“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” (Rom. 16:17 ESV)

God hates the sowing of discord

Among the things God hates is “one who sows discord among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16-19 ESV)

Division is a work of the flesh

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: … enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy…” (Gal. 5:19-21 ESV)

“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him…” (Titus 3:10 ESV)

Therefore

Instead of creating strife, God calls us to make peace.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9 ESV)

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“Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in.” — Charles Spurgeon

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4 ESV)

The Holy Spirit came with power

At Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were gathered together when the Holy Spirit came upon them. People from many nations heard them declaring the mighty works of God in their own languages.

“We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:11 ESV)

Peter preached Jesus

Peter explained that what they were witnessing fulfilled God’s promise to pour out His Spirit.

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21 ESV)

Peter proclaimed that Jesus had been crucified, raised from the dead, and exalted to the right hand of God.

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:32 ESV)

The gift of the Holy Spirit

When the people asked what they should do, Peter answered:

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 ESV)

About three thousand people received the message and were baptized that day.

Therefore

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42 ESV)

Pentecost reminds us that God gives His people the Holy Spirit to empower them to live for Christ and proclaim the good news.

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“When you strip it of everything else, Pentecost stands for power and life.” — David Wilkerson

“And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs…” (Exo. 35:31-32 ESV)

Creativity is a gift from God

God has placed remarkable abilities throughout His creation. Birds build nests, beavers build dams, and other creatures instinctively do what God designed them to do.

But God has given people the ability to imagine, design, build, and create in extraordinary ways. Scripture tells us that skill, intelligence, knowledge, and craftsmanship ultimately come from Him.

God gives skill for the work

“He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work… by any sort of workman or skilled designer.” (Exo. 35:35 ESV)

Whatever your creative ability—building, designing, writing, repairing, inventing, crafting, or making something beautiful—use it well and give God the glory.

“Arise and work! The Lord be with you!” (1 Chron. 22:16 ESV)

Therefore

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things.” (Rev. 4:11 ESV)

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3 ESV)

“But let each one test his own work…” (Gal. 6:4 ESV)

Quote

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” — Albert Einstein

Recognize sin and avoid it

Sin is all around us, and Scripture warns us not to become comfortable with it.

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5 ESV)

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry… envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” (Gal. 5:19-21 ESV)

Confess sin and turn from it

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Prov. 28:13 ESV)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

Therefore

The Christian is not called to make a practice of sin, but to live in the righteousness Christ provides.

“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning…” (1 John 3:6 ESV)

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21 ESV)

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isa. 1:18 ESV)

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“I’m against sin. I’ll kick it as long as I’ve got a foot, and I’ll fight it as long as I’ve got a fist… I’ll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition!” — Billy Sunday

“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:31 ESV)

You are valuable because you were made in God’s image

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27 ESV)

You are valuable because God wonderfully made you

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14 ESV)

You are valuable because you are a child of God

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12 ESV)

You are valuable because you were bought with a price

“You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” (1 Cor. 7:23 ESV)

Therefore

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

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“While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God’s creation.” — Maya Angelou

“By ourselves we are not qualified to claim that anything comes from us. Rather, our credentials come from God…”
(2 Cor. 3:5)

God qualifies those He calls

We are not qualified because of our own goodness or ability. Scripture says, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” (Rom. 3:12 NIV)

God calls us, then equips us with what we need to accomplish His purposes. Our confidence is not in ourselves, but in Him.

Pray to become fully qualified

“And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.”
(2 Cor. 13:9)

Qualified to help others

“…holding fast to the faithful Message which he has received, so that he may be well qualified both to encourage others with sound teaching and to reply successfully to opponents.”
(Titus 1:9)

Therefore

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”
(Col. 1:12 NASB)

“And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust…to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.”
(2 Tim. 2:2 AM)

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“God does not choose those who are fit. He outfits those whom He chooses.”
—Jack Hyles

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”
(Psalm 56:8 ESV)

God Sees Your Tears

Your tears are not unnoticed by God. Jesus Himself understood sorrow and wept with those who were grieving.

“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35 NIV)

Weeping does not last forever.

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 ESV)

And one day, God will remove sorrow completely.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.” (Revelation 21:4 ESV)

Therefore

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” (Psalm 126:5 ESV)

When tears flow, remember: God sees, God hears, and joy will come.

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“We hear tears loudly on this side of Heaven. What we don’t take time to contemplate are the even louder cheers on the other side of death’s valley.” — Zig Ziglar

Look to the interests of others

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:4 ESV)

Following Jesus means looking beyond ourselves. We should notice the needs of others, encourage them, and look for practical ways to help.

“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.” (Rom. 15:2 NIV)

Love takes action

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17 ESV)

It is easy to say we care. Genuine love does something. When God puts someone in need before us and we have the ability to help, our faith should move us to action.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17 ESV)

Therefore

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil. 2:3 ESV)

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” (1 Peter 3:8 ESV)

Prayer

Lord, help me to see beyond my own needs and notice the people around me. Give me a compassionate heart and show me practical ways to encourage, honor, and help others. May Your love be seen through my words and actions. Amen.

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“One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God.” — John Wesley

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17 ESV)

It is easy to say we care. Genuine love does something. When God puts someone in need before us and we have the ability to help, our faith should move us to action.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17 ESV)

Therefore

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil. 2:3 ESV)

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” (1 Peter 3:8 ESV)

Prayer

Lord, help me to see beyond my own needs and notice the people around me. Give me a compassionate heart and show me practical ways to encourage, honor, and help others. May Your love be seen through my words and actions. Amen.

Quote

“One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God.” — John Wesley

“The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.” (2 Peter 2:9 ESV)

God Is Your Rescuer

To rescue means to save from danger, difficulty, or captivity. Like a shepherd searching for a lost sheep, God seeks, finds, and rescues His own.

“I will seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered.” (Ezekiel 34:12 ESV)

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
(Psalm 34:19 ESV)

Therefore

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7 ESV)

Whatever you are facing, look to God for rescue and take refuge in Him.

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“He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released… that the oppressed will be set free.” — Jesus Christ (Luke 4:18 NLT)