November 26, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and in doing so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”

(Hebrews 12.28-29)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Though the enemy of God and humanity continues to storm the castle of our lives believing we shall be overcome and overwhelmed, “if God is for us then who can stand against us” and prevail? This is reason enough to give thanks, mighty ones of God, in whatever season we find ourselves. The fact of the matter is that as long as we are in this world, the attacks will come against us. Why should we consider ourselves better than Jesus Christ Himself who “though He was without sin He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped and took on the form of a servant and by His service to the cross did so that we might become the righteousness of God.” Yes, Jesus Christ, accepted the call of His Heavenly Father to come into the world to put His personal signature on the promise of God to never fail us. This was His purpose and His desire as the means of giving thanks to God for who He was. It was also His sincerest act of worship in reverence and awe. Jesus not only proclaimed the word “There is no greater love than this that one person would lay down their life for another,” but He lived that word out for all the world to see. He was not a light hidden under a bushel basket. He was the flame of the Living God who burned brightly to the end of His earthly days, and I would say His “worldly” days as well, on Calvary’s Hill outside of Jerusalem but well within sight of it and the Temple. I make mention of that, mighty ones of God, because of the efforts of the servants of the Temple to keep its fires of illumination burning. They maintained their vigil to keep the Temple outwardly visible by day and night. However, they did so knowing full well of the darkness that loomed within.

How could that be? Because the heart of the priests who administered God’s Word to the people stoked the flames of worldly desire with the darkness of their own hearts. No, not all of them. We know there were supporters of Jesus among them such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. However, there were many others, including Caiaphas who was chief high priest at the time, who continued to live out the legacy of their ancestors described in Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Their actions within the Temple confines were an affront to God and should have been to all the people who believed in the Temple itself. Jesus knew that He could not be a part of it. He sought to keep the fire of faith burning brightly by word and action which declared righteousness the goal of authentic love for God. It did not mean that any person could be so righteous. It did speak of the effort that each of us could expend for the sake of pursuing righteousness. That is what Jesus taught during “The Sermon on the Mount.” There He said, “SEEK first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6.33) The requirement of those who desired to be faithful and remain faithful was to “seek” God where He could be found. Jesus demonstrated the many places where God could be found. It was in all those places from the stable to the Temple, from the table to the market, from the seaside to the bedside, from the garden to the tomb that God could be found and was. All of that brought in the light of life and love for which thanksgiving could and should be given. It came when the eyes of the believer dared to see.

Jesus dared to see God with the people and for the people so that the people could have their sight restored and their vision renewed. In doing this, Jesus was preparing the people and enabling them to withstand the test and the challenges which the enemy of God and humanity presented. Mighty ones of God, I challenge us all to “seek” God where He is found. In order to “seek” God, we must “look” for Him. Open our eyes and “SEE.” Open our ears and “HEAR.” It may not happen any better that when we pause to give thanks believing God is in our midst even when many say it is not possible. Our God is a “burning fire” which the darkness of hate and ignorance and bluster cannot put out. It is by our desire to be thankful and worship God from whom all blessing flow that open eyes and ears of others to the truth. That gives meaning to “no greater love is there than this” which might otherwise be missed. To put our witness and testimony on the line before all the world establishes the reality of God on earth as He is in Heaven. It allows the believer to represent Jesus Christ who did the same. Let us be truly thankful in this season and bring the truth to light and give it the flesh of our existence so that others will know it is true!

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.