A Good Start to a New Year

As we close the last days of 2010, now is a good time to plan our exit from 2010 to 2011. In Psalm 100:4, the psalmist declares that we should "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; Give thanks to Him, bless His name." As we make the transition to the upcoming year, let's enter the new year with thanksgiving and praise. Give thanks to God for the things that He has already brought us through, and praise for His blessings in store for us in 2011.

Our Original Manufacturer

When a new vehicle needs replacement parts, we can only obtain those parts from the dealer, who orders those parts directly from the manufacturer. In Psalm 100:3, the psalmist declares for us to "Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." When we fall away from the perfect design that God has ordained for our lives, we can always return to God, our original manufacturer, to obtain the grace and mercy that we need to restore us into fellowship with God.

Joy in Serving God

In Psalm 100:2, the psalmist urges us to "serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing." When we enter the sanctuary, or anywhere that we can experience the presence of God, we should do so joyfully. Our service to the kingdom is not a job or a chore; it's a privilege. Our service, time in worship, and communion with God can be a source of unspeakable joy when surrender our will to the will of God.

A Reason to Shout

In Psalm 100:1, the psalmist declares "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth." When we consider all that has happened this year, both the good and the bad, the fact that we are still here, alive and well, and still able to shout is a great reason to shout for joy!

Baptized in Spirit

The baptism ceremony is time of great celebration, as it is a believer's public declaration that they have accepted Christ as their Savior. In Mark 1:8, John the Baptist declared "I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The water baptism alone is neither a requirement nor a guarantee for salvation; it's the conviction that a believer has before they meet the water that makes all the difference. Without the inward conviction of accepting Christ, the baptism is simply a public bath.

Unworthy but Grateful

In Mark 1: 7, the apostle recalls the message of John the Baptist; he declared "After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie." John the Baptist lived a righteous life; he dedicated his life to preaching the gospel, urging men to repent of their sins, and baptizing believers. Even with his righteous life, he realized that he was not worthy to be compared with our Savior. In all of our best intentions and good deeds, we too must realize that we are unworthy of God's grace and mercy. Thankfully, Christ has already paved the way for us to receive God's greatest gift; salvation through his Son.

Simply Redeemed

In Mark 1: 4-5, the apostle recalls that "John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." The fall man caused a break in fellowship between man and God; the preaching of John cleared a pathway to restore that fellowship, but the birth of Christ built the bridge to restore man into that fellowship. Regardless of how good we have tried to be, we must be redeemed to our fellowship with God; as believers, we must recognize that they only way to be redeemed is to accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Preparing the Way

In Mark 1-3, the apostle begins his story describing the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. He refers to the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet;" I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way,' “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Although John the Baptist was not the Messiah, he played a critical role in preparing the hearts of the people to receive the Christ as Savior of the world.

Higher Thoughts

In Isaiah 55:9, the Lord declares through the prophet, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." The Lord makes His illustration plainly; just as we can only view the heavens from the Earth, we can only imagine the thoughts of God though our carnal minds. Thankfully, we have His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide our minds and hearts to the will of God.

God's Thoughts and Ours

In Isaiah 55:8, the prophet writes “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. We should be glad that the Lord's thoughts are not like my own, as our thoughts are often unrighteous; and rejoice that the Lord's ways are not like our ways, as oftentimes, our actions do not line up with the Word of God. Thankfully, in spite of our thoughts and ways, God continues to love us and show us abundant grace and mercy every day.

God's Perfect Will

In Luke 1: 38, the apostle recalls Mary's response to the angel's prophecy. She answered him, declaring “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Mary was called to be the mother of Christ long before she was born; her acceptance of the angel's prophecy, however, is the very thing that pushed her into her destiny. Having a prophecy spoken over our lives is only the beginning; to push us into our destiny, God still requires us to accept His perfect will for our lives, which will impact us and many generations to come.

Blessed by Association

In Luke 1:35-36, the angel Gabriel proclaimed to Mary that "the Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.”

Although the prophecy was proclaimed to Mary, the prophecy affected more than just her immediate family; her relatives were also abundantly blessed just because they were close to her. Consider that the prophecy and purpose that God has ordained for each of our lives affects more than just our households. Just as Mary, those around will be abundantly blessed because of your acceptance of your relationship with God and acceptance of His will in your life.

Prophecy of Generations

When God has sent his messenger with a prophecy, it of applies beyond the one He has sent the propehcy. The prophecy is not just for the recipient, but for the generations to come. In Luke 1:31-33, the angel Gabriel proclaims to Mary that " you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” The prophecy of Christ affected more than Mary and Joseph, but continues to bless God's people even in this generation.

No Fear of God's Favor

In Luke 1:29-30, the apostle recalls that Mary was greatly troubled at the angel Gabriel's words, and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God." Mary did not understand why she was called, but accepted the calling and greeting from the angel as God's messenger. When God calls us for our purpose, the purpose He has called us for may seem overwhelming. As God calls us, just as He called Mary, He gives us great favor to fulfill that calling of our purpose.

Called to Greatness

In Luke 1:26-28, the Bible tells of the calling of Mary as the mother of Christ. The apostle recalls that "the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth,to a girl never having been married and a virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one endued with grace! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!" There was nothing special about Mary, according to those around her, but she accepted the angel's call, and was willing to be used for the greatest birth in history; our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Be the Judge

True believers have the responsibility of treating one another civilly, especially in the sight of the world. In 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Paul writes "do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? " Paul urges the Corinthians to find a competent person among the congregation to judge disputes among the members, as the body of Christ sets the standard for conduct based on the word of God.

In-House Resolution

Oftentimes, when members of an independent entity have a dispute or an issue with another member of the community, they resolve that dispute within their own community through their own justice system. In 1 Corinthians 6:1, Paul asks "does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?" As Paul asks, how can a judge who has no first-hand experience with the life of the saints judge a dispute among them? I ask the same question; how can someone outside of the body of Christ judge a dispute between members?

It's a Shame

The world has much higher expectations of those who are members of the body of Christ. Those higher expectations have been in effects for believers since the establishment of the early church. In 1 Corinthians 5:1, Paul writes "1 Corinthians 5 "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife." Even in the world, this kind of behavior would be suspect; in the church, however, it is a public shame, not only on himself, but the entire church. Consider today that your actions affect more than just yourself, as we represent more than ourselves; we represent Christ for the world.

Leaders in Christ

It is easy to mistake the greatness of people, especially our leaders, as their own power and greatness instead of the great power of God working through them. In 1 Corinthians 3:21, Paul writes there should be"no more boasting about human leaders!" Leaders in Christ will not accept the praise of the people, but will humbly deflect your praise to give praise and glory to God. They realize that they are nothing on their own, as Christ instructed His disciples in John 15:15, apart from Christ, we can do nothing.

Wisdom in the Word

It is easy to believe that wisdom comes as a result of one's age, experience, or education, which are all indications of one being wise in the world. The Bible, however, advocates for us to be wise in the Word. In 1 Corinthians 3:19-20, Paul writes "for the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." The world may call us wise because we have reached a certain age, level of experience, or level of education; but to be wise in God's eyes, we must be wise in the Word.

Yielding into Submisison

In the last days of Joshua's life, he poured out his life before the people to urge them to serve the Lord, as they had been serving foreign gods. In Joshua 24:18, the prophet recalled "the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God." The people realized the great things that God had already done, and yielded themselves into serving the Lord as they recognized what He had already done for them.

God has Done Great Things

We only need to reflect on what God has already done for us if we ever doubt His powerful love for us. In Joshua 24:17, the people reflect that "it was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled." Even though the people engaged in sin, they still remembered the great things that the Lord had already done for them. Even when we stray off of the path that God has set for us, we cannot forget or deny the great things that He has already done for us.

Responding to the Word

Most self-help books and programs start with an admission that there is a problem; the rationale is that you cannot address a problem until you admit that there is a problem; the same is true with sin. In Joshua 24: 16, "the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!" Joshua received a word from the Lord to warn the people to put away their false gods and serve the Lord; instead of repentance, their response was of denial. When the Word comes forth with a warning, we should acknowledge our sin, repent immediately, and turn away from it for good.

Choosing to Serve the Lord

Our God is truly almighty and all-powerful; yet even in his infinite power, He loves us enough to give us the choice to serve Him. In Joshua 24:15, the prophet declares to the people "if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua declared to the people his choice to serve the Lord, not only for himself, but for his entire household. As people of God, we have the choice to serve the Lord, but we must remember that our choice affects more than just ourselves but may impact our entire household, in this generation and the generations to come.

Sin's Expiration

Every perishable product has a visible expiration date printed in a prominent place on the package, so the consumer will know when it has outlived its time of usefulness. When that date passes, it usually is a good idea to throw it out, as consuming it may be harmful to the consumer. In Joshua 24: 14 , the prophet declares to the people"Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord." God has delivered us from our old sinful ways, just as he delivered the Israelites from their old ways of serving other gods. As Joshua urged the people to throw away the gods of their forefathers, God is now encouraging us to throw away the sinful nature of our past.

Don't be fooled

In today's society, a person's knowledge is assumed by the level of education they have obtained through their diplomas, degrees, and certifications. In 1 Corinthians 3:18, Paul writes "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise." Regardless of your level of education, we all are able to be counted wise when we become a "fool" for Christ.

Do Not Destroy!

Most believers are aware the the church is God's house; it is holy ground and should be set apart for God's use. In 1 Corinthians 3:17, Paul writes "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." It is not enough for us to take care of the physical house of God; we must also take care of and protect our own bodies, as they are the temples of God. Just was we would never destroy the house of God, we must protect our bodies from destruction as well, as they are sacred temples for God's spirit to dwell.

God's Temples

Many people believe that their bodies are their own, and they are able to do whatever they want with them. As believers in Christ, our view of our bodies differ from the world's perspective. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul writes "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" The Spirit of God lives in us, as our bodies house that Spirit. Considering that we are not our own, we must be mindful of what we put into our bodies and the things that we do with our bodies, as they are truly the temples of God.

Working on Purpose

Each person who works in ministry should be working towards one purpose: building up the kingdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 3:8-9, Paul writes "The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." As God's co-laborers, our primary purpose for ministry, using our gifts in the capacity that God allows us to work, is to build up His kingdom. We will surely be rewarded according to our own labor as we have worked to accomplish this goal.

Plant the Seed

When God has given the man or woman of God a word for His people, He may have others to plant, water, and nurture the seed of the word that He has already ordained for His people. In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Paul writes "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." Even though Paul had a great love for the people, he realized that he had a specific purpose in his ministry, to plant the seed of the word, as God is the one who provides the increase.

Are You Ready?

When the man or woman of God preaches the Word, he or she must craft the message, as led by the Spirit, to an audience with a broad range of maturity. In 1 Corinthians 3:2-3, Paul writes "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" Paul wanted to teach the word as God had given him, but as most pastors today, he realized that they were simply not ready for the word. Consider the new level of liberty, joy, peace, and so many other benefits of the word that you may be missing out on simply because you are not ready.

Babies in Christ

Children are rarely exposed to the whole truth because they are unable to handle the brutal details of many situations. In 1 Corinthians 3:1, Paul writes "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ." Paul had a desire to address the church as mature Christians, but was not able to do so because they were still babies in Christ; mature in their age and stature, but immature in their faith. As we begin this week, consider areas in which God is urging us to grow up.

Great Things

At times, walking in the calling that God has ordained for us can be quite challenging. It can be uncomfortable at times, but well worth the trouble. In 1 Corinthians 2:9-11, Paul writes "No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed it to us by His spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." God has great things in store for those who are obedient to his will. When this life becomes uncomfortable, it will not become unbearable, as God has already given us the wisdom to get through every situation.

If Only You Knew

Wisdom, for many people, is the ability to analyze a situation and make the best decision based on their knowledge and experience. In 1 Corinthians 2:8, Paul writes "None of the rulers of this world perceived and recognized God's wisdom, for if they had, they would have never crucified the Lord of Glory." The birth, life, and death of Christ were all ordained before the foundation of the world, as God knew that man would need a Savior. The rulers of the world at the time of Christ thought they acted wisely by crucifying Christ, when the opposite was true. Contrary to the wisdom of the world, God's wisdom does not depend on knowledge or experience; it depends on faith.

Secret Wisdom

So many aspects of our world advocate and demands us to seek after more knowledge and information. The more information that someone is able to obtain, the wiser they are often considered by those around them. In 1 Corinthians 2:7, Paul writes "We speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began." God has already provided a secret wisdom for those who follow him. God's wisdom may appear to be foolishness to those who are wise in the world, but God's secret wisdom that has been hidden from the world, gives us strength and builds up our faith.

God's Wisdom

Wisdom is considered of great value, but oftentimes, God does things that simply don't make sense to those who are considered wise in this world. In 1 Corinthians 2:6, Paul writes "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing." Those who are wise in the ways of this world may not understand the reasoning of the Christian faith. They may call our faith foolishness, but God continues to speak His word of wisdom into the lives of His people, which makes being called foolish well worth it.

Forgiveness as a Command

It is difficult to forgive the hurt others have caused us, especially when our brothers and sisters in Christ have caused that hurt. It may be difficult, but God forgiveness is not an option, it is a command. In 2 Corinthians 2:8-9, Paul writes "I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything." Paul encourages us to demonstrate and renew our love our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Even when they have caused an offense, must love and forgive them, not just for their sakes, but out of obedience to the will of God.

Redeemed and Restored

When a fellow brother or sister in Christ has caused an offense in the church, the scandal alone is often sufficient to discipline them. In 2 Corinthians 2:6, Paul writes "The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him." Once the brother or sister has been forgiven and disciplined for their offense, they have been redeemed and must be restored into fellowship.

Bodily Harm

As the body of Christ, just as with the human body, we cannot experience pain in one part of the body without impacting the rest of the body. In 2 Corinthians 2: 5, Paul writes "if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree--in order not to say too much--to all of you."When an entity causes harm to a member or members of the body of Christ, our collective body is impacted and damaged to some degree, as we all make up the body of Christ.

Working while Wounded

The church is often considered a hospital, as so many people within the body are sick and wounded in their bodies, minds, and souls. In 2 Corinthians 2:4, Paul writes "For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you." Even though Paul had suffered immense sorrow and injury from within the body of Christ, he continued to be faithful to carry out the purpose that God called him to complete.

Bragging Rights

When someone or a team wins an intense competition, they earn the right to brag about their victory until the next competition. When someone does something great, it's only natural to brag about them to others around you. In 1 Corinthians 1:31, Paul writes "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."God has done remarkable things in the lives of His people, the most amazing is the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. Instead of bragging on ourselves and the things that we have done, try bragging on how great our God is, and watch God move in your life.

More than wise in Christ

God could have used anyone that He wanted to do the work of the ministry and carry out His word. He had, at His disposal, a host of angels, great rulers, educated priests, and men of great wealth, but He chose those of lower status to deliver the good news of the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 1:30, Paul writes "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." We may not be wise according to the standards of the world, but we are able to stand up and be accounted as more than wise; we are righteous, holy, and redeemed through the sacrifice of Christ.

Glory to God

The true testament of a believer does not begin with the story of their overcoming a test; it begins with the solid foundation of the word and faith that they had in Christ before they went through the test. In 1 Corinthians 1:28-29, Paul wrote that God "chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." As we consider our testimonies, consider where God has brought us from and is taking us to, consider that we can do nothing without God, and He alone is worthy of the glory.

Fool for Christ

In most cultures, calling someone a "fool" is hurtful insult, as the word implies that someone is unwise. In 1 Corinthians 1:27, Paul writes "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." Considering that Christ is the King of Kings, it would make sense for Him to arrive in grand style; instead, He was born in a lowly manger, and chose fishermen for His disciples instead of the Bible scholars of His time. Today, God is still choosing things and people that the world calls "foolish," as He sees us as willing vessels as He empowers us to build up the Kingdom of God.

Underdogs

An "underdog" is considered as a team or someone who is not expected to win or succeed. God often calls the underdogs, those of low degree, to do the work of the ministry. In 1 Corinthians 1:26, Paul writes "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth." Many of those who God is calling to do the work of the ministry may not be the ones who people would choose. Thankfully, God does not call us underdogs; He calls us His masterpiece.

Power of One

As a church community, as well as the larger body of Christ, there is great power when we work together in unity. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul writes "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." When we work together as one, with a common goal of building up the kingdom of God, there is little that we cannot accomplish when we make Christ our focus and work together despite our differences.

Mission-Focused Ministry

Paul is often considered one of the greatest, most prolific authors of the new testament. Rightfully so, since he wrote more than half of the new testament. In 1 Corinthians 1: 17, Paul writes "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." In all that Paul accomplished during his ministry, however, he maintained his focus on his God-given mission: to preach the gospel. We all have our own desires and goals that we wish to accomplish, but just as Paul, we must not lose sight of the mission that God has called us to complete.

Back to the Basics

Having disagreements within the church is only natural, as any body of people will not agree on all issues at all times. In 1 Corinthians 1:12-15, Paul writes "One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." He responds in verse 13-14, "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name." As Paul mentioned, the church at Corinth was sharply divided, even to the point of leadership. As Paul stated, Christ is not divided; regardless of our personal beliefs and disagreements, our central focus must remain on Christ: his virgin birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, and powerful resurrection.

Going Public

In 1 Corinthians 1:11, Paul writes "My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you." Many family members are told to keep private family disagreements as private and are scorned when they share their family affairs with others who are outside of the family. At times, however, the family affairs become too critical to keep quiet, and the private family issues become public, as the quarrel ls in the church at Corinth had become so disruptive that members of the church alerted Paul to intervene. Consider the impact that those private disputes between one another could have on the church, as a body, when our private disputes become public to the world.

Power in Agreement

Imagine what church would be like if the entire church operated in agreement. It's possible, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:10, "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." Paul is not suggesting for the church, with all of its members, agree on everything; he is simply asking for the church to elevate their corporate love for Christ above their individual disagreements.

A Right to Praise

In 1 Corinthians 1:7-9 Paul declares to the church at Corinth that "therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." God has given us a right and a reason to praise Him, as He has given us much more than the gifts that He has graciously given us. God has also given us a right to praise Him, as He continues to strengthen us and washes the blame of our sin with the blood of Christ.

Gift of Grace in Christ

Some people believe that they can please God by living a good life. They try to do as much good as they are able to, and stay away from what they consider to be evil. In 1 Corinthians 1:4, Paul declares "I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus." The church at Corinth was in a corrupt area, and many of the members were still struggling between their old nature and new life in Christ. Paul encourages them, just as he encourages us today, that regardless of how good we try to be, we all have the gift of grace through the blood of Christ that washes us of our sin and restores our right-standing with God.

All in the Family

In 1 Corinthians 1:2-3, Paul writes "to the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul establishes his fellowship with the church; although the church at Corinth were fairly new Christians, they were still members of the family of faith. Regardless of how long Christians have been in the family of faith, whether new members of the family received Christ 30 years ago or 30 minutes ago, we are all equal members of the household of faith.

I am who God says I am

In 1 Corinthians 1:1, Paul declares that he is "an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes." The 11 remaining apostles disputed Paul's apostleship as he had not walked with Christ in the flesh, but Paul did not waver from his calling or his position. He begins his letter by identifying himself as "an apostle of Jesus Christ" as that was who God called him to be. He refused to let the apostles, congregation at the church of Corinth, or anyone minimize his Christ. Regardless of what others may say, hold fast to the calling and the Word that God has already prophesied over your life.

Rejoice in Reconconcilliation

The dictionary defines reconciliation as "making oneself or another no longer opposed, or to re-establish friendly relations with another." In Romans 5:11, Paul declares that "we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." The sin of the world separated us from God, but Christ re-established our friendship with God so that we have reunited with the Father. That reconciliation is the hope of our salvation; that alone is a great reason to rejoice.

Justified, Reconciled, and Saved

In Romans 5:9-10, Paul declares "since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" The sin of the world made us all enemies of God; Christ, in His mercy and compassion, gave His life to bridge the gap between God and man. To access and communicate with God, we only need to accept Christ as our Savior.

Love is an Action Word

People often say the love us, sometimes out of habit or obligation as you declare your love for another. In Romans 5:8, Paul declares But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We were the enemies of God as sinners, without hope of redemption. Christ did more than simply say that He loves us; He demonstrated His love for us by exchanging our sin for His life.

Rejoicing in our Friendship

If we have one true friend, we are truly blessed. A true friend is someone who we can trust with our secrets, depend on them in times of need, and laugh with them in times of rejoicing. The greatest friend that we would ever have is our Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans 5:7, Paul declares "for one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die." In John 15:13, the Apostle John declares "greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Christ loves us beyond human comprehension; He gave His life as a sacrifice because of His great love for us and called us friends.

God Believes in You

Giving one's life for their beliefs is considered a great honor in many cultures, especially when one gives their life for their religious and political convictions. In Romans 5:6, Paul declares "at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Before the time of Christ, and after the fall of Adam, there was no hope, no power, for man to be reconciled with God. Because Christ believed in each one of us, He gave His life for the world that was full of sin, so we all would have a chance to have eternal life.

Called for Service

God has called each one of us, as believers, for a specific purpose. In Jeremiah 1:5, the Lord declares "I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Before Jeremiah was born, God knew him, set him apart, and called him to be a prophet to the nations. The same is true for each on of us as modern-day disciples, as Apostle Paul declares in Romans 8:30. He says "those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." God calls us to service; he also equips us finish the work that He has called us to do.

Consecrated for Ministry

In Jeremiah 1:5, the Lord declares "before you were born I set you apart." In the previous verse, the Lord declares that before Jeremiah was formed in the womb, God knew him; more than that, He set him apart before he was born. The same is true for each one of us, as modern-day disciples. God has given each one of us a gift and a purpose. We have been consecrated, set apart, for the work of the ministry, even before we were born. As our friendship with God continues to grow, our purpose becomes clear, and our way to complete that purpose becomes clear.

Complete in Christ

In Jeremiah 1:5, the Lord declares to Jeremiah "before I formed you in the womb I knew you." He makes the same declaration to each one of us; before any of us were formed, as a thought or a glow on our mother's face, before our mothers and fathers knew each other, God knew us. Just as the Lord encourages Jeremiah, He continues to encourage us today. God does not see us as we are in our current situations; He sees as we will be in Christ, as James 1:4 says, mature, complete, and lacking nothing.

Joy in God's Presence

At times, when we petition God in prayer, we have a list of requests. We may ask God meet our material needs, wealth, favor, healing, etc. In Psalm 16:11, David declares to the Lord "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." The things that we ask for in prayer are readily available to God, as He alone is all powerful; however, all that we could ever ask for in prayer is available to us in God's presence. The privledge of being in His presence alone is reason to rejoice.

My Soul is Anchored

A visit to the docks is simply amazing when you consider that the massive ships are secured to the dock by an anchor and possibly a few ropes. In Psalm 94:18-19, David declared "When I said, "My foot is slipping,"your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." Even when we feel as though we are drifting away from God, we have an anchor, our faith, that keeps us close to the Father. He is never far from us, and consoles us, so that even in our greatest trials, we can still have joy.

Reason to Rejoice

In Luke 10:20, Jesus declared to the disciples "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." The disciples rejoiced as they saw the great power and authority they had in Jesus' name, and the protection He provided as they went out to minister. Jesus tells the disciples that although those things are great, He has seen much greater miracles. The greatest miracle they would experience, however, is their salvation. Thankfully, Christ has given us the same opportunity to experience the miracle of salvation, which is surely a reason to rejoice.

No Weapon Shall Prosper

In Luke 10: 19, Jesus encourages his disciples to continue the work of ministry. He comforts them by telling them "nothing will harm you." Jesus was simply reminding the disciples of the promises of God, as God promised in Isaiah 54:17 "no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you." The Lord did not promise that they would not face trials, as the trials are sent to test our faith; the weapon will be formed, but it will not destroy us. We, as modern-day disciples, can take joy in the same promise. As we continue through our journey, we may have to trudge through some difficult terrain; the good news is that we are protected by Christ, the one who sent us out; the better news is that He goes with us, as His Spirit is our constant companion.

Kingdom Authority

In Luke 10: 19, Jesus told His disciples "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy." When Jesus and the disciples were ministering, they walked from city to city to spread the gospel and minister to the people. The paths between the cities were often treacherous; the paths had all sorts of deadly dangers, including snakes, scorpions, and murderous thieves. Jesus comforts his disciples, just as he comforts us today. He has given us the authority to go out and minister to the people, so we do not need to fear the potential dangers we may face along the way.

Another Reason to Rejoice

Jesus sent out 72 additional disciples to do the work of ministry, and they returned rejoicing at the great power they experienced as His disciples. They were amazed that the demons were subject to them in Jesus name. In Luke 10:18, Jesus replied to his disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." The disciples rejoiced at demons being subject to them; Jesus gives them yet another reason to rejoice. Lightning travels at speeds of over 90,000 miles per second; to see Satan himself evicted from heaven at lightning speed is certainly a reason to rejoice.

Distorted Focus

When you look through the lens of someone's glasses, it's difficult to focus and your vision is often blurry, as their lenses were prescribed specifically for them. The same is true when we lose focus of the assignment that God has called us to do. In addition to the 12 core disciples, Jesus selected 72 others to minister to the people in the towns ands villages where He was about to go. In Luke 10:17, the Bible records that "the seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." The disciples were overjoyed at the results of following the Lord, but they lost focus of their assignment; to minister to the people. When we focus on our assignment, our vision will be much clearer.

Testing of our Faith

Before a product can be released to a mass market, it has to pass a series of rigorous quality control tests before the manufacturer stamps their brand name on the product. The same is true with our faith; it must be tested to be proven. In 1 Peter 1:7, the Apostle declares "these trials have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. " The tests and trials that we face are not meant to destroy us; they are meant to test and prove our faith as we bear the name of Christ.

Trouble Doesn't Last

An old adage says "into every life, a little rain must fall," but for some people, the rain seems to fall without ceasing. In 1 Peter 1:6, the Apostle declares "in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." Even though we may have suffered, or may be suffering now, it's only for a little while. We still have hope and are able to rejoice in our salvation, which we will rejoice in eternally.

Shield of God's Power

In 1 Peter 1:5, the Apostle declares that you, "who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." Regardless of the situations and circumstances that we may face, we can go through them with joy as we are shielded and protected by our faith in God's great power. The full glory of our salvation will be revealed at the end of our story; in the meantime, we can rest in our joy.

Our Inheritance of Joy

A wealthy family often leaves their wealth to their heirs to take care of their financial needs for years after they pass away. Eventually, their wealth will dry up, leaving their heirs to survive on their own. In 1 Peter 1:3-4, the Apostle declares "In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you." The inheritance we have in Christ is an eternal promise of the joy of our salvation, which is not affected by any recession, but is protected and given to us as a result of our relationship with Christ.

Still Have Joy

Joy is not an emotion based on circumstances; it is fulfillment of Christ's love for us as His disciples. In John 15:10-11, Jesus teaches His disciples, "if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Regardless of our situation, we can still have joy when we remain in the love of Christ, as His great love completes our joy.

Whatever You Ask

How do we know that God hears our prayers? At times, he may respond directly; other times, He responds indirectly. In both cases, He responds, and makes us aware that He has responded to our prayers. In John 15:7-8, Jesus teaches His disciples "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." God hears our prayers and responds to them; when remain in Christ, our prayers will be grounded in the will of God, and we will be able to recognize when He answers them.

Without God, I Can Do Nothing

When a plant's branches are connected to the vine, the plant will continue to thrive and grow as long as it remains planted in the soil. In John 15:5, Jesus taught His disciples "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Christ empowers us to do all things, as Paul declared in Philippians 4:13; however, as Jesus himself declares, we can do nothing without Him.

Remaining on the Vine

Every fruit-producing bush plant is nourished from the roots that are deep in the ground, which nourishes everything that draws from it. When the branch separates from the vine, it dies and becomes nothing more than a stick. In John 15:4, Jesus declared to His disciples, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." Just as the branch must attached to the vine to prosper, we must remain connected to our Savior so we can thrive and prosper spiritually.

God's Pruning

In the middle of Summer, it seems as though all of our fruits, vegetables, and flowers are in full bloom. In John 15:1-2, Jesus teaches His disciples "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." However, unless we prune the branches and leaves on those plants, they will become overgrown, and the plant will suffocate itself and die. The same is true with us, as modern disciples; the process of pruning away those things that are not like God is uncomfortable, but necessary, so that we can continue to grow and produce much more fruit.

Kingdom Keys

When a door is locked, only the owner, or trusted steward, has the authority to open it legally. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus tells Peter "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." The keys of the kingdom belong to Christ, as Peter's confession in verse 16 declares, He is the Son of the living God. Based on his confession, as well as our confession, as modern disciples, Christ continues to allow us to be stewards of the kingdom's keys, including the authority to bind and loose things on earth and move them to be bound and loosed in heaven.

The Solid Rock

Jesus asked his disciples "Who do men say that I am?" He asked all of his disciples, but only Peter answered him. In Matthew 16:16, Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." In verse 18, Jesus says "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Regardless of the trials that we may experience, God continues to speak to us and through us based on that solid foundation: Christ is indeed the Son of the Living God. When we direct our focus to how great our God is, and consider His unfailing love for us, our trials become much easier to navigate.

Conviction to Confession

In Matthew 16:16, Simon Peter replied to Jesus' question "Who do you say I am." Peter replied, "you are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus asked this question of all of the disciples, but only Peter answered. Our confession is one of the most powerful keys that we have, as disciples of Christ, however, we must first have the conviction to know, without a doubt, that Christ is the Son of the living God, to declare our confession with power.

Personal Jesus

In Matthew 14:15, Jesus asks his disciples "who do men say that I am?" They answered Him with what they heard from others: possibly John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah,or one of the prophets. Then He asked his disciples a simple, pointed question. "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" As disciples of Christ, we must have a personal conviction to know who is Christ to us. It's not enough to repeat what we heard from others of who Christ is to them; we must know Him personally, intimately, to truly be a disciple.

What Do You Say?

At times, our faith will be challenged by our peers, co-workers, and families. In Matthew 16:13, the Apostle recalls "when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" As modern disciples of Christ, we must be prepared to offer a definite answer to the same question "Who do we say that Christ is?" and base our response on our conviction and scripture.

Blessed above a Curse

The third chapter of Malachi opens with a reminder of a curse caused by Adam and Eve's disobedience. God cursed the land, but continued to show mercy on us by accepting our tithes and offerings to restore our covenant with Him. In Malachi 3: 12, the Lord declares that "all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land." The land was cursed because of disobedience, but through our obedience, we will be truly blessed, so much so that all nations will recognize our blessing.

Recession-proof Finances

In an economic downturn, a natural response is to cut back on spending and giving. In Malachi 3:11, the Lord declares " I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty." It's wise to examine your spending and to reduce spending on unnecessary expenses, but your tithes and offerings are enforce the God's covenant promises. His covenant does not promise that you will be rich, but He does promise to protect your resources so that you will always have an offering to give.

Overflowing Blessing

God instituted the system of giving tithes and offerings to break the curse on the ground after Adam's fall. In Malachi 3:10, God instructs us to "bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." God does not need anything from us; He is fully capable of taking care of His kingdom without any help from us, but He gives us the opportunity to plant a seed, and participate in his abundant harvest, but we cannot reap the harvest without first sowing a seed.

Robbing God

The concept of robbing God is somewhat unthinkable. In Malachi 8-9, God declares "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me." How can we rob a God who has power over everything? After the fall of Adam, God cursed the ground. Because of His love for us, he instituted tithes and offerings as a means to break that curse. It's true that God is all powerful, but He also gives us a free will, so that we will choose to love Him, and give freely of all that He has made us stewards over, including our finances.

Mercy in the Midst of a Curse

God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and provided them with easy access to everything they needed. They were tricked by the devil, and as a result of their disobedience, God cursed the ground. In Malachi 3:6-7, the Lord declares that "I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty." Even in our disobedience, God continues to show us His love and mercy for us, and continues to draw us closer into His covenant promises.

Faith in Action

Being a disciple of Christ requires us to have faith, but we also need to put our faith into action, especially when we are ministering to others. In Mark 2:5, the Apostle recalls when When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Jesus saw the faith of the four men, as well as the paralyzed man. Seeing their faith moved Jesus to meet their needs and healed more than just his body; He healed him and forgave him of his sins, so that he was more than healed, but made whole.

Emergency Entrance

Every hospital has an emergency entrance, which is reserved for emergency vehicles; these vehicles rush the most critical illnesses and conditions into the hospital, and often take priority over other patients. In Mark 2:4, the apostle recalls "since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on." The paralyzed man desperately needed to get into the church, as his need for Jesus was an emergency. The doors to the house were blocked, so his friends made an emergency entrance to meet his urgent need.

A Little Help from his Friends

When the people were listening to Jesus preaching the gospel, the house was so full that no one could get in. In Mark 2:3, the Apostle recalls that "four people came, carrying a paralyzed man." The paralyzed man was in a terrible social and economic situation because of his physical disability. His friends recognized that he was not able to get into the house on his own, so they carried him. When we see our brothers and sisters struggling, and recognize that they can't get to Jesus by themselves, we need to be true friends and carry them.

Make Some Room

When we discover a church where the Word is truly being preached, it's only natural for us to crave more of it. In Mark 2:2, the Apostle recalls that "many people gathered together so that there was no room in the house, not even outside the door. And Jesus was teaching them God's message." We can get so engrossed in the Word that we forget that the Word is available and beneficial for everyone; we must be able to make room for everyone who wants to receive it.

Spread the News

Word of mouth is one of the fastest, most effective methods of advertising. When we enjoy something, it is only natural for us to tell everyone who will listen. In Mark 2:1-1, the apostle recalls "when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home." Just as we tell everyone who will listen about the things that we enjoy most, we must also spread the good news of the Gospel. More than that, we should tell others where we experienced the spirit of God and received a relevant word.

Free to Worship

The word "worship" is defined as giving or demonstrating worth to something or someone. When we worship Christ, we demonstrate what He is worth to us. In 2 Corinthians 3;17, Apostle Paul declares "now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Regardless of our sin, there is nothing that we can do to make us unworthy of worshipping. When we come together to worship, we have liberty to worship Christ freely. There is no social status and no spiritual hierarchy in worship; we humbly lay down all that we are to the world to worship Christ together.

Set Free Indeed

When we accept Christ as both Lord and Savior, He sets us completely free. In John 8:36, Jesus declares "If the Son therefore will make you free, you will be free indeed." When we trust and believe in Christ, only He has the power to set us completely free. Even when we face temptations and trials, and struggle with sin, Christ has given us the grace to stand in freedom we have through Him.

Set free from Sin

When we fall away from our own expectations, into sin and temptations, we may feel that our sin has set us so far away from God that He has surely rejected us. In Romans 8:1-2, Paul declares "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Under the law of sin, we would be condemned for our sin and without hope. As Christians, we have the gift of repentance, thankfully, so that even when we sin, we have the gift of grace that sets us free from the full penalty of sin ending in death; through Christ, we have the gift of eternal life.

Set Free in Truth

In John 8: 31-32, Jesus preached to Jews who had believed him, just as He continues to preach to us today. He said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Just as Jesus preached to his disciples, the Jews who believed him, He continues to preach to us today. We can only be truly free as Christ's disciples, knowing the truth that we have been set free from the bondage of sin.

Walking in freedom

When someone is incarcerated, they have few rights, if any, and are forced to live in bondage and constantly reminded that that they broke the law. Before we accepted Christ, we were incarcerated and in bondage to our sin. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He has set us free. In Psalm 119:45, the psalmist declares "I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments." When we devote ourselves to seeking Christ and His commandments, we are able to walk in true freedom.

All things are working

Sometimes, our circumstances may seem to be completely contrary to the purpose that God has ordained for our lives. In Romans 8:28, Paul declares "and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." The circumstances cannot cancel our destiny, but may cause us to take a detour to our purpose. As with any detour, we may take a little longer to arrive at our destination, but we will arrive and fulfill the purpose that God has already ordained for our lives.

Prayer for purpose

When we are seeking our purpose, one of the requirements is that we must pray; as believers, prayers should be a part of our everyday life. However, even the strongest believer can become weak with the cares of this life, struggles, and all sorts of temptations. In Romans 8:26, the Bible declares that "the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." When we don't know how to pray, or not able to pray because we are so weak, it's comforting to know that the Spirit himself intercedes for us, and will lead us into our purpose.

Suffering to Glory

At times, the circumstances and situations in our lives cause us to suffer. In Romans 8:18, Paul declares he "considers that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." We may have to suffer, for just a little while, to get to and through our purpose. As Paul encourages us all, the glory that will be revealed in us will be well worth the suffering that we have experienced.

Give myself away

As people with a free will, we have our own thoughts, desires, and plans that make up our own will. In Romans 8:5-7, the Bible declares that "those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." Until we give away our own will; our thoughts, desires, and plans for the will of God in our lives, we cannot fulfill the purpose that He has ordained for our lives.

Set Free

When God calls us for a purpose, He does no consider the evil things that we have done before we accept Him as Savior, or before we accept Him as our Lord. In Romans 8:1-2, the Bible declares "therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." God's purpose for us has nothing to do with the sin that we have committed. When we accept Christ, as both Lord and Savior, God expects us to carry out our purpose, with no condemnation or guilt from our past sins, because we have been set free from them all.

Strengthened for Destiny

Jesus was praying alone on the Mount of Olives on the night that He would be betrayed. He was struggling as He saw himself dying the brutal death on the cross, but surrendered his own will to the will of His heavenly father. In Luke 22: 43, the Bible declares that "there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit." The angel appeared to strengthen Christ, but that strength then sustained Him, so that He could continue to fulfill his destiny as our Saviour.

Will Alignment

Jesus had been obedient to His heavenly father's will throughout his life. As He approaches the end of his earthly ministry, He struggles with His destiny of death on the cross. In Luke 22:41-42, the Bible says Jesus was "withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” For the first time, He struggled with his father's will; then He surrenders His own will for His father's will. Thankfully, He chose to die for all of us, instead of living for Himself, his family, and his disciples.

Falling into temptation

On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He went to the Mount of Olives to pray alone, as His humanity was in conflict with His divinity. In Luke 22:40, He instructed his disciples to "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." Some of the temptations the disciples faced may have been to betray Christ, deny that they know Him, or fight try to keep Him from being arrested; the disciples fell into all of these temptations, as they were more focused on their circumstance than Jesus' instruction to pray. The same is true for us today; to avoid falling into the many temptations that we face, we must also pray that we do not fall into it.

Humanity and Divinity

Fulfilling our purpose is often uncomfortable, sometimes devastating, as we must surrender our own will to the will of God. In Luke 22:39, the Bible declares that Jesus "came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples also followed Him." Jesus was fully divine, but He was also fully human. He knew that He would be betrayed that night, and went to the Mount of Olives to pray Jesus as His humanity is in direct conflict with his divinity.

Prophecy to Destiny

When Jesus walked the Earth, He fulfilled every prophecy that was written about Him as the Messiah. In Luke 22: 37, Jesus said to His disciples "it is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." He prepares Himself and his disciples for the fulfillment of prophecy concerning his destiny: His death on the cross.

Throw me overboard

When supernatural storms blow into our lives, sometimes we are not cause, but they have been caused by others who are around us. In Jonah 1:11-12, the Bible recalls that "the sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" Jonah replied "Pick me up and throw me into the sea, and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you." The same is true for all of us; once the crew members recognized that the storm was caused by Jonah, they threw him off of the ship, and the sea became calm. The same is true for all of us; when the storm is caused by others, pray from them, and throw them overboard.

Get up and Pray

In times of trouble, we often panic then pray, or pray then panic when we do not see immediate results; Jonah did neither. In Jonah 5-6, the Bible recalls that "Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish." Jonah was asleep in the bottom of the boat, oblivious to the storm caused by his disobedience. Jonah served the all powerful God, yet he was sound asleep. When you experience a supernatural storm, be wary of those who are sitting idle or asleep while everyone else is praying and working to get through the storm, as they may be the cause of the storm.

Aiding and abetting

Being an accomplice to a crime often carries a similar penalty for the accomplice as the one who committed the crime. In Jonah 1:4-5, the Bible says that "the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep." Jonah was a fugitive from God, and the sailors who were on the ship were his unknowing accomplices, and were subject to the same punishment as Jonah because he was on their ship.

Wrong Way

When driving on the highway, there are bright yellow signs on the entrances and exits that read "Wrong Way." These signs warn drivers that they are about to drive themselves into danger. In Jonah 1:3, the Bible recalls that "Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord." Jonah was given a directive from God to preach in Nineveh, but ran in the opposite direction; he was going the wrong way and headed towards danger. God gave him several opportunities to make a "U-turn," to turn around and head in the right direction; thankfully, He gives us the same opportunities.

Prophet on the Run

God has called each one of us to carry out a specific purpose; the prophet Jonah was called to preach against the wicked city of Nineveh, as the Bible recalls in Jonah 1:1-3, 'because its wickedness has come up before me (God).' But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish." Jonah chose to try to run from God, which is impossible to do, as Proverbs 15:3 declares "the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." Just as Jonah was unable to run from God, we must carry out our purpose, or risk facing the consequences.

Musical worship

Music has the power to impact our mood, especially when the musician is a worshipper. In 1 Samuel 16:15-16, the prophet recalls that "Saul's attendants said to him, 'See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better." In the midst of worship, it's difficult to be maintain an evil disposition, as our praise and worship to God diminishes that spirit.

High price of disobedience

Saul, the first king of Israel, was anointed and had great favor with God as long as he obeyed the Lord's command. He lost his entire kingdom and God's favor in an act of disobedience. In 1 Samuel 16:14, the prophet recalls "now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him." God specifically instructed him to utterly destroy the Amekelites, but Saul spared the enemy's king and animals that he intended to sacrifice. Even though his intent was noble, his act of disobedience costs him everything, including his relationship with the Lord.

Completing the assignment

Samuel was the Lord's mouthpiece and narrated only what the Lord had given him when he was given an assignment. In 1 Samuel 16:13, Samuel anointed David, in the presence of his brothers, then "Samuel went to Ramah." Samuel was one of the most important prophets in the Old Testament, as he anointed the first two kings of Israel; he was obedient to the Lord until his death, but once he completed his assignment, he went to his home in Ramah to rest until his next assignment.

One king at a time

In all things, God has an appointed time and season. In 1 Samuel 16:13, the prophet recalls "Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power." Even though David was anointed and chosen by God as the next king of Israel, he could not rule as long as Saul was alive. In our own lives, only one king can rule, and we can only serve one king at a time. As God is the King and everlasting ruler, we would be wise to serve Him alone.

Heart of a king

The psalmist David did not look like a king; he wasn't tall, well-dressed, or rugged like his brothers, as Samuel discovered as he was led by God to anoint the next king of Israel in the house of Jesse. All of his brothers were called before the prophet, looking like kings, but the Lord rejected them all, until David was called in from the fields. In 1 Samuel 16:7, the prophet recalls that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."Although David did not look like a king, God had already searched his heart, and determined that he had the heart of a king.

Keep praying

When we pray, we often pray for many reasons and for a wide variety of things as we petition and praise God. In Ephesians 6:18, Paul says to "be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Continuous prayer is essential to maintaining continued success, deliverance, and victory. After God has answered your prayer, continue to prayer for yourself, family, church, and community.

Battle strategy

Even the best-equipped and trained soldier is less effective in battle without a well-planned strategy and plan for battle. In Ephesians 6:18, Paul says to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." The soldier relies on his superior officer to strategize their plan of battle for the greatest options for victory; the same is true for us as Christian soldiers in God's army and it is key to our continual victory.

Armed and dangerous

A soldier's weapon is of the utmost importance; it is critical to defend himself to fight off his enemies. Without it, the soldier is defenseless and his fate is doomed. The same is true for Christian soldiers. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul says to "take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." When we are being attacked by the enemy, the word of God is our most powerful weapon. We do not need to fight, but will force our enemy to retreat when we stand on God's word.

Put on your helmet

A soldier's helmet is a critical part of their uniform. The helmet protects their skulls from injury from flying objects that they will encounter in battle. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul says to "take the helmet of salvation." As Christian soldiers, our helmet of salvation is equally critical, as our salvation covers and protects us from the enemy's attacks against our minds.

Poor to be blessed

In Matthew 5:1-3, Jesus begins his sermon on the mountain. As the crowds followed and gathered on the mountain, Jesus sat down and began to teach his disciples. He started in verse 3 by saying "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. " The disciples had left all that that they knew to follow Christ: homes, families, jobs, everything that defined them to be who were. Before the disciples could do the work of ministry, they had to be humbled further, to be poor in spirit to depend on God for all things, spiritual and natural, and inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Hiding behind the shield

Before an enemy would send in their troops, they would catapult flaming arrows and other objects at the opposing army to disorientate them. In Ephesians 6:16, Paul says "take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." The Roman soldier's shield was made of wood and covered with thick leather, so when the darts were hurled at the soldiers, they would raise up their shields for protection. The same is true with us, as Christian soldiers; when the enemy attacks us with his fiery darts of lies, accusations, and temptations, we only need to raise our shield of faith to extinguish those darts.

Peaceful feet

Your feet are considered the foundation of your body; if a soldier's feet are not firmly planted, they will not be able to march, run, or stand. In Ephesians 6:15, Paul says to "Stand firm...with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." Through Christ, you are able to stand as you conform your feet, your foundation, to the Word of God that will give you peace even when engaged in battle.

Guarding your heart

When engaging in battle, it is critical to protect your vital organs, especially your heart. If a soldier is hit in their heart or lungs, it is unlikely that they will live, and certainly won't be able to fight. In Ephesians 6:14, Paul instructs us to "stand firm...with the breastplate of righteousness in place." Our righteous living and relationship with Christ is our breastplate that protects us from the attack of the enemy, regardless of how the attack is coming, the breastplate of righteousness will guard our hearts when we lift it up.

Firm foundation

At times, when a woman wants to wear a form-fitting outfit, she will put on a foundation garment, or girdle, to give her a smooth appearance. In Ephesians 6:14, Paul instructs his readers to "stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth." When a Roman soldier was called into battle, his belt was the foundation of his armor to move his clothes out the way. The same is true for as Christian soldiers; we must put on the belt of truth, the Word of God, to push the things of the world out of the way, and make room for the will of God.

Just stand

Oftentimes, when we face challenges, our focus is to win the battle at any cost, just to get out of the heat of battle. In Ephesians 6:13, Paul declares "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." In Chronicles 20:17, God Himself says that we don't have to fight the battle, because He will fight for us; God did not intend for us to win the battle, only to show up to battle in uniform and take a stand.

Clothe yourself

Regardless of the occasion, a soldier's uniform has the same basic elements; the soldier will be covered and protected from head to toe. In Ephesians 6: 14-17, Paul describes the believer's uniform that includes the "belt of truth buckled around your waist, the breastplate of righteousness, and the gospel of peace to cover your feet." Verse 16-17 describe "the shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one", the "helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit."All of these elements are critical for believers to survive and prosper through the attack of the enemy, but this uniform is of no use to any of us until we put it on.

Stand ready

A soldier has two primary postures when they are on duty: standing at attention and resting at ease. When the soldier is in the presence of a superior officer, they are almost always standing at attention, ready to receive instruction and spring into action at the officer's command. In Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Christ, as our commanding officer, has the same requirement for us as Christian soldiers, to stand ready and at attention.

Know your enemy

One of the most important aspects of preparing for combat is training to recognize the enemy. The purpose of this training is so you don't injure your fellow soldiers, civilians, or other bystanders. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul reminds us that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." As Christian soldiers, we must be able to recognize the true enemy; it's not our brother and sister in Christ, our co-workers and neighbors, but the powers of darkness in the spiritual realm.

Soldier in uniform

When a soldier is in their uniform, everyone who sees them is able to recognize their alliance, even when they are off-duty. As Christians, our uniform is the full armor of God, as Paul says in Ephesians 6: 11, "put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Both our friends and enemies are able to recognize us when we are dressed in the full armor of God, so that we may be both recognized and protected when we experience the enemy's attack, we are able to stand together.

Strength and Power

In this life, we will inevitably face circumstances of which we are not able to handle in our own strength. In Ephesians 6:10, Paul encourages us to"be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Thankfully, we have the privilege of being strengthened in the Lord by His mighty power, but that privilege is ours as a benefit of our relationship with Christ. As we begin this new week, consider the source of our strength.

Standing ready

When we face trials and threats, physical, spiritual, or otherwise, we should stand ready to fight, but continue to do the work that God has called us to do. In Nehemiah 4:16-18, the prophet recalls "half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me." In the midst of trials, don't fade into the background; stand ready to fight, position others around you who are willing and able to fight with you, and continue the work.

Encourage yourself

Things didn't look promising for Nehemiah and his people; their enemies insulted them, threatened them, and banned together to stop the work; the people were getting tired and the work was extensive, and walls of the city were still in shambles. In Nehemiah 4:13-14, the prophet declared to the people "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." In Verse 15, the prophet says" when our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work." Even when the situation looks hopeless, remember that our God is still great and awesome; be encouraged to continue the work, even if you have to encourage yourself.

Fight of your life

When God has given you a seemingly impossible task, and your enemies see that you are making progress, get ready for the fight of your life. In Nehemiah 4:7-8, the prophet recalls "when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it." It wasn't enough to insult the people for rebuilding the walls of their beloved city; the enemy garnered support from other enemies to plot against the people, who continued to work in spite of their threats.

Pray and keep working

The city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah's home, had been destroyed and was full of rubble. To make matters worse, his enemies joined together to ridicule him and the Jews while they worked to rebuild. In Nehemiah 4:4-5, the prophet prays "hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. Verse 6 says "so we rebuilt the wall until all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart." Instead of fighting with their enemies or exchanging insults, they kept their focus; they prayed and kept working .

Rebuilding in rubble

Whenever you make up your mind to build something great for God, get ready for your haters, as everyone may not support you. In Nehemiah 4:1-2, the prophet recalls the opposition to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. In chapter 2, Sanballat, Nehemiah chief enemy, says in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?" When the task seems impossible, and in the presence of your enemies, maintain the work that God has ordained for you.

Value of Wisdom

Yesterday, the New York Stock Exchange plummeted nearly 100 points within minutes; people all over the world lost hundreds of dollars in a matter of minutes. In Proverbs 3:14-15, Solomon says that wisdom is "more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." The value of silver, gold, and precious gems fluctuates often, but the value of wisdom is immeasurable.

Never lost

When travelling to foreign cities, it's always a good idea to upgrade the rental contract to include the "Never Lost" Global Positioning System (GPS) to help you navigate to your destination. The same is true with God's word. In Proverbs 3:6, Solomon says "in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path." Even when you are unsure of where you are going, or if you strayed off of God's predestined path, His word is able to redirect you to your destination.

Trust in the Lord

The dictionary defines trust as an action to "to rely upon or place confidence in someone or something." In Proverbs 3:5, Solomon instructs his son to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."When you trust someone, you rely upon them and place confidence that they will be faithful and never betray that trust. In our best efforts, we will never be as trustworthy as the Lord, so we may as well put all of our trust in Him.

Benefits of wisdom

In most professional positions, fringe benefits serve as additional advantages to working in your prospective organization. Wisdom is just one of the great benefits of having a close, personal relationship with God. In Proverbs 3: 1-2, Solomon describes the benefits of wisdom, as it will "prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity." In addition to the great love, kindness, mercy, protection...that God provides for his people, we have the privilege to obtain Godly wisdom that allows us to live many years in prosperity.

Wisdom and Understanding

Wisdom is one of the greatest gifts that God has given to us as his people. In Proverbs 4:7, Solomon instructs his son that "wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." Wisdom is supreme, above power and wealth, as Godly wisdom is the great teacher, that will instruct you beyond obtaining the power, wealth, and all that God has set before us; He will also instruct you on how to maintain those blessings.

Faith File Addition

At times, we will experience desperate situations that encourage us to pray, and recruit other believers to pray with us, but it takes faith to know that God hears our prayers and is acting on our behalf. In Acts 12:11, Peter thought that he was dreaming when the angel led him out of the prison into the street. When he came to himself, he said"now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." God is forever faithful; in desperate situations, we must be able to refer back to the many times that God has delivered us in the past.

Just do it!

When God speaks, or sends His messenger He always does so for your benefit. In Acts 12:9-10, Peter followed the angel out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. " Peter did not know where he was going or what was happening, but he recognized that this encounter was sent by God.

Prepared for deliverance

In Acts 12:1-7, the Bible recounts the story of Peter's escape from prison as he was facing execution at the hand of Herod. The night before, Peter is sound asleep, then is awakened by an angel, who spoke and the chains fell off of him. In verse 8, the angel says "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him." Peter was awake and free of his chains, but he was still in his prison cell. He needed to prepare himself, get dressed, and follow the angel out of the prison so he could truly be free.

Wake up call

In the book of Acts, we see that Peter is in prison, possibly facing execution in the morning, bound in chains between guards, and Peter is sound asleep. In Acts 12:7, the Bible says "suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists." The angel did not give him options; he woke him up and commanded him to get up, as the chains fell off Peter at the angel's command. When God is ready to deliver you, in whatever situation you may be in, there is nothing that can hinder your deliverance.

Peace in adversity

God has a way of bringing us peace even when we face our most critical adversities. In Acts 12:5-6, Peter was in a desperate situation. He was in prison, facing execution at the hand of Herod the next day, but "the church was earnestly praying to God for him." Peter witnessed the brutal murders of his closest friends, other apostles and Christ himself, at Herod's command, yet the night before he was going to trial, he was "sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Even with all that you may go through today or even this week, you can still rest as God will grant you peace.

Broken for ministry

As believers, at times, we face great testing and trials as we progress on our Christian walk. At times, we detour from God's perfect will and have to face those consequences, and only God is able to restore us. In Psalm 51:12-13, David prays "restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." David realizes that he made a grave mistake; he repents and accepts the consequences, but God wholly restores him, and equips him for his ministry.

Actions and Consequences

An old adage warns that "every action has a consequence or reaction." The saying rings true in nearly every aspect of our lives, whether that consequence or reaction is positive or negative. In Psalm 51:11, David prays "do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." When we sin, even when we repent, we still have to face the consequences. David recognizes that he will have to face the consequences of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. He also realizes that he can accept and endure through any consequence as long as God is with him. Just as David, we can endure all sorts of hardships, as long as we go through them in God's presence.

Pure at heart

We are confronted with sin, and at times, we may give in to the temptations, which often started as a result of the sins that we committed in our hearts before we carried them out with our bodies. In Psalm 51:10, David prays"create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Just as David, when we find that we have committed sin, we have the opportunity to repent and allow God to create a pure heart and steadfast spirit within us.

Broken, but rejoicing

David writes Psalm 51 after he sends Bathsheba's husband to his death, has an affair with her, then experiences the death of his son conceived as a result of that affair. In Psalm 51:8, David prays "let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice."David was crushed in his spirit; he repented, but he still suffered the consequences of his sin. Even in his suffering, he still had a heart to worship God.

Clean inside

Department stores carry a wide variety of personal products that promise to cover the flaws that we don't want others to see. In Psalm 51:7, David prays "cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." God desires to not only cover up our flaws and sins, but cleanse us completely and wash them away. We do not need to buy any fancy products or participate in rituals that cleanse the outside; we only need to repent to make us clean on the inside.

Faithful God

The love of God is so powerful that He loves us in spite of ourselves. In 2 Timothy 2: 11-13, Paul declares "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." Even when we do not fulfill all that God has designed for us, or stray away from His perfect will, God will remain faithful, as we His beloved people.

Free in the Word

At times, it seems as though freedom is just an abstract concept. We may find ourselves in all sorts of situations that confine us: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In 2 Timothy 2:8-9, the apostle urges his readers to "remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained." As Paul writes from prison, he is physically in confined, but his mind and spirit are free in God's word. Just as Paul was free in the word, we can all be free as well.

Kingdom farming

A farmer gets up well before sunrise, plants seed in the proper season, tends to his animals and his crops, then gathers the harvest in its season. In 2 Timothy 2:6, the apostle says "the hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops." The farmer's hard work is beneficial to more than just the farmer; when he has a plentiful harvest, he is able to share it with others to benefit us all. The same principle applies to building the kingdom: you may plant the seed of the word, till the soil of men's hearts, and nurture babes in Christ, but the harvest builds up the collective kingdom of God.

Winning by the rules

In the past few years, we have witnessed many of our beloved athletes stripped of their titles and other accolades because they used performance-enhancing drugs while they were competing. They used an unfair advantage over their peers to win; they were not following the rules. In 2 Timothy 2:5, Paul says "if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules." This Christian walk can be a strenuous sport at times, but God has promised us the victory. We win if we finish this race and follow His rules, we will receive His crown of life.

God's soldier

A favorite congregational song declares "I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord!" The song is encouraging and inspirational, but we need more than a song to live in victory. In 2 Timothy 2:3-4, the apostle says "endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer." As soldiers in God's Army, our commanding officer is Christ; as we serve Him, he leads, directs, protects, and corrects us, through His word and revelation.

Recovering all

Even at our lowest point, we can never go so far down or lose so much, that God cannot restore us. David was at one of the lowest points in his life; he lost his family, his possessions, and the trust of his people, but God allowed him to recover all that his enemy had stolen. In 1 Samuel 30:18-19, the Bible declares "David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back." When your enemy has stolen all that you consider as precious, God has a way of leading you into the enemy's camp to recover it all.

Spring Cleaning

The first weeks of Spring are great times to clean out all of the Winter clutter, in your home as well in your life. One of simplest ways to clear out clutter in your life is to examine your thoughts and words. In James 1:21, the apostle describes the method to clear out clutter. He says "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." Instead of thinking and speaking about negative and wicked things, clear out that clutter, and focus on the word of God.

Wise in the word

Some people believe that an older person must be wise, and a teacher must be a great authority on their subject matter. In Psalm 119: 100, the psalmist declares " I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. " Age and education are beneficial to knowledge and understanding the things of the world, but one can gain wisdom only through meditating and understanding God's word.

Now that's love!

Consider how the people around you know that you love them. Do you tell them regularly? Do you give them a shoulder to cry on or just an ear to listen to them, or does your faithful presence show them that you love them? In 1 John 3:18-20, the apostle says "let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." God know things about us that our closest friends don't, and He is still faithful, kind, and loving in spite of our shortcomings just because he loves us.

A welcome exchange

When we purchase a product that is defective or fits poorly, we have the option to either return it to the source for an exchange or a refund for the amount of the item. Thankfully, God's exchange system works quite differently. In Isaiah 61:1-3, the prophet declares " He has sent me to ... comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." The exchange that we have with God is greater than we could hope for in the natural. We give Him our pain, tears, and despair; He gives us joy, hope, and peace in return.

Justified

The dictionary defines justification as an act to "declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit;"Christ did all of those things us all when He laid down His life on the cross. In Isaiah 53:11-12, the prophet declares " after the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Even though we were all guilty of sins from the day that we were born, Christ justified us from all sins; past, present, and future.

No fault in Him

In a modern court, if the prosecutor is not able to provide evidence of a crime, then the case is often thrown out of court and the accused is set free. In Luke 23:13-15, the apostle recounts Christ's innocence before the priests, rulers, and people. He says “you have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him." Christ was innocent; He committed no sin or crime, but He chose to carry the sins of the world. He accepted the ultimate judgement for us all at the cross.

Willing worshipper

In Luke 19: 37-40, the disciple recounts Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. He says "the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" In verse 39-40, the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" He responded "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." The same is true even today; when the presence of God enters the sanctuary, your home, car, or wherever you are, be a willing worshipper and keep the stones quiet.

Faithful friend

If we have one true friend in our lives, we are truly blessed; one that we can tell our secrets in confidence, comfort us in times of trouble, and make us smile and laugh when our heart has been broken. We have the greatest friend that we could ever hope for in Christ, as the Bible declares in Proverbs 18: 24, "a man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Christ is a faithful friend who loves us consistently, so much that He laid down his life for our sakes.

A determined mind

When a person truly has their mind made up to do something, there is little that can deter them from meeting their goal. Jesus was determined to carry out his journey to the cross. In Luke 9:51-53, the apostle recounts "as the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem." As you begin this Holy Week, consider what your mind is made up to do for Christ, and be determined to navigate through any hindrances.

Humble servant

Apostle Paul was well educated and acquainted with Jewish laws and customs, but he had compassion on the Gentiles, and was able to preach a relevant word to all. In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul declares "by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." Considering all of his accomplishments, but Paul ascribed his success to the grace of God. True ministry that impacts change can flourish when those who minister can do so humbly, keeping their focus focus on Christ and not themselves.

Daily exercise

Health experts say that everyone should exercise for at least 30 minutes daily to prevent weight gain and promote overall health. Just as we exercise our bodies, we also need to exercise our spirit through fellowship with Christ. In 1 John 1:8-9, the apostle declares "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Sin is a part of daily lives; thankfully, Christ is willing and able to forgive and cleanse us of all of our sins.

Benefits of integrity

As believers, we should not worry about the evil plans that our enemies may plot against us. In Psalm 41:11-12, David praises God for his protection. He declares "I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. " When we, as believers, are walking uprightly before God, we can take comfort in knowing that the plans of our enemies will not triumph over us.

Scent of a worshipper

A sweet fragrance often evokes pleasant memories of special people in our lives. In the old testament, the priest sacrificed an animal and burned it completely on the alter, which created a sweet fragrance to God. When Christ gave his life for us, He became the ultimate sacrifice. In Ephesians 5:2, Paul encourages believers to "walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." When we show others love, sacrifice ourselves for others, and worship God, we send up that sweet fragrance to God that He desires from all of us.