One thing I know: I was blind, but now I see (John 9:13-41)

What does it mean to truly know, see, or hear something? Even when people see or hear the same thing, their understanding can be totally different. Long ago, the prophet Isaiah prophesied: “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving’” (Isaiah 6:9).

When Jesus, sent by God, came into the world as the Christ, many Jews didn’t recognize Him. Even though they saw and heard the works of God through Him, they failed to understand. Instead, they rejected, persecuted, and ultimately crucified Him. Ironically, they claimed to know God but rejected His Son.

But the man in today’s story—born blind—believed. He couldn’t see at first, but when Jesus gave him sight, he believed in Him. To know and believe that Jesus Christ has opened our eyes is to truly know the truth. Amen!

The Jews refuse to believe the man born blind was healed

13 They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now, the day Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 So the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. He told them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

17 Then they turned again to the blind man. “What have you to say about Him? It was your eyes He opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

18 Still, they did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.”

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had already decided that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” (John 9:13-23)

The Jews brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It just so happened that the day Jesus healed him by making mud and putting it on his eyes was the Sabbath. When asked, the man plainly testified what happened: “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.”

But some Pharisees couldn’t see past their legalism. They were more concerned about Jesus breaking the Sabbath than the amazing miracle He had performed since the creation of the world. They argued, “He’s not from God because He doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” Others were puzzled, asking, “How can a sinner perform such miracles?”

The man, however, didn’t waver. He stood firm in his testimony, even under pressure, and said he believed Jesus was a prophet.

The Pharisees, unwilling to accept the truth, called in his parents for questioning. But his parents, afraid of being excommunicated, said, “Ask him yourself; he’s old enough to answer.”

This story shows us who receives God’s blessings. Those who trust and obey God are given even more, but those who reject Him lose everything. As Jesus said, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them” (Matthew 13:12).

The secrets of God’s kingdom are a holy gift for those who believe. But those who reject God cannot inherit His blessings. As Jesus warned, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:24).

For those who believe in Jesus Christ, sent by God, the gates of heaven are opened, and eternal life is given (John 3:16). The man born blind received God’s blessing, but the unbelieving Jews failed to recognize or understand it.

Since the beginning of the world, no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a man born blind

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. (John 9:24-34)

The Pharisees had interrogated the man’s parents earlier, but when that didn’t give them the answer they wanted, they turned to the man himself. They demanded, "Give glory to God," but they completely misunderstood what that meant. Truly giving glory to God is believing in the One He sent, Jesus Christ (John 6:29). Instead, they presumptuously called Jesus a sinner, refusing to acknowledge who He really was. Their actions weren’t honoring God—they were doing the work of their true father, the devil.

The man stood firm and spoke the truth: "I don’t know about all that, but one thing I know—I was blind, and now I see." His simple testimony carried undeniable power. Despite the Pharisees’ intimidation and attempts to twist the story, he boldly testified to the grace he had experienced.

Before we believed in Jesus, we were all spiritually blind, trapped in darkness. But now, through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, our sins are forgiven, and we’ve been given the gift of eternal life. We hold on to the promise of an eternal inheritance—one that can’t perish, spoil, or fade. We’ve also come to know Jesus as the true bread of life, and we trust that God is shaping us to be a pure and spotless bride for Christ.

The Pharisees pressed on, asking how Jesus healed him, but the man challenged them, "I already told you. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you thinking about becoming his disciples?" His boldness exposed their stubborn hearts. Instead of considering his words, they lashed out, saying, "We’re Moses’ disciples! We don’t even know where this guy comes from." Their spiritual blindness was clear—they couldn’t see that Jesus was sent by God.

The man didn’t hold back. "This is amazing! He opened my eyes, and you don’t know where he’s from? God doesn’t listen to sinners but to those who do His will. Nobody’s ever heard of someone healing a man born blind. If this man weren’t from God, he couldn’t do anything."

His words echoed the truth, much like how God used Balaam’s donkey to speak sense into him (Numbers 22:28). Balaam, blinded by greed, couldn’t see the angel of the Lord blocking his narrow path until his donkey spoke up.

In the same way, God used the man who had been blind to rebuke the unbelieving and stubborn-hearted Jews and to teach them the truth. The Old Testament doesn’t record anyone born blind having their sight restored, but this man—once blind—understood the secrets of God’s kingdom that even the religious leaders didn’t grasp. Through his healing, he recognized that Jesus was the prophet sent by God. But the Pharisees, filled with pride, rejected him, cursed him, and threw him out, saying, “How dare you try to teach us?”

If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. (John 9:35-41)

Jesus sought out the man who had been cast out by the religious leaders. He strengthened his faith, revealing Himself fully so the man could believe even more deeply. In response, the man declared, “Lord, I believe,” and worshiped Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of eternal worship, praise, honor, and glory.

The first time He came, He bore the sins of the world as the sacrificial Lamb of God. But Jesus will return in glory, power, and majesty as King of kings and Lord of lords to judge the world with righteousness and justice. At the same time, He will gather those who believe in Him—like the man who was blind but now sees—from all corners of the earth. He will crown them with the crown of life and lead them into eternal joy and blessing.

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)

Even now, judgment has begun. Jesus said He came into this world for judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind. He restored not only the physical sight of the man born blind but also his spiritual sight, enabling him to see and believe in the Son of God. This man was fully healed—body and soul—and became an heir to God’s kingdom.

But the Pharisees, who claimed to know God, rejected Christ, the fulfillment of Scripture. In doing so, they revealed their own blindness and their allegiance to darkness.

When some Pharisees overheard Jesus, they asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Jesus also said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In Adam, all humanity is spiritually poor. But those who recognize their desperate need for God’s salvation are truly blessed. Like the prodigal son, who returned to his father’s house, those who turn back to God are embraced with open arms. The Father clothes them in the finest robes, puts a ring on their finger, and celebrates their return with a feast (Luke 15:22-23).

Jesus invites us all to see our spiritual poverty, to receive His grace, and to enter into the joy of His kingdom.

January 19, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture taken from the NIV translation.

While I Am in the World, I Am the Light of the World (John 9:1–12)

 

While I Am in the World, I Am the Light of the World (John 9:1–12)

No one wants to walk in darkness, but not everyone chooses to walk in the light. Jesus is the light of the world. Anyone who follows Him will not walk in darkness but will live in the light. Through Jesus Christ, we have been cleansed by His blood and freed from the darkness. Now, we can live in the light forever and fully obey the Lord's laws and commands.

Because of this, we are no longer slaves to the darkness. But if we fail to love our neighbors as Jesus has loved us, we are still walking in darkness. Jesus gave His life to free us from the chains of hatred and anger. The evidence that we are living in the light is this: loving others as Jesus has loved us. This is the new commandment God the Father has given us. Amen!

As Long as It Is Day, We Must Do the Works of God

1 As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned—this man or his parents—that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus replied, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work." (John 9:1–4)

While walking with His disciples, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. The disciples asked whether the blindness was caused by the man’s sin or his parents’ sin. This reflected their belief in cause-and-effect thinking. But Jesus corrected them, saying it wasn’t because of sin, but so that God’s works might be revealed in him.

The disciples saw the man’s situation as hopeless, but Jesus saw it as an opportunity to show God’s glory. Life is full of difficulties, and like the disciples, we often try to find someone to blame. But Jesus reminded them that it was still daytime—there was work to do. The "day" represents our time on earth, where we have the chance to accept Jesus and share His love. Once we die, that opportunity is gone.

35 Jesus said, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light." (John 12:35–36)

Jesus saw the blind man as a way to reveal God’s work on earth. At the same time, He was also speaking to His people—those who could see but were spiritually blind and deaf. God had spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’” (Isaiah 6:9)

Jesus invites us to live in His light and share His love so that we, too, can be children of light. Let us walk in His light and glorify God in all we do!

Jesus, the Light of the World
"While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5)

In John 8, Jesus declared, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) Jesus came to bring the light of life to a world trapped in the power of darkness and death.

How did Jesus reveal this light? Through His works, Jesus showed the power, glory, and authority of God the Father. In a world consumed by ignorance and darkness, God revealed Himself through Jesus, the light of life. As John wrote in his letter, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus' face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light, displaying His glory (Matthew 17:2).

Darkness is the opposite of light. To be outside the light is to be in darkness—unable to see, lost, and without direction. Darkness also represents ignorance and a lack of knowledge. While human knowledge has grown, and libraries are filled with vast resources, there is still far more that we don’t know. We are just beginning to uncover the mysteries of the universe and humanity, but complete understanding is beyond us.

However, those who are in Jesus are no longer in darkness but in the light. While we cannot know everything, there is one truth we must know: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, sent to save us. God sent His Son to free us from darkness and lead us into the light.

To be in darkness is to be under sin, as Adam was. Humanity, trapped in sin, faces death and, after that, God’s judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Without deliverance from this darkness, eternal punishment awaits. But God, in His great mercy, sent His only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Now, anyone who is in Christ is no longer in darkness but walks in the light. In Christ, we are no longer slaves to darkness but can live as children of the light.

"But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober." (1 Thessalonians 5:4–6)

Walking in the Light Means Obeying God’s Word
What is the evidence that we are no longer in darkness but in the light? It is fellowship with God and walking with Christ.
"If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:6–7)

We can walk in the light because the blood of Christ cleanses us. As we continue to walk in the light, His blood keeps us clean and free from sin. Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Matthew 6:12)

The evidence that we are walking in the light is obedience to God’s commands:
"Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." (1 John 2:8–11)

Walking in the light means living in love, forgiving others, and obeying God’s Word. Through Jesus, we are no longer in darkness but can live as children of the light, reflecting His love and glory in all we do.

Go, Wash in the Pool of Siloam
"After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 'Go,' he told him, 'wash in the Pool of Siloam' (this word means 'Sent'). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing." (John 9:6-7)

Jesus spit on the ground, made mud, and applied it to the blind man's eyes. Then He told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam, which means "Sent." The man obeyed Jesus' words, washed, and returned with his sight restored. The journey to the pool wasn’t easy, but the return trip was free of difficulty. He left behind the darkness and walked freely in the light.

Before we accepted Jesus, we didn’t know where we came from or where we were going. But now, in Christ, we know we are pilgrims, coming from God and returning to Him. Though we were once in darkness, we now walk in the light, following Jesus, who is the Way. By His grace, the Lord will guide us in the light until we reach His heavenly kingdom. Amen!

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 1:24-25)

How Were Your Eyes Opened?
"His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, 'Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?' Some claimed that he was. Others said, 'No, he only looks like him.' But he himself insisted, 'I am the man.' 'How then were your eyes opened?' they asked. He replied, 'The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.' 'Where is this man?' they asked him. 'I don’t know,' he said." (John 9:8-12)

When the man received his sight, the people around him were divided in their opinions. Some said he was the same man who had been begging, while others said he only looked like him. But the man testified, "I am the one."

When asked how his eyes were opened, his answer was simple and clear: "The man called Jesus made mud, put it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went, washed, and now I can see." He testified plainly about how Jesus’ grace had opened his eyes.

Persecution Follows Grace
Receiving God’s grace often brings persecution because we no longer belong to the world. Those who belong to Christ follow the path He walked, including suffering. Jesus said, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19)

However, in Christ, we are safe, walking in the light. Jesus Himself promised, "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Amen!

2025.1.12.
Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are from the NIV.

Blessed Are Those Who Keep His Statutes and Seek the Lord Wholeheartedly (Psalm 119:1-8)

 

Blessed Are Those Who Keep His Statutes and Seek the Lord Wholeheartedly (Psalm 119:1-8)

Happy New Year! No one desires to miss out on blessings. However, not everyone is truly blessed. Who, then, is genuinely blessed? The Lord Almighty declares: "Blessed are those who seek Him with all their heart." In this world, many deceptions and lies abound. The unseen enemy, Satan, seeks to deceive believers, causing them to stumble and be devoured. As such, those who are in Christ are pilgrims on this earth, engaged in spiritual warfare. We always need protection and help from the forces of evil and darkness.

Despite our best intentions, we inevitably fall into sin and evil. But God, in His mercy and compassion, saves us from our sins through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, our help comes only from the Lord God. Blessed are those who keep his statues and seek the Lord with all their heart, for He delivers us from all dangers. Amen!

The Blessed

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart (Psalm 119:1-2).

Who are the truly blessed? First, they are those whose actions are blameless, who live according to the law of the Lord. They are also those who keep His statutes and seek Him wholeheartedly. In Christ, we have been cleansed by His blood. Washed by His sacrifice, we now stand boldly before the throne of God’s grace. The fact that our ways are blameless is entirely due to God’s grace.

We were unrighteous and evil, deserving judgment rather than grace. Yet, by God’s grace, we received salvation by believing in and accepting Jesus, who came to earth as a child. No one can perfectly keep the law of God (Romans 3:10). The only one who can keep it flawlessly is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is sinless, always abiding in God, doing nothing on His own but only what the Father does. Thus, Jesus is the righteous Judge who has the authority to condemn and judge the world.

However, Jesus came to this earth, incarnated in human flesh, to redeem us—those who could not keep the law of God and were destined for condemnation. Jesus bore the punishment for our sins, was lifted high on the cross, and shed His blood for us. His suffering and death on the cross were, in fact, our death—the death of our sinful nature, which could not keep God’s law. Our old self was crucified with Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have put on the new self in Christ.

23 "To be made new in the attitude of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:23-24).

Our transformation into a new self in Christ is evidence of God’s complete grace. Because of this grace, we can now seek and pursue the Lord God with all our hearts from now into eternity. No one can serve two masters. This means we cannot seek the things of this world while also seeking God. Seeking God wholeheartedly requires rejecting and forsaking worldly desires. Pursuing the things of this world is evidence of not fully trusting God. However, those who seek God wholeheartedly will never be put to shame.

They do no wrong but follow His ways (Psalm 119:3).

Now, those who have put on the new self in Christ truly refrain from wrongdoing and walk in obedience to the Lord’s ways. This is because all our sins have been forgiven by Christ’s blood, and we are justified, with no condemnation remaining (Romans 8:1). This is not due to our merit but solely because of God’s unchanging love, to which we respond in faith. As we do so, our merciful and gracious God cleanses us daily through the power of Christ’s atoning blood.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

The Lord Commands Us to Keep His Precepts

4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. (Psalm 119:4-6)

Keeping the Lord’s precepts and decrees is a command from the Holy God. It is not optional but essential. Failing to keep God’s commandments results in the absence of life, bringing trouble, distress, condemnation, and death (Romans 2:9). All creation, made by God, faithfully follows His command. Yet humanity, fallen into sin, neither knows God nor glorifies or thanks Him. Instead, people have become futile in their thinking and foolish in their hearts, turning to idols (Romans 1:21).

2 “Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: ‘I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.’” (Isaiah 1:2-3)

Why, then, did God give the law? Through Moses, God gave His people commandments and decrees engraved on stone tablets. This was to teach them that they could not keep God’s holy commandments by their own strength, willpower, or resolve. The law of God acts as a mirror, revealing sin within us and making it evident as sin.

19 “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” (Romans 3:19-20)

How, then, can we keep God’s law? God has revealed a righteousness apart from the law, to which the Law and the Prophets testify (Romans 3:21). Hidden within the law is the secret of how we can obey it: through the merit of Jesus Christ’s blood, we can stand boldly before God.

By God’s grace, those who keep His commandments in Christ will not be put to shame but will stand in glory, honor, power, and authority. However, those who disregard and disobey God’s commandments cannot stand before Him and will inevitably fall away.

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

God has written His commandments on the tablets of our hearts. He has also given us the power and authority to fully obey His commands. This power and authority come through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, whom God promised to send. Now, we live not by our own strength or ability but by the power and authority of the Lord God, given to us through the Holy Spirit. God not only requires us to fully keep His commandments but also provides the strength and ability to do so. Amen!

I Will Thank the Lord with an Upright Heart

7 “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.” (Psalm 119:7-8)

Learning and understanding the Lord’s righteous commands and statutes is a cause for thanksgiving and praise. Walking in the path of the Lord’s righteousness leads to life. This world, however, is filled with deceit and delusion. It is corrupt, impure, and rebellious. Like the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, this world faces condemnation and judgment because humanity’s thoughts and intentions from youth are evil and unrighteous in God’s sight (Genesis 6:5).

All humanity was destined for condemnation, judgment, and destruction in Adam. But God, in His great mercy, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world so that no one would perish but have the opportunity for salvation. Through His Son, God has provided the way of salvation that leads to His kingdom. To those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God has poured out the power and authority, through His blood, to keep His holy commands.

This ability is not of ourselves but entirely by God’s grace. Therefore, our response is thanksgiving and praise. The psalmist confesses, “I will thank the Lord with an upright heart.” This means not attributing the ability to keep God’s commands to our own merit but acknowledging that it is only through God’s ongoing grace.

Thus, the psalmist prays, “I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.” Amen! God first chose and called Israel, not because they were outwardly qualified but as an example of His great plan, wisdom, and instruction. Israel had the patriarchs of faith, witnessed the miracles and signs in Egypt, ate manna from heaven, and drank water gushed out from the rock. Yet they did not fully seek and follow the Lord their God. Instead, they grumbled, rebelled, and bowed to detestable idols.

Likewise, we did not receive God’s redemptive grace in Christ because of our qualifications. Therefore, we must offer thanksgiving and praise to the Lord with an upright heart for the grace we have received. God, who is holy and sees with eyes like blazing fire, examines our hearts, thoughts, and plans. He knows all things. God does not accept those who fail to keep His statutes but cleanses us through Christ’s blood, empowering us to walk in His ways.

Our prayer for 2025 is to hold firmly to the grace God has given us, to keep His statutes, and to continually abide in His grace. Amen!

January 5, 2025
Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are from New International Version (NIV).