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God's Word, His Plan & Spirit - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 12, 2025

P L U N D E R E R
2 days ago
4 min read

Toward the end, Jesus was mocked and called 'King of the Jews.' However, did you know that before that, some Jews actually wanted to make Him their king? After Jesus fed over 5000 through the display of God's multiplication power, the people in that region desired to make Him their king. However, we are told in John 6:15 - Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus's response reveals the need to know God's word. Jesus knew that God's original plan had always been for Him alone to be king over the Israelites. However, when they insisted on being like the nations around them, He obliged them and named Saul as their first king. We learn more in 1 Samuel 8:7 - And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

Knowing the word, Jesus didn't dare accept the people's desire to grant Him a title He knew belonged to God. He knew His role was to please the Lord and in no way take any of His glory. So, with that in mind, He removed Himself before the issue could escalate. He fled the very appearance of evil as the word instructs all of us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Jesus also knew God's purpose for His life and didn't let applause or fame from people derail Him. He remained humble before the Lord and rejected pride at all points. No matter what was thrown at Him, He focused on God's plan for His life and humanity. Besides, He knew the true heart of men and how fickle it is. He knew these people were ruled by their stomachs, not genuine appreciation for the God whose raw power was on display in their presence.

The Savior relied on the Holy Spirit to know what was coming and thus move wherever God sent. The Spirit of the Lord descended upon Him at His water baptism, and that commenced His ministry. The Holy Spirit never left Him guessing, so He knew the people's plans and could avoid them. Jesus didn't struggle against God's Spirit but yielded completely to instruction. So much so that He didn't resist the terror and trauma that the cross brought.

Each of us is equipped to do as Jesus did and avoid the traps the devil seeks to ensnare us with. 2 Corinthians 2:11 - to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes. The key is to rely on God's word, know His purpose for us, and trust His Holy Spirit to bring forth victory over the enemy. We must be intentional in applying these strategies and weapons that God freely gave to us.

Intentionality requires that we study our Bibles, asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. If not, the Bible will be like any other book, and we'll miss the deep mysteries it contains. We also need to prayerfully ask God to reveal His purpose for our lives. Many of us are focused on what we want to do, ignoring that God's concerns must be prioritized. However, failing to know our heavenly 'calling' can lead to wasted time and struggles we were never meant to experience.

And finally, we must not fail to take advantage of the gift Jesus promised to all who would believe in Him - the Holy Spirit of God. He came into our hearts when we gave our lives to Jesus, but we must make it a habit of listening to Him. The Bible says only those led by God's Spirit can be called God's children. We must therefore desire to give the Spirit of the Lord freedom to move in and around us. This requires intentionality and faith that God will train us to recognize the Holy Spirit despite the noise of life.

I pray that as 2025 comes to an end, we will realize that John 6:15 provides an equation that can ensure we please God and walk in victory in the new year. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and by the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we will not be in error because we will know God's word, His purpose for our lives, and submit to His Spirit, Amen. God bless you, and be sure to fellowship with us at Noon EST today.

As you await fellowship, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

Persevere Till The Promise - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 9, 2025

P L U N D E R E R
5 days ago
4 min read

I confess that I am far from a 'perfect' Christian. I've come to terms with this because God stated that His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He's ready to do the heavy lifting because I'm not built for it. I am comforted by the knowledge that my failings can never cause God to fail.

He recently taught me a great lesson that involved glasses, an incredible Canadian eyewear company, and the hard-working men and women of the US Postal Service (USPS). In September, I purchased two pairs of glasses from a Canadian company. Last time I bought from them, my glasses arrived in three days, so I expected a similar delivery period.

Days passed without my glasses, and the online tracking system showed they were stuck in Washington State. I soon recalled that tariffs and other changes were in effect. Still, a few days later, the tracking site showed that the package had arrived. Sadly, I got home an hour after it was delivered to find nothing at my door or mailbox, and a sweet USPS agent told me to call back in 48 hours.

I wondered what went wrong. Had the mail lady delivered my package to the wrong home, or had a porch pirate helped themselves? As the questions piled up, I turned to the Lord in prayer. By the time I was done, I felt better because He assured me that everything was fine. However, I also didn't feel a release to inform the Canadian company.

A discouraging thought sometimes came to mind. It was along the lines of 'If you don't alert the company, you'll never get your glasses. You would have wasted money.' While that sounded logical, I knew to hold on to what God had laid on my heart - everything was fine. So for another week, His promise replayed whenever my mind veered to the problem. And it veered a lot.

About two weeks after the supposed delivery date, I felt a release from the Lord to contact the company and did so. They apologized for the inconvenience and offered to replace the missing glasses. And almost a month after my initial purchase, I received the replacements. As I opened the box, I remembered God's initial promise that everything was fine. As always, He was correct.

God used this experience to remind me that His timing will always be the best. So, when He tells me 'no' or 'wait,' I can't let the lying voice of fear move me out of His plan. I must remember that He will make the situation work for my good (Jeremiah 29:11). I need to remain still until He tells me to move (Psalm 46:10).

I could have done the sensible thing and reached out to the company to resolve my problem quickly. Yet God had a different strategy that required my obedience. It also required that I persevere to reach the promise, holding onto faith and ignoring satan's lie that failure was on the horizon. I had to do what God said, when He said it, and not what 'common sense' would dictate.

Some of us are going through more significant situations, and God may call you to do something similar. He may want you to wait for His instruction before you move. It might seem contrary to what you would do ordinarily, but obedience will always be better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Always do as God says, so you don't have to repent and seek forgiveness later.

None of us has to rely on our own understanding because we have access to God's wisdom, and He is obligated to teach His children when we ask (James 1:5). I pray that we will stand firm in faith as we wait on every one of the Lord's promises. I pray that the devil's lies will never succeed in creating doubt about God's capacity to fulfill His word. No word of God will ever fail, and He will strengthen us to trust and obey as we persevere till the promise. IJMN, Amen.

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

Your Sin Isn't Better - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 5, 2025

P L U N D E R E R
Dec 5
3 min read

We live in a world where many churches teach that Christians don't experience trials and troubles. Such incomplete instruction can create the impression that bad things only happen to bad people. Or that it is only non-Christians who experience bad things. However, Jesus never taught this, and if we harbor any such thinking, it is time to let it go.

In Luke 13, Jesus discussed a tragedy that happened to a group of Galileans who died at the hands of Pilate. Luke 13:2-3 - Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? /I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

Here, Jesus warned the listeners not to think that the dead Galileans were worse sinners who deserved the disaster they'd experienced. He pointed out that they were Jews and the children of Abraham, just as his audience was. He cautioned them to repent and focus instead on living lives that reflect it. That way, they wouldn't become an example of how not to live. He stressed that it was just God's grace that others hadn't suffered the fate of the dead Galileans.

This is a lesson for you and me. We should not see ourselves as better than others because we are all sinners, and it is only by God's grace that we have escaped some of the troubles others have endured. Thank God for Jesus, who stands as an advocate, continuously interceding on our behalf. Praise God that we are not treated as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10). None of this is because we are righteous. In fact, we are far from it.

Sure, we may not be fornicating, lying, or practicing magic, but our sin might be the failure to do something we know we should have done. James 4:17 - If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. For instance, the word instructs us to care for the needy. If a believer knows this and never gives from the little or plenty they have, that is a sin. Plus, no sin is worse than any other. Those who believe in Jesus are simply fortunate that the Holy Spirit convicts them to repent and try to do better when given another opportunity.

Remember the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Jesus told that parable as a warning to those "who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else" (Luke 18:9). He showed how the Pharisee, who prided himself on not being a Tax Collector, was actually worse off in God's eyes. The Tax Collector was genuinely remorseful for his sins and sought God's forgiveness without claiming any moral high ground.

Let us be like the Tax Collector who acknowledged his imperfection to the Lord and sought mercy. He was humble and resisted the pride displayed by the Pharisee. As long as we genuinely repent and take steps not to repeat our sins, God will help us. While we won't be perfect, He will make us stronger so our flesh doesn't succumb. We will become more like Jesus, who obeyed and pleased God. The Holy Spirit will also teach us how to avoid the snare of thinking we are better than anyone else.

I pray that God will continue to show us grace so we humble ourselves before the Lord in all things. He will help us. IJMN Amen.

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages: