Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9

"This is it! I found it!", my heart seemed to declare the morning I read this verse as it knit its way into my heart. Some people don't write in their Bible, but I have learned to see it as a treasure to give to my grandchildren one day of how the Word changed my life. Next to these verses I wrote, "how we find peace".  I had been without peace for a couple years, anxiety and panic attacks will do that to a person. I was tired of the struggle and tired of the fight. There was nowhere free from them, even on fall break with my family in the mountains, anxiety seemed to tag along. I was up early reading my Bible when the words "and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds" leaped off the page. I dug in for a closer look.

If I could have God's peace guard my heart and mind, which was what I desperately needed, then how do I get it? Back up. Read it again....by prayer and supplication (an intense, humble and earnest request) with thanksgiving ask God to guard your heart and mind. I was definitely making supplications to God, sometimes more like a two year old tantrum type requests, but requests none the less. But thankful? I was anything but thankful.  I started to shift my prayers from foot stomping requests to gratitude. Every morning and every night, 3 things I was thankful for. Then I trusted. I trusted the Word was true and God was faithful to His Word. Before long my mind began to be guarded and sensitive to threats; too much news, too many wondering thoughts, too many what ifs. I met it all with gratitude and truth, changing the direction of my thoughts.

Many times, anxiety comes from thinking about situations out of our control. After telling us how to have a guard around our heart and mind, the Word of God then tells us the "things" we should be thinking about: True things, noble things, just (right) things, pure things, lovely things, things of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Clean up your thought life and you will find anxiety to decrease and soon your heart and mind will be guarded with peace. Not just any peace but the peace of God which surpasses our understanding.

This week as we pray for our Nation and our leaders, may we be thankful for the blessings of being born in this great country, even with its flaws, it's still pretty great! Then earnestly pray for those who lead it, those we agree with and those whom we don't. Then let the peace of God guard our hearts and minds to a place of living in perfect peace. 

If we’ve spent more time scrolling social media than praying for our nation, something about our priorities has quietly shifted.

Our Scripture today comes from 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Where the Apostle Paul is instructing a young Pastor how to conduct and instruct the house of God. He writes in chapter 2, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
 
1 Timothy 2:1-2 calls Christians to pray for all people and especially for those in authority so that society may be marked by peace and moral stability. Also, so that the church can flourish and live peaceably amongst men. When applied to America this kind of prayer is not blind loyalty to a system that needs to be corrected. Nor is it about cultural outrage, but rather it is honest intercession before God. We come to Him acknowledging that both the right and the left have failed to love God and neighbor faithfully. Both have misused language, been full of pride and wickedness. There have been misuses of power and neglect of the vulnerable across party lines and the list goes on.

Praying for our nation today means asking God to restrain evil, grant wisdom to leaders and bring repentance where there is corruption and injustice. It also means asking the Lord to reform the church so our witness is not shaped by politics more than by Christ, but also that our politics would reflect Christ and His law. As we pray we should desire real change not just in laws but also in hearts, institutions and communities.
 
This kind of prayer pushes us toward action rooted in humility, truth and love. We pray and seek policies that protect life, promote justice, encourage responsibility and preserve peace while trusting that God remains sovereign over our nation. This kind of prayer becomes both an act of obedience and a commitment to furthering God’s kingdom here on the earth.

The challenges this week are tough! Pray for those we disagree with, pray for those who are knowingly and willfully doing evil! You might be asking, how is this even possible?
The New Testament presents prayer as deeply supernatural. We do not merely speak to God, but the Holy Spirit actively participates in our praying. He empowers it, aligning it to God’s will, and sustains us in our weakness. Our prayer is not effective because of human clarity, emotion, or eloquence, but because the Spirit of God takes what is weak and incomplete and brings it into harmony with the will of the Father!

So if you’re struggling with praying for those in our nation or you’re frustrated with the current state of America, I encourage you to remember that in your weakness and confusion, the Holy Spirit is praying through you, God is on His throne and His kingdom is still advancing.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also of the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'"
Romans 1:16,17

Pastor Doug and I love to visit the Rocky Mountains. One year on our visit we drove the one way drive up Falls River Road to the peek and then into Grand Lake, Colorado. As we entered Grand Lake nothing but black mountain sides greeted us, a vast difference from the pines and Aspens that usually line the way. A fire had come through the year prior and left nothing untouched. The power of the fire transformed the beautiful mountains into charred ash.  The forest had come in contact with something powerful.

Paul describes the gospel of Christ being the power of God to salvation for all who believe. If anyone could testify about the transformative power of God, certainly Paul could. This once hater and punisher of christians, came in contact with the Gospel and immediately knew its power.  It changed his life.

The same is true today when someone comes in contact with the power of God to salvation, we are changed. Suddenly there seems to be an awareness of the world around us, how it does or does't line up with what we read in the Bible. Things that we use to not think much of, now we have become sensitive to how it affects us. It isn't a revelation of self or even an improvement plan to "be better", but it is the result of coming in contact with a power that has changed us.

Paul wasn't ashamed of this gospel or the change it had created in him. He spoke of it wherever he went. I can imagine some of the comments, "hey aren't you the guy that use to (fill in the blank)?" Paul would have to say yes, but he didn't stop there. He continued with the reason for his transformation. Some of us have had a similar experience when we encounter friends or family that have known us prior to salvation and now see us behaving differently. Paul saw these moments as an open door to speak about the great transforming power of God to salvation.  He spoke of his past, but most of all to those who knew him before, he spoke of his encounter with Christ. Don't let shame of your past keep you from telling about your new life in Christ. 

One of my favorite classes in college was Anatomy and Physiology. The detailed operation of various organs, cells, pathways, systems, and the like amazed me. Some of this networking and function you could only appreciate under a microscope or by the way a larger organ depended on it, while others you realized their function with a quick glance. It was intriguing and profound to dive into the details of the human body. It also begged the question, "how could anyone believe this detail could be produced out of mere growth and adjustment over time?".  But here Paul is not trying to argue Divine creation versus evolution. He is describing the church and how we should interact with one another when it comes to various personalities, gifting, and individualism. In a word, the key is appreciation. Appreciate one another. You are not all alike but you all have value.

Appreciate, by definition, is to recognize the full worth of something. In regards to the body, we may not be able to always see the function of something but it has worth none the less. Its value doesn't depend on our ability to recognize it. This worth is often understood by the operation of the collection of many processes which come together to create a body. So then how do we ascribe individual worth in the church? One way is to look at the function of the collective. The outward function of the church is a reflection of both the seen and unseen members.

1 Samuel 30, records the capture of the families of Ziklag by the Amalekites, while David and his men are away in battle.  As David prepares to go and fight to return the people, there was approximately a third of the men who stayed behind. Upon the return of David and the men who retrieved all the people along with the spoil of victory, some of those who fought didn't want the spoils distributed to those who stayed back. But David declared to them "for as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike." I Samuel 30:24 ESV. What a wonderful scene of unity and the sharing of reward! There was value in those how stayed behind as well as those who fought. There was commonality of purpose and vision.

This commonality of purpose and vision in 1 Corinthians is brought about by the Spirit. "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit."  I Corinthians 12:13. We can find other successful examples of unity in our world. Teams and companies foster unity and purpose to achieve goals, but none of them are brought about by the Spirit. It is a super natural work of God that brings christians together regardless of background.  So then what is the purpose of this unity brought about by the Spirit for the church? I think we find the answer in 1 Corinthians 10 and in Colossians 3 - to glorify the Father. Glorify Him in all we do individually and with one another. Not only do we all work collectively for purpose but, just like the men who "stayed behind", we all share in the reward!

God’s desire for His children to reign on the earth and for eternity in a new heavens and a new earth has been revealed all throughout the Old and New Testaments. In Genesis, God starts in a garden and commissions Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the entire earth. Why? Because everywhere humans go, the presence, glory, and image of God go with them. Now, we know this command was tainted by Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and sin has marred this promise. However, God’s redemptive nature prevails through a promise made to Eve about the One to rise from her seed(Gen 3:15), and to the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 12). God tells both Eve and Abraham that there is One to come who will both crush the serpent and bless all the nations of the earth. This is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3 & 4). See, God’s desire and presence are not limited to a specific geographical location, but rather encompass the globe through the kingship of His Son, the power of the Holy Spirit, and Christian believers who are indwelt by God’s Spirit and span across the world.

Today we look at another passage in the Old Testament that illuminates God’s desire for all the nations of the earth to humble themselves, repent, and turn to Him. Isaiah 55 is where we will spend our time today.

Understanding the context in which this verse was given is important. Isaiah 55 concludes what many scholars call the “Servant section” (Isaiah 40–55), which uses universal language to describe God’s desire to expand His presence and the message of salvation universally. In Isaiah 42:1, 6, the Servant, who is Jesus, is described as a light to the nations. Again, in Isaiah 49:6, “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,” and in Isaiah 52:10, “All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” By the time we reach Isaiah 55, the scope has already moved beyond ethnic Israel alone and into God’s desire for the globe through the Servant (Jesus).
 
The chapter begins with a call to all who are thirsty, similar to Jesus’ call in John 4 and John 7, where He tells the woman and the crowds that if they are thirsty, they should come to Him and they will never thirst again. Moreover, in verse 3, Isaiah speaks about an everlasting covenant that is grounded in Davidic promises. Now hang with me, how exactly was this covenant going to be administered, and who was it going to be administered through? We do not have a ton of time, but I encourage you to look at Isaiah 11, where the Root of Jesse (Jesus) becomes a rallying point for the nations, and Isaiah 49, 52, and 53, where the Servant extends Davidic salvation globally. Isaiah is universalizing a covenant that includes Davidic mercy, something Paul explicitly confirms in Acts 13:34, applying Isaiah 55:3 to both Jews and Gentiles in Christ.

In Acts 13:33–34, Paul deliberately unites Psalm 2 and Isaiah 55 into a single, coherent fulfillment, centered on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By citing Psalm 2:7 (“You are My Son, today I have begotten You”) and immediately interpreting it through Isaiah 55:3 (“I will give you the sure mercies of David”), Paul identifies the resurrection as the moment of Christ’s Davidic enthronement. Verse 34 of Acts 13, states that God raised Him from the dead so that He will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.”

Now, a little background on Psalm 2. God promises a Davidic Son whose inheritance would include the nations, not merely ethnic Israel, while Isaiah 55:3 reaffirms that this Davidic covenant is everlasting and extends to those beyond Israel, explicitly calling nations “you do not know” to participate in its blessings. Paul’s argument hinges on the fact that only a resurrected King can fulfill the promise of an eternal covenant; therefore, the resurrection is the climactic fulfillment of Israel’s own hope in a Messiah.
 
Paul applies Israel’s promises to a mixed audience of Jews and Gentiles within the same sermon and declares their fulfillment already realized in Christ. Acts 13 presents one Messiah, one resurrected Davidic King, one fulfilled covenant, and one people of God gathered from both Jews and Gentiles who can receive forgiveness and justification. Isaiah 55:4–5 includes a people brought because of the LORD and His gracious desire to possess a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Finally, in verses 6–7, God says, “Seek the LORD while He may be found… Let the wicked forsake his way.” This is a universal call to repentance, with an emphasis on mercy, and forgiveness.

Whew, that’s a lot, and we could spend hours talking about this. But this week, our prayer challenge centers on lost souls. Today, I pray this quick read has given you a glimpse into God’s heart for people from every nation all around the world. God has given a command to fill the earth, to preach the gospel to every nation, and His presence is actively extending to the ends of the earth through His Church. While the final fulfillment of a new heavens and a new earth is still to come, here and now the Holy Spirit has empowered the people of God to bring forth the message of repentance, faith, mercy, and forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus and His resurrection from the grave (Rom. 1:16-17).

So as you pray this week, recognize God’s heart for lost souls to come to Him and drink from fountains that never run dry. Pray that people from all nations will come to know Jesus as both Lord and Savior of their lives. You have been empowered by God Himself to both pray and be witnesses in the earth of who God is and how He has come for His people. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Being a citizen in a kingdom is one thing, but being a child in the household of God is another. It’s amazing that God, while Creator and sovereign LORD over all, looks down at a group of people and calls them His children. It’s easy to see in the first two chapters and last two chapters of the Bible that the theme of the Bible is God’s redemptive story to bring His children back into fellowship with Him for all of eternity. Yahweh God has a people who belong to Him exclusively. He is their God and they are His people.

We could spend days looking over the entirety of Scripture, but today we focus on Ephesians 2:19–22. The Apostle Paul is writing to believers in Ephesus who were composed of different ethnic backgrounds. You had Jewish and Gentile believers present, and Paul wrote to them laying out clear doctrine, doxology, and instruction to the church. In chapter 1, Paul beautifully describes the privilege it is to be chosen by God and adopted into His family. Then in chapters 2 and 3, he describes who these folks are and how they are/were adopted.

Paul begins Ephesians 2:19–22 with “So then” or “Now therefore.” This is not a rhetorical filler, but actually signals that everything Paul is about to say rests on what he has already established in the earlier chapter. There was a lot, and I encourage you to read Ephesians 1 and 2, but namely, Paul tells these Gentile believers that God has saved them by grace through faith (2:8), that Jesus Christ has torn down the dividing wall between God and man (2:14), that He has reconciled both Jew and Gentile to God through the cross (2:16), and created one new humanity where both groups, Jew and Gentile, can seek the Father by the Spirit (2:18). He begins verse 19 with the big “therefore” and begins by confirming the Gentile believer’s identity. He says you are “no longer strangers and foreigners” (19). This language assumes a real change of status, not a postponed one. A change in status and position before God in the here and now, and one to come for eternity. Not only are you no longer strangers, Paul says, but now you are fellow citizens “with the saints” and “members of the household of God.”

What group of saints are we joining, the Gentile might ask. Well, you cannot be a fellow citizen of a nation that does not exist yet. So which people and which saints are we now a part of? Romans 4 and Hebrews 11 describe these saints as Old Testament believers who were saved by faith in the one true God. The New Testament describes the Jewish believers who repented and placed faith in Christ in Acts 2 and 4 as these saints. The Gentiles who receive Christ in Acts 10, 13, 14, and 19 are described as making up this household of saints. The apostles themselves are described as being a part of this nation of saints, and Paul in Galatians argues explicitly that all who place their faith in Christ are true children of Abraham and belong in the family of God.

So what nation are Gentile believers in Ephesians now being brought into? The “nation” of the household of God, composed of Jewish and Gentile saints who have believed upon Jesus as both Lord and Messiah.

I find it amazing that Paul has just written in the previous verses of the new and privileged access to the Father which Jews and Gentiles enjoy through Christ (18). Yet, there is more that Paul will say about our access to God in the coming verses, but he stops here, and the emphasis seems to be less on God’s fatherhood and rather on the brotherhood into which the Father’s children are brought. Across languages, races, backgrounds, and personalities, there is a brotherhood and sisterhood established because God has taken strangers and made them His children.

Here in verses 20–22, Paul elaborates his vision of the new temple in greater detail than elsewhere. He refers to the foundation and cornerstone of the building, the structure as a whole and its individual stones, its cohesion and growth, its present function, and its future destiny. Now, with this new temple family, would there be a new physical temple with a dividing wall and a sacrificial system in a specific location? No. This born again group of people was not a new nation but a worldwide family. Like a building that is built with concrete, metal, and wood, so too does God build His family. The most crucial part of a building is the foundation, and Christ Himself said that He, the rock, is the firm foundation. Here in Ephesians 2, Paul describes how this household or temple has been built. Paul says it is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” Foundations, by definition, are laid once. They are not poured in phases, revised decades later, or re-engineered after the fact. Paul does not isolate himself here, nor does he hint that this foundation was unknown to the other apostles. Instead, he presents the apostles and prophets together as a unified, once for all foundation. Not just themselves personally, but rather their teaching and authority they received from Christ. What they taught, they expected the church to believe. What they commanded, they expected the church to obey. The church is built upon the teachings of Christ, which were passed to the apostles, and with it came the New Testament. The church stands or falls by its loyal dependence on the truths which God revealed to His apostles and prophets and which are now in the New Testament Scriptures.
That’s not all, however. For Christ is the chief cornerstone that keeps the building steady, healthy, and in line. Practically, this means Christ is the unifier of His people so they can grow, mature, and love one another.

In verse 21, Paul echoes the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 2. In that chapter, you’ll find Peter describing the people of God as new living stones being built into a new temple, quoting from Exodus 19. This new temple, unlike the old, is neither a material building nor does it sit on a hill. It is a spiritual building, God’s household, with citizens from every tribe and nation all across the globe, just like Paul is describing here. This temple is where God dwells. He is not tied to holy buildings, but rather now to holy people, whom He dwells in by the power of the Spirit. The church is both a holy temple in the Lord and a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (1 Cor 3:16–17). This church, the Bridge of Hope, and the churches in Southeast Asia, Northern Africa, Eastern Europe, and all people who have professed Jesus as Lord and Savior are no longer strangers, but children of God. This echoes the apostle John when he writes in John 1:12–13, “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Your challenge this week is to think in light of these truths. One, how does this idea of being a part of God’s family made up of both Jew and Gentile, shift your perspective on gathering with other believers? Two, how does being given a new identity and being adopted into God’s family shift how you approach God in worship and prayer?

Hopefully it stirs your heart to radical worship and radical love for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Also, radical love for the One who has gathered you into His family. There is one faith, one baptism, one Lord, one gospel message, and one people of God, built into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. Hallelujah!

Stories shape society. We love books, movies, poems, plays, music, and anything that leaves our hearts stirred and our minds curious. From the beginning of time, stories have been used to communicate many truths and curate wonder in the listener. Specifically, philosophers have dated a time (5000 BC–700 BC) and labeled it as the “age of wonder,” where beliefs about creation, gods, family, and history were passed down through storytelling.

Some may not read the Bible as a continuous story. However, it actually originates with a story that intentionally counters surrounding Ancient Near Eastern creation myths by portraying a single, unrivaled Creator. Yahweh, who creates mankind for fellowship, not slavery. A God who is close, not far. A God who is knowable, and a God who redeems His people. The Scripture is a big story about how Yahweh God creates, rescues, and redeems His people. It’s captivating, riveting, and beautiful.

Exodus 13:14 reminds us today that stories are still powerful. For Moses and the children of Israel, the story of being freed from bondage was so important to God because He designed redemption to be remembered through stories. This echoes Jesus in Matthew when commanding the apostles to speak and not be afraid, for the Spirit will speak through them. Also, when giving the Great Commission to the disciples, He tells them to teach all that He has commanded, and John even concludes his epistle stating that there wouldn’t be enough books to write that could contain all of the stories! See, God invites redemption through stories because grace is learned by hearing what God has done, not by earning what He gives.

In this specific passage, God knows worship and grace will be questioned. Not “if” your son asks, but “when” they ask. This is basic family discipleship. Your children, your friends, or your co-workers will ask why you believe what you do, and why you do what you do. Be prepared to tell the story of going from slavery to deliverance. Be prepared to tell the story of how judgment was deserved, but God’s grace was given.

We love theology, and it is uber important! Parents and friends, whether you know it or not, God commands you to teach theology to your children. Not with a piece of chalk on a green chalkboard, but around the dinner table, at bedtime, while brushing their teeth, and while in their car seat. For those without children, the command of storytelling about God’s redemption expands far beyond little ones, to all who will listen and are curious. This is covenant discipleship, and Psalm 78:4 echoes this: “We will tell the next generation the glorious deeds of the LORD.”But oftentimes, redemption and grace can’t be taught through abstract statements or doctrines, but rather through theologically strong and cohesive stories. Children understand rescue missions and heroes long before rules. Your story as a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, or friend will help shape the beauty of redemption long before your explanation of substitutionary atonement or Christus Victor will.
 
Some of you might say, that’s great, but I’m not C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien. Neither am I, but here are a few practical tips for sharing your story with your families this week. When telling the story of God’s redemption, center on God’s action and initiative, not your own merit. Avoid using statements like “I started going back to church,” or “I began searching for God.” Save giving credit to friends, mentors, spouses, or others for redemption until the end, as the story of grace always begins with God acting first (Deut. 7:7–8 & Eph. 2:8–9). Lastly, be specific but not explicit! Tell the story in detail, but be aware of what information and language you use. For example, avoid language like “It was a lot of fun, but I knew I shouldn’t be doing it,” “I loved doing that, but I know God says it’s wrong, so I’ll stop,” “It was such a fun time,” or “It was such a stress reliever.” Hopefully, you get the picture of what I mean. There is no glory in shame.

Furthermore, the New Testament assumes the same pattern as Exodus. When believers ask, “What does this mean?” the answer is still: “By a strong hand, the Lord brought us out.” Only now, not out of Egypt, but out of sin. Not Pharaoh, but the slave of death, and not the Passover lamb, but the true Lamb of God, Jesus. Our story is not grounded in personal feeling but in what the LORD did with a strong hand, which we then experienced and now testify to our children and peers about.

The challenge for you this week is simple. At dinner, at bedtime, in the car, or at the office, tell the story of how God changed your life and with a strong hand brought you out of death and brought you into new life by His grace. Pray for your families, and pray that generations of faith would rise in your family all because God has rescued and redeemed.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become one flesh." - Matthew 19:5

Jesus begins to answer the Pharisees questions regarding marriage by quoting what God had already said in Genesis 2:24. Jesus sends two messages with this answer. One He was one with the Father, whatever the Father had said was what Jesus would always refer to when answering challenging questions. Second, He reiterated nothing had changed from the beginning of man. God had formed man and woman for one another and it remained as God's will and standard for marriage.

Often when we hear these verses, we think about the leaving of the man. Now as parents of two sons who have left our home and are now joined to their wife, I also see  the emphasis of this scripture to the parents as well. We have to let them leave. Sometimes that is hard because our family dynamics are changing. However as our children become adults and marry, the roles of mother and father should change as well.  

I heard a quote from Dr. Henry Cloud on parents preparing to let go of children as they get married. He said, "If you want your children to have successful marriages, you, as parents, have to let them go and let their spouse become their first priority, not you." Wow that really hit home for me. Our season of a family of five all under one roof was changing and change can be tough when we don't have the right perspective.

Do you need to step back or be less involved in the daily lives of your married children? Are you finding the changing dynamics of your family difficult to accept and navigate? Ask the Lord to help you to appreciate the years of pouring into your children and now seeing them walk on their own. Ask for a greater love for your now expanding family. Enjoy seeing your son or daughter create with their spouse their own family, full of love, their own traditions, and dynamics. Be willing to take a step into a new role and season.  

The Problem with Anxiety
Charlotte Norman

“I can’t imagine” is a common phrase we hear when tragic news finds its way into our world. But the reality is we can imagine and often do! Our minds run through tragic scenarios on the daily, multiple times a day. Horrific life events, a loss of a child, a spouse, a horrible diagnosis, or a myriad of other fleeting thoughts fill our minds. Then it does happen.  It happens to someone else. Somewhere else. And the news creates validation to the once fleeting thoughts and settles them snuggly into our mindset.

This morning I woke up and the events of yesterday were at the forefront of my mind. It was my first thought before my sleepy eyes made their way open and I hit the snooze button.  What if this was me? What if this was my husband? What about my children? What if I woke up today with this being my reality instead of hers? I imagine mourning. I imagine funerals and decisions. I imagine my future. My mind seems to run with it like just being handed the baton and it’s pulling the last leg of the 400. The thoughts come quickly and uncontrollably. One leading to the other.

So, I take a breath, maybe a few. Close my eyes and remember. I remember to chase after these thoughts like an episode of the Dukes of Hazzard with Rosco P Coltrane in “hot pursuit”. I  take them captive, and subject them to the obedience of Christ. I turn off the chatter and I pray. Yes. Pray. I pray I am not overcome with evil but I overcome evil with good. I pray to a sovereign God who brings the reality of his love for me and for her. I pray to the God who has kept this child through all my loss and will keep his children. I pray to God who comforts all those who mourn and trust His comfort is more tangible today than days prior. His faithfulness is not dependent upon my understanding. And the calling is no different today than it was 24 hours ago.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;”
Proverbs 3:5

I am amazed (and quite jealous) of those individuals who have true artistic talent. Maybe it’s their seemingly free spirited way of life or their ability to “see” through a different lens than mine which is made of geometric lines and sharp edges. Their drawings seem to be soft and flowing, while mine look like a mixture of toothpicks spilled on the table.  When I draw I want to reach for a ruler and protractor. They close their eyes and let the creative juices flow.
 
I think that’s why I love brick work.  There is a fine art to good lines, choosing just the right brick to be next on the wall, and a beauty of the completed project. One thing that stands out to me is a brick that just doesn’t belong. It makes me wonder how it even made it into part of the pallet and why someone didn't catch the out of place piece.  The desire to grab a chisel and hammer and like a surgeon skillfully remove the bad brick is tempting, but I know if you're not careful the whole wall will come crashing down. So the brick remains until a more skillful hand can come along, repairing without damaging.

I’ve had some bad bricks in my life. Bricks that were a part of the foundation of my faith but had no business being there.  Wrong thoughts about God, His character, and providence which didn't come from scripture but were mainly developed from an attempt to cope with life. I would say things like God wouldn’t, God would never, God is so, and then fill in the blank. Each time creating my own god. A god outside of scripture.

Thankfully, if we are willing, the Master Craftsman comes along and begins to reveal Himself and remove the brick like a Jenga pro. Carefully tapping the out of place cube and seeing if it is ready to be removed. Only He doesn’t place it at the top of the pile but replaces it with just the right piece of truth about who He is. He loves us enough to not be satisfied with leaving the bad brick in our foundation. He knows left unchecked, life will inevitably happen causing our foundation to shake. It’s in these moments of shaking, when our world is rocked, and every brick is tested.

This happened for me in 2010. I thought I knew a lot about God, but now I began to ask the question, “Is He good?”. My bad brick protected me. It was the thought “my mom had been through enough, nothing bad would ever happen for the rest of her life. The loss of a son. The loss of her husband. Physical struggles. It was enough, and God would see to it nothing else would cause her pain.”  With that there was a sigh of relief and confidence the worst days were behind us, behind her.  

But in 2010, I watched as she said goodbye to yet another son unexpectedly. I watched her devastation and her heartbreak like I was caught in the most horrible of movies on repeat in my head. The morning I left her house after telling her he was gone, I left as a prosecuting attorney. Calling God to the stand. I have questions!

I spent years in the courtroom with God on the stand. All the while searching for the truth. Was He who I had thought Him to be? Or could there be more to faith which I had never quite understood? Was He good?  I read a passage from C.S. Lewis’ book A Grief Observed and he seemed to put into words my hearts’ struggle:

“Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there’s no God after all,’ but ‘So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.”
C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Even though I came at Him with fury, demanding answers, He met me with compassion in a courtroom He was under no obligation to be in. He began to unravel the misconceptions and loose brinks. And perhaps for the first time I truly knew the love of God more tangible than ever before. It was a journey. But the foundation is more sure today than it has ever been.

I rested my case. Excused the Witness. And now I could see His face.

'My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.' Job 42:5

I Hate this Cup
Charlotte Norman

I hope the Norman household isn't the only house where there is a closet that seems to be the recipient of everyone’s junk. You know the stuff you keep because you might one day need it, even though you haven’t needed it for years. Recently, I was cleaning said closet to try and bring some sort of order to this tucked away real estate of the house.

After sifting through leather coats from the 90’s, a collection of half burned candles (one never knows when the electric is going to go out), and a hodgepodge of decorations, wrapping paper, and a large gift bag full of other gift bags, I picked up a small, clear plastic cup. I had been tossing everything my hands touched into the garbage when this seemingly insignificant item stopped me in my tracks. I paused, grabbed the cup and with authority threw it in the garbage can with a final declaration of  “I hate this cup!” At that moment tears began to flow and I was done cleaning the closet.

Every feeling of helplessness, loneliness, fear, inadequacy and hatred rushed to the surface and demanded to be dealt with.  You see it wasn’t really about the cup, but what the cup reminded me of. It reminded me I  no longer had my mom, my dad, my brothers, my family. They were mine and now they are gone and here I am left to clean out the stupid closet, living life with a smile that seemed to send the message I was ok with it all.

Truth was, I wasn’t ok with any of it. This was not how my life was supposed to be. Not how I imagined future Christmases, Thanksgivings, celebrations or just an ordinary day. It’s not supposed to be like this! I was forced to live a life that looked totally different from how I thought it would be.

Jesus also faced a cup. Of course He faced His cup and didn’t just throw it away insisting he hated it.  But instead he replied “Thy will be done”.  The truth of what He knew, the love and faithfulness of the Father, the perfect will and plan, the tremendous love for humanity, and the security of being the Son would see Him through.

It’s because of His cup, I can face mine.  Jesus’  willingness to face His cup is my source of hope, strength, peace and finally joy. It’s been a very long journey to joy. Nothing about life has changed except for me.  I know and have experienced Christ in a way I’m not sure I could have if not for the cup. The cup led me to a place of total dependance on Him and He has proven to be faithful to meet me every…single…time. Meet me in my anger, my disappointment, heart ache, and everything in between.  He is El Emunah - My very Faithful God!

Today maybe you face your own cup and you hate yours too. I pray your faith is encouraged to trust in the nail pierced hands that have never left you. They hold your scared, broken, tired hands and will lead you through the life ahead.  

“ To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night!” - Psalm 92:2

Welcome back to another article entry! It is my hope and prayer that these serve you well as you continue on your walk with Jesus.

Today, we embark upon a dangerous and scary journey, as we discuss the power of confessing sin and the necessity that it is. Why is it so dangerous and scary? What holds us back from keeping secret sin hidden? Why is there hope that we will find healing from sin through confession? Why is it really necessary, can’t we just confess to God only? There are so many questions about this topic, but let me make one thing clear: Consistent Christian living consists of consistent confession of sin! Stay tuned, and read down below to find out why and how consistent confession of sin will catalyze your growth as a disciple of Christ.

Friend, confession of sin is scary because it goes against our very nature. We were born as children of darkness, but confession of sin is all about light and exposing darkness. You see, Satan and sin assure us that we’re safe behind the mask of lies, or sometimes even safe behind a bedroom door, but we’re not. Sin causes us to scramble chaotically, and disconnect being honest with God. It also causes us to doubt whether or not we really need to be honest with others, too. Oftentimes, amid sin, our hearts and our minds grow callous and cold towards the leading of the Holy Spirit. The danger is that we will start to tell lies, and eventually believe them. We resist the Spirit and suddenly think that we aren’t as bad as we could be or as bad as others are.

I encourage you today my brother and sister, confessing sin to another believer rips off the mask of hypocrisy. Why is this important? Because hypocrisy is a killer and your reputation is truly worthless. What do I mean by that? Well, our reputation can be important as we are to be known by the godly fruits we produce, our godly character, and being an ambassador for Christ. But, what I am talking about, is when we are more concerned with what others think of us on the outside, and on the inside we are ridden with unconfessed sin. Oftentimes, we are so afraid to confess sin because it will tarnish our reputation or how we look to others. I’ve heard it put before that some of us are more willing to suffer for Christ than we are to tarnish how we appear to others. But the reality is that our facade doesn’t block God from seeing. However, it can block us from His grace. For He knows and sees all of our sin for what it is.

Furthermore, The act of confessing sin allows for three things to be released. One is honesty. It enlivens our hearts, enriches our Spirit man, and removes the blinding power of sin so we can see Christ more beautifully and more holy. In fact, the entire goal of confessing sin is to see God so holy and so glorious that we want to rid ourselves of anything that is unlike Him! Two is humility, which by nature uproots or undoes the pride that keeps sin alive and attractive to our souls. Three is healing. Now, I’m not saying that when you're sick, it is explicitly because of sin, or when you’re sick that if you confess, suddenly your disease goes away. However, I am saying that in James 5:16, we read “Confess your sin to one another and pray for another that you may be healed.” The word for healing in the Greek used here is iaomai. This word is used roughly 30 different times in the New Testament and can mean both physical bodily healing and spiritual healing from sin.

Now, hang with me for a moment. James is most likely referring to confessing sins that have tainted or hurt the individuals those sins have injured. For example, If you sin against your spouse or friend specifically, you need to confess that. But, public wrongdoings that harm the church and confidential confession to godly counsel and prayer partners also apply here as well as the last part of the verse, which tells us that the fervent prayers of others will be effective in finding victory over sin. Now, do not think that James puts the burden on us to tell every sin that we commit to people. We are first to confess to God and trust Him to forgive and change, but confession is necessary especially when our own spirits are grieved and convicted. This is the Holy Spirit making it clear that we have sinned and God has called us for better. However, some suggest or object that if we confess our sins to God, we don’t need to confess to others. While this may be true at times, the overwhelming witness of Scripture is plain. 1 John 1:6-7 tells us, “If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Thanks be to God that walking in the light allows us to fellowship with one another and that the blood of Jesus cleanses us of our sin!

So what are some helpful tips when it comes to confessing sin?

1. Confess first and foremost to the Lord.
After all, all sin is directly against God. Even if it affects others personally, it always affects God and His heart first. You see when in Psalms 51, King David confesses that he has sinned against the LORD and the LORD alone. But thanks be to God, that 1 John tells us that if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9).

2. Confess to fellow church members
When you decided to follow Christ, you also decided to intertwine yourself with the global and local church. The church is God’s creation and design for His people to gather and worship, strengthen one another, and advance the kingdom to all the ends of the earth through the message of the gospel. We are a part of a kingdom family that has no end and is Christ’s bride. The one He is returning for! We already mentioned James 5, but there is a real reality presented, that confessing sin to one another brings forth a desperate healing. One that may take time, but one that is so worth it! Get comfy now, because your primary people are going to be the local church!

3. Be specific but not explicit
When confessing your sin to a trusted group of same-sex prayer partners, you need to be explicit about your sin to truly expose it. 99% exposure still leaves enough room for Satan to choke you and me out. For example, when confessing, don’t just say I’m struggling with lust, say that you gave in to pornography or were sexually immoral. Don’t just confess that you said some things I shouldn’t have. Rather,  say you cursed or lied. Be specific. However, be very careful and do not say things that could provoke others to sin. For example, “It was a lot of fun, but I knew I shouldn’t be doing it,” “I love doing that, but I know God says it’s wrong, so I’ll stop.” “It just relieves me of my stress.” Hopefully, you get the picture of what I mean. Confess your sin specifically, but hate your sin passionately.


4. Accept accountability and godly correction
Proverbs 27:6 says that “faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of the enemy are deceitful.” Understand, that confession of sin may bring about accountability. This means someone may be up in your business checking on you. Someone may be contacting you to pray with you when you don’t feel like it. And sometimes, someone may look you in the eye and say that you’re wrong and God has called you to be different. Someone may tell you that some changes need to be made. But friend, these are the faithful wounds of a friend, and not a deceitful kiss allowing you to continue in the sins you are committing. You will have to swallow your pride, but be humble to accept the accountability that comes with confession.

5. Understand the difference between negative obedience and positive obedience
When we think of confessing sin and accountability, we need to hold one another accountable for the things we aren’t doing, and the things we should be doing. What does that mean? Oftentimes, we confess to pornography, lying, drunkenness, immorality, financial misuse, laziness, etc. But we don’t confess to not reading our Bibles. Not praying, skipping church, not witnessing, and all other kinds of Christian disciplines. Instead of just confessing or holding someone accountable to negative obedience, also hold yourself or someone else to positive obedience.


With all of this information, there is one last question(s) I want to address. “When should I confess my sin, or should I confess to others every single time I sin.”
As far as time goes or when it is appropriate to confess your sin to other godly and trusted individuals, you need to do it quickly and not let the sin linger, otherwise, you convince yourself you don’t need to do it anymore. A 24-hour method works well. Also, as far as when you know it’s time to reach out for help, is when you’ve said you won’t do it again, but you did it again. After sinning, confess those things to God immediately, and don’t make Him a promise, because we break promises all the time. Instead, ask Him for a new heart, and a cleansed mind, and ask Him for forgiveness. If you find yourself not falling back into that, then praise God! However, if you find yourself committing that sin again, it would be best to go to the elders of the church, church leadership, or a trusted group of same-sex partners to fervently pray for you to overcome it!

I know it is scary, but it is so worth it! I encourage you to hear the words of the Lord today, inviting you to confess your sin to Him and confess it to your brothers or sisters to find freedom and victory over besetting sin! Remember, you cannot do it alone, and the Holy Spirit Himself will empower you to put to death the deeds of the flesh. Lastly, I encourage you to read and pray that God would illuminate you to His glory and majesty, causing you to have no other choice, but to fall down and worship Him! We want to see Him high and lifted up so that sinful desires have no place in you anymore!

Young or old, we have all grown up with rules and commands. In society, we have speed limits, alcohol age requirements, curfew times, or the “don’t touch that, don’t go there,” from our caregivers. We’ve always been given commands. Now, while some may choose to not follow these, there are those who submit to the commands given by authority and they often find that obedience brings great reward. Although it may seem that disobedience provides short term fun, the return on the investment is rather negative.

In Matthew 22, Jesus gives His disciples the two greatest commandments that were for them in their day, and for us in our day. Taking it one step further than that, Jesus' command to love God, and love thy neighbor are commands that have no end, and bring much reward. Loving God and loving others is both radical, and eternal. But what does it mean to actually love God and love others?

Last month we discussed the calling, commission, and cost of being a disciple. Now, we’re going to talk about the “fuel that powers our motor” to walk in discipleship. I’m not talking about Sunoco Green E15 race fuel, but love. The fuel that drives our desire to be a disciple is a love for God and a love for others. See, loving God and loving others is not meant to be passive, or stagnant, but radical. “Radical” means extreme and fundamentally different. It means to be powerfully devoted, distinctly different, and is the opposite of being tolerant.  When Jesus called you to follow Him, He didn’t call you to simply attend services, or sing along to lyrics. He didn’t call you so you could call yourself a “Christian” or wear a cross necklace: He called you to a love that transcends typical affection. A sure sign of a “casual love” kind of heart is seeing God and people as a means to your own ends. You want people to listen to you, give you affirmation when you want it, stay out of your way when you don’t, etc. Other times, Jesus is seen as a get out of hell free card, a 30 day free trial, and if you aren’t satisfied, you can cancel your subscription. Sometimes, He’s a reason to get a girlfriend or spouse back, or a reason to try and be moral. This kind of heart is completely contrary to the heart Jesus speaks of in Luke 14. Essentially, He says, if you love anyone, even yourself, above Him you cannot be His disciple. Is that difficult? Yes, but is it worth it? Absolutely! In 1 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul says, “If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” Also, in 1 John 3:14,  “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” Two promises are made here. First, as you love God, you will be totally known by God. This is the kind of knowing that is safe and secure: the kind you can be confident in and be empowered by! Second, if you love others, John says, this is a sign that you know that you have passed from death to life and you are alive in Christ!

Furthermore, Jesus’s call to make disciples includes teaching people, but ultimately, it’s all about being faithful to God’s call to love the people around you. It’s about loving those people enough to help them see their need to love and obey God. If Jesus really is the king of the universe who is beautiful, and holy, and separate from everything else, it is our job to love Him radically in order to lead others to do the same. So how do we grow in our love for Him and others?

First, think about some of the people you love most.  Is it a spouse? A child? A parent or grandparent? A sibling? You didn’t just magically love this person when you first met or the instant you were born. No, time and experience led to you loving these people. The same goes for loving Jesus. In order to love Him more and experience His love for you, you must have spent time and have experiences with Him! This is what it means to have a devotional life: Time spent alone, sitting at Jesus’ feet reading about Him, praying to Him, and worshiping Him. You loved someone by what they said, did, and showed you. The Bible says a lot about what Jesus has said, done, and continues to do for those who follow Him. Start in the Word of God. Pick a gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. You can read it chronologically, a chapter a day, two chapters a day, or however you’d like. Do this and begin to see what Jesus actually has to say. Pray over the text. Write down the who, the what, the when, and the why. Be a Bible investigator! If necessary, use some resources to help you understand the context and the meaning, and ultimately ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher!

Second, get connected in the church. It’s really easy to walk in a couple minutes before service, leave when it’s over, go eat lunch and not think about anyone or anything that happened Sunday morning. However, in order to grow in your love for people, you must be around them. You need to spend time with them, even serving them. As you get connected, you’ll start to hear their stories, meet their families, worship God with them, pray over them, and serve them in a multitude of ways.

Not only is this practical, but biblical. Hebrews 10 tells us that we are not to forsake assembling together, so that we may encourage one another. Some say, "I don't need to go to church to be a Christian”, or “It doesn’t say in the New Testament that I have to go to the building, aren’t I the church?” Sure. You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. Likewise, you also don’t have to go home to be a spouse, parent, or child. However, if you stay away long enough, your relationships will be hindered. Moreover, if you love Jesus, you’ll love what He loves, and He loves His bride. You see, a soldier is strongest when connected to his unit. He’s not very strong fighting the enemy by himself. A quarterback needs his offensive line, and a Christian needs His brothers and sisters. Don’t just “go” to church, but get plugged in. Join a small group, go to the prayer meeting, go to the women's event, say yes to that invitation, join an outreach team! Get connected, and watch your love grow for your brothers and sisters.

Third, find an older man or woman who displays godly fruit and ask them to walk alongside you. I’ve found that there are Christians who, when their presence, make me want to be a better follower of Jesus. I’ve asked them to meet with me and help me grow. Often, it can be intimidating and even awkward to ask someone to meet with you, to pray with you, or to discuss spiritual matters with. But I have personally had a handful of individuals display a love to me like never before and ignite me to do the same for someone else.

These are just a few ways to help you, but ultimately, the most important step you can take is yielding to the Holy Spirit, asking Him to grow your heart, your mind, and your actions in loving Jesus.

Now, onto love being eternal. Have you wondered just how long eternity actually is? Me too. It’s a long time, like something we can’t even comprehend because we are finite people, but I want you to imagine eternity with me and see the significance that love plays in our discipleship journey. If you have a bible or a search engine, open to 1 Corinthians 13 and read the chapter. Now, this is often a passage quoted at weddings, but Paul never meant for this to be about that. In fact, it’s written in the context of spiritual gifts! The Corinthian church had all kinds of issues that needed to be addressed, and one of them was the use of spiritual gifts. Some people were prophesying incorrectly, others were speaking in tongues disorderly. Others still were abusing their level of faith, and Paul needed to remind them that if you speak in tongues but treat people like the devil, it’s useless. If you prophesy but don’t love your neighbor it’s meaningless. Paul even goes as far to say that one day, those gifts are going to cease, but what is going to last forever is love! We spend so much time focusing on the temporary that we miss the wonder of the eternal. That’s not always a bad thing, as spiritual gifts and other aspects of our faith are vitally important today. But all the spiritual gifts that we know today will be of no value when we are face to face with Jesus. However, what will always last forever is love for God and love for others! Think today about how you can better love Christ and love His people, because you’re going to need it, and need it for a long time!

Friend, if you are following Jesus with any other motivation other than loving Him, cherishing Him, and loving His bride, then your motives are wrong. Walking the Christian life is about taking up your cross for Christ and washing the feet of the people around you. It’s against our sinful nature at times to love what God loves and love those around us. We are selfish people, and it’s impossible to begin doing it by yourself or in your own strength. It is the Holy Spirit alone who empowers you to love. How? 1 John 4:19, “We love Him, because He first loved us.”

Today, be reminded that you didn’t first love Christ nor pursued Him. He loved you before the world began, sought you out, and sent the Holy Spirit to save your soul! That is a reason to love!

Two thousand years ago, Jesus walked up to a handful of men and said, “Follow me.”
Not the kind of “follow” that some may be thinking of today. This wasn’t a Facebook follow, Instagram follow, or YouTube subscription, but rather an invitation to lay their life down so that Jesus would be magnified and His church would be established. Today, many are followers of something but not in the kind of way Jesus commissioned these disciples. Many folks follow social media pages, politicians, sports teams, or celebrities, and passionately defend them and support them, yet never meet them or interact with them. They know all of their stats or awards, what movies they’ve played, how many championships they’ve won, or what policies they're looking to implement if elected, but never actually know who they truly are. See, there are many followers today who have followed, a figure that has led to disappointment and unhealthy idolization.
Moreover, even in the church today we have people who claim to be followers of Jesus’ but just like a follower on TikTok, they’ve heard about Him, but do not actually know Him. So what is a true disciple or follower of Jesus? To make it more simple, I’m going to use three words that trademark a disciple that starts with the letter C. Each word represents a true trait of a Biblical disciple, and it is my hope this article stirs your faith to boldly embrace the Calling, Commission, and Cost of being a follower of Jesus Christ. All for His glory, and the souls of men.

Calling
Imagine hearing the words “follow me” flow from the lips of a carpenter from Nazareth and immediately dropping your career and your family to follow Him. No job description, no benefits, and no fancy retirement package. Would you still follow? The disciples who were called could not have fully understood what they were getting into when they responded to Jesus’s call. All of the expectations, uncertainty, curiosity, or excitement they felt, could not have prepared them for what lay ahead. Everything about Jesus—His teaching, compassion, and wisdom; His life, death, and resurrection; His power, authority, and calling—would shape every aspect of the rest of their lives.
Today, Jesus is calling you, my brother, and my sister to follow Him. Do you trust Him? Being a disciple involves being called out, and being separated from your own plans and your own dreams. Even being separated from what you believe is right and wrong. To be called is to be set apart for God’s purpose and plan alone. To be called out is to be under Jesus’ authority what He says, you do. To be called is to be called to a life of death to self, and life unto Jesus.
This shouldn’t discourage you or make you think your life is “over” and you’ll never accomplish anything you aspire to,. this calling is to be seen as dynamic and exciting because a life prioritized and surrendered unto Jesus brings forth far more fruit than a life surrendered to self. You aren’t promised nice cars, nice houses, nice retirement funds, or even perfect health, but what you are promised is strength amid weakness, supernatural grace during trials, peace in the middle of the storm, love in grave loneliness, and more. However, what is above all of those promises, is the greatest of all, an intimate life with Jesus. Worshiping, loving, and enjoying Him forever and ever. Amen.

Commission
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? As you will discover, the answer is fairly simple, but it changes your life completely.
When Jesus called His first disciples, they had no idea where Jesus would take them or the impact it would have on their lives, but they knew what it meant to follow. They took Jesus’s call literally and began going everywhere He went and doing everything He did. Today friend, being a disciple is being commissioned to do what Jesus did and ultimately, answering His command given in Matthew 28:19-20. In these verses, Jesus gives what is known as the Great Commission. It is a command, to go and tell the world all about who Jesus is, and what Jesus taught, and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This is known now as evangelism and it is essential to being a disciple of Christ. Unfortunately, for too long it has been treated as the “Great Suggestion” but in reality is the sole purpose of our Christian lives today; To glorify God in all we do, and to preach what is known as the “good news” to all of creation. What is that? Well, it may be too long to discuss what all the good news entails, but part of its beauty is its simplicity. That mankind is separated from God our creator because we disobeyed Him. The Bible calls that sin, and all of us have sinned at some point, in fact, we were born into it! Sin also leads us to punishment and life away from God forever, but the good news is that because of God’s great love, Jesus paid the price our disobedience and sin “cost” by dying on the cross instead of us dying, and three days later, rising from the grave! Now, through repentance of that sin, or a turning away from that sin we commit against God and turning our faith to Jesus, we can be made right with God and completely forgiven.
This is the best news ever, and if you’ve been wondering about what your purpose or “commission” is in life, God, the general, has given you the “missions orders” and He’s asked you, a follower of Jesus Christ, to share the good news with others. Start here in the revealed will of God for your life in Scripture, and let the Holy Spirit guide you into any specific will God has for your life next!

Cost
One problem that many face in the church is saying that they believe in Jesus but confessing that Jesus is Lord and Master is another story. Some may not see the difference in this, however, this is a major contradiction. If Jesus is Lord, then He sets the rule book. If Jesus Christ is Lord, then your life belongs to Him. He has a plan, and agenda, and calling for you. You don’t get to tell Him what you’ll be doing today or for the rest of your life. Discipleship truly has a cost, and it costs you your natural desire to live for your own gain and instead live for Jesus. Some see this call as the rich young ruler, who was discouraged and worried more about his riches rather than following Jesus, but others see this call as exhilarating and the beginning of living a transformed life. How do you see the call?
Luke 24:25-33 summarizes this sobering thought well. I encourage you to read it all but essentially Jesus says “Are the cares of this world more important than the cares of God?” If so, being a disciple of Christ, may not be for you. Jesus says you must count and consider the cost of following Jesus. Whoever is unwilling to take up his own cross in obedience, can’t be a disciple, but he who surrenders his own life shall find true eternal life in Christ.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a notorious German Theologian who resisted the Nazi regime, emphasizes the cost of discipleship powerfully when distinguishing “cheap grace vs costly grace.” He says, in his book, Discipleship,

“Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance; it is baptism without the discipline of community; it is the Lord’s Supper without confession of sin; it is absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Jesus Christ” (4).

Later, Bonhoeffer differentiates between the two by defining costly grace. He states,

“When received, costly grace dwells within humans and cultivates a true conversion. It is costly, because it calls to discipleship; it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. The price of the sacrificial lamb is costly and, in that dying, creates a life called in accordance with Jesus. In this model, Jesus’ followers leave behind their previous lives, and lives according to this world, and move into conforming their lives to the teachings of Jesus. This grace not only provides humanity salvation and justification for their sins but also genuine freedom” (6).

Wow, what a challenge, and sobering thought. Today my friend Jesus is calling out to you, saying “Follow Me!” It may not be easy, but it is so worth it. Jesus has promised that it wouldn’t be easy, but He has sent the Holy Spirit to be your helper! Rely on Him today, and follow Jesus as your Lord!