Graceful Truths

20/04/2025

24/09/2023

Verse of the Day!!!
Modern Christians might associate "purity" with a freedom from sexual sin or moral failure. Those who first heard Jesus' words may have connected "purity" to performing the law of Moses, or perfectly following the rules of the Jewish teachers. This would carry the sense of being completely free from sin.

However, Jesus focused much more on the hearts of His listeners, instead of their ability to maintain the rituals of the law. He preached against obeying the law in action only, rather than out of true love for God. "Purity," in its most clear and original meaning, refers to the idea of something being singular, unified, un-mixed, or consistent. The pure in heart are focused from the inside out on one single thing. In this case, that thing is God.

Jesus promises here that, when the kingdom of heaven arrives, those who are pure in their devotion to God will see Him. This reveals a remarkable idea about God's kingdom. Most Jews would have learned at an early age that nobody can see God and live; He is too holy. Jesus, though, says that those who enter into the kingdom of heaven will see God.

22/09/2023

Verse of the day!!!

This is another one of the Beatitudes: short statements about blessing from a godly perspective. Here, Jesus states that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, meaning they have a good thing. Why? Because they will be satisfied. Commentators point to two possible meanings for "righteousness" as used in this verse. First, Jesus could be talking about people who are eager to be declared righteous by God. They want to be made righteous, themselves, and to conform to the will of God. In that way, they are sincerely seeking to be saved. Those who come to trust in Jesus for their forgiveness from sin will receive exactly that from God (Romans 5:17). They will be saved.

Another view is that Jesus has in mind those who are hungry to see righteousness "win." They long for justice to prevail. They want what is right to overcome what is wrong and evil in the world. These people, too, will be satisfied, because the kingdom of heaven will bring an end to all unrighteousness. Their appetite for righteousness will be completely satisfied.

21/09/2023

Now let's Thank God for all the blessings that we are about to recieve!👏

21/09/2023

Verse of the Day!!!

11/09/2023

Verse of the Day!

In his conclusion of thanks to his readers, Paul encourages them. Paul was confident that God would meet their needs because they were generous in their giving. This is not a promise of wealth, or even an easy life. Rather, the concept of "need" has to be considered according to God's will. What we "need" and what we "want" are not always the same thing. That being said, God tends to bless those who will use the resources they have according to His purposes. This is something Paul observed specifically happening with the Philippians.

Their needs would be met through Christ, the one who made and controlled all things. They would never lack with Christ as their provider. From the earliest pages of Scripture, God has been known as the Lord who will provide (Genesis 22:14), affirmed by Peter as well (2 Peter 1:11). As Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 9:10, "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."

10/09/2023

Type "Amen" if you choose to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Jesus had met Peter and Andrew before this moment (John 1:35–42). Andrew, at least, had spent a day with Him, and Jesus had changed Simon's name to Peter. Before introducing Peter to Jesus, Andrew told his brother, "We have found the Messiah."

Their understanding that Jesus was the long-promised Christ, the one who would save Israel and bring the kingdom of heaven to earth, may explain why they obeyed Jesus so quickly. Still, their faith and quick action is remarkable. Jesus had seen the brothers at work. They were in the middle of throwing a net into the Sea of Galilee. Without any small talk or explanation—at least not as recorded in Matthew's account—Jesus commanded them: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

It was common in this day for a rabbi, or teacher, to gather students who would follow him in his daily life. They would be mentored by him, learning both through his words and through observing his daily interactions and choices. Jesus' call to younger men to follow Him in this way was not a foreign concept. Many rabbis and teachers had disciples. Andrew and Peter would have understood the role Jesus was calling them to fill.

The idea of fishing for men may have been strange, however. Peter and Andrew were expert fishermen. In one sentence, Jesus was already helping them understand the mission He would give to them.

08/09/2023

Verse of the Day!!

Here, Paul transitions back to the main point he has been teaching since the beginning of chapter 14. In the previous verse, he wrote that the Scriptures written in former days are intended to be a source of encouragement and hope for modern Christians. Now he offers a prayer to the God of endurance and encouragement.

What beautiful names for God! Paul views God as the ultimate source of encouragement and endurance. God is not merely the one to whom we will all give an account of our lives (Romans 14:12), He is also the one who will lift us up and help us to keep going. Paul asks God to give to the Christians in the church in Rome the ability to live in harmony with each other as they all live in accord—or in step—with Jesus Himself.

Paul will go on in the following verses to pray that the church in Rome will be unified, as well. Harmony, though, is something different. It is a metaphor about music, of course. The sense of it is that all Christians are singing the same song, but that we are singing different parts. This requires two things: We must adjust our pitch and tone to coordinate with each other while also performing our individual parts in the song.