WORDS OF LIVING WATERS DAILY INSPIRATION
Monday, 9th February, 2026.
Theme: Build a befitting dwelling place for God
(1 Kings 8: 1-7,9-13, Ps 132, Mk 6:53-56)
Today we remember the dedication of the Jerusalem Temple.King Solomon built a befitting temple as a dwelling place for God. This was what the father David wanted to do, but God told him he has chosen his son Solomon to accomplish that purpose. The Israelites until the time of Solomon didn’t have a well built temple for their worship. They had a place which served as a national center for worship, but these were not temples. Solomon dedicated his time and resources to put up a place of worship for his people. This became a very popular edifice in Israel and beyond. Of course, it was the king who led this project, but he got all the people involved to accomplish this noble task. How beautiful it is to contribute to the building of a house of God. It is a great blessing for anybody to dedicate and contribute in putting up a place of worship.
Beloved, King Solomon contributed his part in putting up a place of worship for the people of Israel in Jerusalem. Today his name is remembered for this great contribution to the religious life of the people of Israel. What will you be remembered for in your religious group? How contributive are you in relation to your church projects? Do you really give your all to support the building of your church or any other church projects? Some of us when it comes to helping in building our churches, then we are zero to that effect. We don’t want our monies to be used in such projects. But we can spend millions of cedis on funerals, our own buildings, and others,but not on the house of God. We have forgotten that God is the one who has blessed us with all these resources. And we are refusing to help promote his work with the very resources he has granted us. One day we shall answer for that.
But I must admit that a lot of us are also using all our resources to help put up a befitting places of worship for our people. I know some individuals in Accra and other places who have helped to put up church buildings and other projects in certain deprived places, such as Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate. In fact, most of the churches in this area either worship in classrooms or under trees. And some people who have had the opportunity to visit such places or are previewed to this situation have contributed generously towards such noble tasks. Some groups have even adopted some of these churches. I can tell you that their blessings will continue to remain upon them and their families from generations to generations. Yes, that is what God does for people who spend their resources in and on his house. Try to be part of this group of blessed people.
The temple of God is not only the physical building but also our very self. Because our bodies are also the temple of God and the the Holy Spirit, according to St. Paul. It means that we must also make our bodies a befitting place for God to dwell. That place which he dwells is our heart. Make your hearts a holy place for God to dwell. In other words, we must abstain from all forms of sinful acts which will contaminate our bodies. The Holy Spirit can’t dwell in a body full of filth. Of course, light and darkness can’t dwell together. Therefore we must strive to live holy lives everyday in our lives. This is a daily efforts which we must endeavor to work on. Jesus is always standing at the door of your heart, wanting a place to dwell in you (Rev. 3:20). We either prevent him by indulging in sinful acts or welcome him by striving for holiness. Can you say right now that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit or otherwise? Your way of life will affirm or not.
May God help us to make our resources available always in building his house. Amen.
Have a Blessed week.
Shalom.
Rev. Fr. Akakpo Matthew
WORDS OF LIVING WATERS DAILY INSPIRATION
Tuesday,10th February, 2026.
Memorial of St. Scholastica
Theme:Don’t be an external Christian
(1 Kings 8:22-23,27-30, Ps 84, Mk 7: 1-13)
Beloved, Jesus is teaching us today that Christianity is not all about following rules but serving him from our hearts. The Pharisees and Scribes were only following rules but their hearts were very far away from God. In today’s gospel, they complained why the disciples of Jesus don’t follow the rituals of cleansing ( the washing of hands,feet, bowls and others). These are what they call the traditions of the elders. Religiosity was their way of life, meanwhile they had no personal relationship with God.
Again, Jesus is warning them against the life of hypocrisy. A hypocrite is one who portrays what he or she is not. They presented themselves to the people to be holy religious leaders, but in reality they were very sinful. They were not what they claimed to be. They were living lives of deception.
Our case is not different from these people. Don’t be a Pharisee or a Scribe of our time. A life of deception is disaster. By the way, whom are you deceiving? Of course, you are deceiving yourself. Because if you present yourself to be a prayerful person but in reality you are not, then you are doing yourself no good. When you die without repenting you will have no place in God’s kingdom. It is your own soul that you are destroying.
The Lord Jesus invites us to worship Him from our hearts and not with lip service. Hypocrites worship God with their lips but not their hearts. Most of us are only lip service Christians. We do things to please people, but our hearts are very far from God. It is one thing to be religious and other to be spiritual. You can be religious by following rules and regulations strictly, but you might not be doing it with your heart. We are called to be authentic Christians not hypocrites.
Being a Christian is not about being punctual at church, paying your dues, going for communion always, giving offering and offertory always, and the list continue. Some of us are so strict with following rules by the church, but we don’t have any personal relationship with Jesus.
Most of us Christians of today are becoming more hypocrites than ever. We are external Christians who are superficial with our religiosity. In fact, we can be called fake Christians, because we are not authentic.We can’t win souls with this kind of living. But the question is: Where do you belong? Are you worshipping God with your lips or from your hearts? The decision is yours.
May God help us to be authentic Christians. Amen.
Have a blessed day.
Shalom 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Rev.Fr. Akakpo Matthew
