Month: January 2025

You Are Something Else

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Do you realize who you are beloved Jesus follower? You, who have repented and now live for the Lord, accepting Him as your Savior, are highly favored. You are now the light of the world and the salt of the earth.

As John 1:12 tells us, “..to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” You’re “no longer a slave, but God’s child…” (Galatians 4:5-7). You’ve been adopted into the family of God and may now call him Father. You are no longer the woman or man of your sinful past, but you have been adopted according to his pleasure and will (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5).

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.” You’ve been born again! The old is gone and now the new is here! Not only that, but you “have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). It is no longer you who lives, but Christ who lives in you. “…We were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10). 

Heaven’s Gift – Yonsung Kim

Magnificently, you are “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). He’s prepared these things in advance for you to do. So, if you’re not quite sure what to do, don’t worry as he knows and will make sure he leads you in that direction. Your job is to follow his lead.

Your body, however it has been designed, is a temple “of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you’ve received from God” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). You don’t even belong to yourself as you’ve been bought with a price–the shed blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He’s committed himself to care for you as your shepherd.

The Good Shepherd – Nathan Greene

God sees you as his masterpiece, “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). He’s created you to bring about his will and glorify him. Moreover, in as much as you are his beloved child, you are an heir to his kingdom. He has forgiven you of your sins (Colossians 1:13-14; 2:13) and in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).

Please keep in mind that “you are no longer a foreigner or stranger, but a fellow citizen with God’s people and also a member of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20).

You are chosen by God and made in his image (John 15:16; Genesis 1:27). You are a redeemed overcomer of a royal priesthood and a peculiar person. You are loved with an everlasting love and with lovingkindness the Lord has drawn you (Jeremiah 31:3).

I’d say these things and more are a lot for which you can be truly grateful.

Five Reasons to Plug into a Good Local Church

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Perhaps you’ve been told time and time again that you need to be plugged into a church. I know I have. It can be easy to visit a church but not participate in any of the groups or ministries it offers. Sometimes we may feel apprehensive about committing or even overwhelmed with the choices. However, over time these feelings usually wane.

However, there are perhaps many reasons for which it is a good move to be plugged into a local church. But I’ll take a minute or two to share five:

  1. Fellowship. Friendly associations, companionship, or comradeship inspire us to reach our goals in Christ. Just spending time with people of like-mindedness can cause the joy of God’s Holy Spirit to be experienced in us. Whether just communicating on a first-time basis, or reconnecting over time, we do good things for our well-being as we remove the focus from ourselves toward others.
  2. Accountability. Responsibility, commitment, and dedication to success in Christian living, whether relating to biological family, work colleagues, or fellow church family, all represent taking on the character traits of Jesus as his disciples. This power involves Christian management, leadership, and influence in our lives as well as an obligation of faithfulness, something we learn from God’s word and time spent with other believers at church.
  3. Prayer. The act of communing with God corporately; submitting our adoration, requests, and thanksgiving to him. An act of communication with our heavenly Father, where we speak and he speaks back to us through his Bible and his Spirit.
  4. Counsel. Wisdom, recommendations, advice, pointers, or enlightenment from knowledgeable Christian leaders on navigating various situations in our lives. These are times of sharing tools and principles we may not know from the Bible or the life experiences of our leaders.
  5. Kinship. Relationship bonding, togetherness, affinity, agreement, symmetry, connection, or community. This sounds like fellowship but can actually differ as fellowship can be less formal and with someone you don’t know at all. However, harmony comes with a binding or unity and growth with time spent with others. This is a key element in Christianity most often fostered in a local church relationship.

Of course, there are many local churches from which one may choose and they are normally open and delighted for your visit at any time services are offered. Praying, asking the Lord where He would have you visit, and asking Him to direct your affairs and relationships as He desires are good initial steps to take in selecting a church home. Asking a relative or friend for possible options is another way of finding a local church.

Remember, local churches often differ in style and mission and have great strengths and weaknesses, but have the same goal of making Christ and his gospel known. They may have ministries involving:

  1. Evangelism. Spreading the Christian message of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, forgiveness, and love.
  2. Discipleship. Reaching people to follow Christ.
  3. Humanitarian work. Helping people in need
  4. Education and training. Providing Christian instruction, coaching, and preparation.
  5. Church planting. Establishing new churches.

The local church consists of normal people with noticeable flaws and imperfections, aiming to become more Christ-like. Some churches you may visit and find they are not a good fit for you or your family, but don’t give up on your search. The Lord will show you His will for your church selection if you desire to know it and are patient in your search.

What are some other reasons you’ve found for joining a local church? Or, what do you appreciate about the local church?

Who’s In Charge?

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 78:35

“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.”

Do you realize we currently have access to, and relationship with, the highest authority that ever existed? Among his many names, he is El Elyon, the Hebrew translation for “God Most High.”

On this earth, we have levels of authority and the Bible tells us God has established all authority, therefore they are to be respected. So, which authority would you deem the highest on earth? The President of the United States, the Supreme Court, the Pope, the United Nations, or others?

Nevertheless, for the Bible believer, there is the one who created everything on earth and beyond, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last–El Elyon–God Most High.

This means there is no other person above him. He is all-powerful, everywhere present, and all-knowing. He is the great Creator of all things seen and unseen. But most amazingly, He is now our Father. Because we accepted his Son, Jesus Christ, and his atonement for our sins, we “Gentiles” have been adopted into his family as sons and daughters. Do we really know what this means?

A few things we can take away from embracing El Elyon’s authority:

First, there is no one more greater or powerful that exists. So our understanding of this fact would give us the confidence in knowing we have the best of care and his Holy Spirit is alive in us. Even when it appears all is going wrong, Romans 8:28 assures us that “… in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose..”

Second, along with the reality that our God is El Elyon, he is also Pele Yoetz–Wonderful Counselor. So we are also blessed to have access to his counsel in all things. Isn’t that incredible? Now, godly wisdom sets our priorities with the Most High God as supreme. Our thoughts become aligned with his will by learning and meditating on his principles and precepts for living. We are joined together in unity as one Body of Christ with his goals being ours.

Third, we are not only graced with his Holy Spirit and wisdom but his protection. I’m reminded of the story in Daniel 3:26 where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three young men of God, were thrown into a fiery furnace because of their allegiance to him. In the end, even King Nebuchadnezzar, the great Babylonian king, at the entrance of the blazing furnace, acknowledged them as servants of the “Most High God.” They had been cast into a ferocious fire that immediately burned to death those men that cast them in, yet caused them not even the smell of smoke as they exited unharmed!

Finally, throughout the Bible, God has proven to his people and his enemies, his status as God Most High. We should remember this and our position as a connected family, now citizens of heaven, seated with Jesus in heavenly places (Philippians 3:20 and Ephesians 2:6).

We can rest confident that the highest authority–El Elyon–has all the power to continually provide for and protect us. It may take a lifetime to actually have total trust in this reality. Nevertheless, the sooner we truly believe it the better.

May God Most High help us all to fully trust what is written in his word.

Obedience: After God’s Heart

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Acts 13:22

“… God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”

Often, we may have heard the Bible verse of God seeing David as a man after His own heart. We may ponder the reasons as to what would inspire such favor from the Lord. Many may attribute it to David’s worship, prayers, or boldness, among other things. Yet this verse gives us the answer so simply and clearly: David would do everything God wanted him to do.

This, as was proven later, didn’t mean that David was always perfect in his behavior before the Lord. However, God was well acquainted with his heart and knew he could count on him to do those specific things He desired of him.

What we may learn from Acts 13:22 is that obedience, even with other traits, good and not so good, gets God’s attention. Obedience can be more difficult to do in some instances than others, yet in any event, it remains a valuable discipline.

Though we find some instructions challenging, we are not alone in our endeavors to obey as Hebrews 13:21 speaks to God equipping us with everything good for doing his will, and that he may work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ.

We should hold dear that the Lord cares about us and helps us fulfill His will as “… the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18). “The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever” (Psalm 37:18).

The Holy Spirit guides, strengthens and empowers us to live according to His will. Per John 14:26, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

In Acts 4:8, 31; 6:10; and 1 Thess. 1:5, the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to be effective witnesses of the Gospel. At Pentecost, He empowered them to boldly preach the Gospel to all nations.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” This should inspire confidence in us to exercise the discipline necessary to carry out the Lord’s will for our lives. The fact that his ability and strength reside on the inside of us is remarkable.

In 2 Samuel 6:12-15, we find David using wisdom when he recognizes the error in the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant, and follows God’s commands, properly bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. God’s instructions specified that the Ark should be carried on poles by Levites and not touched. We, too, can humbly correct our mistakes and do what’s right as God has instructed.

David prayed for God’s leading and encouraged himself with the facts of God’s word in Psalm 27:11-14. It is to our advantage to speak God’s faith-building words over our lives for success in being obedient. Our words can also be testimonies to others experiencing the same challenges, as David’s words are to us today.

Psalm 40 shows David’s example of obedience during difficult times. We see David’s experience with danger and rescue. David recounted how God delivered him from his enemies, and we see his gratefulness and commitment to doing God’s will and telling others about his deliverance.

While expressing his desire to do God’s will, David trusted in the Lord’s plan and strength. Knowing and keeping God’s word in our hearts, along with trusting Him, and having a desire to carry out what He wants us to do, is a great start in accomplishing His will and representing the family of God after His heart.