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Can You Do Good To Everyone? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 1, 2026

Apr 30

4 min read

We often convince ourselves that certain people deserve to be treated badly. Maybe the neighborhood bully or the person who told a vicious lie about us. We have all sorts of reasons to justify treating someone less than we would treat someone we believe deserves our kindness.

But what if I told you that's wrong and unscriptural, would you believe me? Well, you don't have to take my word for it, but I hope you will take the Bible as the truth. Consider Galatians 6:10 - Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers (GWT).

This verse tells us to be good to everyone. Not just those we deem worthy. Everyone. This does not mean we should condone wicked and ungodly behavior or treatment from others towards ourselves or others. The Bible teaches us to forgive those who hurt us, pray for them, and, unless instructed otherwise by the Lord, give them a wide berth, trusting God the Defender to work on our behalf. On our part, we need to continue in God's kindness, living to please Him. And as for those who are cruel to others, remember, Jesus taught us not to ignore justice (Luke 11:42). We are empowered to protect people from the wicked and should endeavor to do so.

That same Jesus also said in Matthew 7:1 - “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly] (AMP). It is easy to be blind to this warning, but, believe it or not, we judge when we decide someone deserves less kindness from us, even when they themselves are unkind. In doing so, we forget the Royal Law, which requires us to treat others as we want to be treated. And the fact that God will sometimes permit unfair treatment and suffering. Not because He is unjust, but because He uses these as vehicles for blessings and great rewards.

Let's go back to the tail end of Galatians 6:10. Note that it tells us to be especially good to our fellow believers. How many of us practice this? We may not even realize that it is in the Bible. Regardless, you're likely thinking that there are so many fake Christians who eventually show their true selves. You've been burned before, and having been 'twice bitten' as the saying goes, you are already 'twice shy.'

I understand because I've been there, done that, have a t-shirt, a car bumper sticker, and a fridge magnet for the effort. But you know what I've learned? I only experienced disappointment when I leaned on my intelligence instead of relying on God's wisdom. The Lord is intentional about steering us away from those we should avoid, so we don't waste time with them or get hurt. When we are genuinely intent on obeying His word, He will steer us to true believers so we can be more than good to them. And even if it is part of His plan for us to experience those who pretend to be true disciples, we can rest assured that He does everything for our good, so we will come out of that better.

He will also teach us how to be good to other people, even when they don't deserve it, because of how they behave. After all, He showed us His goodness and love by sending His Son to die for our sins. We didn’t deserve the sacrifice, and given that we remain sinners whom God is working on, we should be grateful He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10). He is committed to making us the vessels He uses to shower loving kindness on others. And we can do so much good when we show the unkind person the love of Christ rather than complain about them. We can do this by praying for them, being patient, and slow to anger (Galatians 5:22; James 1:19).

And yes, this won't come naturally to everyone, and it could take a while to get the hang of it. This I can say from experience. Still, when we remember the grace and love we enjoy, we can have faith that God, who shows us such kindness, will help us show some of the same to others. We simply have to be willing to obey Him and do good to everyone. God called us to do it, and that means He will equip us to succeed. So, ask God right now for grace to not only do good to all people, but also love the unbeliever and especially fellow believers. The Lord will answer you and strengthen you, IJMN Amen.

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

Flattering To Death - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) April 28, 2026

P L U N D E R E R

Apr 27

4 min read

We've all met someone well-versed in flattery. Maybe it was that kid who always 'sucked up' to the teacher. Or, a coworker who uses words and actions to score 'brownie points' with a supervisor. While flattery may seem very normal in the world we live in, and it might even appear to work, the word of God says otherwise. The Cambridge Dictionary defines flattery as the act of praising someone, often in a way that is not sincere, because you want something from them. At its very foundation, it is insincere, manipulative, and a form of deception which God has warned us against. Nobody claiming to be a believer in Christ and God the Father should be using this evil ploy.

The devil is the father of lies, and flattery is a weapon it uses to destroy people. Herod Agrippa was the powerful king of Judea, but he lacked godly wisdom. He received some emissaries seeking to gain favor and food for their cities. He dressed in his finery, sat on his throne, and gave a speech, likely because he liked to hear his own voice. As politicians, his visitors clapped and praised him, saying nothing about the actual message he shared. Instead, they complimented his voice. He was too puffed up even to notice. They said, "It isn't a man speaking, but a god!" (Acts 12:22 GNT).

At no point did he stop them from giving him excessive praise or from comparing him to God. And this likely was not the first time people had done such. These ambassadors had surely studied him to know what to say to achieve their goals. While being showered with praise, Agrippa had unknowingly crossed the Vashti Line. An angel of God struck him with a sickness for accepting "the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died" (Acts 12:23 NLT).

Those people flattered Agrippa to death. Being from Tyre and Sidon, they were unaware of Proverbs 29:5 - Flattery is nothing less than setting a trap (CEV). This verse describes what they did to their host. We know they lied to curry favor from him because they focused on something only a deluded person would consider praiseworthy during a diplomatic meeting - the sound of their voice. Whether they knew it or not, these men agreed with satan and used its tactics. The Bible doesn't indicate what happened to them, but if scripture is any guide, then we have a clue. Liars are hellbound if they refuse to repent (Revelation 21:8).

Despite being Jewish, Agrippa failed to submit to God's word, giving himself over to delusion and lies. A wicked man, he'd executed Apostle James, which produced praise from some of his subjects. This fueled the desire to kill another Christian leader, Apostle Peter, who was miraculously released from prison. But King David spoke of such people long before. Psalm 36:1-2 - I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. /In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. If only Agrippa had paid attention to this warning. Still, his death gave the Christians in Judea peace for a time.

Are you, like the emissaries, a flatterer? Or are you, like Agrippa, too conceited or numb to detect and hate your own sin? If so, this can make you liable to flatter or be flattered to death. There is nothing wrong with giving relevant praise and encouraging someone for what they have done. However, God detests the use of exaggerated praise to deceive and manipulate. He despises flattery and can see the truth of everything. Nobody can deceive or manipulate Him. And, He doesn't want any of us trying to do that to those He created. It is wrong, and you should not continue in this sin as someone who claims to love God and His Son.

If you flatter others or are someone whose ego demands flattery, stop it now. You may have gotten away with such ungodly behavior in the past, but today, you know better. God wants to help you break out of this pattern. He doesn't want you to suffer the fate coming for those who enjoy flattery. Those who desire to hear what their itching ears crave for instead of the truth. It is the same fiery fate that awaits satan. You, however, were created to enjoy the blessings of a relationship with God. Don't let flattery get in the way of that. Repent and be intentional in taking steps to stop flattering or receiving flattery. Ask God to help you. He will.

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

Did You Forget Your Prayers? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) April 24, 2026

P L U N D E R E R

Apr 24

4 min read

Recently, a Christian movie I watched prompted me to ask the Lord to help me provide the assistance He wants given to those He sends my way. I understood this may not always be about money. There have been times when the Lord highlighted that a person's issue wasn't the lack of funds, but the lack of Him. It has always been my job to steer them appropriately.

Within minutes of that prayer, my phone rang, and I knew the caller needed help. I also knew what they were going to ask because of our past encounters. However, I was so focused on the film and wanted to finish it, so I didn't pick up. Thankfully, the Lord nudged me to call them back. They didn't pick up, so I happily kept watching my film.

When we spoke later, they explained what they needed. Although I knew it was coming, I confess it was an inconvenience as it would interfere with other plans. I agreed to help them nonetheless, as the Lord guided. Still, after the call, I briefly grumbled about the interruption their need would cause, but quickly repented as I know better than to complain and grumble.

I prayed for strength, and God helped me, so I was able to do what the person needed with ease. Someone actually lent a hand to get it done. Once completed, I thanked the Lord, and I didn't expect what happened next. He reminded me of the request I'd prayed earlier and showed me that He'd answered my prayer, only for me to grumble about my schedule being derailed. Through it all, He was gentle and kind in His correction.

Promptly, I repented and then praised Him for honoring my request. I'd said that prayer earnestly but without a lot of thought, if I'm to be honest. Yet, God took it seriously and answered it. This was a reminder that He takes prayers very seriously, even when we don't. It was also a lesson that though He's gracious, I can't afford to forget what I pray for. That failure can prevent me from recognizing when He has fulfilled my request. Please note that I'd written my prayer request in my journal shortly after praying. Still, I'd forgotten about it in the few minutes it took God to answer.

That said, are you keeping track of your prayer requests? Are you keeping track of those God answered? King David noted in Psalm 37:25 - I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. God is in the prayer-answering business. He may have us wait for the answer, and He can fulfill our petitions in ways we don't expect. Regardless of how things play out, God does not ignore prayers. We are told that the prayers of the saints are collected in golden bowls (Revelation 5:8). Plus, the prayers of the righteous are highly effective and powerful (James 5:16).

Here are some likely scenarios when it seems our prayers haven't been answered. We may have allowed disbelief, doubt, and fear to hinder our answers during the space between making the requests and seeing them fulfilled. We often forget the warning of James 1:6 - But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Or, in our ignorance of the word, we may have said a detestable prayer. There could also be sins we haven't addressed that stand in the way. And, as happened to me, we might forget our petition and thereby fail to recognize God's faithfulness when it comes.

Still, God is in the business of answering prayers, going big even when the requests seem minuscule. None of our prayers is insignificant to Him. Those who belong to Him are precious, and He delights in giving them reason to rejoice and testify about what He's done. If you believe that He knows the number of every hair on your head, then you have to believe that He's capable of keeping up with your countless prayers. And, He can answer them one by one.

So trust God to answer your prayers. Hold His hand to live righteously, improving day by day. Pray boldly according to His will and word. Then stand firm in faith and wait for His appointed time. Be sure to write down your request so you don't forget it, and watch the good Lord do what only He can do for your prayer subjects and yourself. God bless you, and don't forget what you've prayed for. He hasn't!

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