Bonded by Belief

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a privilege to analyze the divine insights presented to the congregation through Pastor Sam Merigala's sermon on "Divine Enlightenment," which expounds upon the great intercession of the Apostle Paul found in Ephesians 1:15-23. This sermon beautifully lays out the foundation of Christian intercession, the absolute necessity of the Holy Spirit’s illumination, and the glorious realities awaiting the enlightened believer. I. The Foundation of Grace: Thanksgiving and Intercession Pastor Merigala rightly situates Paul's prayer within the broader structure of the Epistle, noting that it serves as a great intercession (1:15-23) following a great benediction (1:3-14). The Apostle first blesses our God for the multitude of blessings we have already received in Christ, and then, immediately, he prays that the Father will open our spiritual eyes to truly grasp the fullness of these spiritual realities. The intercession is rooted in prof...

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, It is my humbling joy to share with you once again, to open up the richness of His Word together. I want us to take a deeper journey into the magnificent truths Pastor Sam Merigala shared in his sermon, "Transformed in Christ: Prayer for Masterful Living". This is not a message to be heard once and set aside; it is a wellspring of truth to which we must return again and again, allowing its living water to refresh, reshape, and renew our souls. Let us, with hearts of reverence and minds attentive to the Spirit, delve into the vast ocean of God's grace revealed in this teaching. The Grand Blueprint: God's Will, God's Possession, God's Glory Pastor Merigala begins his sermon not with us, but with God. This is the fundamental reorientation that the Gospel brings into our lives. Before we can understand ourselves, our purpose, or our prayers, we must first be captivated by the majesty of God's sovereign plan. He frames thi...

Greetings, brother and sisters. Let us turn our hearts and minds to the truths laid bare in the sermon "Sealed by the Holy Spirit" delivered by Pastor Sam Merigala, wherein he explain the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Let us, as students of the Scripture, prayerfully consider the rich theological tapestry he has laid before us, drawing from the deep wells of Ephesians verses 1:13-14. In this teaching, we are presented with a magnificent tapestry of our salvation, woven with three golden threads: we are chosen by God the Father, redeemed by God the Son, and sealed by God the Holy Spirit. Pastor Sam Merigala, masterfully unpacks the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, by illuminating the sequence of our salvation as described by the Apostle. It is a divine process that commences when a person first hears the "word of truth," which is the gospel itself - the good news of salvation. Upon hearing, the next step is to believe in Him, that i...

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a joy to write to you once more as we delve into the rich truths of God's Word, through Pastor Sam Merigala's sermon on "The Believer's Heritage". Let us open our hearts to understand the profound spiritual blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus, as revealed in Ephesians 1:11-14 and echoed throughout the Scriptures. The Glorious Inheritance of the Believer Pastor Sam begins by drawing our attention to the magnificent concept of the believer's "inheritance" or "heritage". This is not merely a future hope, but a present reality that is sure to unfold. The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, speaks of this heritage "in Christ". Indeed, apart from our Lord Jesus, our future holds no true hope, but rather a tragic end. It is truly remarkable to consider that the Greek word used for "we have received an inheritance" is a single compound word, pointing to the certainty of th...

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us turn our hearts and minds to the message Pastor Sam so wonderfully expounds in his sermon on "The Mystery of God's Will" from the "Transformed in Christ" series. This message, drawn from the wellspring of Ephesians, is not merely information, but revelation meant to transform our understanding and deepen our worship. The Unveiling of God’s Glorious Mystery Pastor Sam begins by directing our attention to Ephesians 1:9-10, where the Apostle Paul makes known to us "the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him". What a magnificent declaration! God, in His infinite wisdom, intended for us to grasp His saving purposes, and He has lavished His grace upon us with "all wisdom and insight" precisely by revealing this mystery. Now, when the Apostle speaks of a "my...

Beloved readers, let us turn our hearts and minds to the profound truths laid by pastor Sam Merigala in his sermon, "MYSTERY OF GOD’S WILL," part thirteen of the TRANSFORMED IN CHRIST series, delivered at Grace Gospel Church on August 17, 2025. This sermon, drawing from the pages of Ephesians 1:7-10, reveals the dual yet integrated wonders of God's redemption and His ultimate cosmic plan in Christ. The Riches of God's Grace: Redemption and the Forgiveness of Sins (Ephesians 1:7-8) Pastor Sam commences by illuminating the glorious truth of our redemption, which, as Paul declares in Ephesians 1:7, is "through His blood" and inextricably linked with "the forgiveness of our trespasses". This redemption, brethren, is not merely a transaction; it is a grace-filled release from the very bondage of sin. To be redeemed means to be "bought back or rescued" from this spiritual slavery, a deliverance accomplished at an immeasurable price. It is mad...