Category: Spiritual

James 5:1-2

Believers have the assurance that in every aspect of their lives, God will supply all their needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19 ). They are reminded that God has given them power to get wealth and all other blessings (Deut. 8:18). Yet, riches are not just for personal gain only but to serve others and fulfill God’s covenant promises made to our forefathers. God’s people are stewards of both material and spiritual blessings and are to obey Him, having the assurance that promises given will be fulfilled. 

Here in James 1 the Apostle issued an urgent warning, sharply condemning the unrighteous rich who oppressed the poor, telling them to come now;  listen and take quick action. Those “who lack true faith and hoard and misuse the resources” of which they have been blessed are commanded to repent of their unjust treatment and lack of compassion for the poor and less fortunate. James prophesied that the rich oppressors should “weep and howl for the miseries they will suffer as a result of their coming judgments.”

“Your wealth has rotted and is ruined, and your [fine] clothes have become moth-eaten” (v.2). It is clear that God doesn’t want us to selfishly hoard earthly riches; they can lead to spiritual decay and give us a false sense of trust. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and riches” (Matt. 6:24). God is jealous and command that we have no other gods before Him; He requires our wholehearted loyalty. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). Wait patiently for God will judge the rich oppressors.

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”

Matthew 6:20 -21 NKJV

When God created humanity, it was for His glory and the fulfillment of His purpose; therefore, nothing else should come before Him. Exodus 20:5 tells us that God is the Lord thy God and He is a jealous God. He is not partial to His creation; His love for mankind is unconditional. Even though, we are often selfish in our thoughts, words, and actions, God’s plan is to redeem us from sin. Do we deserve redemption? We do not, but because of God’s grace and mercy; each person is called to live their life in harmony with Christ Jesus, purposefully reflecting their trust in God’s provision. 

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-6), Jesus taught His disciples to seek first His kingdom and righteousness and trust Him for food, drink, and clothes. Jesus warned them against trusting in and worrying about earthly riches because they have no eternal value. He encouraged His disciples in Matt. 6:20 -21 NKJV: “²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” “²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus wants believers to focus their hearts on His kingdom of spiritual treasures rather than worrying about earthly riches that are temporary. “God has given us power to get wealth” (Deut. 8:18a), but He does not expect His children to selfishly hoard what He has given them. They are not to forget Him and fail to bless others. He commands believers to lay up for themselves heavenly treasures that provide eternal blessings in Christ.

Today, lift your voice and give God glory!

Philippians 3:20-21

We all know the story of man disobeying God in the Garden of Eden, which resulted in his fall from fellowship with God (Genesis 2-3). How unfortunate this is! Man was no longer innocent but was a wretched, sinful creature, who was separated from God. So, here in verses 17-19 Paul encouraged the Philippian church to be followers of his life and other believers who fashioned their lives after godliness. He also wept sadly as he warned the church that he had told them previously that there are many who reject and oppose Christ’s way of salvation. Now this was not the only reason for the apostle’s sadness. He is weeping because their end is doom and eternal.

Paul continued, “But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (v.20); “who, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself, will [not only] transform [but completely refashion] our earthly bodies so that they will be like His glorious, resurrected body” (v.21). 

Believers live in the world but are not of the world. So, they eagerly wait for the coming of Jesus, through Whom they are called to fulfill God’s purpose to glorify Him. Paul told the Philippians that through Christ’s power their present mortal bodies will be completely changed physically and spiritually, reflecting the glorified, immortal body like Christ after His resurrection. While we wait for Christ to return, we have time to prepare for the eternal glory we will share with Him forever.  

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”

Philippians 3:17-21 Amplified Bible

Like everyone else believers live in this world and are subject to the governing authorities of the land, but this world is not their home. Therefore, their life-living should reflect who they are in Christ. Addressing his brothers and sisters of the Philippian church, Paul urged them to be fellow-imitators of his example and observe those believers whose life-living was according to the model they gave them (v.17). 

Paul continued, “For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ [rejecting and opposing His way of salvation]” (v.18), “whose fate is destruction, whose god is their belly [their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity], and whose glory is in their shame—who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things” (v.19). Paul warned the church that there are many who live as enemies of the cross of Christ. This is not the first time he warned them of those who reject and oppose Jesus’ way of salvation; however, this time he is in tears. They have their minds set on the fleshly desires and things of this world, rejecting and opposing the work Christ did on the cross. Paul’s tears are because their fate is eternal damnation.  ^“But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (v.20);  “who, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself, will [not only] transform [but completely refashion] our earthly bodies so that they will be like His glorious, resurrected body” (v.21).

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”

Philippians 4:7 GNT

Most people long for peace in their everyday lives. Many believe that peace can be achieved through man’s reasoning power of negotiations; they don’t trust one another and often break their word. However, because God gives peace, believers can trust He will do as He promised. The reality is unless we allow God to change our moral and spiritual conditions, we will not know peace. Recall that we live in a fallen world, spiritually separated from God because our first parents disobeyed Him in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, we must accept Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to reconcile us to Christ. “And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7 GNT).

 Being in union with Jesus, believers have peace that gives them protection those outside of Christ do not have. Even in the midst of all the confusion in this world, the beauty of the spiritual benefit of peace is trusting God to keep our hearts and minds. ^“… but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6b).   

Many song writers wrote hymns of hope. Thomas Dorsey, Father of Gospel Music, penned There’ll Be Peace in the Valley for Me. The chorus says: “There’ll be peace in the valley for me some day, There’ll be peace in the valley for me. I pray no more sorrow and sadness or trouble will be, There’ll be peace in the valley for me.” The words express what believers look forward to in both the afterlife and rest for the soul from the toils of this old world. 

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”