Jesus, the Captain of Our Salvation A captain in the military has many duties. He trains his soldiers, he inspires, and motivates them to do better, to do more. He is a decision maker in all kinds of circumstances. Effectively communicating his orders is crucial to his job. He teaches important skills to the soldiers under him. Finally, he maintains discipline among those he is responsible for. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Bible calls Jesus the Captain of our Salvation. With that military picture in mind, let’s see how Scripture introduces our Captain in Hebrews 2:10. Hebrews 2:10 says, "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." What Does It Mean to Be Made Perfect? You might be surprised by the phrase, " make...perfect through sufferings. " What does that mean? If Jesus was perfect, how can He be made perfect through sufferings? To save us Jesus had to become one of us and to become one of us meant that He would have to suffer like us. The word perfect in Greek is, teleioō , can refer to something that has reached its intended purpose or has achieved a state of completeness. His suffering completed His humanity. It brought about the greatest good — our salvation. Our suffering can also bring about good, as we see in the story of Joni Eareckson Tada. Jesus Leads Us Through Suffering Like Joni Eareckson Tada, who learned firsthand that Jesus still leads and equips us in our deepest trials, we can trust that our Captain’s plan is always for our growth and ultimate good. In July 1967, seventeen‑year‑old Joni Eareckson Tada dove into shallow water, severely injuring her cervical spine and leaving her paralyzed from the shoulders down. Over the next two years of intense rehabilitation: marked by grueling physical therapy, frustration, and moments of despair, she continually clung to Christ as her Captain, learning that His strength is made perfect in weakness. On the 50th anniversary of her accident, Joni thought about writing to a newly injured teen. As she wept over how he would get through his suffering, she remembered her own journey, and how Jesus had carried her each day. Today, confined to a wheelchair, she uses her life and ministry to point others to Jesus. Finding hope and peace amidst suffering , Joni’s story illustrates the strength Christ provides. But why did Jesus have to suffer? Why Jesus Had to Suffer Imagine it: although God is all-knowing and sovereign, He had never personally experienced human suffering, until He took on flesh in the person of His Son. In becoming fully human, Jesus, who has always been fully God, also entered into the full depth of our pain and suffering. This is what is meant by the phrase “fully human” (Philippians 2:6–8). His suffering was necessary for our salvation. Our Captain has accomplished this for us. Having seen both the necessity and the example of His sufferings, what is our response to His leadership? Are You Following Your Captain’s Voice? Do we treat Jesus as if He were truly our Captain? Do we follow His orders? Do we listen to Him when He speaks? Do we trust His decisions are for our good? Do we accept His discipline when we have done wrong? Jesus: Our Pioneer and Defender Other translations sometimes say Author, Founder or Pioneer instead of Captain. The word translated is Greek, archegos. This word means a leader or a pioneer. Think of a captain who is the leader of a wagon train heading into the unknown regions of America in the 1800s. Without his leadership, knowledge, and discipline, the wagon train would be lost. Enemies would surely wipe them out, the best way through would not be found and many would not be disciplined enough to survive. But thank God for their captain. Only Christ Can Lead Us Safely Home And thank God for our Captain! Would that we could see the dangers around us as plainly as those pioneers so long ago. Would that we could realize that only He knows the way. Would that we would realize that without discipline in our spiritual lives it will be difficult to live the life we are called to. But Jesus leads us home. He leads us not just through this life, but through death itself. Sometimes our Captain may lead us places we don't want to go. As Jesus told Peter, in John 21:18-19, "... when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish, " prophesying the kind of death he would face for Christ's sake. Matthew 24:9 says Christians will be afflicted, killed, and hated for His sake. Yet as obedient servants we will go, just as young men march into war for their captains knowing there will be a cost, perhaps even death. He Died to Lead Many to Glory But for us, our Captain has given His life. One died so the many could live. One suffered, not just physical agony but spiritual agony, by being separated from His Father. Thanks be to God that our Captain rose from the dead to life everlasting to make a way for us to be with Him. All of those who would become Christians down through the centuries have one Captain to thank. He has brought so many ' sons to glory' by His suffering. At the end of the age, all of creation will cry out, “ Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! ” (Revelation 5:13). In glory we are family. He Calls Us Family, Not Just Followers Hebrews 2:11 continues to tell us that the One who sanctifies and those being sanctified (you and I as followers of Jesus) are now called brethren, part of the family of God . We can trust in Him and we are the children that God has given to Him. We are precious in His sight because of this. Since we, His children, share in flesh and blood, He too shared in our humanity, even in death. Yet His death, brought the ultimate victory. Victory Over Death and the Devil Because of Jesus' work on the cross, the power of Satan, the power of death, is destroyed. The bondage and fear caused by Satan no longer control us as sons of God (Hebrews 2:14-15). We might fear the act of dying but we don't fear death because death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54). Jesus Paid It All for Us In Hebrews 2:17, we are told that in everything He had to be made like us, even suffering. Why? To be made a propitiation for the people's sins. Propitiation means that Christ's death satisfies the punishment for our sins. His suffering makes atonement for us. This atonement reconciles humanity with God and allows relationship to take place. It is the relationship of a Father to His children and a Brother to His sisters and brothers. This relationship causes us to want to draw closer to Him as we see in Patricia Heaton's testimony. Praying with Your Captain: A Testimony Patricia Heaton, the actress famous for work on the TV series, Everybody Loves Raymond and the Middle, recently shared that she and her husband had just started praying together after 34 years of marriage. She remarked that God forgives and forgets her failures and looks at what she is doing now. She is an example of following her Captain more closely by spending time in prayer with her husband. Following Jesus, the Captain of Our Salvation Having seen both the necessity and the example of His sufferings, what is our response to His leadership? Following Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation, means we must trust His guidance, obey His commands, and endure trials knowing He leads us. When we experience God's all knowing love , that will be our heart's desire. Obeying Jesus: Practical Next Steps Let's take some practical steps to obey our Captain. We can: Stay Alert: Begin each day with Psalm 119:105 (for example), asking God to illuminate your steps. Trust His Route: When decisions are hard to make, pause and pray for guidance. Submit to Discipline: Set a specific habit (scripture reading, confession, service) and stick with it. Speak His Orders: Share one truth you’ve learned with a friend or small group. Advance His Cause: Look for a solid way to extend mercy, forgiveness or hope. People Also Ask: What is sanctification? Sanctification literally means to be set apart for Gods special purpose or use. As we are sanctified we grow in holiness. You might hear people say that they are 'growing in the Lord'. We become more like Christ. This is what is meant by sanctification. (2 Peter 3:18; John 17:18-19; Hebrews 10:14)

Why the Old Testament Temple Still Matters Today What is it about the word, old, that makes people dismiss something as irrelevant? Many of us avoid reading the Old Testament because we don't see its significance to Jesus, nor do we see how it relates to us today (Luke 24:27). But the New Testament without the Old would only be half of the story. The importance of the First Temple is one example. As we will see, the First Temple was a foreshadowing of the temple we read about in the New Testament. You and I are that temple. The First Temple was more than history. It was a foreshadowing of believers as God’s temple today. The Construction of Solomon’s Temple If you've never read about the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem under King Solomon in about 957 B.C., you should. 2 Chronicles 3:1-5:1 and also 1 Kings 6 and 7 go into vivid detail about every aspect of its construction. To call it grand would be an understatement. Solomon teaches us some things by constructing this temple. He honored his father's wishes by building it. It was his father's, King David, greatest desire to build a temple to honor God (2 Samuel 7:1-13). But God told him his son would build it, not him (1 Chronicles 28:2-6). Solomon followed through with the plans for the temple his father was given. In Solomon’s time, the First Temple foreshadowed the greater reality that one day believers themselves would be God’s temple. Lessons from Solomon’s Obedience and Devotion Solomon’s building of the temple shows us how to follow God’s plan, honor the faith of those before us, diligently carry out our God-given tasks, and work together in His bigger purpose. These lessons teach us to live with humility, faithfulness, and a heart set on doing what God calls us to do. Solomon was conscientious about the building. This was God's house and, with all the zeal that was within him, he made sure it was constructed of the finest materials and with meticulous detail. When we go about a task for God, how do we treat it? With care or carelessly? Our culture often rushes through tasks or looks for shortcuts. But what would it look like if Christians put the same devotion and excellence into their service, their work, or their relationships as Solomon did in building God’s house? When we really care about what we do it shows. My husband's mother made a beautiful hand stitched quilt for him out of his father's favorite shirts. The love that went into that showed in every careful stitch and every thoughtful selection of shirts. How much better our lives and those around us would be if we devoted as much effort to the jobs that God has given each of us to do. Gold, precious stones, and cedars from Lebanon made up its construction. The most sacred place in the temple was the Holy of Holies. Behind its thick veil, one would find the Ark of the Covenant containing the Ten Commandments. Over the Ark were two enormous gold cherubim whose wings were outstretched over it, touching in the middle. The size and beauty of the temple were breathtaking. It took seven years to complete. Where was God in this? The Glory of the Lord Filling the Temple At its dedication, the glory of the LORD filled the temple so the priests could not stand to minister (2 Chronicles 5:13–14; 7:1–2). They beheld His glory and knew God was there! And in the Holy of Holies, the priests would come once a year to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. Compared to the tabernacle described in Exodus, Solomon’s temple was like the difference between a simple shepherd’s hut and a king’s castle. In the New Testament, believers themselves will be God's living temple. Maybe you have had a similar experience of awe in the presence of God's creation. Standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon or looking out at the expanse of the ocean we sense our smallness and His greatness. The touch of your child's hand moments after birth, in times like these we can see a glimpse of God's glory reaching out and touching us. From the Temple Mount to the Cross of Christ The temple's place on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem, where Abraham offered Isaac to God only to be replaced with a ram, was significant (Genesis 22). In this event, we see another foreshadowing of the sacrifice of God's Son on the cross. Today we call this place the Temple Mount. That same presence that filled the Holy of Holies lives in us now through the Holy Spirit. Imagine if we walked into every room with the awareness that the living God was present in us, how would that change our conversations, our tone, even our willingness to forgive? This magnificent temple was eventually destroyed by the Babylonians when they took the Jews into captivity in 586 BC. Then upon their return the Temple was rebuilt by Zerubbabel. Known as the Second Temple, this temple was where, at age 12, Jesus was in the temple, “ sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions ” (Luke 2:41–47). He often taught in the temple courts during His ministry (John 7:14; Matthew 21:12–14). In it, Jesus overthrew the money changer's tables. This temple too would be destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans. This event was predicted by Jesus. To this day the temple has not been rebuilt. With its destruction the sacrificial system for Jews ended. In its place now sits one of the holiest sites of Islam, the Dome of the Rock. With no physical temple, where is God's glory housed? Just as the First Temple housed God’s glory, Jesus has sent His Comforter to live with us and reflect Him to the world. The First Temple Foreshadowing Believers as God’s Temple Paul tells us that our bodies have become the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Paul makes it clear that the First Temple’s foreshadowing finds its fulfillment in us. We don't have to go to a building to realize the presence of God, we just have to look inside ourselves. How is that? Because as Christians we have received the Holy Spirit of God who lives within us. Just as the power of God could be seen in the Holy of Holies, so others should be able to see His holiness and power in us. If God’s Spirit lives within us, how should that change the way we treat our bodies, our habits, and our daily choices? Where Jews from all corners would come to worship and sacrifice to God in the first Temple, now we go out to the whole world to show God to those who do not know Him. We are the Jesus others see. We are the love, the light, and the salt that the world desperately needs. When people encounter us, do they catch even a glimpse of God’s holiness, love, and light dwelling within? This means evangelism isn’t just a program at church; it’s the daily life of the believer. You may be the only ‘temple’ your coworker, neighbor, or family member ever encounters. The temple was considered so holy that workers were not allowed to use loud tools in its construction. Stones were dressed at the quarry and brought fully finished to the site to be laid. The quiet was a sign of reverence and awe for the One who would dwell there. Our bodies should be treated the same. We should not disrespect our bodies with sin or overindulgence, by saying or doing things disrespectful to the Holy One who lives in us. In a noisy, self-indulgent world, living with reverence for God in your body is countercultural. The way you eat, rest, speak, and conduct yourself can either honor or dishonor the One who dwells in you. He makes our journey to holiness possible. Have you ever noticed how people treat their prized possessions? That beautiful new car is washed every week and meticulously cared for. Our favorite coat or dress is worn with care so that nothing stains it, and if something does happen it is immediately cleaned. Why don't we treat our bodies with that kind of care? It should be valued because it houses the Holy Spirit. It is a beautiful temple, a gift of God , created by our Father. From Earthly Temples to the New Jerusalem No physical temple is needed because Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. With His sacrifice, we actually become part of a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and Jesus becomes our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). He is our mediator between God and man. We no longer have to go through another person to enter into relationship with Him. Through Him we can boldly receive mercy before God. When John 1:14 says that " the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" this phrase literally means that Jesus tabernacled or pitched his tent with us (Exodus 25:8). By becoming a man, Jesus Himself is a temple, living among men. By sending the Holy Spirit, now God doesn't just dwell with us, but He dwells in us. Eventually we are told in Revelation 21 that God will dwell with us in the New Jerusalem, fulfilling the First Temple’s purpose. The whole earth will be full of His knowledge and glory (Habakkuk 2:14). We will return to the days of the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned and ruined this earth with its consequences. There will be no need for a physical temple because God’s presence will be fully realized. Knowing our future is secure with Him should make us rethink our here and now. If God’s glory will one day fill the earth, shouldn’t we be practicing now what it means to live as His holy dwelling? From the First Temple’s foreshadowing to the New Jerusalem, the story is one of God’s desire to dwell with His people and now, within us as His holy temple.

What does “Jesus’ Journey: Two Passovers, One Mission” mean? It refers to the spiritual and physical development of Jesus from His early visit to the temple at age twelve to His final Passover before the crucifixion. Between these two Passovers, we see His growth in wisdom, obedience, and divine purpose—a mission that would lead to the salvation of the world. We focus so much on the fact that Jesus is God we almost forget that He was also human. Luke 2:40 explains this about His childhood: " And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. " Like our own children, if we raise them knowing the Lord, He grew stronger in spirit, and His wisdom increased. God's grace was upon Him, not to forgive sin, because there was no sin in Him, but God's blessings and love were upon Him. As He grew in grace, His daily life mirrored the traditions of His people. Jesus' Journey: Two Passovers, One Mission Growing up as an obedient Jew, He would go up each year with His family to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. This religious celebration was to remember when the death angel passed over the homes of the Jews and did not touch their firstborn, unlike the Egyptians, whose firstborn died that night so many years before. Passover wasn't just a celebration of freedom from slavery—it was a constant reminder of hope and renewal of faith for the Jewish people. Jesus’ presence at Passover takes on even greater meaning. His family's trips to the temple at Jerusalem during Passover show a life lived in traditional Jewish faith, while His final Passover would be His sacrifice for the world. A Boy Teaching in the Temple That year, Jesus was 12. By Jewish standards of the time He was almost a grown man. In Luke 2:41-50, we read about His families visit to the temple during Passover. On the way home from the festival, His parents discovered that Jesus was not with their group. They went back to Jerusalem to find Him and after three days discovered Him in the temple. There He was in the midst of teachers asking questions and listening. Reflections on Learning As a former teacher, these are two of the things I valued greatly in a student. Were they listeners? And did they ask questions about things they didn't understand? Jesus' teachers surely valued this as well. But perhaps Jesus was questioning these teachers to see if they really understood what they were teaching. He was obviously fully engaged with the subject. He was learning from the Torah—the books of Moses, and also from the Prophets. Do we try to engage with the Bible today as intently as Jesus did with the Torah? It wasn’t long before those around Him took notice. Foundations for His Ministry They were "astonished at His understanding and His answers. " He was so young, and yet He already had the understanding of a gifted teacher. This was prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:18. In this verse, the Lord says a Prophet will be raised up like Moses, in whose mouth God's words will be placed. He told His parents when they found Him, " Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business? ” (Luke 2:49) He was about the business of God. What Jesus did as a child laid the groundwork for how He would speak to people as an adult. Later on in His ministry He would ask many questions to make people think and go deeper in their understanding. His early lessons laid the foundation for His use of parables when teaching. These were simple stories used to illustrate a sometimes difficult spiritual truth. He learned this teaching style from Jewish teachers and rabbis of the time. Teaching was a very important part of Jesus's ministry. The book of Mark talks about Jesus teaching twenty times. Jesus Grows in Wisdom and Favor And in Luke 2:50, we read, " And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." As parents, don't we all want to say this about our children? For ourselves isn't our longing to increase in wisdom and in favor with God and men? As a human, Jesus grew gradually in the knowledge of the teachings of God. Wisdom is the fear of the Lord and in this He also grew. If Jesus, in his humanity, needed to learn God's word and understand wisdom, how much more do we? What are we actively doing to make this happen? Do we think that Jesus came from the womb and just magically knew all about the Torah? Don't you imagine that Mary and Joseph both taught Him from the youngest age about His Heavenly Father? In the same way, we should teach our children. Baptism: A New Beginning We know little about His childhood, but we know that by the age of 30, He knew what His mission was. He came to John the Baptist to be baptized. Jewish people had always practiced a type of baptism. It was preferably done in flowing water and was meant to symbolize purification and a rededication to God's laws. John the Baptist, however, was preparing the hearts of the people for the coming Messiah. His baptism was for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4). When Jesus came to John the Baptist, John protested that it was Jesus who should be baptizing John. John knew who Jesus was. In Matthew 3:15, Jesus explains this needed to happen to " fulfill all righteousness ". Jesus' baptism fulfilled prophecy that John was the forerunner to the Messiah. It also announced to the world that Jesus was that Messiah that was prophesied. At His baptism, we see and hear the Trinity: Jesus as the Son experiencing ritual cleansing, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending from Heaven, and the voice of God proclaiming that He was His Son. This was the beginning of His journey. After the death and resurrection of Jesus years later, baptism would carry a deeper meaning. In it, we are dying and rising with Christ to our new life. We die to our old sin nature and rise to a life filled with the Holy Spirit. All of this because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness From here, Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, goes out into the wilderness and is tempted by the Devil. Fasting during this time puts all of His focus on the will of His Father. The Devil, seeing Him physically weakened, tempts Him three times. Each time, the Devil retreats when Jesus quotes Scripture. In the end, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, He begins to teach in the synagogues, where He is " glorified by all " (Luke 4:15). The Holy Spirit Empowers Us Too From His baptism, where the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, to His time in the wilderness, where Scripture became His shield, Jesus shows us how to live the will of God. The Holy Spirit power that Jesus walked in is the same power given to everyone who wants to grow in wisdom and live out their God-given purpose. Spiritual Growth in Every Season When we think about these milestones in Jesus' life, we are reminded that we must also grow in wisdom and knowledge. Like Jesus, our encounters with God, whether in good times or bad, shape us into the people we are meant to be. The call is clear: embrace growth, trust God's timing, and allow His Holy Spirit to lead you from one season of life to the next. In this Jesus is our role model. From the age of 12, when teachers in the Temple were astonished, to the age of 30, where He was glorified for His teachings, the Lord grew in the power of the Holy Spirit and in knowledge. Mark 1:22 describes Jesus as teaching with authority, not like the scribes who commonly relied on other teacher's authority who came before them. Jesus relied on His own authority. As we know, He wasn't glorified for very long. Almost immediately, the people in His hometown of Nazareth ran Him out of town and tried to kill Him. Just three years later, Jesus would go to Jerusalem one last time for the Passover festival. This Passover was only 21 years after that young boy left His teachers in awe. He arrived knowing what would happen. Here He would be welcomed with shouts of Hosanna and Glory to God, but only a few days later, these same people would be shouting for His death. He Rose—and So Can You Hung on a cross on a hill called Golgotha, or place of the skull, He would die. But like when He was a boy who taught for three days in the Jewish Temple, He would only stay in the grave for three days. Between these two Passovers, we witness Jesus’ journey—two Passovers, one mission from the Father. Rising to life, He has opened a way for us, His brothers and sisters, to call God our Father, just as He did in the temple as a child. Christ is our Passover as He takes us from death to life . Call on Him now. Find a new life in Christ. As Ephesians 2:6 tells us, "For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus." (NLT) Seek Him and His will and grow in Christ. People Also Ask What is the difference between a synagogue and the temple? A synagogue is a place where people of the Jewish faith gather to learn, pray and worship. The temple refers historically to the ancient central place of worship in Jerusalem. It was here that sacrifices were offered.

What Does It Mean to Be Steadfast? Sometimes in animals we see the traits that we long to see in humans. There is a true tale of a Japanese Akita dog named, Hachiko who would wait everyday at a train station for his owner to return from work. When his owner died suddenly at work and never returned to the station, Hachiko faithfully waited for him - for ten years, until his own death. We call this being steadfast. When a person, or even a dog, is loyal, faithful and true under all conditions they are steadfast. “If a dog can be faithful to a man, how much more should we be faithful to God?” Steadfast Faith and the Hope of Resurrection As humans, we are expected to have steadfast faith in our relationship to God. Regardless of our feelings, trials, persecutions, or simply the day to day busyness of life we are to be set on a firm foundation that never wavers in regard to our faith. Paul says this, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58 Notice that this verse begins with the word " therefore ". This means we should look at what comes before this verse. The Corinthians were being influenced by outsiders to doubt the reality of the resurrection. Paul spends most of chapter 15 defending the truth of Christ's resurrection and the promise of believer's resurrection. Because we have this hope of resurrection it should motivate us, he says, to be " steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. " “Steadfast faith isn’t built in ease but proven in trial.” Lessons from Corinth: Holding Fast to Truth The church at Corinth tended to compromise with the culture they lived in (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 15:33). They were being swayed by false teachers. So Paul's "therefore" was to implore them to hold fast to what they knew was truth. The resurrection was one of those truths. The gifts they were given by God were to be used for others and these gifts would have eternal consequences. Their labor, the faith they shared with others, the love they showed, the generosity they gave would outlive their earthly lives. The things they do for God are never done in vain, unlike the many ways we spend our lives every day. Things of the Spirit would live on, just as they would in their resurrected bodies. In James, we see how steadfastness can be produced. In James 1:3-4 he explains that trials produce patience, sometimes this is also translated as endurance or steadfastness. When a Christian undergoes trials and does not forsake God, they can look back on them and realize that by going through them they have actually seen their faith grow. What trial has tested your steadfastness? We may not know why the trials happened, but we know there is a reward for enduring, for staying steadfast in them (Hebrews 10:36). We can endure because we know God's love is everlasting. “Endurance today brings eternal reward tomorrow.” God’s Steadfast Love as Our Example Many of us today have never seen a steadfast relationship first hand. Maybe we have come from a broken home, maybe we have a broken home ourselves. It seems more difficult today for people to have a loyal and abiding relationship with one another. Perhaps this is why we have a hard time being steadfast with God. But God is faithful even when we are not. His love is described as steadfast. Lamentations 3:22 teaches that God's steadfast love never ceases - it is eternal. It says that God's mercies are never ending. God wants our faith to be as steadfast as His love for us is. He wants children who never doubt who their Father is or that their Father loves them. He wants children who want to obey their Father, not out of fear, but out of love. And He wants our faith to be immovable, no matter what is happening to us or around us. “God’s steadfast love never fails—He calls us to mirror it.” Practicing Steadfastness Every Day Many tragedies can shake our faith: a loved one's suicide, the death of a child, or the suffering of an elderly parent, for example. But how do we remain steadfast in the face of circumstances like these? We need to be steadfast in our thanks to God. In the midst of great sorrow, we can always find something to be thankful for and we need to focus on that. We need to be steadfast in our praise and worship of God. We praise Him for who He is and who His Son is. We praise Him for his creation. We praise Him for our salvation. We need to be steadfast in our study of Scripture. When God's word is planted firmly in our hearts we can find the answers to the doubts and fear that the devil wants us to focus on. We need to be steadfast in our prayer lives. Often in the midst of tragedy the thing we need to do the most is the thing we do the least. We can be so busy just dealing with life we forget that communicating with our Father is required. What will the outcome be of a person who is steadfast? They will do good because that is our purpose on this earth (Ephesians 2:10). Galatians 6:9 reminds us, " And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. " What is it that we shall reap? Everlasting life! But why should doing good make you weary? Because at times when so many need help it may seem like just helping one person or a few accomplishes very little. It can be discouraging. You may not be given many thanks for the good you do. It may cost you time or money. But not losing heart is another way of saying to remain steadfast. Encouragement from Jeremiah and Paul Probably one of the greatest Old Testament examples of someone who was steadfast and immovable in their work for God was Jeremiah. Jeremiah was called by God to prophesy the impending judgment of His people if they did not heed Jeremiah's warnings. Sadly, because of their idolatry and sin, not only did they not listen to Jeremiah but they actually persecuted him and rebelled against what they were told to do. If anyone should have felt justified in feeling weary it should have been Jeremiah, but he did not. Jeremiah did not lose heart. In the New Testament, we always look to Paul as one who remained steadfast and immovable. In spite of beatings and mistreatment of all kinds he was immovable in his faith and love for Jesus. Perhaps this is why Paul spends so much time talking about the importance of exhortation or encouragement. When we have gone through trials and tribulations look to the word and your fellow Christians for positive stories of staying faithful to God. Always encourage each other . But what do we do when we aren't steadfast? When Our Faith Wavers Many of us focus too much on times when we were tempted not to be steadfast. We focus more on our sins than the One who forgives us of them. We focus too much on self and not enough on the anchor of our soul - Jesus. When our focus is on failure, it can make us even more timid and fearful to try to do the work God would have us do. Remember He often uses the broken ones of us, who are truly humble, to restore and help others know Him. “Faith may waver, but God’s anchor holds.” Sometimes it's not the big things that keep us from being fixed on Jesus, sometimes it's the little ones. Prayers that go unanswered, promotions we don't get, a house we can't afford to buy, the new car we want but can't afford, the spouse we have waited so long for that seems to never come, these are examples of situations that cause us to waver. Does God really love us? Does God really care for me? Then slowly we drift away from Him until our faith is something we only see in hindsight. The danger of spiritual drift is real. Standing Firm Against Doubt and Deception Many of us like the Corinthians have our faith shaken by things we hear people teach or preach that are in error. We may listen to atheists debating Christians on YouTube and claim there's no evidence for Jesus' resurrection. This may cause us to disbelieve what we know is true. We may hear a popular preacher tell us that certain sexual sins are ok as long as people love each other. We may start believing that Jesus will come back on a certain date not long in the future, when we know the Word says "no man knows the day or the hour." This is why knowing your Bible is so very important. The Holy Spirit will bring Scriptures back to your mind to teach you, but you have a duty to read and study (John 14:26). Scripture acts as our lighthouse in a storm. And always prayer and fellowship with other believers help calm doubts. What scripture has helped you the most when confronting doubt? A Call to Remain Faithful If a dog can faithfully wait ten years for a master he loved who never returned, surely you and I can remain faithful to the God who drew us out of sin and darkness. Surely we can be true to the one who will resurrect us from the dead because of His mercy and grace. We can run with endurance. Our Jesus is faithful and true. Let us, in return also be.

Desperate people will do anything to find what they need. If you were in the desert without water, baking under the sun, you would crawl on your hands and knees to find water and survive. If my child is sick, I will do everything in my power to find healing for them. I will go to every doctor, every hospital until I find someone that can help. In the Old Testament there are many stories of people who were desperate for God, who cried out to Him from the depths of despair. The New Testament also shares many stories of people who were desperate for the spiritual and physical healing that only Jesus could give. Desperation for God: Old Testament Examples How desperate are we for God? Are our prayers half-hearted or are we praying with the desperation of a dying man? Do we seek God with all that is within us? Do we know that God answers the humble prayer of faith? As we are told in 1 John 5: 14, we can have confidence that when we pray the will of God He will hear us. In Psalm 18: 4-6, David cries out to God in desperation. This is what he says: "The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears." David feared for his life. He was distressed by the level of ungodliness that he had seen. Distressed and desperate he cried out to God and God heard him. This psalm was a song of gratitude and thankfulness that God heard his pain and delivered him from his enemies and from Saul. He would sing a similar song at the end of his life in 2 Samuel 22. Crying Out to God: The Story of Habakkuk The book of Habakkuk finds the prophet questioning why violence, sin and strife continues. He is desperate to understand why God would allow such things to go on. God explains that the righteous live by faith and the wicked will be punished. In the end, Habakkuk is given a vision of hope. Habakkuk's response is to rejoice in the Lord even though things may be bad around him (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Praying in Desperation: King Hezekiah’s Plea In Isaiah 37, King Hezekiah hears the plans of the King of Assyria to destroy Israel and desperately pleads with God to save his nation from the hands of the great army of the Assyrians. God tells Hezekiah, ‘ Because you have prayed to Me, I will deliver Israel from the Assyrians ", which He does in a miraculous way.  Desperate for Jesus: The Gentile Woman In Mark 7: 24-37, we read the story of a gentile woman who approaches Jesus with great humility, faith and desperation. She begs for him to cast a demon out of her child. Jesus recognizes her need, desperation, and humbleness and tells her that her daughter is healed. Seeking Jesus: Zacchaeus’ Story In Luke 19: 1-10, we read about Zacchaeus, so desperate to see Jesus that he climbed up into a tree just to be able to see Him. Jesus looks up and announces to everyone that that day he would go have dinner at Zacchaeus' home. The despised tax collector would dine with Jesus! Zacchaeus confessed his sins and Jesus tells him that " salvation has come to his house that day " because Jesus "came to seek and to save that which was lost ". Reaching for Healing: The Woman with the Issue of Blood In Luke 8: 43-48, Jesus heals a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She had spent all her money on doctors but no one could help her. Hearing that Jesus would be in town she went out among the crowd, even though she was unclean and not supposed to be around people. She dared, in desperation, to just touch the hem of his robe. She must have been weak from years of lost blood. Perhaps she crawled through the crowd to touch the hem of His garment. She risked her own safety to be among the crowd because of her uncleanness. She had total faith that just by touching his clothes she would be healed and she was. Overcoming fear and finding faith takes courage. Conclusion: How Desperate Are We? What blessings are in store for us if we seek God with our whole heart, crying out to Him in desperation with faith and humility that He will hear our prayer? Do we casually pray for our family and loved ones, do we briefly mention them in a hurried prayer, or do we long with all our heart for an answer to a prayer that means the world to us. Is our prayer effectual ? How desperate are we for Jesus? I leave you with Psalm 65: 5. "You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,"

Paul talks of our Christian life and compares it to a race. A race that must be run with endurance. What does that actually mean? Endurance is something that we can gain. Just like a marathon runner we can learn to endure, to finish what we have started. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1 Be Disciplined One of the ways that runners increase their endurance is to be consistent. Run regularly, on a schedule and don't skip training. As Christians we must also be consistent to be able to run our race of faith. Each day a routine of effectual prayer and Bible study is required. For some more disciplined people this may be easy but for some of us it is difficult. We have to put our prayer and Bible study first, before our own wants and needs. We must be diligent Christians . This can be challenging. We have so many things pulling at us, demanding our attention. We have to know where our priorities need to be. A Little More Time With God Another contributor to endurance in running is to increase your distance by small amounts every week. As Christians we can incorporate this into our daily routine by spending a little more time in prayer and/or Bible study each week. A little more time spent showing those around us the love of God. A little more time forgiving others. Think about what you do during the week. Would it really be impossible to carve out a little more time for your Savior? Don't we naturally want to spend time with someone we love, especially Jesus? Let The Lord Handle Your Stress Managing stress is another important factor in promoting endurance. Stress can lead to a weakened immune system, hormone imbalances and sleep disruptions. To manage stress we should take our cares to the Lord, for He cares for us. Share your burdens with Him. He loves you. Our Lord teaches that His burden is light. (Matthew 11:30) The Holy Spirit strengthens us for the work of the Lord (Ephesians 3:16). Be open to Him. Where Does Your Strength Come From? Strength training is necessary to have good running endurance. Our strength comes from hearing the Word of the Lord. Are we attending church regularly? Are we listening to Godly sermons, reading Christian books and articles, spending time with other fellow Christians who we know have walked the walk with faithfulness? All of this will strengthen us for hard times. It is so important to find our strength in the right places. Paul Fought The Good Fight In 2 Timothy 4:7, the soon to be martyred apostle Paul tells Timothy that he has " fought the good fight ", that he has " finished the race " and that he has " kept the faith ". What is it that Paul fought against? Sin. As he told us in Hebrews 12:1, we are to lay aside the sin which easily traps us. Paul makes it clear that the struggle isn't always an easy one. Enduring Requires Armor The Greek word that is translated 'fought' in 2 Timothy literally means to engage in conflict. We know from Ephesians 6:12 that our fight, our conflict, is not with flesh and blood but with Satan and his demons. We also know, that to be able to fight with endurance we should put on the whole armor of God described in Ephesians 6:13-18. We have been given an armor of light . Paul is not saying that he does this all on his own. No, Paul knows that it is only the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that has enabled him to fulfill the work that God had for him to do. Grow In Endurance Without growing in endurance, a successful Christian life is impossible. The Devil will attack us, tempt us and seek our destruction. Sometimes the Devil will use those closest to us to weaken us. When we first become Christians, our endurance may not be where it should be, but with faith and determination we can grow and be able to withstand the enemy. If it sounds like work, it is (2 Timothy 2:15)! Run With Endurance When we fight our fight and run our race, we can know that it is God who is on our side. Who else could we possibly need? The Lord blesses the faithful. Our endurance will allow us to say with Paul that we have kept the faith. Oh to hear the words of Jesus, " Well done, good and faithful servant. " We'll Work Till Jesus Comes - Elizabeth Mills (1837) O land of rest, for thee I sigh! When will the moment come When I shall lay my armor by And dwell in peace at home? Chorus: We'll work till Jesus comes, We'll work till Jesus comes, We'll work till Jesus comes, And we'll be gathered home. (You can listen here to this beautiful old hymn.)

The Subtle Danger of a Hardened Heart It's easy these days to become desensitized to suffering and pain. We see it everywhere. In the past, when bad things happened, we only knew about our local area but now we see suffering all over the world, almost as it happens. In Deuteronomy 15:7-8, we are reminded not to harden our hearts against the poor. Do you have compassion? If you don't you might check your heart for hardness. Yet, Scripture offers hope: God promises to transform even the hardest hearts, replacing stone with flesh through His Spirit, as we’ll see in His Word. We can become desensitized to sin as well. Our hearts get hardened to sin. We see people on YouTube or TikTok doing and saying things that would have been unimaginable even a decade ago, but now we barely raise an eyebrow. How Sin Gradually Hardens Us In our lives it is easy to see the same pattern. What starts out as a small sin grows and becomes almost commonplace, until we no longer see it for what it is. The Bible has a name for this: hardening your heart. It's as if your heart no longer wants to feel the experience of those suffering or no longer wants to experience the guilt that it should when you do things you know are wrong. Biblical Warnings About Spiritual Hardness A hard heart resembles a stone. It is difficult to move it. The things that happen to a hardened heart don't really cause a reaction. It's as though it has seen so much it has forgotten how to feel, when it is presented with truth, it rejects it. Remember, a heart of stone is heart that can never please God or do His will. Scripture teaches about the softening of a hardened heart, a transformation God works in us through His Spirit. In Ezekiel, the prophet has a word from God that says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). God speaks this promise to His people, the promise of a New Covenant. This New Covenant will change hearts because God Himself in the Holy Spirit will literally come and dwell in man. No man can have that happen and stay the same. In this way, men will desire to be obedient to the will of God. There were hints in the Old Testament that this would happen. When Samuel anoints Saul King of Israel we are told in 1 Samuel 10:9 that God gave Saul a new heart which allowed him to become the king he needed to be. This new heart foreshadows the New Covenant heart promised by Ezekiel. Only God can transform the heart. This transformation happens through the work of the Holy Spirit, which softens even the hardest hearts. We can't change our own heart. We can't just decide by sheer will power to become a new creation. But when the Holy Spirit enters our heart, then much like the Grinch in the children's Christmas story, our hearts will grow with love. This transformation is critical. As Scripture warns, a hardened heart not only dulls our sensitivity to sin but also resists God’s truth and grace. How does God accomplish the softening of a hardened heart? When we are transformed we don't become perfect beings, however now we have the ability to please our Father, but only because of Him. We go from sin dominated, to Christ dominated. We go from slaves to sin to slaves to Christ. Gradually we become transformed into the image of Jesus. Before Christ, we lived under the domination of Satan, but now God is in control of our heart. The Consequences of Ignoring God Paul tells us that God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4-5). But when His kindness and grace is met with a hard heart He is rejected. Our pride and thanklessness comes from a heart that no longer feels anything except sin. It has become so fooled by sin as to believe that that is where happiness will be found. The hard heart doesn't realize the doom and destruction that is coming upon it. Zechariah 7:12 reminds us of this when it says " they made their hearts diamond hard. " Why? So they could not hear and respond to the Word of the Lord. They don't want to feel or hear because if they did, they would change. This rejection of God’s voice is vividly illustrated in the Gospels, where even those closest to Jesus struggled with hardened hearts despite witnessing His miracles. Hardened Hearts in the Gospels Have you seen miracles, things you can't explain, blessings you didn't ask for and just for a moment wondered if it was God? When these things happen some will be filled with faith and their hearts will be softened. Others will reject God and chalk the experience up to chance or good luck, anything but God. They will remain hardened, rejecting the truth right in front of their eyes. In Mark 6, we read two of the most amazing miracles in the New Testament: the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on the water. The disciples saw Jesus walking on the water they were " amazed beyond measure. " Why? Verse 52 answers the question, " For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. " In spite of what they had seen, they didn't fully understand the power and authority of Jesus. They had seen a miracle but when Jesus came walking on the water they were fearful, thinking He was a ghost. The truth was in front of them but they failed to recognize it. In Mark 8:17 Jesus asks, " Is your heart still hardened?" And then He says, "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? "(Mark 8:18) The disciples had the ability to see, hear, and remember what great miracles Jesus had done but still they persisted in doubt. The natural mind struggles to understand the things of the spirit. Aren't we the same? We see God work on a daily basis, we see His creation, we read and hear His Word, but we forget. We don't remember the great things He has done. We are like the Israelites who crossed into the Promised Land and forgot the parting of the Red Sea and their miraculous escape from 400 years of slavery. To avoid falling into the same trap as the disciples or the Israelites, Scripture urges us to rely on the support of a faithful community to keep our hearts soft and responsive. Guarding Our Hearts Through Community As a believer, how do we keep our hearts from becoming hard and unresponsive? Hebrews 3:13 tells us to surround ourselves with believers who will prevent that from happening by exhorting us. Someone who exhorts is someone who encourages others to do right, to live a righteous life, to struggle against evil when it seems the fight is never ending. Guarding your heart takes community. Are you surrounded with encouragers? Do you listen when people remind you of the blessings we gain when we are obedient children to our Father? Do we remind others of their blessings? Do we encourage others to seek peace with each other and do good? We can work together as a community to help the poor, putting a face on our faith. The Devil’s Lies and God’s Revival The Devil lies and casts doubt on God. This is and always has been his major tactic. "Did God really say that ?" he asked Eve. He casts doubt on truth. He whispers, "God doesn't really love you." He laughs and says, "One time won't hurt." Or "No one will ever know." And the more we succumb to those lies the harder our heart becomes. Does that mean we are beyond hope? No, absolutely not. We can say with the Psalmist, "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" (Psalm 85:6). This revival begins when we turn back to our first love for God, as Jesus Himself calls us to do, urging us to reject the Devil’s lies and recommit to Him. Have we become bored with Jesus or are we desperate for Jesus ? Jesus warns the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:4-5 this way, "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the works you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent". John has already told us in 1 John 5:3 that if we love God we will keep his commandments. The Ephesians need to remember the One they love (God) because obedience flows from it. Their softened hearts will want to obey God. Maybe you have felt this way? Do you remember a time when you loved God more than you do now? This new living, loving heart is not just a prize we win to make ourselves feel good. It is ours to share with the world. This heart of flesh is to give away as Christ gave Himself for us. Christianity isn't something to keep for oneself just to go to Heaven, it is to change the world for Christ. Returning to Our First Love If you have fallen, and your heart is growing hard, do as Jesus says, " Remember from where you have fallen " and repent, do the works, you once did. Don't give into the lies of the Devil. Don't let the world blind you to your Savior. Don't abandon your first love. Establish your heart in Jesus (James 5:8). Softening of a Hardened Heart And for those who never have had anything but a hard heart, there is still time to seek Him. Call out to Him and He will answer. He will give you a new heart. With this heart you will be able to experience love like you have never known. You will become part of a new family - the family of God. Christians through the centuries have expressed this same longing, often in hymns. This ancient hymn by Robert Robinson (1758) is called, " Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." The third verse follows: O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above. Pray with me! Dear Father, We pray that our hard and wandering heart would forever be sealed for you by the Holy Spirit who turns stone into flesh and death into life. In your Son Jesus' name, Amen.

What Does the Bible Mean by “Heart”? When the Bible talks about the heart, it really means all the parts that make your inner self. How you feel, think, and respond are all aspects of your heart. It makes perfect sense then when God tells us to love with our whole heart. God wants our hearts . Every part of us must love God. Why Christ’s Sacrifice Calls Us to Love God God has given His only Son for our sins; surely this must make us pause and realize how much the Savior loves us. The cross was a high price to pay to redeem us from the effects of sin. Loving God should be a natural reaction when we grasp the depth of His gift. What the Bible Teaches About Guarding Your Heart Many believers wonder what the Bible teaches about guarding your heart. According to Proverbs 4:23, this inner you, your heart, must be guarded. Then, the NIV translation explains why: " everything you do flows from it ." Do I want to do good or evil? Do I want to love God or ignore Him? Do I want to grow in holiness or grow further from Him? All these come from the heart. Guarding Your Heart Like a Home Think of it like guarding your home. You keep your doors locked so people won't break in and do you harm. You open your doors to your friends and neighbors because you know they're safe to be around. Opening your heart to evil only invites hurt and pain, while opening your heart to God's love brings peace and fruitfulness. How to Protect Your Heart Daily I guard my heart, my thoughts, actions, and emotions, by controlling what I let in. Ask yourself, "What am I listening to, seeing, or surrounding myself with each day?" Am I reading the Word? Am I praying? Am I focusing on my Source and my Strength? Dangers of an Unguarded Heart Many of us spend too much time today in negative social media. Sadly, social media and often our jobs give us a lot of opportunities to hear ungodly language. So many people around us neglect God or worse yet literally blaspheme Him to our faces everywhere we turn. Soon our guard is down. The world creeps in, tempting us in a thousand ways. The chance to watch porn unnoticed (we think), the opportunity to dwell on sinful thoughts, and the occasion to imagine a hundred dreadful, scary outcomes from what we see daily on our phones are just a few examples. We slip and we fall. In his book, Guarding Your Heart , by A.W. Pink he says: “All outward actions are worthless while our hearts be not right with God.” Even when we are doing good, God knows our motivations. Is it to make ourselves look good? Is it for accolades from others? Why we do something is important to God. He looks for the humble to do His work. But when we stay guarded this outcome becomes less likely. When our focus is where it should be, we will see growth in sanctification. This should be what a normal Christian life looks like, even though we may stumble on occasion. We should, at least slowly, see our desires increasingly align with God's desires. We should see our fruit grow. Following the Holy Spirit’s Guidance But a guarded heart doesn't come without effort. We should actively "seek the Lord", "hear the Lord", and "obey the Lord". Becoming a Christian doesn't mean a magic wand is waved over us. Indeed, the Holy Spirit does come to live in us. Without Him there would never be growth in sanctification. But sadly, we are very capable of tuning Him out when He tells us things we don't really want to hear. He may say: "Don't date that person", "Don't watch that show", "Forgive that person", "Yes, love even that person." We still have the capacity to ignore, tune out, and live our lives as before. Yet, if we are truly what we say we are, our desires will always be to follow, because "my sheep hear my voice " (John 10:27). We know who our Good Shepherd is and what He asks of us. This guarding extends to how we handle inner condemnation, as seen in 1 John. Finding Peace When Your Heart Condemns You In 1 John 3:20 we read, “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ” Has your heart ever condemned you? There are two ways to view this: either we feel condemned over a past sin we have sincerely repented of, or we feel condemned over a sin we are currently in the midst of. Jesus said He came into the world not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). If we have asked forgiveness for a past sin and repented we can know that God has forgiven us and remembers it no more. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Even Peter, who denied Christ three times to his great shame, reminded Jesus, " you know, Lord, that I love you ." Yes, Jesus did know, because He knew Peter's heart, the real him, just as we are known by Jesus today. Jesus doesn't just know every sin you commit, He also looks at the heart and sees the love for others you have. He knows the times you have served and cared for those less fortunate. He knows the prayers you have spoken for those you love and for those who are hard to love. He knows when you have been His hands and feet to the world. But what about the times when our heart condemns us and it is justified? What about when we feel guilty and remorseful over a sin that we are still living in? The Holy Spirit is there within our hearts to search us and know us and to bring our failings to mind. Why? So we can seek forgiveness and turn from that sin. God does know everything about us. There is no hiding our sin from Him. There is no darkness black enough or no location far enough away to keep Him from seeing into our heart of hearts. In fact, the more holy a person becomes, the more often they are aware of the sin that remains in their lives. This can become a problem sometimes. We doubt our salvation because we still see sin lurking in the shadows. We still have areas in our lives that we want to hang on to. I remember hearing a story about a great evangelist's mother. He came home one day to find her sitting at the table sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she told him she was so sinful, how could she really be saved. He knew his mother was one of the most prayerful, righteous women he knew, full of love for God and others. He assured her that God knew her heart. We can't achieve perfection this side of Heaven, so don't let lingering imperfection make you fear you have lost your salvation. Concern is justified if we remain in unrepentant sin without caring. God is greater than our hearts. Rightly or wrongly, when we feel condemned He knows if that is justified or not. We should condemn sin in our hearts, not just by being sorry, but by changing our behavior. We should be obedient sons and daughters to our King. Sometimes it is so hard for us to see past the wrong we have done or the good we should have done. In 1 John 3:19, John says " By this we shall know that we are of the truth. " What does "this" refer to? The fact that " God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. " John spends a lot of time in his first letter telling people not to sin but he knows they will. He doesn't want us to think that just because our emotions make us feel condemned at some point, that it means we don't belong to Jesus. Clothed in Christ’s Righteousness We have been blessed with forgiveness for our past sins and we will be blessed with forgiveness when we repent. Guarding our hearts and knowing He sees us, should inspire us to have gratitude and respectful fear of the Lord. In fact, we are commanded to fear the Lord. Sometimes we may take sin lightly, even unintentionally, but God never does. No sin, whether lack of forgiveness, gossip, or laziness, should be dismissed as insignificant. Sin is what required the death of His Son. This gift of righteousness that He has given us was bought and paid for with a fearfully high price. It is not our righteousness but His that we now clothe ourselves in. That is what He sees when He sees His forgiven children - you and I.

What Is a Covenant? Understanding “Cutting a Deal” in the Bible Maybe you have heard of the expression, "cutting a deal" or "striking a deal". Have you ever wondered what that really means or where these strange expressions came from? When we say someone ‘cut a deal,’ we’re echoing an ancient practice that goes all the way back to Abraham, where deals were literally ‘cut’ in blood. God first spoke His covenant blessings to Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 12:1-3, then confirmed them with a covenant ceremony in Genesis 15, and later reaffirmed them with a name change in Genesis 17:4-6. To avoid any confusion we will use the name Abraham throughout this study. This covenant, confirmed through Abraham’s faith, pointed forward to God’s ultimate fulfillment in Christ. But what is a covenant, really? Defining a Covenant: A Binding Agreement in Scripture A covenant is a binding agreement normally between two parties, either conditional or unconditional. For example, a marriage covenant is, in the eyes of faith, intended to be an unconditional covenant between two people. In Hebrew, the word covenant is related to the idea of "cutting a deal." Biblically, the agreement was between God and His people. In God's covenant with Abraham though, the promise was unconditional, made by God alone. In Genesis 12:1-3, God's promises to Abraham were: to bless him and to make him a great nation; to make him great; to bless those who blessed him; to curse those who curse him and to ensure that all nations would be blessed through him. These promises laid the great foundation for His covenant. Covenants in Biblical Times: A Common Practice Generally speaking we don't go into a covenant with someone we don't trust. Covenant agreements were common in biblical times. The Bible talked of many different kinds of covenants: between individuals, kings and nations, and legal ones. God was using a framework that was well understood in those times. Types of Biblical Covenants: Noah, David, and Beyond Some covenants, including the ones with Noah and David, rested entirely on God’s promise rather than human effort. Noah was promised that the world would never again be destroyed by water and God vowed to David that he would have an everlasting royal lineage. David's covenant was fulfilled in Jesus. Both the New Covenant and the Abrahamic Covenant were based on faith and don't rely on our actions but God's. They are considered to be Covenants of Grace. To better understand this difference, let's look at a modern example of a conditional covenant, such as a peace treaty between two nations. Both nations are obligated to uphold certain conditions. If one party fails to comply, then there are consequences, like sanctions, that can be placed on them. This mirrors the type of covenant we see in the Mosaic Covenant. Covenant as Testament: The Old and New Testaments It is interesting to realize that the word for covenant and the word for testament are the same Greek word, diatheke. Our Old and New Testaments are covenants made between God and His people. They explain our relationship to our Father in covenantal terms. Its foundation begins in Abraham’s story, where God’s covenant was vividly revealed through a vision. Abraham’s Vision: God’s Covenant Reassurance Abraham's vision began with what was a beautifully tender moment from God (Genesis 15:1). God told him, “ Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” Today, our faith is our shield and Jesus is His great reward. Who could ever ask for more? The Covenant Ceremony: Genesis 15 Explained In Genesis 15:8, Abraham asks God, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it? ” and then we read about a strange (to us) ceremony that God performs for Abraham so he will know that God will fulfill His word. This ritual affirmed God's commitment to Abraham. To perform the ceremony, He told Abraham to get a heifer, goat, ram, dove, and a pigeon. Three, three-year-old animals would be split in two while the dove and pigeon would remain whole. Here we understand how covenant actually means to cut. Vultures proceeded to come down on the carcasses but Abraham scared them off. That night, when Abraham fell asleep, God spoke to him in a vision. In it, God told him his people would endure 400 years of captivity and then would come out with great possessions, that Abraham would be blessed with a peaceful, long life, and eventually his descendants would return to the land God had promised them. As the evening continued, God sealed His unconditional covenant appearing as a smoking firepot and a burning torch which passed between the halves of the animals (Genesis 15:17). God often showed Himself, his holiness and power, in fire and smoke in the Old Testament. Though this was Abraham's first time witnessing God in this way, he understood its meaning because, as Genesis 15:1 states "the word of the Lord " had already come to him. This was confirmation that God's promise only depended on Him, not Abraham. Abraham had faith that God would keep His word because he would have understood that this ceremony was a powerful binding commitment. Our God is always faithful and true ! The common way to seal ancient Middle Eastern covenants was that both parties typically passed between the split carcasses. This signified that if either party broke the terms of the covenant then the same thing would happen to them. They would be torn in half and blood would be spilled. But in Abraham's covenant with God, something unique happened: only God passed between the pieces. God also told him that his land would stretch from the great river of Egypt - the Nile, to the great river Euphrates - which flows from eastern Turkey to southeastern Iraq. This territory was far larger than what Israel would ever fully occupy, stretching across much of the modern Middle East. Even at its height under Solomon, Israel only partially realized this promise. While Israel inherited parts of this land, the full extent was never permanently occupied. We await God's future fulfillment of His binding commitment to Israel, which many scholars believe will be completed in the Millennial Reign as described in Revelation. Unusual as these promises were, Abraham believed God was faithful and trustworthy. Many times God has called people to seemingly impossible callings and yet with God beside them they were accomplished, just as He later called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. God uses the meek and the humble to accomplish His tasks because He knows they will rely on Him for everything, the same as Abraham did. If God had promised you or me at the age of 100 that we would be the father of many nations and that all nations would be blessed through us, we might have had our doubts. Abraham was childless. His wife was 90 and, up to this time, had never had a child. Abraham's faith is childlike, the kind Jesus says we need to have (Matthew 18:3). Abraham was totally trusting that when God's abundant blessings were promised to him, it would happen. In Genesis 17:4-6, God changed Abram’s name, meaning “ exalted father ,” to Abraham, “ father of many nations ,” this name change reflected His promise to make Abraham’s descendants " like the stars in the sky ." It was symbolic of God's covenant with him. From that point on, Scripture refers to him as Abraham. Abraham’s Faith: God’s Covenant Revealed So what did Abraham have to do to gain this great promise? He only had to believe. In Genesis 15:5, we are told that God counted his faith as righteousness. Paul points to Abraham’s faith, as he was then called, as an example of how God’s covenant works. This covenant with Abraham becomes the pattern Paul later uses to explain justification by faith. Paul emphasizes grace in contrast to keeping the law. When Paul discusses Abraham's faith, he explains that Abraham was justified by faith 430 years before the law was even given to Moses (Galatians 3:17). He explains it is faith, not observance of the law, that makes one a true child of Abraham, even when you aren't Jewish. In this way, God's promise to Abraham that all people, Jew and Gentile, would be blessed was fulfilled. Mosaic vs. New Covenant: Law and Grace One of the things that confuses many people is our understanding that the Jewish people were required to obey the Law of Moses to be blessed. This Mosaic Covenant is generally referred to as the "Old Covenant" (Exodus 19-24) and was conditional. The people were required to obey God's law. Sacrifices could be offered for sin, but the sacrifice of animals was never adequate (Hebrews 10:4). We know, in hindsight, that this covenant had to be made to show people it was impossible to obey all of the laws perfectly. This is why the New Testament talks about the New Covenant which Jesus instituted (Hebrews 8:6-13). Jesus was the perfect sacrifice allowing us to regain the relationship of sons and daughters in God's Kingdom. In the Old Mosaic Covenant the law was literally written on stone, but in the New Covenant it is written on our hearts. The Old Mosaic Covenant required works to keep the law, but the New Covenant is based on faith. The Old Covenant was only for the Jews, while the New Covenant is for everyone. This New Covenant is possible because, Jesus is our high priest (Hebrews 4:14), interceding on our behalf. Abraham's children are not only the Jewish nation but all people of faith who believe in God's promises. All nations are called to God through Jesus who is a descendant of Abraham in the line of David (Galatians 3:8). We are Abraham's spiritual children (Romans 9:6-8). We need to thank God every day that we live under this New Unconditional Covenant, based only on what God has done. His Son died and rose again that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). This abundant life we have been promised is not a life full of possessions, but a spiritually full life based on the joy that a deep relationship with God can bring. Do we have Abraham's faith? Do we trust God in our daily challenges, as Abraham did? Abraham “cut a deal” with God, not on his own terms, but entirely on God’s. Today, we too are invited to trust in His covenant of grace through Christ.

Biblical Path to Loving Life in Christ and Good Days I think most of us would agree that we want to " love life and see good days. " How do we do that? Most of us understand how the world would answer that question: 1) Do what makes you happy 2) Be successful in your job 3) Make time for YOU. The Bible answers this question differently in Psalm 34:12-16. The answer is so important that Peter quotes this passage in 1 Peter 3:10-12. It probably won't come as a shock that the word "you" or "your" isn't mentioned. If it is implied, it is only in relation to others. The only way to love life and see good days is in Christ How to Choose Righteousness Over Evil We have choices to make. Verse 10 says to achieve good days and love life we shouldn't speak evil and we shouldn't lie. Verse 11 says we must turn away from evil, and not just turn from it, but replace it with doing good (Romans 12:17). What is our response when someone hurts us or harms us? We may feel justified in "paying them back" but no, that is the very person we are called on to do good to. How to Pursue Peace as a Christian In 1 Peter 3:11, he continues and says we are to " seek peace and pursue it ". That means we actively go out of our way to be peaceful people. This word pursue is an active verb. In Greek the word is the same as you would use for a hunter chasing his prey. We don't just say, "Oh well, there's nothing I can do" and give up. We try different approaches to make peace with others, both with those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are in the world. It's a matter of fact that a righteous life can actually lead to a longer, fuller life. Many times the righteous and the wicked die the same in war or natural disasters, but there are benefits of a righteous life: calm and contentment vs worry, fear and anxiety moderation and self control vs overeating or drinking too much hardworking, diligent, and purposeful vs lazy or idle forgiveness vs bitterness These benefits promote physical and spiritual health. They help us live a peaceful, disciplined, and purposeful life in Christ. All of these can lead to a longer life, for example by reduced stress and healthier habits. Living righteously not only brings personal peace but also places us under God’s watchful care. God’s Care for the Righteous 1 Peter 3:12 explains that God is watching. We often say this but less often do we really believe it. But who is He watching? This verse tells us it is the righteous that He watches. It is Christ who has made us righteous (Romans 3:21-25). In Psalms we are told, "Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12). He isn't watching so He can say "Gotcha" when we slip up and make a mistake. He is our loving Father, always there, always with us no matter the trial or circumstance of life. He is truly our good Shepherd. For these righteous, we are told, have their prayers heard. He not only sees us but He hears us. I want my prayers to be heard, don't you? Does that mean He will always give us what we want, when we want it. Of course not, but if we pray according to His will, then we know that what happens is what should happen. But it goes on and says " God's face is against those who do evil. " God sees our efforts or lack of them. He sees the choices we make. He sees the opportunities to do good that we pass up. He sees our choices for sin. For these people God's blessings are not promised. This is His righteous judgment on those who oppose Him. Our choices will have consequences in this world and the next. Peter has just explained how to live if we want to love life and see good days. But what happens if we still suffer? 1 Peter 3:13 asks the question, "Who will harm you if you follow good" (paraphrased)? The good we follow is Christ. There is no true harm that can come to us, because even in death we are joined to Him. Often, however, if we are good to people they will be good back. As Christians we are to be good to all. When people see this they may even be brought to Christ by watching the lives we lead. Why Suffering for Christ Brings Blessings Next, Peter explains that if we suffer for the sake of righteousness we should be happy. When Peter talks of happiness, think blessed. It isn't the suffering itself that should make us happy, but the cause of it. We shouldn't confuse this with suffering because we have been unkind jerks to people who believe differently than we do. For example, if someone stands on a street corner shouting insults at people walking by who may be living a sinful life, and then they get yelled at or pushed away, that’s not persecution for Christ. That’s a consequence of being offensive. The Bible says to approach people with humility, " for such were some of you " (1 Corinthians 6:11). Matthew 5:10 confirms Peter, when Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount, says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." When you are online, or out and about, and people mistreat you make sure what the cause really is. St. Augustine made an important point to heretics teaching in his time. He basically said that even if you die for your beliefs, that doesn't make you a true martyr for Christ. Those beliefs have to be valid. In essence he is saying, it's not the punishment but the cause that is important. Peter also tells us not to be troubled or fearful because of their threats. I like what the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary says, "God alone is to be feared; he that fears God has none else to fear." The Bible repeatedly reminds us that we are not to fear anything but God. Having learned to suffer well for Christ, we must now be ready to share the hope we have in Him. How to Defend Your Faith with Grace Peter explains in 1 Peter 3:15, that we should " sanctify the Lord in our heart. " Sanctify means to set apart, so he is saying we need to place God in a holy and sacred place in our hearts. Our Lord should be the main focus of our lives. When someone asks us why we have hope, Peter says we should be " ready to give a defense ." The word defense here is the Greek word apologia. This is where we get the word, apologetics, from. It doesn't mean to apologize but to defend your beliefs. We should be able to respectfully, not argumentatively, give an explanation for our hope and faith. This is one of many reasons why Scripture study is so important. It helps us to do this. The defense, Peter says, should be made with humility and meekness . We don't act like know-it-alls. We don't act like we have all the answers. We should have a reverence for God and a respect for others in our reply. Remember it is the Holy Spirit within us that " teaches us what to say " (Luke 12:12). In 1 Peter 3:16, he continues to say that when we give this defense we should have a good conscience. In other words, we shouldn't have any bad thing we've done be hanging over us. We need to be righteous people. The world may accuse us of wrong doing, but our conscience will tell us that this is not true. The people accusing us and being mean to us will be ashamed when they realize, even if it is just in their hearts, that we have really done nothing wrong. Enduring Trials with Faith in Christ Finally, Peter tells us that it is better to suffer for doing good than evil, if it is God's will. Better to suffer with a clean conscience than one ridden with guilt. Jesus suffered, even though guiltless, because it was the will of God . How much more should we be willing to suffer for Him who died for us. Isn't it interesting, that as soon as Peter told us that we could expect to love life and see good days he goes into a lengthy discussion of suffering? At the time of his writing, widespread persecution had not yet begun, though some believers (like Stephen and James) had already been killed for their faith. But Peter could see what was coming. Eventually, he and the other disciples along with Paul and many others would die for their faith. Peter I am sure didn't want the faithful to lose hope. There could still be happiness and the capacity to love life. There could still be blessedness. Some of them would see a long life and Peter wanted to encourage them to live for their Savior, doing good whenever possible. Peter's message is "other focused" not focused on the world's vision of a happy life. This is how to love life and see good days in Christ. His point above all is that God is always with you. He loves you and cares for you. Live righteous lives and then you will have nothing to fear. Your blessing may be here, but surely will be in Heaven.

Saul’s Disobedience and Excuses in 1 Samuel 15 There is a great contrast in the response of God to Saul's sin versus David's. The Lord looks at the heart and knows the truth behind our words. In 1 Samuel 15, we read about Saul's disobedience to a direct command of the Lord. Saul had been told to destroy, utterly and completely, all of the Amalekites including even their livestock. Nothing was to be left alive. Instead, Saul decided to bring back the King of the Amalekites alive and the best of the livestock. The prophet Samuel asks Saul why he did not obey the Lord? Saul's first answer is to lie. He tells Samuel that he did obey the Lord. In verse 21 Saul says, "The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” (NIV) Notice carefully what Saul says, the animals were kept alive so they could be sacrificed to the Lord YOUR God. Not our God, not my God, but YOUR God. This is a hint at the heart of Saul. When Saul hears that God has rejected him as king of Israel, only then does he declare that he repents of his sin. Rebellion and Pride: Saul’s Downward Spiral Time passes and Saul, knowing that his kingship has been taken from him by God Himself and given to David, fearing David, tries to hunt him down and kill him. Instead of agreeing with the will of God and admitting his failure he seeks to destroy the one whom God has anointed as king in his place. David Confronted: The Weight of Sin and Judgment In 2 Samuel chapter 12, we read about the prophet Nathan confronting David over his sin of adultery and murder. Nathan tells David that warfare will never leave David's house because of these sins. In addition, the Lord would require the death of David and Bathsheba's child born out of this adulterous union. Upon hearing all of this David's first response is to, as we would say, "own his sin". Instead of trying to lie about what he did he like Saul, he immediately confessed his sin. The price for his sin was heavy, the consequences were not removed, but Nathan tells David that the Lord has taken away his sin. He was forgiven. Why David Was Called a Man After God's Own Heart In 1 Samuel 13: 14, God says that David is a man " after God's own heart. " In the Psalms we see what kind of heart David really had. He had absolute faith that God was in control of his life, he loved God's laws, he was thankful to God and he displayed true repentance when he failed and sinned against God. In Acts 13:22, we are told that David would do everything God wanted him to do. David didn't just admit his sin, but he also showed real heartfelt repentance for it. When God looks at our own hearts, what does He see? Does he see true remorse and true repentance like David, or does he see us making excuses for our sin and only asking for forgiveness when we see it will cost us something, like Saul? Both men ultimately confessed their sin but only one man had his heart in the right place. Above all, God wants our hearts. The Lord Looks at the Heart: What Does God See in Us? "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7(b) (NIV) Let our prayer be the same as David's in Psalm 139: 23-24, that God would search him and know him. David asked God to know his anxieties and see if there was anything wicked in him. Most importantly, David sought God to lead him in an everlasting way. To this we should say, AMEN!

Who Rules Your Life? Who tells you what to do? Most of us have people we must answer to, whether it is a boss, a teacher, or whoever is in charge at the moment. In Romans, Paul explains that before we became a Christian, sin was our boss. Sin actually ruled over us. When we were tempted we had very little ability to say no. He actually says that we are a " slave to sin ." Before we believed in Christ, when presented with a choice to sin or not we usually chose sin. That bondage sets up a simple, urgent choice for every life: who will tell you what to do? From Sin’s Slave to Christ’s Servant We live in a world of two choices. We can be ruled by sin with very little will to resist doing wrong or we can be a " slave to Christ " (Romans 1:1, Titus 1:1, James 1:1). Jesus tells the Pharisees that " everyone who commits a sin is a slave to sin " (John 8:34). As a Christian, we have in reality been bought, paid with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). The price was the death on the cross of Jesus. We have been bought and now have a new master, God. It is with His power and His alone that we can resist living as habitual sinners. We have a wonderful heritage as servant's of the Lord. Dying to Sin, Living in Christ Paul says we have actually " died to sin " (Romans 6:1-23). That old sinful self was buried and resurrected with Christ into a new life. A life capable of being freed from the bondage to sin. Addictions can be defeated, immoral habits can be conquered, and those 'good times' you used to enjoy so much won't be the draw they once were. Choosing God's way over our own is certainly not always easy. For you to experience victory over sin you have to yield your life to the Holy Spirit. Cooperate with Him, don't resist Him. But yielding is a process, and Scripture honestly recognizes that the struggle continues even for believers. The Reality of the Struggle Even Paul says that sin can sometimes be a struggle. The corrupt and wicked world we live in goes on around us and if we aren't careful can influence us in a number of ways. We lie to ourselves when we think our sin won't be found out, because God already knows. The Devil delights in separating us from doing the will of God, whether by enticing to sin outright or subtly influencing us not to do the good we know we should do. So what do we do when temptation to sin wins? We can confess our sins, turn from them and now Jesus doesn't condemn us (1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1). God sees the righteousness of Jesus, the One who died for us, and not our sin. Living a life of righteousness is a process we call sanctification. We grow in righteousness, not by wishful thinking, but through prayer, Bible study, seeking the will of God and working on our obedience. We should desire to be diligent and hard working Christians . The following is just one example of how we can do this. Make confession regular and relational. Find a trusted Christian who will hold you accountable, pray with you, and remind you whose slave you now are (James 5:16; Hebrews 10:24–25). We are declared righteous by faith and grow in righteousness through the work of the Holy Spirit. The closer to God we become the easier it will be to not sin. Our whole lives should be spent learning to be a slave to God. There are things we can do that will make this more difficult. Who do we spend the most time with - believers or unbelievers? If we hang out with people who routinely practice sin we will find ourselves tempted to sin more often. If we immerse ourselves daily in social media this may cause us to focus on fear, worry and anger. It may tempt us to indulge in sexual immorality and lust, as well as envy and covetousness. Because we have been made holy by God and are His beloved, there are things we should choose. We should: " put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection " (Colossians 3:12-14). " Putting on " here means that we deliberately choose to live a transformed life. God doesn't just pour this life into us, He expects us to choose it with the help of the Holy Spirit. Do we forget sometimes that we have a choice in how we live or want to blame others for our sinful choices? Do we blame our lack of prayer or study on the busy lives that we are required to live? Living as God wants us to can be difficult unless we realize that the Holy Spirit is our helper. Courage in Scripture: Examples to Follow The Holy Spirit will give us the strength and courage to live a life for God if we let Him. There are many examples in the Bible of people who courageously did the right thing. Think of Moses confronting Pharaoh who was literally held up as a god. How about Daniel violating a king's decree and praying to God, which caused him to be thrown into the lion's den (Daniel 6:10)? Paul says to act like men , meaning act with courage (1 Corinthians 16:13). But do you think it was only men who had courage? Look at the woman Jael, who offered the commander of the Canaanite army, her enemy, hospitality, only to drive a tent peg through his head while he slept and thus subduing the king of Canaan (Judges 4:17-24). Or see the example of Esther who intervened for the Jewish people at the risk of her own life ( Esther 4:14-16). How could these people have such great courage? They could have chosen the easy road, the one that led to sin, but instead they chose God. Joshua 1:9 says to have courage because God is with us. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that it is God Himself who strengthens us. Psalm 18:2 explains that God is our rock, fortress, and deliverer. Paul tells us the promises of God are trustworthy and reliable (2 Corinthians 1:20). When He says He will strengthen us, He will. Jesus even tells the paralyzed man to " take heart " in Matthew 9:2. This implies that courage (taking heart) is something that we can strive for. It is something we can receive. When God asks us to do difficult things we always have a choice to obey or disobey. Does it seem hard? Does it even perhaps cause you to feel unsafe? The Holy Spirit of God will strengthen you to do what He asks. Some in this world face incredible danger in living a Christian life. Where some of us don't want to go to church because it's too cold or too hot, we could be like the example of the Christians in Nigeria this year. This story illustrates the cost of discipleship that some have had to pay, not to sensationalize. On June 14th of 2025, according to OSV news : "The advocacy group Save the Persecuted Christians said that overnight between June 13 and 14, “Muslim Fulani militants raided a predominantly Catholic Christian town” outside of the town of Makurdi, “killing hundreds, say early reports from contacts within the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi.” The group said that “infants, toddlers and the elderly are among the butchered and burnt bodies. Fleeing victims were shot and hacked with machetes and thrown back into the fire.” These people had a choice. They could have kept silent about their faith, but they chose not to. They could have denied Christ, but they chose not to. This is an extreme example obviously, but it makes you wonder. What would happen if persecution came to the United States? Would I have the courage to live and die for Christ? That stark cost of discipleship puts our easier choices into a clearer perspective. But here and now, thankfully, we can live as Christians for the most part in peace. Our choices are simple compared to our Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ. Who is our master? Who controls us? Do we love God and others and is that love unconditional? Choosing God in Everyday Life When we hear terrible stories like what happened in Nigeria are we filled with hatred for those who killed them or are we praying for them? The murderers of the Nigerians were following their master, Satan. And although most of us don't slaughter the innocent, we too once had the same master (Ephesians 2:1–3; 2 Timothy 2:26). Paul explains that when we were slaves to sin we did things that we are now ashamed of. So ashamed that we may not even be able to speak about them to anyone. Those things would have one outcome - death. But now, because we have been set free from sin and are slaves to God, we have a different outcome - holiness and life (Romans 6:20-23). Most of us have been tempted to gossip, especially in the workplace. This is just one example of the choices we have to make every day. We shouldn't repeat or spread gossip or rumors about anyone. The Bible warns against gossip and busybodies . I grew up with the old saying, "Unless you have something good to say, don't say anything at all." Think about it. How can a person be both alive in Christ and dead in sin at the same time? It is impossible. If we still desire sin habitually it should make us question, in whose camp are we; slaves to God or slaves to sin? We will still sin because we live in a fallen world that influences us, but we won't desire it nor will we remain in it. We should go to our Father with sincere sorrow and ask for His forgiveness with a repentant heart. Through faith, God transforms us from sin’s slave to Christ’s servant, reshaping our desires and actions. Dear Father, We pray that you would give us the strength to surrender to the will of the Holy Spirit in all circumstances. We pray that you would bring any sin we have committed or any good we have failed to do to our minds so we can repent. And finally Father, we pray that we would love others as you have loved us. In your Son's name, Amen Enjoy " Call Upon the Lord " by Elevation Worship