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The message of grace that empowers you to stand as an overcome beleiver.

  1. 4D AGO

    From Tasting to Trusting | Feb 1, 2026 | Pr Raph

    Active Faith: From Tasting to Trusting The book of Hebrews calls us to a new level of faith. Mature faith that introduces us into God’s promises and leads us to a godly life. Today, we will start a series we are calling Active Faith.  This series reaches its high point in Hebrews 11, but we will start in chapter 6 today. We will try to address the controversies related to this chapter, which is often taken as the ultimate statement of “losing one’s salvation,” when the context clearly aims to give assurance of eternal salvation and to persuade readers to a godly, fraternal, serving and generous life. God calls us to abandon self-righteousness and to trust completely in Christ’s completed work. Beyond mere intellectual understanding and emotional excitement, God desires real conversion and sincere trust in His word. Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Hebrews 6 says the Christian faith has basic starter truths. Like the concrete slab a house sits on. Christian life starts with a foundation, but can’t stay there. Here are the six truths in this chapter. Scholars understand them as three pairs. The first pair is Repentance from dead works and Faith in God. Repentance from dead works: It is very important to define repentance here. Repentance in Hebrews 6 is not a mood, an emotional state—it’s a change of mind (μετάνοια), a turning from one way of thinking to another. Sometimes that change comes with grief and remorse: you realize you’ve trusted yourself, your performance, your religion, your “good deeds,” and you feel the weight of how empty and exhausting that striving has been. So you grieve. You commit a wrongdoing and regret that, so you mourn your wrongs. But repentance can also come with joy—because the moment you finally see that you can’t buy what God only gives, it’s a relief, not a funeral.  It’s like a person who has been working overtime to pay off a debt, only to discover the debt was already paid in full; they might feel sorrow for the wasted years, but they also laugh with joy at the freedom. In Hebrews 6, the context shows that repentance here was turning away from trying to earn God’s acceptance through performance, religion cerimonies, or self-effort. We repent from dead works by changing our mind about trying to earn God’s approval through performance, religious effort, or “good deeds as payment,” and we put faith in God by resting in what Christ has already finished for us; The second truth is linked to the first one. Faith toward God Faith toward God is the other side of repentance from dead works: when you change your mind about earning, you must also choose what you will trust instead. Repentance says, “I’m done paying with performance,” and faith says, “I will rest in what God has provided—Jesus has already finished the work.” So faith isn’t just believing the Cross happened; it’s placing your full confidence in the Cross as enough for your acceptance, your forgiveness, and your future. It’s like a person who has been trying to climb to God on a ladder of good deeds, only to realize the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. Repentance is when you step off the ladder, and faith means you start walking on the solid ground of Christ. It is when you stop serving God to be loved and start serving because you are loved; you stop obeying out of fear and begin obeying out of trust. The second pair is Instructions about washings and laying on of hands. Instructions about washings (baptisms) Remember that this letter is written to a Jewish audience; therefore, "Instructions on washings” addresses the differences between many of the Jewish purification rituals and the once-for-all Christian baptism. Under the Law, “washings” included repeated purification rituals such as (1) priestly washing at the bronze basin before approaching God’s service (Exodus 30:17–21), (2) washing clothes and bathing after becoming ceremonially unclean through bodily discharges (Leviticus 15:5–13), and (3) purification using “water for impurity” after contact with a dead body (Numbers 19:17–19). Once you stop trusting dead works and start trusting God, the next most basic step is to accept that your old life has ended and a new identity has begun. You do that through baptism. Your baptism is the funeral of your old practices, the end of the old man, the closing of a chapter where you tried to define yourself by effort, cycles of sin, or attempts toward self-salvation. Baptism is when you are identified with Christ. Practically, this means when you’re tempted to return to old patterns—whether shame, striving, or religious performance—you remind your soul:  “That person died with Christ through the baptism; I’m not living that life again.” Active faith doesn’t just feel cleansed; it walks as someone cleansed—leaving the old behind and living from the new life God has given. Laying on of hands is the companion truth to the teaching on washings. Laying on of hands If continuous washings are compared to the once-and-for-all baptism, now the comparison is turned to the laying on of hands. In the Old Testament, when a worshiper laid hands on the sacrifice, it was a moment of imparting and transfer of sin and curses:  “This animal, that would be sacrificed, now represents me, with my sins and my curses.” Leviticus 1:4 — “He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” Now, in the New Covenant, laying on of hands is the way God wants His gifts, not sin or curses, to be transferred to one another. Laying on of hands is the way we bless one another.  Today, laying on of hands is used to transmit spiritual gifts, anointings, and impartation. The final pair is the Resurrection of the dead and the Eternal judgment. The resurrection of the dead In the Old Testament “law-and-temple” world, the resurrection of the dead was a real hope, but it sat mostly on the horizon. No certainty guaranteed. Youcan perceive that in some of the Psalms, such as Psalm 88. Psalms 88:1-3 O LORD, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. 2 Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! 3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. Psalms 88:10-12 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? In the New Covenant, the resurrection becomes clearer and closer because it is anchored to a historical fact: Jesus has already died and risen. So resurrection isn’t just a distant doctrine we agree with, it’s a secured promise we stand on. Under the old covenant, the believer looked forward, saying, “God can raise the dead”; under the new covenant, the believer looks to Christ and says, “God has raised Christ, therefore my future is guaranteed.” We don’t cling to rituals to feel safe—we rest in Christ’s finished work, and we live today with steady hope because resurrection life is not a wish, it’s a certainty established by the empty tomb. 1 Corinthians 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When your body is weak, when a situation looks “dead,” when you grieve, don’t collapse into despair. Stand and say, “Because Jesus conquered death, my future is secure, and God can bring life where I see none.” In Christ, and even if the worst happens, death doesn’t win; God raises the dead and fulfills His promises. Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The final foundational truth concerns eternal judgment. That is paired with Resurrection of the Dead because both look ahead—your future is resurrection, not condemnation The Eternal judgment In the Old Testament Hebrew worldview, eternal judgment was understood through the covenant lens of God as the holy Judge who holds His people and the nations accountable, with a coming day when God would set everything right—rewarding the righteous and judging the wicked. Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. The New Testament sharpens this truth around Christ: judgment is still real and final, yet for those in Christ, it is no longer a terror of condemnation because Jesus has borne condemnation in our place. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The Old Covenant highlighted God’s holiness over the sinners, while the New Covenant proclaims that whoever actively trusts in Jesus will face God’s holy judgment and be secure from condemnation. Romans 5:9 — “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” Yet the one who rejects Christ remains under judgment because there is no other remedy. The danger Hebrews 6:3 And this we will do if God permits. The author of Hebrews mentioned only six essential truths and focused on the major danger facing Hebrew believers. The true danger is not that a believer did not profoundly understand all the implications of those truths and end up stumbling or missing the fullness of God’s promises and plans. The problem was that some listeners of the word, church goers, sympathetic to the faith, people who had been near the truth, were now rejecting Christ and going back to the sacrifice system of the Law. In our case, some church att

  2. JAN 25

    Cycles of Multiplication | Jan. 27, 2026 | Pr Raph

    God is the Lord of time and seasons. He appoints rhythms that shape our lives—Sabbath, sabbatical years, and Jubilee—and He blesses those who read, hear, and keep His word (Revelation 1:3). Like Joseph, Daniel, and the sons of Issachar, the wise learn to discern God’s timings for preservation, provision, and purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Daniel 2:20–21). When we number our days, we receive a wise heart to walk in step with His ordering, not our hurry. This message traces an eight-year cycle that often marks growth: Year 1 is learning—humility over hype. Year 2 is hard work—faithful labor when fruit is small. Year 3 is depth—character recognized and covenant formed. Year 4 is opportunity—doors open and first fruits appear. Year 5 is definition—clarity of identity and conviction. Year 6 is multiplication—God commands blessing sufficient for three years (Leviticus 25:21). Year 7 is enjoyment—holy rest in what God finished. Year 8 is new sowing—fresh obedience at a higher level, eating from the old harvest while planting the next (Leviticus 25:22). Set road markers; remember your “change-of-course” moments (Jeremiah 31:21). Refuse comparison and honor the Lord with your first and best. If you’re in a sixth-year moment, lift your faith—expect increase, open doors, and provision that carries you into seasons ahead. Same God. Same promise. New measure.

  3. JAN 18

    Restitution Multiplied | Pr Raph | Jan 18, 2026

    — Newsletter of the Week: January 18–2 God is the Covenant-Maker and Promise-Keeper. He binds Himself by oath in Christ, writes His law on our hearts, and declares, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” He does not answer lack with mere survival—He answers lack with overflow. Like the Shunammite woman, we honor God’s presence, make room for His word, and discover that grace initiates what we did not demand. The son given was gift, not wage; and when the promise seemed to die, faith refused to speak death. Faith is not denial; it is defiant confidence that the Righteous One fulfills His word at the appointed time. Elisha’s ministry foreshadows Jesus: Elisha stretches himself over the child; Jesus enters death and speaks life—He is the Resurrection and the Life. God preserves His people through famine, leads them to move and to return, and meets them with providence at exactly the right moment. When the Shunammite appeals to the king, the testimony about her miracle collides with her need, and the decree is not only “restore,” but “restore with all the produce since the day she left.” That is covenant favor. That is restitution multiplied. Therefore, we stand, not in momentary optimism, but in enduring faith: God does not lie, delay, or tease His people. He assumes responsibility for His word. Expect timely guidance, precise providence, and public, decisive blessing. Not just what was lost returned—but what should have been multiplied restored. Not only restitution. Restitution multiplied. Key Scriptures: “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”— 2 Kings 8:6“For still the vision awaits its appointed time… If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay… but the righteous shall live by his faith.” — Habakkuk 2:3–4“…by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we… might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” — Hebrews 6:17–18

  4. JAN 11

    God’s answer to our crises | Jan. 11, 2026 | Pr Raph

    God’s answer to our crises Video Intro: Multiplication is God’s answer to all of our crises. When Jesus faced a hungry multitude, the disciples focused on the small supply, but Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven and multiplied what was in His hands. He did not reduce the crowd, send people away, or minimize the need—He multiplied the provision. God does not remove the battle; He releases provision that overwhelms it. This is how heaven works—God answers impossible problems not by shrinking them, but by increasing His supply. Sin created a massive crisis, yet God did not lower His standard; He released a greater supply. “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Grace did not merely forgive—it overpowered sin and broke its dominion. From generation to generation, God has always answered a curse with a far greater blessing, proving that His heart is not one of scarcity but of overflow. God begins not with what we lack, but with what we have. God does not just give back what was taken—He gives what should have been produced. That is multiplication. God answers loss with increase, famine with harvest, and lack with overflow, because He solves every crisis not by making it smaller, but by making His provision greater. Intro: Multiplication is not God’s reward for those who have no problems.  Multiplication is God’s solution for those who have big, impossible problems. If that is you, get ready for God’s multiplication. Lift up your eyes. When Jesus faced a hungry multitude, the disciples measured the size of the multitude, focused on the size of the supply, and lost sight of the one Who was ready to multiply the provision. John 6:9-11 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.  11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. When Jesus fed the multitudes, He did not reduce the crowd. He did not send people away. He did not shrink the need. He multiplied the supply. How? Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven. Matthew 14:19 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. He did not reduce the problem—He increased the supply. God never asks us to minimize the need; He answers it by multiplying provision. He does not tell us to deny reality. Instead, He introduces a greater reality: His provision.  God’s answers do not come by shrinking the crisis, but by releasing something from heaven that overwhelms it. In the wilderness, Israel was attacked by poisonous snakes. The camp was infested. People were dying. God did not remove the snakes. He did not give Moses a strategy for extermination, relocation, or defense. He gave something far more powerful: a supernatural source of healing that overruled the venom. Numbers 21:8-9 8 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. The problem remained. The snakes were still there. But the supply exceeded the threat. Healing was stronger than poison. Life overruled death. Jesus explained later that the bronze serpent was a symbol of what He would be in reality. John 3:14-15 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. God did not change the environment; He changed the outcome.  This is how multiplication works: it does not remove the battle—it ensures victory in the middle of it. Multiplied grace for an overcoming life. This is also how grace works in the New Covenant. Sin created a massive problem.  To understand that the best is to see the comparison of how long God took to create the universe. 7 Days. But to resolve the problem of sin, it was about 4 thousand years in the “Finished work” of Christ on the cross. God did not lessen the standard. He did not excuse the fall. He released a greater supply. Romans 5:20 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, Sin increased. Grace multiplied. Grace did not merely match the problem—it exceeded it. Religious people always try to take this declaration and distort it, affirming that we are preaching licentiousness and debauchery. But the multiplication of God’s provision of grace means that He gave us abundant grace to make us victorious over vices, addictions, districtive habits.  Under grace multiplied grace, the Holy Spirit in us makes sin no longer a problem. The Holy Spirit takes residence in the believer, and sin is no longer our master. Grace does not give us permission to fail—it gives us power to live free. Paul makes this unmistakably clear. Romans 6:1-2 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Grace is not an excuse to stay in bondage; it is the divine force that breaks that prison.  The same grace that forgives also transforms. When grace multiplied, a new life was released inside us. Romans 6:14 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.  This is the power of multiplied grace: sin no longer rules, addictions no longer define, destructive patterns no longer control.  Grace does not coexist with slavery—it replaces it with freedom. Where sin once had dominion, grace now reigns. Romans 5:21 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace reigns. Not struggles. Not guilt. Not addiction. Not shame. Grace is now in charge.  Where sin once increased destruction, grace now multiplies life, holiness, healing, and victory. Even in the Old Testament, God showed us that paradigm of curses and blessings. 2nd commandment. Exodus 20:5-6 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. This is the heart of God. He does not reduce our circumstances according to scarcity. He answers it with overflow. Whether it is poison in the camp, hunger in the crowd, sin in the world, or lack in your life, God’s solution is never reduction—it is multiplication. The snakes stayed. The healing was greater. The crowd stayed. The food multiplied. The sin remained. Grace overflowed. That is how God resolves problems: not by making them smaller, but by making His provision bigger. God will use what we have in our hands. Scarcity looks at what is missing. Faith looks at who is present. The story of the multiplication of the bread and fish illustrates a principle of God's multiplication. For the disciples, that provision seemed insignificant, but in God's hands, it was enough to feed over 5000 people. God always uses what is already in our hands. Scarcity looks at what is missing, but faith looks at who is present. That is the difference between human reasoning and divine multiplication. The miracle of the loaves and fish was not about how small the supply was—it was about who was holding it. In God’s hands, what looks insignificant becomes more than enough. That same principle appears powerfully in the stories of the widows and the prophets in Kings. The first is the widow of Zarephath, who had only a handful of flour and a little oil. She was preparing what she believed would be her last meal before she and her son died. God did not send food from heaven. He used what she already had. 1 Kings 17:12-14 12 And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”  13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” God did not remove the famine. He multiplied her supply inside it. Her miracle was not an instant warehouse—it was a daily multiplication. Each day she reached into the jar, there was still enough. Scarcity remained in the land, but provision ruled in her house. The same principle appears again with another widow in Elisha’s time. She had nothing except a small jar of oil, and her sons were about to be taken as slaves to pay a debt. Once again, God did not cancel the problem—He multiplied what was in her hand. 2 Kings 4:2 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” God did not give her money. He gave her multiplication. The oil kept flowing as long as there were empty vessels.  2 Kings 4:6-7 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the r

  5. JAN 4

    Faith for Multiplication | Jan 4, 26 | Pr Raph

    Faith for Multiplication Video Intro: Faith for multiplication begins with recognizing that God Himself is a God of increase, and that everything He creates carries this imprint. Multiplication is not merely a concept to understand but a reality to enter by faith. Just as a single seed becomes a forest and a couple becomes generations, God takes what is given to Him and causes it to overflow. This multiplying faith grows under the New Covenant, where God changes our hearts and expands our capacity to desire, dream, and believe. God works within us both to will and to act according to His good pleasure, transforming personal blessing into collective impact. Multiplication, then, is not a reward for exceptional performance but the outcome of covenant love at work in a surrendered life. Yet this journey of multiplication will face resistance. Unbelief, discouraging voices, and spiritual opposition attempt to shrink vision and distort identity through accusation and condemnation. Trials refine faith, hardship builds endurance, and weakness becomes the stage for multiplied strength. God turns deserts into springs, lack into abundance, and affliction into testimony—not because of human merit, but because of His blessing. Message intro: Beyond simply understanding multiplication, you need to grasp the true meaning of the word that has a tangible impact on your faith. God is moving throughout our churches worldwide, and we are part of that. We have witnessed restoration in many areas of our church. In 2025, I can clearly testify to the restoration of our youth ministry under the leadership of JP and Deborah. Vine Christian Academy expanded to more than 80 students. We had the most remarkable Maturity and Leadership Training Course classes ever with Pastor Giles. Our church's men’s leadership saw substantial strengthening through the active involvement of many brothers in the Legendarios. Multiplication is within God Multiplication is within God and within everything God created.  A single seed can generate an entire forest. Even in deserts around the world, with proper sand movements, people are showing that any soil can become fertile. One pair becomes herds, flocks, and multitudes over time. A single couple can generate an entire generation.  (My father was remembering with me his love story with my mom 50 years ago, and what was only 2 is now 17 people, not counting the in-laws) God multiplies what is given into abundance: manna fed an entire nation daily from heaven (Exodus 16). We must have faith to enter that multiplied provision. faith Increase. Under the grace of God, He doesn’t just restore what was lost; He surpasses it. God responds that not only repairs but also overflows with multiplication. In 2026, I expect not just crumbs, not mere drops, but an abundance of grace upon grace. I am sincerely asking that we, together as a church, reach a new level of faith in 2026. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. The word, [ὑπεραυξάνω huperauxano] is intensive increase, to grow luxuriantly. The image depicts a healthy tree growing in fertile soil, symbolizing a fruitful tree that rewards the labor of the gardener.  Paul had planted and nurtured, and God provided a plentiful harvest. Their faith grew stronger, and their love increased; this was true not only for some notable individuals but for everyone. That should be our target as a church. To believe together that the era of insufficiency has ended. Trust and affirm that the period of lack is over. So, facing your year expecting that whatever is now a debt will ultimately turn into your surplus. While restitution speaks of healing and restoration, multiplied restitution indicates that you will emerge healthier than ever before. From a blessed person, God will make you a blessing to many. The blessed boy. Think about the boy whom the disciples found.  John 6:6-9 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” You are blessed like this boy. Among the whole multitude, you are the only one with enough provisions. But now, you decided to give it all to Jesus. What was a blessing for you has now become a blessing for thousands.  Jesus found you. This boy entered history as the greatest provider of all time. His portion was enough to bless him and make him a blessing for others. John 6:11-12 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” This story asks us how much we want for 2026. The Lord can give us according to what we want. I need to emphasize that you should open up about what you desire. As much as you want. In almost every chapter of the Bible that discusses the New Covenant, one of the clearest clauses is that God would change our hearts according to His own.  Jeremiah 31:33-34 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” In the previous chapter we see the association of the New Covenant to multiplication. Jeremiah 30:19 19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small. In Ezekiel, which speaks of the change from a stony heart to a new, soft heart, we also find a multiplication promise. Ezekiel 36:26 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. How many of you are part of the New Covenant? If you are in Christ, you belong to the New and Eternal Covenant, as described in Hebrews 8 and 10. This transformation of the heart is key to your dreaming bigger and envisioning more, which is essential to the New Covenant. This is affirmed in Joel 2 and Acts 2.  Philippians 2:13 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do you see the desire to lead a Lifegroup as coming from the devil? What about your willingness to support the new project at Vine Christian College? Are you motivated to influence the next generation of kids through fostering? We must embrace that multiplication is part of the New Covenant. Multiplication confirms God’s covenant with us. Multiplication flows directly from God’s covenant love. It is not a reward for exceptional performance, but as the expected outcome of being loved and blessed by God. Leviticus 26:9 9 I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. Every area of your life, family, work, provision, and productivity is meant to be touched by an increase. Check  Deuteronomy 7:13 13 He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. God has eyes of love for us. Would you dare to pray bold and extravagant prayers that may seem exaggerated and even excessive for many? I say that because it is sure to happen, you will face opposition for multiplication. opposition promotes multiplication The first one would be unbelieving voices, nay-sayers, and negging discouraging people trying to steal the faith in your heart for this year. So be wise, do not share all your dreams and visions with everybody. Make sure to bring on board those who will help you stay on track in the pursuit of the vision God gave you. You don’t need to exclude anyone from your life, but you also don’t need to expect that everybody in your family will believe as you do. The second resistance can actually come from the enemy, bringing oppression and spiritual warfare against the great things the Lord has prepared for us. Satan’s strategy is always the same: accusation and condemnation. He diminishes identity and distorts perspective. Goliath tried to reduce David by mocking him as insignificant, and the spies weakened themselves by seeing themselves as grasshoppers. In both cases, the battle was first lost—or won—in how reality was interpreted. 1 Samuel 17:42–43“And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth… And the Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’” Numbers 13:33 “And there we saw the Nephilim… and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Here is the good news: Affliction cannot stop multiplication when God’s blessing is present. Pharaoh afflicted Israel to control, reduce, and limit their growth—but the pressure produced the opposite effect. The affliction became the very environment where multiplication accelerated.  Exodus 1:12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. The enemy does not have the authority to cancel what

  6. 12/14/2025

    Grow up in Faith | Dec 14, 25 | Pr Raph

    Video Intro: Hebrews confronts us with an honest question: are we growing up, or are we still living on spiritual milk? Maturity doesn’t happen accidentally—it’s trained through consistent engagement with the Word and practiced faith. God’s goal isn’t just personal improvement, but a mature, equipped people who build up the body of Christ. A mature church multiplies disciples, walks in unity, and grows in spiritual quality, not just numbers.  One of the clearest signs of that maturity is generosity—not giving out of fear or obligation, but out of gratitude for grace already received. When grace shapes the heart, generosity naturally follows. Ultimately, growing up in grace always leads to love. Maturity shows up when childish ways fall away, and the most significant evidence of that growth is selfless love. God doesn’t want us stuck with spiritual training wheels—safe, familiar, but limiting. There comes a point where He says, “It’s time to trust Me with more.” More responsibility, more authority, more impact. The call is clear: don’t stop at the foundation—go on to maturity. God has more ahead, and He’s inviting us to grow into it. Introduction God calls each one of us to dwell—not temporarily, not occasionally—but permanently in a state of rest. The rest of God: a deep, abiding peace that flows from living by the faith of God, walking in the provision of God, and standing in the fullness of His promises. Today, let the Word of God have full effect in your life. Let it speak for itself Hebrews 4:11-12 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. This morning, we are coming under the living Word. We are inviting it to penetrate, expose, energize, and transform. As we open the Scriptures, may they open us. The Word separates what we do (joints) from who we are (marrow). Let the word define the difference between feelings and faith (Soul versus Spirit). Between behavior and identity (Joints versus Marrow). And if you find fault, then respond to the solution given by God. Do not hide like Adam (Genesis 3:8–10), but jump into the waters to meet Jesus like Peter (John 21:7). Hebrews 4:16 (AMP):“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” The Word of God is calling us to a life of confident trust in God’s presence. In moments of weakness, doubt, or fear, the Word invites us not to retreat, but to draw near—to come honestly, boldly, and without shame into the presence of God.  We are summoned to the throne of grace, where mercy meets our failure and grace meets our need. Maturity As we come to chapter 5 of Hebrews, the author confronts spiritual immaturity among some readers.  Hebrews 5:12–14 (ESV): “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Maturity in the Christian life does not come passively; it is cultivated through obedience, through repetition, through engagement with the Word of righteousness.  Milk is a symbol of nostalgic food; some call it comfort food: food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically high in sugar or other carbohydrates and associated with childhood or home cooking. Have you ever woken up in the night craving a salad? I am sure it was for ice cream instead. But the only way to grow is to embrace change. God does not allow His children to remain stuck in comfort, familiarity, or environments that limit growth. When seasons shift, doors close, relationships change, or favor feels different, it is not accidental. Stop resisting transition and interpret stirring as preparation, not punishment. God is faithful to close doors only when He intends to open better ones, and He often removes the option of going back so that forward becomes the only path. The very winds that seem threatening are the ones God uses to lift His people higher. trained by constant practice Maturity is not merely about personal holiness (though necessary), but about being trained in the word of righteousness and to serve the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-15 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, The word “equip” in the NT (Greek: katartismos) means to train, adjust, or perfect through practice. Like athletes who practice movements until they are perfected, we must practice spiritual disciplines and grow into effective ministers. Marks of a Mature Church  Multiplying Disciples (Quantitative Growth):   v. 15 … we are to grow up in every way Measured in souls saved, churches planted, and people baptized. Growth is not just about size—it is about rescuing souls, populating heaven, and advancing the Kingdom. This year, 2025, in all Vine Churches, we baptized 35,250 people. Growth in Unity: “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith…” (v.13) A bag of potatoes = superficial unity (just being in the same place). Mashed potatoes = true unity (only achieved through fire, breaking, and mixing) Unity requires the fire of trials, the breaking of ego, and being blended into one body. “Unity is not just being in the same room; it’s being melted into the same purpose.” We ended 2025 with 30,989 Lifegroups worldwide and 1,320 churches planted and connected. Qualitative Growth:  To mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” (v.13) A good example of quality, or spiritual maturity, is gratitude. Have you ever noticed that young children are not naturally grateful? They often need to be taught to say, “Thank you, Grandma, for the gift.” Left to themselves, they tend to assume that everything should go their way and happen on their timeline. That sense of entitlement is a mark of immaturity. In contrast, a spiritually mature person is someone who has been trained—through consistent engagement with the word of righteousness—to recognize and respond to grace.  What I mean is this: unless you grow in your awareness of the unearned, undeserved grace and goodness of God—His favor, His love, His righteousness freely given in Christ—you will instinctively relate to God on a merit-based system. You will think in terms of what you deserve, what you’ve earned, or what you’re owed. That kind of relationship breeds frustration and self-righteousness, not thanksgiving. But when you see that all is grace, gratitude becomes the joyful response. Gratitude is a sign of maturity because it reveals a heart shaped by the righteousness of Christ. 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Let me ask you: do you believe some churches are more spiritually mature than others? Yes or no? Some churches walk in greater revelation, deeper obedience, and fuller expressions of grace. That means some churches, from God’s perspective, display a higher level of spiritual quality—not in worth, but in maturity.  And spiritual quality is not a fixed status—it’s a growth process.  But here’s the critical question: how do we measure the quality of a church? Let me suggest that a practical answer is the church's generosity. The same is true for the individual believer. Your spiritual maturity is directly connected to how you give. If you give out of fear, guilt, or to try to manipulate God for blessings—that’s spiritual immaturity. That’s how children behave. They only give if they get something back.  But those who have genuinely experienced the grace and generosity of God grow to become generous like their Father. They offer not to control, but to bless. Mature people give generously. How do I know you are growing in grace? Paul says,  Paul compared the two churches’ maturity based on their financial participation. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Referring specifically to financial giving 2 Corinthians 8:7 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.” The more you receive grace, the more it transforms your heart—and

  7. 12/07/2025

    Rest and Access | Pr Raph | Dec 7, 2025

    Rest and Access Video Intro: There is a rest in God that goes beyond the relief of a quiet moment or the pause after hard work. It is a rest born from divine completion—a posture of faith that lives from the reality of what Jesus has already finished. This kind of rest doesn’t ignore struggle; it sees beyond it. It speaks from victory rather than toward it. It is rooted in trust, anchored in revelation, and sustained by the living word that divides truth from fear, spirit from flesh.  In this rest, we are not trying to make something happen—we are aligning with what is already done. It is here that faith becomes more than belief; it becomes a vision—a way of seeing, thinking, and walking in step with heaven. But this life of rest and faith is not possible without access. Access depends on who grants it to you. We are carried by the One who stands in the gap for us, who represents us perfectly before the throne. He knows our weakness, yet He intercedes with strength. He holds our names on His shoulders and over His heart. His work on the cross was complete, but His ministry continues—praying, protecting, sanctifying, and uniting His people. This is the power of grace: that we are no longer striving to be accepted, but boldly entering the presence of God, empowered by the One who lives to speak on our behalf. This is the supremacy of grace, and it is the life we are invited to live. Message Intro: As we come to the close of Hebrews chapter 4, we’ve been invited into God’s rest, but what is this rest, really? It’s not simply a break from work or relief from stress. No, it is a spiritual state, a place in God where your soul settles. It’s prophetic. It’s not a nap after a long day, but a posture of faith that sees ahead. God’s rest is rooted in how God Himself operates.  Hebrews 4:4“God rested on the seventh day from all His works.”  He was done. The work was complete. The vision had manifested. The purpose was fulfilled. And this is how God calls us to live—not from pressure, but from promise. Because of the promises of God, you are where you are now.  From the other side of the future. Projecting Yourself into the Future You must project yourself beyond your present struggle.  You need to see, in faith, what God already sees: the breakthrough, the healing, the provision, the restoration.  Psalms 139:17-18 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. This is more than wishful or positive thinking. This is God’s endless goodness towards us. It is time to name these thoughts and desires God has placed in your mind and heart and start to claim it. James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. It is stepping into the kairos of God.  To rest in God and as God is to say, “I see the end, even while I’m standing in the middle.” But how do we get there? The answer is in Hebrews 4:12: Hebrews 4:12 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It is through the word of God that natural thoughts are separated from spiritual ones. Many believers are confused about their own thoughts and desires. The way of discovering God’s thoughts is in the word. However I want you to believe what is written first: Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. The Word discerns between what is merely human and what is truly divine. It cuts, it divides, and it reveals A good parameter is if what you desire and think is a step of faith or a result of your cleverness. As we will continually will see in Hebrews it is more a matter of faith than a matter of doctrine. Hebrews 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. So to rest, you need revelation. You need a word that penetrates your anxiety, your doubt, your reasoning, and draws a clear line between what you think and what God has said. That is the only way you will have the commendable faith of God. Receiving the Faith of God Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Even our faith is a gift from God. Jesus didn’t just tell the disciples to have faith in God—He demonstrated what it means to have the faith of God. Faith that speaks to trees and mountains. Faith that knows the end from the beginning. Faith that operates from completion, not concern. Reason with me a little: where did your saving faith come from? If the Bible affirms we were dead in our sins.  Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins Therefore, we were unable to believe by ourselves. We needed a external action of God to save us. How did that happen? 1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? You don’t have to generate the faith to move mountains. You need to receive the faith that comes from the God who made the mountains. Faith comes by the word of God. So hear the word. Listen it again. Read the word again. Sing it again. So far, Hebrews has shown us that the way into rest is by trusting in God’s finished work and receiving His word. But now the writer shifts. From rest… to representation. God’s rest is not just about peace—it’s about access. In Brazil, I experienced a very practical aspect of access. I was so fortunate already to be part of this conference with more than 7,000 men, from all over the world. I needed to speak with pastor Aluizio, the founder of Vine Church network. It was a very difficult situation, because many people wanted to do the same. He does have a VIP room prepared for supervision pastors, those who oversee numerous churches. I didn’t have access to that room, but for my surprise, while I was trying to convince the safety team member of what I would talk with the pastor, someone tapped my shoulder. It was Pastor Aluizio himself. He said “ Brother, pastor Raph is with me, let him go in.” The very owner of the VIP room invited me in.  It’s about standing in the presence of God without fear. And to stand there, we need a High Priest. Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. The Author of our faith, the Mediator of our relationship with the Father. The One who speaks the word, The One who is the Word made flesh. Jesus—our Great High Priest, full of mercy, complete in understanding, and fully able to represent us before the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:15 - 5:1 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Christ is shown to be superior to angels, Moses, Joshua, and now to Aaron and the Levitical priesthood. Christ as our Great High Priest, which will unfold throughout Hebrews 5–10. On His Shoulders and Heart  In the Old Covenant, the high priest did not appear before God as an individual. He bore the people with him, both symbolically and spiritually. Exodus 28:12 “The names [of the sons of Israel] shall be on the two stones…on the shoulders of the priest, as a memorial before the Lord.” Exodus 28:29 “Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord.” On his shoulders – the strength with which he carries the people. On his chest (heart) – representing the love with which he intercedes for them. Jesus, our Great High Priest, now represents us before the Father. He carries our names on His shoulders. He holds our names over His heart. This is reflected in the parable of the lost sheep. Luke 15:5 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Draw near with confidence became we are not strangers in heaven anymore. Jesus is fully human. He made heaven an welcoming place for us all? Have you ever felt alone in a place where there was no one to identify with, but suddenly a aquatinted face made you feel welcomed? One of reasons you should feel at ease in Jesus’ presence is because He was tested [πειράζω peirazō] in all things. He is compassionate with us.  R Jesus was tested as a gold bar is proven genuine. Jesus never had the reactive sinful flesh manifestation. At Matthew 4 and Luke 4, God, by the Holy Spirit, allowed Satan to prove the genuineness of Christ’s nature. And, He passed the test. It is really comforting to know that God always identifies Himself with His people. In Egypt and in the desert God manifested as a burning fire, as His people were also under such trial. But right before Because the people  His Work Continues Beyond the Cross Jesus’ atonement was once for all, but His priestly ministry continues. Romans 8:34“Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Jesus is in our hearts, he manifests in the church and is interceding at the right hand of God

  8. 11/23/2025

    God's Rest and God's Faith | Pr Raph | Nov. 23, 25

    God’s Rest and God’s Faith Video Intro: Many are restless, anxious, and exhausted. However, God has prepared a rest for His people, but it is entered only through trust.  Israel’s great failure in the desert was not moral sin—it was unbelief. They saw miracles, tasted manna, walked under the cloud of God’s presence, and still refused to trust Him. The book of Hebrews warns us that unbelief is more dangerous than failure, more destructive than weakness, and more offensive to God than outward disobedience. This rest is the soul’s settled confidence in the finished work of God. It is entering into the same rest God Himself has. God calls us to live from His completion, not toward it. This is where His kairos meets our chronos—where God’s eternal certainty enters our present struggle.  Rest is the culmination of trust, the refusal to let fear define the story. It is the posture of someone who knows that, in God’s eyes, the victory already exists: the marriage restored, the provision supplied, the calling fulfilled. To enter that rest, God gives us something essential—His own faith. This is a God-kind of faith—creative, mountain-moving, sustaining—it is a gift, not a human achievement. We receive it, nourish it, and silence every thought that argues against it. And we grow in this faith through God’s living Word. Faith endures where Scripture pierces the heart and where brothers and sisters speak truth to each other. God’s rest is still open. God’s faith is still available. And today—while it is called “today”—He invites you to step into both. Message intro: Many people are working hard, serving God, attending church, even reading the Bible—yet inside, they’re anxious, restless, striving, and unsettled.  Hebrews 3 and 4 are a powerful invitation: there is a rest for the people of God. A rest not found in a place, in a pleasure, in a plance, but in a Person—Jesus Christ.  In Hebrews chapter 3, Jesus is not merely a servant like Moses; He is the Son of God’s house. From Hebrews 3:7 to Hebrews 4:13, the Hebrews' comparison language points us to two aspects. The Exodus narrative of the People of God, and our personal journey from the broken world to God’s plan. Also, the comparison of Jesus's superiority to Joshua. Hebrews 4:8 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. The author insists that salvation is not complete until we enter into God’s rest in a very practical way.  It is a call to genuine trust.  He’s inviting you to live in His rest. Why is rest so relevant that it deserves such a weighty admonition? Because rest represents the culmination of trust. Rest is the culmination of trust. Rest is the cessation of stress and anxiety, and the entrance into the finished work of God. Resting is not a passive posture, but an active resting—a soul anchored in the supremacy of Jesus, believing that what He has done is enough. Hebrews 3:11 As I swore in my wrath,‘They shall not enter my rest.’” Nothing grieves the heart of God more than unbelief. God swore the disobedient generation would never enter His rest—not because of some great moral failure, but because of their unbelief. Hebrews 3:18-19 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. They saw His power, tasted His provision, and still refused to trust Him. As a result, He was “provoked for forty years” (Hebrews 3:17), and an entire generation died outside the Promised Land. Think about that. David committed grievous sins—adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11)—yet God restored him because he humbled himself and clung to God’s mercy. But King Saul, who looked more righteous on the outside, lost the kingdom because he refused to trust and obey God (1 Samuel 15:22–23). 1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”  The lack of faith is not a light thing—it is rebellion at the root.  God refused to let that generation of Israel, that came out of Egypt, to enter the Promised Land, not because of a scandalous moral failure, but because they disobeyed in faith; they did not believe in God’s promise of rest. They hardened their hearts, and God swore they would not enter His rest. Unbelief closes doors that moral sin alone doesn’t. God is patient with weakness, but He is provoked by hardened hearts that refuse to believe. Unbelief is the true enemy of rest. The Israelites' failure to enter Canaan was ultimately rooted in unbelief, not in moral disobedience. The sin that most offends God is not always the one that shocks people—but the one that denies His character. Unbelief attacks the core of God's nature—His faithfulness, power, and goodness. That’s why the warning in Hebrews 3 carries such earnestness. We often focus on outward sins, but more critical is failing to trust God. Therefore, refusing to rest in His finished work is rebellion at the core.  It’s a sin against God’s character, not just His commands.  The greatest danger is refusing the grace that leads to rest. God’s promise of rest is still open, but it must be entered by trust, not by religious effort or moral performance. The Christian life begins not with “do” but with “it is finished.” If you’re feeling afraid right now, wondering, How can I stay strong in my trust? How can I hold onto God’s promises without drifting into doubt or rebellion? God gives us the way to that rest. First, know that you are not alone. Importance of mutual exhortation Hebrews 3:12-13 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. This means two things: first, guard your heart—unbelief doesn’t start loud; it starts subtly.  Luke 21:34 34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. A thought, a disappointment, a delay. If left unchecked, it grows into unbelief and rebellion.  Second, stay in the community. The writer doesn’t say “encourage yourself every day” (though that’s good too)—he says, “exhort one another every day.” You were never meant to fight the battle of faith alone. God’s design for protecting your heart is mutual encouragement, daily reminders, and honest fellowship. The deceitfulness of sin is strong—but the voice of faith, spoken through a brother or sister in Christ, is stronger. In Hebrews 2:1, we are warned to pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away. But Hebrews 3 deepens that call—not only must we hear the Word, we must speak it to one another. Verse 13 commands us to “exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’.” The word "today" here signifies daily faithfulness. When you ask someone, “What day is this?” and they answer “Today,” it implies that you should hear and speak words of faith to each other. It’s not a poetic suggestion. The spiritual health of your faith depends not only on what you hear, but also on what you say—how you speak God’s truth into others’ lives.  You cannot expect to develop a strong, enduring faith by passively consuming sermons or quietly reading Scripture alone. Faith grows through mutual exhortation—regular, Spirit-filled conversations that stir one another toward truth, hope, and perseverance. The author of Hebrews presses on that again in chapter 10. Hebrews 10:24-25 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. If sin deceives, isolation hardens our hearts. The Christian life is not sustained by listening alone—it thrives when believers speak life into one another daily. Now that you're convinced this is a community issue, let’s revisit the Hebrews text. Without understanding the author's illustration, you'll miss what's truly at stake. Do not fail to enter the promised land Israel was delivered from Egypt but failed to enter the Promised Land due to unbelief. To understand the comparison, you first must know what the promised land was all about.  Deuteronomy 6:10-11 10 “And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, When God invited His people to enter the Promised Land, they stepped into a place already prepared for them. They didn’t have to build the houses or dig the wells—those were already provided. It echoes the original pattern in creation: God created a finished garden, fully formed and abundant, and then invited Adam and Eve not to make it, but to tend it, enjoy it, and expand it. God’s rest is not the absence of challenges and work. But the work here is the trust in the one who has given the blessing in the first place. As the garden has a serpent trying to corrupt it, the promised land had giants to conquer. Just as there was a serpent to be crushed in the garden, there were giants to be defeated in the Promised Land. In the same way, your Promised Land—your God-given garden—also has enemies that must be overcome. And they must be conquered with the same faith that brought you into this place of blessing. Think about your marriage. You

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The message of grace that empowers you to stand as an overcome beleiver.

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  • Creator
    VineSWFL.Church
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    246
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