Should We Rely on Ourselves? Our culture teaches us that one of the most important virtues a person can have is self- reliance. A self-reliant person depends on no one and nothing for their happiness and success. They are viewed as strong people who face life head-on. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a famous essay called "Self Reliance". One of the well-known lines in it says, "Trust thyself". But should we? Trust implies confidence and faith in someone's character, while to rely means to depend on someone to do something. As Christians, we can trust that God will do what He says, and we can rely on God because He has promised to supply our needs. Don't Trust In Man What does the Bible have to say about trusting yourself? Jeremiah tells us what God says in Jeremiah 17: 5-9, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord." But God says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord." He warns that man's heart is sick and deceitful above all things. And in Psalm 118:8 David tells us, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." Contrast this to what Paul tells us in Philippians 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." We can rely on God's promise to supply all of our needs. Those needs can be emotional, physical or spiritual. We can trust Him. Self-Reliance Stems From Pride Believing we can handle everything ourselves makes it more difficult for us to see our need for God. Ultimately, self-reliance stems from pride. We may boast, "I don't need anyone else." Maybe you feel that God has let you down somehow. This can make you doubt God's love and care for you. Because of this, we shove God aside and basically tell Him, "No thanks. I don't need your help. I will do it myself." These feelings are the lies of Satan. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter tells us to give our worries to God because He cares for us. Trust God, seek His will, and don't depend on your own limited understanding. If we do this, He will show us the right paths to take (Proverbs 3: 5-6). Rely On God, Not Yourself In 2 Corinthians 1: 8-9, Paul explains that the trials that he and his fellow workers faced in Asia were so great that they "despaired of their life" . So why did this happen, Paul asks? So that they wouldn't rely on themselves, but on God! Sometimes we need to be reminded that we have to rely on God. Nothing Fruitful Can Happen Without God In John 15:5, Jesus tells us we can do nothing without God. To produce the kind of fruit in our lives that God wants us to, we are required to be attached to the proper vine - that vine is Jesus. Our fruit should be love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). If we only rely on ourselves we won't produce good fruit. Self-Reliance That Failed Look at the failed examples of self-reliance in the Bible. God promised Abraham to make a great nation out of him, but after waiting for years he and Sarah still had no children. Sarah, deciding to be self-reliant, presents Abraham with her handmaid. A child, Ishmael, is born that sews discord between Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 16:5). In God's time Abraham and Sarah had Isaac that fulfilled God's promise of a son (Genesis 21). Matthew 26:31-35 says Peter boldly said that he would never leave or abandon Jesus. Within hours Peter and all the rest of the disciples have done the opposite - they denied or abandoned Him. After Jesus's death and resurrection the disciples cowered in fear. Relying on themselves, they could do nothing. It wasn't until the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2 that the disciples became bold to share their faith. How Do We Rely On God? So when we lose our home, spouse, child, health, job, or our money, do we pride ourselves on being self reliant and pulling ourselves together with no one's help. Or do we kneel before God in humility asking for the strength only He can give to us? But how do we rely on God? How do we "let go and let God" as the expression goes? God Wants What Is Best First, we trust that God will do what is best for us. Even when we don't understand why something has happened, we know that if we belong to Him, good, in some way, will come from it (Romans 8:28). We should seek His will in prayer and in His word. Admitting to the Lord every day in prayer that we truly do need Him to direct our paths helps us to keep our focus on Him. When our hearts are directed toward Him daily it is easier to rely on Him. Jesus says in John 14:1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Lack Of Prayer Says We Aren't Relying On God What is the greatest proof that we are relying on self instead of God? It is lack of prayer. Why pray if we have everything under control? Why pray if we have everything figured out? Prayer shows dependency on God. Prayer says, "God, I need you in every aspect of my life." What do you pray about? What do you not pray about? Think about it: those things we aren't praying about are most likely the things we think we have under control. We have become self-reliant in those things. Study The Word Studying God's word and getting to know Him helps us to fight against depression and anxiety. The Holy Spirit has promised to bring to mind the scriptures (John 14:25-26). How can we do this if we have never read them? By study, I don't just mean reading a verse for the day, although there can be good in that. Study means digging deeper into His word by joining a small group Bible study, taking notes during sermons, or reading online Bible studies like this one, for example. The Bible tells us that God's word is useful for teaching, rebuking or pointing out sin, correcting or offering a solution to sin, and training in righteousness, which means training in how to apply God's principles to our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Timothy says we study so that we can be equipped to do " every good work ". God's word helps us understand our need to rely only on Him, not on ourselves to do good. Serving Others When we are overwhelmed with life, with the bad news of the day, think about serving someone else. We can rely on God and trust Him to give us opportunities to serve if we look for them. Serving others takes the focus off of us and places it on those who need God's love shown to them. Just as Deborah describes how she " arose to be a mother to Israel "(Judges 5:7) and cared for her nation as a judge, so we can in, however small a way, show care and love to others by relying on the will of God. The Family Of God We are the family of God (I John 3: 1-2) and because of this we need to spend time with other Christians. We are to build each other up (I Thessalonians 5:11). We come to rely on God when we see Him in those we call our brothers and sisters. They are there for us in time of need just like our Father is. We are there for them because this is God's will. Even the non-Christian world knows that going it alone often leads to more depression and anxiety. When we help each other as Christian brothers and sisters, we begin to see how God intended us to live. There is no need for a self-reliance that excludes others or excludes God. We have no need to go it alone. We are a family and will continue to be one throughout eternity. We are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). We Need A Savior Ultimately, the idea of self-reliance leads to people believing they can save themselves. They can be good enough, kind enough, smart enough, to live with God eternally and this without ever repenting and believing in Jesus as their Savior. In Andy Davis's sermon, "Sinful Self Reliance, Predicted, Exposed and Cured" , he says this, "Our culture sells us this line again and again: you can do anything you want to do, be anything you want to be, if you just believe in yourself. This is the message of self-esteem, of self-confidence, of self-assurance, of self-salvation. It’s part of the American myth, and it is a myth because the Bible is diametrically opposed to all of this. The message of the Bible is that we need a Savior."

Never Forsaken The book of Psalms has a lot to say to us about trusting God. God is our ultimate source of trust. He blesses us when we place our trust in Him. We know He will never let us down. Psalm 9:10 says when we know God, we will trust Him because He has never forsaken those who search for Him. Trust God Not Princes Psalm 118 teaches something very important. In verse 9 it says this, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." When times are bad, uncertain or dangerous where do we put our trust? When we trust someone, we believe they have our best interests at heart. We believe they will do what they say they will do. We believe they are honest. We trust in the Lord because He is faithful and true . What He says He will do. We know He loves us with an everlasting love. We don't need to place our trust in governments or kings, but in the One who sent His Son to die for us. We Are Blessed Who Trust God Again, in the Psalm of David chapter 40:4 we read, "Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." Those in authority over us should be prayed for but they are not the source of our confidence. God is. When we see a prideful person, David says we should not respect that person. When we know someone lies, they are not worthy of our trust. Only our Father is worthy of our trust. When He is our trust, then we are blessed. Trust God When You Are Afraid Psalm 56:3 specifically tells us that when we are afraid, that is when we should place our trust in God. The world fears because they don't trust; or if they do trust it is in things of this world. The world trusts in princes, the prideful and liars. The Psalmist continues and asks, "What can flesh do to me?" Indeed, what can this world do to us when our hope and faith, our trust, is in God! Psalm 112: 7 says that a righteous man won't be afraid of bad news. Why? Because his heart is steadfast in the Lord and He knows God is trustworthy. Trust God and Do Good The Psalms also tell us that while we trust God there is something we must do. Psalm 37:3 says we must do good. This is not a complicated command. It is a choice we make everyday. Trust God and do good. The Psalm continues by saying that our delight should be found in God. How do we do this? By getting to know God and spending time with Him. When we do this, our heart's desires will be God's desires. When we are aligned with Him, then verse 4 says God will give us our heart's desires. Trust God's Lovingkindness In Psalm 143:8, David asks God to make him hear about God's lovingkindness in the morning. Shouldn't we all pray this? How much better would it be to wake with thoughts of God's care and love for us than the worries of the day? In this Psalm, David pleads with God to show him the direction his life should go. He reminds God that he trusts Him completely by lifting up his soul to the Lord. What does it mean to lift up your soul? It means that we are directing our innermost will, as much as we can possibly can, to focus on the glory of God. Trust God to show you His lovingkindness. God Our Refuge and Fortress Psalm 91:2 reminds us, "I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” At the end of this Psalm we are told that God will answer, deliver, satisfy, honor and be with those in trouble who set their hearts on Him. This is why we trust our loving Father. He is a refuge in times of trouble and he is a fortress that will protect us. Trust God At All Times Psalm 62:8 says that God should be trusted at all times. We can pour out our hearts to Him. Don't you often long for someone to whom you can tell anything. Someone to whom you can share your innermost feelings and know they won't be used against your somehow? God is that trusted refuge that we can run to and share our heart. Trusting His plan for our lives can bring us peace. Trust the whole Bible , which is God's word to us, to bring you comfort your darkest times. Surrounded By Unfailing Love Psalm 32:10 makes a promise, "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him." Don't we want God's unfailing love to surround us? If you do, trust Him! Trust God and Be Blessed

What Does It Mean to Delight in the Lord? What do you delight in? The Bible uses the phrase, " delight in the Lord ." This isn't something we say much anymore so, what does it mean to "delight in the Lord"? When we delight in something it brings us great pleasure, joy, or satisfaction. In the modern world we often look at the rich and powerful and find our delight in them. We see them as successful, which they are as far as the world views success. We see they have influence. We often model ourselves after them as much as possible. But do we delight in God? Where We Misplace Our Delight We may spend time finding out about the people we admire and "delight" in by reading the latest news online or watching videos. We may see what new things they are into so we can be on trend. We can't wait to hear what new things they have to say or movies they are in or songs they are singing. If we have similar aspirations to theirs, we may see what we need to do or change to follow a path like theirs to success. Delighting in God will lead us down a different path. Delighting in God’s Ways When we delight in God, we will do many of the same things we might do for a famous person in whom we delight. In Psalm 119:35 the psalmist asks God to " make me walk in the path of your commandments for I delight in it. " If God says to do something the psalmist is intent on doing it because God is his great pleasure and joy. Because we have a natural tendency to be sinful and go astray, the psalmist recognizes his need for God's help. Turning Our Hearts Toward God In Psalm 119:36-37 he continues and asks God to " incline his heart " not to " covetousness " and " worthless things " but towards God's holy ways. He wants to have a heart for God, not for money or power or pleasure. He knows that God will help him do this when he is sincere in his request. He wants God to " turn away " his eyes. Looking on sin often makes us more easily desire it. We have a choice what we look at. Being reminded of God and His presence should make us desire to turn away from looking at temptation or sin. Think of an alcoholic seeing a friend with a drink or a married man stumbling on pornography online. God please turn away our eyes. To live a righteous life in Psalm 119:40, he says he has " longed for His precepts ". This means his desire is to obey the commandments of God or His instructions for conducting a righteous life. Just as Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6 there are those who " hunger and thirst after righteousness ." They will be filled and blessed with a desire for holiness and justice. The psalmist asks God to " quicken me in Your righteousness ", in other words make me alive in You, Oh God. Because this is the only place there is true righteousness. This Delight in the Lord Devotional reminds us that true joy and satisfaction come only from walking closely with God. When we delight in Him, He shapes our desires to align with His will, filling our hearts with peace and purpose. The Blessings of Trusting and Delighting in God There are rewards for delighting in the Lord. Psalm 37:4 tells us, "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." So you may be thinking, "All right! I want a new house, a great spouse, a new car, and a great vacation, Lord. You said you would give me the desires of my heart." But didn't we just read in Psalm 119 a prayer to incline our hearts from covetousness, which is an excessive desire for worldly possessions? You see when we truly and totally delight in the Lord the desires of our heart will be spiritual ones. We will desire to know Him better, to be more obedient to His will, and to be content with what we have. Psalm 37:5 promises that when we are committed and trusting in the Lord, He will act on our behalf to give us our desires. Those desires are not the same as worldly wants. In the world however, reality often shows that the most powerful and successful people are also evil. They have gotten to their position by unscrupulous means. They have used and abused those around them, especially the poor and unimportant people in their eyes. Psalm 37:16 explains that though the righteous may have very little, what they have is better than the wealth that many wicked people have. This Psalm explains the wicked will be judged for their ways but Psalm 37:17 says the righteous will be upheld by the Lord. They may stumble we are told, but they will not fall (Psalm 37:24). Psalm 37:18-20 tells us the inheritance of the blameless will last forever, but the wicked will perish, be consumed, and go up in smoke. Those whom God curses will be destroyed (Psalm 37:22). But for those who delight in Him, He will provide security and guidance (Psalm 37:24). David relates in Psalm 37:25 that, though he is an old man at the time of this writing, he has never seen the children of a righteous person have to beg for food. Although this may not be your experience, it is generally true that those who delight in the Lord tend to be wiser in their financial decisions, harder working, and less prone to purchasing frivolous things that waste their money. David's observations are more of a principle than a promise. Psalm 37:26 says that the one who is righteous is generous and gives freely to those in need. Generosity flows naturally from a person who delights in the Lord. They have been blessed by their Father, not necessarily with money, but with grace and are willing to give to others as He has commanded them to do. He says their children will be blessed by God. The friend of the father is the friend of the family. The God of Abraham is the God of Isaac and of Jacob. As David continues his psalm he tells us to depart from evil, do good, and wait on the Lord. Before we rely on ourselves to make decisions, we patiently wait on God to act in his perfect timing and fulfill his promises for us. We know God has a plan for us and it is good. We rely on God. Our future is peace, he tells us, and our salvation comes from the Lord alone. He is our strength and our deliverer because we can trust in Him. David wasn’t the only one to speak about delighting in the Lord; the theme continues in Psalm 112. Again and again we read about the blessings of delighting in God. Psalm 112:1 says, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments." We don't fear God like a slave with a tyrannical master would, but like an obedient child toward a gracious and kind father. We reverence Him and don't want to offend Him. Yes, it really is possible to find happiness in being obedient to His commands. Only someone who is cheerfully obedient is truly obedient. If we only obey out of obligation or fear of discipline then it is obedience that lacks faith. And how can we obey if we don't know what His will is? We must study and work diligently to be approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Generations Blessed by Righteous Living We are reminded again that the " generation of the upright shall be blessed " (Psalm 112:2). Barnes Notes on the Bible says this, "The best security for the virtue and success of children is the virtue and the piety of parents; the surest inheritance as pertaining to happiness, respectability, and usefulness in life, is that which is derived from the example, the prayers, the counsel of a pious father and mother." This is something modern society seems to have sadly forgotten. Children model their parents. A pious parent is one who models reverence and obedience to God. To have the blessings of a " pious father and mother " helps our children live the happy and productive life of a faithful Christian. This is true success! Psalm 112 continues to describe this righteous person as gracious and compassionate (Psalm 112:4). He will be someone who is unafraid of bad news (Psalm 112:7). His heart is said to be steadfast and established (Psalm 112:7-8). He gives generously to the poor (Psalm 112:9). Such a person is not thinking about the worthless things we read about above. They are living with trust in God and delighting in Him. Think about your everyday life. How much time do we spend reading and watching things about the rich and famous that could be spent studying God's word and trying to be obedient to Him? How much time do we spend coveting what others have, wanting things we don't need and longing to be like people who are anything but a role model? Because the days are evil Paul tells us we need to be making the most of the time we have (Ephesians 5:16). Choosing the Path of Eternal Delight As this Delight in the Lord Devotional draws to a close, let’s remember delighting in God is more than a feeling. It’s a daily choice to seek His presence, obey His Word, and trust His ways. Our lives could be blessed if we turned around and looked at the other path. The one God wants to lead us down. That is a path with eternal blessings and eternal joy, not just momentary happiness that never brings us to a fulfilled life. Jesus offers us that life. Let's ask Him to help us find it.

Understanding Evil in the World Through Scripture Can you see it in the people around you? Can you feel the dismay, unsettledness, and discouragement rising as we watch the news and see the reports seemingly growing worse by the moment? Evil is everywhere. Is finding hope in a world of evil possible when there seems so little we can do about much of it? Scripture does not ignore this question. In fact, the Bible speaks directly to the problem of evil and reminds us that God sees what is happening and will deal with it in His time. There is hope for the depressed in the midst of wickedness. God’s Justice and the Christian Response to Evil And of course we want to ask, "Where is God?" How can this be happening? But God tells us that evil will be punished. If not in this world, then the next. So many people find that an unsatisfactory answer, but our world is contaminated with sin and so it will be until evil is finally destroyed. We are often tempted to take matters into our own hands. Some of us might want to seek revenge on these wrong doers. But Paul explains in Romans 12:19, " Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. " Paul further explains that the way to overcome evil is by doing good to them (Romans 12:21). The Bible also tells us that the presence of evil in the world will not disappear, but will actually increase as history moves forward.  Imagine a world where we all did this! When Evil Increases: Why Love Can Grow Cold In fact, Jesus warns us that as we approach the end times, "... because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold " (Matthew 24:12). The very rise of evil and the feeling that it is everywhere will cause some people to lose their love for others and for God. People feel like nothing matters. They want to give up. But perseverance and steadfast faith are our hope (Matthew 24:13). The faithful and wise servant who is found doing the Master's work when He comes will be blessed (Matthew 24:46). When people constantly see violence, corruption, and selfishness, it becomes easy to grow cynical and stop caring about others. We may even begin to wonder whether doing good makes any difference at all. Scripture recognizes this danger and urges believers not to give in to that discouragement. Paul writes, “ Let us not grow weary while doing good ” (Galatians 6:9), reminding us that faithfulness matters even when results are not immediately visible. Even if we can only make a difference in one life, it is still worth it. Throughout history Christians have faced this same temptation to become discouraged. During times of plague in the Roman Empire, when many fled from the sick in fear, believers often remained to care for those who were suffering. Their compassion reflected the love Christ commanded, proving that even in a world filled with evil, the love of God does not have to grow cold in the hearts of His people. Signs of the Last Days: Lovers of Self and Rejection of Truth Paul explains in 2 Timothy 3 that as evil increases, instead of loving God, men will become lovers of themselves. When we look honestly at the world around us, Paul's description feels remarkably familiar. Sometimes when I look at social media, all the focus is on my happiness, my good looks, my feelings, my aspirations and it seems we are already there. On X we see endless arguments from people who know they are right about everything. They enjoy starting fights. They only love their own way of thinking. They do not have a teachable spirit as the Word calls it. People reject truth because they have become so distrustful of what they are being told. Paul continues to describe those who don't love God as unthankful, unholy, unloving, without self control, despising good, and loving pleasure instead of God. He describes a world where evil men will grow worse and worse, but what do we do? Paul, speaking to Timothy, says to continue in the Holy Scripture that he learned when he was a child because they " are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus " (2 Timothy 3:15). And this faith is for sharing with others. Paul warns Timothy that the time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine. Why? Because they want to hear words that make them feel good about themselves. Sin, repentance, obedience, and sacrifice just don't do it for these people any longer. They have " itching ears " looking for someone who will tell them about God without expecting them to change. They will turn from truth to myths and fables (2 Timothy 4:4). Examples of some of these myths and fables are popular concepts like: "The Law of Attraction", crystals, astrology, reincarnation, channeling, and psychics. None of these require sacrifice of self. The further people remove themselves from God the more evil will abound. As humans, it is in our nature to want to do something about evil. When we see cruelty, injustice, or corruption we want to make things right. Ultimately though, God is the One who will deal with evil completely. He can use nations and individuals to do His will, often without them even knowing who He is. Throughout history He has used people and events to carry out His purposes, as He did with Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1). We must remember we serve a sovereign God and His justice reaches into eternity. The True Source of Evil: The Human Heart And where does this evil come from? Mark 7:21-22 tells us, " For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. " This is a heart that has not been renewed by the Holy Spirit. This is the kind of heart we all have unless we come to Jesus in saving faith. Before we can be a light to the world for good, our hearts need to change personally. We can worry about bad people and the bad things they do but until we understand that we need to change first we will have no real effect. Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and all of us have come up short compared to God's glory. If we acknowledge our own sin first, we are better able to recognize the evil in the world and respond to it rightly. Jesus himself warned about this when He told His followers to remove the log from their own eye before correcting others (Matthew 7:3–5). Finding Hope In a World of Evil Finding hope in a world of evil does not mean to turn a blind eye and pretend it doesn't exist. It isn't to stop watching the news completely and just give up. We find hope because, as Christians, we know how the story ends. Revelation tells us that evil will be destroyed once and for all. Until then we are told to live our lives as holy as we know how, depending on God who sustains us by studying His Word and holding fast to His truths. Knowing how the story ends should change how we live right now. We respond to evil with love, we pray for those who live this way. We believe in the power of prayer to change lives and hearts. It may seem insurmountable to us but to God, nothing is impossible. Part of the reason we see so little change in the world is because we have failed to truly believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives. A powerful example of hope and transformation can be seen in the life of a friend of mine. She describes her heart two years ago as being, "black, bitter, abused, rebellious, and revengeful: full of hate and caring about nothing she did or said." Since coming to Christ He has made her hard heart into "putty." Slowly, she's learning to care for people, pray for them, and forgive even those who have wronged her. Some days are tough, and she has to repent and forgive again. As she told me, "That's the whole point of Christianity right? To love God and others as He loves you." It's proof the Holy Spirit can soften any heart and turn bitterness into genuine love. If God can transform her heart, He can transform ours too, no matter how dark the world seems. We can face the day of the Lord with hope. Remember, we are the light in the darkness for a dying world. "Even when evil seems overwhelming, Christians can shine God’s light, respond with love, and trust that He is working—His justice will prevail, and our faithfulness will be rewarded." Yet the story does not end with the darkness we see around us. Even now, God is changing lives in powerful ways to accomplish His work in this world. Don't be overwhelmed by evil. We know who has us in His hands, our faithfulness will be rewarded, and evil will be defeated. Never forget what our Lord tells us in John 16:33, “ In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. ” So be of good cheer no matter what evil comes to you.

How God Gets Our Attention We all have different stories about how we came to Christ. When we look closely, those stories reveal something beautiful about how the Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus. For some of us, we can barely remember a time when we weren't faithful followers of Jesus. For others it was only after a long and painful process of God getting our attention. "God draws each of us to Himself in ways perfectly suited to our hearts, but His call is never without sacrifice; it confronts, transforms, and demands a response." As Jesus said, “ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him ” (John 6:44). What draws people to Jesus? Churches rightly focus on love, but sometimes it is to the exclusion of almost everything else. Certainly, God is love and Jesus does love us, but does the Holy Spirit use different means to bring us to Jesus? Absolutely He does, and some may be quite surprising. While love is central to the Gospel, it is not the only way God awakens a heart. What is Conversion? First let's talk about what conversion is not. It is not simply an agreement that God exists, it is not a detailed knowledge of theology, it is not becoming a nice person, and it is not necessarily a deeply emotional moment in time. What conversion is, is a change of heart. It is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord looks at the heart because that is where true worship comes from. Our heart is changed so deeply that it changes our entire life and way of thinking. We become sorrowful over our sin. Not because we know sin produces unpleasant consequences but because sin hurts the heart of God. Sin sent His Son to the cross. We love others because He loved us. We see ourselves growing, perhaps slowly, to become more like Him. Our motivations change. Our desires become His desires. Because He knows us so well He knows what we will respond to. His Spirit faithfully draws and calls us to Him in all manner of ways, and we are free to respond. Something that might make another person flee from Him will cause another to desire Him. How was your call? That nudging of the Holy Spirit can begin in many ordinary ways. Perhaps you remembered an old familiar hymn from childhood that suddenly spoke to you like it never had before. Or you looked at a sunset one day and for the first time saw God's hand at work and knew He could work in your heart as well. Maybe you were on the streets, alone, strung out and at the very end of your rope, when a caring person reached out a hand to help and shared God. Each of us makes our way to the Gospel when we accept Jesus, but we don't all arrive at the foot of the cross the same way. Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39 When the Call Is Confrontational For Paul, his conversion was quite different from the loving, sort of gentle Jesus. This Jesus knocked him to the ground and plainly spoke to him, " Saul, Saul why do you persecute me? " Only after this encounter did Paul realize God's love for him. The Holy Spirit knew the type of call that Paul needed to reach his rebellious heart. I believe that many people need to hear what I would call the plain truth of the Gospel. A.W. Tozer once wrote, “Christ calls men to carry a cross; we call them to have fun in His name.” In some of our churches today, the call can seem too easy, with little discussion about the change the power of the Holy Spirit should bring to our lives. The Gospel does not flatter us; it confronts us. It does not merely comfort; it calls us to repentance and surrender. Jesus tells us to " count the cost " when we follow Him because there will be one (Luke 14:28-33). Sometimes God even uses suffering and persecution to change hearts and draw people to Himself. When Suffering Becomes the Seed There is an expression you may have heard, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." This is a quote from Tertullian in about 197 A.D. What Tertullian was saying is that the death and persecution of Christians led to conversions. The idea comes from John 12:24 where Jesus says, "Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds". Because persecution often causes the church to go underground, it spreads and springs up in new places. Also, when people see Christians facing torture and death with peace, rejoicing in their Savior, it drives people to want to know what these Christians have that they do not. Growth in the church almost always follows persecution, from the first century to today. Surprisingly, some people have even experienced hearing the voice of the Lord speaking to them. A Voice in the Garden The life of the great St. Augustine is another unusual story of conversion. He was 40 years old and had lived a life of worldly pleasures with women and wine. One day as he sat outside in the garden he noticed a Bible lying next to him. He later said he heard a voice saying, "Take up and read," which he believed was from God. Thus began a transformation that would impact the lives of millions. Questions That Would Not Go Away In modern times we read the story of Rosaria Butterfield . To quote her, "As a leftist lesbian professor, I despised Christians. Then I somehow became one." After she published an article attacking the faith, she received a reply from a pastor that wasn't hate mail, nor did it really try to defend the faith. Instead, he asked questions that made her think. She threw the letter away but retrieved it because she couldn't stop thinking about the questions it asked. Eventually she became friends with the pastor and opened her heart to Jesus. Now she is a wife and mother, having left her lesbian lifestyle behind. She travels the country speaking about this Jesus who transformed her life forever. Dreams in the Darkest Places Perhaps some of the most unusual conversion stories occurring worldwide are those of Muslims coming to Christ through dreams. Out of 600 Muslim converts, 25 percent experienced a dream that led to their conversion, according to Mission Frontiers magazine. There are thousands of these stories. Some may question their validity, but in many of these countries Christianity is banned or it is difficult to hear the Gospel. The Holy Spirit works how He will to bring people to Christ. We know faith comes by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17). These dreams commonly lead people to seek out the Gospel and many experience legitimate conversion by faith and repentance. I am reminded of Acts 2:17, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams." The Gospels have several examples of God speaking to people in dreams or visions; among them are Mary and Joseph and Pilate's wife in the Gospels, and Cornelius and Stephen in the book of Acts. One modern story is the following. An Afghan Muslim woman, living in Greece, saw a bright white light in her dream and heard these words, “My daughter, my daughter, the door is open for you. Come!” She replied, “The door is closed!” Again the voice called to her, “I am the Son of God, Jesus. The door is open for you, my daughter. I am the door!” After telling the pastor who had urged her to pray for God to speak to her, she realized that Jesus was truly alive. She shared Bibles from the pastor with her friends and insisted they read it. She wanted to share the peace and joy she had found for herself in following Jesus . How the Holy Spirit Draws People to Christ Regardless of how the Holy Spirit, moves people to come to Jesus, He certainly knows and uses the most effective tools. Perhaps it was a gentle Sunday School teacher when you were a child, devout parents, or a rousing revival service where you felt His call on your life. Or maybe it was a more unusual way, through dreams, visions, a voice, or seeing persecution. The church should be aware that all of us are not called in the same way. How did you become a Christian? Do you have a unique story? Our God knew us before we were born and loved us while we were still sinners so much that Christ died for us. When we reflect on our own story, we begin to see how the Holy Spirit draws people to Christ in ways perfectly suited to each heart. Who has a story as incredible and beautiful as that?

Imagine attending a sermon that begins with the statement, "To follow Jesus means you have to take a lethal injection." This shocking imagery serves to illustrate a profound truth. When Jesus said, " Take up your cross and follow Me, "(Matthew 16:24) He didn't mean that you should bear the burdens of life until He calls you home. His audience would have known that the cross was a method of execution, just like a lethal injection would be today. What He meant is that you must metaphorically die. Dying To Self So why would Jesus use such gruesome imagery to describe being His follower? Because in a very real sense following Jesus meant dying. Sometimes we are called to literally die for Him, but always we are called to die to self. Jesus said that the follower who was unwilling to bear his cross for Him couldn't even be His disciple (Luke 14:27). What happens when you die to self? When we become Christians, the old self dies and the new man is born. Crucified With Christ Paul said that he had been crucified with Christ, and it was Christ who was actually alive in him. Paul went so far as to say that he actually no longer lived! In Galatians 5:24 Paul says that our sinful nature has been crucified. We can't live half way in the our old life and halfway in our new one. We can't be half alive and half dead. We truly are required to live a life fully committed to being obedient to Jesus. No Longer Sin's Slave Again in Romans 6:7, Paul reminds us that we were crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be slaves of sin. If we have died with Him, then we have been freed from the power that sin had over our lives. As a slave to sin we did as our master, the Devil, commanded us. It was he who ruled our lives. It was he who told us that happiness could only come from doing what we wanted to do, no matter what that was. Satan wants to keep you enslaved. He wants you to doubt God's promises. He wants you to feel powerless to keep from sinning. Mighty In God Without God's Holy Spirit living in us we would be too weak to resist the Devil, but when God lives in us it is His power that will fight the battle against sin. John 15:5 reminds us that apart from God we can't do anything. A Christian who has died to self is incapable of doing anything without God. That Christian is dead to the old life, but renewed by Jesus into a meaningful, purposeful life with Him. To fight the battle against sin we need all the weapons that our Lord provides us. We need His truth, His word, and His salvation. We need faith, righteousness and prayer (Ephesians 6). In Ephesians 6:13, we are told to use the " whole armor of God ", not just some of it. Each piece plays a crucial role in fighting our battle against sin. Our weapons are " mighty in God " according to 2 Corinthians 10:3-4. Dying To Self - Living For Others John 10:10 tells us that Jesus gives us life, His life, and when we have His life that is when we truly live. We are commanded to love God and others above all. We aren't commanded to love ourselves, contrary to what some popular television evangelists might have us think. As we become less like ourselves and more like Christ, as we die to self daily, then we will find it easier to live for others and serve them just as He did. This is what taking up our cross really means. As Somesh Ambhore once said, " So life is not about us becoming all that we can be, but it is about Christ being all that He already is in and through us. " Take Up Your Cross When we fail to take up our cross, we fail to love God as should. We fail to love others as we were meant to. We choose sin instead of God. We choose lies instead of truth. We choose doubt instead of faith. We have to take up our cross daily by serving God as He has asked us to and by serving others. We should no longer try to control our lives but willingly give that control to God. Just as Jesus was the obedient Son, even to death on a cross, so we are also called to be obedient. If we could just understand that to die to self means that we really haven't given up anything, except sin and death, but we are gaining more than we can even imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9). 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that we are a new creature, the old one is gone and all things are new. This new creature wants to do God's will and with God's help he will be able to, maybe not every time, but the will of God will gradually become the only desire of your heart. Hope In Christ Our hope is never in ourselves but it is always in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says that the life we live now is lived by faith in the Son of God. Without Christ there is no pleasing God. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:12 that we should, " Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. " Are You Dying Daily? By dying on the cross and rising again Jesus conquered sin for us. By sending His Holy Spirit to live in us, He gives us the ability to conquer the sin that is present in our lives. Are you dying to self daily? Ask yourself these questions: Do I worry about myself first before I try to be obedient to God? Do I fear stepping out of my comfort zone and daring to serve as He served? Do I worry about what others will think if I am truly obedient to God? Do you worry about losing your friends if they see you dying to self? Do I look back on the old days, the old life, and miss them? In conclusion, we need to focus less on ourselves and more on pleasing God. By doing so, we can agree with Paul's declaration, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

Each of us is one day closer to eternity when the sun rises in the morning. Our old lives, the ones before we became a Christian, recede further and further into the rear view mirror of our lives. Those old dark days don't define us anymore. That doesn't mean they don't cause trouble for us now and then. We walk each day realizing that the darkness we came from can creep back in if we aren't careful. The battle between darkness and light is ongoing, and Scripture calls us to put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12-14). How do we cast off the works of darkness and walk in the light of Christ daily? Let’s explore what Paul teaches about spiritual warfare, Christian transformation, and living in the light. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." Romans 13: 12-14 The Day Is At Hand This passage from Romans 13:12-14 reminds us of the urgency of our spiritual journey. We are called to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, preparing for the day that is at hand. How do we do this? By walking in the light of Christ and making no provision for the flesh. Romans 13:12 begins by saying, " The night is far spent, the day is at hand: ". This phrase can be either speaking of our growing nearer to death, or it may be referring to the return of the Lord, because " the day ", is often spoken of as " the Day of the Lord " (2 Thessalonians 2:2). In either case, we understand this to mean that our time of joining the Lord is sooner rather than later. Because of this the time is short. It is time to be awake and we have work to do. Now is the time to be warriors for God. Cast Off Darkness Paul continues and says, " Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness ". We are to cast off the works of darkness like old clothes. Those works of darkness we used to participate in need to be thrown off without delay. Just as in today's society, the Roman Christians lived in a pagan, godless culture. The converts to Christianity in the Roman church may have found it difficult to completely separate from that culture, just as Christians today do. Paul goes on to say, " let us put on the armor of light ". The new creation that we have become needs new clothing - an armor of light. It takes light to fight darkness. Jesus shines light in the darkness. Armor Of Light In the day time we fight as warriors of light. Armed, yes, with truth. This is not the wimpy idea that somehow we just magically become sanctified and holy when we receive the Holy Spirit. Truly without Christ we can do nothing. It is His light that we put on, His light that is our armor against the forces of Satan. Fighting with courage, respect, loyalty, competence, obedience and effort was required of Roman soldiers (according to Cairn International ). Christians must show the same virtues. We are no match for the darkness without our armor. It is a life's struggle to become holy, to become like Christ. In Ephesians 6: 10-18, Paul describes in detail the whole armor of God. Paul also reminds us in I Thessalonians 5: 5-8, that as Christians we are sons of light and sons of the day. We no longer belong to darkness or night. He says that we should not sleep but be soberly watchful. He says that as sober people of the day we should be " putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation." This is our armor of light. Walk Properly Now that we have our armor, we can walk in the light as we should. In Romans 13:13, Paul says, " Let us walk properly as in the day; ". At night, in darkness, is where much evil is done. In the daytime, in the light, we know others see us. People can see who we really are. Paul wants us, at all times, to live as if we were in the light of day. And notice that we are not sitting still. Paul calls us to walk. When we walk about, we are doing work, not lying around uselessly. Don't Live In These Things Paul lists six things that we should not be living in: revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, and strife and envying. The ISV translation translates the list like this: wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, quarreling, or jealousy! These are words we are more familiar with. As a Christian are some of us still getting drunk at parties, engaging in sex with whoever, getting in fights, or jealous or envious of what others have? Paul says this should no longer be happening. What should we do? Put On Christ In Romans 13:14 Paul tells us what we should do. " But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, ". This means, quite literally, to wear Christ as one would wear a suit of clothes. We are to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24). It is He who will be our garment eternally. Greek writers would sometimes use the expression to "put on" someone, meaning to copy their example, to strive in all ways to be like them, to use them as your instructor. So in this case we are to imitate Jesus, obey Him and learn from Him. His characteristics need to become ours. No Provisions For The Flesh Then Paul says to, " make no provision for the flesh, ". In this verse, the word provision means the act of preparing for future needs. We are not supposed to make provision for our flesh, our sinful desires. Our fleshly desires are to be denied. We aren't supposed to do anything that would help us, or prepare us, to sin. For example, if drinking is a problem for you, don't go to drinking parties. If sex is a problem for you, don't plan a romantic night alone at your apartment with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Our provision comes from God. He provides for our real needs. He provides our armor to fight our battles. Lust Of The Flesh Paul concludes this verse by saying, " to fulfill the lusts thereof ." Roman society focused on gratifying the sins of the flesh. In Roman society they lived by the same motto many do today, "If it feels good do it." Christians are supposed to be a separate people. We are supposed to understand what it really means to love someone and that doesn't mean to use them for sexual gratification. Galatians 5:16 reminds us that if we walk in the Spirit we won't " fulfill the lust of the flesh ". Temptation Can Affect Anyone Paul's warnings were to us all. No matter how 'good' a Christian you are, no matter how sanctified you may have become, no matter how Christlike, we must always remain vigilant against temptation. Just look at some of the prominent Christian preachers who have fallen to temptations that have destroyed their lives and their ministries. We Must Fight So Paul is saying the struggle is real. Being a Christian isn't easy. But God in His mercy has given us an " armor of light " to fight the battle with. We can't fight our battles by being complacent, or lazy, or expecting God to just fill us with holiness while we do nothing. The ancient church father, Augustine, was moved by this passage. He realized that he could live a different, separate life from the world, but only with God's help. But to do that also required something of him. He had to fight. Today we also have to be diligent Christians who put on the " whole armor of God ". We have a job to do and the day is at hand!

Small beginnings don't mean small endings. A favorite story of mine is the feeding of the 5,000 miracle (John 6:8-11). This miracle is found in all four gospels; it is of such great importance. The Boy with Barley Loaves: Faith in Action A young boy had come to listen to the new teacher, Jesus, preach. The thronging crowd was hungry. He happened to be there with his basket that contained five barley loaves and two fish. This was probably enough to feed his family, but certainly not 5,000 people. The disciples brought the small amount of food to the Lord who blessed it. They then distributed and fed everyone. They even had leftovers! His small offering was turned into a miraculous meal for thousands. In our lives today our small beginnings can have huge outcomes if the Lord has His hand in it. What the Kingdom of God Is Like: Parables of Growth The Lord shares two parables in Luke 13:18-21 in which He explains what the Kingdom of God is like. From the humble beginnings of a tiny mustard seed, a large tree develops; so large, birds nest amongst its branches. Jesus gives another example in the Parable of the Yeast (Leaven). Both the mustard seed and yeast demonstrate how small, humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary outcomes when God is at work. Yeast changes dough. Without yeast bread doesn't rise much. It is more like a flat cracker. But with a little yeast added to the dough we can have a large loaf of tasty bread. Yeast appears insignificant when first added to dough, as does the tiny mustard seed when it is planted, and yet both grow and become something useful and quite magnificent. Small Beginnings, Big Impact: Luke 13: 18-21 The kingdom of God is this way. The church began in an insignificant Roman province of Judea. Its founder was an itinerant preacher who was deemed a criminal and executed. And yet, from the people in the Upper Room in Acts 1:13, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the gospel message of Jesus and His death and resurrection for our sins has spread throughout the world. These small beginnings made a big impact as Jesus explains in the parables of Luke 13:18-21. Encouragement in Trials: Eternal Glory Awaits We may not always see the impact we make. We may sometimes feel like we do very little for the Lord, but we can't let ourselves get discouraged. Our encouragement comes from keeping eternity in our minds and hearts. 2 Corinthians 4:17 tells us that we may have " light and momentary troubles," but they are achieving an eternal glory that is so much more important. Psalm 126:5 echoes this when it says, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." The Power of the Holy Spirit: Transforming Lives And in 1 Corinthians 15:32-44, Paul describes the resurrection of the body: sown perishable/raised imperishable; sown in dishonor/raised in glory; and sown in weakness/raised in power; from something unimportant to something of supreme importance—all of this by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those disciples in the Upper Room were afraid. They were few in number, weak, unsure of the future. They had no real power until that moment when the Holy Spirit fell on them. The Holy Spirit enabled Peter to preach to a crowd of thousands and see 3,000 come to faith in Christ. The unimportant fisherman became the tool that the Lord used to build His church. Growing in Grace: A Lifelong Journey of Faith When we first become Christians, we may believe that we have great faith and courage, and indeed, maybe some do, but for most of us we are but babes in the Lord. We understand little, like a child learning to speak or someone learning a new language. We are learning the ways of the Lord. We are learning to trust Him. Our faith grows, our courage grows, our understanding of God grows over time. As 2 Peter 3:18 says, "But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." From a small thing, over time we become filled with the knowledge and power of the Lord, like the seed that becomes a tree or the small lump of dough that becomes a large loaf of bread. The Mustard Seed and the Birds: Resting in God’s Protection In this parable, the mustard seed grows into a tree where birds lodge. The birds most probably represent the people of God—those who have believed in Him. They don't just take a rest on a branch of the tree but they lodge there. They build their homes there in the tree. They feel safe enough to want to stay. The tree protects them. Our Savior is our safe place where we also want to stay. He is our home where we rest in His arms of protection. The prophet Ezekiel tells us, "On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches" Ezekiel 17:23. This scripture is often interpreted as a prophecy of the coming Messiah. Being Salt, Light, and Yeast: Transforming the World Where the parable of the mustard seed was mainly talking about the missionary growth of the church, the Parable of the Yeast refers also to the effect the church has on the world. We are the salt and light. We are agents of change in the world. We are the ones whose task it is to spread the love of Christ to all. When we do this, the world changes. The more light there is, the less dark there will be. The more love there is, the less hate there will be. The more God that we show, the less Satan will be seen. Although Christians may be few in number, our effect on the world should be disproportionately large. Just as yeast comes into contact with all parts of the dough, causing it to rise and grow in size, so we are to cause change when we come into contact with the world. They should see Jesus in us. Will they always? No, sadly probably not. However, if the overall experience others have with us leads them to say, " I want what they have ," then our effect will be like the yeast in the dough. Like the words of a recent hymn, "I just want to speak the name of Jesus, over every heart and every mind." (1) Do we really want to do this or do we just say we do? Faith in Action: Living Out the Gospel As a church, we spread the gospel of Christ because this is what He told us to do. But also, very importantly, we live out our faith in action. The book of James makes this very clear. In James 2:17 he says, " Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. " Is our faith dead or alive? As Christians, we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, take in the stranger, and visit those in prison (Matthew 25:35-45). This is us, as yeast, acting on the world. Through our small actions, individually and together, we will show people the love of Christ and change the world. We don't just convert the hungry and then leave them starving—we feed them. We don't just speak Jesus to the sick—we provide medical services or show them we care by being there for them in their suffering. We tell the homeless about Jesus—but then help them find shelter. We aren't just talk; we act! Patience in God's Timing: Trusting the Process When yeast is mixed with dough, you can no longer see it. It all seems to be the same. And yet, the yeast is what causes the mixture to rise, change, and become a loaf of delicious bread. When the yeast is added, change is happening whether you can see it or not. Eventually, you will see it. Faith, time, and patience are required. Don't give up on your work as a Christian. Be a diligent Christian —one who recognizes that, in God's time and through God's power, not our own, this world, in the end, will, with one voice acknowledge that Jesus is Lord of all. (1) I Speak Jesus by Charity Gayle. Listen to it here .

What if the lack of peace in your life is not random, but resistance? When Jesus confronted Saul on the road to Damascus, He asked a piercing question: “ Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Then He added something unexpected: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads ” (Acts 26:14). Jesus was showing Saul that the unrest within him was not righteousness, but resistance. Resisting God damages our own peace. And often, the struggle we feel is the result of pushing back against the very One who is calling us to Himself. Kicking Against The Goads You and I might be puzzled by the expression our Lord uses when He says, " It is hard for you to kick against the goads. " The word goad is sometimes translated "pricks". The meaning of this phrase was well known to the people of the time. A goad was a tool, much like a cattle prod, that was used to keep oxen in line. Sometimes when the oxen would protest against the goad they would kick. In kicking they only made the pain worse. So what is Jesus actually saying to Saul (Paul)? Saul Persecutes Christians God knew from the moment of Saul's birth that he would become Paul, the great missionary for Christ to the gentiles (non-Jewish people). Saul had been raised as a devout Jew. Well educated, he thought by persecuting Christians he was being faithful to God. But Jesus lets him know that by persecuting Christians he is really persecuting Jesus Himself. At this point in Saul's life he has confidence in his own ability to keep the law and be righteous (Philippians 3: 4-6). Later, Saul will know that only the righteousness of Christ will save him. Apparently, God had been at work in Saul's heart for some time. The goads Jesus referred to had been working on Saul. He had seen Christians, like Stephen, accept their deaths with calmness and peace. Participating in the deaths of Christians like Stephen probably made him feel powerful but instead he was powerless to stop the growth of Christianity. He was powerless to defy, successfully, the will of God. What Were The Goads? The 'goads' were the unrest and conflicting emotions that Saul knew when he persecuted Christians. The contrast between their peace and his inner turmoil must have been stark. Where was Saul's peace? In Acts 9:1(b) we are told that Saul was threatening the disciples of the Lord to the point of murder. Saul thought he was behaving righteously but something in his spirit, those goads, were trying to help him see another way. They were pointing him in the direction they wanted him to go; to a meeting with Christ Himself on the road to Damascus. How about you and I? Do we ever " kick against the goads "? I know many people who grew up as Christians, abandoned their faith and then after many years of misery and unhappiness, returned to their Savior. What goads had they experienced? Failing to find peace , true joy, or meaning in their lives, they remembered back to their faith in Christ and returned to find their hope. Jesus Calls Saul and Us Just as Saul was addressed by name by Jesus on the road to Damascus, so today He addresses each of us by name. He knows us. He knows our destiny. He knows what our lives can become if they are grounded in faith in Him. The promises of Christ, the love of Christ is not just some vague nicety that is for everyone, no, it is specifically for YOU. Jesus Asks Why? What does Jesus say next? He asks Saul a simple question, " Why? " Why Saul do you persecute me? To this question, Saul had no reply. What could he say? This Christ who Saul thought was moldering in a tomb was now revealed to him plainly as the Son of God who was and is and is to come. What do we say to Jesus when He asks us this question? "Why" do we live our lives without Him? Why do we hate the light and love the dark? What does it gain us? It's Hard To Kick Against The Goads And finally Jesus makes a statement of fact, " It is hard to kick against the goads. " It is certainly a futile life that is lived in opposition to the will of God. Our sins have consequences, often heavy ones. We only harm ourselves when we go against the will of God. Haven't you heard that inner voice saying, "Don't do it?" Yet, after having done it anyway, knowing the haunting feelings of remorse. There is another metaphor the Lord uses about oxen, that Jesus's yoke is easy and His burden is light. In Him we find our rest. Our Joy Is Christ Pastor Charles Stanley had this to say about Paul, “ he [Paul] was unworthy of salvation and undeserving of mercy or favor (1 Timothy 1:15-16). It was gratitude for salvation that fueled his devotion and dedication to the cause of Christ." After Saul becomes Paul, he goes on to be a great ambassador for Christ. Ultimately Paul's joy and ours is found in Christ. Or are you still " kicking against the goads? "

What We Must Do First The Lord requires things of us. His blessings are promised many times but often we must do something first. Do you want your joy to be made full? Do you want God to draw close to you? Do you want the desires of your heart? Do you want God to direct your paths? Only He shall sustain thee is what Scripture promises. Of course we all say we want these things, but first what do we have to do? Ask. Draw close to God. Delight in the Lord. Acknowledge Him. We like to focus on the wonderful promises God has made for us without acknowledging that we must do something first. While God’s promises are waiting for us, they remain inaccessible unless we choose to obey and seek Him. We need to live a life of expectancy, a life expecting the blessings of God, which only comes through obedience. We live a life of hope because our God has promised us His favor. Scripture consistently shows us the actions we must take to unlock God’s promises. Scripture Promises In the following Scripture passages, we read about just some of the wonderful promises God has made to us. He is faithful and true in all He says and does. We can rely on Him! Matthew 7:7 tells us if we knock, ask, and seek, then things will be opened, given to us, and we will find what we are looking for. Have we prayed persistently? Consider praying with others, fasting, and believing that God will do what He has promised. Do you want to be full of joy then ask God and you will receive it(John 16:24). This isn't talking about possessions, this is spiritual fulfillment God wants to give us. Have we sought God's will? Don't give into the devil. Fight against him, resist him, and he will run from you (James 4:7). Have we resisted the devil? Jesus did that by quoting scripture. Everyone says they want to be closer to God. His promise is that if you get closer to Him, then He will get closer to you (James 4:8). Have we tried to grow closer to God through Bible study and praying the will of God ? Tell God your sins. Yes, He already knows them but He wants you to acknowledge them to Him. If we do this, because He is faithful and just, He will forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). Have we consistently confessed our sins? Not just some vague, "I am sorry, God," but specifically with the intention to not do them again? God should bring us delight. He promises to give us our heart's desires when we do (Psalm 37:4). “ Delight yourself in the Lord ” doesn’t mean God hands over whatever desires we already have. It means as we delight in Him, He shapes our desires to match His heart. Do we delight in God or do we feel like we must do our duty? Is He our joy or are we growing weary of God ? God will stand by us with justice and our righteousness will shine before man when we trust Him and commit ourselves to His ways (Psalm 37: 5-6). Are we truly committed to Him, trusting in Him for our needs? When we patiently wait on the Lord and walk in His ways, then the Psalmist says we will be exalted by Him and we will have our inheritance (Psalm 37:34). Have we been patient, and while we wait, have we been obedient ? We always ask ourselves, "I wonder what God wants me to do. If only He would tell me." According to Proverbs 3:6, if we acknowledge Him for who He really is, then it is He who will direct us in the way He wants us to go (Proverbs 3:6). " Acknowledge Him ” means recognizing Him in all our ways. We should submit our plans to Him, not merely mentally acknowledging our dependence on Him. “ He will make straight your paths ” means He will direct and smooth the way in alignment with His wisdom, not necessarily make life easy. Have we acknowledged our need for God in every plan we make? The plans we should make will be clear to us, if our actions are committed to God (Proverbs 16:3). “ Established ” does not always mean “made successful” in worldly terms. It means made firm, ordered, or aligned under His sovereignty. Have we committed ourselves to the Lord fully and tried to understand the plans He would have us make? It is God who will lift us up and sustain us when our burdens are placed on Him, according to Psalm 55:22. Have we trusted that He will care for us when our burdens are heavy? Have we laid them at His feet? Do you actively trust God with the desires of your heart? What specific steps are you taking today to draw closer to God? Living in God's Will We often overlook that God's promises are not just guarantees; they are invitations to engage in a deeper relationship with Him. Our faith requires action: obedience, trust, and surrender. While we eagerly await His blessings, we must also align our hearts and actions with His will. This means seeking Him daily, resisting the distractions of the world, and being steadfast in prayer. God’s promises are not passive rewards but active outcomes of a faithful life lived in pursuit of Him. When we draw close to God, He moves closer to us, transforming our lives in ways beyond our understanding. It is through this divine partnership that we experience the fullness of God's abundant blessings . He Shall Sustain Thee Have you experienced this in your life? Do you want to experience more of God's promises? Do we remember to be thankful for all our blessings? Are we obedient? God’s promises are abundant, but they require a heart aligned with His will, a life of expectancy, and active obedience. When we seek Him earnestly, He is faithful to fulfill every promise. He shall sustain thee, because that is His word to us. Praise to the Lord who sustains us! O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me. Psalm 5:8

Strong in Ourselves? Or Strong in the Lord? How many times have we told a suffering friend, "You're so strong. You'll be fine." We are very wrong. The Bible tells us that none of us are strong alone. Our pride sometimes wants to make us think that we can soldier through bad times all on our own. Our last resort often is prayer and God. Ephesians 6:10 says this, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Jesus had some plain words to speak on this topic. In John 15:5(b) He says, "for without Me you can do nothing." Nothing! We can't do anything truly good, we can't defeat evil, we can't overcome depression, we can't resist sin, whatever it is, without Him it can't be done. What Our Weakness Teaches Us We learn something from this. Our weakness teaches us that we are truly totally dependent upon God. God is our hope, our life, and our strength. We learn to praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness. We learn to die to self. We Don't Fight Alone In Romans 8: 31(b) Paul reminds us, "If God is for us, who can be against us." There is none like Him. Jesus refers to Satan as the " strongman " in Mark 3: 27, but Jesus takes him down and binds him. God shows Himself strong against evil. We can't imagine being able to fight against the power of Satan alone. The story of David and Goliath in I Samuel 17 is a physical representation of a spiritual truth. David knew the power he had when God was with him. That was the same power he would use to defeat Goliath. No armor, no sword, no army just a young man, and His firm belief that God would use him to defeat Goliath. As David says, " All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, ". What Goliath's need slaying in your life? What are you up against that seems insurmountable? Whatever it is Jesus may not give you the answer you are looking for, it may not go the way you want, you may still die, you may still suffer, but in that weakness you will still know that it is the Lord who saves. The outcome, whatever it is, will be the right outcome, because you have relied on God's strength and not your own to face it. You will have peace. Jesus Needs To Be The Plan We see mottos and witty sayings like "You can do it!" or "You are stronger than you think!" all the time. A quote from Earl Nightingale says this, "All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination." If that plan places Jesus in control of your life and if the road map is the Word of God and your destination is Heaven, then his quote is correct. If he means the plan is all yours, the steps to get there are ones you alone have devised, and the destination is of your own choosing then he is wrong. Be Strong In The Lord God is with us wherever we go and in whatever circumstance we find ourself. We hear this all the time but do we believe it? Do we really believe that Jesus is our strength? What would we really fear if we knew this in our heart? We may go through terrible trials, frightening times, or be asked to do things we think impossible, but knowing absolutely that " greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world " (I John 4:4) should give us the courage and strength to face anything. Because we have the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11)! So when Paul says, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 10); what he is saying is that the power of Christ can accomplish His goals when we completely depend on Him for our strength. There is a home waiting for us. In the midst of sorrow our hope is His strength. We look for that home in our weakness and seek to be strong in the Lord. So please, don't tell me how strong I am! Tell me that even though I am weak it's through Christ that all things become possible. Don't tell me, " You got this !", remind me that it's Christ who has me. He is our strength and by His mighty right arm we, His people, are protected, delivered and defended. Most gracious Father, May we always remember your words in 2 Corinthians 4: 7, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (NIV). Holy Spirit you are our treasure. All power is yours. We are here to show your power because we have none. We humble ourselves before you and ask for your strength to face the difficulties and trials of life. In your Son, Jesus' name, Amen

What Is Biblical Repentance? Repentance isn't a word we hear a lot anymore, not even in church. When we hear that word we probably imagine it means to be sorry for your sins, to feel bad for something wrong you did, which in part that is absolutely correct. But the Hebrew word for repentance means much more, in Hebrew it means to return. How to Repent in Christ When we repent, we are to have remorse for our sin, but that feeling of remorse is to be followed up by action. The action of returning to God. The action of turning our heart back to the God who first loved us. Repentance without this turning away from sin is not true repentance. The Old Testament prophets were continuously calling the Jewish nation to repentance. Jeremiah 25:4-6 tells us that the people have ignored the prophet's call to repent. In Ezekiel 18:30-31, God says to " repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin ." Ezekiel doesn't just say that God says to repent, he says God says to " repent and turn ". Repentance with just a lot of sorrow is empty, nothing really changes. When we turn from our sin - that is the action God expects from our sorrow. We know that God is faithful to forgive us from our sins when we confess them (1 John 1:9). Confession and Forgiveness in Christ Repentance and confession are the cornerstones of a forgiven and justified life. To turn from something, we have to acknowledge it's existence. When we confess our sins we acknowledge our shortcomings, our failures - ever present before the perfection of God, and then we must do something about them. We must turn from them. Jesus’ Call to Repentance: Repent and Turn In the Gospels, Jesus first and foremost declared that people should repent. In Matthew 4:17(b) He says, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In Mark 1:15 (b)Jesus says, "Repent, and believe in the gospel.” And in Luke 24:46-47, in speaking to his disciples, Jesus said, it was necessary for Him to suffer and rise from the dead. It was necessary that " repentance and remission of sins " should be preached everywhere. While the gospel of John never specifically uses the word " repent " or " repentance " you see repeatedly the implication of repentance. In John we see that people are told to " honor God ", " obey the Son ", " love the light ", all action verbs that require repentance. Repentance in the Early Church In the early church the book of Acts thunders with the command to repent (emphasis added). Then Peter said to them, “ Repent , and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) " Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19a) "When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” (Acts 11:18) "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent ," (Acts 17:30) "testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."(Acts 20:21) In Revelation, one of the last things told to the Church recorded by John says, "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you." Revelation 3:3 So from the beginning of the Bible to the end, we see the importance of repentance; of turning to the One who gives us everlasting and abundant life. We don't just sorrow for sins, we confess and we turn from them. The Lord looks at the heart. This is the proof of our love for Him who first loved us. To stay mired in the old ways, to stay the " same " is not possible when we have truly encountered the Holy Spirit. Repentance as a Lifelong Journey Jeremiah 25:4-6 tells us that the people have ignored the prophet's call to repent. Repentance is a journey of a lifetime. Why? Because we will stumble, we will fall and we all fail sometimes , but God's mercy reaches out to us and gently reminds us to turn, to turn back to the one who loves us and who has promised us good things. We should embrace His forgiveness . Our beloved Father, our Shepherd who lovingly tends His flock, waits for us. We are His sheep, we hear His voice, we must turn as He commands. Enjoy "I Repent" by Steve Green here Repent and Turn