ARTICLES

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence” (Proverbs 10:1).

Our words are powerful. They can build up or tear down, heal or wound, bring hope or cause despair. Proverbs tells us that the mouth of the righteous is like a fountain of life. That is more than a beautiful image. It is a spiritual standard for every follower of Christ.

Jesus explained why our words matter so much. They flow from the heart: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

The psalmist understood this connection too, which is why he prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

In biblical thought, the “heart” was not simply the seat of emotions but the center of reason, thought, and will. What fills our hearts shapes our thoughts, and what fills our thoughts shapes our words. If we meditate on God’s truth, our speech will reflect His love and righteousness. If we fill our minds with bitterness, pride, or fear, that will come out too.

In our world today, words are more public than ever. Social media has given nearly everyone a platform to speak instantly and globally. We can use that voice to encourage, inspire, and speak truth in love, or we can use it to vent, attack, and stir division. The choice is ours.

Some even justify harsh and unkind speech in the name of defending God or His truth. But Scripture calls us to a higher way. Our words should reveal that we belong to Christ. They should carry life to those who hear them.

So, what do your words reveal about your heart? Do they refresh, strengthen, and encourage? Or do they drain, discourage, and wound? Today, let us choose words that give life.

PRAYER

Father, fill my heart with Your truth and my mind with Your wisdom so that my words bring life to those around me. May my speech always honor You and encourage others. Amen.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

When we talk about love, it’s easy to think only in terms of emotion. Warm feelings, passion, affection—these are often how we measure love in our world. But biblical love is made of sturdier stuff.

Jesus defines love not as something we feel but something we live. When He said to His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” He wasn’t pointing them toward emotion. He was pointing them toward obedience.

This wasn’t a new concept. Long before Jesus’ earthly ministry, God had told Israel through Moses: “You shall love the Lord your God and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always” (Deuteronomy 11:1).

To love God was to trust Him—and to trust Him meant obeying Him. This wasn’t legalism; it was loyalty. It was a relationship marked by faithfulness, not just feelings.

Jesus later echoed this with a challenging question: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)

We can sing songs, post Bible verses, and say we love God all we want—but the true test is whether we do what He says. Obedience is not a substitute for love; it’s the evidence of it.

And that obedience always flows into love for others. According to Jesus, the greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). He said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

So, how do we show our love for God?

By honoring His Word.
By walking in His ways.
By loving people even when it’s inconvenient.
By listening and following, even when it’s costly.

Love is more than sentiment. It’s a surrender.

It listens. It follows. It obeys.

Is your love for Jesus something others can see—not just in your words, but in your daily choices? In what area of your life is God calling you to love Him through deeper obedience?

PRAYER

Father, may my love for You be more than words. Teach me to obey You fully and joyfully.

Help me to love as You love, to walk as You walked, and to live a life that honors You in all I do. Amen.

“Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.’ The angel said to him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news”’ (Luke 1:18-19 NIV).

Luke repeatedly speaks about the “proclamation of good news” within his Gospel and Acts. He uses the phrase “to proclaim good news” as opposed to the noun “gospel.” His language reflects a more Hebraic form of expression and goes back to biblical passages from Isaiah (40:9; 41:27; 52:7; and 61:1), which ancient Judaism understood as part of God’s promised redemption for His people. 

When the angel Gabriel tells Zechariah, John’s father, that he came to announce good news to Zechariah (Luke 1:19), he doesn’t merely mean the birth of a son (although that was certainly tremendous news for the aged couple). Rather, Gabriel’s language hints at the role Zechariah’s son will play in God’s redemptive actions for His people (1:15-17). And Zechariah would have understood that. 

The angels proclaimed to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (2:10 NIV). Their jubilant message to the shepherds—“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (2:14 NKJV)—articulated the essence of the good news they proclaimed: God is fulfilling His promises to His people; the hope of redemption has come! And He does so and draws near through the birth of these babies. 

The worldview of the Bible focuses primarily on the community and collective, as opposed to the individual as we do within Western society. The angelic proclamation to Zechariah and the shepherds announced God’s redemption for His people. It was not for a few. And the individual was not the center of God’s proclamation of good news; it was meant for all people. 

We often personalize our faith: What does the Bible say to me? What has God done for me? And, at Christmas, what is God’s gift of salvation to me? If that is our primary focus, we miss the angelic proclamation—which was about God, His fulfillment of His promises to His people, and the hope of redemption for all the people. 

PRAYER

Father, thank You for the fulfillment of Your good news by sending Jesus. May Your good news of hope and redemption be shown through our lives to the world, and may they know that it is Your good news for all people. Amen.