God Loves You

2026 - A NEW BEGINNING IN CHRIST

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB

As a new year begins, many of us reflect on what has passed—regrets, failures, unmet goals, and lessons learned. The calendar turning to a new page often brings hope, but it can also carry the weight of what we wish had been different. Scripture reminds us that our truest new beginning is not found in a date, but in a Person.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

In Christ, the new year does not start with our resolutions but with God’s redemption. The “old” that has passed away includes not only our past sins, but also our former identity—defined by guilt, fear, or self-effort. To be in Christ is to live from a new reality: forgiven, reconciled, and renewed by grace. This means we step into the year not trying to prove ourselves, but trusting the finished work of Jesus.

The promise of being a “new creation” also gives us courage for the days ahead. We may not know what this year will bring, but we know who we belong to. God is not merely improving our old life; He is continually forming something new within us. Each day becomes an opportunity to walk in that newness—choosing obedience, hope, and love empowered by the Holy Spirit.

As we enter this new year, let us hold on to this truth: our past does not define us, our failures do not imprison us, and our future is secure in Christ. Because we are new in Him, we can face the year ahead with faith, humility, and joyful expectation. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

The truth of God's unconditional love towards sinners is evident in the fact that He sent His only begotten Son (John 3:16) to be our Savior and propitiation (1 John 2:2), who died for us all (Romans 5:8). This love is not based on the assurance that we will be saved, for salvation is only effective for those who believe in the begotten Son. Those who reject Him, as Jesus said, will face God's judgment because of their choice (John 3:18). Before anyone made a choice to either have faith or reject the Savior, Jesus had already decided to save us. This decision was made before the foundation of the world, for God is all-knowing. He already knew we would fall into sin and need His saving grace. God's love for us is not conditioned on our choices; therefore, it is unconditional.

The evidence that God's love is unconditional and universal based is not on the number of those who will surely be saved because they chose to believe in His begotten Son, but in the fact that while we were all yet sinners, God sent His Son for us all (John 3:16) and died for us all who are unworthy (Romans 5:8). Beyond that, God also does not arbitrarily force His provision upon us. Salvation may be conditional, but the motive behind what God did for us all is unconditional. God's love for us is not contingent upon us but upon who He is, for God is love.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18, NASB

Truths:
- God loves the whole world, so He sent Jesus to be their Savior (verse 16).

- God sent Him not to condemn the world but to save it (verse 17).

- Sinners must respond in faith to be saved. They are also free to reject, but the consequence of rejection is condemnation because of their rejection of Christ (verse 18).

God sovereignly and lovingly decreed to save us through Jesus Christ. God also sovereignly requires us to respond in faith to His begotten Son.

Although we are free to make this decision, the consequence of our decision is still subject to God's judgment. And this is God's judgment: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36, NASB

Want to know God's will for your life? Go to the Word of God. Read, study, understand the context, and obey everything you learn from the Bible. God wants all of us to live by His will, and that is revealed in His Word. 🙂

The Secret to Knowing God’s Will (and Making Great Decisions) How can we know God's will? And how can we make biblical, wise decisions? I am convinced that there are more myths about how God speaks than any other biblic...

HOPE OF SALVATION FOR WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will sn**ch them out of My hand.

John 10:25-28, NASB

Was Jesus merely wasting his time engaging these prideful Pharisees in a discourse to explain the truth about Himself, the Messiah they missed or chose to disregard? Jesus knew they would reject Him, so why bother taking the time to explain these things to them if they would only refuse to understand? The simple reason is that God loves them too; Jesus came to die for them too. The mere fact that Jesus engages with them is not merely to mock their hypocrisy but to rebuke them in love.

Now, let's first examine what Jesus meant when He used the term "sheep" to describe those who would listen to Him and those who wouldn't. The "sheep" to which Jesus referred in John 10:27-28, those belonging to Him, are the Jews who never wavered from their faith in God (YAHWEH) even before encountering Jesus. These individuals, such as Abraham, Joseph, David, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel, remained steadfast in their faith despite their circumstances, always attentive to God's voice.

Although these men have passed away, there are still those who were living in Jesus' time bearing the same faith these men had. They are the ones who, upon encountering Christ, automatically followed Him, as seen in examples like the Apostles and the prophets Simeon and Anna. Not all of them were deeply versed in Jewish laws and prophecies, except for Anna and Simeon. However, upon meeting Jesus or being called by Him, they never hesitated to follow Him and acknowledge Him as the Messiah.

In verse 26, Jesus told the Pharisees that they did not believe because they were not His sheep. Here, Jesus meant that long before He became human and dwelt among us, these Jews had already stopped listening to God, similar to those in Moses' time who never reached the promised land but perished in the wilderness.

Their faith in God was counterfeit; their service to God was mere lip service. They lived hypocritically, closing their ears and hardening their hearts, which prevented them from recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah foretold in the prophecies. They were excessively legalistic, misunderstanding the true essence of obedience to God.

They were not Jesus' sheep not because God had not chosen them before the world began; in fact, they were part of the chosen race. However, they had stopped listening to God despite their knowledge of the law and prophecies, leading them to fail in recognizing Jesus and repenting. Their hearts were filled with pride, making it inconceivable for them to accept the Messiah as the son of a carpenter from Nazareth.

Here is where the Jewish Pharisees, who rejected Jesus, failed. They let their pride dictate who the Messiah ought to be, despite their knowledge of prophecies that prove Jesus' claims as the true Messiah. It is the same today with those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus because they refuse to also acknowledge their need for a savior, rejecting the truth of God's existence. Not only His sovereignty but His very existence.

They have no fear of God since, for them, He doesn't really exist except in the imagination of Christians. To them, God is just a myth, which motivates them to even disregard hard evidence available to us that proves the existence of God and reject the gospel and treat it as a myth. However, Jesus died for them still; God loved them too, just like the Pharisees Jesus engaged with, whom Jesus rebuked.

We may all have once been or entertained the idea that God may not have really existed, or maybe some of us don't and yet we never truly listened to God. We merely believe but live according to our desires just like the Pharisees. We all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:24). God offered the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ to all of us (Romans 6:23). However, only those who acknowledge their sinfulness, humbly repent, and turn to Jesus will be saved (Acts 3:19, John 3:16-18).

The provision and offer of salvation from God are universal. Also, God gave us the freedom to choose either to accept or reject His offer, but not the power to determine the outcome of our choices; that is something only He determines. Still, God ensures that all will hear this gospel of Hope and salvation, even the wolves in sheep's clothing.

REST IN CHRIST

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)

Matthew 11:28-30 occurs in a chapter where Jesus addresses the doubts of John the Baptist and the unbelief of people in various cities, despite witnessing his miracles. In these verses, Jesus extends rest to the weary and burdened, urging them to take his yoke and learn from him. This call to rest contrasts sharply with the legalism imposed by religious leaders. Jesus' yoke symbolizes discipleship and submission, leading to genuine soul rest.

The rest Jesus offers in this passage signifies spiritual tranquility or inner peace. He invites those weighed down by sin, legalism, and religious expectations, regardless of their background or circumstances. This invitation is inclusive, reaching out to all sinners who acknowledge their need for spiritual rest and are willing to approach him. Jesus warmly welcomes those burdened souls, promising relief and peace through faith in him.

Life in this world is truly burdensome. Otherwise, no one would seek solace from the fatigue induced by the anxiety of conforming to its ways. The world system, governed by the evil one, offers only counterfeit peace and comfort. When we attempt to avail ourselves of these, we ultimately realize we are being deceived. However, these lies appeal to our depravity, leading us to become addicted to them, much like drugs, sinking us deeper until our hearts harden.

Nevertheless, no matter how hardened one's heart may become, hope can still be found in Christ and the Gospel. Faith indeed comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), along with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Addiction can be remedied through clinical detoxification and rehabilitation for those willing to undergo such a process. Similarly, a hardened heart can be softened when we recognize the extent of sin's damage, our inability to recover on our own, come to Christ in humble repentance, take His yoke upon us, and learn from Him. Only then can we find true peace, comfort, and strength, which only Jesus can provide.

Furthermore, through faith in Christ, we gain justification, eternal life, eternal security, and the right to become part of His kingdom. This entails freedom from the bo***ge of sin that burdens us and leads to condemnation. Only God can grant us our deepest desires. If we come to Him in faith, He will never turn us away, for it is He who invited us and offered us rest in Him.

𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙋𝙃𝙀𝘾𝙔, 𝙁𝙐𝙇𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏, 𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙇𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙋𝙃𝙀𝘾𝙔: Into Your hand I commit my spirit;You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth. Psalm 31:5

𝙁𝙐𝙇𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏: And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46

𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙇𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉: They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Acts 7:59

REASONS WHY THE JEWS REJECTED JESUS AS THE PROMISED MESSIAH

Although Jesus fulfilled prophecies about the Messiah, the Jews still believed that he failed to fulfill all the prophecies. However, these prophecies, which will be fulfilled during his second coming, were misunderstood by them. They failed to grasp that the remaining prophecies concerning the Messiah would only come to fruition during his second coming, as clearly interpreted by the apostles of Jesus, especially Paul and John, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

They perceive Jesus as blaspheming God by declaring Himself one with God, implying that Jesus was proclaiming Himself to be divine, which was actually true yet something that was hard to swallow for the Jews. This perception is especially evident when Jesus publicly forgives the sins of certain individuals after healing them of physical ailments and rescuing some from death at the hands of Jewish leaders. The Jews were taught that such forgiveness was only attainable through specific sacrificial offerings in the temple, performed by a priest. Additionally, Jesus's acts of healing on the Sabbath were interpreted by Jewish leaders as blasphemous against God. However, when Jesus explained the true purpose of the Sabbath and rebuked them for their hypocrisy, their indignation toward Him only intensified.

Jesus also challenged their traditional interpretation of the Mosaic law, which solely emphasized dry physical obedience to the letter of the law while neglecting the essence of wholehearted obedience to God. Hence, Jesus's teachings were perceived as radical and revolutionary, challenging the authoritative and traditional teachings of the Jewish leaders of that era. The Jewish leaders viewed this as a threat to their authority, exposing their egotistical hunger for power and hypocritical practices.

Most importantly, they taught that salvation meant liberation from the oppression they were enduring under the Roman Empire. This expectation was also shared by His disciples, which is why they felt anxious whenever Jesus spoke of His imminent death, overlooking His promise to rise from the dead after three days. This is also why they dispersed when Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested by the Sanhedrin. The salvation Jesus proclaimed was spiritual, centered around the Kingdom He was going to establish. Jesus taught repentance and faith rather than advocating for armed rebellion to overthrow the oppressive Roman Empire.

The Jews had their reasons, which they believed were justified. Some reasons were religious, but most were fueled by pride. Jesus wasn't only promised to be the Savior of the Jews but of the world as well (John 3:16-17). Jesus is also our Savior, but to receive salvation, one must surrender one's pride, acknowledge one's sin, and recognize Christ as one's Savior. Let's not repeat the same mistakes made by the Jews and even the Gentiles during Jesus's time on earth in human form. Instead, let's come to Christ and receive salvation through faith, which is made available and offered to us by God's grace.

WHY DID JESUS HAD TO DIE

Why did Jesus have to die? Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and even if we die, that is not enough payment to atone for our sins. Only God's sacrifice is sufficient to atone for our sins. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were saved by applying the blood of a first born, male, unblemished lamb on the doorposts of their houses while they were in Egypt, as per God's instructions (Passover).

The forgiveness of sins for the Israelites could only be granted by God if they offered a male, firstborn, unblemished lamb according to the Law given to them through Moses. However, this only covered their current sin against God, which is why they had to repeat it over and over again.

Jesus' death fulfills the law's requirement for the forgiveness of sin for humankind completely. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and for the whole world (1 John 2:2). How do we know Jesus' death is not just another covering? Because Jesus rose from the dead; He conquered death, and whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Jesus is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6).

Without Jesus' death and resurrection, there is no salvation because God will not compromise His holiness by saving us without fulfilling what He promised and what He required according to the law on how one must be saved and be forgiven. Without God's sacrifice, there is no salvation; without the resurrection, there is no assurance that we will live also (Hebrews 7:24-25). If there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). If Christ did not die, then logically, the resurrection could easily be dismissed as hearsay.

Herein lies the genius and infinitude of the love of God: He does not draw the line. He offers mercy to everyone who has ever sinned while also demanding justice for every sin ever committed. He does this by offering to bear the consequence of our sins himself. The consequence of our sins is death, and God is willing to die on behalf of all his children.

-NABEEL QUARESHI

CULTIVATING CALLOUSED HEARTS

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. Matthew 13:10-16

In these passages, Jesus explains to his disciples why he speaks to the crowds in parables. He tells them that although the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to them, they are not understood by others. He quotes Isaiah, saying that some people's hearts have become calloused and their ears dull, preventing them from seeing, hearing, understanding, and turning to God. Jesus tells his disciples that they are blessed because they see and hear what others cannot.

By quoting Isaiah's vision of God in Isaiah 6:9-10, Jesus explains that those whose hearts have become calloused do so due to their resistance to the message of the kingdom of heaven. In Isaiah 6:9-10, God refers to the people of Israel, specifically those who have become spiritually calloused and resistant to his message. He describes the condition of spiritual blindness and disobedience among the Israelites to Isaiah, indicating that many of them will not heed the warnings or accept the teachings of the prophets, including Isaiah.

This resistance has continued until the time of the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was already preaching the message of the kingdom of God to them. The callousness in their hearts is caused by various factors such as stubbornness, pride, disbelief, or a lack of openness to spiritual truths. These attitudes and behaviors can lead to a hardening of the heart, making it difficult for them to perceive and accept the teachings of Jesus.

The reason for the callousness of man's heart then is the same today. However, this does not mean there is no hope for salvation. The callousness of man's heart still has its cure found in the scripture (Romans 10:17). The truth can open the hearts and minds of every sinner, especially with the Holy Spirit convicting the world of its sin (John 16:8). There may be no assurance that all who hear the gospel, all who are convicted of their sin will acknowledge Christ as their savior and repent.

Just like in the parable of the sower, there will be people despite the gospel being shared with them, the callousness of their hearts or their blatant rejection of Christ's message of salvation prevented the gospel from penetrating their hearts and let the message be maligned by the devil (Matthew 13:4, 19).

Still, as Christ commissioned sowers of the gospel message and disciple makers (Matthew 28:19-20), we are to continue what God has commissioned us to do, not to save souls but to glorify our Father in heaven. Saving souls is God's work; we are just called to sow the gospel and cultivate the life of those who will let the seed of the gospel of Christ pe*****te their hearts and surrender their life to Christ through discipleship.