The Bishop’s Mind: Christian Wisdom, Daily Devotionals & Empowering Messages for Kingdom Living

  The Kingdom Mandate: What It Truly Means to Give God Your All    In Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus gives us two powerful parables about the kingdom of heaven: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."  - Matthew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."  - Matthew 13:45–46    Jesus didn’t merely preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was the gospel of Jesus Christ. His life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and return are all part of that gospel. But what He actively taught and proclaimed was the gospel of the Kingdom, a divine government and realm that demanded total surrender and yielded miraculous transformation.  He traveled from village to village, preaching and teaching abo...

  Where Is the Love?    One of my favorite duets is by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack: "Where Is the Love?" It asks, "Where is the love that you said you would give to me?" It's a timeless question and one that’s just as spiritually relevant today.    In Galatians 5 , Paul writes to the churches in Galatia about the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. He helps believers understand how to discern what’s truly of God. And here's the spiritual compass: love is God's signature . "And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."   Galatians 5:21 (KSB)    Whatever you do whether it’s cooking a meal or making a major decision ask yourself: "Where is the love?" Is love your motive? Is love present in your tone, your actions, your intentions?  Paul’s letter urges us to determine whether we are operati...

  Let Me Be Spiritual (Galatians 6:1) "Beloved, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritually mature are to restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted."   Galatians 6:1 (KSB)    Galatians 6:1 offers a profound reflection on the true essence of spirituality. Paul draws a direct line between our response to sin and our spiritual maturity. He challenges us to consider how we react when we or others fall short. According to Paul, our spirituality is not only revealed by our righteous acts but also by how we handle failure, faults, and the sin that entangles us or those around us.  When we sin, do we own it, or do we excuse it? Do we confess it and return to God in humility, or do we hide in shame, blame others, or run from His presence? Your response reveals your depth. Do you live in condemnation, or do you receive God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness? True spirituality is seen not in perfection but in repentance a...

  The Kingdom Mandate "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away, sold everything he had, and bought it."  - Matthew 13:45–46 (KSB)    We don’t always get it right the first time. Sometimes we need to try again. Whether it’s a loan, a class, or a job application, setbacks happen. But just as we’re called to be patient with ourselves and others, God is patient with us. Jesus understood this. Remember the blind man He healed twice, first with partial sight, then full clarity. Healing didn't happen the first time; it happened the second time. So must our persistence reflect that divine patience.  In Matthew 13, Jesus shares multiple parables to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven because He knew people wouldn’t always understand on the first go. He repeats, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like…” to emphasize the need to grasp the message through repetition. Like the man who sold e...

  Living the Spirit-Led Life: Following the Holy Spirit Beyond Comfort Zones "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."   Galatians 5:18 (KSB)    Who’s leading your life? Is it your emotions? Your intellect? Perhaps someone else is driving the bus of your life. But Scripture invites us into something deeper, to be led by the Spirit.   It is a powerful and beautiful thing to live a life led by the Holy Spirit. When we surrender to His guidance, He will often lead us into unfamiliar places, ask us to do unexpected things, and introduce us to people we’ve never imagined meeting. Still, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit .    He will never steer you wrong. The Spirit leads us into all truth (John 16:13), and His paths even when they challenge our comfort or logic are filled with purpose. You may not understand it fully. You may not agree with it at first. But trust this: obedience to the Spirit always produces fr...

  How to Win the War Within: Overcoming the Flesh with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17)                    There’s a part of you that doesn’t want to heal, grow, forgive, or evolve. It resists the transformation God desires for your life. That part of you, the flesh is not outside; it’s within. Just as the human body retains some fat regardless of how healthy we are, our spiritual walk also includes a part of us that resists the Spirit.   "So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."   Galatians 5:16       You are not battling against people, situations, or even your past. The greatest war is within. It’s the part of you that craves instant gratification and rebels against the slow, faithful process of transformation. It’s the part that wants everything, now, even if you’re not ready for it spiritually.  Like wanting microwave results for a crockpot purpose,...

  Refocus Your Faith: How to Overcome Distraction, Disappointment, and Discouragement "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."   Galatians 5:6 (KSB)    With everything going on around us, it's easy to feel lost. Distractions come quickly, disappointments pile up, and discouragement sneaks in. We all face these moments. But even when we get off track, there is a way back and that path is through our faith, principles, and core values.  When you live your life anchored in principles, it gives you a compass for when the road gets unclear. Knowing your vision, your mission, and your core values makes it easier to realign when life feels out of control. But if you don’t know who you are, how can you get back to being your best self? If you don’t know what you stand on, what can you stand up on after a fall?    Clarity of purpose keeps you ...

  Work It: How Galatians 5:9 Teaches Us to Co-Create a Risen Life     "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." Galatians 5:9 (KSB)                                                             It works if you work it. It doesn’t work if you don’t and nobody else can do the work for you. You have to work it yourself.  In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul uses the image of yeast working through dough to symbolize how even a small principle or influence can shape the entire course of your life. He likens the journey of spiritual transformation to the making of bread: you co-create with God, applying divine principles, allowing them to spread through every area of your life until you rise into your full, God-ordained potential. Yeast or leaven, as it’s called in older translations has power. But...

  Universe Means One Thing: Love "For all the law is fulfilled in this one word, love: Love your neighbor as yourself."   Galatians 5:14 (KSB)    Sometimes, the word “universe” can feel mysterious even spooky to some. Others think it's irreverent or sacrilegious when used in spiritual conversations. But what if we redefined it? What if “universe” simply meant love? What if it meant God, since God is love?  When we say, “the universe,” we can think of it as pointing to one word love. Just one word. The entire Bible, composed of 66 books and written by over 40 different authors, ultimately speaks to one central theme: love. From beginning to end, this divine book points us toward loving God, loving ourselves, and loving others.  In the Old Testament, God's people had 636 laws civil, ceremonial, and moral. They guided everything from relationships to religious festivals. But then Jesus came and said, “Let me make this simple Love God. Love yourself. L...

  Best Practices for Finishing Your Spiritual Race: Lessons from Galatians 5:7 "You were running a good race. Who did you allow to hinder you from obeying the truth?"   Galatians 5:7 KSB    In every endeavor, adhering to best practices i s crucial for success. These practices are often established by those who have journeyed before us, offering wisdom from their experiences. Spiritually, we are surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) who exemplify the path of faith.    God desires for us to live our best lives, aligning with His purpose. In Galatians 5:7, Paul addresses the believers in Galatia, acknowledging their strong start in faith but questioning what hindered their progress. This serves as a reminder that deviating from spiritual best practices can impede our journey.    To run our spiritual race effectively, we must embrace certain best practices: 1. Conditioning    Just as athlete...

  God Is Blessing Both of Us: From Eviction to Divine Provision (Genesis 21:13) "I will bless the son of the slave woman and make him a great nation also, because he is your offspring."  Genesis 21:13 KSB                                    Abraham Sent Hagar And Ishmael Away  Blessings, especially the kind that come after hardship. This message continues from yesterday’s teaching, but now we return to Genesis. While Paul later uses this story allegorically in Galatians, we're looking at the original account of when Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away.  Think of those celebrity shows that ask, “Where are they now?” That’s what we could ask about Hagar and Ishmael after Abraham’s painful decision. He didn’t want to send them away; he loved Ishmael just as he loved Isaac. He cared for Hagar because she was Ishmael’s mother. But Sarah, who once suggested that Abr...