“Pure and unblemished piety before God and the Father of this father: to look over orphans and widows in their oppression.” — James 1:27
In the summer after my sophomore year of college, a classmate of mine died unexpectedly. I saw him a few days before he died and he looked great. We were young and, as it seemed to us, in our prime. Having joined the student fraternity, we had already managed to become friends, and suddenly death…
But most of all, this sad event was remembered by me as a manifestation of the quality that James calls “godliness” (James 1:27). Student friends treated the sister of the deceased as if they were brothers. They came to her for a wedding, then, years later, came together to congratulate her on the birth of a baby. One of them even gave her a mobile phone and offered to call whenever she wanted.
True piety, according to James, means “looking over the orphans and widows in their distress” (v. 27). Although our friend’s sister was not an orphan in the literal sense of the word, she did lose a brother. New “brothers” filled the void that had formed.
And this is what all of us who want to be “doers of the word” can do (v. 22). Among other things, this fulfillment includes helping the needy (James 2:14-17). Faith in the Lord prompts us to take care of the defenseless and, with God’s help, to protect ourselves from the negative influence of the world. This is exactly the kind of godliness that Heavenly Father desires.
In which of your acquaintances have you seen “pure and unblemished piety”? What can show the sincerity of your faith?
Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see those I can help. Direct me to such people.
Author: Katara Patton
“Christ has set us free for freedom. So stand firm in it.” — Galatians 5:1
I grew up in Texas, where there are many African-American churches. Every year on June 19, they organize festive processions and picnics. But only at the age of nineteen I learned about the origin of this holiday. It began to be celebrated in 1865 when enslaved Texans learned that President Lincoln had given them their freedom by signing the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years earlier! They continued to live in slavery because they did not know about their freedom.
You can be free, but live like a slave. In the Epistle to the Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote about another type of slavery – living under the oppression of religious rules. In one of the key verses of this book, he says: “For freedom Christ has set us free. Therefore, stand firm in it and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). Christians were freed from ritual restrictions, such as what to eat or who to associate with. However, many of them, as before, lived as if in slavery.
Unfortunately, this can happen to us as well. But the reality is that the moment we turned to Christ, He freed us from living in fear of the many demands of the law. Freedom has been announced! Let’s live in His power!
Have you had to fall into the trap of religious rules? How did you realize your freedom in Christ?
Lord Jesus, thank you for freeing me from the burden of the law.
Author: Lisa Samra
“That is why I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth has its name.” — Ephesians 3:14-15
The garage at my parents’ house holds many memories. For example, on Saturdays, dad would roll the car out into the yard so that we could go about our business inside. My main project was the repair of a randomly found racing card. We put new wheels on it and made a plastic windshield. Then dad stood at the intersection, watching the traffic, and I drove recklessly along the road along the yard. Looking back, I realize that there was more going on in that garage than repairing an old map. There the boy’s character was formed, and the father made a lot of efforts to instill the biblical idea of God.
People were created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:27-28). Raising a child by parents also originates in God, because He is the Father from whom “every family in heaven and on earth has its name” (Eph. 3:14-15). Parents imitate the Creator of all living things, creating new life in the world and taking care of children. They reveal qualities whose source is not in themselves, but in the Heavenly Father. He is the model on which we base our model of parenthood.
My dad wasn’t perfect. Like any father, he did not always follow God’s example in his treatment of me. But often he succeeded, and then I got an idea of how God preserves and directs us. Right there on the concrete garage floor repairing an old kart.
What qualities of God’s nature do good parents reflect? How can you reveal these qualities to others?
Father, help me to raise my children, reflecting before them Your beautiful features.
Author: Sheridan Voysey
? 18.06.2023 10:03 #broadcast “God’s Medicines for You” has started on the Church of God’s Glory channel | Pastor Haydarenko Hanna | 18.06.2023: https://youtu.be/YRKpVlpxUxg
“Behold, I have put My words into your mouth!” — Jeremiah 1:9
The most outstanding orators in history have often been those who tried to make positive changes through their speeches. One such person is Frederick Douglass, whose speeches on freedom and the abolition of slavery helped bring about the end of this sad phenomenon in the United States. And what would happen if he chose to remain silent? We can all use our voices to inspire and support others, but the fear of public speaking can be a major obstacle. If such fear begins to overcome us, let us turn to God, the source of heavenly wisdom and encouragement.
When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations, he immediately began to refuse: “Oh, Lord, God, I do not know how to speak, because I am still a youth” (Jer. 1:6). But the Lord did not allow Jeremiah’s fear to stand in the way of his calling to be God’s voice for his generation. Calling the prophet to trust Him and say everything He commands (v. 7), the Creator provided him with everything he needed. “Behold, I have put My words into your mouth,” He said (v. 9).
If we ask the Lord to show us how He wants to use us, He will equip us to do His will. With God’s help, we will be able to boldly raise our voice to positively influence those around us.
Were you afraid to approach people? How can you rely on God’s power and wisdom in this matter?
Heavenly Father, help me to use the power of words to influence others for their benefit.
Author: Kimya Loder (guest)
“I will not forget about you!” — Isaiah 49:15
One person had more than four hundred million dollars in bitcoins, but he forgot the password to the device where these funds were stored, so he could not withdraw a single cent. And the device self-destructed after ten unsuccessful attempts to enter the password. For ten years the poor man was tormented, trying to remember the cherished formula. He tried eight options and all were wrong. In 2021, he was in despair that there were only two attempts left before all was lost.
People are creatures that tend to forget. Sometimes we forget some little things (for example, where we put the keys), and sometimes something really serious (up to four hundred million passwords). Fortunately, God is not like us. He never forgets what he values. In difficult times, the Israelites were afraid that God had forgotten about them: “The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me” (Is. 49:14). But the prophet assured his compatriots that God always remembers them. “Will a woman forget her baby?” he asks (v. 15). Of course, a mother will never forget her baby. But if such an incredible event happens, we know that God will never forget us.
“Therefore, I carved you on My palms,” He says (v. 16). The Lord has made our names part of His essence. Let us remember that He cannot forget those whom He loves.
Have you ever forgotten something important? How much does thinking about God’s memory give you confidence?
God, thank You that Your memory is reliable and unchanging.
Author: Wynn Collier
“He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6
Having gone into quarantine due to the pandemic, our family took on an ambitious project: to assemble a puzzle of nineteen thousand elements. We worked almost every day, and it often seemed like nothing was changing. Finally, after five months, we put the last piece of the puzzle into place. The three-by-two-meter painting took up most of the living room floor.
Sometimes it seems to me that life is a big and complex puzzle. Many elements seem to be in their places, but an even greater number of them are haphazardly scattered on the floor. Although I know that the Lord is working on me, making me more like Christ, sometimes it is difficult for me to see the progress.
Therefore, I am very comforted by the words of the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Philippians, where he joyfully prays for his readers, thanking God for their work (Phil. 1:3-4). But his joy was not based on the Philippians’ abilities, but on his confidence in God. Paul was convinced “that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (v. 6).
God promised to complete His work in us. Like a puzzle, we may have areas that need special attention. And there are times when it seems like we’re barely moving forward. But we can be sure that the unchanging Lord is inserting the important elements one by one into the right places.
How do you know that God is constantly doing His work in you? In what areas of your life are you already seeing the wonderful results of His work?
Heavenly Father, give me eyes of faith to see how You work in my life.
Author: Lisa Samra
“We are not of those who stagger to death, but we believe in the salvation of the soul.” — Hebrews 10:39
Public unrest, possible danger and inconvenience did not deter Jimmy from traveling to one of the poorest countries in the world, where he went to support local ministers. The stream of text messages constantly pouring into our group reflected the struggles he was facing. “Guys, activate the prayer chain! We’ve only driven fifteen kilometers in two hours here. The car keeps overheating.” Delays meant that Jimmy did not arrive at the site until midnight. People who gathered to hear his sermon waited for five hours. After a while, a message came in a completely different tone: “Amazing! Amazing ministry! About ten people decided to convert to Christ!”
Serving God faithfully can be difficult. The heroes of faith listed in the Epistle to the Hebrews are a confirmation of this. Moved by faith, ordinary people found themselves in difficult and dangerous circumstances. Many of them “experienced insults and wounds, as well as chains and prisons” (Heb. 11:36). Faith prompted them to take risks, trusting the outcome to God. The same applies to us. Faith may not lead us to far away dangerous places, but it can lead us to cross the street, go to the other side of town and talk to a stranger. Risky? Perhaps. But the result, now or in the future, is worth it. In addition, the Lord Himself helps us.
What risks might you have to take in following Christ? What keeps you from taking such risks?
Heavenly Father, give me the strength and courage to fully entrust my life to You.
Author: Arthur Jackson
? 06/11/2023 10:02 a.m. #broadcast “Jesus is late” has started on the Church of God’s Glory channel | Pastor Oleksandr Koltukov 11.06.2023: https://youtu.be/bLtUAVDuFW0
“How lonely this once populous city sits.” — Lamentations 1:1
My brothers and I spent the whole day helping our parents remove things and furniture from the old house where we spent our childhood. In the evening, we arrived there for the last time and took pictures on the porch. And then my mother turned to me and said: “That’s it. There’s nothing left.” It completely derailed me; I could hardly hold back my tears. The house that held fifty-four years of memories was emptied. I try not to think about it.
My feelings resonate with the first words of Jeremiah’s book of Lamentations: “How lonely this once-crowded city sits” (Lamentations 1:1). However, there is an important difference: Jerusalem was devastated “because of the multitude of sins” (v. 5). God exiled His people to Babylon because the Israelites rebelled against Him and did not want to repent (v. 18). And my parents did not move because of sins… But since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, the health of each person gradually fades. As we age, we move into houses or apartments that are easier to maintain.
I am grateful for the memories that made our humble home special. Pain is the price of love. I know that the next farewell will not be to my parents’ house, but to them. And this makes me want to cry. I ask the Lord to come as soon as possible, put an end to separations and create everything new. My hope is in Him.
What place do you hold dear memories of? Thank God for the people who loved you there. How can you make new memories?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the eternal home you have prepared for me.
Author: Mike Whittmer
