1 Corinthians 16:22, "If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed!" There are many who profess to be Christians, who attend church, read Scripture, and maintain a moral life. But there is a solemn and searching question that pierces through all outward forms and reaches the very heart: Do you sincerely love the Lord Jesus Christ? The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declares in the most direct terms that love to Jesus is not optional--it is essential. "If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed!" This is not mere emotional affection, but a deep, Spirit-wrought devotion flowing from the soul that has been redeemed by grace. To lack genuine love for Jesus is to prove oneself still in darkness, still under divine wrath, and an utter stranger to salvation. Why is this the test? Because true salvation unites the soul to the Lord Jesus. He is not merely the Giver of blessings--He is the blessing itself. The regenerated heart is drawn irresistibly to Him. It delights in His beauty, trusts in His sin-atoning sufferings and death, rests in His righteousness, and yearns for His presence. Love to Jesus is the surest fruit of the new birth. It is the mark of one who has seen Him as precious, who has tasted His mercy, and who has surrendered to His Lordship. This love is not perfect, nor is it always fervent. At times it may flicker low. But it is genuine. The believer may mourn his coldness, weep over his dull heart, and cry with Peter, "Lord, You know that I love You!" But he cannot deny his love for Jesus--for it has been planted in his heart by the Holy Spirit, and it binds his soul to his Savior. On the other hand, many merely

Titus 3:5, "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." 1. HE Salvation begins with God. The glorious subject of this verse is none other than the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth. "He"--the eternal, omnipotent, all-wise, and perfectly holy God--has taken the initiative. It was not man who sought God, but God who sought man. Left to ourselves, we were "foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved" (Titus 3:3), utterly without hope. But God, in His infinite mercy and loving-kindness, moved toward us. This great act of salvation is not the product of man's desire, decision, or deeds--but of God's own purpose and grace. "Salvation comes from the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). He alone is the Author and Finisher of our faith. What a humbling truth: the One most offended by our sin, is the very One who provides the remedy. 2. SAVED What a word! Not helped. Not improved. Not rehabilitated. But saved! This is a strong word that speaks of deliverance from danger and destruction. In the biblical sense, it is a rescue from the wrath of God, from the penalty of sin, from eternal damnation. Salvation is no minor adjustment to our behavior or character--it is a radical deliverance from guilt, corruption, and condemnation. And what is the cause? "Not because of righteous things we had done." No amount of good works, religious rituals, or moral efforts could ever earn this salvation. It comes because of His mercy. Grace flows from mercy. Mercy is God's heart of compassion toward those in misery and ruin, and grace is the action that flows from it--redeeming, restoring, and raising us from death to life. To be saved, is to be made a new creation in Christ

Colossians 1:13-14, "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves--in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." What a glorious declaration of the sovereign grace of God! These verses are a triumphant summary of the believer's salvation: rescued, transferred, redeemed, and forgiven. Each word pulses with divine power, reminding us that salvation is not merely an invitation, but a rescue--a dramatic and decisive act performed by God alone. First, Paul says, "He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness." The word rescued implies that we were helpless, enslaved, and hopelessly bound. The dominion of darkness is not a passive condition; it is an active tyranny ruled by Satan, under which we once willingly walked according to the flesh. We did not grope for light; we loved the darkness, because we loved sin (John 3:19). But God, in His sovereign mercy, broke in with light and power, drawing us out of that dreadful bondage--not because of any merit in us, but entirely because of His good pleasure (Ephesians 2:4-5). Second, "He transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves." We were once children of wrath--now we are citizens of the Kingdom of Christ. We were once alienated from God--now we are accepted in the Beloved. This is the glorious reversal of our spiritual status, wrought entirely by the Father's initiative and affection. The kingdom we now belong to is not ruled by fear or law--but by grace, love, and truth. And this kingdom is centered not around self, but around the Son He loves--the One whom the Father has eternally delighted in, and in whom we now delight. Third, Paul anchors t

Matthew 12:20, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory." What a portrait this verse paints of our merciful Savior! In just a few words, we see the immeasurable gentleness, patience, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ toward weak and wounded believers. He is the mighty King, yes--but He is also the tender Shepherd who cares for the frailest of His flock. The bruised reed is not upright, strong, or fruitful. It is bent, cracked, and seemingly worthless. In the eyes of men, such a reed might as well be discarded. But not so with Jesus. He does not despise the one who has been battered by sin, by sorrow, or by the assaults of Satan. He does not snap the trembling soul in two. Instead, He binds up the broken, strengthens the feeble, and gently restores those who fall. The smoldering wick is a faint and flickering light. It barely glows, producing more smoke than flame. To the impatient, it would seem easier to extinguish it and replace it altogether. But Jesus does not quench that smoldering wick. He does not despise the believer whose faith is small, whose zeal has grown cold, or whose joy is nearly extinguished. He tenderly breathes life into that little spark, until it becomes a flame again. This is the heart of our Savior. He does not demand perfect strength or unwavering faith from us--He gives it. "He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust!" (Psalm 103:14). He is drawn to our weakness, not repelled by it. He stoops to lift up the weary. He holds fast to those who can barely hold on to Him. How can this be? Because He Himself was bruised. As Isaiah 53:5 says, "He was pierced for

2 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." This verse is a glorious declaration of the sovereign, saving work of God in the soul. It draws a parallel between the original creation, and the new creation in Christ. Just as in Genesis 1:3 God spoke light into the physical darkness--when the earth was formless and void--so now, in the hearts of dead sinners, He speaks spiritual light into the chaos of our moral darkness. This is not a mere invitation or offer; it is a divine act of sovereign grace. Man by nature is blind to the things of God--spiritually dead and alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18). He does not seek God, nor can he grasp the glory of Christ in his own strength (Romans 3:11; 1 Corinthians 2:14). The unregenerate heart is encased in spiritual darkness. But then, by His own will and power, God speaks, and light bursts forth. This light is not from within man; it is the very light of God Himself--"the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." What is this knowledge? It is not the accumulation of facts, but the Spirit-wrought apprehension of God's glory as it is revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is to see, with the eyes of faith, the beauty of Christ crucified, risen, and reigning--the One who is "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being" (Hebrews 1:3). This knowledge humbles the proud, exalts the Savior, and transforms the soul. It is the difference between knowing about Christ, and truly knowing Him. This miracle of illumination i

"My times are in Your hands!" Psalm 31:15 There is no greater comfort for the child of God, than the assurance that every moment of life is under the wise and loving control of his sovereign Savior. David's declaration, "My times are in Your hands," is not a vague expression of hope, but a firm confession of faith in God's absolute providence. He who created time, rules over it perfectly--and not one second of our existence is outside His governing hand. Our time of BIRTH is in God's hands. We did not choose the day or place of our birth. It was appointed by God in eternity past. He determined who our parents would be, what nation we would be born into, and the exact moment we would enter this world. Scripture declares, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you!" (Jeremiah 1:5). Our lives began, not by chance, but by divine decree. The very first breath we took was foreordained by the God who "gives all men life and breath and everything else!" (Acts 17:25). We are not accidents--we are part of His sovereign design. Our time of LIVING is in God's hands. Every day we live, every step we walk, every breath we take, every event we experience--joyful or sorrowful--is ruled by His loving providence. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps!" (Proverbs 16:9). From our childhood to our old age, we are sustained and directed by His unseen hand. He appoints our trials as well as our triumphs, our afflictions as well as our comforts. Not one detail is too small for His attention, and not one burden is too great for His power. What peace it brings to know that He who loved us in Christ, is orchestrating all things for our good and His glory! (R

In recent years, the rise of celebrity culture within the church has become increasingly troubling. Christian leaders are often elevated to near-idol status--celebrated not for their Christlike humility, but for their charisma and communication skills. This trend poses real spiritual dangers, both to the church at large and to individual souls. Scripture offers no support for elevating men to such heights; rather, it warns against boasting in man and reminds us that all the glory belongs to God alone: "So then, no more boasting about men." (1 Corinthians 3:21) The first danger is that Christian celebrity culture subtly undermines the supremacy of Christ. When believers flock to conferences to hear a man, rather than to meet with God; when they rally around personalities, instead of truth--then Christ is robbed of His rightful place as Head of the church. The apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their party spirit: "I follow Paul," "I follow Apollos"--insisting instead that it is "God who makes things grow" (1 Corinthians 3:4–7). No man, regardless of gifts or influence, should be allowed to eclipse the glory of Christ. Secondly, celebrity culture creates an unhealthy dependence on personalities rather than on the Word of God. Many Christians do not know their Bibles well, because they are content to have others think for them. But God's Word commands believers to "test everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to be like the Bereans, who "examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11). We must never replace Spirit-taught discernment, with passive admiration of gifted men. Furthermore, celebrity status can be spiritually destructive t

Luke 22:48, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Among all the sins that defile the soul, hypocrisy is especially detestable to God. It is not merely sin--it is sin under the mask of righteousness. It is rebellion, dressed in the robes of religion. No man exemplifies this dreadful evil, more than Judas Iscariot. Judas walked with Jesus. He heard His voice, saw His miracles, and shared in His ministry. To all appearances, he was a faithful disciple--trusted enough to keep the money bag. But beneath the surface, his heart was cold, covetous, and corrupt. His outward profession, masked an inward love for self and silver. And in the end, he betrayed the Son of God--not with a sword, but with a kiss! That which should have been a sign of love and friendship, was desecrated to the vilest of purposes. What a solemn reminder that hypocrisy is often found among the religious! "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!" Matthew 23:27 The most chilling aspect of Judas' sin, is how close he was to the Savior, yet how far his heart remained. He called Him "Rabbi," kissed Him as a friend, and yet sold Him for the price of a slave. Judas kissed and killed his Lord. The kiss and the betrayal came together. Hypocrites betray Christ still in this way: they profess to love Jesus, they kiss Him, they worship Him with their lips--but their hearts are far from Him. Jesus' question pierces like a dagger! "Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" The betrayal was not done in hatred, but in false affection. This is the essence of hypocrisy--using the appearance of devotion, to cover up sin. Many a man has kissed Jesus, and then gone to Hell. Let

Psalm 31:15, "My times are in Your hands!" What a sweet and sovereign declaration from the lips of David: "My times are in Your hands!" In the midst of trouble, betrayal, and weakness, David casts himself wholly upon the Lord. These are not merely words of resignation, but of restful trust in the absolute sovereignty of God. The believer knows that his every moment, every event, every affliction, and every joy--are lovingly decreed and directed by a wise and gracious Father. Nothing is random. Nothing is meaningless. Nothing is outside of His control. "My times"--not just the favorable ones, but the painful ones too. Times of darkness and delay, times of persecution and sorrow, times of temptation and confusion--they are all in His hands. Whose hands? The hands that fashioned the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. The hands that uphold all things by the word of His power. The hands that were pierced for our transgressions. The hands that gently lead His flock, carry His lambs, and uphold the falling. Into those hands David entrusts not only his soul, but his very hours and seasons. This is the anchor for every storm-tossed saint: that his life is not governed by chance, nor is it at the mercy of evil men or fickle circumstances. His times are in the hands of Him who cannot err, who always acts for the good of His people and the glory of His Name. The believer may not know what tomorrow holds--but he knows Who holds tomorrow. He may not understand the present sorrow--but he is assured that not a moment of it is wasted, for all is measured out by divine love. Here is rich comfort: nothing can touch the believer but what first passes through the hands of his

Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." A missionary some years ago, returning from Southern Africa, gave a description of the work which had been accomplished there through the preaching of the gospel. Among other things, he pictured a little incident of which he had been an eye-witness. He said that one morning he saw a converted African chieftain sitting under a palm tree with his Bible open before him. Every now and then he cast his eyes on his book and read a passage, and then he paused and looked up a little while, and his lips were seen to be in motion. Thus he continued alternately to look down on the Scriptures, and then to turn his eyes upward towards Heaven. The missionary passed by without disturbing the chieftain; but a little while afterwards he mentioned to him what he had seen, and asked him why it was that sometimes he read, and sometimes he looked up? The chieftain replied, "I look down to the Book, and God speaks to me; and then I look up in prayer, and I speak to the Lord--and in this way we keep up a holy talk with each other." I would set this picture before you, as being the best pattern of fellowship with God--the heart hearkening to the voice of God, and then replying in prayer and praise. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need!" Hebrews 4:16