ojaysjoel blog

Scripture focus: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3   Devotion:  Selfishness is a subtle enemy of love. It blinds us to the needs of others and keeps us from reflecting Christ’s heart. The Bible warns us:   A Story of Contrast:  Lot and Abraham faced a choice when their herdsmen quarreled over land (Genesis 13:5–11). Abraham, though the elder and rightful leader, gave Lot the first choice of land. Lot chose selfishly, taking the fertile plains, while Abraham humbly trusted God. In the end, God blessed Abraham abundantly, showing that selflessness leads to divine favor.   Reflection:  Selfishness isolates, but love unites. Jesus Himself modeled ultimate selflessness: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).   Prayer:  Lord, remove selfishness from my heart. Teac...

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence." — Psalm 91:3 Devotion:   The moment you became born again, you became a child of God. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). You became God's responsibility, and as such, He has eyes on you every moment of the day. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12). He is doing this to protect you from the snare of the fowler, which is the traps that the enemy and his cohort of darkness plan against you day and night.   God is keeping an eye on you to deliver you from them all. “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul” (Psalm 121:7). Noisome pestilence is an unpleasant, contagious, and infectious disease that causes many people to die. You will not be infected by it, because you are a child of God w...

Scripture focus: “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).   Two days ago we reflected on grace—God’s unmerited favor that saves us. Today, let us turn our hearts to the sobering reality of justice, the opposite of grace in Scripture.   The Nature of God’s Justice: God is holy, and His justice demands that sin be punished.   - “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).   - “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20).   Justice means that every wrong deed must face judgment. No one can escape it by effort or good works. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).   Why Grace Is Our Only Hope: If God dealt with us only in justice, none could stand. But in His mercy, He offers grace through Jesus Christ.   - “…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).   - “By grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God” (Ephesian...

Scripture focus:  Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Devotion: Grace is the unmerited favor of God—His free gift of love, forgiveness, and salvation that we cannot earn by our own works. It is God’s kindness extended to humanity despite our shortcomings. Grace is the very foundation of the Christian faith, because it is through grace that we are saved, sustained, and empowered to live for Christ. Grace is revealed in many ways. First, we see grace in salvation. Humanity was lost in sin, but God, in His mercy, sent His Son to die for us. The thief on the cross illustrates this truth vividly. Though he had no time to do good works, Jesus assured him of paradise simply because he believed. His story shows us that salvation is purely by grace, not by human effort (Luke 23:39–43). Grace also meets us in our weakness. It is not only about salvation; it sustains us in...

Scripture Foundation: - “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” — Hebrews 13:4   - “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:18   - “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:3   Reflection: God designed sex as a beautiful gift to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage. Outside of this sacred boundary, it becomes destructive rather than life-giving. Premarital sex distorts God’s plan, leading to guilt, brokenness, and spiritual distance from Him. The world may normalize it, but Scripture calls us to holiness, reminding us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Choosing purity is not about denying pleasure but about honoring God, protecting our hea...

 Scripture focus: - Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”   - James 4:6 – “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”   Devotion: The Bible warns us that the “pride of life” is one of the temptations that draws people away from God (1 John 2:16). Pride makes us believe we don’t need God, that our strength, wisdom, or possessions are enough. But Scripture shows that pride always ends in downfall.    Bible Stories - King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4): He boasted about his great kingdom, forgetting that it was God who gave him power. God humbled him by making him live like an animal until he acknowledged God’s sovereignty.   - The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11): Humanity tried to build a tower to make a name for themselves, but God scattered them, showing that prideful ambition leads to confusion and ruin.   - Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12–15): Pride led to his fall from heaven, becomin...