A Personal Journal of Grace and Discipleship

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20

From the blog


 

The Exchanged Life: Finding Freedom and Wholeness Through Spirituotherapy

In a world filled with competing counseling models, it’s not uncommon to find contrasting views on what “biblical” or “Christian” counseling truly means. Searching for answers can feel overwhelming, and the terms alone—“biblical counseling” versus “Christian counseling”—can spark endless debates on how, or whether, secular counseling methodologies fit within a Christian framework.

Love with Knowledge
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Love with Knowledge

Father, I see the truth in Paul’s prayer, that love isn’t just sentiment but action. And not just any action—love needs to be wise, discerning, and well-placed. It’s easy for me to think that love means always giving, always saying yes, always trying to fix. But it sure seems that You don’t love that way. Your love is perfect, abounding with wisdom. You waited for the prodigal to come to the end of himself before You lavished him with grace. You knew when to withhold and when to embrace. In my flesh, I don’t know how to do this.

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The Friction of Grace
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

The Friction of Grace

"No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it." — Hebrews 12:11 (BSB)

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Sent in His Power
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Sent in His Power

You have sent me, just as You sent Jesus—and how that humbles me. But I praise You that this calling isn’t mine to accomplish in my own strength. It’s Yours to fulfill through me. Jesus walked this earth in the power of Your Spirit, proclaiming good news, healing the broken, and setting captives free. And now, by that same Spirit, You send me—not as one striving, but as one abiding, resting in the work You are already doing.

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The Love That Spends Itself
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

The Love That Spends Itself

“Feed My sheep.” — John 21:17

Oswald Chambers reminds us that the love of God is not something we manufacture—it is His very nature. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, He unites us with God, and His love finds expression through us. But this love is not meant to be stored up; it is meant to be poured out. Jesus’ oneness with the Father led Him to be sent for us, and in the same way, He sends us—not merely to speak of love but to live it by caring for His sheep.

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Born to Grow
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Born to Grow

"Feed the flock of God which is among you." (1 Peter 5:2)

It is a tragedy when a child is abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Yet, how often does this happen in the spiritual realm? Many new believers are brought into the faith only to be left without guidance, nourishment, or care. They are spiritual infants, in need of growth, yet many are left to wander without discipleship.

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Light in Fragile Vessels
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Light in Fragile Vessels

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4 paint a vivid picture of perseverance in the face of adversity. Twice in this chapter, he declares that he does not lose heart (vv. 1,16), framing his message with a steadfast confidence in God’s power. Whether facing rejection, suffering, or even death, Paul stands firm—not because of personal resilience, but because of the life of Christ within him.

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The Urgency of Repentance and the Compassion of Christ
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

The Urgency of Repentance and the Compassion of Christ

The thirteenth chapter of Luke is rich with Jesus’ urgent call to repentance, His demonstration of mercy, and the unfolding of the kingdom of God. Jesus addressed tragedies—the Galileans slain by Pilate and those crushed under the tower of Siloam—not to assign blame but to highlight a greater reality: apart from repentance, all will perish. Judgment is not reserved for the blatantly wicked; it awaits all who refuse to turn to God. The parable of the barren fig tree reinforces this truth—God’s patience is great, but it is not without limit.

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Living Free from the Cares of This Life
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Living Free from the Cares of This Life

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly." – Luke 21:34

The cares of this life often feel like an unavoidable weight, pressing down on our minds and hearts. Some seek relief through escapism—losing themselves in entertainment, pleasure, or distractions. Others attempt to bear the load through sheer discipline, managing responsibilities with relentless effort and careful planning. Yet Jesus warns that both approaches—escaping life’s burdens or carrying them in one’s own strength—lead to the same outcome: being weighed down.

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Where is Your Confidence?
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Where is Your Confidence?

📖 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. — Philippians 1:6

Paul's words to the Philippians reflect a deep trust in God's faithfulness. He did not look at them merely as they were in the present, but with the assurance of what they would become through the ongoing work of Christ. This perspective transforms how we view both ourselves and others. Rather than despairing over weaknesses or failures, we rest in the certainty that God is shaping us according to His perfect design.

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Guarding the Treasure Entrusted to Us
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Guarding the Treasure Entrusted to Us

📖 Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. — 2 Timothy 1:14 (BSB)

Paul reminds us that we have been entrusted with a treasure—the very life of Christ within us through the Holy Spirit. This is not something we guard by our own effort, but by yielding to the One who indwells us. The Spirit is ever watchful, revealing anything that does not align with the life of Christ and prompting us to bring it before Him. Our role is not to battle in our own strength but to remain yielded, trusting the Spirit to keep us walking in truth.

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The Spirit Who Rests Upon Us
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

The Spirit Who Rests Upon Us

“A Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” (Isaiah 11:1-2)

Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah reveals a profound truth—not only about Jesus but also about how we, as believers, are to live. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jesus, empowering Him with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and reverence for the Father. The same Spirit now indwells us, making these very attributes available to us as we yield to His life within.

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The Lord’s Probing Questions: A Love That Runs Deep
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

The Lord’s Probing Questions: A Love That Runs Deep

📖 “Jesus said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me?” — John 21:17

Peter, the bold disciple, the one who swore allegiance even unto death, found himself standing before the Lord, wounded—not by accusation, but by love. Three times Jesus asked, “Do you love Me?” And by the third, Peter was grieved. Not because he doubted his love, but because he finally saw it for what it was—not a love proved by words or deeds, but a love known fully by the One who sees the heart.

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Rest of Faith
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Rest of Faith

📖 "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." — Philippians 4:6 (ASV)

Faith does not manufacture or force results; it simply rests in what God has already accomplished. At Calvary, the work was finished for our redemption, and in Christ’s resurrection, the power for daily living was fully supplied. As Paul reminds us, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved [daily delivered from sin’s dominion] through His [resurrection] life” (Romans 5:10, AMP).

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Imitate me as I imitate Christ?
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Imitate me as I imitate Christ?

When Paul says, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1), he is not primarily referring to external habits but to the mind of Christ—the inner disposition of total dependence on the Father, humility, and surrender to God’s will, as seen in Philippians 2:5-8.

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Signs of Spiritual Growth
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Signs of Spiritual Growth

The author of Hebrews expresses deep concern for believers who have remained in spiritual infancy when they should have matured in their faith. Instead of advancing in their knowledge and experience of God’s truth, they have become sluggish, unable to handle the deeper things of God. They still require milk—the basics of the faith—when they should be feasting on solid food.

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Grace vs. Works: The True Way to Walk According to the Spirit
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Grace vs. Works: The True Way to Walk According to the Spirit

📖 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” — Romans 13:14

The struggle between grace and works is one of the most fundamental issues in the Christian life. How do we truly walk according to the Spirit? Many well-meaning believers attempt to do so through what I call a "put on, put off" approach—one that often leans toward self-effort rather than resting in Christ.

In this post, we’ll contrast this self-driven “put on, put off” method with the true grace-oriented, Christ-centered exchanged life approach—one where we are not merely modifying behavior but allowing Christ to live through us

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When God Grants Our Requests: Lessons from Hezekiah’s Extended Life
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

When God Grants Our Requests: Lessons from Hezekiah’s Extended Life

Hezekiah was one of Judah’s greatest kings, known for his faithfulness to the Lord and his leadership in restoring worship in the nation. Yet, near the end of his reign, he faced a crisis—he became deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah came to him with a sobering message:

"Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover." (2 Kings 20:1)

In anguish, Hezekiah prayed, wept, and pleaded with God to extend his life. God responded, granting him fifteen more years (2 Kings 20:2-6). It seemed like a miraculous blessing—his life was spared, his kingdom remained under his rule, and his prayers had been answered.

But what happened in those additional years?

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The Lord Fights for His People
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

The Lord Fights for His People

After all of Hezekiah’s acts of faith, the Assyrian king Sennacherib laid siege to Judah with a mighty army. This was not a judgment from God, but an opportunity for Him to display His power and deliver His people. In the face of overwhelming opposition, Hezekiah exhorted the people to be strong and courageous, assuring them that the Lord would fight for them (vv. 7–8).

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Rooted in His Sovereignty
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

Rooted in His Sovereignty

Ezekiel 17 unfolds as an allegory given by the Lord to Ezekiel, using the imagery of two eagles and a vine to convey a deeper truth. The first eagle, magnificent in strength and stature, represents Babylon, which carried King Jehoiachin into exile. The second eagle, though lesser in splendor, symbolizes Egypt, where Zedekiah turned in rebellion against Babylon, breaking his covenant. The Lord makes it clear—earthly alliances and human schemes cannot override His sovereign hand. Zedekiah’s unfaithfulness was not merely political treachery; it was a reflection of Israel’s greater betrayal of the covenant they had with their God.

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My Redeemer Lives
Believing Thomas Believing Thomas

My Redeemer Lives

Job’s words in this chapter cut deep, exposing the anguish of a man who believes God Himself has turned against him. His cries echo the suffering of one who feels abandoned—not just by people, but by heaven itself. He describes the crushing weight of divine silence, the loneliness of rejection, and the depth of sorrow that makes him feel like he is already tasting the torments of hell.

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