Joel Kwesi Baidoo

The following hymn was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1971. As we end the first quarter of the year today and get ready for the Easter season, it's a good time to remind ourselves of the hope we have through the death and resurrection of Jesus. No matter how tumultuous the beginning of the year may have been for you, be assured that because He lives we can face tomorrow.  ​1 God sent His son, they called Him Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives! 2 How sweet to hold a newborn baby, And feel the pride and joy he gives; But greater still the calm assurance: This child can face uncertain days because He Lives! 3 And then one day, I'll cross the river, I'll fight life's final war with pain; And then, as death gives way

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10) The kingdom of heaven represents the government of God that is being established on earth through the church. Thus, we are the ambassadors of God on earth. This Beatitude teaches us that anyone actively involved in establishing God's kingdom on earth will be persecuted. All Christians are enemies of the devil though, but he is selective in his attacks. He spends more time and effort targeting the kingdom promoters because they are of a greater threat to him. "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Timothy 3:12) Persecution is therefore a sign of your active involvement in God's kingdom. At the very extreme, these persecutions can get to the point of insults and false accusations. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of

The Bible is indeed life's manual. Aside from the spiritual guidance it offers, it is also packed with practical lessons on almost all facets of life. Today, we will learn a vital financial management lesson from the bible. "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7) The two statements in the verse above are two sides of the same coin. It's like trying to say the same thing in two different ways. In other words, the rich are lenders and the poor are borrowers. The poor have a lifestyle of borrowing. Waste, recklessness and extravagance ultimately raise one's lifestyle beyond their means. As people live a life they cannot afford, they are inevitably plunged into debts. The rich, on the other hand, are lenders. When you cut down on excessive expenditure and prodigality, you will have extra money to lend. Lending involves putting your money in places where you earn an interest periodically. They could be in investment acc

Strength is required to make it in every endeavor of this life. If you feel weak and vulnerable, remember that God is able to give you strength for the task ahead. "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." (Isaiah 40:29) Naturally, strength reduces with time if it is not renewed. Discouragement can set in when you constantly face resistance and opposition. "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall." (Isaiah 40:30) Youth is a symbol of strength. So if even youths grow tired and weary, it means we all need our strength to be renewed always. There is no room for complacency. We must always rely on God for new strength. Have a daily plan to wait upon the LORD for new strength for everyday of your life and you will never run out of strength. A weak man who has God as his strength is a strong man indeed. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shal

The popular proverbial saying that, "You are what you eat" has its origin in French. In 1826, the French lawyer and gastronome, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, wrote in his most famous literary work entited, Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante (Physiology of Taste, or Meditations of Transcendent Gastronomy): "Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es." [Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are]. Anthelme's work is regarded as one of the founding texts of Gastronomy. Although the inspiration behind his statement is gastronomic, its lesson applies to our spiritual lives as well. What you feed your soul determines who you are spiritually. "And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you." (Mark 4:24) Tell me what you feed your soul with and I will tell you what you are spiritually. The more you feed on profane stuff,

The following hymn was written by Edward Henry Bickersteth, a 19th century Bishop of Exeter. He first shared this hymn with an aged, dying relative to encourage him to find peace within. Notice that the first line of each verse poses a question and the next line gives an assuring answer. He then begins the last verse with "It is enough." May you be inspired to find peace within despite the tempest of life that besieges you.  1 Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. 2 Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed? To do the will of Jesus, this is rest. 3 Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours? Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers. 4 Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown? Jesus we know, and he is on the throne. 5 It is enough: earth's struggles soon shall cease, and Jesus call to heaven's perfect peace. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9) Of all the Beatitudes, this is the one that has direct repurcussion on one's reputation. The peacemakers will be called the sons of God. Will they be so called by God? No, by men. By their neighbours. By their spouses. By their colleagues at work. In other words, peacemakers will have a good reputation as children of God. Peacemakers are not only peaceful; they pursue peace. They seek to have a cordial relationship with God and men. They understand that their Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace and therefore, by being His disciples, they must pursue peace wherever they find themselves. First of all, they strive to be at peace with all men. Furthermore, they make efforts to create peace among the people around them. They eschew gossiping, backbiting, slandering and all other vices that create confusion among people. Simply put, they are makers of peace. A peacemaker will not only try to

Today is World Water Day. Every year, the United Nations' (UN) World Water Day is observed on March 22 to raise awareness about the importance of water to our lives and environment. Just as water refreshes us and cleanses us from physical impurities, the word of God refreshes our soul and purifies us from spiritual contamination. "To make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:26-27) To be holy is to live a life that is consecrated, thus, set apart or reserved from the "dirt and stains" of this fallen world to the glory of God. Perfecting holiness can be likened to washing with water, and no one ever claimed to be clean because they washed a year ago. Holiness therefore requires daily maintenance. If we are to perfect holiness, we must daily engage God's word which purifies us from all contaminan

The fiercest and the most important battle that you must win is the one currently ongoing within you. It's a battle between the flesh and the spirit. "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." (Galatians 5:17) It's a war for mastery and control. Whichever force that grows stronger within you, whether the flesh or the spirit, will dominate your life. When the flesh wins, the manifestations of the sinful nature will begin to surface in your life. Paul enumerates the acts of the flesh from verses 19 through 21. Similarly, a Spirit-led life bears the fruit of the Spirit which are also listed from verses 22 through 23. The next verse then says: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24) In other words, those who belong to Christ have won the wa

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12) History has it that Paul first met Timothy when he was a teenager, and when he was in his early twenties he started accompanying Paul on some of his missionary trips. Eventually, Paul left him in charge of the church at Ephesus. Timothy had the responsibility of solving certain tough problems in the church at Ephesus. Paul, who probably presumed that Timothy's youthfulness could potentially affect his confidence in discharging his ecclesiastical duties, added the statement above in his letter to encourage him to be bold. The key lesson in this verse is that, in order to prevent people from looking down on you, let them look up to you. By focusing on being your best self and setting a good example with your life, people will have no option than to look up to you. By so doing, their low opinion of you will

When we rely on God, He will give us the strength today and everyday to live right to please Him. May this heartwarming hymn by E. P. Handy spur us in to continually seek God's strength for holiness. 1 Strength for today, Father, strength for today, Strength to be holy, to walk in Thy way; Strength for the keeping my robes undefiled, Strength to be humble, as seemeth Thy child. Strength for today, Father, strength for today; Strength in our war against sin; That when our city comes down from the skies, We may all enter in. 2 Strength in temptation to turn from the snare, Strength to be constant and earnest in prayer; Patient in well doing, faithful in heart; Never, O Lord, from Thy truth to depart. 3 Strength for the crosses Thou giv’st me to bear, Resting my heart on Thy fatherly care; Trusting, although I may not understand; Knowing that Thou all my goings hast planned. 4 Strength to shun evil, to cleave to the right, Strength that my rush-light burn clearly and bright; Strength

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8) As we continue with the beatitudes today, the next group of people who are blessed are those with a pure heart. The Greek word translated pure in this verse describes the quality of being clean and clear. The Amplified bible explains being blessed as being happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous. The pure in heart are both generally and particularly blessed. Their particular blessing is that they will see God. Not in the literal sense, but to see God is to enjoy His intimate presence and to behold His glory in your life. It's important to note that Jesus was largely addressing an audience who derived their sense of purity and holiness from the outward observance of religious laws and customs. What Jesus was doing then was to deepen their spirituality by urging them to progress beyond the mere observance of laws to having a deep, personal connection with God and a heart that is pure before

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8) On this day, the ides of March, in 44 BC, the famous Roman dictator, Julius Caesar, was assassinated by his closest nobles. One of his closest friends, Brutus, was the last to stab him to death. This should remind us that in this life, vigilance is always required! No matter the purpose you're pursuing, opposers will rise against you. There's therefore the need to remain vigilant at all times, both physically and spiritually. Not all men have faith and not all men have good intentions. Just as Jesus said: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) This does not call for unnecessary suspicion and withdrawal, but sobriety and vigilance. We must be watchful to identify and avoid temptations. We must also pray always that the Lord will lead us not int

"A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight." (Proverbs 11:1) The word balance has a complex meaning. The root word refers to a pair of scales which was a common marketplace item in ancient times for the measurement of value and for determining the accurate price of goods. Figuratively, balance has come to stand for fairness, justice, impartiality, equal opportunity and equilibrium. Growing up, I have often heard people interpret the verse above in terms of equilibrium in life and hardly in terms of fairness. People often use this verse to advise paying equal attention to different facets of life in order to achieve holistic growth. This is spot on, but incompletely captures the meaning of the verse. We must realize that the second statement of the verse is a contrast to the first. A just weight is the opposite of a false balance. This emphasizes justice, honesty, and fairness. In all our dealings and endeavors, we must be fair and just. This

After Lot had gone, the LORD said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” (Genesis 13:14-17) God told Abraham that He was giving him all the land but added the clause, "as far as you can see." It is the extent of your vision that determines the extent of your allocation. A vision is a mental picture of a perceived future. It is a demonstration of faith in that it represents a substance of things hoped for and things not yet seen. God then advised Abraham to survey the land just so that he will have the right mental picture. Today, God is advising us to also survey all the possible things He can do for us and have a mental picture of them. When you fail

The mercy of God does more for us than the criticisms of men. Sometimes, when we get caught up in self doubt and condemnation, what we need the most is a reminder of God's mercy. As you brood over the following hymn written by Fanny Crosby, may you not fail to receive your share of the dew of mercy. 1. Like the still quiet fall of the silent dew of night On the leaves, that are folded to rest, Is the mercy of God when it droppeth from His throne, Bringing balm from the fields of the blest. Dew of mercy, dew of mercy, Ever dropping, gently dropping from above; Dew of mercy, how it cheers us, Ever dropping from a Savior’s love! 2. How it cheers and revives every bud of Christian hope! How it takes every sorrow away! O ’tis sweeter by far than the drops of nature’s dew, And it falleth by night and by day. 3. When we ask of the Lord, in our simple fervent prayer, For His blessing at morn and at even, Let us pray that our souls may be watered and refreshed, By the dew of His mercy from

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7) Now, we turn to the fifth beatitude. It's the only one that assures a direct reciprocation of one's virtue. The merciful will also receive mercy. This is an inescapable spiritual law. Those who sow mercy reap it back without fail. To be merciful is to be compassionate. It's selfless attention that is paid to the needs and concerns of others. The more you think of others, the more others think of you. The more you help, the more you will be helped. What you give to people determines what you receive. Non-Christians have all sorts of theories and doctrines that attempt to explain this phenomenon. Especially among Buddhists and Hindus, they believe in a concept called karma. Per their belief, a person has more than one existence, so whatever you do in one particular existence, you will face its repercussions in your next existence.  As Christians, however, the Bible teaches us that we only live o

Today is International Women's Day. It's a good opportunity to pause and reflect on how blessed we are to have all the amazing women in our lives. We should as well seize this occasion to learn from some of the female heroes in the Bible.  In Matthew's gospel, he took his time to trace Jesus' family tree, starting from Abraham, to establish once and for all that Jesus is a descendant of both Abraham and David. "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1) Interestingly, in this predominantly male-centered genealogy, five special women earned their space in it as part of the ancestors of Jesus. They are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah's wife (Bathsheba), and Mary. Time and space will not allow us to talk about all five of them in detail. One thing is however clear: by faith and persistence, they all went beyond the norm to achieve their extraordinary status. If you're reading this, whether you feel marginalize

"Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days." (Ephesians 5:16) Mostly, our blessings come in the form of opportunities. The way we utilize each opportunity determines our next level in life. I cannot overemphasize that one of the greatest lessons to keep in mind in this life is that every opportunity has an expiry date. Time and chance (opportunities) have been given to all of us. The way we treat our chances today determines our tomorrow. Ultimately, the way we manage our time, determines what becomes of us.  King James rendered the above verses as follows: "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." In other words, King James has equated "making the most of every opportunity" to "redeeming the time."  The word redeem means to rescue from loss. We are living in a day where we can easily lose our time to many distractions and fruitless activities. We are being called upon to redeem our time, and thus make the most of the opportuni

Indeed, the most treasured and precious item that changes our spiritual status and fits us for a place in the kingdom of heaven is the blood of Jesus - nothing but the blood! Robert Lowry said it well in this hymn as he repeats twelve times the phrase, "Nothing but the blood of Jesus" to emphasize for all time the impeccability and indispensability of the blood of Jesus. Be blessed as you meditate on the lyrics.  1 What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know; nothing but the blood of Jesus. 2 For my pardon this I see: nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my cleansing this my plea: nothing but the blood of Jesus. 3 Nothing can for sin atone: nothing but the blood of Jesus. Naught of good that I have done: nothing but the blood of Jesus. 4 This is all my hope and peace: nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my righteousness:

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6) At least, to a very large extent, how much you receive in the kingdom of God depends on the intensity of your spiritual appetite. It is those who hunger and thirst for the things of the kingdom who get filled. This verse teaches three main lessons. Firstly, our advancement begins at the point of desire. We must be pressing hard after something. We cannot go through this life consciously pursuing nothing. Neither can we progress any further if we mistake our present position to be our final destination. The second lesson refers to the object of our hunger - righteousness. I like to define righteousness in this context as God's will or what pleases God. As Christians, our desires must be directed by the will of God. We must desire for what pleases God. Finally, there's an assurance of reception of grace after desire and direction have taken their rightful places. In other