Sozo

 

 

“Do you know what the Greek word “sozo” means?” Pat, my husband, asked me a week ago. Today’s devotional is the answer to his question.

 

There is much more depth to the Word of God than merely reading a translation. We lose significant understanding if we do not explore the meaning of the original text. We need knowledge because, without it, we will perish (Hosea 4:6). 

 

The New Testament was originally written in Greek, the common language of the Eastern Mediterranean at that time. While some scholars have debated the prospect of certain parts being written in Hebrew or Aramaic, most agree that Greek is the original language.

 

A Greek word in the New Testament that signifies new life for us is “sozo,” and it means “save.” This word impacts not only our eternal destination but also our lives here on earth. However, many Christians believe that what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection affects only the spiritual and eternal. 

 

Paul writes: “[Jesus] who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4).

 

Not only did Jesus come to save us from our sins and hell, but also from this present evil world. He came to deliver, protect, and provide for us in our physical world today.

 

The Bible clearly conveys this by using the Greek word “sozo” over one hundred times in the New Testament. "Sozo" is a comprehensive term for salvation, often translated as “save” or “saved.” A closer examination of this word reveals that salvation embraces more than just the forgiveness of sins. 

 

The term “sozo” was translated as “save” thirty-eight times concerning the forgiveness of sins. 

 

One example from Scripture is Matthew 1:21: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save [sozo] His people from their sins.”

 

The term “sozo” appeared fifty-three times translated as “saved,” indicating a completed action linked to the forgiveness of sins. One specific example where this specific Greek word was translated as "healed" is found in Mark 5:23:

 

“[Jairus] begged [Jesus] earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed [sozo], and she will live.”

 

Jairus’s daughter actually died; however, Jesus brought her back to life (Mark 5:35-43). Therefore, in this instance, “sozo” or “healed” encompasses both physical healing and resurrection from death.

 

The term “sozo,” which encompasses both the forgiveness of sins and physical healing, also involves deliverance from demons. In Luke 8, we find what those who witnessed Jesus’ deliverance of the demoniac reported to others about it: 

 

“They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed [sozo]” (Luke 8:36).

 

What do we know about this demoniac? He was erratic and uncontrollable; no one could confine him. He frequently broke the chains that restrained him. Sometimes, freedom from demonic influence is crucial for someone to achieve healing. The term “sozo” also represents this liberation.

 

Paul writes in Acts 4:9: “If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well [sozo].”

 

Paul observed a crippled man and recognized that he had the faith to be healed, and so he was. Faith is the means by which we receive the healing benefits of the forgiveness of sins.

 

Another illustration of Jesus’ power to save, manifesting in our lives through healing and the forgiveness of sins, is found in James 5:15: “And the prayer of faith will save [sozo] the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

 

In Luke 6:9, Jesus understood the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees:

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save [sozo] life or to destroy?”

 

Jesus healed the man with the withered hand when the religious leaders did not answer His question. Jesus was not merely speaking of the forgiveness of sin; He was referring to the healing of the body.

 

The term “sozo” was also translated as “made whole” or “be whole” in over eleven instances in the New Testament. 

 

An example of this can be found in Mark 5:28, where the woman with the issue of blood speaks: “If I may touch his clothes, I shall be whole [sozo].”

 

Another instance is found in Luke 8:50 when Jesus heard the news that Jairus’ daughter had died. He told Jairus: “Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole [sozo]”

 

Jesus was speaking of her physical healing. 

 

Many view salvation as merely the forgiveness of our sins. However, the Greek word “sozo” signifies that it encompasses much more. While the forgiveness of sins is the core purpose of salvation, at the same time that Christ died to secure our redemption from sin, He also freed us from its consequences. He fully restored and liberated us from sickness, disease, despair, and deprivation.

 

2 Corinthians 8:9 reads: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

 

Jesus became poor so that through His poverty, we might be abundantly supplied. Through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, God has provided us with everything we need in this life and the life to come: forgiveness of sins, healing, deliverance, and His abundant provision. 

 

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).

 

We possess everything we need within ourselves to walk in the truth of His righteousness. We perish because of the truth we do not know. However, when His truth flourishes in our souls, we can understand it, and it will set us free from all the destruction of sin.

 

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers”(3 John 2).

 

I have fought hard to learn this truth, and I am still learning it. As long as I see sickness, despair, and poverty as burdens God has given me, they will continue to weigh me down. The effects of sin will shape my existence rather than the liberating message of salvation through Jesus. 

 

“Don’t allow doubt or fear,” the Holy Spirit constantly reminds me. "Only believe in what I say. Don’t let any unbelief hinder my restoration in you.”

 

I choose your salvation in all its fullness of revelation, Lord Jesus. Thank you for the precious blood you shed for me! I want to honor your gift, believing and speaking all of your salvation in my heart.

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/sozo.html

 

 

Something New in Me

 

 

 

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

—Isaiah 43:19

 

You promise something new, Lord. Conceive something new in me, Holy Spirit. I want to perceive your Word producing life in me. I’m meditating on Your Word, renewing my thoughts daily, and believing Your Word in my heart. Your Word is Truth. Guide me into all of it, Holy Spirit. Teach me beyond my natural ability to perceive. Take me to the place in You, Holy Spirit, where I walk in peace, healing, and joy more abundant than I have ever known.

 

Amid the chaos, evil, unrest, and struggles, you tell me to keep my mind on You. I don’t have any answers. I know this is a matter of trust. You give me Your vision to inspire hope. I want to know it and share it with integrity.

 

You continually tell me that You are doing something new. But my perception is not yet Yours, Lord. I’m making the mistake of trying to understand with my mind instead of Yours. If I trust and seek You, I will receive understanding beyond my human understanding with the revelation You have for me. 

 

This journey of Your revelation is unlike any other. You take me out of my comfort zone, beyond the familiar, and open the life of Your Word within me. You expand my understanding from the ordinary aspects of this world to the extraordinary nature of Yours. Your revelation may be hard-fought and hard-won, but I desire Your revelation more than human understanding. Nothing else is worth the divine unveiling of Your Word. Nothing comes close.

 

Everyone—whether from the world or from you—believes they have the answer. Their answers may be based on human logic or what they believe in your Word. Perhaps those who seek answers in Your Word have never considered that You possess a deeper understanding to reveal within it. 

 

Has the awakening of Your Grace eluded us for far too long? Dare we open ourselves and allow You, Holy Spirit, to guide us into all Truth? The answer to everything is found in Your Word. We just haven’t perceived it yet so that it can be believed in our minds and conceived in our hearts. We haven’t been willing to risk venturing into unchartered territory with You.

 

You will keep us in perfect peace, no matter what rages around us, when we trust You with our minds and hearts. Our spirits are entirely Yours—our souls perceive Your Spirit and conceive Your Truth; our bodies respond based on what our minds have perceived and conceived. When we place our faith in You rather than in the delusions of the enemy, the world, religious tradition, or the opinions of men, You grant perfect peace amid chaos and destruction.

 

“Behold, I will do a new thing. Will you not know it?  I make a road in this wilderness and give waters in this desert land to my people—to the ones that know me—the ones I have formed for myself. They shall praise me” (Isaiah 43:19-21).

 

You are my answer, Lord Jesus. The revelation of Your Word is the means you have given me to know you. I fix my mind and heart on You. I trust only you, Lord. I sow Your imperishable Truth in my heart, and You bring forth something new in me.

 

*******

 

Lord, You promise new work in me. Sometimes, I hinder it by taking on the weight of my assignment instead of allowing You to carry it. But You paid that price; it is Your weight, not mine. I am but Your servant. Daily, I will allow You to bear fruit. You give revelation. You change hearts, not me. Lord, Jesus, may the meditation of my heart and the words that I write be pleasing in your sight. I take my hands off Your work. Open my heart to risk everything for you. Change me, Holy Spirit, into a vessel You can use so that Your Word will come to life in those hungry enough to receive it. Help me write for hearts that are famished and willing to risk everything for You.

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/something-new-in-me.html

  

To Act or Not to Act

 

When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."

— Matthew 9:27-29

 

Everything Jesus did during His earthly ministry flourished. Every healing, deliverance, and act He performed stemmed from His spiritual union with His Father. Jesus succeeded because He never acted unless He was confident that the Father, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, was leading Him to do so. Jesus never attempted to heal the sick, cast out demons, or raise the dead without the assurance that His actions were in alignment with what He had observed the Father doing (John 5:19). 

 

In Matthew 9:27-31, there is an example of Jesus' ministry that initially appears different from His norm.

 

Two beggars saw Jesus passing by and started calling Him for healing. Despite their pleas, Jesus did not stop to acknowledge them; He continued on His way. Matthew 9:27 notes that these two men "followed him, crying out, 'Son of David, have mercy on us.'" Although blind, the beggars followed Jesus, determined to capture His attention. In this verse, the Greek word for "crying" indicates that they were screaming and doing everything they could to make Jesus notice them.

 

In this story, Jesus appears different from the typical image of Him healing those who come to Him. Here, two blind men urgently needing healing cried out loudly for Jesus. Rather than stopping to help them, He continued on His journey. The two men persevered, following Him in their darkness. Jesus heard their calls but did not answer them. They followed Jesus to the house where He was staying, doggedly pleading for mercy (Matthew 9:28). Jesus finally came out and asked them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They answered, "Yes, Lord." Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith, let it be done to you," and their sight was restored instantly (Matthew 9:30).

 

Why didn't Jesus respond to them when they were following Him and pleading for mercy? Why did He not immediately heal them upon learning they were blind?  

 

Perhaps Jesus did not respond quickly to their pleas because He did not sense the leading of the Holy Spirit at that moment to restore their sight. If He had, He would have stopped and healed them. Regardless of His preference, Jesus only did what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). The incredible news is that those two men, just like the woman with the issue of blood, were able to use their faith to be healed. 

 

Typically, we view the Holy Spirit as guiding us to act, but in this story, with the two blind beggars, Jesus was led to refrain from acting. If the Spirit had moved him to heal them, He would have done so instantly, as He had on many other occasions.

 

Often, we pursue our own plans and miss what the Holy Spirit is trying to accomplish through us. We initiate something and then pray, asking God to bless our actions. We frequently encounter unsatisfactory results when we assume that our endeavors are God's will. We must learn to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, just as He guided Jesus.

 

If the Holy Spirit leads us to act, we should follow that guidance. However, if there is no direction, we should refrain. When Jesus first saw those two blind beggars, He must have felt a compassionate desire to reach out and heal them. However, He only did what He saw the Father doing, initiating nothing without being led by the Holy Spirit. Jesus' dependence on the Holy Spirit was the reason His ministry was entirely successful: He only did what the Father instructed.

 

Sometimes, the Holy Spirit asks us to refrain from acting, while He instructs us to take action at other times. The Spirit will help us become more attuned to His voice, revealing when to act and when to hold back. Instead of rushing to respond each time we see a need in someone's life or ours, we should pause, pray, and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to us about it. Yes, this process may take significantly longer. Yet, following Jesus' example and relying on the Holy Spirit's guidance will yield far more rewarding results than merely pursuing our own plans. 

 

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise" (Ephesians 5:15).

 

Don't rush in foolishly. Use the time God gives you wisely and prudently. Seek the Spirit's direction. Without His guidance, your faith will rest in yourself—in your plans and your ability to accomplish them; ultimately, they will fail, producing nothing of eternal value. However, faith in God—in His plans and power to achieve them—will yield the fruit of His Word. 

 

“All who are led by the Spirit are children of God” (Romans 8:14, NLT). If you follow the Holy Spirit's leading as Jesus did, you too will experience miraculous success that impacts the lives of others for the Father's glory. 

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/to-act-or-not-to-act.html

 

 

The Enduring Foundation

A wise man understands that Jesus is the only sure foundation in his life. A foolish man considers himself wise but only deceives himself (Proverbs 12:15, Galatians 6:3). Those who know the teachings of Jesus and follow them have a safeguard against self-deception. They are like the wise man who built his house on the rock.

 

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock" (Matthew 7:23-24).

 

However, a fool is like the man who built his house on the sand.

 

"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall" (Matthew 7:23-27).

 

The rains, floods, and winds affected both houses equally. The difference lay not in the storms but in their foundations. Everyone will face challenges, including Christians (Acts 14:22, 2 Timothy 3:12), but those who are firmly anchored in following the Word of God will persevere.

 

Establishing a foundation in rock requires more effort than in sand. This explains why few people find the narrow road that leads to life (Matthew 7:14). Many choose the path that demands the least effort, often overlooking future consequences. Pursuing God's truth until it becomes the cornerstone of your life necessitates time and effort. It requires commitment and perseverance to build a strong foundation that can withstand life's challenges.

 

Building a house on sand may be easier and quicker, but it cannot withstand a storm. Those who foolishly build their lives on a shifting foundation of what they see, feel, hear, and experience will not endure the journey. You can only run a winning race when transformed by the truth of Jesus Christ that you know. Just as a fool is known by his actions, a wise man is known by his. A fool wavers in his faith and is not firm in his convictions, while a wise, prudent man acts with knowledge (Proverbs 13:6). He does what the Word says and is strengthened in his faith.

 

"Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain" (Psalm 127:1).

 

A foolish man despises wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). He labors in vain because he does not rely on the Lord. If what we are doing is not inspired and directed by the Lord, then what we are building in our lives will ultimately fail. Our strength and defenses will not protect us when the enemy seeks to destroy us. 

 

However, the opposite is also true. A wise person seeks God's wisdom and guidance. When we are inspired and directed by the Lord in our actions, we can be confident. We need not worry about how to sustain what God has built.

 

Jesus Christ is the Word of God, the foundation that endures forever. It requires time and effort to cultivate Him in your life. Sow the seed of His incorruptible Word in your heart and nourish it. Roots will grow deeply into the unchanging and eternal truth of His Word. Pray with confidence in Him, and He will establish you. You will not only overcome the storms of this life; you will joyfully run your race with His Word, bearing its miraculous fruit in your life.

 

What are you building your life on? Be wise! Allow the Word to manifest its truth in you!

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/the-enduring-foundation.html

 

Live in the Spirit

 

One of the hardest things for Christians is to learn to live in the Spirit. We have become so accustomed to our own reasoning, feelings, past experiences, and circumstances that hearing the Spirit can seem challenging. 

 

"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts'" (Hebrews 3:7-8a).

 

We control the sensitivity of our hearts. Our choices yield either a hardened, insensitive heart or a tender, perceptive heart open to the Spirit. We are the ones who choose to harden our hearts to the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Many Christians live from their minds, wills, and emotions. We live by our feelings and walk by sight rather than by faith. Many of our prayers come from our feelings. Exercising the spiritual mind of Christ and praying from the Spirit remains elusive for many. 

 

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come" (John 16:13).

 

The Spirit must guide our Christian walk. Our spirit man needs to live by every word from God's mouth. The Spirit will inspire us to pray in genuine faith, to receive words of knowledge and wisdom, and to access gifts of healing and deliverance. If we are overwhelmed and distracted by our feelings, we will experience frustration and struggle to walk in the Spirit. 

 

"These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:13-14).

 

An unsaved person lives according to what his natural mind dictates. He does not receive the things of God. They make no sense to him. A saved person has a choice. He can understand with his natural mind or with the spiritual mind of Christ he received when he was born again. A Christian living a life dominated by his natural understanding and perception is insensitive and hardened to the things of the Spirit. This insensitivity is why so many miss out on God's promises. The Spirit reveals God's promises and motivates our faith to believe. 

 

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" (1 Corinthians 2:12).

 

We have God's Spirit, enabling us to perceive the things God has freely given us. The flesh opposes the Spirit. Choose today not to harden your heart to His voice. Daily walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of your flesh. Pray in the Spirit, and your feelings will not interfere. Expect the Holy Spirit to guide you and to reveal God's truth, and He will.

 

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:5-6).

 

Do your thoughts wander as you create strategies and scenarios to navigate life? Do you let your feelings guide you? The Word states that this mindset leads to death. 

 

A hardened heart will keep you from perceiving spiritual truth. You decide to nurture your heart to hear the voice of the Spirit. You decide to keep your heart soft and open to His guidance. You possess the mind of Christ, which transcends the natural man. Focus your thoughts on the spiritual matters of God, and you will foster a mindset of life and peace. Each day, "put on the new man who was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). 

 

The choice is yours to live in the Spirit.

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/live-in-spirit.html

 

 

Due Diligence

 

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God.

— 2 Corinthians 1:21

 

Many years ago, I worked in healthcare, negotiating contracts. Before recommending that the agency I worked for sign a contract, I had to thoroughly examine each clause to ensure no risk to the company. What I recommended could affect not only the company’s reputation but also its future. I had to perform “due diligence.”

 

Conducting due diligence is always wise before signing a legally binding contract. God also conducts due diligence before choosing whom He will use. If it is sensible to research before entering a contract where someone’s reputation is at stake, how crucial is it for God to endorse someone He can trust not to harm His reputation? God wants us prepared before He places us in a prominent position to represent Him, where many people will see us.

 

What about your life? You may have an incredible vision and yearn for God to use you. Your enthusiasm might drive you to push ahead. However, it is crucial to understand that God isn’t concerned about time. Instead, He places greater importance on your character, integrity, faithfulness, and purity of heart than on time. God considers these essential character qualities when determining if you are ready for a new calling. He won’t promote you until He confirms that you are prepared and capable of handling greater responsibility. 

 

Paul made this clear in 2 Corinthians 1:21, where he wrote, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God.” Will you join me as we dig into this verse? 

 

Consider the word “establishes” in the first part of this verse. It is an old Greek term, “bebaios,” meaning firm, strong, and resolute. Paul asserted that God desires to make us steadfast in our faith, strong in spiritual conflict, and resolute in purpose. He wants us to be committed, unwavering, dependable, and trusting in Him. God is diligently working to establish you.

 

You may not have reached this level of trust yet, but God is actively working to establish you. If you desire God to use you powerfully, you must surrender to His work. Commitment and steadfastness are essential for faithfully remaining diligent in service to God. Anyone who is a leader endures difficult and uncomfortable situations. To effectively represent Him, God needs to be sure that you are someone He can trust and rely on. 

 

There is another significant perspective on the word “bebaios” in 2 Corinthians 1:21. This perspective reveals that God does not touch someone powerfully until He has first performed “due diligence” to ensure that this person is ready for a higher purpose. The Greek term “bebaios” was also used to describe the thorough research involved in verifying a document’s trustworthiness. If those writing or copying documents by hand were not careful, mistakes could occur, and reputations could be at stake. Therefore, it made sense to establish its reliability before someone confirmed a deal. Before God establishes us, He verifies our dependability.

 

Look also at the word “anointed” in 2 Corinthians 1:2. In both the Old and New Testaments, someone “anointed” was ordained by God with the Holy Spirit. When a recipient received an anointing, a person with spiritual authority poured the oil into their hands. Covering their hands with oil, they placed their hands on the recipient and rubbed the oil into the person’s head or skin. The word “anoint” in this verse does not merely describe placing a drop of oil on a person; it represents a hands-on experience of the lavish oil of the Holy Spirit on a recipient’s life. When God anoints you, it is His seal of approval.

 

In 2 Corinthians 1:21, we see that God does not lay His hands on someone to endorse them until He has first determined that the person is trustworthy of His anointing. The moment God lays His hands on someone, the oil is applied to that person’s life with the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s anointing is so holy and sacred that He never lays His hands on someone without proving them worthy of a greater anointing.

 

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men,” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:2. 

 

Your life is an epistle—a living document. God is reading your life to observe how you live, the words you speak, and how you care for others. He is determining if you are ready for a higher level of responsibility. Don’t be shocked if God finds things in your life that need correction. Allow the Holy Spirit to correct those faults so God can use you. Never rush to claim a position you’re not ready for. Take the time to work on anything in your life that might discredit you or put your vision to be used by God at risk. Let God work in your life and establish you. Don’t forget He is more concerned about your character, honesty, and steadfastness than meeting your timeline. 

 

God’s anointing is His seal of approval. Before He gives you more responsibility, He wants to validate that you are ready for a greater anointing in your life. When you have humbled yourself and allowed Him to develop your character, He will exalt you in His time. He will put His hand on you and anoint you for His greater work. 

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/due-diligence.html

 

Taking In God's Word

 

Have you ever stayed in someone’s home and felt unwelcome? It is not a place you want to be. If you feel like a burden to someone obligated to host you, how do you think God feels when you treat His Word as something you must accept out of obligation? 

How have you received the Word of God in your life?  Have you given it the respect it deserves or overlooked it? Does God’s Word feel at home within you, or does it feel unwelcome? Have you embraced it with joy, clearly showing that you value having it reside in your heart?

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” Paul writes in Colossians 3:16.

The word of Christ should “dwell” in us richly. The Greek term “enoikeo,” translated as “dwell,” means “to dwell in and influence someone for good” (New Testament Greek Lexicon). This term is used in the New Testament and in other Greek literature to signify taking permanent residence. Paul implores us to invite and welcome God’s Word into our hearts until it feels so at home that it desires permanent residence within us.

Does the Word hold a significant place in your life? Does it feel at home and welcome in you? Or is the Word of God regarded as an occasional visitor, sometimes welcomed into your life as a guest? 

Paul says the Word is to dwell “richly” in us. The word “richly” translates from the Greek word “plousios” and means “richly abundantly” (New Testament Greek Lexicon).

Jesus is the Word who came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). Is the Word dwelling richly within you, influencing you for good, and producing abundant fruit in your life? Thirtyfold? Sixtyfold? Hundredfold? As its truth takes deeper root and grows in your heart, the Word produces more and more of its truth within you. There becomes less of you and more of it. Jesus dwells in you more richly and abundantly. He becomes your identity rather than a lack of knowledge that will destroy your life (Hosea 4:6).

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in wisdom” (Colossians 3:16).

Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with it (Proverbs 8:11). Your spiritual life is built on God’s wisdom, and you are rooted in Christ through understanding. Knowledge of the Word fills your life abundantly with God’s precious and delightful blessings (Proverbs 24:3-4).

The Holy Spirit wants to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Jesus (Ephesians 1:17). However, you must welcome the Word as a permanent resident in your heart. 

Are you ready to give the Word permanent residence in your heart? Be renewed by the Word and meditate on it until the Holy Spirit unveils Jesus in your heart. Then, the Word is powerful enough to produce what it promises. You have welcomed Him. The power of the Holy Spirit dwells richly in you. He is in you, and you are in Him. 

*******

Lord Jesus, I cannot thank You enough for Your Word. It transforms me into the new person I became when I was reborn in You. You are life in me. Your Word is life in me. I want You to dwell in me richly. Give me wisdom, Lord. I want to experience the truth and fulfillment of Your Word in my life. I want to see Your Word produce richly in my life. I am honored that You would place such an indescribable gift of grace in me. 

Help me appreciate Your Word, value it, and give it the honor it deserves. I want Your Word to know it is welcomed, honored, and deeply loved. Teach me, and live in me, Holy Spirit. I seek the Word dwelling in me more abundantly than ever before. 

When Your Word is alive in me, I know You shall do even more abundantly than I think or ask. I only want to witness the miracle of Your Word confirmed in me and through me in the lives of others—forgiveness, healing, deliverance, and a prosperous, abundant, and blessed life. Abide in me, and I will abide in You. I let you, Jesus. Use me. Work through me. You are the One I praise. 

In Your Name, I pray.

 www.lynnlacher.com/2025/03/taking-in-gods-word.html  

You Are Christ in Me

 

 

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

—Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV)

 

 

You have calmed my mind and heart throughout the night with blessed sleep. As consciousness returns, I hear your gentle whisper urging me to wake. Your Word rises from within my heart, encouraging and uplifting me. Yet, without warning, the concern I entrusted to you last night tries to claim my first waking moment, and a feeling of uncertainty descends. But you, my overcoming strength, are not just with me; you are within me. That concern holds no power as it attempts to come against you—not against me. 

 

How wonderful that your thoughts for me are as plentiful as grains of sand! You have miraculously triumphed over every challenge in my life! You are for me! You desire your best for me! You are my promise. My thoughts calm as I focus on your goodness and grace. Rather than the concern I entrusted to you last night, you remind me of your unwavering faithfulness throughout all my days and nights.

You lay hold of me, drowning any doubt.

 

“It is finished,” you speak in my heart. 

 

There is only you. No thought to tear my heart. No fear of what might come. No problem to fix. No purpose to fulfill. Nothing but you breathing in me. Nothing but you praying from within me. Your Words are my words. All is unspoiled and perfect in you. We are one—you in me and I in you. I ride your strong currents, and I am renewed like the eagle. Your peace owns my heart. I delight myself in you. You are all I have ever desired. You are Christ in me, my hope of glory.

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/03/you-are-christ-in-me.html

 

  

Focus on the Eternal

 

Throughout history, evil empires have advanced, wars and plagues have destroyed lives, and economic collapses have occurred. Humanity’s hunger for more is never satisfied. The enemy still steals, kills, and destroys. There is no lasting satisfaction to be found in men’s attempt to fill the void God created only to be filled by Him. 

 

No matter what happens in this world, never be preoccupied with what is merely temporary.

 

“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

 

Regardless of the world’s past hardships, they were all temporary. Those catastrophes have come and gone. Our present turmoil is also transient. While it may seem like we are in the end times due to our current experiences, it only seems that way because we are living in them. 

 

History demonstrates that far more devastating events have impacted the world than those observed today.  In World War I and World War II alone, eighty-five million to one hundred seven million people lost their lives. These figures include the deaths of military personnel from battles or wartime events, civilian fatalities resulting from conflict, and those caused by war-induced plagues, famines, and genocides (Wikipedia).

 

Slavery, massacres, the conquests of nations, and social injustices have endured since the creation of man. 

 

We are definitely closer to the coming of the Lord than ever before, but our temporary discomfort does not necessarily mean He must come now to deliver us. Christians and others have suffered tremendously for the last two thousand years. This is not new. 

 

Our country is being shaken by the forces of evil. At this moment, it may seem permanent, but in the context of history, it is only temporary. It is our “light affliction, which is but for a moment.” We must keep our eyes on the unseen if we are to traverse our times successfully.

 

During the oppression of the Roman occupation, Jesus ministered to Israel. His message was not aimed at Rome but focused on the Kingdom of God. We can preach about the Kingdom of God and the cross of Jesus in any circumstance. Our lives may not be as comfortable as we would like, but this is only temporary. The Kingdom of God and eternal life are everlasting. 

 

Are you more concerned about your destiny than that of others? Don’t worry about this life—what you will wear, eat, or drink. Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things (Matthew 6:31-32). Don’t focus on yourself. Focus on those who don’t know Him. We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone (Mark 16:15). If you are consumed by the news and what is happening around you, you cannot fulfill Christ’s commission. Fear will paralyze you. But you are an overcomer in Christ!  You have the message of the Gospel and the authority that Jesus has given you! 

 

Are you confident that the Holy Spirit is working through you?

 

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

 

The day will come…

 

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

 

You are the only Jesus that some people will ever encounter. Is your mandate from Jesus or from the world? Jesus is eternal, while this world is merely temporary. Focus on the eternal.

 

 

www.lynnlacher.com/2025/04/focus-on-eternal.html