Category: Today’s Word

January 17, 2025
Connecticut Mission Home
Wethersfield · Connecticut

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Call to Worship
“God is spirit, and
..His worshipers must worship
..In the Spirit and in truth.” — John 4:24

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Hymn
Perfect You Are My God
^{Rose Park}

Perfect You are my God
Righteous and Holy
In all of Your ways
Revealing Your glory
In all that You do
All men will worship You

I will worship You
I will praise Your name
For You are the only Lord and King
I will worship You
I will praise Your name
My desire is to honor You Lord

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Confession of Faith
The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
…Maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
…Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
…Born of the Virgin Mary,
…Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
…Was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
…And is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy universal Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body
And life everlasting. Amen.

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Responsive Reading
Isaiah 58

Leader: Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
People: to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

Leader: Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
People: when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Leader: Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
People: then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Leader: Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Leader: If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
People: and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

Leader: then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
People: The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.

All Together: You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

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Scripture Reading
Genesis 22:1-18
^{Carmetta Williams}

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

³ Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, ¹⁸ and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

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Exodus 32:7-14. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. ⁸ They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

⁹ “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

¹¹ But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? ¹² Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. ¹³ Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” ¹⁴ Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

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Although the journey to the land of Canaan was filled with obstacles, God consistently provided for His people and granted them victory at every step. Their enemies could not stop them, the wilderness could not defeat them, and their unbelief could not nullify God’s promise.

Yet in Today’s Word, we see something far more dangerous than external opposition: God’s people blocked the road themselves. While Moses was on the mountain meeting with God, the Israelites committed an act that was detestable in His sight—idolatry. Even more tragically, Aaron, the high priest, led them into it.

This did not happen suddenly or without cause. It reveals a spiritual pattern we must examine carefully, because the same danger exists in our own Christian lives. First, we must recognize the reality of our enemy. Satan’s goal has never changed: to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

Satan does not always attack openly. Instead, he introduces substitutes—idols, distorted religion, possessions, success, culture, or public opinion—things that appear harmless or even beneficial, yet quietly replace God at the center. Scripture says he blinds the minds of people so they cannot see the light of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), offering alternatives that look spiritual but lead to death.

At the same time, we often cooperate with this deception. Impatience, quarreling, fear of people, and attachment to old habits become tools that block the road forward. When the Israelites saw that Moses had been gone a long time, they grew restless. They could not wait for God’s timing. They demanded something visible, immediate, and controllable.

Impatience led to loss of discernment, and loss of discernment led to a catastrophic decision. They forgot the Lord who brought them out of Egypt and replaced Him with a golden calf. What began as anxiety ended in worship of an idol. They became participants with demons (1 Corinthians 10:20).

God’s response was severe. Their actions were so offensive that God declared He would destroy the nation and begin again with Moses. At that moment, the future of Israel hung in the balance. What saved them was not their repentance, nor Aaron’s leadership, but the prayer of one man who understood the covenant.

Moses did not argue with God based on emotion or human reasoning. He clung to the absolute covenant of God as if his life depended on it. His intercession was desperate and self-sacrificial. He was willing to be erased himself if it meant the people could be forgiven. This reveals the heart of a covenant mediator—one who values God’s promise more than his own life, pleading: “Please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written” (Exodus 32:32).

Moses prayed covenantally, reminding God of the promise He had sworn by His own name to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. He did not invent a new request; he returned to the Word God had already spoken. By doing so, he stood on ground that could not be shaken. God’s covenant, sworn by Himself, could not fail. When Moses prayed from that place, the forces of judgment were restrained, and Scripture says the Lord relented from the disaster He had threatened.

When we return to God’s covenant—the gospel—in the midst of crisis, darkness cannot remain. The forces of Satan cannot overpower someone who stands firmly on God’s promise. Storms may rage, but they cannot cancel what God has sworn. When impatience, confusion, or discouragement arises, the answer is not reaction or blame, but covenantal prayer.

Such prayer begins with holding tightly to the Word God has given, allowing it to shape our perspective and guide our intercession. It also includes repentance—not only personal repentance, but corporate repentance. When the church takes responsibility for its compromises, distortions, and silence concerning the true gospel, God responds with mercy. As He did in Moses’ day, He still turns judgment into restoration when His people humble themselves before Him.

This is why now is not the time to panic or listen to the voice of the world. It is the time to pray like Moses. When we do, God’s promise remains sure: the God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20).

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Prayer. Father, restore Your covenant within me. Teach me to pray covenantally, standing firmly on Your Word. Have mercy on Your church, and turn the hearts of this generation back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Luke 18:1-8. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

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Prayer is a spiritual science. What constantly occupies your thoughts—your conscious mind, subconscious mind, and soul—eventually becomes reality. What is stored within you becomes your prayer.

Irrational thinking leads to an irrational life. As long as you remain trapped in an old framework of thinking, you cannot expect anything new in life. The framework of your thinking shapes your conscious mind, and over time it settles into your subconscious. What accumulates in the subconscious will eventually surface through your attitudes, words, and actions.

If your heart is filled with anxiety, confusion will inevitably follow. But if your heart is filled with faith and hope, your future will unfold accordingly. Most importantly, what is stored in your spirit and soul determines everything that takes place in your conscious and subconscious mind. That is why Scripture urges us to fill our inner being with the Word of God:

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Religious people often see temporary “answers” to prayer by tapping into the subconscious mind. But afterward, spiritual problems inevitably follow. Little do they realize that evil spirits work powerfully behind the scenes (Exodus 20:4–5; 1 Corinthians 10:20).

Success without knowing God leads to unavoidable consequences. Without the gospel, the more successful a person becomes, the more severe spiritual problems arise. Why? Because God created humanity as spiritual beings—there is no true happiness or rest apart from God.

Therefore, we must continually realize, enjoy, and confirm the gospel in our lives. When the gospel becomes our reality, we will not grow discouraged in prayer. In today’s passage, our Lord Jesus teaches us five essential elements of prayer.

First, we must know who our Father is when we pray. He is the One who brings justice for His chosen ones (Luke 18:7). He determines the future of our lives. Nothing is too hard for Him, and no request is beyond His power. He is the God who promised His own power to us (Acts 1:8).

Second, we must know who we are. We are His chosen ones. We have been given the right to receive answers to our prayers and the privilege of approaching His throne anytime and anywhere (Hebrews 4:16). In the name of Jesus, we stand on God’s authority, call upon the heavenly power, and demolish the strongholds of the enemy.

Third, prayer requires faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. We must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus Himself lamented the lack of faith when He asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

When prayer is filled with faith, it becomes the joy of life itself, and life becomes a prayer. But when unbelief fills the heart, everything becomes an obstacle to prayer. Scripture reminds us, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:9).

Fourth, prayer must be accompanied by a burning desire aligned with God’s heart. When we understand our Father’s desire for the world, we will begin to see answers. God is pleased with prayers rooted in His covenant, as revealed in His Word.

David lived with such desire when he said, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent” (1 Chronicles 17:1). He understood that restoring God’s presence among His people was the absolute priority. God answered David’s prayer with eternal blessings (1 Chronicles 17:4–14).

The widow in today’s passage also prayed with burning desire. Her determination for justice overcame every obstacle, including an unjust judge who neither feared God nor cared about people.

May God open our eyes to see the true condition of the world. May our hearts burn with His desire for the nations. Let us respond to His urgent call to proclaim the gospel to all peoples. To this end, let us hold firmly to the covenant of only Christ, only the kingdom of God, and only the Holy Spirit, and let this covenant become our only prayer (Acts 1:1-14).

Our Father is the One who made the earth, formed it, and established it (Jeremiah 33:2). He is not like the heartless judge. When you pray, He listens attentively like a loving Father:

“Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2).

When you face hardship or suffering for the sake of the gospel, do not lose heart. Continue to bring your case before God, the righteous Judge, and He will see that justice is done. Give all your worries to your Father. Turn every problem into prayer (Philippians 4:6-7).

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Prayer. Father, teach me to pray as Your child, not as one who doubts Your heart. Help me overcome unbelief and fill my spirit with faith, hope, and trust in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Matthew 18:21-35. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

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We all know that God calls us to forgive our brothers and sisters, yet forgiveness often feels impossibly difficult. It is not that we do not want to forgive; rather, we discover that we do not have the strength to forgive from within ourselves. Human determination alone cannot sustain forgiveness for long, particularly when the wounds run deep and the memories still ache.

Forgiveness becomes possible only when our lives are filled with the answers and blessings that come from God. A decision made by sheer willpower may last for a moment, but it quickly collapses if our hearts remain wounded and empty. True forgiveness flows not from effort, but from fullness. When the love of God fills our hearts, forgiveness becomes a natural response rather than a forced duty.

This is why understanding how deeply God loves us is essential. When we realize the extent of His grace toward us, forgiveness toward others begins to take root. Consider Joseph. He had every reason to seek revenge against his brothers for the betrayal that led to years of suffering. Yet he chose forgiveness, not because the pain was small, but because of his understanding of God’s absolute plan. He said, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5). Joseph saw his life through the lens of God’s covenant, not through the bitterness of his wounds.

God’s love for us is not merely spoken; it is demonstrated. Scripture reminds us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Our Lord Himself defined love in its highest form when He said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). This sacrificial love is the source of genuine forgiveness. That is why Jesus commands us, “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). He never commands us to do something without first giving us the power to obey.

Forgiveness also grows when we learn to understand people rather than simply react to them. David understood this well. He knew that Saul was being tormented by an evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:14). Instead of responding with hatred or revenge, David responded with compassion, honoring Saul as God’s anointed and continuing to forgive him even when his own life was at risk. David looked beyond Saul’s actions and discerned the deeper spiritual condition behind them.

In the same way, we must learn not to be deceived by outward behavior alone. When we look at others through the lens of the gospel, we begin to see wounded souls, confused minds, and broken hearts. We learn to ask why people think and act the way they do. As we do, God grants us wisdom and enlarges our capacity to forgive. Judgment is replaced by compassion, and resentment is transformed into intercession.

Jesus teaches us that forgiveness is not passive; it requires action. We are called to take the first step toward reconciliation. He said, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there… First go and be reconciled to them” (Matthew 5:23–24). Forgiveness matters so deeply to God that He places it above acts of worship. We forgive first because God loved us first (1 John 4:19).

Forgiveness is also evangelistic in nature. When we forgive, we may become the channel through which God rescues someone from spiritual death. Scripture teaches that bringing a wandering soul back to the truth can save them and cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19–20). Forgiveness opens doors for healing, repentance, and restoration.

As we live in the abundance of God’s grace and remain rooted in His love, we discover that forgiveness is not limited. Jesus teaches us to forgive “not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” This is not a number to count, but a way of life grounded in grace. God has loved us with an everlasting love and drawn us with unfailing kindness (Jeremiah 31:3), and from that love flows the power to forgive continually.

To forgive is to let go. When we come before our Father, He does not merely forgive; He forgets. He declares, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isaiah 43:25). In the same way, forgiving others releases us from the prison of bitterness. Holding on to resentment harms us far more than it harms those who hurt us. Freedom enters our hearts the moment we forgive.

Jesus emphasized this truth repeatedly. He taught that forgiving others opens the door for us to experience the fullness of the Father’s forgiveness (Matthew 6:14–15). He urged us to forgive even as we pray, so that nothing blocks our fellowship with God (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4). Forgiveness is not optional for the believer; it is essential for spiritual health and intimacy with God.

By grace, God has placed us in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Through the blood of Christ, we have been cleansed from all sin and declared blameless before Him. We stand before God as those who have been completely and unconditionally forgiven. When we forgive others, it becomes our glory (Proverbs 19:11).

God uses forgiveness as a doorway to the future, lifting our eyes beyond present pain and positioning us for His greater purposes. Through forgiveness, He prepares us to bear witness to Christ, even to the ends of the earth.

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Prayer. Father, heal my unforgiving heart. Fill me with the fullness of Your love, the assurance of salvation, and the peace of Your kingdom. As You have forgiven me, give me the grace to forgive others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Matthew 18:18-20. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹ Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

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When you are facing crises in life, it may be God’s invitation to stop, turn your heart toward Him, and restore worship—simply enjoying His presence and listening to His Word. When you feel isolated or weary on your covenant journey, it may be time to recover the blessing of the church, where God has promised to dwell and work with power.

When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God did not first give them strategies to survive the desert. Instead, He commanded them to bring offerings for the construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1–7), saying, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8).

God’s priority was His presence. Once His presence was restored at the center, the wilderness could no longer define their lives. The same is true for us. When the reality of God’s presence is restored, the place no longer matters. Even in the wilderness, you rise above circumstances and begin to discover the hidden blessings God has prepared. That is the power of worship.

The same pattern appeared during Israel’s captivity. Through the prophet Haggai, God called His people to rebuild His house (Haggai 1:1–11), and with that command came an astounding promise: “I will once more shake the heavens and the earth… I will fill this house with glory… The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house… And in this place I will grant peace” (Haggai 2:6–9). Restoration of God’s house always leads to restoration of peace, direction, and glory, regardless of outward conditions.

Nothing is more urgent than restoring the covenant in your life. No matter where you are or what you are facing, return to the gospel—your true home. In the gospel, you find freedom from fear, clarity in confusion, and peace that the world cannot give. When Christ came, He promised that His church would be unstoppable, declaring that the gates of hell would not overcome it (Matthew 16:18). Before He ascended, He entrusted this church with the mission to reach all nations (Matthew 28:16–20).

When believers lose sight of the blessing of Christ’s church, they drift into religion and idolatry. The result is an age filled with darkness, spiritual disease, and repeated calamities. But the church God desires exists to set people free from their fundamental spiritual problems by the power of the gospel. This is not one mission among many; it is the only mission God has given His church.

What, then, is the church? Scripture says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells among you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). You are the church. You have been set apart for God’s work, prepared long before you were born. The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, lives in you and will be with you forever, empowering you to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth. Wherever you go, the church goes with you, because the Spirit of God goes with you.

When even two or three gather in the name of Jesus, He Himself is present among them (Matthew 18:20). In that moment, the church is established, and when that church prays in His name, the throne of the Triune God moves. Find someone who understands this mystery, and you will witness the living church of God being built—a church against which the power of hell cannot prevail.

Scripture gives us a clear picture of the kind of church God delights in: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). When the church holds firmly to the Word, lives in genuine fellowship, continually remembers and experiences the power of Christ’s death and resurrection, and devotes itself to prayer, God works in ways that transform lives and communities.

Pray for your church to be equipped by the power of the gospel—to heal those suffering from spiritual wounds, to break curses that run through family lines, and to block the disasters that afflict nations and the world. Remember that we are the church. Each of us is connected to Christ, the source of life. Let us live with that life, proclaim that life, and even stake our lives for the sake of the gospel so that others may be saved.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, God will call people out of darkness and bring them into His kingdom of light. Never forget that God’s power does not depend on numbers but on His covenant. As He promised, “The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time, I will do this swiftly” (Isaiah 60:22).

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Prayer. Father, establish Your church wherever I go today. Let Your presence dwell with me, and may the glory of Your church be revealed through my life to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

John 15:1-7. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

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In Today’s Word, Jesus spoke to His disciples with full awareness of the reality unfolding before them—the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the eventual fall of the Roman Empire, and the turmoil that would mark the last days. Knowing the crises His followers would face, Jesus did not offer strategies rooted in human wisdom. Instead, He revealed the only way to stand firm when everything else shakes: remain in Him.

He first addressed the fear gripping their hearts. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Jesus shifted their focus from visible circumstances to an unchanging relationship. He assured them that their future was secure in the Father’s house. Even His departure was not abandonment but preparation, for He promised to return and bring them into eternal fellowship with Him (John 14:1–3).

Then Jesus revealed the decisive reason they would not be left defenseless. The Father would send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who would teach them all things, remind them of His words, and give them a peace the world could never offer (John 14:26–27). This peace was not the absence of trouble but the presence of God. Where the Spirit is present, the kingdom of God is active, heaven’s resources are released, and the power of Satan is broken. This is why believers do not need to fear even in the face of storms.

Jesus then brought everything into focus with a simple but profound truth: “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5). He did not describe a religious system or a moral code. He revealed a relationship rooted in life itself. Just as a branch cannot survive apart from the vine, we cannot live apart from Christ. Christianity is not moral adjustment; it is union with the living Christ.

This union is the reason believers have true life. Jesus came so that we might have life to the full (John 10:10), and this life is not found anywhere else. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son; whoever has the Son has life (1 John 5:11–12). Because this relationship is based on God’s initiative and power, nothing can sever it—not failure, weakness, suffering, or even death. Paul was fully convinced that nothing in all creation could separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38–39).

Remaining in Christ does not mean trying harder; it means trusting deeper. When storms arise and fear threatens to overwhelm us, we remember that even the wind and waves obey His voice (Mark 4:39). As long as we remain in Him, peace is not something we seek—it is something we experience.

Fruit is the natural result of remaining in Christ. A branch does not struggle to bear fruit; it simply stays connected. In the same way, when we abide in Christ through His Word, walk in obedience, and depend on the Holy Spirit, fruit inevitably appears. Our lives become spiritually productive, stable, and fruitful, like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither (Psalm 1:3).

The most precious fruit God produces through us is people whose lives are transformed by the gospel. Paul called those he led to Christ his hope, joy, and crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19). This fruit is eternal and will testify to God’s grace long after our earthly lives end (Ephesians 2:7).

Remaining in Christ happens as we treasure His Word, allow it to dwell richly in our hearts, and let it shape our thoughts, decisions, and prayers. It happens as we recognize our identity and authority in Christ and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than our own strength. When God’s primary concern becomes our concern, our prayers align with His will, and Jesus promises that whatever we ask in His name will be done (John 15:7).

A life that remains in Christ is a life lived by the gospel, through the gospel, and for the gospel. Such a life cannot be shaken by anything because it is anchored in eternal reality.

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Prayer. Father, thank You for uniting me with Christ, the true Vine. Heal my spirit, mind, and body through Your Spirit. Teach me to remain in Christ in every circumstance, and strengthen me to bear lasting fruit for Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1 John 3:19-24. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

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The way we receive the Word of God is inseparably connected to the way we experience answers to prayer. Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). When our hearts are aligned with God through His Word, we gain confidence before Him, and our prayers flow according to His will.

Scripture gives us a clear example of this attitude in the Berean believers. After hearing Paul’s message, they did not respond casually or emotionally. Instead, they received the Word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to confirm whether what they heard was truly from God. Because of this reverent and discerning response to the Word, many of them came to genuine faith (Acts 17:11–12). Their example teaches us that prayer becomes powerful and effective when it is rooted in a Word-confirmed faith.

To receive the Word properly, we must go beyond intellectual knowledge. God does not give His Word merely to inform us but to transform us. The psalmist confessed that he hid God’s Word in his heart so that he might not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). When the Word is treasured in the deepest part of our heart and soul, it shapes our desires, purifies our motives, and aligns our prayers with God’s purposes.

Since God’s thoughts and ways are far higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9), we cannot approach His Word with human logic alone. We must receive it by faith, trusting that what God speaks is true even when we do not fully understand it.

Receiving the Word by faith naturally leads to obedience. Jesus made it clear that love for Him is expressed through obedience to His commands. Whoever has His commands and keeps them is the one who truly loves Him, and to that person Jesus promises a deeper revelation of Himself (John 14:21).

God’s commands are not suggestions meant to restrict us; they are expressions of His love designed for our happiness and growth. Remaining in obedience is the way we remain in His love, just as Jesus remained in the Father’s love through obedience (John 15:10).

According to today’s passage, God’s command is clear and simple at its core: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another. The name of Jesus is the only name by which humanity can be saved from sin, Satan, and hell (Acts 4:12).

His name is the name above every name, before which every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth (Philippians 2:9–10). No other name can save, protect, or empower us. This is why believing in the name of Jesus is not optional—it is God’s command and the foundation of all true prayer.

Loving one another is the visible expression of experiencing the reality of the gospel. Our capacity to receive answers to prayer is closely connected to the condition of our relationships. Harboring resentment, bitterness, or unforgiveness restricts our spiritual vessel and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s blessing.

God calls us to embrace others as He embraced us in Christ, to yield as Christ yielded His life for us. When we choose forgiveness and humility, Satan loses his foothold, and God’s peace reigns among us. Scripture promises that as we live in this posture, the God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20).

At the same time, we must be vigilant not to grieve the Holy Spirit through sinful patterns of life. Scripture warns us against attitudes and behaviors such as impurity, greed, deceit, falsehood, bitterness, rage, slander, and unforgiveness, all of which belong to the old way of life apart from Christ (Ephesians 4:17–32).

When these things are cherished, our fellowship with God is disrupted, and prayer loses its power. As the psalmist confessed, cherishing sin in the heart prevents the Lord from listening (Psalm 66:18). God desires uninterrupted fellowship with His children, not ritualistic prayer disconnected from obedience.

Because the Spirit of God lives in us, we are now His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). This reality calls us to a life of worship that involves our entire being. Paul urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is our true and proper worship (Romans 12:1–2). Rather than conforming to the patterns of this world, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through the Word. As this transformation takes place, we gain spiritual discernment and are able to recognize what is good, pleasing, and perfect according to God’s will.

When the Word is received with faith, obedience, humility, and love, prayer becomes a natural overflow of fellowship with God rather than a desperate effort to obtain answers. Confidence before God grows, not because of our righteousness, but because our hearts are aligned with His will. We will experience the joy of communion with our Father and the assurance that He hears us and answers according to His perfect plan.

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Prayer. Father, grant me an obedient heart toward Your Word. Remove self-centeredness, self-reliance, and selfish motives from me by the power of the gospel. Help me keep Your command to believe in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Philippians 1:9-11. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

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The Lord Himself taught us how to pray:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10).

Prayer begins not with our needs, but with God’s will. Scripture gives us this assurance:

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14–15).

But how do we discern God’s will amid real problems, pressure, and confusion? How do we distinguish between what merely feels urgent and what is truly important?

First, see problems through the lens of the gospel. Problems arise for many reasons—our own failures, the sins of others, or circumstances beyond anyone’s control. But regardless of the cause, one truth remains unshaken: God’s will is not threatened by our problems.

Our Father is sovereign and good. He works in all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Even our mistakes cannot cancel His purpose. Often, God uses our failures to teach us a deeper dependence on Him.

Instead of being trapped by the problem itself, allow it to become a springboard that moves you forward in faith. Refuse to live in excuses or blame. Do not allow Satan to weaponize your circumstances against you. In time, you will discover that God turns what the enemy intended for harm into a blessing.

In all circumstances, discern what is best, not merely what is possible. David faced relentless danger throughout his life. King Saul hunted him for years out of jealousy. When David had a clear opportunity to kill Saul, his companion urged him to act. But David refused:

“Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” (1 Samuel 26:9).

David saw beyond personal relief or human logic. He respected God’s sovereignty. Even after Saul’s death, David mourned, fasted, and wept for him (2 Samuel 1:11–12). This spiritual discernment—choosing what honored God over what benefited himself—is why Scripture calls David “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).

Joseph showed the same gospel-centered discernment. He could have retaliated against his brothers who betrayed him, but instead he recognized God’s redemptive purpose:

“Do not be distressed… because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (Genesis 45:5).

Joseph chose forgiveness because he saw God’s will unfolding beyond personal pain.

Always ask what advances the gospel. The apostle Paul viewed life entirely through the lens of the gospel. Prison did not discourage him—it became a platform:

“What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12).

His chains strengthened the faith of other believers and enabled him to boldly testify to Christ (Philippians 1:13–14). Before reacting to circumstances, Paul discerned what would most clearly advance the gospel.

This is the heart of his prayer in that believers would grow in love, knowledge, and depth of insight, so they could discern what is best and live pure, fruitful lives for the glory of God (Philippians 1:9–11).

Paul understood human brokenness and was not afraid of people or persecution (2 Corinthians 11:26). He encouraged believers to adopt the mindset of Christ—humility, obedience, and surrender—knowing that God exalted the name of Christ above all names (Philippians 2:5–11).

Remember that Christ defines what truly matters. Paul’s values were radically transformed by the gospel:

“Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ… I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7–8).

Achievements, success, reputation—none of these compared to knowing Christ and proclaiming Him. When the world feels overwhelming, it is often because our vision has shifted away from Christ. When we chase worldly standards, spiritual discernment fades.

But when Christ becomes central, peace follows. Paul learned contentment in every circumstance:

“I have learned the secret of being content… I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12–13).

Problems are not interruptions to God’s plan—they are often invitations to deeper prayer, clearer vision, and fuller dependence on the Holy Spirit. They refine our priorities and sharpen our discernment.

May God fill you with spiritual wisdom and understanding. May He help you see your circumstances through the lens of the gospel. And may you discern but what is best for His kingdom and His glory.

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Prayer. Father, open my eyes to see my circumstances through the lens of the gospel. Fill me with love, wisdom, and spiritual insight so that I may discern what is best and live a life that bears fruit for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Acts 12:5-10. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

⁶ The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

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Prayer. Father, I thank You for the privilege of prayer—the bridge that allows me to approach Your throne anytime and anywhere. I now earnestly seek You; body and soul, I thirst for Your presence. You are my God, and You alone hold the key to all my circumstances. I trust that Your Word will spread and flourish in my life today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Colossians 1:3-9. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

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Prayer: Father, I thank You for the gospel that has fundamentally changed my life. I pray that this message of grace would go out through me into all the world, bearing fruit in every heart and changing lives everywhere. Fill me with the strength to be a minister of Your reconciliation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.