Devotionals | Pearl

Weekly Devotionals

GOD LOVES HIS CHILDREN

GOD LOVES THE WORLD (PEOPLE)

What does it mean to love, and have you ever loved anyone? How do you demonstrate love, and is the object of your love convinced you love them?

God demonstrated His love for us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. How many people will knowingly and willingly put their child through such suffering and anguish as Jesus experienced? Only God! By that sacrifice, those of us who believe are credited with His righteousness, so that our sins committed against Him will be forgiven (see John 3:16). God’s forgiveness is not automatic, and has nothing to do with the sinner’s good works.

Instead, the sinner, you, have to admit your sinfulness, ask for forgiveness and believe in your heart that Jesus died in your place and rose again, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). One John five, verse one also puts it this way: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God.” What a miracle! Have you believed in Jesus yet? If not, what are you waiting for? You move from being God’s creation to being His child.

I know someone whose reason for not believing was that, they hadn’t finished sinning. How sad! Sinning is not something with a lock and key or a valve you could turn off and on as you wish; sin will always plague us whether we want it to or not, that is, as long as the devil has not been locked up yet, and that won’t happen for a while.

Please don’t be like the person I mentioned; call on Jesus today, while you still have time. Tomorrow might be too late, because nobody knows the hour or time that Jesus will return or when they might die. Decide now, and be ready for whenever He returns or when you die (see Matthew 24:36).

When you become a child of God, you must walk in obedience to His Word, the Bible. Read it daily and obey it; your obedience will lead to your life being transformed: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old

life is gone; a new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17). God speaks to you when you read the Bible; you must talk with Him daily through prayer. Next you must fellowship regularly with other believers. This will enable you all to encourage and support one another: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).

Understanding this message should burden you to share it with family, friends, and whoever comes your way. This is urgent! I don’t think you’d like to see your love ones facing God’s judgment. Would you? I don’t think so; so please get busy, and God will bless you. God loves people so much that He wants each one to be saved. “Who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity-the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Jesus suffered and died because God loves the world!

WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST, and WHAT YOU SHOULD BE

Dear Christian, do you know who you really are? If not, you are missing out on a lot. So, make an effort to learn the facts! The facts come from the Bible, which is God’s inspired Word: (see 2 Timothy 3:16). Otherwise, you’ll continue to miss out. The facts will amaze, encourage, and bless you. And in addition, knowing what you should be will keep you focused and busy for God.

Who and What you are in Christ

To become a Christian, you must repent of your sins and believe in the name of Jesus. Why? Because He suffered and died in your place. “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” is what the Bible says in Acts 16:31. Jesus said unapologetically that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one can come to the Father (God), except through Him, Jesus (see John 14:6).

So, through Christ, you have been saved from sin, the power of sin, and death. An angel, after Jesus was conceived, told Mary’s husband to-be, Joseph, that their Son, Jesus, “Will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). In 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, we read, “God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. Through death, He broke the power of sin” (see Romans 6:10). And He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News” (2 Timothy 1:10).

Salvation comes with numerous titles that indicate a change in status, including:

YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN- If you profess belief in and follow Christ’s teachings, you are a Christian. “… It was first in Antioch that the believers were called Christians” (Acts 11:26).

YOU ARE SAVED- How did you get saved? “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved …” (Acts 16:31).

YOU ARE BORN AGAIN- Jesus once told Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). When Nicodemus was baffled at Jesus’ response, Jesus further explained, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” (John 3:6). Paul, the apostle, further explains, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old is gone; the new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

YOU ARE GOD’S TEMPLE- Now that you are saved, know that God lives in you through the Holy Spirit- “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Sirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God living in us is a good reason for one to stay away from anything that can defile the body, God’s temple, like sexual immorality, lies, etc.

YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD- “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST- The Church is the Body of Christ of which we are each a part: “So it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other” (Romans 12:5, see also 1 Corinthians 12:12). We must get together regularly, take care of each other, and encourage each other, and pray for each other.

A CHURCH MEMBER- The Church is the body of believers gathered to worship Jesus (not the building in which they meet). To the Elders of the Church of Ephesus, Paul said, “Guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock-his Church, purchased with his own blood-over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders” (Acts 20:28).

A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN- We are on earth temporary; our permanent residence is heaven: “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior” (Philippians 3:20). Soon, and very soon, we shall see Him face-to-face, and “He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control” (V 21).

GOD’S SERVANT- Being a servant of Jesus is to perform tasks under His direction, and therefore we must read and meditate on His Word (the Bible), and live in obedience. “Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the father will honor anyone who serves me” (John 12:26).

AN HEIR OF GOD and JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST AND OTHER BELIEVERS- We will inherit eternal life when we see Jesus face-to-face. “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory” (Romans 8:17).

“Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir” (Galatians 4:7). Being all these things in Christ, we must also demonstrate by our lives that we are indeed God’s children.

What you should be in Christ:

As I quoted previously, being born again brings transformation; we start living differently-the old life is gone, a new life has begun. The Holy Spirit will teach, encourage, rebuke, guide, and direct us to live according to the Scriptures. Below are some of what we should be:

BE HOLY- God’s children must be holy because our Father is holy, and Peter expresses it this way: “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to

satisfy your own desires. … But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am Holy” (! Peter 1:14-16).

The apostle Paul teaches us the same thing, “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature created to be like God-truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. … Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:22-32).

ABIDE IN CHRIST- To be Christ-like, we must each be like a tree branch, abiding in the tree (Jesus), so we can draw nourishment from Him. Jesus told His disciples, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. … Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me” (John 15:1-4).

The kind of fruit we produce indicates whose we are.

BE FRUITFUL- The only way to tell people what we are without words is by the fruit they see in our lives. Are you kind or unkind? Are you rude or respectful? Etc. “Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:20).

YOUR ROLE IN THE BODY- We each have a role to play in the Body of Christ (The Church). We must each play our role (s) faithfully with diligence. Are you a Sunday School Teacher, do you sing in the choir? Whatever God has called you to contribute to the Body, please do.

LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR- Who is your neighbor? Anyone who isn’t you, is your neighbor. Whether you’ve known someone since the day you were born or just met them, they’re your neighbor. Love them! A teacher of religious law once asked Jesus which of the laws was most important. His response: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these” (Mark12:29-31).

BE LIGHT AND SALT- Light dispels darkness, and salt seasons food; Christians must be both. Jesus taught His followers to be both salt and light to the world: “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world-like a city on a hill, it cannot be hidden. … a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”; (Matthew 5:13-16). Good Deeds are a must in a Christian’s life!

BE A SOUL WINNER

Christians have a charge to share the gospel with others; we must take it seriously because time is running out, and many are dying without Christ. And we know repentance is no longer possible after death. After His resurrection, Jesus commanded His disciples to, “go and make

disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Let’s remind ourselves often of who and whose we are, so we can live accordingly. In that way, other Christians will be encouraged, unbelievers will want what we have, and thus bring God glory and honor.

BE A STUDENT OF THE BIBLE

Why does a judge need witnesses in a trial? Why doesn’t he rule on a case based just on a plaintiff's complaint? He doesn’t because there could be more to the story, and ruling on a case without all the facts could lead to a wrongful verdict. The guilty could go Scott free, and the innocent punished. An investigation is of utmost importance to knowing the truth.

The same is true about the Bible, the Word of God! In order to understand and apply accurately what you read; you have to investigate the Bible with the Bible. The truth of the Bible will always be the truth, but the details might not be applicable to a situation in question. For instance, “Thou shall not kill” is a command, but people who kill accidentally are allowed to flee to sanctuary cities (Numbers see 35:12-21). Thou shall not kill, therefore, applies to intentional murder—out of hatred, retaliation, or spot.

Likewise, in John’s Gospel, we are told, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13-14). However, in the book of James, we are told, if we ask according to His will, He hears us (see James 1:6-8). So, if you ask for a million dollars in His name, do you think He will give it to you if it’s not His will for you to have it? Of course not!

So, for instance, what should your response be when you encounter the prosperity gospel teachers? Should you simply claim and have things as they teach? What about God’s will and plans for your life? While the Bible does say, “Believe when you pray and you’ll have it,” if it’s not what He wants for you, no amount of belief or claim will change the answer. It will still be “No!” This underscores the importance of understanding and not misinterpreting God's will.

For example, there are different verses in the Scriptures that teach the same lessons but are expressed differently; they can only be interpreted one way. Here are some of the verses that clearly teach how to be saved. Although they are expressed differently, they all point to Jesus as the only way to salvation:

•There’s salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

•Believe in the name of Jesus (see Romans 10:9-10).

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

•“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

•“But these are written … believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name” (John 20:31).

•“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Dear believer, let’s study the Word of God conscientiously, and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us, so that we will not be led astray by the devil and his agents. Remember, he misrepresented the Word of God in the Garden of Eden when he said to Eve, “Did God really say you must not … “(Genesis 3:1)? Thousands of years later, and he is still using that strategy to get us to disobey God.

God instructed Joshua to: “Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it” (Joshua 1:8a).

The Berean Christians didn’t take Apostle Paul's message at face value, but researched it to be sure it was so (Acts 17:11). Likewise, we must also study the Word seriously on our own, and with others, as much as is possible. Dear one, how often, and how seriously do you search the Scriptures for yourself? Please don’t allow yourself to be misguided and deceived, which is what will happen if you are a lazy Bible student. Hunger for truth is crucial in knowing and understanding the Word of God.

Dear one, let’s not forget that obedience must follow the knowledge of God’s will! “Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do …” (Joshua 1:8b), God said.

HEED THE WARNING

What is a warning? A warning is defined as a statement or event that indicates a possible or impending danger, problem, or other unpleasant situation. Children understand this very well, and since we all use to be children, this isn’t a new concept for us. When a parent says to a child, “Do the dishes before I return, otherwise you’ll be grounded for the weekend! If that child wants to go out and play with friends later, he better do those dishes. Period!

So, not heeding a warning is a clear indication that one is okay with the outcome associated with not heeding a warning.

God created people (Adam and Eve), and gave them very clear instructions, including a warning: “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die” (Genesis 2:15-17 NLT). They yielded to temptation, disobeyed God, and ate the fruit. Well, what God told them happened; they died spiritually (separated from God), and were kicked out of God’s presence.

That’s the history of sin! The future generations continued to live in sin, not paying heed to God’s warnings. When God got fed up with Noah’s generation, He decided to wipe out every last one of them, except Noah (the only blameless person) and his family of eight.

God instructed Noah to build a big boat for his family and animals, birds and other living creatures. After the structure was built and the elect were safely inside, God shut them in, and sent a flood. Everything outside the boat perished. Had they obeyed God, they would not have experienced His wrath. It’s wise and safe to obey the individuals in authority over us, and in this case it's God.

Sin continues to plague us all (see Ecclesiastes 7:20) -the descendants of Adam and Eve. And the consequence of our sin is eternal separation from God (see Romans 6:23), but: “This is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Note that we’ve been warned—our response should be: Repent and believe in Jesus, the Son of God, and have eternal life, or do not repent, and perish in hell.

Dear Reader, how are you going to respond to this warning? Are you going to repent or not? God is love but is also just; He brings to pass whatever He says. The only time He changes His mind is when sinners repent; He moves them, as it were, from a hell-bound list to heaven-bound. Remember that, except for eight people, all of Noah’s generation perished. This current generation, apart from Christ, will also perish. Please repent, and escape eternal doom.

Dear Reader, if you are already a believer, how have you been living your Christian life. Do you pray and read the Bible daily? Do you fellowship with other believers? Do you share the gospel with others? We are commanded to do all these (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ecclesiastes 7:24-25; Matthew 28:19-20).

So, Dear Believer, how can the world tell you are a child of God? “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Are you walking in obedience to the Word of God? Or are you deliberately continuing to sin? Heed the warning! (see Hebrews 10:26) The word there is ‘deliberately’! 1John teaches us the attitude we should have toward sin- “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:8-9).

Every category, both Christian and unbeliever, has been warned. So, everyone, HEED THE WARNING!