Patriots XXI

01/05/2025

IMMEASURABLY MORE

What’s the boldest prayer you can think to pray? Or the most incredible thing you can dare to imagine?

Did you know that God can top it?

Paul said it like this:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You know those quiet dreams in your heart? God put them there. You know that ache for something better than this broken world? God gave you that desire. You know the deepest longings of your soul? God knows how to fulfill them.

Like Paul said, God can do more than we ask or imagine, but we also must remember the second part of his words: according to his power at work within us.

It’s all God’s power and His plan. But He has invited us into it.

So what’s our part in this process?

We can give glory to Him—knowing that it’s Him who gives us the desire and power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). He created us, loves us, and has entrusted us with sharing His message with the world.

We can submit ourselves to His plan—knowing that it’s all God, but He chooses to work in and through His people to accomplish His purposes. He doesn’t need us to be perfect, He just wants us to be willing.

We can trust Him with the process—knowing that He is good, righteous, worthy, strong, and eternal. We don’t have to know all the answers because we already have Him, and He can do more than we can ask or imagine.

29/04/2025

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Everywhere you look you can learn something about God. The earth is filled with information about Him. Psalm 19:1 says that the skies proclaim the wonders of God’s handiwork. And Romans 1:20 also says that since the beginning of creation, God’s attributes have been visible in the world.

Learning about God’s character through nature is called General Revelation. These are the things that anyone can learn about God by observing creation. Special Revelation is knowledge about God and salvation that only comes through His Word.

One example of Special Revelation is Habakkuk 2:14, which talks about a future day when the earth will be filled with true knowledge of God. When this was first proclaimed, the nation of Israel was in the midst of exile. They were experiencing injustice at the hands of their enemies. But God gave them a promise in the middle of their hopeless situation…

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14 NIV

A day will come when all people will know God. Knowledge of Him and His glory will cover the earth. Those who trust in God as their Savior will be with Him eternally in Heaven. But those who do not know Jesus will experience Him as their Judge, and be separated from God eternally.

When Jesus first came to earth, humanity got a glimpse of God’s glory. And because the Holy Spirit is still at work through the global Church—we still get glimpses of that glory. But on the day Jesus returns, all people will recognize Him as the true King. At that time, it will be too late for us to share the life-saving news of Jesus’ death and resurrection with others. That’s why we should use every opportunity we have to help people know Jesus as their Savior before it’s too late.

As Christians, we should pray for the day when Jesus returns and fills the earth with His glory. We should seek God continuously, and read God’s Word to be filled with knowledge of Him. But we should also be looking for opportunities to share the knowledge of God with others—right now.

So take some time today to consider who you can share the hope of Jesus with. And pray for those who do not know Jesus yet—ask that God would use you to help others get to know Him.

28/04/2025

PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE

Faith is essentially trust, which is a pivotal part of following Jesus.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God..." And Ephesians 2:8 explains, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

So we shouldn’t put too much faith in our own faith, but put our faith in God. Only He can create, save, and sustain. We can't know all things, but we can know Him—who knows all things. Which is why we would be wise to put our trust in Him.

But putting our faith into practice isn’t always easy. The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith begins with having confidence in the things we hope for. More than that, it is having assurance for things we cannot see.

While this sounds like a contradiction, faith actually requires us to believe in something outside of ourselves. If we could see it and measure it, it wouldn’t require faith. For instance, we read in Scripture that God created the earth and everything in it. But we weren’t there when it happened. It requires faith to believe that.

Jesus says that those who believe in Him will inherit eternal life—but that’s a promise that has yet to come. We have to have faith that Jesus will keep His promise, and that one day we will be in heaven with Him.

Faith is the assurance that what God promised will happen. It is the confidence that what Jesus said is actually true. This is why people in Scripture faithfully waited for God to fulfill His promises toward them. Most of them might not have seen that fulfillment in their lifetime, but they had faith that God would still follow through.

Take some time to consider your own faith. Is your faith filled with confident hope? Pray for God to give you the assurance that all of His promises will come true. And as you do that, learn from the stories mentioned in Hebrews 11 on what it means to put faith into practice.

27/04/2025

A Triumphant Victory

For over 400 years, the people of Israel waited and wondered as they endured persecution and painful abuse at the hands of harsh, foreign rulers. For weeks and months and decades, they clung to words from prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah that foretold of a time when their enemies would be destroyed.

The Jewish people were waiting for a powerful man who would overthrow the Roman Empire and take his rightful place as king and conqueror. And then one day, a renowned Rabbi (who had just raised a man from the dead) came to the capital city of Jerusalem, riding on a donkey—an animal often associated with kingship and peace.

But Jesus wasn’t just a man—He was God and man. And this wasn’t just a triumphal entry into Jerusalem: it was a determined, faith-filled march toward the crucifixion that awaited Him.
He would become king: but not in the way the Jews were expecting. However, His followers knew there was something special about Him, shouting and singing...

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
Luke 19:38 NIV

In just a few short days, Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city would turn into a triumphant victory over the strongest enemies of all: death, the devil, and eternal separation from God. But this victory would cost Jesus His life, and His death would be cheered by some of the same crowd praising His arrival.

His sacrifice cost Him everything—but it gave us everything.
It’s because Jesus sacrificed Himself for us that we can now come unashamedly before Him.

So today, reflect on how Jesus’ faith-filled obedience resulted in your permanent reconciliation with God. Then, spend some time blessing and praising the King who came in the name of the Lord.

26/04/2025

A GREAT LIGHT

Have you ever known a deep darkness? Most of us have—at one point or another. But there's a great light that changes the way we see.

Peppered throughout the Old Testament are prophecies regarding future events. And recorded in the book of Isaiah is a glimpse into a future hope…

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the verse preceding this one, the text explains that sometime in the future, these “people who walk in darkness,” from "Galilee of the Gentiles," will be flooded with light. (The word "Gentiles" is a term for non-Jews, representing an eclectic mix of other nations.)

Israel was God’s chosen nation through which the Savior of the world would be born. But even Abraham, who’s considered the father of the Jewish people, was told by God that all families and nations of the earth would also be blessed through his descendants (see Genesis 12:2-3; 22:18).

This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. But when He showed up on the scene, He was rejected by His own people—mostly because He didn’t show up in the way they’d imagined. He was, however, surprisingly accepted by many once-faithless Gentiles.

God shares more about this in Isaiah 49:6, when speaking about the prophesied Savior:

“You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭49:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And in the New Testament, Matthew cited Isaiah 9:1-2 when writing about Jesus’ ministry near the Sea of Galilee, where many Gentiles lived. He understood it to be the fulfillment of God’s words through the prophet Isaiah.

It’s a beautiful reminder that no matter who you are, where you live, what you look like, your history or heritage, or how deep the darkness around you can feel, a great light has come. It pierces the darkness, eradicates shadows, and brings life to all that it touches.

That great light is Jesus, and He alone is our hope. We were once in darkness, but now we have light.

25/04/2025

He Won't Leave You

Do you ever feel like life has knocked the breath out of you? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s no secret that this world is full of both goodness and trouble.

King David, whose life was recorded in various parts of the Old Testament, was highly accustomed to trouble—constantly threatened by legitimate enemies and faced with the reality of impending death.

Yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he wrote:

“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.”
‭‭Psalm ‭34:19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If there’s one thing you can depend on, it’s that God is alive, active, and ever-present in your life—yes, even the hardest parts of your life.

But who is the “righteous person” David speaks of in this particular Psalm, when other parts of the Bible say things like, “no one is righteous—not even one”? (Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:3). There’s a trick to understanding this at-first-glance contradiction:

Righteousness can’t be achieved, but it can be given.

When we trust in God, as well as His Son, Jesus Christ (who sacrificed His life so that we could truly live), we’re trusting that His righteousness will extend to us as well.

To put it simply, a righteous person is one who relies on God’s righteousness.

Seems unfair and unmerited, doesn’t it? But that’s grace. It’s by grace, through faith, that we—that you—can be counted as righteous. You can’t work for it and you can’t buy it.

Because of that, when we’re facing hard stuff, we can expect God to show up in a million unique ways. Not because we’re righteous on our own, but because He is righteous on His own. And His righteousness has no limits.

So how does God show up?

He guides. He comforts. He corrects. He reroutes. He reminds us of true things. He helps us persevere. He brings wisdom and discernment to our minds. He inspires others to help us. He compels us to help others. He gives us peace in the midst of trouble. He encourages us as we stand boldly in faith. He works and works and works in mysterious ways.

And just when you might wonder if your neediness is becoming a nuisance to God, remember: God’s presence is inexhaustible and His resources are limitless. It’s good to need God every moment of every day. To breathe. To survive. To flourish.

So yes, trouble will come. But God will never leave your side.

24/04/2025

God Brings the Growth

Have you ever felt like evangelism is just too much? Too hard? Like the whole thing depends on you—and you’re already tired?

You're not alone in that. And thankfully, you're not meant to do it all.

1 Corinthians 3:7 reminds us: “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

This verse lifts the pressure off our shoulders. It’s not all up to you.

God is the one who brings growth. That’s His role. Ours is simply to take small, faithful steps—planting seeds of truth, kindness, encouragement, or prayer—and trusting God to do what only He can do.

And here’s something beautiful: we don’t do this in isolation. Evangelism isn’t a solo act—it’s a shared mission. Across the world, in neighbourhoods and cities, believers are living this out together. You might plant, someone else might water, but God is the one who moves hearts.

So what could that look like for you today? It could be sending a message to a friend, offering to pray for someone, inviting them to church, or opening up about how Jesus has changed your life. Simple, faithful actions that God can use in powerful ways.

Take the pressure off. You don’t need to do everything—just do something. You’re not alone, and the outcome isn’t on you.

You plant. Someone else waters.

God brings the growth.

24/12/2022

It is all about the baby in the manger. As we're running around from place to place, getting last-minute gifts and food for hosting loved ones, let's keep in the front of our hearts and minds that Christmas is 100% about the birth of the Savior of the World, Jesus! Thank you, Lord!

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6

24/11/2022

22/11/2022

Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a lamp unto my path
Psalms 119:105