We can be thankful that we will never face anything alone. That we serve a God that understands every temptation that we face. That, by His very nature, he is faithful and true to stand beside us and uphold us with His very hand, as long as we are looking to Him. So, hold on, beloved!

There is power in understanding who God is. In Daniel, as he describes things to come, we see that He reminds us: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Daniel 11:32b

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14 Sometimes, we just have to realize that our relationship with the Lord is a “Need to Know” relationship.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Luke 21:28 All of these things point to one thing. It won’t be long. It’s almost time. It doesn’t matter whether we want to believe it or not. The truth is that there is nothing preventing Him from coming any moment. Certainly, this information is true. What we do with it is up to us.

We can walk through troubled seas if we keep our eyes fixed on our Lord, but the second we look around at where we are and see all of the chaos and trouble in this world we live in that we can begin to sink. When you face troubles in this life, seek the One who can safely see you through them. Leaning on Him for every need.

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:13

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 Are you willing to give up everything you had planned for your life, possibly even your life itself, to follow Christ? In that ever so familiar passage in Romans 12, we are reminded to become a living sacrifice.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 So, how do we learn to continue in well doing, and faint not? How do we do everything that we’re supposed to do to serve our Master, tend the garden, and prepare for the harvest to come… and do all of these without becoming frustrated or giving up?

There’s an old adage that goes, “Any time you point the finger at someone, remember, there are three fingers pointing back at you.” We find it so easy to find fault in others, and often absolutely refuse to see our own guilt.

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. Proverbs 14:14

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17 However, the Word is clear: if you know better, and you still do it… it’s sin, plain and simple.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1 Peter 2:9 Our relationship with Christ calls us to step away from the crowd. We are meant to live a life of holiness and by that life, shine light upon the One who ‘called us out’, the One who has sealed us for eternity.

Friends, we have the ultimate running partner. All we have to do is reach out and trust Him to lead us home.

There’s a strange thing that happens, sometimes. We can see a need or sense a need, and yet, in our mind we can only get to: “Somebody should do something.”

And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 2 Kings 22:11 When King Josiah found the book and realized how far Israel had drifted from God’s plan, he was devastated. Lately, as I have attended services at churches around the area, I’m seeing a similar feeling in church members.

Sometimes, my battle to live a Christ-like life feels like a bit of a whack-a-mole game. Temptations and sinful thoughts pop up everywhere I turn, and the sheer quantity of them seem ready to overwhelm me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Romans 7:22-24

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24. For far too many of us, separating our secular life from our spiritual life has become so natural, that we don’t even realize we’re doing it. After all, we aren’t hurting anybody. Or are we?

Rising costs have us all taking a second look at our budget. How are we to manage skyrocketing costs at every turn, with our income failing to rise as quickly as our budget? Being a true disciple of Jesus has costs much higher than many of us expected. And yet, Christ very plainly explained the cost of becoming one of His disciples. In the 14th chapter of Luke.

In verse 3 of Psalm 51, David says: For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. My first step was admitting that I was not as perfect as I pretended to be. I had to acknowledge that the fault lay directly at my feet, as I began to do that, the Holy Spirit was faithful to lead me.

Homecoming… one of my favorite days of the year at our little country church. It has it all: old friends, food, fellowship, and worship. I love seeing old friends and hearing about what’s going on in their lives.

Who is this Jesus that we’ll be celebrating? Can you imagine the celebration we will be part of as we spend eternity celebrating Him?

We are all striving, pushing for ‘something’. Whether it be finally making our own parents happy, reaching some self-appointed position or goal, or creating children that fit the mold that we’ve cast for them. But, in truth, we should only be working to seek what God has for us.