined by Truth. When sin threatens to rule us again, we remind ourselves we are new in Jesus and the old Sin Master is gone! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Surely, by the Spirit, we will put to death our sinful desires, and live in the rich abundance of Jesus’ Life!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Alive Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Alive!

Fruitful Day 1 Anchoring Love

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 3:16-17
Romans 5:8-15
2 Peter 1:2-4
1 John 4:16-19
Galatians 5:22-25

Fruitful, Day 1

I’ve often heard the popular saying, “It is not the gift that matters, but the spirit behind it.”

While the giver’s intent is important, the gift itself often speaks volumes of the giver’s heart. Would we gift junk to someone dear to us?
No, love motivates us to give a precious gift to another.

Yet, our kind of love is imperfect. How we relate to and treat one another, how we love, is mostly dependent on their treatment of us.

But God’s love is not like ours; His love does not depend on our attitude.
He loves us irrespective of who we are, because He is love.

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Jesus demonstrated His great love when He submitted Himself to the will of His Father without reservation, by offering His life as a sacrifice for our sins. What a great love! Now, we who believe in Him are the product of that love.

Before Jesus returned to the Father, He said,

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth [. . .] I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (John 14:16-18)

The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, just as Jesus promised, on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-4) We have also received the Holy Spirit when we put our faith in Christ!
The Holy Spirit is the gift of God’s presence in us, demonstrating His love for us.
Through His Spirit, He motivates and equips us to love one another, He comforts us in times of adversity, and fills us with joy even when we don’t have any physical reason to rejoice. He helps us  love even our enemies, and enables us to persevere in trials.

I can testify to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in me. When I encountered Jesus in my life, I began to learn of the depth of His love.

This hymn always reminds of His love; whenever I sing it, tears of joy roll down my cheeks.

“I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the Book He has given,
Wonderful things in the Bible I see.
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me,
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.”

This song reminds me of my character before my encounter with Jesus’ love. I can’t imagine why Jesus should love a person like me: a selfish, self-centered, self-righteous, unforgiving, and Mrs. Know-All person.

Yet He died for me and paid the full price for my sins.
When I was boasting in my emptiness, bragging of my good works,
He knew they wouldn’t save me.

He revealed Himself to me as the only way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) Only then did I begin to truly experience His love that goes far beyond our comprehension. Just as it is impossible to measure the quantity of water in the ocean, so is God’s love for us.

Wrapped in the embrace of His love, there was nothing left for me but to surrender my life to Him. I could not resist His compelling, motivating, magnetic love.
His love gave me peace I had never experienced before.
His love began cultivating the fruitfulness of His own character in me.
My life was transformed from one of self-indulgence and frustration to a life bubbling with joy.
Hallelujah! 

I am certainly not perfect, but I am not who I was before I encountered Christ’s love.
By the grace of God, my story is different.
Glory be to God!

I do not count on my selfish love to see me through weighty grievances or serious offences, but rather on God’s own love which He poured in my heart through the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) I am absolutely certain of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what human ability cannot.

Considering this great, incomprehensible love of God, I conclude with the words of Apostle Paul,

“Who can separate us from the love of Christ? [. . .] For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 8:35a, 38-39)

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Fruitful Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Fruitful!

Terrain Day 5 Jericho’s Walls

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Joshua 1:1-8
Joshua 5:13-15
Joshua 6:1-21
Psalm 24:7-10
Isaiah 55:8-11

Terrain, Day 5

Located northeast of the Dead Sea, Jericho was built around 8000 BC. It was surrounded by massive stone walls measuring about 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) high and 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) wide. According to historical findings, such walls represent the earliest technology and were constructed purely for military purposes. They were meant to protect the settlement and its water supply from intruders.

It was to Jericho, remote and impenetrable behind these massive walls, that God led the Israelites after they miraculously crossed the Jordan River. The people of the city became terrified upon learning about Israel’s wondrous passage:

“When the Amorites kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites until they crossed over, they lost heart and their courage failed because of the Israelites.”
(Joshua 5:1)

So the citizens of Jericho did what they knew best, they hunkered down. The city was “strongly fortified because of the Israelites–no one leaving or entering.” (Joshua 6:1). Based on their understanding, as long as they remained within their walls, they were well protected. Inside the walls, they had everything necessary for survival; the presence of a reliable water supply meant sustenance wouldn’t be a problem.

But “[t]he Lord said to Joshua, ‘Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its best soldiers over to you.’” (Joshua 6:2) According to the Lord God’s instructions, the Israelites were to march around the city once daily for six days, and seven times on the seventh day. Seven priests, carrying seven ram’s horn trumpets, were to precede the ark of the covenant with each circuit. On the seventh day, they were to blow the trumpets while the soldiers shouted aloud. And the walls would just . . . collapse on themselves.

That sounds illogical, right? What could marching around the city, or the blowing of trumpets combined with shouting, possibly do to massive stone walls 1.8 meters thick?

Yet, as foolish as the instructions appeared to man, Joshua obeyed them to the letter. Instead of doubting God, he submitted whole-heartedly to His will. Perhaps the miracle of crossing the Jordan River developed unwavering confidence in God within him. Led by faith, Joshua set aside his own wisdom and military intelligence, and relied absolutely on God.

From a human perspective, there was nothing Joshua and his men could do to breach the city of Jericho. No matter the capacity of his soldiers, as long as those walls remained standing, Jericho would always be the victor.

After marching once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day, the priests blew trumpets, the soldiers shouted, and the walls of Jericho collapsed. “The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city.” (Joshua 6:20)

Hallelujah! The ways of God are higher than man’s ways, and His every word WILL be accomplished! (Isaiah 55:9-11) He is the “God of gods and the LORD of lords,” mighty and awesome! (Deuteronomy 10:17)

“Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.” (Psalm 24:8)
Nothing is too hard for Him! (Jeremiah 32:27)

At the beginning of Joshua’s book, God tells him never to allow the book of God’s law to depart from his mouth, but to meditate upon it day and night. (Joshua 1:8) God declared Joshua would be successful and prosperous through careful study and obedient adherence to His Law. Joshua’s constant meditation on the Law revealed God’s power and faithfulness.

“God is not a man, that He might lie, or the son of man, that He might change His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19)

God promises and fulfills; His words will not return to Him empty.

He is a promise-keeping God.

He is able to make the impossible possible; Joshua’s conquest over Jericho testified as much and Scripture confirms, “They completely destroyed everything in the city.” (Joshua 6:21)

What if we trusted God as completely as Joshua without attaching human limits or reasoning to His words? Would we witness more of His miracles?
We live in the era of the worship of science, logic, and human understanding.
Yet our God is not limited by our scientific exploration; His ways are far beyond human understanding; all He requires is a willing, obedient heart.

If only we can acquaint ourselves with His words, like Joshua, studying and meditating day and night, we will know more of this God we serve, of His unfailing love, and astounding faithfulness. We will learn to trust Him in the most difficult and impossible situations, knowing He will never fail us. For, as our Lord Jesus said, “Everything is possible for the one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Terrain Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Terrain!

If Day 13 Un-Risen

1 Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:12-22
Matthew 28:1-7
John 10:14-18
Romans 6:1-11
Ephesians 1:18-23

If, Day 13

When we read the accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), we are awed by His greatness. He preached the kingdom of God and performed different kinds of miracles. He was full of love and mercy; wherever He went, He healed the sick, provided food for the hungry, and even raised the dead. For these reasons, a large crowd was always following Him. As Jesus continually met the basic needs of humanity, it follows that people would throng to Him.

But what if, after His death, His body decomposed, and His bones remained in the grave? Would He be any different from other religions’ leaders?

While the accounts of His life portray Him as unique,
His end would have been the same.

The figureheads of all other religions lived at a point in time, and their lives included some memorable events for their followers. They all died and were buried, and their tombs remain closed around their remains. The best their followers could do to remember them was to make those tombs into shrines for visitation and rituals.

What if the story of Jesus was the same?
What impact would an un-risen Jesus have on our faith, our spirits?
Apostle Paul addressed this question by explaining,
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)

But thank God, Christ did not remain in the grave as other religions’ leaders; “He has risen, just as He said.” (Matthew 28:6) Indeed, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection. He said to His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise three days later.” (Mark 9:31)

“This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

Hallelujah, what a Savior! Is that not powerful?
Christ laid down His life for us at will, and took it back after paying off the price for our sins. My people in Nigeria have a saying, “If someone promises you a shirt, look at the one on his body first.” The message is, no one can give what he does not have. Thank God, the Lord Jesus Christ lives forever and He has given us life in Him.

The death and resurrection of Christ provides all who believe and trust in Him with our unshakeable identity, both for this life and in eternity. In this life, we enjoy a new existence in Him; in eternity, we will live with Him forever.

Scripture says,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) We can walk in “newness of life” because Jesus’ resurrection conquered the sin nature that once ruled us; now, through the Spirit, God remains in us. (1 John 3:9)

Finally, Scripture testifies, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God [and . . .] everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.” (1 John 5:1-4)

Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we receive the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, to live victoriously over sin and Satan. Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavens, “far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given.” (Ephesians 1:20-21) Furthermore, “[God] also raised us up with [Christ] and seated us with Him in the heavens with Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 2:6)

What does this mean for us?
We are also seated in Him, far above every authority of the devil. Glory be to God! We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

Yes, we experience struggles in this world whose god is Satan, yet we have the assurance that we have already been saved from death to life, just as our God was raised from death to life. (1 John 3:14) Death was not His master, and neither is it ours who trust in Jesus, for “we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

Then we will say, “Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Let the Good News ring out, Christ is risen!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into If Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in If!

If Day 8 Easy Life

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3:8-13
Isaiah 1:11-19
Luke 9:23-25
Philippians 3:7-11
Ephesians 1:3-1

If, Day 8

What if God gave Christians an easy life?
A life free from pain and sorrow;
everything went as desired without any discernible problems.
Life would be sweet, right?

This may seem appealing, but if it were so, we would feel we earned an easy life through salvation. Salvation would be like a business transaction; a contract initiated between two parties, and consummated; chapter closed. In other words, once we pray to Jesus for salvation and receive an easy life, the whole deal is completed.
Let each party continue on;
no need for any abiding relationship with Him;
we have what we wanted.

If salvation was simply an exchange to ensure ease in this present life, would that fulfill God’s intent for salvation? No, God’s plan for our salvation reaches far beyond physical ease. His plan is to restore us back to an abiding relationship with Him, repairing what we have broken through our sin.

In the garden of Eden, our ancestors committed treason against God. Their desire to be as powerful as God made them eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. (Genesis 3:1-7) Immediately, their expectations of self-glory turned to disaster: they ended up with nothing except guilt, shame, and death. So, they went into hiding; they could not face the Holy God with Whom they’d once freely fellowshipped. Sin created a barrier between them and their Creator.

Scripture says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

The sin of our ancestors, Adam and Eve, became our sin because we came into existence through them. But God, Who is rich in grace and mercy, out of His great love set in motion a way to restore the lost relationship. When Adam and Eve hid, He sought them out, calling, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)

His voice, calling out for His lost children, echoes through the generations. We hear Him calling out to the Israelites who abandoned Him for other gods, saying, “Come, let’s settle this”. (Isaiah 1:18a) Again and again, God declared His plan for restoring man back to an enduring relationship with Him.

The Lord Jesus also made this clear when He lamented over Jerusalem, saying, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)

Furthermore, He seeks relationship rather than mere behavior modification; the Lord Jesus told His disciples to remain in Him, and He in them, for without Him they could do nothing (John 15:4-5). Again, to demonstrate His commitment to establishing a relationship with them, He said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:13-14)

Though He directly addressed His disciples, His words are also for us. He laid down His life for us all, and we are also His friends. What is more, He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) What amazing love!

Sometimes I imagine the Lord Jesus on the cross, His hands and feet nailed, His head carrying a crown of thorns, and blood oozing over His body. Above all, carrying the weight of our sins upon Himself resulted in excruciating agony and total separation from the Father. He is left all alone, abandoned to the consequence of our sins.

Often, I end up shedding tears because my heart cannot comprehend such indescribable love. Sisters, how could such great love and sacrifice possibly be diluted down to the cold distance of a business-like transaction for an easy life?

We see this practically in the life of Apostle Paul when he came to terms with the reality of Christ’s love. His greatest desire was to enjoy a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.

“But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

As Paul vividly explains, there’s nothing to be cherished in life more than having a deep relationship with our Savior and Maker. Our desire to be free from the problems of this present life should not override our commitment to loving Him. Our love for Him should motivate us to go through every hardship in Him, rather than to simply enjoy an easy life outside of Him.

Standing upon His promise that nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ, let us embrace the Jesus-life, with its joys and sorrows, valuing above all else a deeply relational walk with our Savior.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into If Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in If!

Sketched IX Day 13 Costly Surrender

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 5:22-42
Luke 5:1-11
Matthew 14:22-33
Luke 14:25-35
John 21:15-19

Sketched IX, Day 13

Suppose the world authority orders you, on threat of death, not to talk about Jesus; what would you do? Most believers in Jesus would answer, “I would rather obey God than men” (Acts 5:29) . . . while we’re in our comfort zone. But would our answer be the same when the reality of suffering dawns on us?

The Lord told us clearly we would be hated for His name’s sake; following Him may cost our lives. (Matthew 10:22) His words are becoming reality for us now as the Jewish authority (the Sanhedrin) does not want us to preach Jesus. Despite doing everything possible to stop the spread of the news of Jesus’ resurrection, they found us preaching and people responding with believing in Him. Every day, large numbers of believers are added to the Church. (Acts 2:47)

We have been arrested and strictly warned never to preach in His name again. Our lives are on the line because of the gospel of Christ. Amidst the Sanhedrin’s threats, I told them, without hesitation, we will not obey their command and thereby defy God’s own.

Does it sound risky?
Yes!
But my relationship with Jesus has gone beyond following my will.
My will no longer counts; His will be done.
I must live for Jesus and preach His gospel of salvation while I am in this body. My journey with Him has reached a point of no return; come what may.

I decided this after undergoing a process of life transformation during my walk with Christ. After encountering Him at Lake Gennesaret, I discovered life at its best is only found in Christ. I would rather go through any kind of storm with Him than a storm-free life without Him.

Perhaps you think being with Jesus physically made following easy for me. Not at all; I stumbled and faltered as I faced painful and challenging situations. Yet, I pressed on with His help.

Let me share some of my story, so you can be encouraged and persevere!

Initially, when I started the journey, I was excited seeing Jesus performing different miracles. Not only that, we (His disciples) also healed and cast out demons in His name. Another exciting moment was at the Mount of Transfiguration, where I saw His glory when Moses and Elijah appeared to Him. In addition, He told me He would give me the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 16:19) Wow, I thought I had become a giant of faith.

But one night my faith was tested, and I discovered I was not the giant I imagined. We were in a boat at midnight, tossed by a great wind; we saw Jesus walking on water. We thought it was a ghost, but He assured us not to be afraid, that it was He. So, I asked Him to command me to come to Him. He did. At once, I stepped out onto the water and started walking, thinking of myself as the giant of the faith, Peter. Suddenly the wind became furious; fear gripped me, and I started sinking. I cried to Jesus for help and He saved me. The Lord rebuked me for doubting. I saw myself as a failure, but was comforted because Jesus did not abandon me.

When we celebrated the Passover together, He told us He would be arrested and killed, and we would all desert Him. I declared I would NEVER desert Him; I would go with Him to the point of death.  But reality dawned on me when Jesus was arrested: I found myself denying knowing my Lord for fear of my peers.

When I realized the devastating choice I’d made, I wept bitterly for mercy. Following His resurrection, Jesus graciously restored me. In my sober moment, I recalled what the Lord told us one day, regarding following Him. He said,

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes and even his own life–he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)

“If anyone wants to follow after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

“Yes, I understand,” I told myself; I must let go of my life by surrendering it absolutely to Christ. And after His resurrection, at our final meeting with Him, I accepted wholeheartedly His mandate.

Hearing my story, do you understand my assertion?
It’s not enough to say we would obey God while in our comfort zones?
His will must be paramount to the cost of our lives, for true surrender is worth the cost.

Take courage, Believers!
The journey of following Jesus is not by our might nor by our power, but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6)! Whatever you pass through, be assured He will be there with you (Isaiah 43:2). He promises to never leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5).

Because He is worthy.
Our surrender, though costly, is worth it. 

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched IX Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched IX!

Ready Day 6 Laboring Love

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1Thessalonians 3:1-13
Colossians 1:24-29
Jude 20-25

Ready, Day 6

During my daughter’s first years of university studies, my mind was always with her.  I knew that university lifestyle was quite different from secondary school. I was praying for her almost every day, calling to know how she was doing, and sending her text messages to encourage her.

Two things prompted my actions.

  1. I love her, and wanted her future to be good.
  2. I was afraid lest she fell into a bad company and ruin her life; I didn’t want my labor to be in vain.

I see a similar relationship between the Thessalonian Christians and the apostle Paul, Silas, and Timothy, who traveled together to encourage churches. (1 Thessalonians 1:1) Having suffered great opposition, they persevered to preach the gospel to the believers in Thessalonica together. After being forced to leave the city, they were keen to know how the new believers were growing in their faith. Paul’s team made several attempts to visit, but were hindered by Satan (through aggressive persecution). At last, they resorted to sending Timothy to go and encourage the churches on their behalf.

Recalling his labor among them, Paul said,

“We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” (1Thessalonians 2:8)

As a result, Paul’s team was afraid, lest the new believers become weary and give up their faith because of affliction. Therefore, they sent Timothy to “strengthen and encourage” them, so no one would be shaken by afflictions. (1 Thessalonians 3:2)

Wow! That pricks my heart; I ask myself again and again whether I am committed to loving the Church this way. How often do we pray for the Church, especially new believers? What about those who have backslidden? Are we making efforts to restore them back into Christ’s fold? I am afraid that instead of reaching out in empathy and support, sometimes others’ failures become a topic of discussion to us. In our hypocrisy, we talk of it with pleasure, as if to say, “it serves them right.”

There’s a hymn that usually keeps me in check; as I sing, I am reminded of all I owe Jesus:

“Must I go and empty-handed?
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him?
Must I empty-handed go?”

Are we prepared to meet our Savior?
Will our life’s work reflect His heart of passion for each person?
We must return to this first-love question throughout our lives.

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19-20) We must not take His command for granted; it calls us to action! The immediate receivers of His command (His disciples) obeyed it.

Now it is our turn.

How committed are we to making disciples?
Do our hearts yearn with love, the way Paul and his team did for the Thessalonian Christians?

His deep care for them compelled Paul to say,

“When I could no longer stand it, I also sent him [Timothy] to find out about your faith.” (1Thessalonians 3:5)

Paul was afraid Satan might have tempted them to abandon their faith, and thus Paul’s labor would have been in vain. I am deeply challenged by the attitude of Paul and his team; overwhelmingly, it is dominated by caring for and nurturing the Thessalonians’ faith. Similarly, our concern must be to prepare the world for the coming of Christ.

When Timothy returned with a positive report about the Thessalonian Christians, Paul describes how the team celebrated with joy:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we were encouraged about you through your faith. For now, we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience?” (1Thessalonians 3:7-9)

To Paul and his team, the steadfastness of the faith of the Thessalonian Christians was life; he explained, “Now, we live.” What a passion!

Such celebration is for us, as well!

Jesus describes the incomparable joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7); should there be anything for us to celebrate more than the increase of God’s kingdom?

The report of the Thessalonian Christians further spurs Paul and his team to deep and fervent prayers.

“[A]s we pray very earnestly night and day to see you face to face and complete what is lacking in your faith.” (1Thessalonians 3:10) What a commitment!

Doesn’t this kind of zeal challenge us?
Sisters, it’s time for us, like Paul, to step into Jesus’ commission and commit ourselves to disciple-making. Like Paul and his team, may our hearts burn in prayer “day and night” for those we know are perishing without Jesus.

What joy shall it be, when we see such people repenting and growing strong in their faith! Such great rejoicing will be ours when, at last, Jesus says to us,
“Well done, my faithful servant!”
(Matthew 25:21)

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Ready Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Ready!

Nations Day 1 Out Of Darkness

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:1-7
1 Peter 2:4-10
Luke 9:23-26

Nations, Day 1

When I consider the transformation we, the people of my village, have undergone, I find reason to thank God again and again. We, who once walked in the futility of our minds, having our understanding darkened, ignorant and separated from God, have received the mercy of God. Indeed, we’ve seen God’s great love toward us. He called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. Once we were not a people, but He has made us a people in Christ; a people belonging to Him. Hallelujah! (paraphrase, Ephesians 4:17-18)

Surely, God’s love is not selective, conditional, or judgemental; if it was, who would have chosen and called us to follow Christ? Like His own disciples, we have been called irrespective of our backgrounds; like His own disciples, when confronted with His love, we are also confronted with the depths of our own sinful disqualification. When Peter experienced Christ’s overwhelming love, he exclaimed, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord!” (Luke 5:8) Yet His call, and His love, remain undaunted.

By the grace of God, the gospel of salvation has penetrated all over our village, and many people are following Jesus Christ. A typical Sunday morning sees villagers of all ages rushing to various worship centres.

Women are at the forefront of God’s move in my community, following in the footsteps of Mary of Magdalene and other heroines of faith in Scripture. Their incredible zeal for the Gospel prompts some to even offer their “widow’s mite,” trusting tomorrow’s provision to God alone.

But there are some cultural issues frustrating the Christian journey among our people, and women are significantly affected. As with most Africans, witchcraft is a monster ravaging our people; every misfortune is attributed to it. Almost every death of a person below 70 years is attributed to witchcraft; likewise, any lingering or chronic illness. Most devastatingly, women and children are most often accused of being witches or secret cult members.

Additionally, many women experience tough times in their marriage as the culture demands a wife owe her in-laws respect and care. Some family members go beyond their boundaries and become a “thorn in the flesh” of the woman. In most cases, the husband is handicapped to protect his wife. Even more challenging to marriages is the issue of childlessness, because marriage without children, to our people, is like an orange tree without fruit.

Poverty also places a significant burden on women, as they are the primary contributors to household income, often through menial work. Drug use adds to the poverty level, as women lose spouses, followed by homes and belongings.

However, amidst those challenges, some women are forging ahead in following Christ. These courageous sisters do not allow hardship to determine their spiritual standing; they are making a lifetime of sacrifices for the sake of Jesus. They daily live out the words of Jesus: “If anyone wants to follow after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

Surely, following Jesus Christ requires self-denial, and we must not allow hardship or any inconvenience to deter us. We must be willing to sacrifice everything standing between us and Him. It is well-understood that challenges create room for our faith to grow, because the more challenges we face, the more we seek refuge in Christ. As the Scripture says, “Consider it great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3)

Unfortunately, when tough times come, some turn their backs on Him, like the seed that fell on stony places. On Sundays, they rush to church for worship, but in ignorance, turn to others beside Jesus in their suffering. To worsen their situation, they usually fall into the hands of fake pastors, who exploit the women’s pain for monetary gain.

As someone who is passionate for the gospel, my heart bleeds when I hear the perils my fellow countrywomen pass through. The biggest need I see is for a deep knowledge of God’s Word, which will only happen through sound teaching. My appeal to the global Church is to join me in prayer for God to open doors to enable us organise more teachings, and to add labourers for the work. Pray also that God will create in their hearts a strong desire for His Word, and also bless the work of their hands.

I am thankful to God for the Church in the nations, joined and knitted together in Christ despite physical distance; therefore, we share in the pain and joy of one another. How marvellous and glorious it will be when we see eachother face-to-face at the throne of Jesus!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Nations Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Nations!

Fervent Day 10 Seek And Save

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
Ephesians 6:19-20
Colossians 4:2-4
1 Timothy 2:1-4

Fervent, Day 10

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
(Luke 19:10)

Condemned by the Pharisees (the self-righteous and corrupt religious leaders of His time) for dining with sinners, He said His mission was to save those very sinners.
His heart was for their rescue!

In response to the same accusation, Jesus said,
“It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick.
I didn’t come to call the righteous, but the sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

Jesus proved His mission again when, nailed naked to a perpetrator’s cross,
He prayed for God to forgive His killers.

In like manner, the apostle Paul committed his life to the ministry of preaching the gospel to save the lost. His love for Jesus compelled him to give up everything to his advantage and do what Jesus was passionate about. Paul even said he considered his life of no account except to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)

Paul described the gospel as the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and himself as the means through which it is spread. For those who believe, the gospel is the aroma of life leading to life, but to those who reject, it is the aroma of death leading to death. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) The same gospel which gives life to those who believe stands as a judgment to those who reject it. Scripture says he who believes in the Son of God will not be condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already. (John 3:18) Whoever has not put his faith in Christ is considered lost.

Paul was not deterred from preaching the gospel, though many rejected it. He used every means to make the gospel known to and accepted by those who were lost. He said he became “all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

In his words, we see a deep sense of urgency in praying for. and ministering to, the lost. He recognized God desires all to know the vast richness of knowing and experiencing Christ as Savior. Therefore, Paul seized every opportunity he had to preach to, and pray for, the lost. Additionally, when he wrote to the churches, he called other believers to pray alongside him.

Paul described how his heart longed for his Jewish brothers and sisters to repent and be rescued, he even wished he could be accursed from Christ for their sake if it were possible! (Romans 9:1-5) He prayed fervently for their salvation, despite the fact that they were the very people persecuting him.

Studying the passion Paul had for the salvation of the lost, I was moved to tears.
I realized I have not given the Gospel the commitment it deserves.
I must confess my concern had only been for my family members. I hardly prayed for outsiders; the best I could do for them was my little contribution for the work of missions. But the fact that someone somewhere could die without Christ
should be a matter of great concern to me.

Every believer should carry an attitude of great concern toward the lost. We may not have the opportunity to travel round the world to preach the gospel, but we can share the hope of the gospel with those in our own communities!

The gospel is an issue of life or death,
an eternity in heaven or in hell.

How would it be if Christ returns, or any of our loved ones die in their sin, without us making any effort for their salvation by sharing Jesus?!
Imagine the pain and sorrow we would feel.
We have a duty not only to be involved in missions,
but to pray earnestly for the salvation of the lost.

Praying for the lost can never be over-emphasized; Jesus Himself asked His disciples to pray earnestly for the Lord of harvest to send laborers into His harvest. (Matthew 9:38) In like manner, the apostles prayed for boldness to declare God’s word. (Acts 4:29) Paul urged Timothy to intercede in prayer for all people, including kings and those in authority, because God desires for all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:1-4)

Not only does God desire everyone to be saved,
but He calls us to join with Him on His mission of sharing this beautiful gospel overflowing with hope and love. (Matthew 28:18-20)

We confidently know our prayers matter for the salvation of the lost.
Therefore, the thought of the reality of hell for unsaved souls should drive us to our knees to pray for the lost with fervency.

Who will you pray for? 


Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Fervent Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Fervent!