Month: April 2026

Persevering in Faith

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Hebrews 10:23

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hopeย we profess,ย for he who promised is faithful.”

Perhaps more than ever before, it is vital that we persevere in the faith. Thankfully, by the gift of salvation and God’s precious Holy Spirit, we can do so. Hebrews 10:19-23 reminds us that we have confidence to enter the most holy place. This Greek word, parrฤ“sian, for confidence, means we have assured, bold, and free access to the presence of God. Is that amazing, or what?

Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, there is no longer that boundary that stood between the Father and us. Because of the blood of Jesus shed for us, we can go directly into His presence at any time! The Father has made this new way open to us, providing His own body, and the sacrifice of animals is no longer required. Jesus is now our great High Priest!

So, now what is our duty but to draw near to God, seeking Him in prayer, Bible study, and obedience? As we do so, He draws near to us (James 4:8). Imagine the one who created the universe and everything within it drawing near to us as we seek His presence. We are truly blessed! Yet our hearts must be sincere with “the full assurance that faith brings” (Hebrews 10:22). The motives of our hearts should be right, with faith, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

We are no longer to carry a guilty conscience, as our bodies have been washed with pure water. Some would attribute this to water baptism, while others would attribute it toย spiritual purification by the Holy Spirit and the “washing” of the soul by the Word of God. Or others, both.

Hebrews 10:23 tells us to hold onto the hope we profess unswervingly; the Greek word aklinฤ“, meaning not leaning, unbending, or steadfast. Merriam-Webster defines it as “acting in a constant, steady, and dedicated manner without turning aside or wavering. It describes doing something directly or maintaining loyal, firm support without interruption.” What might this look like for each of us?

Do we esteem Him for who He is, God Almighty, the great I Am? Do we carve out some time to spend with Him daily? Do we genuinely seek His will and wisdom for our lives, and are we obedient when He provides them? I’m asking myself these questions. He’s so loving and kind to us. He deserves our best behavior.

Nevertheless, the Lord is faithful, even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13). Thankfully, he will strengthen us and protect us from the evil one, as stated in 2 Thessalonians 3:3. Psalm 91:4 tells us, He will cover us with His feathers, and under His wings we’ll find refuge; his faithfulness will be our shield and rampart. So, needless to say, according to the Bible, we can fully place our confidence in God.

Since we have such a wonderful faith, let us continue to persevere, positioning ourselves to never forget the Lord our God is God; the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9).

Holy Perspectives

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 40:5

Many, Oย Lordย my God,ย areย your wonderful works which you have done; and your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to you in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

I questioned my outlook on life and how close my perspectives were to God’s. Merriam-Webster defines perspective as “a mental view or prospect; a visible scene; the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed; the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance; …”, very important descriptions to take into account.

We all have our unique perspectives on life, often shaped by our upbringing and personal experiences. Our parents, where we’ve lived, our faith, education, etc. Over time, they change as we age and mentally develop. Also, they may change through various relationships we encounter.

Yet, whether our perspectives are honorable or distorted, there is one standard of viewing life that is perfect, and that would be God’s holy perspective. His perspectives encompass the wisdom, justice, and insight that surpass any human born. Yet most importantly, He has chosen to share His perspectives with us.

Anything we want to know about what God thinks can be found in His book, the Bible, which contains the history of His work on the earth, along with His principles or standards for living a holy life. By holy, I mean a life set apart to God; a life that takes on the fruit of the Holy Spirit by living according to His instructions and sanctification.

In pondering God’s outlook on life for us, I gathered the great importance of esteeming and receiving his will for our lives. Are we truly seeing life from his point of view, and do we respect it to the point of living it? With His grace and mercy in freely sharing His heavenly wisdom, we have opportunities to grow in our mindsets.

Growth in our perspectives will prove healthier than what we’ve known in the past, as we more consistently renew our minds with God’s biblical instructions. Also, an enormous help will be learning to surrender our will to His. Yet I’m convinced none of this is truly possible without prayer, faith, and patience.

What is His will regarding our health, relationships, and finances, among other things? Where are we in living it? Though His mindset is vastly greater than ours, we have an awesome truth found in 1 Corinthians 2:16, โ€œWho has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” In areas where we fall short, we as His family are welcome to request His help.

Let’s ask the Lord to teach us to truly see Him, ourselves, and others as He does. No doubt, having His outlook on life, even in the midst of the negative viewpoints of the world, we can live the abundant life He’s provided for us. It is exciting to seek and learn God’s perspectives on various topics. Those we are currently facing are a great starting point for study.

I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. I often hear verse 9 quoted, but rarely hear verse 10 along with it: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ Butย God has revealedย themย to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

When Something from Little Means More

by Ms. Rita's Minute

1 Corinthians 12:8-10

“To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,ย to another a message of knowledgeย by means of the same Spirit,ย to another faithย by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healingย by that one Spirit,ย to another miraculous powers,ย to another prophecy,ย to another distinguishing between spirits,ย to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”

As children of God, we can be thankful for His spiritual gifts to us–those “demonstrations of the Spiritโ€™s power”ย so that one’s faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on Godโ€™s power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

In 2 Kings 4:42, we see a man from a town called Baal-Shalisha who brought the prophet Elisha some freshly cut grain and 20 loaves of bread made from the first barley that was harvested. He told him to give it to the people so they could eat. The servant indicated there wasn’t enough bread for 100 people. Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat.” That the Lord said they’ll eat and have some left over. So the man gave it to them, they ate, and there was some left over.

Earlier, in 2 Kings 4, we see that Elisha had returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land at that time, and a company of prophets had come to meet Elisha. Hence, more people would be in town than perhaps on a normal day.

Interestingly, Jesus wasn’t the only one who multiplied food to feed a large group of people, as occurred during a time before Jesus was born on earth. This should remind us that God can make enough and more from very little or nothing, as shown when Jesus turned water into wine at the Wedding of Cana, and had a disciple extract money for his and Jesus’ taxes from a fish’s mouth. God makes it look so easy to obtain. Yet we stress about how we’ll get it.

Moreover, this event should teach us that once God says something will happen, that settles it, even though it may seem unlikely. We can count on it to happen. Believing specifically what he says takes seeing with the eyes of faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

God can use others to perform miracles, as he did with the prophet Elisha. It all depends upon God’s empowerment and will. If he wants to do it, you can count on it to be done excellently. We see him providing not just enough, but with leftovers. Sounds like abundance to me!

This bread incident happened directly after another event where the stew, having been prepared for the company of prophets, was found to be inedible and what they described as “death in the pot”, and again, during this time of famine. Elisha directed his servant to add some flour to the pot and serve it. They ate, and there was nothing harmful in the pot. Now, how would you have responded if there was talk of something being harmful in the stew you were being served, but the prophet you were learning from had the solution to add flour and eat it? Would you have done it?

In any event, I love seeing God’s power manifested this way, and I’m so grateful to be able to read it and perhaps even experience it in some way in my own life. Today, God still makes the gift of working miracles available to those He’s chosen, as shown in 1 Corinthians 12:10. In these cases, it could be described as divine multiplication.

Another example of God’s goodness is when He instructed Moses to throw a stick into the water to make its bitterness sweet so the Israelites could safely drink it. God is truly always making something better!

Filled With Power

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.“

For 40 days, Jesus appeared to His disciples before ascending into heaven. On this day, just before He was taken up to heaven, Jesus shared His desire that His disciples would stay in Jerusalem to wait for the gift His Father promised. In a few days, His disciples would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and then become His witnesses in Jerusalem and throughout the world. This baptism was very important as it empowered Jesus’ disciples to witness for the Lord and still does today.

The Greek word for power is dunamis, which is supernatural strength, might, and ability. This would be the necessary power to fulfill God’s purpose as witnesses, the Greek word martyres, those who testify to the truth of Jesusโ€™s life, death, and resurrection from personal experience.

This word sounds a lot like the word we hear today: martyrs, the heroes of faith who suffer persecution and death for advocating or refusing to renounce their belief in, or cause regarding, Jesus Christ. Stephen, one follower the Bible describes as “a man full of God’s grace and power,” who “performed great wonders and signs among the people,” is described in Acts 6:8 as such. He was a man of great wisdom, the Bible says, “the Spirit gave him as he spoke” (Acts 6:10).

Acts 6:9 says that “Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia” began to argue with Stephen, but were no match for the wisdom the Holy Spirit provided him. So they secretly convinced some men to say, โ€œWe have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

Then they stirred up the people along with the elders and teachers of the law and brought him before the Sanhedrin, who produced false witnesses against him. The Sanhedrin was the supreme Jewish council and court in ancient Israel, including the High Priest, who governed religious, civil, and criminal matters in Jerusalem. They were influential leadersโ€”Sadducees (priests), Pharisees (scribes), and eldersโ€”who questioned Jesus and early Christians.

Sadly, Stephen was stoned to death, but not before he preached a solid, truthful message about Moses and their ancestors, as well as some tight, but right words describing his opposers. He was even privileged to see His Lord and Savior in heaven, standing at the right hand of God, waiting for him as he was being stoned. I would not be surprised if Stephen felt no pain at this point.

We may never endure the level of persecution the first disciples did, but we know that persecution comes with being God-fearing and fully submitted to the Lord. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” 2 Timothy 3:12. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to endure and persevere with boldness on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit not only empowers us to be witnesses, but is described as the Third Person of the Trinity who comforts, convicts, teaches, guides, and distributes gifts to the Church.

Let’s remember to thank God for His precious Holy Spirit.

Somebody’s Always With You

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Matthew 28:20

“…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.โ€

Have you ever been amazed by the fact that God sees you at all times, as well as all of your brothers and sisters in the Lord, too? We may wonder how in the world He does it, but the fact is, He is God and can do anything. He sees us and has seen us all of our lives and knows every detail of everything we’ve ever done. Yet we are given the privilege of communicating with Him and knowing Him within the current limits of our human comprehension.

Knowing that God always sees us fosters security and perhaps, in some cases, shame, as we know we aren’t always showing our best behavior. Nevertheless, seeing healthy parents with their imperfect children, we can derive some sense of the love and care God has for His own children. It’s a love that wants to be present and provide for their best well-being.

Our God shows His faithfulness and consideration even to the seemingly unlikely person, as shown in Genesis 16:13. Hagar was an Egyptian slave to Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Sarah had given her to her husband, Isaac, to produce the child promised to them. It had been prophesied that within a year of the Lord and two men’s visit (Genesis 18:10), Sarah would be pregnant with a son, though she and her husband were very old and past normal childbearing years.

Later, Hagar, amidst the frustration of being pregnant by Issac and now mistreated by his wife Sarah, took her child and attempted to run away. God met her on her journey with some comforting words, promising to increase her descendants and convincing her to go back and submit to Sarah. Hagar recognized God as one who saw and considered her suffering, prompting Hagar to call God “El Roi,” meaning “the God who sees me.”

In stories like these, as well as in our own lives, we see that God is not distant from His children, but very much aware of and compassionate toward them, watching over them and offering help as He deems necessary.

Thankfully, God notices those who feel unseen, neglected, or distressed, as he did for Hagar in the wilderness. The name “El Roi” is often used to bring comfort to those who feel lonely or forgotten, reassuring them that God knows their situation and sees them.

Another awesome name signifying God being with us is “Jehovah Immeka,” Hebrew for “the LORD is with you,” which speaks to His abiding presence, companionship, and strength. Referenced from Judges 6:12, this name indicates a time when the angel of the Lord addressed a man named Gideon as a “mighty man of valor,” though Gideon saw himself as defeated. He was frustrated and discouraged and questioned, “If theย Lordย is with us, why has all this happened to us?” He felt the Lord had abandoned him and was giving him over to their enemies, the Midianites.

I can just hear the Lord’s calm voice, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midianโ€™s hand. Am I not sending you?โ€ Surely, God would be present to provide help for the battle Gideon was to face. But Gideon’s reply was, “But how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.โ€ To which the Lord answered, โ€œI will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.โ€

You’d think that would be enough for Gideon, but it wasn’t, and I don’t blame him because I’ve seen myself in some instances similar to this conversation. โ€œIf now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.โ€ The Lord simply replies, โ€œI will wait until you return.โ€ The story goes on to show Gideon preparing a food offering for the Lord, and the Lord consuming it with fire. Yet the Lord assured him that he would not die and to not be afraid.

Yet the story continues, with the Lord giving Gideon further instructions and Gideon still trying to confirm them by testing the Lord with a fleece. I love this story. Poor Gideon, he must have been terrified. Before the battle, the Lord told Gideon that he had too many men, and from the initial 32,000, he interestingly dwindled them all down to 300. He didn’t want anyone boasting it was anyone but the Lord’s doing!

Nevertheless, Gideon obeyed all of the Lord’s instructions, though with doubt, fear, and needing reassurance. Ultimately, he secured the victory over the Midianites. As Judges 8:28 says, “Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideonโ€™s lifetime, the land had peace forty years.”

Another time God assures that He sees and cares is shown in Joshua 1. Here, He sought to encourage Joshua that He was with him wherever he went as he’d lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

God promised Joshua, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.” Then, after a series of events, the Bible says, “So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land” (Joshua 6:27). Whew! Talk about God being with His folk!

No doubt, God is graciously merciful, but as far as I can see from the Bible, God don’t play bout His kids! Keep close to your heart God’s truth that “the eyes of the Lord are in every place” (Proverbs 15:3), and “nothing in all creation is hidden from his sight” (Hebrews 4:13). And if you happen to be one of the Lord’s seasoned saints, in Isaiah 46:4, God promises, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you, and I will rescue you.” This verse highlights Godโ€™s steadfast care, defense, and faithfulness throughout a person’s entire life.

When God tells us He is with us and will never leave us, we can rest assured He is. By faith, we believe it without having to feel or see it. He’s the one person who is always with us.