BE GRATEFUL TO GOD

Ten lepers were healed but only one returned to give thanks; don't be like the nine lepers; be like the one who, after being healed, went to Jesus and gave thanks. (Sharing your testim is also a way to thank God)

BY: PROPHET ELIJAH

Let's talk about it.
WHAT GRACE IS LIKE

Imagine a government makes a law saying, “If you drive above 120 km/h, you will go to prison.”

You break the law, you are caught, and you are taken to court. When the judge asks you to plead, you will not plead for justice—you will plead for mercy.

Why? Because you know you have broken the law.

This helps us understand Grace.

Imagine a father establishes rules in his home and makes clear the consequences of disobedience. His children disobey. The mother knows what they deserve, so she pleads with the father to forgive them. The father chooses to forgive them. Then the mother tells the children, “You have been forgiven. Now stop disobeying your father.”

That is a picture of grace.

Grace does not cancel the law. Grace gives the guilty person mercy and an opportunity to change.

The Bible says, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” — Ecclesiastes 8:11.

God's patience should never be mistaken for God's approval.

When Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, He did not tell him, “You are under grace, so continue living however you want.” Jesus said:

“Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” — John 5:14.

Grace gave that man another opportunity—not an opportunity to continue in sin, but an opportunity to live differently.

My friends, do not reject God's commandments simply because you are uncomfortable with the Sabbath commandment. And do not teach people that God's commandments are no longer binding simply because you want to defend a tradition.

The Pharisees had a similar problem. They knew the evidence concerning John the Baptist, but they were more concerned about protecting their position than accepting the truth. They reasoned among themselves and finally said, “We cannot tell.”

Don't be like them.

Don't be like the people before the Flood who mocked Noah's warning while the ark was being prepared.

Don't be like the scoffers Peter warned about, saying, “Where is the promise of his coming?” — 2 Peter 3:4.

God's delay is not God's denial.

Grace is God's mercy giving you time to repent.

But that time will not last forever.

Ecclesiastes gives us the final warning:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment.” — Ecclesiastes 12:13–14.

So don't abuse grace.

Grace forgives the sinner, but grace never gives us permission to love sin. Grace does not destroy God's law; grace leads us back to obedience.

Today, while mercy is still being offered, choose repentance. Choose truth. Choose obedience.

Do not mistake God's patience for God's permission.

Amazing Love

TUESDAY MORNING FAMILY PRAYER!

“Lord, Cover Our Family, Heal Our Bodies, Save Our Souls, and Supply Our Needs!”

Heavenly Father,
On this Tuesday morning, we come before Your throne with grateful hearts. Before we ask You for anything, we thank You for everything. Thank You for waking us up this morning. Thank You for life, strength, grace, mercy, and another opportunity to call upon Your holy name.
Your Word declares:
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
Father, this morning we place our entire family into Your hands. Every mother, father, husband, wife, son, daughter, grandchild, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, and extended family member—we cover them in prayer.
Lord, go where we cannot go. Touch those we cannot reach. Speak to hearts when our words are not enough. Protect our families from dangers seen and unseen, and let Your presence rest upon every household represented in our family.
Your Word says:
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” — Proverbs 18:10 (KJV)
Father, be our strong tower!
LORD, HEAL OUR FAMILY!
Father, we lift before You every family member who is struggling physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.
Some are dealing with sickness in their bodies. Some are carrying pain that others cannot see. Some are fighting battles in their minds. Some are exhausted, discouraged, overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally drained.
But God, You know exactly where they are and exactly what they need!
You declared:
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD.” — Jeremiah 30:17 (KJV)
So, Father, we ask You to restore health!
Touch minds that are troubled.
Touch bodies that are hurting.
Touch hearts that are broken.
Strengthen those who are weak.
Comfort those who are grieving.
Encourage those who feel discouraged.
Give rest to those who are weary.
Lord Jesus, heal, deliver, restore, and set free!
Your Word declares:
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” — Psalm 107:20 (KJV)
Father, send Your Word into every situation!
Where there is sickness, send healing.
Where there is bondage, send deliverance.
Where there is confusion, send clarity.
Where there is fear, send peace.
Where there is despair, send hope.
Where there is weakness, send strength.
We stand upon Your Word and believe that nothing is too hard for You!
LORD, SAVE OUR FAMILY!
Father, our prayer is not only for physical healing—we are crying out for souls to be saved!
We lift every family member who does not yet know Jesus Christ personally.
Lord, draw them to You.
Remove spiritual blindness. Break down hardened hearts. Remove every distraction, excuse, false teaching, and influence that keeps them from surrendering completely to Christ.
Jesus said:
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” — John 6:44 (KJV)
Father, draw our family!
Let somebody become hungry for Your Word.
Let somebody become tired of living without You.
Let somebody realize that possessions, accomplishments, relationships, and money cannot fill the place that belongs to Jesus.
Let the question rise within their hearts:
“What must I do to be saved?”
And just as Paul and Silas answered:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” — Acts 16:30–31 (KJV)
Father, let salvation come into our households!
Your Word declares:
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” — Romans 10:13 (KJV)
Let our family members call upon Jesus!
Let them repent.
Let them believe.
Let them surrender.
Let them be transformed.
We are praying not merely that they will know about Jesus, but that they will know Jesus and develop a genuine relationship with Him.
Lord, save our sons and daughters. Save our grandchildren. Save our siblings. Save our extended family. Let there be a spiritual awakening throughout our bloodline.
LORD, OPEN DOORS OF EMPLOYMENT AND FINANCIAL PROVISION!
Father, we lift every family member searching for employment.
Some have submitted applications and are waiting.
Some are looking for better opportunities.
Some need promotions.
Some need pay increases.
Some are working but still struggling to make ends meet.
Some are carrying financial burdens that nobody else knows about.
Father, open doors that no man can shut!
Your Word says:
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” — Revelation 3:8 (KJV)
Lord, send the right opportunities.
Give favor during interviews.
Give wisdom when making career decisions.
Give courage to walk through new doors.
Let résumés reach the right people.
Let applications receive favorable responses.
Let promotions come.
Let increases come.
Let opportunities come that exceed expectations.
And Father, for every family member struggling financially, remind us that You are our Source.
Your Word declares:
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
We stand on that promise!
Provide food.
Provide shelter.
Provide transportation.
Provide employment.
Provide resources.
Provide wisdom to manage what You place into our hands.
And Father, teach us not only to pray for provision but to walk in wisdom concerning our finances.
Your Word says:
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” — Proverbs 10:22 (KJV)
We declare that lack will not destroy our faith! We trust You as our Provider.
LORD, BRING LOVE AND UNITY INTO OUR FAMILY!
Father, strengthen our marriages. Strengthen relationships between parents and children. Restore broken relationships between brothers and sisters. Heal old wounds, misunderstandings, disappointments, and offenses.
Where pride has entered, bring humility.
Where anger has entered, bring forgiveness.
Where communication has broken down, bring understanding.
Where distance has developed, bring reconciliation according to Your will.
Your Word declares:
“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” — Colossians 3:14 (KJV)
Teach us to love one another with the love of Christ.
But Father, above everything else, teach our family to love YOU FIRST!
Jesus said:
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” — Mark 12:30 (KJV)
May our homes be places where You are honored.
May prayer live in our homes.
May Your Word live in our homes.
May forgiveness live in our homes.
May peace live in our homes.
May love live in our homes.
And may Jesus Christ always remain at the center of our families.
Father, as we go throughout this Tuesday, order our steps. Protect us traveling to work, school, appointments, and wherever this day may take us.
Keep Your hand upon our children and grandchildren.
Watch over our elderly family members.
Strengthen our caregivers.
Comfort those who are grieving.
Encourage those who are discouraged.
Restore those who have fallen.
Save those who are lost.
Heal those who are sick.
Provide for those who are struggling.
And unite our families through the love of Jesus Christ.
We declare the words of Psalm 133:1 (KJV):
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

TUESDAY FAMILY DECLARATION...
Today, we declare that our family belongs to God!
We declare healing over the sick, peace over troubled minds, deliverance over those in bondage, salvation over the lost, employment for those seeking work, increase for those needing provision, and restoration over our relationships.
We declare that Jesus Christ will be lifted up in our homes.
We will love God first and love one another.
We declare that God is our Healer, our Deliverer, our Savior, our Provider, our Protector, and our Keeper!
And we believe that the God who began a good work in our family is faithful to complete it!
In the mighty, matchless, healing, saving, delivering, and providing name of JESUS CHRIST, we pray.
AMEN, AMEN, AND AMEN!

Morning Prayer for Healing and Restoration
If you are carrying pain in your body, heaviness in your heart, troubling thoughts, or wounds from the past, this prayer is for you. Today, we come before God honestly, without pretending to be strong, and simply ask:
“Father, please heal me.”
This is a prayer for healing and restoration—for your body, heart, mind, and every area of life where you need God's comfort and strength.
Scripture for Today:
"Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise." — Jeremiah 17:14
As you pray, ask God to:
Bring comfort where you are hurting
Strengthen you when you feel weak
Bring peace to your troubled mind
Heal the wounds in your heart
Restore your joy, hope, and strength
Help you through grief, disappointment, and painful experiences
Give wisdom to those caring for you
Give you grace and hope through your healing journey

You do not have to hide your pain from God. He knows what you are going through, including the things you have never been able to explain to anyone else.
If this prayer speaks to your heart, comment:
“Father, I trust You with my healing.”

May God bring you comfort, renew your strength, restore your hope, and walk with you through every step of your healing journey.
In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
#MorningPrayer #PrayerForHealing #HealingPrayer #HealingAndRestoration #ChristianPrayer #DailyPrayer #Faith #TrustGod #GodHeals #PrayerForStrength #MorningDevotion #Jeremiah1714 #JesusChrist

Just because I post about God doesn’t mean I have everything figured out. It doesn’t mean I’m healed, perfect, or somehow better than anyone else.

I’m still human. I’m still a sinner. I still struggle with things I don’t always talk about. I still have days when my faith feels stronger and days when I feel tired, lost, confused, or distant. I make mistakes. I fall back into old habits. I overthink. I doubt. I get frustrated. I have moments where I don’t understand what God is doing in my life.

But that’s exactly why I talk about Him.

My faith isn’t a declaration that I’ve arrived. It’s a reminder that I’m still being carried.

Every day, His grace meets me where I am. Not where I think I should be. Not where everyone expects me to be. Right where I am.

Sometimes God doesn’t change the situation immediately. Sometimes He changes the strength I have to face it. Sometimes the miracle is simply getting through another day without giving up.

So if you see me posting about God, don’t assume my life is perfect. I’m not preaching from a place of perfection. I’m sharing from a place of dependence.

I need grace too.

And honestly, that’s the beautiful part. I don’t have to be perfect to come back to God. I just have to keep coming back.

Every time I fall, His grace reminds me that falling isn’t the end of my story.

I’m still learning. Still growing. Still struggling. Still believing.

And every day, somehow, His grace picks me back up.

#quotes #relatable #inspiration #SpiritualGrowth #TrustGod #fyp

Matthew 21:1-17

Now Jesus has determined to enter the final phase of his earthly ministry, elsewhere in Luke in the King James vernacular He “set His face toward Jerusalem”. It is here that in Matthew's own style to point to Jesus as the prophecied Messiah using the verse from Zechariah while describing Jesus's actions.

Zechariah 9:9
[9] Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah is writing a list of things to come while addressing the situation with the rebuilding of the walls and temple to replace the first destroyed Solomons temple. Don't forget that the first hearers and readers of Zechariah had no king.

Both the northern and southern kingdoms have been destroyed and there is no king in either. So when Zechariah says a King is coming, there is no doubt Zechariah anticipated this King to be the Messiah. The Jews understood this, so when Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem they clearly understood this to be the receiving of the Messiah.

Now here's the part where my ADHD brain begins asking, was there some supernatural knowledge that this colts owner was privy to regarding this or did he just faithfully accept, “The Lord has need of this” as a valid reason?
We will never know for sure but it is fun to think about.

The actions of the crowd are those of a city welcoming a king after a great victory or anointing. The laying out of cloaks, palm leaves and more were to not allow this arriving king to soil the feet of even the animal he's riding in on.

The children are calling out, “Hosanna” which means “God save us”. Let's make this clear, there was NO confusion about Jesus's claim here. The Jewish Leaders were well aware of the Messianic claim here. So when He dismounts in Jerusalem and begins what is considered the second cleansing of the temple there is no debate, Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah in no uncertain terms.

So when the leaders approach Him with the question, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 in response.

Psalm 8:2
[2] From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful.

In the Hebrew, the word used means strength from the root word for stronghold. Here, Jesus is quoting the Septuagint or Greek version where the word ‘praise’ is used. It's this praise that acts as a source of strength against God's enemies.

Yes, Jesus is calling the Jewish leaders the enemies of God. And without even attempting a debate with them, Jesus turns his attention to healings amidst the destruction.

Some Jews believed He was there to act as King and they were ready and willing to go to war against Rome to have a king back. They were willing to die for this new king. But He didn't take a throne they could see, didn't receive a crown of a king and simply continued preaching. And this event took place roughly a week prior to the cross.

So the calls took a week to devolve from Hosanna to “Crucify Him” because the Kingdom Jesus ushered in was the Kingdom of Heaven, not Israel. How many times in our lives do we go from thanking and praising Him to neglecting Him, because the answer to our praise and prayers isn't the answer we expected? It doesn't take much to turn someone from God. A week? God, please give us the strength to continue in faith.



[1] When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, [2] saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to Me. [3] And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them on immediately.” [4] Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled: [5] “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” [6] The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, [7] and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. [8] Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. [9] Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” [10] When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” [11] And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” [12] And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. [13] And He *said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” [14] And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. [15] But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, [16] and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” [17] And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

*TODAY'S PROPHETIC DECLARATION - MONDAY, 24TH AUGUST, 2026.*

*FAITH THAT REACHES OUT TO JESUS*

Scripture:
“For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.” — Mark 5:28–29 (KJV).

*Reflection – One Touch Can Change Everything.*

In Mark 5, we meet a woman who had suffered for twelve years. She had endured a painful and exhausting situation, but she refused to allow her circumstances to destroy her hope.

When she heard about Jesus, she said within herself, “If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” She moved toward Jesus in faith, reached out, touched His garment, and immediately experienced a change.

Her story teaches us that faith takes action. She did not merely hear about Jesus; she moved toward Him. She did not allow the crowd, her past, or the length of her struggle to stop her.

Today, you may have been waiting for an answer for a long time. You may have prayed repeatedly and wondered when your situation would change. Do not give up.

Keep reaching out to Jesus.

Your breakthrough may come in a way you did not expect, but your confidence must remain in Christ.

*Prophetic Declaration:*
Today, I declare that my faith is alive and active. I will not allow the length of my struggle to destroy my expectation. I will continue to reach out to Jesus Christ.

I declare that every situation that has resisted human solutions is surrendered into the hands of the Almighty God. The Lord shall intervene according to His perfect will and timing.

Today, I receive fresh faith to believe God again. Where disappointment has weakened my expectation, may the Lord renew my confidence. Where delay has made me tired, may He strengthen my heart.

I declare divine intervention over my family, ministry, work, business, studies, relationships, and destiny. May the Lord touch every area that needs His transforming power.

I proclaim that no crowd, obstacle, discouragement, or past experience shall prevent me from pursuing Jesus. I will keep praying. I will keep believing. I will keep trusting. I will keep moving forward.

I declare that every legitimate expectation according to God's will shall receive divine attention. The Lord shall make a way where He has ordained a way, and He shall give me grace to trust Him where I must wait.

Today, I reject hopelessness. I reject the belief that nothing can change. I reject the voice that tells me to give up.

I declare that my faith shall overcome fear, my hope shall overcome discouragement, and my trust in God shall overcome uncertainty.

I proclaim restoration over every area of my life that has experienced loss, weakness, stagnation, or disappointment. May God restore my joy, renew my strength, and establish me according to His purpose.

I declare that my testimony shall encourage others. What God does in my life shall become evidence that faith in Christ is never misplaced.

Today, I reach out to Jesus with confidence.

I will not give up.
I will not turn back.
I will keep believing.
I will keep trusting.
I will keep reaching for Jesus.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!

*Action Steps for today:*
Begin with faith: Thank Jesus because He is still able to intervene in every situation.

Read Mark 5:25–34: Meditate on the faith and determination of the woman who reached out to Jesus.

Declare: “By faith, I reach out to Jesus. My hope is in Him, and I will not give up.”

Bring one long-standing concern to God: Pray about it again—not from desperation, but from renewed faith.

Take a faith-filled step: Do something constructive today toward a God-honoring goal you have been postponing.

Encourage someone: Remind someone who has been waiting for a breakthrough that they should continue trusting God.

End with thanksgiving: Thank God for what He has already done and trust Him for what is still to come.

*Prayer:*
Heavenly Father,
I thank You for the example of the woman who reached out to Jesus in faith.

Lord Jesus, today I reach out to You with every need, burden, desire, and expectation in my heart. Give me faith that refuses to give up.

Where I have been discouraged, renew my hope. Where I have experienced disappointment, restore my confidence. Where I have waited for a long time, give me patience and strength.

Touch every area of my life that needs Your intervention. Touch my family, ministry, work, business, studies, relationships, and future.

Lord, I surrender my timeline to You. Help me to trust Your wisdom and Your perfect timing.

Give me courage to keep moving toward You even when the journey is difficult. Let my faith become stronger through every challenge.

May my life become a testimony of Your faithfulness, and may my testimony encourage others to trust You.

Jesus, I reach out to You today. Let Your grace be sufficient for me and let Your perfect will be accomplished in my life.

In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

*Blessing for today:*
May the Lord strengthen your faith today. May He give you courage to keep reaching toward Him even when circumstances appear difficult.

May divine intervention come into every area of your life that needs God's touch. May the Lord renew your hope, restore your joy, strengthen your family, establish your work, bless your ministry, and guide your steps.

May every season of waiting produce deeper faith and greater dependence on God.

May your faith produce a testimony that will encourage many others to seek Jesus.

Your faith shall not fail.
Your hope shall remain alive.
Christ shall sustain you.
Your testimony shall come according to God's perfect will.

“IF I MAY TOUCH BUT HIS CLOTHES, I SHALL BE WHOLE.” — MARK 5:28

Keep reaching out to Jesus. Keep believing. Keep trusting. Your story is still in God's hands.

Good morning beloved and do have a blessed, faith-filled, peaceful, and testimony-producing day
Shalom!

*Remember: Your confession is your possession*

* Postulant C. O. Oyadosu.*

_Please share with others, thank you and God bless you _

For counseling, prayers and partnership or you want to share your testimonies with us; please call or Whatsapp: +2348063128703
Or
Email: clementoyadosuAnderson Mwila.com

August 24 - The Redemptive Element of Jesus’ Impartial Healings

#LifeOfChrist

“‘Your faith has made you well’” (Matthew 9:22).

In many instances in the gospels, the words translated “healed,” “made well,” or similar variations, are from the Greek word meaning salvation or saved from sin. For instance, when blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus to regain his sight, the Lord told him, “Go; your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52). That Bartimaeus repeatedly called Jesus “Son of David,” a common messianic title, suggests that his physical healing included spiritual salvation.

In the account of the ten lepers, Luke reports that all of them “were cleansed” (Luke 17:14), but this was from a word that means essentially physical cleansing. However, of the one who glorified God and returned to give thanks, Jesus used the same expression (see v. 19) as He did to Bartimaeus and the woman with the hemorrhage. Ten men received cleansing, but only one obtained salvation. This indicates that salvation and physical healing were sometimes linked, even if in the example of the ten lepers, only one man realized both.

In addition to a strong redemptive element, Jesus’ healings were impartial. That Christ ministered equally to the leading synagogue elder and the outcast woman clearly proves this. The woman’s touching His garment with unclean hands did not offend Him. Nor did her presumption to obtain His help while He worked through the crowd to reach Jairus’s daughter bother Him. True needs never interfered with our Lord’s sovereign and impartial approach to ministry. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).

Ask Yourself

Would you describe your feelings and interactions with others as being impartial? Are there people who (though you might never admit it aloud) are considered beneath you and unworthy of your notice and attention? Confess this as sin before the Father, and model Jesus’ brand of ministry.

(long post ahead)

There is a profound lesson I learned when I read this passage of Scripture:

“said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭14‬-‭15‬, ‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This passage takes place during Jesus’ trial. He was falsely accused of many things, yet we know that He was completely innocent. He had no sin. Everything He taught was truth, and everything He did, reflected the will of the Father.

Jesus could have defended Himself. After all, He possessed the very nature of God. He had every power and every right to prove His innocence. Yet He chose to remain silent and willingly submit Himself to the Father’s plan.

Even Pilate declared before the crowd that he could find no fault in Jesus. Herod found no crime worthy of death either. Still, the people refused to listen. Instead, they shouted louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified.

This reminds me of a sobering reality:

Even if God Himself stands before people and speaks the truth, there will still be hearts that choose not to believe. Miracles, truth, and evidence alone cannot change a heart that refuses to surrender.

Then came the moment of decision.

The people were given a choice:

Jesus Christ or Barabbas.

One was completely innocent.

The other was a guilty criminal.

Yet the crowd cried out for Barabbas to be released, while demanding that Jesus be condemned to die.

As I reflected on this, something deeply touched my heart.

I realized that Barabbas is a picture of us.

We are the guilty ones.

We are the sinners.

Yet Jesus took our place.

The punishment that should have fallen upon us was placed upon Him instead.

The Son of God willingly exchanged His freedom for ours.

He left the glory of heaven and humbled Himself to be born in a manger. Though He is the King of kings, He did not come to be served but to serve. He walked among the poor, healed the sick, showed mercy to sinners, comforted the brokenhearted, and lived a life of perfect holiness without sin.

Finally, He gave His life on the cross.

The release of Barabbas beautifully illustrates the Gospel.

Barabbas deserved the cross.

Jesus did not.

Yet Jesus took the cross that belonged to Barabbas.

In the same way, we deserve the punishment for our sins…..eternal separation from God. But Jesus took our place.

(Inangkin Niya ang ating mga kasalanan at pinasan Niya ang kaparusahang nararapat para sa atin upang tayo ay maligtas.)

That is the greatest picture of God’s mercy.

And above all, that is the greatest picture of love.

It was never the nails that kept Jesus on the cross. 🏻

It was His immeasurable, unconditional, and unfailing love for us.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

(HAVE A NICE DAY PIP’z)

# Purpose and Stewardship

I have been thinking about purpose, and I am beginning to see it through the idea of "stewardship".

I believe God has a general purpose for humanity, a general purpose for those who belong to Christ, and also particular things He entrusts to individuals. In Genesis, humanity was given responsibility to fill the earth, cultivate it, work it, keep it, and exercise dominion under God. Man was therefore placed in creation not as the ultimate owner, but as a **steward**.

For the Christian, this stewardship goes further. Jesus calls us **“the salt of the earth”** and **“the light of the world.”** He Himself said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” He taught, preached, healed, delivered, instructed, and ministered to people. He exercised and dispensed what the Father had entrusted to Him.

Peter says:
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
— 1 Peter 4:10

So stewardship is not merely about money, possessions, talents, or abilities.

**Stewardship is managing whatever comes into our little world according to how God wants it managed, so that it does not leave our hands contrary to His will.**

But not everything we encounter is necessarily ours to steward.

We live in a world filled with countless people, problems, opportunities, and events. We cannot take responsibility for everything. There must be a distinction between what we merely encounter and what the Master actually places within our sphere of responsibility, influence, authority, relationship, opportunity, or care.

Therefore, one of the crucial questions of purpose is:

**“What has the Master placed within my stewardship, and what has He not?”**

If someone comes into my care, how do I treat them?

If money comes into my hands, how do I use it?

If knowledge comes to me, what do I do with it?

If I receive an opportunity, how do I handle it?

If I am given influence, what do I cause that influence to produce?

If I receive a spiritual gift, do I use it to serve others?

If evil comes into my sphere, do I become another channel through which it spreads—or do I, by God's grace, stop its transmission through me?

This is why stewardship also involves **cultivation**.

Cultivation takes time.

A seed becomes a tree.
A child grows into an adult.
Knowledge develops into wisdom.
A gift becomes fruitful through exercise.
Truth is taught from one generation to another.
Good institutions and communities are built over time.

And therefore, what passes through our hands can become either **something we cultivate for God's purposes or something we help multiply contrary to His will**.

Unforgiveness can produce bitterness.
Bitterness can produce hatred.
Hatred can produce further harm.

But forgiveness can interrupt a cycle.

Truth can produce trust.

Love can produce love.

Wisdom can produce wisdom.

Generosity can produce generosity.

The Christian should therefore ask not only:

**“What am I producing?”**

but also:

**“What am I helping to reproduce?”**

Ultimately, I think purpose can be understood in this way:

**Purpose is not simply doing something impressive with our lives. It is faithfully doing what the Master has entrusted to us.**

Jesus prayed to the Father:

> “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
> — John 17:4

He did not say, “I have done everything that could possibly be done.”

He said:

**“The work which Thou gavest Me.”**

That is the distinction.

We are not called to steward everything in the world.

We are called to faithfully steward **what the Master brings into our hands and places within our responsibility**.

And when we stand before Him, the question will not ultimately be how much we possessed, how famous we became, or how impressive our accomplishments appeared.

It will be:

**What did you do with what I entrusted to you?**

Perhaps, then, to fulfill purpose is simply this:

**To take what the Master puts into our hands, manage it according to His will, cultivate what He wants cultivated, dispense what He wants given, refuse to propagate what He calls evil, and faithfully complete the work He has given us to do.**

**That is stewardship. And perhaps that is what it means to fulfill purpose.**