In the book of Revelation, we find a promise that God is bringing renewal to all things. Everything broken or worn out will one day be restored. This renewal is not only about the world around us but also about the lives we live and the relationships we hold. When we look closely, we can see many areas that need change, healing, or forgiveness.
The words from Scripture remind us that God is not creating a whole new world from nothing. Instead, He is taking what already exists and renewing it through His grace. I believe the goal is not to replace, but to restore; that is, to make things as they were meant to be.
Consider what this promise means for our personal lives. Each person can look inward and see where growth or renewal is needed. Through the love and mercy of God, these parts of life can be made new. The process may take time, but the promise is certain. One day, everything will be the way God first intended when He looked at creation and called it “very good.”
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Many believers today feel worn down by steady criticism. It is not always loud or violent, but it can still sting. Small jokes, unfair claims, etc., these things take a toll. When Christians sense rising hostility, it can shake their sense of peace.
Jesus walking with his disciples. IRS Images, 2025
The teachings of Jesus in John 15 speak directly to this struggle. In the final hours before His arrest, when He gathered with His disciples at the Last Supper and then walked with them toward Gethsemane, He prepared them for life without His physical presence. He also spoke honestly about the hatred they would face.
Jesus explained that believers are often disliked because they belong to Him. The “world,” meaning the moral order that resists God, treats Christians as outsiders. Jesus described this rejection plainly: if the world hated Him first, His followers should expect similar treatment. This knowledge does not remove the pain, but it helps prevent surprise. He wanted His disciples to count the cost of following Him and to recognize that rejection does not mean abandonment. He walked this path before they ever did.
Some today claim to like Jesus but not Christians. But Jesus pointed out that many people actually reject the real Jesus while accepting softened versions that fit their own views. When His followers live by His teachings and speak truth about Him, they may stir the same reactions He did.
Take the world, but give me Jesus All its joys are but a name For His love abideth ever Through eternal years the same
Jesus told His disciples that they once belonged to the world but were now chosen out of it. This shift can make Christians seem like traitors to those still resisting God. People may not realize their conflict with Him, but Scripture teaches that this conflict is real. Believers are not trying to attack others; they have simply joined themselves to the One who offers life. Still, their new loyalty can be misunderstood.
Children and adults alike may fear being disliked for their faith, but Jesus reminded His followers that belonging to Him is greater than any rejection. He also said a servant should not expect to be treated better than the master. If He was mistreated, His people may be as well. Yet He added that some would listen and believe, just as some believed Him.
This raises an important question: is what believers in Canada face truly persecution? While many do not face violence, Scripture identifies insults, ridicule, lies, and public shame as real forms of suffering for Christ. These experiences should not be dismissed. Words can wound deeply. Some believers lose friendships, face hostility in academic settings, or feel pressure in workplaces. Many read hateful comments online and feel shaken. These pressures are not imaginary, and Jesus encouraged His followers to continue standing firm.
Still, not every Christian will face open hostility. Believers should not seek conflict or provoke anger. Jesus explained that hatred toward believers ultimately comes from not knowing God. This should shift believers from anger toward compassion. If people truly knew God’s goodness, they would not reject Him so easily. Their hostility does not make them innocent, but it does reveal their deep need for God.
Jesus also taught that the world’s hatred is without excuse. The people of His time witnessed His words and His miracles firsthand. They rejected God’s clearest revelation. Their reasons were real, but not justified. Jesus was hated without cause, and His followers may experience similar treatment.
The core question remains: who do believers belong to, the world or the One who saves? If they belong to Christ, their lives should show it. And they should be ready, with God’s help, to endure hardship with patience and faith.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
There are people today who connect worship mainly with music, but the Bible presents a much deeper picture. Over time, the meaning of “worship” has shifted. It is now often linked to a musical style rather than to a spiritual act of surrender and reverence before God. To understand what true worship is, it helps to set aside everything we know about church traditions, instruments, or songs, and look only at what Scripture teaches.
Imagine someone who had never attended church, never seen Christian music, and only had the Bible. If that person tried to build a worship service, what would it look like? There are no notes or melodies written in Scripture. Yet, the Bible often speaks about songs and praises to God. This means the form of worship was never the focus. Its essence was. If there were no music at all, would we still know how to worship? The answer must be yes, because true worship is not built on melodies but on the heart.
In the Old and New Testaments, music is mentioned, but it never causes conflict or division. Unlike today, there were no debates about worship styles or instruments. That raises an important question: why do these issues divide churches now? If the early believers never fought over music, maybe we are focusing on the wrong thing.
Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 speak of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Are these meant to separate types of Christian music, or to describe ways the heart responds to God?
Psalms were poetic songs often accompanied by instruments, expressing a wide range of emotions, everything from joy to doubt.
Hymns were solemn songs that praised the greatness and majesty of God.
Spiritual songs were personal songs that carried faith and truth from Scripture.
In all cases, the heart’s gratitude to God mattered more than the sound or rhythm. The Bible never defines a “worship style.” What we often call “worship music” today was never meant to be a genre. Instead, worship is a life response.
True worship begins long before any song. It starts when a person turns to God in repentance and surrender. Worship is recognizing His power and our weakness. It is humility before the Creator. This is why Jesus said the Father seeks those who worship Him “in spirit and in truth.” To worship in spirit is to be renewed by the Holy Spirit; to worship in truth is to live by God’s Word.
Real worship happens when we accept God’s will, even when it is painful. When God says “no,” our reaction shows whether we truly worship Him. To bow before His decision without anger or complaint is to honour Him. As Job said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Worship is not found in comfort but in submission.
The Psalms also teach that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.” A heart softened by humility is more valuable than any song. When we forgive others, seek peace, and let go of pride, we offer God true worship. If we sing but keep anger or pride in our hearts, the song loses its meaning.
Worship is also giving everything to God. It is trusting Him with our choices, our time, and even our losses. When we face trials and still thank Him, that is worship. It is the daily act of learning to say, “Your will be done.” Music can express this, but it cannot replace it. One could say that glorifying God is the outward expression of this inward worship. It may be through songs, testimonies, service, or kindness. But without inward surrender, outward praise is only noise.
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
In Genesis 26:1-2, the Bible tells of a severe famine that struck the land. It was not the first time such hardship had come; a famine had also happened in Abraham’s lifetime. During this crisis, Isaac went to the region of Gerar, where Abimelech, the Philistine king, ruled. There, God spoke directly to Isaac, telling him not to travel to Egypt for relief but to remain where God would guide him.
This instruction called for great faith. Staying in a place where food was scarce and survival uncertain was not an easy choice. For Isaac, remaining in the land meant risking his safety and that of his family. Yet, he obeyed because he trusted that God’s direction was better than his own understanding.
Real trust in God often asks for courage. It means believing that God will honour His promises even when there is no visible proof or clear path forward. Faith does not always lead to comfort, but it leads to a deeper reliance on the One who never fails. When life feels uncertain and choices seem risky, holding on to God’s word is the most secure place to be.
When Jesus spoke to Peter about building his church, he made a statement that has been understood in different ways throughout history. He said that the gates of hell would not defeat his church, and he mentioned a rock as its foundation. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Peter himself was this rock, pointing to the idea that Peter went to Rome and became the first pope. However, there is no historical evidence to support this claim.
Looking closely at what Jesus actually said reveals a different meaning. Right after this conversation, Jesus called Peter “Satan” and told him to get out of his way. This happened because Peter was trying to stop Jesus from going to the cross. Later, Peter showed his weakness again when he denied knowing Jesus three times on the night of his arrest. Do these verses not make it clear that Peter was too unstable to serve as the foundation for the entire church?
The key to understanding this passage lies in recognizing what Jesus was really pointing to. When Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, he spoke a truth that came directly from God the Father. Jesus acknowledged that Peter was like a small stone, but the rock he would build his church on was something much larger. It was the truth of Peter’s confession itself. The church stands on the bedrock truth that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. This confession, not any human leader, forms the unshakeable foundation that hell cannot overcome.
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