Prayer Closet Devotionals

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15) According to a New Study done by the Barna Group and Arizona Christian University, today, 176 million Americans claim to be Christians — that's 2 in every 3 people. Yet, only 6% possess a biblical worldview. What is a worldview? As the word suggests, a worldview is your overall view of the world. It's not a physical view of the world, but rather an all-encompassing perspective on everything that exists and matters to you. Your worldview represents your most fundamental beliefs and assumptions about the universe you live in. It reflects how you would answer all the “big questions” of human existence: fundamental questions about Who and what am I?Where do I come from?Why am I here?What is the meaning & purpose of life?Where do I go after I die? Our worldviews largely determine your opinions on matters of ethics & politics. What you think about: abortioneuthanasiasame-sex relationshipsenvironmental ethicseconomic policypublic educationHow we view other religions “Western Values” is code for “Biblical Beliefs” and it's under attack. This Spiritual battle has been waged from the beginning. Satan beguiled Eve. He seduced her to believe that God's word cannot be trusted. Satan is the antithesis of everything God is. The ULTIMATE AntiChrist Spirit. Genesis Chapter 3 How can so many people be misled and not know what the Bible truly teaches? A survey from 2021 found that 11% of Americans read the Bible daily. Over 82% of Christian Americans only read their Bibles on Sundays while in church. Only about 27-35% of people attend church regularly. So what do these “Christians” Believe? • 72% Argue that people are basically good - Most would say, “I am a good person” making it hard for them to see the need for a savior. Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Mark 7:20-23 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. • 71% Consider feelings, experience, or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. • 66% Believe that having faith in anything matters more than which faith you pursue Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. • 64% Believe that all religious faiths are of equal value - Universalism is a sweeping belief that there are many ways to God. Being taught that Catholicism, Islam and Christianity are monotheistic; that we share the same God of the Bible. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. • 58% Believe that if a person is good enough, or does enough good things, they can earn their way into Heaven Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. • 58% contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of God's power, presence, or purity John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Role of the Holy Spirit: Teach & Remind (John 14:26)Convicts the World of Sin (John 16:7-8)Dwells in Believers & Fills Them (1 Corinthians 3:16)He is the Source of Wisdom, Power, & Revelation, Guides into all Truth & Knowledge (1 Cor 2:10-11, Acts 1:8, Ephesians 1:17-20)Gives Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)Seals the Children of God (Ephesians 1:13)He helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27)Makes us New and gives us Eternal Life (Romans 8:10-11) • 52% Believe that determining moral truth is up to each individual; there are no moral absolutes that apply to everyone, all the time. Worse yet, we are in danger of taking pleasure in the unrighteousness of others. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! “Too often . . . people who want a certain reputation or image embrace the label ‘Christian,' regardless of their spiritual life and intentions,” states Barna. “'Christian' has become somewhat of a generic term rather than a name that reflects a deep commitment to passionately pursuing and being like Jesus Christ,” he states. SIX IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW 1. God is the Creator of the world and rules this universe! (Genesis 1:1) 2. The Bible is God's Word for mankind and is completely accurate including matters of life and its origin. (2 Timothy 3:16) 3. Because of God and His Word, absolute moral truth exists! (Psalms 102:25–27; Malachi 3:6) 4. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and He lived a sinless life, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the grave three days later! (1 Corinthians 15:3–4; 1 John 4:9–10) 5. Satan is a real being (not symbolic) and seeks to defeat God's plan for man! (1 Peter 5:8) 6. Salvation is obtained solely by individual faith in Christ's work on the Cross and cannot be earned! (Ephesians 2:8–9) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit (G2590 Karpos) he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide (G3306 Menó) in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:1-8) G2590 Karpos - properly, fruit; (figuratively) everything done in true partnership with Christ, i.e. a believer (a branch) lives in union with Christ (the Vine). By definition, fruit (2590 /karpós) results from two life-streams – the Lord living His life through ours – to yield what is eternal (cf. 1 Jn 4:17). G3306 Menó - remain, abide, stay, wait - equivalent to not to depart, not to leave, to continue to be present; to maintain unbroken fellowship with one; to be rooted as it were in him, knit to him by the spirit they have received from him

Do you have too many things cluttering your home or life? If you're like most of us, the answer is yes. Over time we tend to accumulate so many things and we aren't even sure where it all came from. When it gets to the point of overflowing our cabinets and closets we usually are demanded to give it our time and attention.  Our belongings must be maintained, organized, and eventually discarded or given to those who may be able to use them. As humans it seems very natural to us, especially in the western culture, to collect many things in this life. However, when we leave this world behind and join our Jesus in the air we cannot take any of it with us. This is why Jesus asks His loyal followers to store up treasures in Heaven and not on earth because He knows that not only will these earthly things perish in fire someday (2 Peter 3:10), they also will distract us from the important tasks at hand; our Heavenly to-do list. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-12) Many successful people seem to always crave more and more in life. Surely, at one point or another, you've heard that nagging voice, “Isn't there more to life than this?!” Jesus knew that nothing on this earth would supply anyone with lasting satisfaction. No matter what, our successes, accomplishments, and collections will never fulfill our hearts. We humans are built with a place deep within our being that can only be filled by a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. What Jesus is really pointing out here is that a desire for earthly treasure is a matter of the heart. In other words, which do you love more — earthly goods or heavenly treasure? Jesus in His earthly ministry would often cut to the quick of the matters of the heart. Challenging those listening to check their hearts, because God can see what even we often times cannot. Jesus has a way of reaching into the epicenter of our souls and challenging our framework and getting us to rethink that framework and redirect our hearts back to Him and His way. What are you living for? This life or for Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven? Here are some questions to help you search your heart: Are you constantly worrying about your finances, accumulating more wealth, becoming debt-free, or getting that next promotion?Are you always looking for a new house or a faster car?Do you spend a lot of money on clothing, jewelry, or accessories? I could go on, but I think you get the point. I'm not implying that you cannot have those things. Only you can assess if these things are occupying all of your head and heart space. Only you know if they come first in your life and before the Lord Jesus Christ. So what are the Treasures of Heaven? Just what was Jesus speaking of in Matthew 6? In Luke 12:33-34, we read, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Giving with open hands and an open heart is pivotal in the Christian life as Christ gave His ALL for us. Jesus tells us, “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34) When we seek the Kingdom of God first and foremost, through prayer, reading the Word of God, and humbling ourselves to the correction of the Lord Jesus, God promises to take care of all our basic human needs. This should free up our heads & our hearts and allow us to be on the lookout for others who need our help. Jesus specifically mentions the selling of possessions and using financial gain to help those in need in Luke 12. We absolutely should be feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to those who have no home. However, there is more need in this world than just those struggling with physical hunger, homelessness, and nakedness. There is a deeper spiritual meaning here. In Revelation 19:8 we read, “to her (the Bride of Christ) it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” In Colossians 3:12, we see how we are to be clothed in the attributes of God himself. Paul writes, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” When a true Christian believer has the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, has been covered by the righteousness of Christ's atoning blood, and has a changed and redeemed heart they have spiritual clothing. As they partake of the Word of God and the Bread of Life, which is Christ Jesus, they have spiritual food. This is what Jesus means by our bodies are more than food and clothing. “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-8) Here in this scripture, we see that the Holy Spirit clothes us in the promise of a heavenly dwelling, a NEW body in Christ Jesus our Lord. When we show love & mercy to the people around us we are mirroring God's redemptive love & mercy towards us. While we help others in their physical needs we show the generous heart of our Heavenly Father. This opens up the gateways to hardened hearts allowing the Holy Spirit to shine into their lives. A genuine Christian humbly walks in the likeness of Jesus opening the eyes of the spiritually blind & healing the wounds of spiritual death because they bring people to the foot of the cross. Once they taste the goodness and love of Christ Jesus and believe in faith, they too will be clothed in the gift of the Holy Spirit; receiving their Heavenly garment, that seals each of us until the day of redemption on the day of Christ's return. God's spiritual fruit allows our light to shine brightly before mankind. This is what draws people into a relationship with Christ Jesus and ultimately leads them to salvation. This is why Jesus came to the earth, lived a humble life and died on the cross, and was resurrected from the grave! The Heavenly treasures Jesus stored up were the souls of the lost people of this earth! This is the same treasure you and I are to store up as well. This includes our own soul as we die daily to ourselves and pick up our cross to follow in the footsteps and ways of Jesus Christ! I pray you can see the beautiful symmetry in God's plan. We are the very hands and feet of Jesus on this earth doing the works He has called us to do. We do this because we walk not by sight but by faith. Each day I encourage you to focus less on the things of this world that break and slowly deteriorate and seek first the Kingdom of God through your prayers stored up in Heaven (Revelation 5:8), fellowshipping with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), plugging into a God-fearing Bible-believing church (John 17:17), and spending time in the Word of God asking the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to you (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and lovingly correct your ways. You've probably heard the saying, “You can't take things with you to Heaven, only people.” I like this saying. I invest a large portion of my life studying, praying, writing, filming, editing, and posting these devotionals for you. I do all of this while raising three children and working full time from home. This ministry is my humble sacrifice on the altar of my life. I am not sharing this to gloat, but rather to encourage you. I'm an ordinary girl with everyday responsibilities. I DO NOT do this in my own strength but in His! I do it because I love you and because it brings glory & honor to my Father in heaven. And yes, before someone asks, I do live in a beautiful yet humble home. God has blessed my husband and me with dependable jobs, reliable cars, a small retirement, and health insurance just to name a few earthly things that we enjoy. But at the end of the day, God could take it all and I still would remain faithful because I now understand, that it's YOU who matters. It is your soul that matters to God. It's not our statuses, our popularity, how many followers we have on Instagram, or how much money we have in our bank accounts. He cares about the deepest darkest places in our human hearts. When it is all said and done and we stand before the Lord Jesus, as everyone will, will He see someone who lived their life in love with Him & and was committed to His ways? Will He see someone who used the gifts and talents He entrusted to them to win souls for the Kingdom of God? Or will He see someone who was self-centered and self-serving? These are now the questions I ask myself every day. No, I didn't get here overnight and I'm still growing and I don't always get it right. Please, do not compare yourself to me or anyone else. Comparison is not from God. You probably don't have the same gifts or calling on your life as I do mine, because He has made us all unique. But God promises, that we all have gifts and talents and we are all called to bring souls into the Kingdom of God. How you do that, will look different in your life. It could be that your ministry is your children, Lord knows raising reasonable God-fearing humans is hard work, just read the Old Testament! It could be that your ministry is volunteering at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter. Perhaps it's reaching the lost in your office building. We all have a realm of influence. If you aren't sure what yours is, it is my experience, that all you need to do is ask the one who is always faithful. So I ask, are you storing up Heavenly treasures fit for the Kingdom of God? Or are you consumed by the material gains of this world? Dear friend, God never ignores a humbled heart. He will never ask you to do something that He himself hasn't gone ahead and prepared the way for. Every day, I wonder where these messages will come from. I worry that the words will dry up and disappear. But every time I pray and I seek, our Lord Jesus generously gives me His words. Every day, He is faithful. I pray this message has blessed you. I pray that you'll begin to seek the treasure of Heaven more and more each day. Seek righteousness, gentleness, holiness, purity, and generosity. Above all, seek the face of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that at the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into a partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philippians 4:1-23) Many people think it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you believe in something. But in reality, the content of our faith affects all areas of life. That's not to say that everything we do will be 100% aligned with our convictions — after all, we aren't perfect! As a rule, though, we are guided by what we accept as truth. For example, believing what the Bible says will affect how we use our gifts, the way we treat others, our choices about spending or investing our money, and how the world influences our choices and behaviors. And of course the most important decision in life — trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ — hinges on whether we believe He is who He claims to be. We are given two commands within this passage. 1. Be Anxious About Nothing — Pray about everything, with humility ask God for what you need, and be grateful for what you have 2. Focus on the Good — Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. There is a promise for those who do these two things: those who do will receive the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, that will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Who wouldn't want these things? So let me ask you this… when we fixate on the news, social media, and other man-made, man-centered sources of information, how does that affect our minds? Our hearts even? And our behaviors? Does it fill us with hope or dread? Faith or worry? Truth or lies? The Word of God is likened to a life-giving bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:51) and also the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14). Therefore, when you read and begin to study the Bible through the knowledge and power of the Holy Spirit, you will be filled with the life-giving, truth-laden, hope breathed words of God himself. As you begin to view the world around you through the lens of God's Word the lies this world has to offer will become ever so clear. You will have no choice but to stand firm on the truth of God or choose the world and its lies. It changes everything, including YOU! So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) The word of God contains many passages warning about false teachers and prophets (Matthew 7:15), whose destructive doctrines can cause us terrible damage. But if we have a strong foundation, we are far less likely to be deceived. That's why Scripture teaches us how to safeguard against believing error: by filling our mind with truth. If you've yet to develop a daily habit of spending time in God‘s word, why not start today? The New Testament is filled with many warnings to not let yourself be deceived. God loves you and wants to guard His children against deception, but if they don't choose to partake in His spiritual guardianship, they leave themselves open to the elemental spiritual weaponry of the Evil One. The choice is ours.

Standing in the Courtroom of Heaven What would you pay to know that your legal standing before the Almighty God of the Universe is as secure as the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ? What is it worth to be at peace with God knowing that your debt is paid in full? The answer is you might pay anything, but the truth is you could never afford the true cost. You see, one day, all of us will stand in judgment before a holy, righteous, and perfect God. He will take a detailed look into all of our lives; on that day every conversation, all of our thoughts, & all of our actions will be on trial before the ultimate Judge. You and I are more than aware that we fall short of the Glory of God on a daily basis. You don't need me to tell you that, as I'm sure one hot-headed decision on the drive home will remind you of your sinful nature. So why would God offer such a people as us the possibility of complete acquittal for all of our guilt in the courts of Heaven? The world loves to paint a picture of a wrathful God. They often point out scriptures found in the Old Testament that they twist and manipulate in their fallen human understanding to prove their reasoning for never trusting the God of the Bible. Yet, God in His infinite mercy & grace offers a FREE GIFT to each of us through our FAITH in Jesus Christ. If you'll see the gift offered to you, if you savor this precious gift and you cherish it as it deserves, you'll know a peace with God that will surpass all understanding. Peace with Almighty God How many of us struggle to find peace or better yet, understand what peace means? I know that I've struggled to fully grasp this understanding myself. Today, we are going to come to a firm foundation in what the Bible refers to as peace with God. Today, you can have a peace that can never be shaken, taken, or tarnished. First, we need to understand the righteousness of Christ Jesus; the perfect standard of God. He came to this world just like you and me; a helpless baby, reliant on a loving mother. Naked and vulnerable he grew into a child and then into manhood. He felt all the same emotions as we do today and faced many of the same age-old temptations and trials. The moment came where he was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began His earthly ministry preaching of the soon-coming Kingdom of Heaven. The old testament gives us Christians today all of the types and shadows of the coming Christ. In His life, He would fulfill every prophecy foretold and live the Law of God perfectly. In the days of old, a lamb was sacrificed on the Alter of God outside of the Temple. This blood was to atone for the sins of the people of Israel. However, this was only a shadow, meaning it was never going to be enough until the true blood of the Lamb of God was slain on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Did you catch that? Did you see what the scripture said? On the day that Jesus laid down His life for the world, he became our sin in the eyes of God. He lived a perfect life, yet he bore every sin ever committed and that would ever be committed by all those past, present, and future. The sins of the world were imputed or applied to Jesus Christ in the court of Heaven. He became the final sacrificial Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. Imputation means to take into account or rather in this case, to pass to one's account that which belongs to another. Imputation more often remains negative as in to lay the responsibility or blame often falsely or unjustly. In our case, the imputation goes both ways. Our sin was applied to Christ, who knew no sin so that our faith in Christ Jesus would impart his righteousness upon us. This is the FREE GIFT! This is the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Why would God do this? Why would He send His Son to die for you and me? He is a just God, a righteous & a holy God to be sure, but He is also a God of pure unconditional love. His love was poured out crimson red that day for all of the world. Romans 8:34 tells us this, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Mark 16:19 states, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” Faith Imputed as Righteousness Now that we've established just who in fact Jesus is and what He has done to cover the sins of the world, let's dig a little deeper into our faith and how our faith is counted to us as Christ's righteousness and how our faith in the Prince of Peace can in fact give us peace with the God of heaven and earth. Let's read Romans Chapter 4. ​​What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted (imputed) to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted (imputed) to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. What Paul is teaching here is the Imputation of the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord to all those who have FAITH in Him for their Salvation. Paul is going all the way back to the covenant promise God made with Abraham, a man of faith, to show that through Christ Jesus the promise has been made complete. Paul is teaching us in Romans 4, that because we have faith in God's Son Jesus Christ, Christ's righteousness is applied to our account in the court of Heaven. Our faith is NOT our righteousness, our righteousness is Jesus Christ! What more could we ask for? Jesus Christ lived in holiness & perfect righteousness so that WE through our FAITH in His life, death & resurrection, we could be made righteous before a holy God! Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Just prior, in Chapter 3 of Romans, verse 22-26 it says, “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just and the justifier of him which believe in Jesus.” Grace Available to All God's grace is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Our faith justifies us before God. Why does this give us peace with God? Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God who is seated at the right hand of the Father. Do you think anything could dethrone him? Do you think that He could ever be removed? Do you think that you or I am able through our sinfulness to undo what God has done? No, because Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Hebrews 1:13). He is the Great I AM. The Alpha & Omega. The Open Door that no one can open and no one can shut. He holds the seven churches in His hand. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; the conquering King. Jesus is the Lord of Lords and His majesty will reign forever and ever. Can we count upon Jesus? Can we cast all of our worries upon Him because He is faithful? Yes!!! When we believe and have faith in the only begotten Son of God, we believe that He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. We believe that He is coming on the clouds of Glory to someday be seen by all who did not believe and to be glorified in all those who do believe. My dear sister, we will never be able to count upon our own righteousness as a way of earning our salvation or right standing before a Holy God whose requirement is perfection. Because of His love for His creation, He has offered up His perfect Son to become our righteousness! This is very Good News indeed! You see when we think forward to that day when we stand before God, we don't need to be fearful. We don't need to be shaken by the Enemy's lies, because our righteousness doesn't reside in us, it resides in Heaven at the right hand of God. Our righteous is Jesus Christ who paid our debts in full. And all He asks of us is to have child-like faith and believe in Him! Romans 4:11 makes it clear that we are blessed because God's righteousness is apart from our ability to work for our salvation. Let The Journey With Christ Begin Our failure to live up to the Glory of God's standard will never cast us out provided we are casting ourselves like helpless children upon the righteousness of Christ which is the perfect execution to the Glory of God. When this imputation of righteousness takes place and we fully believe in Jesus this is the best gift we could ever ask for! Yet, this is only where our journey beings. You must be counted perfect through faith before you can begin the baby steps of becoming like God's Son Jesus Christ. When you begin that journey in faith the Holy Spirit will empower you to walk in righteousness, purity, and holiness. Now God can begin to impart the power of the Holy Spirit in your life to begin to produce the evidence of your faith through His fruits of the Spirit; joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you today to bow before the King of Kings and ask Him to forgive you all of your sins and walk in faith. As we've learned today, you can have peace for the rest of your life when you believe that Jesus paid your debt. You can step out of sin once and for all and step into His marvelous light!

Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In this popular psalm, we see a loving shepherd tending his flock. Leading them to safe green pastures and near flowing clean water. The psalm then pivots from the physical to the spiritual. We read of righteousness for the Lord's sake and comfort in times of great need. Protection from the Enemy of our souls and completed by the promise of God's goodness and mercy. What we see painted here is the analogy of sheep as God's people and the Lord as the Good Shephard. When you do a little research you come to the conclusion that either God in His infinite wisdom created the humble sheep for His future purpose of using them as a teaching lesson or He knew that we would share enough in common that they'd make the perfect analogy. Either way, sheep are incredible creatures and I love how beautifully this analogy is presented to us in Psalm 23. Sheep require a shepherd to lead them and protect them and you can't have a shepherd without a flock of sheep. The shepherd spends all of his days with his sheep leading them through miles of grassy pasture land to find food and water. He finds them shelter during storms and bad weather. Over time a relationship deepens between the shepherd and his flock. He loves his sheep and they trust his lead. Contrary to popular opinion, sheep are smart, kind, excellent mothers and friends, curious, and brave. They are loyal, trusting, and dependent upon the voice of their loving shepherd. Some interesting facts about sheep: 1. Sheep are exceptionally caring mothers and form intimate bonds with their lambs and they can recognize each other by their call when they wander too far away. 2. Despite the popular belief that sheep are stupid, they're actually incredibly intelligent and capable of problem-solving. They have very impressive cognitive ability and just like humans, they form deep and lasting bonds with each other, they defend each other in dangerous situations, and they grieve when they lose a friend. They experience all of the same emotions that humans do including fear, joy, boredom, anger, and happiness to name a few. 3. In addition to being incredibly smart, they also have wonderful memories! They can remember approximately 50 individuals (sheep and human!) for years at a time. Sheep is a common term that God uses to describe His children throughout scripture. In the Old Testament, we see that Israel was likened to lost sheep. After the death of Jesus on the cross prophecy was fulfilled and the sheep were scattered (Zechariah 13:7 and Matthew 26:31). During Jesus' ministry, he would often teach about how He is the Good Shephard (John 10:11), how He knows each one of his flock, and that His sheep hear His voice. The most unique thing about sheep seems to be their heightened sense of hearing. Their very lives depend on their ability to hear the voice of their caring shepherd. Without the gentle leading of a kind shepherd, they are prone to wanding off into the neighboring valleys and fields. They don't necessarily wander to leave the flock on purpose, but wandering usually happens in complacency. There they are just munching on the green grass of the field until one moment they hear their shepherd calling and realize his voice is far too distant. One thing I found interesting in my research is that a shepherd would sometimes break the leg of a lamb that was prone to wandering and when he would carefully mend the broken leg, he would cast the lamb about his neck and there he would carry that lamb until the leg was healed. During this time, the stubborn lamb would come to know the gentle voice of his shepherd, so well in fact, that when it came time to walk again, he would never wander off. Those more prone to a critical heart would think that's a terrible thing to do! But I assure you this is done out of love for the sheep because the shepherd knows the dangers of the world. It is common for shepherds throughout all of history to find newborn lambs frozen in the elements. Often, they would find them drown in the streams and bogs, caught up in fences and thickets. Worse yet, they would find their sheep slaughtered by hungry wolves and birds of prey. In Isaiah 40:11 we read, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” God knew you before the foundations of the world. He would call each of us uniquely to Himself. He also knew that we would be stubborn; often seeking the greener grass of this world. Jesus himself warned of ravening wolves in sheep's clothing seeking to devour His sheep. (Matthew 7:15) So it's vitally important that we read the Word of God for ourselves and study to show thyself approved (2 Timothy 2:15) and constantly renew our minds (Romans 12:2). Because someday we will all come up against those who seek to deceive us. However, if we are firmly rooted in the Word of God, their attacks will fail because we know our Shepherd's voice completely. When I was teaching my daughter about the sheep I asked her why she thought the shepherd would break the lamb's leg? She answered, “Tough love, I guess.” She's exactly right. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 11:6). I explained to her why it was so important to read the Bible and to know the voice of God calling to her. It is only a matter of time that she will grow and find herself in the world; it'll be just her, God, and other people. It's imperative that she knows His voice because when she comes up against hard decisions she'll need to know whether this is of God or if it's not. As she learns to trust His voice and be obedient to the Lord, He will keep her safe and protect her. He will use her for His righteousness sake and bring her into the calling He has placed on her life. So I ask you today, little sheep, do you know the voice of the Good shepherd? Have you wandered too far away but you hear His voice searching for you in the wilderness? If this is you, I assure you He is calling your name. We read in Matthew 18, “What do you think a man does who has one hundred sheep and one of them gets lost? He will leave the other ninety-nine grazing on the hillside and go and look for the lost sheep.” A Good Shepherd rejoices when his sheep come home. Or maybe you're like me. You've been that lost sheep a time or two. But today, you've snuggled up nice and close to the feet of Jesus and you're hanging on His every word. All too often we fall for the lie of the Enemy that tells us it's boring being a part of Jesus' flock. He convinces us that we're just fine being on the outside looking in or that we can get as close to the fence as we wish and no harm will come to us. I warn you now, it's a trap! The circling wolves of this world are looking to snag a quick lamb chop here and there without remorse or guilt for doing so. However, as Jesus' sheep, we are not defenseless! As believers in Christ, we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. As we hone in on His voice calling us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ we will put on the spiritual armor and fight with spiritual weaponry. After all, in this life, we are in a spiritual battle. The Enemy deceives us into thinking only of what we can see but the Word of God teaches us that the just shall live by faith and not by sight (Hebrews 10:38). It's time to be far more focused on what can't see than what we can. Have you ever seen a flock of sheep armed and ready for battle? No, you've never seen armored sheep? Well, if you read your Bible you'll quickly realize that Jesus told us, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) In Ephesians 6 Paul suits us up with the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sheild of Faith, and the Girdle of Truth. Those are some powerfully armored sheep if you ask me! When you are a part of the spiritual flock of Jesus Christ and you are armor up in your spiritual armor, no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). We have the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as our Shepherd! He fights our battles in the spiritual realm and he provides for every need of those who honestly seek Him and the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 6:33)! The grass is NOT greener on the other side. It may be spray painted to look like it, but I assure you it has been poised by the pesticides of the Devil and his demons! If you are walking closely with Jesus, never stop! Lead others back into the flock or invite them into the fold today! We are all shepherds in Christ Jesus. It isn't just your Pastors job to find the sheep. It's not everyone else's job to lead people to Christ! We are all called to spread the gospel of Jesus! If you are a mother you are a shepherd of your little lambs. If you are a friend then you are a shepherd of your friends. If you are around the lost sheep of this world, invite them to know the love of God! If you are one of the Lord's sheep, yet you've wandered to close to the fence, I promise He is looking for you. He is calling you right now. Return to Him and take your rightful place at His feet. You are welcomed with open arms into the family of God! Psalm 23 promises a seat prepared for those who love the Lord. Goodness and mercy are forever served at this table.

Psalm 107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the water were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. Psalm 107 was written to express the lovingkindness and goodness of God Almighty. Throughout the ages, mankind has rejected God, but there has always been a remnant of faithful men and women. He shows mercy to those who seek Him. The Bible is filled with the historical documentation of God carrying His beloved children, however disobedient, through the wilderness. Since the creation of man God has provided all the things people needed; food, water, shelter, and protection. Most importantly... Salvation! If you're listening to the sound of my voice right now, Daughter of the Living God... what storms have you weathered that God in His grace and mercy has brought you through? In what miraculous ways has He provided you safe passage through the storm? Notice I didn't ask if your passage through the storm left you unscathed or perfectly intact. Oftentimes, we carry the scars of wounds, both physical and spiritual. Life is hard and at times brutal. But, based on my life's experience, if we are still breathing, then God is still making a way. How do you react in a thunderstorm? Do you tremble under the covers in fear? Or do you recall the words of Psalm 29: “The God of glory thunders …. The voice of the LORD is majestic” (vv. 3-4)? Just as our responses to bad weather vary according to our perspective, so do our reactions to trials. If 2020 showed us anything, it is that unexpected events are a natural part of this fallen world. I'm going to ask another question... when the world we used to know came crumbling down around us, when the schools closed and we mothers found ourselves navigating homeschooling, when people lost their jobs & businesses, when people we loved died, where did you turn? Did you turn to Jesus in faith that he would supply your every need? Maybe you turned to the ‘experts' with all of their advice, charts, and graphs? Life's storms can either stunt or accelerate our spiritual growth. The determining factor is our reaction. Some people humbly cry out to the Lord, while others get angry or frustrated with God. Still, others ignore Him and try to figure things out on their own, seeking solutions in every place except God's Word. I know from experience that when I seek answers in this world, I often become confused, broken, and lost. It took me a while to get my barrings in 2020, but God with such love turned my heart back to Him. He saw my desperate desire for answers. He beckoned to me, “Child, I see you. There is only one truth in this world that you can place your faith in. You will not find it in the wise words of men, for their wisdom is foolishness to me. You will not find it on the Internet or on social media where they mock and ridicule me. You will only find truth when you seek me with your whole heart, mind, and soul. The answers you are looking for are within the words breathed out by my Spirit.” For the first time in my life, I picked up my Bible and I truly began to search. At first, I didn't understand. I was so behind, or so I thought. There were times I sought the advice or teachings of others, to help bridge the gap, and that's okay. Eventually, I learned to lean on the Holy Spirit. With all the conflicting ideas and doctrines, in my frustration, I learned that I could trust Him fully for truth. Ladies, we must come to a point in our faith, where we believe the Word of God as the only unchangeable truth in existence. As long as we flounder in this area, as long as we trust the words of man more than God, we will remain lost! If we cannot trust the Words of the Living God, then what do we have? That is exactly what the Enemy wants to do! He fills our hearts and minds with confusion and chaos. He tears and rips at the very fabric of the Word of God until people no longer truly trust its inherency; in its infallibility. Turning away from the Lord results in a hardened heart for an unbeliever and discipline for a believer. God wants us to be surrendered to His will, because if we are proud or self-reliant, then we aren't useful for His glory. That's why He brings storms across our path to teach us to rely on Him. When the Lord allows adversity in your life, do you accept it as something designed for your good? Or do you try to bend God to your will? As difficult as they may be, storms are meant to produce godly character in us. Dear Friend, daughter of the living God, do you trust that Jesus has set you free? Do you know his character? His voice? Do know what He says about you? You are not forsaken or forgotten. You are redeemed, created new, and set free! There is freedom in the hands of Jesus. This world cannot take what the Lord God has given. Try as it may, this world cannot destroy the promises of the King of Kings! If you are a true believer in Christ Jesus, the same power that resurrected Him from the grave and the grip of death lives inside of YOU! He is in the business of resurrecting what seems dead and clothing it in righteousness! Jesus Christ is on the throne! He is ruling and reigning with God the Father. He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. No storm, virus, job loss, or hurt can separate you from the love of God. Even death is no match for Jesus Christ! He won over death when he died once for all of mankind on the cross at Calvary. Death is a victory for a believer! It is not the end! If these past two years have taught me anything, it is to not let the Enemy steal my joy and make me fearful of death. What the Enemy meant for evil, God used in my heart for His glory! Because of the fear I had of death, I began to seek God's truth. Little did the Enemy know, that God was about to take away my fear of death; the one tool that the Enemy used in 2020 and still through today, God used to change my perspective. If you entrust Jesus with your desires, fears, anxieties, worries, and doubts even, if you place all of it before His feet, I promise you that He will make you an overcomer. Your faith will be built on a foundation that cannot be shaken! No storm in this world will be able to undo what the Lord has done! You are a woman of God. Stand up and fight for your freedom in Jesus! Don't let the Devil take what rightfully belongs to you! He only has power in our lives if let him have that power. Maybe you are in a season of discipline. You know you should be yielding to God. You know that your fears and anxieties are running your life. You feel the call on your heart to truly surrender. I cannot do that for you, but if you are listening to this right now, you are stepping in the right direction. Find a quiet place, right now, and surrender. You were never meant to carry this alone. Jesus will carry the fear, the hurt, the worry, the anger, the pain... He will replace it with purpose and passion. I am evidence of the truth that I'm telling you right now. This is my story! I am not the same woman I was. Perhaps you've never known Jesus in the way I'm introducing Him today. If you're struggling and broken, searching for meaning. Right now, just open your heart to His mercy. It doesn't matter your past or who you were up until this point. He makes all things new! Ask Him into your heart. Jesus tells us, come to Him all who are burdened and heavy laden and He will give you rest. He sees your heart, He knows your darkest secrets; seek His forgiveness and He will wash you clean! Don't weather the storms of life alone. You were made for a purpose. You were made to reflect His glory.

Has the question, “What is God's will for my life?” overwhelmed you? I know it has me. Just the very thought of it stressed me out. I felt so unworthy of anything that was considered God's will. The whole thought seemed complicated and distant to me. I couldn't imagine what it was that I could possibly do just right to live in God's perfect will for my life. Today, we're going to dig a bit deeper into the will of God and you will see it's not nearly as overwhelming as you once thought. We will learn in three steps how to know, understand, trust, and live in God's good & perfect will. As we move forward we are blessed by the Apostle Paul's encouraging words in Philippians 1, where he says, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) If you've been called to love Jesus, that wasn't in your power, that was from the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that spoke to you the truth of Jesus Christ, is the same Spirit that resurrected Jesus from the grave, and lives in you today! We can know and be confident that He who is faithful will continue the work He began in each of us. Let that renew your heart as you listen to this message. First let's start today's message by reading 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4, as it directly talks about the will of God and how to live it out, and at the very end of this chapter, we will hear the beautiful reward for all who are living out God's good and perfect will. “Finally, then, brothers & sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers & sisters, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4) Paul starts out by saying, how we are to walk in Christ Jesus and encourages us to continue to grow more and more in the Lord. It's important to understand just how we are to grow in the the Lord. In John 1:1-5 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5 ) And we get clarification from the Word of God just a few verses down in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Step One of Living in the will of God is reading His word and knowing His Son, who is the Word of God! Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. When you hold your Bible in your hands, you are holding the eternal and living truth, wisdom, and knowledge of God Almighty! The very character and essence of God and His Son Jesus Christ come to life when you read and study the scriptures. I want everyone listening to hear what I'm going to say and let it sink into the very marrow within your bones... we MUST read the Bible, the living Word of God! To truly know the heart and character of Jesus Christ we must feed on its every word. This is how the Holy Spirit will sanctify His true believers. It is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus himself said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) The Bible is our spiritual food. There is more to us than just our physical bodies. We are a living spiritual being existing in an earthly body not made by human hands. We are the very temple of the Living God. There are Christians throughout the world that are spiritually starving and ultimately being deceived because they are not taking the time to seek God's face, truth, and wisdom. Living in the will of God is to know his good & perfect will. We can only know His will by reading His Word and knowing His Son. As much as I appreciate that you are taking the time to listen to me, and I have faith that God is blessing those who do, you can't get all of your understanding from other people, not even just your Pastor. You must take the time to sit at the table of God and allow Him to prepare a meal just for you. Step Two of Living in the will of God is living a Set Apart Life through the process of Sanctification. Moving on in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul makes it very clear to his audience and says, “This is the will of God... your sanctification.” If our sanctification is the good & perfect will of God, then I think it important to understand just what sanctification is. Sanctification is the process that believers go through to become set apart. It is the process where God progressively transforms each of us as the Body of Christ into the likeness of His Son Jesus Christ. In essence, sanctification is our purification. As you read the Word of God your faith grows. As your faith grows you please the Lord. As you read the Word of God, your mind becomes renewed and transformed. You'll lovingly be convicted to change certain behaviors in your life that bring you into alignment with the Holy Spirit and God's good and perfect will. Everything changes. Your prayer life becomes more intimate and deeper. You begin to overcome the very things that make you look like the world; things like anger, greed, jealousy, bitterness, fear, and anxiety. You'll begin to trust in the Lord more and more each day. Now don't get me wrong, this process can be a bit painful. In John 15:2 Jesus teaches us that God cuts off every branch of His that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so that they will produce even more. This pruning Jesus is speaking of is God chastising (Hebrews 12:6-7) those whom He loves. It is a process that is often a bit painful and requires true surrender. It took me a while to get this and I still have my days. Depending on your willingness, this process can take a week or even longer. The moment we truly understand that this called out lifestyle that He requires of His children, is not to be mean or restrictive. It's required because we serve a Holy & Righteous God. Jesus talked about this in Luke 9:23. He said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Following God's good and perfect will isn't boring! Just look at all the different stories of Moses, David, Ruth, and the disciples! God used so many normal, everyday messed-up people. God lead them into all sorts of situations to advance His Kingdom. He used Paul, who was a murderer of Christians, to write more than half of the New Testament! All kingdom work that the Father considers valuable takes place through His Holy Spirit — not by means of human power or might. Far from being aimed at a select few who are called to ministry, this is an essential truth for all believers. When we bring honor and glory to God in all that we say and do... this is living in the will of God! Scripture is clear that through the process of sanctification and renewal of the mind we are able to learn what is the good and perfect will of God. “I appeal to you, therefore, brothers & sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 And lastly, Step Three is understanding it's not about YOU — It's about JESUS CHRIST! When you finally come to the spiritual understanding that this life isn't about what we can see. It's not about our family, jobs, successes, or material things. It's not about doing everything exactly right. It's about knowing and loving JESUS CHRIST! Knowing him as a friend and as your personal Lord and Savior. The entire purpose of our lives in this world is to come to the realization that this life is a proving ground. We are spiritual beings living in a physical existence. There is ultimately only one question that matters: Do you choose Jesus or do you choose death? For all of those who are willing to die to themselves and seek the Kingdom of Heaven with everything that the Lord God has given you, then you will understand the purpose of life. Living a life that brings honor and glory to God in all that you do and say, is the Good & Perfect Will of God.

This question was posed in a Wednesday evening Bible Study at my church. The teacher questioned the audience, “Why do you love God?” I pondered this question throughout the lesson, peering deep into the recesses of my memory while recounting all the ways that the Lord has provided for me. As the lesson came to an end the simplest response I had was, “Where would I begin?” A question answered with another question is no answer I suppose. I hope you'll allow me to share the details of my answer with you as to why I love God and then be prepared because I'll ask you the same question at the end of this message. At the tender age of 16, I trusted in the Lord for my salvation. I received His gift of salvation with child-like faith. I immediately began asking questions. Dutifully I began to read my Bible. As I read the words written on the pages, my inquisitive mind developed many more questions. If you know me personally, you'll probably chuckle, because you understand it's just who I am. The church I was attending didn't appreciate my questions, even though I followed all the rules. As an adult, I can see with a bit more clarity than that young little girl. The reason for their decision doesn't really matter. The fact remains I was booted from the church just shy of my eighteenth birthday. It was understandable that in my confusion, I instantly began to feel hatred towards God. I simply couldn't grasp why the God of Heaven whom I had just trusted for my salvation would allow a church full of adults to dismiss a young girl for simply asking questions. A year went by and the Devil filled the void, but little did I know at that time, God had me in the palm of His hand. It didn't keep me from sinning, but a year later, He corrected my course and called me back into His direction and care. Oh, how I can see in hindsight the protection on my life! He is so good! Fast forward about a decade and you'll find a young married couple raising babies and struggling to figure out all of this “life stuff”. Because I struggled with trusting churches for the following decade that left my husband and me distant and not plugged into a Christian community. Our marriage was on the rocks and the hurts were mounting. However, there was God. The Lord fought for my husband and me. Our marriage survived and after many difficult years, it began to thrive. It was during this time of deep correction and sincere Godly love that I was able to love my husband more deeply than I ever had before. There are too many details to share in this message, but take it from a broken girl, when the Father of Heaven reaches down from above to touch your heart and remind you that you are loved beyond any sin, you take notice. I'll never forget the moment in my utter brokenness, I asked Him, “Can you possibly still love me?” Right at that moment, the veil of Heaven was opened and the very heart in my chest felt a love that took the breath out of my lungs. The tears began to pour as I felt a crushing love like I've never experienced. The very moment I realized what was happening it was gone. I know that in those quick milliseconds God opened Heaven and allowed my heart to feel His love in a very real and tangible way. I did absolutely nothing to deserve this experience but I felt a love so grand that my earthly physical being couldn't contain it. You can't forget a moment like that. He is truly the God of forgiveness. Through the coming years, He would provide for our every need. Helping us overcome financial woes, the selling, and buying of three houses. During the hardest years of our lives, He held my hasband's and my hand as we parented a young teenage child who was battling anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Today, that child loves Jesus and he is healthy and free! He sat with me as I held my dying grandfather's hand and gave me comfort and strength to endure his final breath. The entire time I could feel His mighty presence; gentle yet strong. Three years later He would give me a message that only He could deliver to heal the wounds of my mother's broken heart. In September of 2019, I began to cry and asked God to give me direction in my life. He placed a calling on my life that both terrified and confused me. In short, I was going to be called to help others overcome fear. Didn't He know that fear was my middle name? Little did I know that just 6 months later the world would be rocked and filled with fear! In 2020, He again would hear my pleas for answers. Did I get the answers I was seeking, not exactly; I still don't know what the future holds. But what I got was better! He strengthened my faith in Him in the deepest way I could ever imagine. As I began to truly seek the Kingdom of God, I found a faith that cannot be shaken. Today, my spiritual house is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ! I know His promises are true in my very soul and no storm will ever shake that foundation! The Devil no longer has a hold on me. 2020 was a prime example of how the Devil uses the ultimate fear of death to control the masses. What the Devil meant for evil, God used for good. Today, I am not afraid of death, because I now know that death is only the beginning. When I leave this world behind, my real life with Jesus begins. When death loses its grip on your mind, you live freer. When you begin to focus on the Kingdom of God, this world grows strangely dim. That is a gift from God! Today, you are listening to a Podcast that I began in faith. Am I still scared from time to time? I suppose. I don't want to fail Him or you. But I know He is bigger than my failures. I take one day at a time and I trust that He leads me because I know He does. He hasn't failed me yet and scripture confirms He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for His sheep! You see, I could probably continue with the many ways that Jesus has saved me from myself and pulled this wandering sheep back into His fold. I could retell the many times He has forgiven this dirty sinful girl; dusted her off and carried her through the fire. He has taught me to forgive because He first forgave me. My life has been filled with repentance, forgiveness, redemption more times than I can count. I love God because He first loved me. I love God because He loves you too! I love God because He is so good! So faithful! I love God because He gave me Jesus! He gave me hope and a future and a heart for His people. My life has a purpose and so does yours. He lovingly convicts because He wants to teach us to be like His Son, Jesus Christ! The very God that sent His Son to die for you and me, loves us so much that even in our wickedness He will reach down out of Heaven to get our attention and change our wayward hearts. The question is “Why do I love God?” I'll answer with another question because that's what I do. “How could I not love God?” Dear Friend, it's your turn. Why do you love God? I pray that this message, although short, will encourage you. If you know God and you love Him, you don't have to share publicly like this, but take the time to answer this question. If you don't know God, but there was something in my story that called out to you, I encourage you to invite Jesus into your heart. He is inviting you to know Him and in time you'll grow to love Him. He already loves you. He died for you. You will never be unredeemable or forgotten. The Bible is filled with broken unworthy people that God ultimately used for His glory and I am no exception and neither are you. He can use you too!

There is coming a time very soon when Christians all around the world will be persecuted for our faith in Jesus. Are you prepared?

I'm going to be honest! It has taken me one week to post this episode. The struggle with fear is real and the irony is not lost on me.

Your past belongs right where it is! Behind you. But the Devil seeks to stir up the emotional rollercoaster of regret and shame.

The Devil knows he can weaken you by attacking those you love most and hitting you where it hurts the most! Today we talk about the importance of praying over your family.

Truth. God's standard and viewpoint about us must come first in our hearts and minds if we want to be effective in battle against the enemy.

You cannot let the Enemy of your soul continue to go on unchecked. You must call the Enemy's bluff, pull the curtain back, open your spiritual eyes, and remain continually aware of the one who's truly behind the curtain.

Do you feel like your passion for prayer or reading the Word of God is waiting? Are you struggling? Let's fight for what is ours!

God's mercies are new each day and through the strength of Christ Jesus, we will learn how to defeat the Devil through our prayer life!

The Gentiles were a people chosen by God through the temporary and partial blinding of the people of Israel. Learn about God's promises.

In this life we will face many trials and situations that are not enjoyable or easy. What is God's purpose for our pain?

God has plans for all believers and he sends the Holy Spirit to guide us along our sanctification and prayer life.

Discipline is required when we yield to the Spirit. However, all of God's blessing on our lives lay within reach through prayer & His Word.

Through Jesus Christ's spilled blood on the cross we are given power over sin and sin has no dominion over us.

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit.

When we accepted Christ as our Savior, we received the Holy Spirit. We must reach out and take a hold of His power over sin.

God does not base His unconditional love on our conditional understanding. The punishment of sin is death; life is found in Jesus!

We can never earn God's grace, however, it is freely given to all who will reach out and accept His free unconditional gift of grace.

Abraham, the human father of ALL Nations was made righteous not by his works, but rather by his faith in God Almighty.

Thank God for second chances! Today we learn about our forgiveness, justification and sanctification through our salvation in Jesus Christ.

God imprinted his laws inside the heart of every human. By whose standard are you saved? Yours or God's? Let's see what Paul teaches us.

What does God say about judgment for the lost of the world? Let's find out while we finish our study of Romans Chapter 1.

Join us as we begin our journey through the book of Romans. Learn about the redemption of God through his son Jesus Chrsit for all mankind.

This is the most IMPORTANT message I will ever share with you! Is your lamp lit? Do you have extra oil? Jesus wants us to be ready. Today we learn why.

God's grace is a free gift to us and is sufficient for every situation. His sustaining in power gives us a victorious Christian life.

Expressing your devotion to Christ should be a daily sacrifice. Bring your first and best to your Lord God daily and you'll see the face of God!

Christ is now in heaven ruling over his people as lord but one day will physically return to set up his kingdom on earth.

We don't have to pretend to be "good Christians". God wants our honesty and a clean heart. Godly living is essential especially in a world crippled by immorality.

Setting goals with Biblical Influence will lead to lasting success in our lives and in the Kingdom of God. Today we take a look at key scriptures and inspirational characters in the Bible.

Jesus is worthy of all honor and praise! Let us proclaim his holiness through scripture and learn who we are because of Him!

Before we met the Light of the World we were of the darkness. Today, we look at three responsibilities we Christians must follow.

Sharing the gospel doesn't need to be complicated or lengthy. Let's use Peter's first sermon as a formula for leading others to Christ.

What are the things in your life that keep you from living a satisfying life? Let's take a look at busyness, perspectives, pressure and attitude and their affect on our living.

Are you watching for your Blessed Hope? We are called to watch and be anticipating Jesus' soon return. Let's look at what scripture tells us.

When we procrastinate we stifle God's plans for our lives. Prayer, serving, tithing and living righteously are imperative for the life of every believer.

God has a specific plan for every believer. But we must be willing to turn away from temptation and follow the Lord.

God has a way of shaking the world when He's up to something. Are you paying attention to the important things happening all around you?

Learning to bookend your day is the best training to see God's plans for your life. Measuring for Growth is how we mature in Christ Jesus.

How is it that we test our salvation? What are the things we should look for? In this message we will go through a checklist together using scripture as our guide.

In this episode we will discuss 10 ways you can live in a way that is both pleasing to God and leads to fulfillment in Christ while letting you shine brightly in the world.

Hope is a desire for something, accompanied by the anticipation of receiving it. Are you focusing on circumstances or Jesus?

Jesus is looking for willing hearts that will be broken and poured out for his purpose and glory. Are you praying for brokenness?

When we go through a difficult time we often turn towards our own understanding. Jesus knows our inner most thoughts and needs. Trust him.

Jesus promised to return for his believers. Are you looking forward to his eminent return or do you find yourself wanting to him to delay? In this podcast we are going to look at the benefits of being informed of biblical prophecies and how we are to prepare ourselves.