Empty. It's not a word we typically celebrate. An empty bank account brings anxiety. An empty gas tank means you're stranded. An empty house echoes with loneliness. In nearly every context of our lives, emptiness signals loss, absence, or something missing that should be there.

We spend our entire lives trying to fill these voids with possessions, relationships, achievements, or distractions. We numb ourselves to the ache of emptiness, pretending it doesn't exist or desperately searching for something, anything, to make us feel whole again.

But there is one emptiness that changes everything. One void that doesn't represent loss but victory. One absence that proves presence. One empty space that fills us completely.

The empty tomb.

When Empty Means Victory

On that first Easter morning, the women who approached Jesus' tomb weren't expecting life. They came with spices to preserve a body, prepared to maintain death. They expected to find exactly what they had left three days earlier: a sealed tomb containing their crucified Lord. Instead, they found emptiness.

The angel's words must have seemed impossible: "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said" (Matthew 28:6). The tomb that should have held a body was empty. Death, which had done its absolute worst on Friday (stopping Jesus' heart, stealing the breath from His lungs, sealing Him behind stone) could not hold Him.

Three days later, He rose.

This is why the Apostle Paul could later taunt death itself: "Oh death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55). Like a snake with its venom removed, death can still frighten us, still appear real and threatening, but it no longer has the final word. Graves are still dug. Tears are still shed. Loss is still experienced. But because of the resurrection, death is no longer final.

Victory, Not Escape

The Gospel of John adds a remarkable detail to the resurrection account. When the disciples arrived at the tomb, they found not only that Jesus' body was gone but that the grave clothes were carefully folded and set aside (John 20:6-7).

This wasn't a panicked escape. This wasn't Jesus barely dodging death's grasp at the last second. This was a deliberate, victorious exit. Jesus didn't simply escape death, He defeated it. He looked death square in the face and conquered it once and for all.

And when He walked out of that tomb, He left everything associated with death behind Him. The grave clothes remained empty because Jesus carried no trace of death with Him into resurrection life.

The question we must ask ourselves is this: When will we start living like Sunday's resurrection power instead of Friday's reality of death?

No Condemnation, No Fear

The implications of the empty tomb reach far beyond death itself. Romans 8:1 declares, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Not some condemnation. Not manageable condemnation. No condemnation.

Imagine standing in a courtroom, knowing you're about to be tried for every wrong action, every harmful word, every shameful thought. You see the file containing all the evidence against you, and you know (you absolutely know) how guilty you are.

But when the judge opens the file, it's completely empty. Case dismissed. Not because you're innocent, but because someone else has already paid the penalty.

This is the spiritual reality for those in Christ. Jesus stood trial, was found guilty of crimes He never committed, and paid the price we deserved. Now when we stand before the Judge, there is no evidence against us. The case is closed.

Yet how many of us continue rehearsing our stories, justifying our sins, carrying the weight of condemnation that Jesus has already removed? Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), and if Jesus has conquered death itself (the ultimate source of fear) what else could possibly hold power over us?

If fear still occupies space in your heart, it reveals a place where God's perfect love has yet to fully encounter you.

The Torn Curtain

Perhaps the most profound emptiness created by Jesus' death and resurrection is the removal of separation between humanity and God.

Matthew 27:51 records that at the moment of Jesus' death, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." For centuries, God's presence had been distant, separated from His people by a thick veil. Only one priest, once a year, after extensive purification, could enter that holy space and even then at great personal risk.

But when Jesus died, God Himself tore that curtain from top to bottom. The barrier was removed not by human effort but by divine action. The separation that had existed for thousands of years was emptied in a moment.

God doesn't merely want to be near us or around us. Through His Holy Spirit, He wants to dwell within us.

But here's where it gets personal: for God to fill us, we must first be emptied.

The Emptying That Leads to Fullness

We must be emptied of pride; the belief that we can make ourselves acceptable to God through our own efforts. We must be emptied of self-reliance; the illusion that we're capable of navigating life on our own. We must be emptied of control; perhaps the hardest surrender of all.

This is where resurrection power meets resurrection surrender. We want the blessings and benefits of the resurrection. We want the power, the victory, the abundant life Jesus promises. But we struggle with the surrender required to actually experience it.

On Friday, everything seemed empty in the worst possible way. Hope was empty. Peace was empty. The future looked dark and void of possibility.

But Sunday changed everything. The physical emptiness of the tomb now fills us with His presence. Death lost its power. Fear was stripped from condemnation. The distance between us and God was completely removed.

What Are You Still Carrying?

Jesus got up out of the grave and left death and its power behind Him. So why are we still carrying things He has already conquered?

It's time to stop shouldering burdens He has already lifted. It's time to stop filling what He is emptying in our lives. It's time to shed the grave clothes... those old identities, patterns, and sins that we cling to even though they lead only to death.

Because the tomb is empty (still empty thousands of years later) you don't have to live the same way you've always lived. You don't have to carry the same shame, the same fear, the same defeat. You don't have to shoulder the weight alone anymore.

The empty tomb proves that death doesn't have the final say. Victory does. Life does. Resurrection does.

And that changes absolutely everything.

The Call to Boldness in Uncertain Times

There's something stirring in the air. You can feel it; a shift happening in the culture around us, a tension building between what the world expects and what faith demands. It's not paranoia or fear-mongering to acknowledge that following Christ is becoming increasingly countercultural. The question isn't whether pressure will come, but rather: what will that pressure reveal about what's truly inside us?

The Power of Continued Boldness

Acts chapter 4 presents us with a fascinating continuation of a miracle story. Peter and John had just healed a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful... a man so well-known that he was practically part of the daily scenery for worshipers. When he suddenly stood up, walking and leaping and praising God, it created quite a stir.

But here's where the story gets interesting. The religious authorities, the Sadducees, the temple captain, people of significant power and influence, showed up demanding answers. These weren't casual bystanders. These were the same people who had orchestrated Jesus's crucifixion. The stakes couldn't have been higher.

And what did Peter do? He doubled down.

"Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, it is by him this man is standing before you well" (Acts 4:10).

Same message. Higher stakes. Zero compromise.

What Pressure Really Reveals

Here's a truth worth sitting with: Boldness is rarely cultivated in the moment of pressure, it's the result of time spent in His presence.

Think about a grape. The most valuable part isn't the plump exterior we admire. It's the juice inside, the potential for wine. But that precious liquid remains hidden until the grape is crushed. Similarly, consider the olive. The costly oil that brings healing and light only comes forth through pressing.

The most valuable thing inside every believer is the Holy Spirit. And it's through pressure (through crushing, through pressing) that what's truly inside us gets revealed to the outside world.

This means the time to prepare isn't when the crisis hits. The question we must ask ourselves today is: Am I spending time in God's presence now to become what I need to be under pressure tomorrow?

The sea may be calmer in your life today than it will be tomorrow. The challenges you're facing right now might be easier than what's coming. Are you using today  to draw near to Jesus, or are you waiting until the storm hits to wonder where He's been all along?

The Conviction That Won't Compromise

When the religious leaders commanded Peter and John to stop speaking in Jesus's name, their response was remarkable:

"Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than listen to God is for you to judge. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and what we have heard" (Acts 4:19-20).

This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment reaction. This was a conviction that had been settled in their hearts long before the day began. They had already decided... perhaps in quiet moments with Jesus, perhaps in prayer, perhaps in the upper room after the resurrection, that no earthly authority would silence their witness.

Where have we compromised? Where have we chosen comfort over obedience? Where have we pursued acceptance instead of faithfulness? Where have we edited the message to make it more palatable?

God isn't exposing these areas to shame us. He's refining us. Like a metalworker holding precious metal over the fire, He allows the impurities to rise to the surface so He can remove them. Every sin exposed is an opportunity for repentance, and every repentance is an opportunity to draw closer to Him.

The Prayer That Changes Everything

After being threatened and released, Peter and John returned to their fellow believers. Imagine the scene: "How can we pray for you? What do you need?"

Their answer? "Pray for more boldness."

More boldness. More of the very thing that had just gotten them arrested, detained, and threatened by the most powerful religious authorities in Jerusalem. They didn't ask for protection. They didn't ask for ease. They asked for effectiveness in the very mission that had brought persecution.

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with boldness" (Acts 4:29).

And God answered. The place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Notice something crucial here: these weren't new converts. These were people who had already been filled with the Spirit at Pentecost. They had walked with Jesus. They had experience and maturity. Yet they needed to be refreshed. They needed fresh power, fresh surrender, fresh filling.

The truth is, we all do. The oldest, most mature believer still stands in daily need of being refreshed by the Holy Spirit.

From Comfort to Courage

The disciples in the Gospels were often concerned with self-preservation, with comfort, with securing good positions in an earthly kingdom. But something changed. By the time we reach Acts, these same men had transformed from seekers of comfort to people who stood in courage, from desiring ease to pursuing effectiveness for the kingdom, from self-preservation to God's purpose.

What changed? They had been with Jesus. They had experienced His death, burial, and resurrection. They had received the Holy Spirit. And they had made a fundamental decision about what their lives were for.

We face the same choice. Where in your life are you pursuing comfort that needs to be replaced with courage? Where are you seeking ease when you need to be concerned with effectiveness? Where have you been preserving yourself when you should be living for God's purpose?

Practical Steps Forward

So how do we walk this out? How do we prepare today for tomorrow's pressures?

Stay close to Jesus. There's no substitute for proximity. Time in His presence is what prepares us for pressure.

Refuse to be silenced. Speak about Jesus. Show His love. Share His grace. Have the difficult conversations when necessary. Let people know who gets the credit for the good things in your life.

Pray for boldness. Not just once, but continually. Ask God to give you more opportunities to represent Him well, even if it costs you something.

Depend on the Holy Spirit. You can't manufacture courage or boldness in your own strength. It comes from surrender to and filling by God's Spirit.

A Final Thought

What if the situation you're facing today (the one you don't understand, the one that seems pointless or painful) is actually God preparing you for something tomorrow? What if today's test is meant to become tomorrow's testimony?

You won't face anything today that you and the Lord can't handle together. The pressure will come. The question is: what will it reveal about what's inside you?

The Power of Bold Faith

There's something electric about news too good to keep to yourself. The job promotion that changes everything. The medical report that brings tears of relief. The grandchild announcement that makes your heart leap. In those moments, silence becomes impossible. The joy demands expression, the relief requires words, the celebration needs to be shared.

This is precisely the energy we find pulsing through Acts chapter 2. A passage that challenges one of Christianity's most misattributed quotes: "Preach the gospel at all times, and use words when necessary." While often credited to St. Francis of Assisi (despite no historical evidence he ever said it), this statement has shaped how many believers approach evangelism. And while it's partially true, our lives absolutely should reflect the gospel, it's dangerously incomplete.

The truth is this: words are always necessary.

The Day Everything Changed

Picture the scene: Jerusalem, nine o'clock in the morning, a crowd gathering with confusion written across their faces. Something extraordinary has just happened; the Holy Spirit has descended on believers in a way never before experienced. Tongues of fire, languages spoken that weren't learned, a supernatural demonstration of God's power that left observers either amazed or skeptical.

Some in the crowd rationalized what they witnessed: "They must be drunk."

Then Peter stood up.

This is the same Peter who, less than two months earlier, had denied knowing Jesus three times. In a dark, private place, when questioned by a servant with relatively little at stake, Peter's courage evaporated. Fear controlled him. Self-preservation dominated his choices. When pressure mounted, what came out of Peter was denial, defensiveness, and even cursing... not profanity, but literally calling down curses on himself if he was lying about not knowing Jesus.

But now? Now Peter stands in the most public place imaginable, in broad daylight, before a massive crowd, and boldly proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What changed?

The Source of True Boldness

Peter didn't attend a public speaking course. He didn't work on his confidence or develop better coping mechanisms for pressure situations. The transformation wasn't behavioral modification or personal development.

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.

This reveals a fundamental truth about boldness in the kingdom of God: boldness begins with the Holy Spirit. It's not something we manufacture within ourselves. It's not about changing our personality or becoming someone we're not. True spiritual boldness comes from being filled with the power of God's Spirit.

Think of it this way: whatever fills you will eventually come out of you. When Peter was filled with fear and self-preservation, that's what emerged under pressure. When Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, that's what poured out: courage, clarity, and conviction.

Consider the refining process for precious metals like gold. When gold is heated over fire, it liquefies, and the impurities rise to the surface as dross. The refiner carefully removes this dross, purifying the gold. Similarly, pressure situations in our lives reveal what truly fills us. When we stumble, when we fail, when sin surfaces... these aren't just moments of shame. They're opportunities for God to reveal areas in our lives that need His refining work.

Rooted in Scripture, Not Opinion

Peter's boldness wasn't reckless or unfounded. Throughout his message recorded in Acts 2:14-41, he anchored every point in Scripture. He quoted the prophet Joel to explain what was happening. He referenced King David (not once, but twice) to demonstrate that Jesus' resurrection was prophesied long ago.

This teaches us that boldness must be rooted in God's Word. The Holy Spirit will never lead us to say something that contradicts Scripture. Our courage to speak must be grounded in truth, not personal opinion or emotional impulse.

Peter's message was remarkably simple and direct: Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus was resurrected. And Jesus is coming back.

How often has this simple, powerful message been compromised? How frequently have we used caution where God calls for courage? In our desire to be relevant, relatable, or non-offensive, have we traded the power of the Holy Spirit for the polish of performance?

The Confrontation of Love

Peter's boldness included confrontation. He looked at the crowd and said plainly: "This Jesus, whom you crucified."

That's not soft. That's not vague. That's direct confrontation of sin.

But notice... it wasn't cruel. It was for their benefit. It was to lead them to Christ. Peter urged them with genuine concern for their souls. The urgency in his voice wasn't manufactured drama; it was authentic desperation for people to be saved.

The word "urge" appears throughout the New Testament letters; apostles urging believers to surrender, to live faithfully, to give their hearts fully to the Lord. This raises an uncomfortable question: How much urgency are we living with for those who are lost around us?

Do we look at our hurting communities and broken world with urgency, or with apathy? Do we see the pain and suffering in our neighborhoods and feel compelled to share hope, or do we shrug and say, "Well, the Bible said this would happen," and do nothing?

Hearts Pierced, Lives Changed

Scripture records that Peter's words "pierced their hearts." The crowd's response was immediate and desperate: "What should we do?"

This is the response we should have every time God's truth pierces us. Not defensiveness. Not deflection. Not projecting onto others. Simply: "What should I do?"

Peter's answer was beautifully simple: "Repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."

Believe. Repent. Be baptized.

That's still the message today. No additions necessary. No complicated formulas. No extensive programs required before someone can come to Christ.

The result? Three thousand people were saved that day.

Do We Still Believe?

Here's the penetrating question we must ask ourselves: Do we still believe that the simple proclamation of the gospel is enough? Do we believe His Word is sufficient? Do we believe He is enough?

Or have we replaced the message with methods? Have we convinced ourselves that we need better strategies, more appealing presentations, more culturally relevant packaging before people will respond to Jesus?

When we focus on methods over message, we shift responsibility away from ourselves. We blame lack of results on not having the right programs or the church not doing certain things. But the gospel itself, the simple, powerful truth of Jesus, is what transforms lives.

The Call to Each of Us

You don't have to be a preacher to proclaim the gospel. You don't need a seminary degree or a stage to share the message of Jesus. Every believer carries this responsibility and privilege.

But to share it effectively, we must know God's Word. We must spend time reading Scripture, learning it, so we can live it authentically.

And finally, we must stop fearing the moment and start trusting the message. One of the primary reasons we don't share the gospel with people close to us is fear of rejection. We're afraid they'll think less of us, distance themselves from us, or ridicule us.

But perfect love casts out fear. Trust the Savior. Trust the message. Trust that He will do what He has promised.

The world is desperate for good news. People are searching for hope, meaning, and truth. And we have it; not because we're special, but because we've encountered the One who is.

So let's stop playing games with fear and doubt. Let's be filled with the Holy Spirit, grounded in Scripture, and bold in our witness.

Because words are always necessary when sharing the greatest news the world has ever heard.

-Pastor Ben

Scripture: Acts 28:30–31

“He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ… without hindrance.”

The Book of Acts ends without an ending. No resolution. No final chapter. No neat bow.
Why? Because Acts isn’t the story of a few apostles, it’s the story of what Jesus continues to do through His people by the Spirit. The gospel keeps moving. The mission keeps unfolding.

Which means Acts doesn’t just belong to the first century. It belongs to the church right now. The same Spirit is present. The same Jesus is alive. The same call still stands. As we prepare to step into this study, we’re not just reading Scripture... we’re locating ourselves inside it.

Prayer:
God, open our eyes to see that we are part of Your unfolding story. Give us courage to step into our calling as witnesses. Use us in ways that bring You glory. Amen.

Scripture: Acts 4:20

“For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Peter and John weren’t trying to be bold. They were trying to be faithful. Boldness in Acts isn’t personality, it’s conviction. These were ordinary men who had seen an empty tomb and encountered a living Savior. Silence was no longer an option.

Witness isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being honest about what Jesus has done. The early church didn’t argue people into the Kingdom. They testified to a reality they could no longer deny.

As we enter this series, the question isn’t whether we’re outspoken... it’s whether we’re convinced. Have we so encountered Christ that silence feels impossible?

Prayer:
Jesus, remind us again of what we have seen and heard. Renew our awe. Rekindle our joy. Let our lives quietly, and courageously, point to You. Amen.

Scripture: Acts 1:4–5

“He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise…”

The disciples had every reason to rush forward. Jesus was risen. Hope was alive. The mission was clear. And yet, Jesus tells them to wait.

Not because the mission wasn’t urgent, but because power mattered more than speed.
Waiting is rarely passive in Scripture. It’s formative. It exposes what we trust. It teaches us the difference between activity and obedience. Before the church moved outward, it had to be filled upward.

As we prepare to journey through the Book of Acts, this is our starting posture... not hurry, not hype, but dependence. The early church didn’t succeed because they were impressive. They moved because the Spirit came.

Prayer:
Lord, teach us to wait on You. Strip away our self-reliance and form in us a deep dependence on Your Spirit. Prepare our hearts for what You want to do in us and through us. Amen.

Devotion for January 25th, 2026
There is an old saying in Eastern Kentucky that goes “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 15 minutes”. Just last month, we had a day so warm that we played outside in t-shirts and the following day the temperature dipped below freezing. I think the same thing could be said for this current winter storm we are in. It was originally supposed to be Friday (or not at all) then moved to an expected start time on Saturday at noon, then 2pm, then 5pm, then 7pm. We were supposed to get anywhere between 5-12 inches and it could be snow or freezing rain (turns out that it was both). The uncertainty is maddening. Now we are in the position of trying to figure out when it will stop, when the roads will be cleared and wondering if the power will go out or a pipe will bust. Pastor Ben and Kim, flying back to the area after a well-deserved vacation, are probably sitting in a hotel room wondering when they can get home. For my part, I just feel like we are living in an uncertain world right now. There is civil unrest around the country, and we feel more divided than we ever have. Civil discussion and disagreement have been replaced with insults and violence. There are wars on the world stage, the stock market is a roller coaster at times, and culturally it seems like everyone is on a different page. I’m sure some of our older folks might say its always been like this, or maybe it was even worse some time before, but from where I’m sitting, things just feel very, very shaky.

All this uncertainty leads to anxiety and fear. At times like this, when we feel doubt or stress, we need to take a moment and find steady footing. We need to find truth and hold on to it to keep our bearings. That truth, of course, is in the Bible. Psalm 119.89 reminds us that “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” The eternal truth of Scripture is just an extension of a God that is constant. Psalms also reminds us that God will always remain the same and He will never end (102.27). In uncertain times we should seek a certain God because He is the only thing that can make sense of the madness and bring order to chaos. It is so comforting to read verses like Malachi 3.6, where God tells His people “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” Theologians describe this as God’s immutability. It means He does not change and cannot be changed.

But what does God’s immutability mean for us? Serving a God who is constant means we can find comfort in His person and His promises. James 1.17 reminds us that every good and perfect thing comes to us from a God that does not change. In fact, one of the most beautiful and comforting verses in the Bible, Romans 8.28, takes this a step further and says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” While we may not be able to see the future, we can be certain that ultimately things will work out for our good. God has promised it and He never changes. His immutability means He cannot lie and will always be true to His word. This is very clear in Numbers 23.19 where it tells us that if God says it, He will always do it.

When we teach our kids about this, we often use Matthew 14.22-33:
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,  and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.  Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
When Peter sees the winds, when he feels uncertain, he starts to sink and cries out for Jesus. And Jesus reaches out and saves him. Peter was saved from sinking and that same salvation from whatever storms life may throw at us is available today…we just have to reach out for Jesus, because as Hebrews reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (13.8)

FCC Grayson’s motto is “Hope Starts Here”. If you are like me, you’ve noticed that several other places have started using it as well. It speaks to people who are looking for hope and to a society seeking certainty in uncertain times. But really, all we are saying is that we try to be a church that points people to Jesus and helps them (and ourselves) get closer to God. When things around us are so fickle, there is a tremendous comfort in knowing we serve an unchanging God and that salvation is always available if we call out to Jesus.
We hope everyone is staying safe and warm. We will continue to keep you updated throughout this winter storm. If you need pray about something, have an immediate need, or just need someone to talk to, please let us know.

• FCC Grayson

There's a penetrating question that cuts through all our carefully crafted answers about faith, all our theological knowledge, and all our religious activities: What has your heart?
It's not asking what you say you believe. It's not inquiring about your church attendance record or your moral positions. It's asking something far more revealing—where is your heart actually anchored?

Here's a simple diagnostic test: Look at three things. Your checkbook. Your calendar. Your conversations. These three reveal with startling clarity what truly captures your heart. Where you spend your resources, how you allocate your time, and what dominates your words—these are the windows into your soul's true priorities.

Created for the Eternal
In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus doesn't offer sage advice or ancient wisdom. He issues a command: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."
This isn't a suggestion. It's a directive about the fundamental orientation of our lives.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: you were never created to be sustained by temporal things. The problem with earthly treasures isn't that they're necessarily evil—it's that they're insufficient. They can never fill what they were never designed to fill.

We experience this cycle constantly. Something of this world fills us, and it feels good—until it doesn't. Then discouragement sets in. That thing that satisfied you moments ago now leaves a hollow void. Defeat follows, then shame creeps in as we wonder why we thought this time would be different. To mask the shame, we reach for another temporary fix, and the cycle begins again.

Sound familiar?
Jesus spoke of moths, rust, and thieves—images that resonated powerfully in the first century. Moths represented slow decay, an infestation that gradually destroyed everything. Rust symbolized inevitable deterioration. Thieves brought sudden loss.

Today, we might not worry much about moths or rust. We have moth balls and insurance policies. But what about the careers that slowly eat away at our families? The compromises that rust our relationship with God? The sudden losses that reveal where we've placed our security?

The question isn't whether these earthly concerns matter—they do. The question is whether we were created for more than just managing them.

Where Your Eye Focuses
Jesus shifts metaphors but not messages when He says, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness."

In Jewish culture, the "eye" represented what you focused on, what you prioritized, what you made paramount in your life. Jesus simplifies it brilliantly: a good eye is good; a bad eye is bad.

A good eye means being God-centered, flowing in generosity, and—despite all our failures—wanting to see God glorified above all else. A bad eye means being self-centered, greedy, and seeking our own glory.

What you focus on shapes you. Your eye determines what you value, what you pursue, where your energy flows, and where your affections settle. Are you looking toward the light—toward things that are God-centered and generous? Or are you trapped in the fleshly pattern of self-focus?

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." This is intentional work. You don't accidentally stumble into generosity. You don't unintentionally step into kingdom service. Our natural inclination pulls us in the opposite direction, and we must actively fight against it.

The Master Question
"No one can serve two masters," Jesus declares. "Either they will hate the one and love the other, or they will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

While Jesus names money specifically, He's addressing something deeper: idols. Money is certainly one, but so are comfort, security, approval, peace, and control. These aren't necessarily evil things, but they make terrible masters.

God refuses to be a consultant in your life. He won't take second place. He won't share the throne. There shouldn't even be a close second to Him.

The heart of this message isn't about guilt—it's about clarity. Jesus is adjusting the lens through which we see our lives, helping us focus on what truly matters. He's asking: One or two? Which is clearer? As we set our hearts on Jesus, He becomes more clearly evident in our lives. And the more clearly we see Him, the more we value Him above all else.

A Better Treasure
Here's the good news, though don't mistake it for soft news: Jesus never asks you to release what's killing you without offering what will finally make you alive.

Second Corinthians 8:9 reminds us: "Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich." The Son of God didn't cling to glory or protect His status. He emptied Himself and paid in full—not so you could add Him to an already crowded heart, but so He could take the throne of your heart.

The question isn't, "Do you have money?" or "Do you enjoy comfort?" The question is: What do you panic over losing? What do you protect at all costs? What do you obey without argument?

Whatever you fear losing most already owns you. Jesus isn't threatened by your idols, but He will not share His rule with them. He stands before you—not begging, not bargaining, not condemning—but inviting you into a freedom that only comes when lesser treasures are laid down.

A treasure that cannot be stolen. A security that cannot collapse. A joy that does not expire. This is found in Him, and He alone is worthy of your heart's devotion.
So what has your heart today?

The Christmas season has a peculiar way of magnifying everything in our lives. The joy feels deeper, the laughter rings louder, and the warmth of tradition wraps around us like a favorite blanket. Yet for many, this same season intensifies something else entirely: the ache of loss, the weight of loneliness, the sharp edge of grief that cuts deeper when the world insists on being merry and bright.

What do we do with this reality? How do we reconcile the promise of peace on earth with the chaos in our hearts?

The Promise in the Midst of Pain

One of the most beautiful aspects of Scripture is its unflinching honesty about human suffering. The Bible never pretends that pain doesn't exist or tries to whitewash our darkest moments. Instead, it reveals a God who does something far more profound, He steps directly into the midst of our pain.

This pattern weaves throughout the entire biblical narrative. In Genesis 3, immediately after humanity's catastrophic fall into sin, God promises a Deliverer. In Genesis 12, He speaks blessing to Abraham during one of the most uncertain moments imaginable. In 2 Samuel 7, God promises David an eternal throne just as the nation of Israel is about to enter a tumultuous period of unstable leadership.

The pattern is clear: God does not wait for the darkness to end before He begins speaking hope.

Emmanuel: God With Us

The prophet Isaiah spoke into a time of profound darkness for God's people: political instability, cultural collapse, persecution, and abandonment. Into this bleak landscape, God spoke a promise: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel. God with us.

Not God above us. Not God at a distance. Not God waiting for conditions to improve before drawing near. God with us, in the mess, in the pain, in the unanswered questions.
This is the heart of Christmas. It has never been about God standing aloof from our struggles. Christmas is about God coming into what we're dealing with, no matter how dark it may be.

Think about sitting in a hospital waiting room, desperate for answers about a loved one's mysterious illness. Then the doctor appears and says, "We know what's going on, and we have a plan." The situation hasn't changed yet. The illness remains. But everything shifts because there's hope, because someone knows what's happening and has a path forward.
This is what God was telling His people through Isaiah. In their ultimate darkness, He declared: I have a plan. Hope is coming. Don't be defeated. Don't become discouraged. I know what's happening.

The Vulnerable Arrival

Isaiah 9:6 announces, "For to us a child is born." After thousands of years of waiting for the Messiah, the Savior arrives—not as an army, not as a political policy, not with fanfare and power, but as a child.

The manger was not a sign of strength. The stable was not a place of comfort. God entered human history in the most vulnerable way possible, as an infant dependent on earthly parents, at risk, subject to all the frailties of human existence.

Why? Because He wanted to experience what we experience. He chose to navigate life as we do, to feel the emotions we feel, to understand loss and grief and sorrow from the inside.

The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus knows what we go through because He has gone through it Himself. He doesn't offer sympathy from a distance; He offers empathy born of shared experience.

When someone you love is hurting, you don't stand back and say, "Let me know when you feel better." You draw close. You may not be able to fix the problem or take away the pain, but you can be present. You can love them, support them, show compassion. And that presence makes all the difference.

Our God does the same. He comes to where we are.

The Unlikely Plan

Micah 5:2 prophesies: "But you, O Bethlehem, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel."

Bethlehem... a town so insignificant it barely registered on the map. Of all places, God chose there to enter human history. A helpless child in an obscure village: this was the divine plan?

Sometimes God's methods look like chaos to us. Like driving through a construction zone where workers seem to be moving entire hills instead of simply fixing potholes. We shake our heads, convinced there's no plan, no logic to the madness.

But to the engineers and foremen, it's not chaos at all. Every step moves toward a specific goal. They knew what they were doing before the first shovel broke ground.

Similarly, an author may lose us in the opening chapters of a novel. Characters don't connect. Plot lines seem random. But if we keep reading, we discover the author knew exactly where the story was going all along.

The Decision Before Us

We have the advantage of knowing how the story ends. We know that the baby in Bethlehem became the man on the cross. We know about the resurrection, the ascension, the promise of return. The construction project is complete. We're driving on the finished highway of grace and mercy.

Yet some of us remain convinced we're lost along the way. We allow the potholes of life, the slowdowns, the fender benders, the unexpected detours, to derail us and pull us away from Christ.

The enemy wants to use our pain, suffering, darkness, loneliness, and grief not just to burden us, but to separate us from the One who entered into all of it for us.
As we stand on the edge of a new year, we face a choice. Some step forward with gratitude, others with grief. Some with hope, others with exhaustion. Some are just trying to survive whatever comes next.

But the same truth meets all of us: God's promise has not failed. His steadfast love never ceases. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

The promise doesn't deny our pain or minimize our disappointment. It doesn't rush past our grief. But it does call us forward, because Christmas didn't arrive to make life easy, it arrived to make hope possible.

Isaiah 9:2 reminds us: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." Not people who escaped darkness, but people who walked in it. And that light still shines today.
Moving Forward in Faith

God does not wait for ideal conditions. He works in surrendered hearts. The promise was spoken in Eden after the fall. The blessing was given to Abraham before its fulfillment. The Savior was born into poverty, danger, and pain.

Some of us need to release control as we enter this new year. Some need to embrace forgiveness. Some need to step into delayed obedience. Some need to pursue healing, however scary that might be.

Because the promise still stands: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).
Immanuel didn't leave after Christmas. He walks with us into January, into uncertainty, into unanswered questions. We don't need to see the whole road, just take the next faithful step.

The light has come. The promise remains. And the invitation still stands for all who will accept it.

There's something deeply human about building walls. We create boundaries between ourselves and others—lines drawn in the sand based on politics, economics, beliefs, or simply differences in how we live. We defend these divisions as if our lives depend on them. But what if the story of God has always been about tearing down these very walls we work so hard to construct?

A Promise That Spans Generations

The Christmas story doesn't begin in Bethlehem. It doesn't start with shepherds or wise men or even with Mary and Joseph. To understand the full weight of what God was doing when Jesus entered the world, we need to travel back thousands of years to a conversation between God and a man named Abram.

Genesis 12:1-3 records a pivotal moment in human history: "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and those who dishonor you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"

This wasn't just a promise to one man. It was the continuation of God's rescue mission for the entire world—a mission that began in Genesis 3:15 when God first promised a Savior after humanity's fall into sin.

Trust Without a Map

Notice what God didn't give Abram: GPS coordinates, a detailed map, a five-year plan, or even a clear destination. Just one word: "Go."

This is where faith gets uncomfortable. We want God's blessing, but we want it delivered to our comfort zone with clear instructions and guaranteed outcomes. We want to know exactly where we're going before we take the first step. But biblical faith isn't about having all the answers—it's about obedience even when nothing makes sense.

Abram was asked to leave everything: his country, his family, his culture, his security, his very identity. He was called out of comfort and into a blessing that would echo through eternity. The question we must ask ourselves is simple but piercing: What is God asking us to step out of today?

Maybe it's a habit that feels safe but keeps us spiritually stagnant. Perhaps it's a relationship that needs to change or a pattern of living that contradicts God's calling. It could be a comfort zone we've nestled into so deeply that we've stopped growing altogether. True blessing often requires us to get up from our comfortable recliners and walk into the unknown, trusting that God knows where He's leading even when we don't.

The Blessing That Flows Through Us

Here's where the promise gets revolutionary: "I will bless you... so that you will be a blessing."

Most of us would be content if the verse stopped at "I will bless you." We'd take that blessing, brand it with "hashtag blessed," and call it a day. But God's economy works differently. The blessing was never meant to terminate with Abraham—it was meant to travel through him to impact nations.

This is the heart of God exploding onto the page. God didn't bless Abraham so he could accumulate wealth, achieve comfort, or build a personal empire. He blessed Abraham so Abraham could serve, so the nations could be reached, so the world could be transformed.
We're never meant to have reservoir spirituality—we're meant to be rivers. Consider the Dead Sea: water flows in but never flows out, and the result is stagnation and death. When we hoard God's blessings instead of allowing them to flow through us to others, we become spiritually stagnant.

What blessings has God given you that He intended to flow through you to impact others? Have you been holding onto them so tightly that they've lost their vitality?

The Blessing Has a Name

So what exactly is this blessing? Galatians 3:16 gives us the answer with stunning clarity: "Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say 'and to offsprings,' referring to many, but referring to one, 'and to your offspring,' who is Christ."
The blessing is a person. The blessing's name is Jesus.

This promise wasn't exclusive in terms of who it would impact—it was always meant for every nation, every tribe, every tongue. But it was exclusive in terms of who the blessing is: Jesus Christ, the one who would come to set humanity free, to redeem us, to pay the penalty we could never pay ourselves.

Jesus isn't a side character in this story; He's the main character. He's not an addition to make our lives a little better—He's the one who turned the world upside down. From the very beginning, God's plan was global, reaching to the ends of the earth, breaking through every boundary we could imagine.

Destroying the Dividing Lines

If we truly walk in this blessing, if we genuinely reflect the heart of God, then every dividing line we create must crumble. Every boundary we establish to keep people out must fall. Every wall we build must be destroyed.

This blessing should destroy racism, superiority complexes, pride, and apathy. It should create urgency in our hearts to share the gospel with coworkers, family, friends, and strangers. It should make us look at the world the way God looks at it—not as separate groups to be judged or avoided, but as beloved people for whom Christ died.

Revelation gives us a glimpse of heaven: every nation, every tribe, every tongue worshiping God together. No boundaries. No walls. No reservations. Just unified worship of the one true God.

Heaven is going to look far different than what we sometimes think it should. And if we're honest, that challenges us. It pushes against our comfort zones and our carefully constructed categories.

The Questions We Must Ask

As we reflect on this ancient promise that still pulses with life today, two questions demand our attention: Where am I resisting obedience when I should be embracing it? Where am I choosing my comfort over God's calling?

The promise to Abraham required trust, was never meant to be private, and still matters profoundly today. It points us forward to Jesus, the blessing who came to restore our hearts to the Father and to break down every wall that separates us from God and from each other.

This Christmas season, may we remember that the child in the manger is the fulfillment of a promise made to a wandering man thousands of years ago—a promise that was always meant to reach you, me, and every person on earth.

December brings shorter days and longer nights. The sun sets before we finish our afternoon tasks, and darkness becomes our constant companion during these winter months. Yet this natural rhythm mirrors something deeper, the spiritual darkness we all encounter at various points in our lives.

Perhaps you've followed an ambulance to the emergency room, heart pounding with fear. Maybe you've received that phone call where somehow you just knew before answering that everything was about to change. Or you've stood beside a grave, wondering if joy could ever truly return. These moments of darkness are real, and they're part of the human experience.

The Bible doesn't shy away from this reality. Scripture doesn't photoshop humanity's brokenness or pretend darkness doesn't exist. Instead, it meets us in the midst of our struggles with something unexpected: a promise.

When Paradise Fell

Genesis chapter 3 contains one of the darkest moments in all of Scripture. It's not a Christmas card scene. There's nothing sentimental about it. This chapter records the fall of humanity; the utter collapse into sin that fractured perfection itself.

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they weren't acting out of hunger or desperation. Paradise surrounded them. Food was plentiful. They ate because they wanted autonomy, control, and the freedom to write their own story. They wanted to be like God.

Not much has changed, has it? We don't sin because we're bored or out of options. We sin because we want authority over things that aren't ours to control. We want to determine our own path and make our own rules.

Sin never heals. It always fractures. It always divides.

In that garden moment, three devastating forces entered human experience for the first time: shame, fear, and blame. Adam and Eve hid from each other and from God. When confronted, they pointed fingers. These three forces still wreak havoc in our lives today.

The Father's Question

In the midst of this collapse, God came searching. His first words weren't spoken as an angry judge ready to condemn. He didn't arrive to smite them where they stood. Instead, He asked a question from the heart of a pursuing Father: "Where are you?"

And then came the promise—Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

This is what theologians call the "proto-evangelium"—the original gospel, the first proclamation of good news. This is the very first Christmas message ever spoken, and God Himself delivered it.

In the only darkness Eden had ever known, God responded with the flickering hope of light.

FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE PROMISE

The Promise Starts With God

Notice those first two words: "I will." Not "you will" or "you need to fix this" or "try harder." In the moment when darkness first entered, when sin shattered everything, God responded by saying that what they broke and could not fix, He would repair.

The thing that was impossible for them and all their descendants: God would take care of it. The gospel has never been about what we could do to qualify ourselves. It's always been about what God would do.

A Coming Conflict

The promise reveals a war using violent language in describing a spiritual battle between kingdoms. The kingdom of darkness versus the kingdom of light. The kingdom of despair versus the kingdom of hope.

The enemy understood what was at stake in Genesis 3:15. He recognized this promise was about a coming Savior, and he set schemes in motion that echo still today to keep people from walking with Christ. But no scheme in hell can thwart the plan of God.

A Specific Son

The language of "her offspring" is intentional and unusual. Throughout Scripture, lineages are typically traced through the father's line. Here, at the very beginning, we see a lineage through a mother, pointing forward to a virgin birth, a miraculous conception, the Son of God arriving on the scene.

This promise in Genesis 3:15 grew into the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 and blossomed into Matthew 1:23: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel."

Right there in Genesis, God entered the GPS coordinates for Bethlehem. He wasn't scrambling through the Old Testament wondering what to do next. From the beginning, He declared He was sending a Savior born through miraculous conception to rescue a broken world.

Victory Guaranteed

"He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." This is violent language—a heel wound versus a head wound. A heel wound is painful but temporary. A head wound is fatal.

When Jesus died on the cross, hell likely rejoiced, thinking they had eliminated the problem. But Calvary turned out to be a wound to His heel. Three days later, it became a head-crushing victory. We may still fight daily battles, but the victory has already been won.

Living in the Promise

So what does this ancient promise mean for us today?

God Speaks Promises Into Dark Places

Adam and Eve had no plan in their darkness. All they knew was to cover up and hide. But God showed up and spoke a promise. He does the same today. Whatever darkness you're facing: a fragile marriage, an unexpected diagnosis, overwhelming circumstances, the promises of God are not intimidated by your darkness.

God's Promises May Be Slow, But They're Certain

Thousands of years passed between Genesis 3:15 and the manger in Bethlehem. But God's promise never wavered. Your waiting is never wasted in God's kingdom. The delay isn't meant to lead you into discouragement. God's timeline may not make sense to us, but every syllable of His promises is faithful.

Hope Is Not a Feeling... Hope Is a Person

Hope isn't about emotional optimism or positive thinking. Our hope doesn't rest in bank accounts, relationships, careers, or possessions. Hope is a person, and His name is Jesus Christ.

The hope that speaks into your darkness died on a cross over two thousand years ago, was buried in a borrowed tomb, defeated death, and rose on the third day. He ascended to the Father's right hand where He is alive, and He will return. That is the hope that lasts through any darkness.

The Whisper That Became a Roar

Genesis 3:15 is the faint whisper of hope in a garden of despair. Over time, that whisper became a melody. Prophecies building upon each other. It became a chorus sung by angels over shepherds' fields: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."

The whisper became a cry in a manger. The cry became a shout from the cross. And the shout became a roar from an empty tomb.

This is the first whisper of Christmas, and it still echoes today. The promise still shines. It still saves souls. This promise cuts through the darkness every Christmas and every day.

We've made Christmas sentimental. A time for warm memories and looking back. But Christmas is the original war cry in a battle that Christ came to win. The original Christmas message in Genesis 3:15 still reverberates today, offering light to anyone walking through darkness.

In your darkest moment, remember: the promise has already been made, and the victory has already been won.

Day #3.
It is OK to get away!

“I think I’ll be Ok. I can make it through this holiday event, dinner with family, office party! If I have people to surround me. I can do this.” And do this you should. Surrounding ourselves with those others is a wonderful step toward healthy healing. But it’s not always that easy.

When you venture out during the Holidays, you may believe you’ll be fine. But then it hits us. I’m not OK. That memory. That unexpected feeling of being overwhelmed. “Where did that come from?” Triggers are real and we don’t often know when they will hit us! In the middle of a joyful event, “I know I need to be here, but I’m struggling right now”. Healing and hurt CAN BE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

Allowing yourself to be vulnerable is part of the healing process. You may not know how you will react unless you try! And we must try in order to heal. So….go! Give yourself permission to try, but also give yourself permission to step away if you feel overwhelmed.

Day #4:
Don’t Be Afraid To Say No

Don’t let the guilt of saying no steal the joy of the season. It’s ok to turn down an invitation to a holiday dinner or party, but don’t be so quick. Don’t let “no thank you”, be your avoidance tactic to lead you down the road to isolation. Don’t rule out the possibilities that being around those who love you the most is part of the healing process. They are there to love you through your grief. Don’t choose isolation as your first option! Maybe consider bringing those who love you to YOUR dinner, or YOUR home where you feel safe and secure!

Grief is real, but so is healing. It takes time and God wants the best for you. Let the healing begin through these Holidays. Let those who love you most…be there with you. Let the Lord who loves you most, not just be your Jesus in the manger, but the healer of your heart.

The Beautiful Freedom of Biblical Holiness

When you hear the word "holiness," what's your first reaction? For many of us, it's not excitement or joy. Instead, we feel a weight settling on our shoulders. A pressure to measure up, a list of rules we'll never perfectly follow, or memories of times we've tried and failed.

But what if everything we've believed about holiness has been unnecessarily complicated? What if holiness isn't the burden we've made it out to be?

The Mirror of Our Lives

Imagine your life as a full-length mirror standing before you. This mirror, in its original state, perfectly reflects the image God created you to be. But here's the problem: sin entered the picture. And sin doesn't crack the mirror in one clean line from corner to corner. It shatters it. Multiple fractures spread across the surface, distorting the reflection, making it nearly impossible to see the original image clearly.

This is where many of us live; staring at a shattered mirror, discouraged by all the cracks, overwhelmed by the impossibility of fixing it ourselves.

The good news? God never looks at your broken mirror and says, "Sorry, there's nothing I can do about it." Unlike an irreplaceable antique that can't be restored, God specializes in taking our shattered reflections and repairing them, piece by piece, through His victory over sin and death.

Grace: The Foundation of Everything

In 1 Peter 1:13, before saying anything about being holy, Peter tells us to "set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." This order matters tremendously.

Biblical holiness doesn't begin with our effort. It begins with God's grace.

Holiness isn't about how high we can climb to reach God. It's about allowing His Spirit to transform us from the inside out, manifesting outwardly the work He's already begun within us.

When our holiness is founded on performance, it always leads to discouragement, exhaustion, and doubt. Why? Because our performance will always fall short. Think about the best person you know—the most moral, upright, kind individual in your life. Even their best performance falls woefully short of God's standard of holiness.

God knew this. That's precisely why we needed Jesus. Our performance was always going to be insufficient.

But when holiness is founded on grace, it leads to joy and freedom. This is the paradigm shift we desperately need.

Letting Go of Who You Were

Peter writes, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14). Biblical holiness calls us to step away from who we used to be, the version of ourselves that was in bondage, and step into the new creation we are in Christ.

This involves an exchange. We must let go of old things to embrace new things. And here's what makes this challenging: it's not dependent on us, yet it is expected of us.

The Christian life isn't about taking your old life, polishing it up, and moving forward. It's about becoming an entirely new creation.

God calls us to lay down old habits, wounds, heartbreaks, hurts, and coping mechanisms. He even calls us to lay down old versions of ourselves. But, and this is crucial, as we lay these things down, we must simultaneously pick up new things: His love, His grace, His truth, and the knowledge of who He is.

The problem many of us face is that we lay the old things down but don't take time to pick up the new things. And when we don't fill that space with something new, we inevitably return to the old ways.

Consider King Saul, who was anointed king of Israel but the very next morning returned to his father's fields to tend livestock. Why? He hadn't picked up what it meant to be a king, so he defaulted back to what he'd always known.

Or think of Peter after Jesus's crucifixion, before the resurrection. Unsure what to do, he went back to fishing. Returning to his old life because he hadn't yet grasped the new thing God was doing.

We do the same thing. When we don't embrace the new creation and learn to relate to God in a transformed way, we default back to who we were. And there's no polished-up version of our old self that's good enough.

Resemblance, Not Restrictions

"You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). At first glance, this command seems impossible. Be holy as God is holy? That's an unreachable standard!

But here's the beautiful truth: holiness isn't about restrictions. It's about resemblance.

God isn't asking you to do the impossible. He's inviting you into intimacy with Him. He's not demanding that you qualify yourself through perfect behavior. He's simply saying, "Come to Me."

Think about a grandson who spends all his time with his grandfather. Without any explicit instruction, the boy starts wearing similar clothes, walking the same way, using the same gestures. He's not following a rulebook; he's mimicking the person he spends the most time with. That's resemblance.

We'll never be exactly like God, and that's okay. But the more time we spend with Him, the more we naturally pick up His mannerisms, His character, His heart.

Performance and restrictions tell us that being like God is impossible. But intimacy invites us to simply be with Him; to walk with Him, talk with Him, and enjoy Him.

The Transformation That Happens in Proximity

There's power in proximity. Spend enough time with someone, and their influence becomes part of you, sometimes in ways you don't even realize until years later.

How much more can we be influenced by our Heavenly Father if we simply spend more time with Him?

Biblical holiness isn't God saying, "Try harder." It's God saying, "Come closer."

Holiness isn't about becoming someone else. It's about becoming true to the self that God created, redeemed, and is restoring.

Practical Steps Toward Simple Holiness

So how do we live this out practically?

First, identify an area of surrender in your life: an old habit, hurt, or version of yourself that you're still clinging to. Bring it before God and ask Him to help you release it.

Second, practice moments of holiness. This doesn't have to be complicated:

- Listen to the audio Bible during your morning routine instead of music or podcasts
- Take two minutes with your family before the day starts to share what you're thankful for
- Write Scripture or God's promises on sticky notes and place them where you'll see them throughout the day
- Spend a few moments in your car meditating on God's goodness before walking into work

These simple practices create space for God to work. As you take these small steps, you'll notice the old things beginning to fade while you embrace what you now know: His truth, His love, and His grace.

This is what transforms us into the image and likeness of Jesus. This is biblical holiness... not about qualifying yourself, but about drawing closer to the One who has already qualified you through His finished work on the cross.

The invitation stands: Come closer.

The Holidays are not so cheery for everyone. Instead of 12 days of Christmas, we often dread the moments. Although the Holiday cheer is in the air, grief sometimes over shadows the joy! There is often the battle between fond memories of yesteryears and the here and now. Right now, in the present I am full of sorrow, remorse, sadness and loss. How do I cope with this when I’m surrounded by “Holiday Cheer”?

For many the Holidays intensify the loss of those we have loved. It can also be a trigger that reminds us that we have lost a marriage, a friendship, a companion, a career, and another change in our life circumstances. When it comes to coping with grief, loss and change during the Holidays IT IS REAL! It can be depressing and disabling. When the Holidays come you may also feel the dread.

To be transparent, my most devastating Christmas memory is that of of a young boy sitting alone under an empty Christmas tree the week of my parents divorce. I have not faced a single Christmas in over 50 years that the memory of that childhood Christmas doesn’t come flooding my mind.

During a time where everyone wants to remind us that it’s the most WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, the last thing you may want to think about is a “holly, jolly joyful holiday.”

So…..how do we survive the inevitable holidays with a nap sack of humbug upon our back?

Over the next few weeks, our Hope and Healing blog is going to share a little hope to help us cope with our grief through the Holidays.

Day #1: Give Yourself Time & Space To Process Your Emotions

There is not a timeline on grieving. After a loss, you don’t just jump back to normal. You have heard is said, it’s OK to not feel OK. It’s also ok to completely acknowledge that you miss your loved one. You miss that relationship. You miss “normal”. It’s also ok to acknowledge the loss you feel! Go ahead and experience the emotions. Let them come. Don’t feel guilt for allowing yourself to grieve. Be kind to yourself! Be patient with yourself. Own those emotions. God gave them to you as a way to help you cope. Never hold it in. It’s not a weakness.

Day # 2: Find Time To Be Alone

Often times we may be labeled as anti-social when we choose to isolate ourselves from others when everyone else is celebrating. We may even feel a little guilt when we find a little joy has crept into our life. Are we afraid of the painful memories? Truth is….the memories will come. Truth is…..being around others during the Holidays may trigger our grief. We could be thinking that being a hermit during the Holidays will keep us emotionally safe….but healing cannot happen in a bubble.

We have to allow ourselves to find the healthy balance. Allow yourself, or maybe even push yourself to be with those who love you dearly. You may not recognize it right now, but those who love you also have hope for your healing. Let them pour into your healing.

There's an exhaustion that runs deeper than tired muscles and sleepless nights. It's the kind of weariness that settles into your bones, making you feel depleted before your feet even hit the floor in the morning. No amount of coffee can touch it. No weekend can cure it. It's the soul-level fatigue that comes from carrying tomorrow's burdens on today's shoulders.
We've become experts at sabotaging our present moments by obsessing over future ones.

While our bodies occupy today, our minds race ahead planning, worrying, controlling, managing every possible outcome of tomorrow and the day after that and the week after that. In doing so, we miss the mercies and miracles available to us right now, in this moment, because we're too busy trying to orchestrate what hasn't even arrived yet.

The Revolutionary Prayer of Today
Included within the most famous prayer ever prayed lies a radical invitation to live differently. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," He wasn't just offering a nice phrase to memorize. He was introducing a countercultural way of existing, one that requires daily dependence rather than self-sufficient control.

Three powerful rhythms emerge from this prayer: provision, forgiveness, and deliverance. Each one anchors us firmly in the present moment, yet each one challenges our deepest instincts to take control of our futures.

The Provision Problem
"Give us this day our daily bread" sounds simple enough until we actually try to live it. The request implies that tomorrow we'll need to ask again. And the day after that. And the day after that. Our control-loving hearts resist this arrangement. Why can't we just stockpile enough provision now so we don't have to keep coming back?

The Israelites faced this exact temptation in the wilderness. God provided manna, bread from heaven, every single morning. The instructions were clear: gather enough for today, for your family, for this day only. On the day before the Sabbath, gather enough for two days. But don't try to hoard it.

Of course, some people couldn't resist. They gathered extra, maybe thinking they could sleep in the next morning or avoid the daily discipline of trusting God's provision. What happened? The manna spoiled. The very blessing God intended for their sustenance became rotten when they tried to control it beyond its appointed time.

How many blessings in our own lives have spoiled because we tried to control them for tomorrow instead of receiving them with gratitude today? How many good things has God provided that we've ruined by trying to manage outcomes He never asked us to manage?

The call to daily dependence isn't about being irresponsible with the future. It's about trusting that the God who provides today will also provide tomorrow. It's about keeping our eyes on Jesus in this moment rather than frantically trying to orchestrate every moment to come.

The Forgiveness Weight
"Forgive our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors" might be one of the most uncomfortable phrases we regularly recite. Unforgiveness operates like a military rucksack that we strap to our backs. Every offense, every wound, every slight adds another brick to the load. Someone hurts us, brick. Someone gossips about our family, brick. Someone wounds our child, brick. Someone betrays our trust, brick.

But unforgiveness is a gift that, unfortunately, keeps on giving. The pain doesn't just happen once. When we carry it into tomorrow through bitterness, it hurts us again. And again. And again. Each day we refuse to forgive, we add multiple bricks for the same offense.

God never designed us to carry this weight. True biblical forgiveness isn't pretending the hurt doesn't exist or that the offense didn't matter. It's taking the backpack off and putting it down. It's a choice to stop carrying what we were never meant to carry.

The teaching here isn't that God's forgiveness is conditional; it's that it should be transformational. When we truly receive God's mercy and forgiveness, we should be changed by it. We should be so overwhelmed by the grace extended to us that we can't help but extend it to others.

Ephesians 4:32 puts it plainly: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."

There's a hard truth here: the person who hurt you probably doesn't deserve your forgiveness. But neither do any of us deserve God's. We all stand before a Savior undeserving of mercy, yet He offers it freely. Not just once, but daily. His mercies are new every morning... which means we need them every morning.

The person sitting near you who wounded you deeply, who said those terrible things, who caused that pain, they don't deserve forgiveness. But forgiveness was never about what they deserve. It's about laying down the weight of bitterness that's crushing you.

The Temptation Truth
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" addresses a critical misunderstanding: temptation itself is not sin. If it were, Jesus would have been sinful, because Scripture tells us He was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin.

Temptation is not about the moment; it's about the motive. The enemy wants us to believe that being tempted means we've already failed, that guilt and shame should overwhelm us at the first whisper of enticement. But Jesus understands temptation. He faced it. He can relate to our struggle. And He overcame it.

Most temptation doesn't come as a dramatic moral failure. It comes as a whisper: "Go ahead. Fix it yourself. Don't wait on God. Take control." The greatest temptations we face often revolve around our desire to control outcomes rather than trust God's timing and provision.

First Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that no temptation is unique to us, it's common to humanity. And God is faithful. He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, and He provides a way out.

The armor of God isn't just spiritual poetry. It's practical equipment for daily battles. When we resist the devil, he flees. But resistance requires keeping our eyes on Jesus today, not obsessing over potential temptations tomorrow.

Living in Today
The call to daily dependence challenges everything about our control oriented culture. We want to manage tomorrow, plan for next week, control next month, and secure next year. But Jesus invites us into something radically different: trust Me today.

Trust Me for today's provision. Trust Me with today's hurts and the choice to forgive. Trust Me with today's temptations and battles.

The question isn't whether we're capable of making plans or being responsible. The question is: Are we so focused on controlling tomorrow that we're missing God's presence and provision today?

What if the exhaustion we feel isn't from working too hard, but from carrying weights we were never meant to carry? What if the peace we're searching for isn't found in finally getting tomorrow under control, but in surrendering it to the One who already holds it?

Give us this day our daily bread.
Not tomorrow's bread today.
Not next week's provision stored up.

Today's bread.
Today's mercy.
Today's grace.
Today's strength.
That's enough.

That's always been enough.

There's something profoundly beautiful about simplicity. In a world that constantly pushes us toward bigger, flashier, and more impressive, we often lose sight of what truly matters. This is especially true when it comes to our understanding of church.

Somewhere along the journey of Christianity, particularly in Western culture, we've complicated what was meant to be wonderfully simple. We've become obsessed with attendance numbers, production value, branding strategies, and creating experiences that attract crowds. But what if we've been measuring success by all the wrong metrics?

Belonging, Not Attending

The early church, as described in Acts chapter 2, offers us a radically different picture. These believers didn't view church as a place they went; it was a family they belonged to. This distinction isn't just semantic; it's transformational.

Acts 2:42-47 paints a vivid portrait of this community: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common."

Think about your family dinner table growing up. Did you earn your seat there? Of course not. You belonged there simply because you were part of the family. The same is true for the family of God. Romans 8:15 reminds us: "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by whom we cry out, Abba, Father."

We are brothers and sisters, adopted and grafted into God's family through the willing, innocent sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His shed blood makes us family. We gather not out of obligation or fear, but as children coming home to their Father.

The Beautiful Mess of Family

Here's the honest truth: families are messy. They're imperfect, sometimes dysfunctional, occasionally loud, and often complicated. When you look across the table at your family members, you might wonder, "Why, God?" But here's the beautiful secret: they're probably looking back at you thinking the same thing.

The early church wasn't perfect either. They were messed up. They were train wrecks. They had their share of conflicts, misunderstandings, and failures. But their lives were interwoven around one central, unifying reality: Jesus Christ.

This is what made them different. Not their perfection, but their shared pursuit of a perfect God despite their imperfections. When one member got sick, they all prayed. When someone was down, they rallied around them. When anyone was in need, the family showed up. And when one experienced victory, they all rejoiced together.

Can families be hurtful? Incredibly. Can relationships be painful? Unimaginably. But there's something sacred about an imperfect family walking together, going hard after an absolutely perfect God.

Getting the Order Right

For a church family to be healthy, priorities matter. Scripture establishes a clear order: First is God. Second is your household. Third is your church family.

We often get hurt in church contexts because we've transposed these priorities. We've put people in places where people don't belong. When humans occupy the space reserved for God in our hearts, disappointment is inevitable. People will fail us because they're human. But when we love God first and love Him most, then we can love each other well.

Think of it like the airplane safety demonstration. Flight attendants always instruct passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before helping others. Why? Because you can't effectively help someone else if you're not breathing properly yourself.

The same principle applies spiritually. When we put God first, breathing Him in regularly, maintaining our spiritual oxygen level, then we're equipped to help those around us who need support. If we try to help others out of our own strength alone, we'll quickly run out of resources.

Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:15 gives us a powerful directive: "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ."

Healthy families tell you what you need to hear, not always what you want to hear. This isn't comfortable, but it's necessary. Real love sometimes means speaking difficult truths... not to hurt, but to help. Not to condemn, but to protect.

"I love you too much to see you walk away from Jesus Christ" is a statement that should characterize our church families. We care too deeply about each other to remain silent when we see someone heading in a dangerous direction. This kind of honest, loving accountability is rare in our culture of tolerance and avoidance, but it's essential for spiritual health.

A Lifestyle, Not an Event

The early church met together regularly; in temple courts corporately and in homes for smaller gatherings. They prayed together, studied together, and learned together. But notice this: it wasn't describing a weekly event. It was describing a way of life.

The result? "And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."

They didn't grow because of fancy signs, cool logos, perfect branding, or impressive production value. They grew because they had one thing interwoven in common: Jesus Christ. And people could see Him in how they lived.

The Magnetic Power of Simple Faith

What truly draws people to Christ isn't found in our lighting systems or marketing strategies. The most magnetic force in the world is a church full of people who:

- Forgive one another quickly and frequently
- Serve with genuine humility
- Love sacrificially
- Mourn with those who mourn
- Rejoice with those who rejoice
- Walk together through both valleys and victories

When people see these qualities, they see Jesus. They see the One who forgave us quickly and frequently, who served from a place of perfect humility, and who demonstrated the ultimate sacrificial love by dying an innocent death for the guilty.

That's what draws people. Not our programs, but His grace lived out through imperfect people pursuing a perfect God together.

Coming Home

Church was never meant to be complicated. It's simply this: a family of broken people, made whole by Jesus, learning to love God first and each other well. It's messy, it's real, and it's beautiful.

You don't have to earn your seat at this table. It's already there, waiting for you. Because you belong.

Welcome home.

Has a stranger ever just randomly given you a compliment? Feels good doesn’t it? It makes the child in your heart smile and there’s a part of your brain that says, “Wow, that was nice to be noticed”.
 Why should the people inside the church doors feel or act any differently? Our church is designed to be a family, flaws and all. This is where encouragement and respite need to take hold.
I’m not saying we should randomly compliment others, but to be open to new perspectives as we walk out this journey He has set before us. Are you walking a journey with others?
So many of us in church-and out- are hurting but we hide it rather than share it. Healing often comes when we allow others to see, to help, to lovingly impact our lives.

Time invested in others is never wasted time. It’s truly just that, an investment whose returns may come when we are the ones needing help, needing healing.
 
Proverbs 16:24 NLT
“Kind words are like honey; sweet to the soul and healthy for the body

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

One of the greatest inventions known to man is that little camera on the dashboard that lets you look clearly as you put that car in reverse.
Our society is so goal oriented that we are constantly encouraged to just continue to strive forward to keep moving. And there’s truly nothing wrong with motivation to move forward-to rise upward. However I think that if we never look back we forget things: important things that can either encourage or set up future stumbling blocks for us. Unresolved grief, trauma and fear will creep up on you when you least expect it or when you’re totally unprepared for it. It’s one of the tools that the devil can use against us. Sometimes it’s part of healing to simply look at where we’ve been, who was in our lives at the time and to either glory in God’s victory in our lives or to reflect on how we could have handled things differently.
There’s not a day ahead that He hasn’t already seen-He knows our future. We can only see our past, maybe there’s a higher plan in that?!

I feel so broken! When will my heart ever heal? Is healing even possible?

The heart of the Gospel message is this: Jesus never turns away anyone who comes with a genuinely open heart. One of the worse human emotions is the feeling of rejection. No matter where Jesus went – villages, cities, or countryside – people came. It wasn’t the rich, famous or powerful. It was the hurting, hopeless, rejected and those longing to be healed. With Jesus, you will never experience being turned away. We love the message behind John 3:16, but often stop before we read verse 17. Jesus didn’t come to condemn, but to save. No matter what has broken you….He will embrace you and bring the hope and healing your soul longs for.

True hope comes in the message of “whosever will” may come. That means you. So, are you weary and heavy hearted! Tell it to Jesus.
Do you long for hope and healing?   Simply come. Just as you are. You don’t have to plead. Just reach out. You will never be turned away.  No conditions. No condemnation.  Only a peace that passes understanding and a hope that endures.

In the Middle of Ch, ch, ch, changes: Hope and Healing.

There’s only one thing that is truly constant in our daily lives and that is change- talk about contrasting interests? Some changes are easy to accept, others not so much. Other writers have set out to make it more palatable by saying “Change is good…”

For the rest of us, maybe not so much. I don’t like surprises. I like consistency, I’m a planner. If you’re like me, change can be more than just a bump in the road. It can be devastating to your heart and mind-chaos is not our friend. It is to be avoided at all costs. It robs me of my joy and peace. When that change involves the loved ones in my life it can be absolutely traumatic. I NEED to know why.

Whether it is the loss of life or the absence of a relationship and the closeness it brought to my world, my heart absolutely shatters. And healing is often a very slow and arduous process.

The simple things like the routine of daily life are suddenly ripped away and I often ask myself “How in the world can I do this? How can I cope?”

This is when our Father wants to have us rest in his arms. When Jesus lost one his best friends, Lazarus, Martha’s response was: “If you, Jesus , had been here, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Jesus WAS there. He knew what was to take place. Just like when we experience loss, He’s right there. We don’t need to know the why. We need to know that He was, is, and always will be. He provides the coping skills as we draw closer to him. We may never know the why, but we can know the Who. The author and finisher of our faith. He is the Master of Change.

“This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” — John 17:3

There is a simple but life-altering truth: we become like what we pursue.

This may sound very strange, but not everyone rejoices when healing occurs in the lives of others. Sometimes, people get upset when others find peace or receive attention for their transformation into a life of hope. “They should be grieving”. “They shouldn’t be this happy after all the trauma they have been through”.

Why would we not be joyful for them? Maybe we have forgotten our own healing journey. Perhaps we have embraced our pain rather than searching for hope and healing. Maybe we have allowed our identity to become wrapped up in our own victimhood. Maybe we are a little jealous, because we have not found that kind of peace in our lives. Perhaps we are not yet at a place in our lives where we are ready to celebrate with those who are healed and restored.

Yet, if we are not yet there, the love of Christ compels us to open our heart and recognize that God's healing power is infinite and available to all who seek Him. Even you. Your time will come. Seek him with your whole heart, and rejoice with those who have found their hope and healing in him.

Jeremiah 25:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Wisdom & Community- Proverbs 11
6/21/25
Shirley Jackson, who wrote the short story “The Lottery” that everyone reads in high school, wrote another story called “Charles”. It is from the point of view of parents of a young boy starting kindergarten. Each day he comes home and tells them about his day, but they become increasingly concerned as he describes the behavior of his classmate Charles. One day Charles kicks the teacher. Another he throws chalk or teaches the other kids a curse word. Each day, it seems, Charles does something bad that gets him in trouble, disrupts the classroom, and influences the other children in a negative way. With the first PTA meeting coming up, the parents decide that they will talk with the other parents and ask the teacher to expel Charles before he completely corrupts his classmates. They also decide to confront Charles’ mother about her shoddy parenting that has lead to such disruption for all the other students. As the parents enter the meeting, they scan the faces of the other attendees, looking for Charles’ mother, when the teacher pulls them aside.  “The other parents have asked me to talk to you” she says seriously. The parents knowingly shake their heads. “Of course. We assume you want to talk about what to do with Charles.” The teacher seems confused. “Charles? There isn’t a Charles in this class. But the other parents HAVE asked me to speak with you about your son….”

It’s a humorous story with a great twist ending and it demonstrates the influence our actions can have on others. As we’ve worked through Proverbs we’ve often talked about the positive results that come with having (and seeking) godly wisdom. Each of our lives are BETTER when we follow Jesus. Conversely, we often create our own struggles when we fail to follow God’s plan for our lives. But Proverbs also speaks about how our choices affect our broader community and I would like to look at those today.

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe. – Proverbs 11.11-15

This passage, like others in Proverbs, gives us “both sides of the coin” scenarios and shows us what comes from both positive and negative (or wise and foolish) behavior. We are given an option- God’s way or the world’s way- and shown the results of each on our community. The first thing we see in this passage is that a community full of righteous people (those who seek God’s ways and His wisdom) is blessed and exalted. Our individual choices and actions can lift an entire community to a higher level. And I think this applies to our all “communities”- our families, our neighborhoods, our schools/jobs, and even our cities, counties, states and nations. It is easy to talk about how our community, whatever it is, is going to the dogs, but we have to recognize we can each play a part in how these communities are doing. Secondly, we see the affect our speech can have on the world around us. We are told to watch what we say because these words can directly impact all the people who come into our spheres of influence and drastically alter lives. Finally, we are told that if we act wisely, we can achieve victory (some translations have salvation or deliverance) for our communities because when we follow God’s plan it can help create safety and security for us and those around us.  What a powerful promise!
I am biased, but I really feel like we have an amazing community here at FCC Grayson. I see God working in big ways every week, peoples lives being transformed, and the Spirit moving powerfully. If you are searching for a community that is earnestly trying to follow God, we invite you to come check us out. And if you are already part of our community in some way, we encourage you to become more involved with what is going on and join us as we try to bring our communities closer to Jesus.

It is human to grieve over things we have lost or left behind, but never lose site of what God has for you ahead. As a young man, I often heard people say “Pull it together. It’s going to be OK. Be strong! Time heals all wounds. It could be worse.” And the list of well intended words you don’t say to people who grieve goes on.

Grief and loss is real and I want to share with you that IT IS OK TO NOT BE OK!

If you’re the one who is grieving, the first impulse is to hide your grief and loss. This is a strange concept to many…..but the journey to healing includes giving yourself the freedom to experience grief. It hurts. It is painful. Sometimes it’s even ugly. But allowing yourself to express your painful feelings is actually healthy. Cry! Express it!

It’s understandable that you may want to push it aside and not relive the traumatic events that brought you emotional pain. However, when you avoid those painful thoughts, feelings, and memories, it can create more harm than good. Instead of helping you move toward healing, it may prolong and complicate your grief and trauma even more.

Allow yourself the experience of grieving. Instead of blocking your feelings or engaging in unhealthy behaviors to deal with the excess negative emotional energy, find support from those around you. Acknowledge your loss. Choose a friend, a pastor, a counselor, a support group such as the one we have at FCC. Find a safe place.

Spiritual truth: There is no safer place than in the arms of Christ. Let the tears come. Out of nowhere, the trauma catches us off guard. We wonder why the emotions are so real and raw. Let them come and let them be a reminder that God sees us. Let the tears flow. Our tears are a language God understands. Find comfort in Christ.

Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

We truly live in a world of hurt, and those who hurt….are in a constant search for that which brings them healing or choose those things that dull the pain. For many it is an entire life of searching . We see others around us searching for a peace that passes understanding. We long for comfort in our own life. We search for even a glimpse of normal in our lives. We see the hopeless around us. We see helpless in front of us. And perhaps we even see the emptiness in the mirror before us.

Spiritual truth: We are all created with a God Shaped hole that only He can fill. It’s an empty place that too many of us desperately try to fill with everything but him! It is a void in the heart that we try to fill with things so temporary.

When we hurt so deeply, we often lose our way and even run away from God rather than to him!

Spiritual Truth: Jesus said: “I am the only way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

If it is peace and comfort you seek in the midst of your pain and sorrow. Run to Jesus. The simple truth is comfort, peace, and healing….lasting healing are only found in Christ.

When Jesus began to tell his disciples that they would suffer because of their faith in him, many turned away! But it was Peter who spoke the spiritual truth!
John 6:66-69 “From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Why look anywhere else? Our search ends with Jesus.