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For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:1-2 Psalm 62 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. 3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah 5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 9 Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. 10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. 11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, 12  and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work. My Rock, Salvation, and Fortress He alone is my rock, salvation, and fortress. I shall not be greatly shaken (Psalm 62:2). Rather than being anxious or fearful about my external circumstances and the attacks of the enemy, I can have a quiet and bold confidence, a stillness in my heart, and a security in my soul because I know the Lord is my rock, salvation, and fortress. He is unmovable, unshakeable, and unchanging (Heb 13:8). A rock and a fortress symbolizes strength, stability, and permanence. Putting my hope and trust in other sources of strength, I will always be disappointed. But trusting in the Ultimate Source of strength, the Lord God Almighty, I will always overcome! (1 John 5:4-5). In Him alone do I put my trust because He alone is my salvation. My confidence is in the One who died for me, that I may live to God. Steal, Kill, and Destroy The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The attacks of the enemy come in a variety of forms, but his end goal is always to steal, kill, and destroy; perhaps steal our time and energy, kill our joy and peace, or (attempt to) destroy our confidence in God. Oftentimes, the enemy comes disguised as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14); a wolf dressed up as a sheep (Mat 7:15). He comes professing Jesus with his lips but denying Him as his Master and Lord of his life (2 Pet 2:1); professing to know Jesus in his heart but denying Him by his actions (Titus 1:16); creating confusion and division in sneaky, subtle ways. Our enemies can be two-faced or double-minded; they say one thing yet mean another. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths but inwardly they curse (Psalm 62:4). The enemy attacks in a way someone might kick down a leaning wall or a tottering fence (62:4). The enemy studies us, knows our weaknesses, and our weak points of entry. The enemy looks for every opportunity to divide families and the body of Christ. He looks for every opportunity to tempt, confuse, discourage, wear us out, knock us down, ruin our reputation, or worse yet, ruin our testimony of Christ. The Object of My Faith Many times I am a leaning wall or a tottering fence. My faith is weak, but I know it's not my faith that saves me. It's the Object of my faith that saves me; and that's Jesus, my Savior. It's better to be a leaning wall on the real Lord Jesus Christ than a steel building built on a jesus of my imagination. My confidence is not in myself or in my own faith but my confidence is in Christ alone. I am weak, but I know my Lord is strong. He is my rock and my refuge. He is my salvation! He died on the cross for me, was ressurected from the grave, and granted me eternal life, by the gift of His grace! Therefore, I will not be greatly shaken, and I will trust in Him at all times! When the enemy attacks, I will pour my heart out to Him, and my soul will wait for Him in silence, for my hope is from Him alone (62:5). All I need to do is wait on the Lord because vengeance belongs to Him alone (Rom 12:19), as He calls me to pray for my enemies (Mat 5:44), that they may repent, believe in Jesus, and be saved too. Where God is all-powerful, the schemes of people operating under the influence of Satan and his demons are powerless. Their influence is nothing compared to the supremacy and omnipotence of Christ, the Object of my faith. As believers, we know that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Our quiet and bold confidence, stillness of heart, and security in our souls come from trusting in God at all times. He knows all things. He’s everywhere all the time. He sees and judges all things, and on all those who believe, He has mercy. Those who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, have nothing and no one to fear, ever. Those who reject Jesus, are indifferent to Jesus, are lukewarm about Jesus, or believe in a false jesus have everything to fear, now and for all eternity. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You that You are my Rock, Salvation, and Fortress. Nothing and no one can greatly shake me when my trust is in You, the unshakeable foundation on which I stand confidently and securely, in this life and throughout all eternity. Father, I praise You for sending Your Son Jesus to die for me on the cross, save me from my sins, and gift me with eternal life, by grace through faith in Him alone. I praise You for Your justice, mercy and saving grace! I praise You for choosing me before the foundation of the world and gifting me with genuine repentance and saving faith (no matter how weak it may be) in my strong Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Object of my faith. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray amen. If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a sick craving for controversial questions and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:3-10 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 "For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts." ~ AW Tozer God's Word is Like Rain & Snow “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Rain and snow are part of the Earth’s cyclical process. They are an important part of God’s plan and purposes in His creation. Rain and snow fall from above and soak into the ground below. Water sent from heaven brings forth the growth of crops, the refreshment of people and animals, and the sustaining of life throughout the land. Rain and snow come from heaven and do not return to heaven without accomplishing the purpose for which they were sent. God’s Word is compared to earth’s precipitation because, just like the rain and snow, God’s Word spoken from heaven always accomplishes His good purposes. The Word of God will always succeed, prosper, and overcome, and all those who trust His Word will too (1 John 5:4). God says that His Word will go out from His mouth and not return to Him empty. He has a purpose and intention for every Word that He speaks from above. Every Word God has spoken to us is vital, purposeful, and useful because it tells us about the Only Way of salvation and how we are to live an abundant life in light of that truth. The written Word points us to the Living Word, Jesus Christ, Lord to all and Savior to all who believe in Him. Jesus Christ is God Speaking 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is “breathed out” by God. 2 Peter 1:20-1 says that Scripture comes from God through men. knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. God's Word has been written down by approximately 40 different authors, across three different continents, over the span of multiple centuries, and yet it is one unifying story. This was accomplished all through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God has been compiled into 66 books, which the whole world refers to as the Holy Bible, whether they believe it to be the Word of God or not. One thing the world can't argue against though is that the Bible is the biggest-selling book of all time. (Gee, I wonder why? Insert gentle sarcasm). As Christians we believe the Holy Bible to be the Word of the Holy God of the universe, speaking to us Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). “A true man reveals himself by his words. Therefore, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is called the Word of God. Jesus Christ is God speaking. God thinks what He says, and the thoughts of God are embodied in the person, work, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His dear Son. God could’ve never revealed Himself so fully in any other way than by giving His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). ~ CH Spurgeon. God's Love Letter God wrote us a letter from heaven, and it's all about Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, the entire Bible is God's amazing love letter to sinners of His mercy and saving grace in Jesus Christ. The entire Bible points us to Jesus, the Living Word of God. Through God’s written Word, we know that God loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for us on the cross. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus freed us from sin and death, in order that we may be granted eternal life in Him, by grace through faith. God’s Word not only tells us how much He loves us but how we ought to live in the light of believing His truth and love for us. It’s not enough just to intellectually know the truth, for even demons know the truth (James 2:18). As believers, we are to know and live the truth in our hearts, by the power of the Holy Spirit, our Guide, Teacher, and Helper (John 14:16). The Light of the World Just like the rain and snow, the Word of God brings forth life (John 6:63) and produces good fruit in the lives of those who trust and follow Jesus. God’s Word is given to point everyone to Jesus. And for those who believe in Jesus, it's given to tell us how to walk in Jesus. God's Word is given to Christians to teach us, reprove us, correct us, and train us in righteousness, so that every man and woman of God may be complete and equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God’s Word gently reproves and corrects us when we go wrong and trains us and encourages us in godly living. As it is the chief end of humanity to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, we are given the means to be able to do so when we open God's Word and believe Him. As disciples of Jesus, we are commanded to abide in God’s Word (John 8:31-32), as it absorbs into our minds and renews us (Romans 12:2), just like the rain and snow absorb into the ground and bring forth vegetation. As our minds are renewed in the truth of God's Word, His Word will never return void. His Word was sent into our hearts to transform our lives and bring forth fruit for the glory of God. God’s Word is a lamp that guides our feet and lights our path in a dark world (Psalm 119:105). The Ultimate Lamp and Light is Jesus, for He is the Light of the world and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12). Will Not Return Empty When God says His Word will not return to Him empty, we know that He is sovereign over all things. His Word will always accomplish what He wants but not always what we want. We may share God’s Word with the goal of trying to change someone’s mind about Jesus in the very moment we share it. If that doesn’t happen, does that mean His Word came up empty? Never. Our personal goals and plans may differ from God’s. Scripture tells us that the wind blows wherever it pleases since God's Spirit moves in mysterious ways (John 3:8). We may share God’s Word with our own plans in mind, but God often uses His Word in mysterious ways, at surprising times, and with the most unlikely people. Just like we can’t predict the rain or snow with 100 percent accuracy, 100 percent of the time, we can’t predict how God will use His Word in the hearts of people He chooses for His plan of salvation. Our responsibility is to simply plant the seed and shine the light of Jesus. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your written Word, which points me to the Living Word, Jesus. I know that Your Word never returns to You void. I also know that Your thoughts are not my thoughts, and Your ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8). I know I can’t save anyone. Only You can save souls, Jesus. Help me be the light-carrier and the messenger You call me to be. Help me to plant the seed and water what has been planted by others. Lord, You alone bring the growth! I pray Your Word renews minds and transforms lives all over the world. I pray that the Holy Spirit carries salvation to souls through Your Word, by the gift of Your grace. May You gift everyone I know and don't know, the gift of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God. All glory belongs to Jesus! In His name, I pray, amen. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.16 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-4 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Light & Darkness In Scripture, the words “light” and “darkness” are often symbolic. Intellectually, “light” refers to God's wisdom and biblical truth, while “darkness” refers to ignorance and lies. Morally, “light” refers to purity and holiness while “darkness” refers to sin and wrongdoing. In Scripture, Jesus is the Ultimate Light. He is the highest, truest, purest wisdom that exists since He is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). Jesus is called the Light of the world, and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12). God is the provider of light through Jesus (2 Corinth 4:6) and in our future eternity, He will be the source of light (Rev 21:23). There will be no need for the sun in eternity. Visible Light & Gospel Light Visible light is a great necessity, yet Gospel Light is an even greater necessity. Visible light gives sight to our eyes and warmth to our bodies, plus many other wonderful blessings. Visible light helps us to know where we’re going and how to safely get to our next destination. In the same way, Gospel Light gives sight and warmth to us as well. But the value of it is infinitely more precious than even the rising sun. It lights up the eyes of our hearts with the Truth and brings eternal life, plus all the spiritual blessings in Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3). In the eternal sense, Gospel Light helps us to see where we’re going and how to safely get to our final destination: Heaven. The same God who spoke physical light into existence is the One who must speak supernatural light into the soul and bring sinners out of darkness into His kingdom of light. The light is the knowledge of the glory of God shone in Jesus Christ. When we were dead in our sins and first believed the saving Gospel message, the Lord granted us life by shining spiritual light into our hearts, awakening us to the truth of who we are, who God is, and how to find eternal life in Him: by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Possessing Gospel light separates believers from the world as God’s children and heirs of His Kingdom of light. We are set apart for good works (Eph 2:10), the purpose of His will, and the praise of His grace (Eph 1:5-6). The Greatest Miracle Since we've been given Gospel Light, we believe everything God says in His Word. God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105), as the Holy Spirit illumines truth in our minds and helps us walk in holiness on the path to our heavenly home. The Bible is the Instructions Manual to life. God tells us all we need to know and always grants us more wisdom when we ask Him for it (James 1:5). With Gospel Light, we can see the reality of this world and both heaven and hell, as God grants us wisdom to rightly understand all that He has chosen to reveal in His Word. Even the weakest believer who possesses Gospel Light is still infinitely wiser than the most educated unbeliever. With Gospel Light, we know the reason for our existence, our ultimate purpose, and why God still has us in this world (We're here to glorify God in every single thing we do, love and serve one another, and be a witness to the truth in Jesus. We are here to shine the Gospel Light while we still can). With Gospel Light, we never need to fear a thing because we know our final destination is heaven and that we'll arrive safely with Jesus. With Gospel Light, we know how the world began, how it’s going, and how it’ll end. With Gospel Light, we’re able to see our sin as more deadly, God as more holy, receive Jesus as our Savior fully, be saved eternally, walk in the truth wholeheartedly, and rejoice unendingly in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Nothing shines brighter than Jesus, yet He is so gentle on our eyes that we will gaze at Him forever in eternity. To have been given visible light and the shining sun is a miraculous gift, but to have been given Gospel Light, by grace through faith in Jesus, who is the Light of the world, is an infinitely more miraculous gift. Visible light is a miracle, but Gospel Light is a bigger miracle. The greatest miracle God performs is the salvation of a soul. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending your Son Jesus into the world to be the Light of the world. Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins, rose again from the dead, and granted me eternal life by grace through faith in Him. Father, thank You for helping me see the light of the gospel in all its glory! Thank you for granting me spiritual light so that I may have eternal life. Father, I ask that You shine the Gospel Light into hearts that are still darkened to give them the light of the knowledge of Your glory in Jesus. Help me to carry the Gospel Light everywhere I go and let it shine brightly for all to see, as You do the saving of souls! But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us (2 Cor 4:7). All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name I pray amen. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 1 Peter 1:3 Praise Be to God Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-7 Peter calls us to praise God for the reality of being saved. To receive an eternal inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading that can never be taken away, and to receive a faith that holds on to it by God's power, is something to praise God for every day. To be given a faith in Jesus that endures and perseveres through every trial, so that no matter how difficult the trial, it becomes the evidence of our faith and not the destruction of it. This is a most precious thing to see when our faith endures through our trials because it's evidence of our salvation. Trials reveal our faith, and enduring faith reveals salvation has truly taken place. And that reality ought to result in praise, glory, and honor to God every day. This is why James tells us to count it all joy when facing trials of many kinds (James 1:2) A Loving & Saving God Every day in this New Year, let us praise God for who He is. Scripture tells us that He is a loving God and a saving God by nature. He is a God who loves sinners and is able and willing to save them. He demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:9-10). The Lord desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4), and He’s not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek 18:23). Our Lord is a loving Savior by nature. Let us praise Him for who He is! Salvation Belongs to the Lord Every day in this New Year, let us praise God for what He’s freely given us, namely our salvation in Christ. Scripture tells us that salvation belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8) and that we were loved and chosen before the foundation of the world to be saved according to His will, to the praise of His grace (Eph 1:4-6, 11-12). Salvation is from God, by God, and for God, as we receive the immense benefits of it! Salvation is a free gift. There’s nothing we can do to earn our salvation. By the deeds of the Law no one will be justified before God (Romans 3:20, Gal 2:16). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph 2:8-9). Even our repentance and faith in Jesus is a gift by God's grace. No saved sinner can ever boast that he achieved salvation by his own good works or intellect. We could never be wise enough to choose eternal life on our own. That wisdom can only come from above and bestowed on us by God's grace. We are only able to choose Jesus because He first chose us. (John 15:16) We are only able to love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Apart from God, we can't do anything to obtain our salvation. And once we're saved there’s nothing we can do to lose it either (John 10:28, 18:9, 6:37, 1 Pet 1:5, Phil 1:6, Heb 7:25). As much as we are saved by God’s grace, we are also kept by God’s grace (John 10:28, Phil 1:6). Salvation is truly all of grace and belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8). Every day in this New Year, let us praise the Lord for the countless blessings He bestows on us. But above and beyond all else, let us praise Him for our salvation. Let us praise Him for the deliverance He has provided us from sin, death, judgment, and hell through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He died on the cross for our sins, paid the penalty in full as our Perfect Substitute, and He rose again from the dead, so that by grace through faith in Him, we may have eternal life. Let us praise God every single day here on earth, knowing that one day we will spend all eternity praising Him for who He is and for our salvation. Proclaim the good tidings of His salvation day to day (Psalm 96:2). Dear Heavenly Father, Every day in this New Year and beyond, may I give You thanks and praise for who You are and what You’ve given me through Your Son, Jesus. You've given me eternal life, not because You saw anything good or deserving in me but because of who You are. You are good, kind, and rich in mercy, and for whatever reason, You chose me because You loved me. For whatever Your reason, it was pleasing to You to give me eternal life through faith in Jesus. Talk about winning the lottery! The eternal riches in Christ, You chose to give to me! How could I ever let a day go by without giving You praise for Your grace? You've given me a heavenly inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven by You, and I am being guarded by Your power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:4-5). These are the things that You want me to set my mind on as I go about my day. Lord, Help me to set my mind on these glorious things! Please help me set my mind on things above where Christ is seated and not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Lord, just as You did for me, I ask that You work Your divine grace in the hearts of those who need You as their loving Savior. I ask that You have mercy on them like you did me and save them from their sins, gifting them with eternal life in Christ Jesus. Help me speak confidently and boldly about Jesus to others. Give me an earnestness and a burden to reach the lost. Help me to be a faithful message carrier of Your salvation to everyone as You do the choosing and the saving. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His Name I pray Amen. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks faith, let him ask of God who gives to you generously and without reproach and it will be given to you. James 1:2-4 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). For Christmas, I wanted to honor Jesus by sharing the work of my favorite artist. This is my Dad's latest painting. My Dad is a believer in Jesus who also loves to draw, paint, and create for His glory. I am thankful that my Dad is such a talented artist and a great Dad, but I am even more thankful that He's a believer in Jesus. My Dad was the first one to tell me about Jesus and heaven. The Name Jesus “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew name Joshua or Jehoshua, which means “Jehovah will save.” The name of Jesus tells of God’s salvation of His people. In this verse, the angel tells Joseph that Mary’s baby is to be the very incarnation of Jehovah’s salvation. The tiny baby lying in a manger is named Jesus, and He is the One who will save His people from their sins. What a reason to celebrate! After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter stresses the importance of the name of Jesus. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). In Jesus and only in Jesus is there salvation. Tragically, many people think there are many paths that lead to God, but that's a lie. (I once thought the same thing before Jesus found me and showed me the way through Him, by His grace). As Christians who follow Jesus, we know the Truth. There is only One Way, and that’s through Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth and Savior to all who believe in Him. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The fact that God provided even one way for us to live forever shows just how gracious, merciful, and loving He is. Dear Heavenly Father, It's the Eve of the birth of our Savior! We praise You for the greatest gift we could ever receive: Your Son, Jesus. Father, we praise You for sending Your Son to live with us, die for us, and save us from our sins, all by the gift of Your grace. Even our repentance and faith in Jesus is a gift from You (Eph 2:8-9). Lord, I know it’s not faith that saves us but it’s the object of our faith that saves us, and that’s Jesus. It's Your grace that saves us. It's Your grace that enables us to believe in You. Even if we have a weak faith; even if we have only a mustard seed of faith, we know that we are saved by a Strong Jesus who will never let us perish. My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10:27-28). When Jesus finds His lost sheep and saves them, He saves them completely, securely, and eternally in Him. He will never let us go. We know this because Your Word tells us so. The believer’s continued faith in Jesus is evidence of God’s keeping power (1 Pet 1:5), not our own (Not saying we don't have human responsibility. Rather, we rely on God's grace, not our own human willpower or strength) From the first moment we believe in Jesus, God energizes our faith and continues to preserve it. True saving faith in Jesus may waver, stumble, and fail at times, but it’s permanent in that it never dies. A true believer could never stop believing nor could he/she ever completely turn away from the Lord because it's God who keeps us, not us. We can never lose our salvation because it’s God’s grace that saves us, and it's His grace that keeps us. What a reason to celebrate, not just around Christmas but every single day! And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at His birth, (Luke 1:14). I pray to be a blessing to others this Christmas season and point everyone to the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. And that's Jesus, the tiny baby lying in the manger who created heaven and earth and the reason for life itself. Jesus Christ is Lord. He is our Redeemer, our Savior. He is the Light of the world and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12). Merry Christmas, everyone! May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you this Christmas season and always. All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray amen! Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 "It's not your hold of Christ that saves you but His hold of you." Charles Spurgeon It is not great faith, but true faith that saves; and the salvation lies not in the faith, but in the Christ in whom faith trusts. Charles Spurgeon "We contribute nothing to our salvation except the sin that made it necessary." Jonathan Edwards If you'd like to visit my Dad's website and see his work: https://www.herbeckart.com/

The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel Mary is the virgin and the one who will give birth to a son, but the focus of this verse is on the name Immanuel. Immanuel is at the very heart of Christmas. It’s a Hebrew name that means, “God with us.” Immanuel is the Word incarnate, God in human flesh, and the fulfilled promise that God Himself would be born to a virgin and dwell among us. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). If we were to sum up Christmas in one phrase, it would be “God with us.” It seems that we so often focus on the infancy of Jesus at Christmas when the more profound truth is the deity of Jesus. What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, but the incarnation of God Himself.” - RC Sproul. More than the celebration of a promised baby is that this baby is nothing less than the omnipotent, eternal God and Creator of heaven and earth. It’s this very baby, born in the likeness of men (Phil 2:7), who comes to live with us, die for us, and save us from our sins. This little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger is named Jesus, born to save His people from their sins. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The Message of Grace Just as the name Immanuel is at the heart of the Christmas story so is the message of grace. In His loving mercy, God did for sinners what we could never do for ourselves. Jesus, both fully God and fully man, lived the perfectly obedient life we could never live, died the death we deserved, and satisfied the wrath and justice of God for our sins on our behalf. That’s why right before Jesus gave up His spirit, He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Jesus did all the work. He paid it all for us and took away all our sins by nailing them to the cross (Col 2:14). In three days, Jesus rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith in Him, we may have eternal life. As Jesus took the full punishment for our sins upon Himself, He gives us His perfect righteousness when we believe in Him. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinth 5:17). He clothes us in His robe of righteousness so that when God looks at you or me, He sees His Son - blameless, perfect, and without blemish. How amazing is that?! And He loves us with an eternal love because He chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4-5) and gifted us with our faith to believe in Jesus and be saved. Salvation is a free gift. Salvation is of the Lord (Psalm 3:8, Psalm 62:1). It’s truly all of grace (Eph 2:8-9). God could’ve never revealed Himself more fully in any other form or in any other way than by giving us His Son Jesus so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). And that’s what Christmas is all about. It’s the celebration that The Savior of the world is born. He is our blessed hope, our only hope. In Christ, and only in Christ is there is life, eternal life! And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 15:11). Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending Your Son Jesus to save me from my sins and gift me with eternal life, by the gift of Your grace. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. To me, the reason why Christmas feels so magical is because Christmas tells us the truth, and I believe it. It feels magical because Jesus is real, and I believe Him. What could feel more magical than believing the objective truth that God Himself was born a human and came to live with us and save us from our sins, gifting us with eternal life? Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the reason for every single day and every single moment. I pray to be a blessing to others this Christmas season and point everyone to Jesus, the baby in the manger who created heaven and earth and the reason for life itself. He is our Lord. He is our Savior. He is our joy and our blessed hope. Jesus is the ultimate gift and the greatest treasure. Merry Christmas, everyone! May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you this Christmas season and always. All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray amen! "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing be upon Your people! (Psalm 3:8) My soul waits in silence for God alone; From Him comes my salvation (Psalm 62:1)

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Thankless Heart A thankless heart brings forth a habit of grumbling and complaining over earthly circumstances, a judgmental attitude toward others, impatience, irritation, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, disputes, and division. A thankless heart stems from pride, willful ignorance of God's Word, and hard-hearted unbelief. Being habitually unthankful marks the lives of those who don’t believe in Jesus and whose hearts haven’t yet been transformed by the gospel (2 Tim 3:2). Without believing the gospel and being transformed by it, we would all go on to live proud, thankless lives through our old sin nature. Only Jesus can give us a new nature; a new and thankful heart. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Thankful Heart A thankful heart is one that has been transformed by the saving power of Jesus, by grace through faith in Him. Thankfulness flows from humility and knowing that salvation is all of grace. Even my faith is a gift by God's grace (Eph 2:8-9). To know I have eternal life and did nothing to earn it should cause me to jump for joy and do cartwheels. It should also cause me to walk in heartfelt obedience to God's Word, not just because I am so thankful to Him but because I trust Him. My salvation ought to give me a heart bursting with thanks and praise to the Lord who chose to save me. He didn't have to, but for whatever reason, He did. Sometimes I think, why me, Lord? How did I win the lottery of all lotteries? How did I get so blessed to believe in Jesus and be given eternal life? I've found that meditating daily on this truth can only produce a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23), all the fruits of the Holy Spirit. All those good fruits flow out of a thankful heart toward its Savior. So when I start to complain, lose my patience, or become irritated about my earthly circumstances or other people, I take my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinth 10:5-6). I bring my mind back to the truth that God saved me from my sins and gave me a new and thankful heart. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). And I rejoice! It Unites Thankfulness also has a unifying effect. Instead of causing disputes, debates, and division, it brings people together in harmony and peace. Have you ever noticed that it's rather hard to connect with a grumbling and thankless person? Thanklessness is a natural barrier and divider. It's a party pooper. But"Put two thankful people in a room together and it’s a party!” – Mark Moore. Where there’s a spirit of thankfulness, there’s unity, closeness, trust, joy, and a bond of peace (Eph 4:3). The walls come down, and a true and warm connection forms. There's no thankfulness that unites more than the thankfulness that comes from the salvation we've received in Jesus as a free gift. Thankfulness that we've been saved creates close connections with others who are also thankful for their eternal well-being. To talk about Jesus with another believer and rejoice in the truth of salvation together always produces a rich connection; one that always leaves me feeling fulfilled, understood, encouraged, joyful, and even more thankful. To believe in Jesus is the greatest thing, but to share Him with someone who also believes in Him is the next greatest thing. No conversation could be more unifying than the one that's about Jesus and how He saved us from our sins and gave us eternal life, by His grace. Who could ever be divided in sharing that spirit of thankfulness grounded in that reality? No one! When God's command to be thankful is habitually believed, obeyed, and applied, it will transform us, just like believing, obeying, and applying all of God’s commands, by His grace. That’s what happens when we first believe in Jesus and we’re born again of the Spirit. He gives us a new and thankful heart, along with His grace to believe His Word, obey His Word, and apply His commands to our lives. The truth changes us on the inside, and those inward changes naturally show up on the outside. And that's a life full of thanks and praise to the One who saved us and continues to transform us by His grace. It's God's Will Just as it’s God’s will that we: • be saved (1 Tim 2:4) • be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) • be saturated with the Word of God (Col 3:16) • be sanctified by the Word of God (John 17:17, 1 Thess 4:3) • be submissive for the Lord’s sake (1 Pet 2:13-15) • be self-sacrificing (Rom 12:1-2, Phil 2:3-4) • be suffering for Christ, the gospel, and righteousness' sake (Phil 1:29, 1 Pet 3:17), • it's also God’s will that we are to be giving thanks always. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16-18). Unending thanks and praise shall flow from these eternal, unchanging truths: 1. I am thankful for my salvation in Christ that I can never lose (John 10:28, Phil 1:6, 1 Corinth 1:8, Psalm 138:8, Isaiah 27:3, John 6:37, 39, 1 Peter 1:5, 1 John 2:25) 2. I am thankful that I belong to the family of God, adopted into His Kingdom. I am a daughter of the Most-High God. My identity is in Christ. (Eph 1:4-5, 2:19, Rom 8:14-17, Col 1:12-13, Gal 3:26-29) 3. I am thankful that I have the Holy Spirit living inside of me. He is my Helper, Teacher, and my Comforter. He guides me away from error and into all truth (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:13) He is the guarantee of my salvation (John 14:16, 16:13, 1 John 2:27 Eph 1:14, 2 Corinth 5:5) 4. I am thankful because with boldness and confidence, I have full access to God's throne of grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. I can ask my Heavenly Father for anything according to His will, and He hears me (Eph 3:12, 1 John 5:14, Mat 7:7, John 14:13) 5. I am thankful because I am loved and chosen by God before the foundation of the world and set apart for God's plan and purposes (Eph 1:4-5, Rom 8:29, 1 Peter 2:9, John 15:6, 2 Thess 2:13-14, Acts 13:48, Deut 14:2, Psalm 4:3) Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You and praise You for saving me and giving me a new and thankful heart. A thankful heart can only come by grace through faith in Your Son, Jesus. Today, may I walk in the newness of life You've given me. May You fill my heart with thankfulness that overflows as blessings into other people’s lives. Lord, if and when I start being thankless or complaining today, help me see my sin, confess it to you, repent of it, and turn to You in thankfulness. Give me the kind of thankfulness that makes me turn away from myself and my fleeting circumstances and fix my eyes on Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Even when I can’t always rejoice in my circumstances, help me to rejoice in the Lord always! (Phil 4:4), and give You thanks and praise! Help me go about my day by today being reminded who Jesus is and what Jesus did for me. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. God so loved the world that He sent His beloved Son Jesus to save me from my sins by dying on the cross for me. In three days, Jesus rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith, I may have eternal life in Him. Lord, help me keep that glorious truth in the forefront of my mind so that I may overflow with thankfulness in that eternal truth, regardless of my fleeting circumstances. As a Christian, thankfulness should be my way of life and naturally flow from the new heart Jesus gave me when I first believed in Him. Lord Jesus, I want to thank You for all eternity! All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray, Amen!

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 "Sorrow for sin grows with our growth, and it's so sweet a bitterness that we thank God we are permitted to enjoy and suffer it until we enter eternal rest." - Charles Spurgeon A Time to Cry Scripture says that just like everything else in life, there's a time to cry and a time to mourn. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven...A time to cry and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4). In life, there are many things that make us cry. For starters, love can really make people cry. Sometimes we cry out of sincere love for our family and friends. Sometimes we cry out of concern for the lost. Other times we cry out of loneliness or being hurt, disappointments or discouragement. Sometimes we may even cry the hardest out of a joyful heart. So, there's a sense of crying in a human way that's a blessing because it draws us to the Lord in prayer and to open His Word. Tears are a gift from God because it's a way of releasing our pain and anxieties to Him, giving Him praise, and bringing us in closer communion with Him. A Worldly Sorrow There’s also another kind of crying, and it’s a kind that doesn't glorify God. This is when people cry because they can’t satisfy their own worldly desires or because of their own guilt. Some people cry simply because they don’t get what they want. And some people get so intensely sorry as a way of atoning for their own sins. This kind is a worldly sorrow and nothing more than a guilty conscience. It's a sorrow that tries to conceal its sins, not because we hate our sins but because we hate their consequences. It's a self-focused, regretful, and empty sorrow. It's useless because it's an unsanctified remorse without any redemptive power behind it. No worldly sorrow could ever bring repentance that leads to life. A Godly Sorrow Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.13 By all this we are encouraged. 2 Corinthians 7:8-13 In his second letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul helps us to understand the type of sorrow that brings repentance that leads to life, and leaves no regret. It's a godly sorrow, which is a sorrow according to the will of God and produced by the Holy Spirit. Paul says, Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10). Godly sorrow is when we grieve over our sins because we understand that our sins ultimately grieve God. To know we grieve the One who is so good, kind, patient, gentle, and merciful to us, ought to grieve us. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). There is no regret in a godly sorrow, only life and comfort. Godly sorrow is connected to repentance, and repentance is connected to sin. True repentance cannot occur apart from a genuine sorrow over one's sins. There is no eternal life apart from repentance and no true repentance apart from sorrow over sin. Therefore, the kind of sorrow that mourns over sin is the kind that glorifies God. A godly sorrow pleases the Lord because it makes us turn away from our sins and turn to Jesus in faith. And Jesus is always so ready to cleanse us from our sins and comfort us with His promise of eternal life. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us about true kingdom living in the Beatitudes. He says, Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). In its context, Jesus doesn't mean blessed are those who mourn about human circumstances for they shall be comforted. Jesus is not talking about the crying and mourning that come along with loss, disappointment, or heartache that's common to all people. He's also not talking about the kind of selfish mourning of not getting our way or because of our own guilt. Rather, Jesus is saying, Blessed are those who mourn over their own sins for they shall be comforted. This verse means to be genuinely sorry that we are sinners and that our sins grieve Him. Jesus promises blessings to those who have a godly sorrow over their sin since it's a main ingredient in repentance, which leads to life. Blessed and comforted are those who have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. A true godly sorrow can only come by grace through faith in Jesus, and it's evidence of true saving faith in Christ. We don't try to have a godly sorrow over our sins to be saved. We naturally have a godly sorrow over our sins because it reflects the salvation we've already received. Just like faith and repentance are gifts from God (Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin), godly sorrow is also a gift. It's the Lord who gives us the gift of faith, the Lord who grants us repentance, and the Lord who instills in us a godly sorrow that brings about our repentance. Although we aren't robots and we carry a moral responsibility for our choices and actions, repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. It's all a gift. Scripture says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). Human responsibility and God's sovereignty are two truths that run parallel. They cannot be harmonized by the human mind. We just know that they are both equally true. Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit We must understand the verse right before Matthew 5:4 because context is important. (Especially in the beatitudes since they all flow together in perfect sequence)."Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). To be able to mourn over one's sins is to first know that one is poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are those who recognize their total spiritual poverty and their total dependence on God for salvation. They know there is no spiritual merit in themselves and that salvation is all a gift from God, out of His mercy and saving grace. The poor in spirit are the ones who know that "in my flesh, there dwells no good thing" (Romans 7:18) and that only God is good (Mark 10:18). Blessed are the poor in spirit comes first as the intellectual part while Blessed are those who mourn follows as the emotional part. Only when our minds are convinced of the truth that we are spiritually destitute sinners, do our emotions come under that truth, and we mourn that we are sinners. To be poor in spirit is to recognize that we have nothing innately good within ourselves, and can do nothing to earn or keep our salvation. That might not sound like a happy person to the world, but Jesus tells us that blessed (or happy) is the one who is poor in spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Happy is the one who mourns because he is the one who is comforted through it all by the forgiveness of his sins. As Christians, recognizing our sins and falling into them can be very painful and scary at times, and that's why genuine repentance can be so joyful. Godly sorrow can become so sweet when we cry out to the Lord and turn away from our sins and back to Jesus. When we repent, we are restoring our relationship with God, and once we are back in His presence, there is the fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Repentance is a beautiful thing. The Gospel We all broke God’s Moral Law, the Ten Commandments. Jesus paid the fine. Jesus lived a sinless, perfect life (the life we could never live), suffered and died on the cross for our sins (In the place of us, He died the death we deserved), and in three days He rose again from the grave. Jesus paid it all. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. To those who put their faith in Jesus, our sins are washed away, and we are completely forgiven of all our sins, past, present, and future. To say we are blessed is an understatement. What a stunning reality it is to be saved by grace. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, (Psalm 32:1-2). To know of the forgiveness of sins and our salvation in Christ (that we can never lose) (John 10:28, Phil 1:6, 1 Corinth 1:8, Psalm 138:8, Isaiah 27:3, John 6:37, 39, 1 Peter 1:5, 1 John 2:25) is what ought to bring the most supreme comfort to every repentant believer who mourns. And one day, Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eyes. That's why Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; Again I will say rejoice! (Philippians 4:4). All glory belongs to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Side note from me: Sorrow for sin only grows as we continue to grow in Christ. Sorrow for sin and all spiritual growth begins with the mind. We simply cannot grow if we don't read or listen to what the Lord wants to tell us. We can only grow spiritually when we continue to renew our minds in the truth of God's Word. Our faith, repentance, and sorrow for sin will begin as a mustard seed and slowly grow into a large mustard tree only when we continue to read God's Word, meditate on it, listen to sound preaching, surround ourselves with other Christians, and practice and live the truth. And I would say above all (well maybe neck to neck with reading God's Word), it's prayer. Prayer brings about unbelievable change. Prayer is the most powerful thing we could ever do, and it's so important in our growth and relationship with Jesus. Prayer is part of God's sovereign plan. So, that being said, sorrow for sin also grows when we simply ask God for it. Since a godly sorrow is according to His will, He will definitely give it to you if you ask Him. So, we may all be at different stages in our walks with Jesus, and we may all have different degrees of sorrow for our sin. That's why we must never compare ourselves with other Christians but only compare ourselves to Scripture. We just need to listen to Jesus, and trust in Him with all our hearts and lean not onown own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Let's simply take Him at His Word. It's so simple. Repent and believe in the Gospel, and you will be saved! Amen! Sorry guys, I sat on this one for several days trying to make it shorter. I tried my best, and I just had a lot to say again, and I'm just not the greatest writer. But I just love writing about Jesus. “Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting...Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better...It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:2-5 “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom” James 4:8-9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 True Love is Scarce People crave love in this world - being loved, falling in love, and making love. If there’s one virtue people proudly think they possess, it is love. Tragically, love is the scarcest virtue in the entire world. That’s because most people live by the world’s definition of love, not by the Bible’s. The world’s love is conditional, self-seeking, and unforgiving. The world’s love centers on emotional highs, personal desires, and self-pleasure, the opposite of God’s sacrificial love. It is selfish, shallow, sensual, sexual, and thankless. The world’s love is not true love but Satan’s cheap imitation and perversion of it. On the contrary, God’s love is unconditional, self-sacrificing, forgiving, and thankful. So, if God is truly our Father, we will learn to love like our Father by the Holy Spirit He's given us through faith in Christ. True love is evidence that we are children of God; that we truly believe in Jesus. When we love through faith in Christ, we don’t have to worry about lying, stealing, cheating, coveting, envying, demanding respect, seeking revenge, or placing ourselves above God or anyone else. Love does no harm to a neighbor and loves the Lord with all its heart, mind, and soul. Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 3:8-10). Wordly Love Vs. Scriptural Love The world says love is blind. Scripture says love abounds in real knowledge and all discernment (Phil 1:9). The world says love doesn’t discriminate. Scripture says love carefully examines everything to distinguish between good and evil, truth and falsehood (1 Thess 5:21-22). The world says there is no hate in love. Scripture says love is sincere in that it hates evil and only holds fast to what is good (Rom 12:9). The world says love the things of the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (See 1 John 2:15-17). Scripture says do not love the world or those things that come from the world (1 John 2:15-16). Love for the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). The world says that you know you love someone by how they make you feel. Scripture says love is not mere emotion or empty sentimentalism but is secured in the Truth and governed by it. The world says love is a feeling that can’t be explained. Scripture says love is not an abstraction but an action that can be proven (1 Corinth 13:4-7). The world says love yourself. Scripture says love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30, Mat 22:37, Luke 10:27). Scripture says love is not self-seeking but is selfless (1 Corinth 13:5, Phil 2:3-4). The world says to love those who love you. Scripture says to love everyone. Love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:39, Mark 12:31) and love your enemies (Matt 5:43-48). Scripture says “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:32-36). Scripture says love is full of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness. Evidence in Our Actions Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18). We know that actions speak louder than words. Anyone can talk the talk but not everyone can walk the walk. The world says that it’s the thought that counts. At times that can be true. But Scripture says that when it comes to proving your love, it's the thought that turns into action that truly counts. Like everything else, when it comes to love, actions speak louder than thoughts or words. (See James 2:14-24. This same principle applies to genuine faith too). That's where the objective evidence of our love and faith lies. It is not in what we say but in what we do that proves we are the children of God. And there is no argument under the sun that can stand up against that clear and basic truth. Even people who don't believe in God would agree with that universal truth; that actions speak louder than words. The Cross And when we look at God’s love, it’s the cross that speaks the loudest and clearest of them all. Jesus’ death on the cross is the supreme demonstration of God’s love for us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). God could’ve never revealed Himself more fully in any other way than by giving His one and only Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world, for His enemies. God is love and He showed us His love by giving us His Son Jesus, so that in Him we may have life (John 3:16, 15:13). There is no greater love. Dear Heavenly Father, You are love. I love because You first loved me (1 John 4:19). I could’ve never loved You without first being loved by You. It was in Your love that You chose me before the foundation of the world to save me from my sins. It was in Your love that You set me apart for Your purposes and for the praise of Your glorious grace (Eph 1:6, 1:12). I praise You for giving me a new heart by grace through faith in Jesus, transforming my life in Christ, and giving me the ultimate gift of eternal life in Him. Lord, I have no struggle in loving myself. But I struggle to love You with all my heart and soul. I struggle to love others as myself. Lord, I can't increase my love, but You will if I ask You. Lord, make me more loving, by Your grace. Please, Lord. I want to love like Jesus. I want to be like Him. Help me to grow in patience, gentleness, humility, and love like my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 All glory belongs to Him! In His Name, I pray amen. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:6 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:2-3

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:7 Dear Lord Jesus, I praise You for all the wonderful people in my life, and I ask that You may bless my relationships. May they be centered around You, giving You all the glory. You created me so that I may glorify You. That's my ultimate purpose on this earth - to bring You glory. You are the most glorified in me when I am the most satisfied in You. God is most glorified in you when you are the most satisfied in Him. - John Piper. May my satisfaction never be self-centered. May my satisfaction always be Christ-centered, for I know that true joy can only be found in You, Jesus. Lord, I pray that my joy in You radiates to others the truth and love of Christ. Companionship always increases our joy. Sharing what we enjoy with the people we love always seems to deepen our joy. My favorite show is pretty engaging all on my own, but somehow it's much more interesting when I watch it with my best friend. A tasty meal is pretty tasty by myself when I'm listening to YouTube. But in a strange way, it becomes one of the best meals I ever had when I'm listening to my Dad. Going for a walk on a beautiful fall day is pleasant, but the fall colors seem to be more vibrant when I walk with my Mom. We naturally like to invite our family and friends into what we love. “You have to see this and tell me what you think!” “You have to hear that and let me know how it is!” "You have to try this with me!" There are so many joys in life, but there is One Joy that is the greatest of them all. And that is the joy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the epitome of joy. He invented joy! The greatest joy in the world is to know Jesus Christ. The second greatest joy is to make Him known. - Steve Lawson. We were made for God. We were made to enjoy God. We were made to praise God for His creation and all the joys He gives us. We were made to center our lives around Him every single day, giving Him all the glory in everything we do, say, and think. So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our joy in Jesus will be the fullest when we share Him and tell others about the joy we have found in Him. Spending time with other Christians is enriching and invaluable. Friendships with other believers help us to enjoy Jesus even more and grow stronger in our own personal walks with Him. Let us never reverse this and use God as a means to enjoy people more. If we only go to Him to ask for relationships and things, it shows that we view God as the way to gain something other than Him. That's a backward way, and we will always come up empty if we go that route. What we should be doing is looking for more of Christ in other people. Interestingly enough, we will love and cherish our relationships more when they become the means of loving and cherishing Jesus. Lord, I pray that You help me find meaningful friendships and relationships with those who also center their lives around You. Help me find people in this world who understand their ultimate purpose in life and desire to fulfill that purpose. Lead me to those who's highest goal in life is to bring You glory in everything they do, and help me be encouraged through them to do the same. I pray that we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, reach greater heights of joy in You, and spend eternity together, glorifying and praising You. Lord, I praise You for loving me before the foundation of the world, setting me apart for Your purposes, and opening my eyes to see the glorious light of Jesus, full of grace and truth. Help me to be a light in this dark world. Help me to let the light of Jesus shine so that I can help others come to know You and be saved by Your grace. Lord, I know I can't convince anyone to believe in the Truth. It's not my job to save anyone, but it is my responsibility and the greatest privilege on earth to share the gospel message faithfully. I know that it's only by Your grace that people will see Jesus. As I share the gospel message and plant seeds of truth, Lord I ask that You bring the growth. Please have mercy on those who are lost and blind, and open their eyes to see the light of the gospel, like you did mine. I praise You for saving me from my sins and gifting me eternal life, by grace through faith in Jesus. Lord, it is Your will that people be saved, sanctified, saturated with Your Word, Spirit-filled, submissive, suffering for the sake of Jesus, and saying thanks always for what Jesus has accomplished for us in His life, death on the cross, and resurrection. Lord, I pray for Your will to be done. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen Love, Jenna God is most glorified in you when you are the most satisfied in Him. - John Piper We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things; and when we trade the treasure for other things, everything is disordered. The sun of God’s glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all attracting place at the center. - John Piper The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Provers 13:20 Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals. 1 Corinthians 15:33 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:13-17)