14th June 2025

Church Failure

He who has an ear, let him hear

Revelation 2:11

Today's Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:11-18. 

All pastors and preachers today would do well to seriously study the seven letters to the churches in the book of Revelation. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:11). These letters, dictated by Christ to the Apostle John, reveal His evaluation of the early church—an assessment that still convicts and instructs the church today.

Christ’s words are piercing yet full of promise. When taken to heart, they lead to conviction, repentance, and renewal—essential steps if the church is to be truly effective.

One man once wrote, “For 2,000 years the church has existed, and we still have war and misery. The church is a failure.” But that’s like calling penicillin a failure when the patient refuses to take it, or blaming medicine when the doctor fails to prescribe it.

Jesus promised that His church—the true body of Christ—would never fail. Yet when churches abandon God’s Word to pursue worldly values, they inevitably stumble. There is a vast difference between godliness and worldliness. Today, many professing Christians walk so closely with the world that it's hard to tell them apart from unbelievers. This should never be.

The church was never meant to eliminate war or suffering. Its mission is to grow in God’s Word and proclaim the Gospel to a lost world. May we remain faithful to that mission until He returns.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me not to conform to the world, but to be always faithfully living for you. I ask this in my Saviour's name. Amen.

13th June 2025

The Foe

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil

walks about like a roaring lion,

seeking whom he may devour.  

 1 Peter 5:8

Today's Bible Reading:  Luke 8:1-15.

In Luke 8, Jesus explained the parable of the seed and the sower, saying, “The seed is the word of God … then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts” (vv. 11–12). The same Bible that reveals God’s love also warns us about a real enemy—the devil—who seeks to separate us from God. He is a master deceiver, always at work to make us question God and His Word. One of his most effective tactics is persuading people to ignore or reject the truth.

The devil is not a myth or a cartoon figure—he is a powerful adversary bent on undermining the Christian’s walk with Christ. He knows that every believer is a threat to his kingdom. Just as he tried to tempt and defeat Jesus, he now targets Christ’s followers. As the commander of evil forces, he relentlessly opposes those aligned with Christ and His righteousness.

Scripture clearly teaches that Satan and his forces are real. He harasses, tempts, accuses, deceives, and lies, often working through the world and the flesh to hinder God's people. Called “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), he uses worldliness to disrupt the advance of righteousness.

Yet the Bible also assures us that Satan can be defeated. When we are filled with the Spirit and grounded in God’s Word, we stand strong. James 4:7 says, “Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Prayer:  Lord God, keep me mindful of the cross and the Lord Jesus and His work for me. Help to resist Satan and make him flee from me. In Christ's name, I pray. Amen.

12th June 2025

Worldliness

Do not be conformed to this world . . .  

 Romans 12:2

Today's Bible Reading:  12:1-2 & 9-21.

Worldliness is a term not used much anymore, but nevertheless is misunderstood. While certain elements of daily life are not sinful in themselves, many of them can lead to sin if abused. Abuse literally means “overuse” or “misuse” of things lawful, which then become sin.

Worldliness is not confined to any particular rank, walk, or circumstance of life. But worldliness is a spirit, an atmosphere, an influence, permeating the whole of human society, and it needs to be guarded against constantly and strenuously. In 1 John 2:15, the Bible says, “Do not love the world, neither the things that are in the world.” It also warns that the world will pass away, but the person who does the will of God abides forever (see 1 John 2:17).

Our daily occupation, reading, dress, friendships, and other similar elements of life are all legitimate and necessary, but can easily become illegitimate, harmful, and unnecessary. Making money is necessary for daily living, but it can degenerate into loving money itself, and then the deceitfulness of riches enters in and spoils our spiritual lives.

Taking a stand for Christ does not mean that in society we are snobs or have a superiority complex, lest we be in danger of spiritual pride. But today there are so many professing Christians who are walking hand in hand with the world, making it difficult to tell the difference between the Christian and the person of the world. Our lives must make it plain whom we serve!

Prayer: Father God, help me to live my life soberly, remembering always that people are more important than wealth, money or possessions. Help me to use what I have to serve You. In Jesus name. Amen.