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Exalted by Men or Honored by God (Luke 14:8–11)

  The Danger of Human Exaltation One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to be exalted to a god-like status by men. For the same people who lift you up today may, in another season, shout at the top of their voices: “Crucify him!” (John 19:6) The Dual Capacity of Man The truth is this: You have the capacity for great good — “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). You also have the capacity for great evil — “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). The environment, your state of mind, and the company you keep can either strengthen good or amplify evil — “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20). Even things capable of good can become instruments of destruction if misused — “If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away” (Matthew 5:30). Sometimes, evil manifest...
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God’s Response to Temptation

 God revealed to us how He would face temptation through Jesus Christ. Scripture records that Jesus was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). This was not by accident but by design—so that we might learn how to respond when temptation comes. 1. Hunger and the Primal Urge The first test Jesus faced was hunger. Hunger drives us to do desperate things, stirring our primal nature. Self-preservation often pushes us to abandon ethics and morality just to satisfy the body. And once the appetite is gratified, morality usually resurfaces, but often too late, after damage has already been done. In that moment of weakness, Jesus addressed the primal nature within every man by declaring: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3). True survival is not found in abandoning God for the sake of bread; rather, it is found in sticking to His instructions and receiving comforts...
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No Turning Back – But What Does That Really Mean?

I typed “no turning back” into the YouTube search bar, expecting… well, I didn’t even know what I expected. But what I found was interesting: the first ten videos were all dance challenges, full of rhythm and energy. Scroll a little further down and suddenly the tone shifts — sermons, debates, and critiques asking whether all this dancing and excitement is "right" or "wrong." Let me make this clear: I’m not here to take sides, I’m not claiming insight, “deeper revelation,” or a prophetic voice. What I do know is this — in the middle of the beats and all, the lyrics keep echoing: “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.” And that line demands reflection. Jesus once said to His disciples: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their...
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When the Music Fades: The Quiet Work of Becoming

 I saw some new songs trending online recently. The energy, the Ticktoc "dance challenges", the excitement—it was infectious. But amidst the enticing beats, something felt off. I couldn’t shake the question: “Do they really know what they sing?” The words are powerful, no doubt. But are they heartfelt? Here's my take. Be careful not to mistake sensationalism for reality . Hype is not depth. Our senses can heighten the awareness of something real, but they don’t always show us what’s the present state. Even the hottest fire burns out—especially when it consumes more fuel than it receives. The reality we seek isn’t found in the blaze of inspiration but in the long, quiet burn of daily discipline. Yes, the spark might ignite in the spotlight, but the real formation happens away from it. It’s in the choices we make when no one is watching. The small steps towards honesty. The courage to admit wrong. The grit to accept consequences. The endurance to keep going when it’s a...
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Left All Behind

  Left All Behind There is undeniably a divine influence at play in the selection of the disciples, as seen in John 17:6-8 (NIV): “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them.” Yet, we cannot overlook the documented motivations behind their decisions: “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard this, they turned around and followed Jesus. – John 1:36-37 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. – John 1:41-42 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazar...
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