FACE TO FACE WITH GOD

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Fanny Crosby was one of the most prolific hymn composers in history, writing over 8,000 hymns in spite of her being blind. Crosby once said, “There is one hymn I have written which has never been published. I call it my soul’s poem. Sometimes when I am troubled, I repeat it to myself, for it brings comfort to my heart.” The lyrics to that hymn are, “Someday the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing; but O the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King! And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story – saved by grace!” Crosby knew that when the moment would arrive that she'd see the face of Jesus, the reasons for everything that occurred in her life would become clear. There are things that have happened in our lives that are just unexplainable, painful and sometimes awful. Take comfort that our time on earth is short because we're really just passing through. There's peace in knowing that when the children of God see the face of Jesus it will be an unbelievably joyous affair where all unanswerable things will be explained, and all the things of the past will become blurry and distant memories of a time not even worth thinking about.

ARE YOU GOING UP OR DOWN?

2 Timothy 4:6

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

At the airport, you can usually hear travelers' names as people are being paged over the loudspeaker system. You can see signs for arrivals and for departures going to and from anywhere imaginable. Recently, my aunt left for a different destination as she passed away and was called to her eternal home to be with the Lord. The memories that I have of her leaving this world are wonderful because I already knew that she was headed to heaven. In fact, the day before she died we spent our happiest moments together. I shared the gospel with her and talked to her about forgiveness. I felt that she was in need of a refreshing word from God to remind her about forgiveness, and she let me know that hearing the Word let her feel as if a thorn in her heart had been removed. Every single one of us will depart from this world one day, but not everyone knows where they'll be going once they're dead. The Bible said we’ve all sinned and that according to Romans 5:10, “We were enemies.” Have you sincerely asked for God’s forgiveness? Paul wrote that he was ready to be called home, but how about you? Ask for God’s forgiveness and whenever your time comes, you’ll be ready for your journey.

REGRETS CAN BE AVOIDED

Matthew 27:5

Then Judas threw the money onto the floor of the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Have you done things in the past that you wish you could just erase? Matthew 27:3 tells us that, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and other leaders.” It was just awhile back when I received an emotional phone call from my sister who was crying when I answered. She began telling me that my brother had gotten into a drunken fight and was heading out with a knife looking for revenge. She did all she could do to stop him, but my brother had already made up his mind. Today, he lives in prison cell, regretting the fateful decision he had made in a drunken state. It’s a hard lesson. A painful lesson. Still, regrets are easy to avoid. All you have to do is have the right relationship with Christ, be sure to never make emotionally rash decisions, and regretful decisions will be few and far between. I know my brother feels that way, and most certainly, Judas felt the same.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A GOOD LAUGH

Psalm 126:2

We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, "What amazing things the LORD has done for them."

There's a silly joke about a teacher, a garbage man and a lawyer who wound up together at the pearly gates of Heaven. Heaven's gatekeeper let the 3 men know that in order to get into Heaven, each would have to answer a question. The gatekeeper asked the teacher, "What's the name of a famous ship that sank after crashing into an iceberg? There was even a movie was made about it." The teacher answered quickly "The Titanic" and the gatekeeper let him through the gates. The gatekeeper then turned to the garbage man and asked him a tougher question: "Approximately how many people died at the sinking of the Titanic?" Fortunately for him, the trash man had just seen the movie, so he responded "About 1,500" and was immediately let through the gates. The lawyer excitedly asked, “What’s my question?” The gate keeper wryly asked, "What were the names of every person that died at the sinking of The Titanic?" I know you’re (at the very least) giggling a tiny bit. Laughter is one of the greatest mental tonics known to man. Laughter can dispel anxiety and it can help manage stress, depression, fear and worry. Laughter provides strong medical, psychological, social and even spiritual benefits. Physically, it enhances the respiratory system, helps oxygenate the body, relaxes tense muscles, and is an all-around pain killer. It will lower your pulse and blood pressure. Laughter can pave the way for a new and exciting outlook on life. It is the universal communicator that can cross all boundaries of race, culture and generations. We can always laugh and rejoice just knowing all the things that God has done for us. Laugh a little today. It's worth it!

THE LORD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER

2 Corinthians 9:7

You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.

The first to ever give and to ever love was God alone. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love him, because he first loved us.” There was a father who wanted his young son's character to develop, so he gave his son a penny and a quarter on their way to the church. The father told the child, “Son, you put whichever one you want in the offering plate at church.” Before the offering came the boy heard the preacher say, “The Lord loveth a cheerful giver.” After the church service, the father asked the child which coin went into the plate and the boy replied, “I knew I could give the penny a lot more cheerfully than I could give the quarter, so I gave the penny.” God gave everything to us, even His own Son. Knowing this, how much do you give back to Him?

DEFEATED BY DECEPTION

2 Corinthians 11:14

But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light.

In Homer's The Iliad General Ulysses ordered construction of a gigantic wooden horse that would be left the outside the walls of Troy as a “gift.” Ulysses' remaining Greek armies would pretend to sail away in defeat. The Trojans celebrated their victory over the Greeks and brought their “gift horse” within the city walls without checking to see what lay waiting inside their gift. Those city walls which had kept the attacking Greek army at bay for years had finally been breached by trickery. At night while all of Troy slept, Greek soldiers that were hiding inside the horse emerged to unlock and open the city gates from within. The Greek army that had earlier feigned defeat would enter the city unchallenged and easily consume the Trojans in a single night. Do not be deceived about what the world has to offer you. The glittering appeal just might be a trap that would leave your defenses corrupted. You may even find yourself enslaved by what you’ll allow into your home, your mind and your heart. Much like Troy, you don't want to find yourself celebrating victory while the enemy is waiting to destroy you from the inside. Be leery of what may appear to be too good to be true because it very often is too good to be true.

TO DO OR NOT TO DO

Matthew 7:12

Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

A rabbi once taught me, “Do not do to thy neighbor what is hateful to thyself.” Socrates taught, “What stirs your anger when done to you by others that do not do to others.” Confucius taught, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” You will notice the difference between Jesus’ approach and these well known philosophies. Jesus’ teaching is positive in nature and action-oriented while the others are negative in nature and passive response-oriented. He said to act and "do" something, as opposed to refraining to "do not" something. A fair act is not about being passive, but rather it's about being actively positive. James 4:17 said, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” Be like Jesus, be fair, positive and pro-active in nature. It can change your entire outlook. It can change the world around you.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN HOROSCOPES?

1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons.

There's a silly story I'd heard about a man explaining why he never bought into the idea of calling upon the spirits of the dead. There was a time that he'd visited a medium and asked her to call upon a friend, a man who was a great scholar of extreme intelligence. When the alleged spirit arrived and spoke, the man asked the spirit, “Are you my friend?” The spirit replied, “I sure is.” The man said “You are not, because if you were the friend that I know, you would have used proper grammar.” That’s a silly anecdote, but there are many people that believe in fortune telling. Truth be told, fortune tellers couldn't even tell themselves their own fortune. The Bible tells us that these types of people are lying spirits. Just trust in God alone and everything will be fine. Leave horoscopes and fortune telling for those that wouldn't know any better.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

Haggai 2:4

But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD. Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty.

There’s a mythological story about a young boy that picked out a newborn calf from a grazing field. The boy didn't notice it, but the calf slowly grew daily a little bit each day. Everyday, the growing boy would lift the calf until the calf grew into a full-sized bull, and his strength grew daily along with the calf’s weight. The weight of our daily problems is allowed by the Lord to provide for our growth. God assured us that He is with us as we carry the very load He has allowed for us. Jesus taught us in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." When your yoke seems heavy, remember to take up Jesus’ yoke instead so that He can be your source of strength. With Jesus as your source of strength, all things are possible.

END THE FAILURES & BEGIN THE SUCCESSES

2 Chronicles 7:14

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.

Galatians 4:7 says, “Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you.” We have to be a child of God first, and then humble ourselves before him both praying and seeking His face. So how do we get this done? Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Wickedness has no part in God’s kingdom, so when you find God’s kingdom you’ve found the beginning of successes and the end of failures. The kingdom of God is manifested by Jesus through the prayer He taught to His disciples when He said, “Pray in this manner, our Father who is in heaven, Your kingdom come.” Ask the Lord for His kingdom to come to you and you'll end all your failures, beginning a new chapter of your life that will be marked with changes from glory to glory.

USE A GENTLE TOUCH TO HELP

Galatians 6:1

Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

Falling into sin or making mistakes is not exclusive to the Christian experience. The difference between a Christian's sin and a non-Christian's mistake is that God can always gently guide the Christian back onto the right path because Christians are His children. JC Penny’s first business as a young boy was hogging, and when he sold his first hog and made a profit, he bought more hogs and made even more profit. The neighbors, however, began to complain about the smell and noise coming from the nearby pigpens. His dad told him to sell everything. Penny argued and rationalized, but his father kindly told him, “You have no right to make money if by so doing you are taking advantage of other people.” At that moment, Penny's father had gently taught him how to walk the path of success. This gentle approach would eventually became one of Penny's core business principles still fervent throughout his businesses today. Remember that by gently guiding someone onto the right path, you're living out a powerful Christian testimony.

UNIQUE BEAUTY AND BRIGHTNESS

1 Corinthians 15:41

The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their beauty and brightness.

Every creation of God has its own glory and mankind is one of those creations. In fact, our uniqueness derives from the simple fact that God breathed directly into man to give each person a living soul. Our souls are the reason that we are so individually loved by God, so don’t waste any effort comparing yourselves to others since we are all unique to God. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” Life is a long journey, don’t try to measure what is immeasurable. You just have to remember that as a creation of God, you have your own glory in Him.

PRAY OR TEMPTATION WILL OVERPOWER YOU

Luke 22:46

"Why are you sleeping?" he asked. "Get up and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you."

For a man to earn the hand of the Greek female mythological character Atlanta, he would have to win a footrace against her. However, if that man should lose the footrace, Atlanta would then earn the right to kill him. The man that finally won her as his wife was advised by the gods to use three golden apples during the race to tempt the huntress. Each time Atlanta would run ahead, he would throw a glittering golden apple to distract and charm her. Atlanta picked up the apples each time and eventually lost the race. Jesus woke up the disciples to pray because through prayer we become connected to our all-knowing Father. Even if a glittering temptation should present itself, God immediately impresses upon us that those worldly things are worthlessness compared to what He has prepared for us with Him. Don’t be overpowered by temptation, commune with God and have His mind.

YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Whatever God had planned in the past will still happen regardless of your mistakes, failures or successes. It becomes apparent in Genesis which says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” while in Revelation 21:1, John writes, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.” The fall of man between the book of Genesis and the book of Revelation was remedied by Jesus’ death on the cross to reinstate man to His original creation - fit for the new heaven and the new earth. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.” You may change, having your good days and bad days, but He will always be perfect and remain the same.

CRAVE SATISFIED?

Amos 8:11

"The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine on the land — not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD."

The desire to read and obey the Word of God is totally different from the body’s physical desire for food. Physically, we become hungry when we haven't eaten. We find ourselves sometimes even reaching a point of craving for certain dishes. Spiritually, Jesus taught us in Matthew 4:4, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every Word of God.” When it comes to undergoing a spiritual famine, one's weakness is amplified even further when that person doesn't reading the Bible. I remember an anonymous quote that said, “The Bible will keep you away from sin, but sin will keep you away from the Bible.” When you say “no” to God’s Word and “yes” to sin, you can be sure that a spiritual famine is on its way.

GLORIOUS AND INEXPRESSIBLE

1 Peter 1:8

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

Peter acknowledged the incredible otherworldly joy for those who’ve made Jesus their Savior despite their not physically seeing Him as the disciples did. This is what Jesus said to Thomas in John 20:29, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven't seen me and believed anyway." The word blessed means “happy”. You will fine happiness when you fall in love with Jesus. It’s just unexplainable. Say "Yes" to Him to experience that unexplainable joy.

OBEDIENCE IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE

Exodus 24:12

And the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there while I give you the tablets of stone that I have inscribed with my instructions and commands. Then you will teach the people from them."

Every home should have house rules and every family member should be expected to follow the rules established by the head of the household. Now, the rules shouldn’t be meant to control family members, but rather to provide for the safety and success of every family member. The Ten Commandments were given not to a nation, but to the family of Abraham to whom God said would be the father of many nations that would be blessed. Before the Lord poured out the blessings of the Promised Land, He passed down His commandments which are just like house rules for His children. Our obedience to God is of the utmost importance because obedience is the starting point for God's promise of blessings to become real. Children, obey God's house rules and your parents in the Lord, for this is right and will lead to a peaceful life. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

PERFECT RHYTHM, TIMING & PITCH

Isaiah 42:10

Sing a new song to the LORD! Sing his praises from the ends of the earth! Sing, all you who sail the seas, all you who live in distant coastlands.

God loves music because music is a portrayal of His character. Music has rules for rhythm and timing, just like God. Everything He's created has rhythm and timing. Whether it's the planets as they revolve around the sun, the steady heartbeat of a person, or the balanced ecosystem of life, nothing is ever offbeat and that's why everything He creates is beautiful. Man was created by God in perfect rhythm and timing until all of humanity fell out of tune and became offbeat because of sin. Because of that sin, our God of perfect rhythm, timing and pitch came to earth to get us back on beat and back on key. Before we were born, He already knew we'd need His help. Before we were born, He already knew we'd need a Savior to get us back to where we were always supposed to be.

SPIRIT FILLED

John 14:26

But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative – and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.

How awesome would it be to know everything? This isn't to say that you’d be like God and know what would happen tomorrow. This would mean that things that you don’t know about the will of God would be told (or taught) to you by the Holy Spirit. Military history teaches us that the Duke of Wellington was marching his victorious army home across the Iberian Peninsula after defeating Napoleon. Wellington stopped the march home because news had been brought to him that his army would be passing through an area holding Spanish wine. How did Wellington respond to this news? He sent artillery troops to gun down every wine barrel to pieces before they marched through. Ephesians 5:18 says, “Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” This was the secret of the Duke’s victory and the key to having the Holy Spirit fill you with knowledge.

TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH

Luke 24:25

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘You are such foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.’”

I recently read a comment left by a person that didn’t believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. I wish I could say that this was a brand new challenge for me, but the reality is that even some of Jesus’ very own family members and disciples doubted Him, too. Those doubts, however, have no impact on the Truth. After the resurrection, Jesus showed Himself to some of the disciples, but it was Thomas who said that he wouldn’t believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he could see Jesus with his own eyes and touch Christ's wounds with his own hands. In John 20:27-29 it says, “Then He said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!' Thomas could only respond with, 'My Lord and my God!' Then Jesus told him, 'You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who haven't seen Me and believe anyway.'" If you don’t believe in Jesus as your Savior, you wouldn’t be the first person. Whatever your reasons are, however, don’t be foolish about this because Jesus said, "Blessed are those who haven’t seen Me and believe anyway." Take a leap of faith. You'll land right in His arms.

SEE THE WONDERFUL TRUTHS

Psalm 119:18

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law.

The Word of God can only be understood with the help of it's Author. The writers only wrote as they were inspired to write, according to 2 Peter 1:21: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” In 1 Corinthians 2:11 it tells us that, “No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit.” And 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means.” This is the reason why people find themselves saying, “I don’t understand the Bible.” I encourage you to know that God wants to reveal Himself to you. Just ask the Lord to open your eyes.

A LIFE THAT WILL FOREVER BE FRESH

Isaiah 58:11

The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

When my family and I visited the 1,000+ acres of Longwood Gardens, I learned that Pierre Samuel duPont, the former chairman of the Dupont Company and the General Motors Corporation, had purchased the sprawling property in 1906. When duPont died in 1954 he donated Longwood, “For the sole use of the public for the purposes of exhibition, instruction, education and enjoyment.” Longwood is still funded to this day by duPont's endowment and it was a beautiful experience that offered me an opportunity to see the gorgeous year-round flowers and plants that were cared for and kept fresh even during the coldest parts of winter. God promised us a caring that's just like this, but even better. He promised us a life like an everflowing spring that will forever be fresh. Through all the ups and downs, changing of the seasons and the journey through the daily grind of life, when God is truly living in your heart, your life becomes an everflowing and continual spring of joy.

A HEART MELTING LOVE LETTER

Isaiah 46:4

I will be your God throughout your lifetime — until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

This is a heart melting love letter from God to us. How do you think a woman might feel if a suitor whispered the same promises with truthfulness and honesty? She’d probably feel like her soulmate had been found. I once read that during the early days of Walt Disney's studio, there was a young lady working for him that never cashed her paychecks. Walt had begun worrying about the situation because if she cashed all of her checks at the same time, the company might bounce a few checks. Disney decided to talk to her and he said, “It would be nice, since you seem to not need money, if you’d just tear up those checks.” Well guess what - that woman tore up the checks! In an ironic twist, Disney ended up marrying that young lady, and when she took him as her husband, she became espoused to everything that Disney had built. In a similar yet greater way, God said He would be your God throughout your entire lifetime. You can tear up your past and forget about it all because everything's been paid for by the blood of Christ. He is forever yours and you're an heir to His Kingdom.

BE PERSISTENT IN YOUR PRAYERS

Ephesians 6:18

Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.

The Duke of Wellington asked a slouching young officer, “Why are you standing in such an improper position?” The young soldier who was in uniform sheepishly replied, “I’m off duty, sir.” The Duke chided the soldier saying, “A British officer is never off duty. Resume your military position.” We are to do likewise as we are commanded in 1 Peter 5:8 to, “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.” Stay alert. Maintain a strong position. Do not be caught off guard. Be prayerful. Most of all, be persistent in your prayers.

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

The Bible tells us that as, “a man thinks, so is he.” This Biblical truth teaches us that discouragement or negative thinking is one of man's biggest enemies. The architect of the Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland drafted and submitted sixty plans, one after another, all of which were rejected. Just as he was about to give up, his wife told him, “Create a sixty-first one.” It was the sixty-first plan that was accepted and built. Keep on keeping on because the Word of God says in Romans 8:37, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Remain positive and upbeat because the mighty power is already yours - don’t let anybody tell you differently.

AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE

Romans 1:28

When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.

According to Romans 1:29-32, when people didn't acknowledge God, “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.” If you find that you fall into any of the categories listed, humble yourself before God and acknowledge Him as your Savior. Don’t refuse God, the result isn’t ever worth it. His offer of salvation is an offer you can't refuse.

THERE WILL BE REPERCUSSIONS FOR YOUR ACTIONS

Job 15:34

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.

During World War II, the French industrial magnate Joseph Joanovici helped the invading Nazi forces by selling precious metals to Hitler's forces. When the Nazis occupied Paris, Joanovici used his wealth and influential position to bribe key German officials to guarantee his personal safety. When the war ended, however, Joanovici would find himself implicated in the deaths of those Frenchmen that were dedicated to the resistance. Bribery charges eventually became the centerpiece of Joanovici's downfall. What’s can we learn from this story? Well, it's simply that one can disregard the basic principles of the Bible, but you can’t disregard the aftermath of making that decision. Face it, you can't buy, bribe or excuse your way out of the trials of your path. Do so and you'll find yourself with a barren and joyless life. Come to Jesus and embrace the principles of Bible. There are no regrets for anyone that's made the decision for Christ.

BETTER TO BE ON FIRE FOR GOD

Revelations 3:16

But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Author Andrew Carnegie once said that, "The average person puts only 25 percent of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50 percent of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100 percent.” The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” And in 1 Corinthians 7:23, “God purchased you at a high price. Don't be enslaved by the world.” It would only be proper for us to give 100 percent to the One who owns us, anything less really ought to be unacceptable to Him. It's better to be on fire for God, serving Him burning hot so He won’t reject you and spit you out.

DISPLAY THE DETERMINATION

Jeremiah 14:21

For the sake of your own name, LORD, do not abandon us. Do not disgrace yourself and the throne of your glory. Do not break your covenant with us. Please don't forget us!

Jesus taught us in Luck 21:33 that, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.” Jesus' promises are true because they’re all anchored upon His Holy name. Dwight L. Moody, an American evangelist and publisher, wrote that one of his favorite verses that he would always call upon during emergencies says in Isaiah 50:7, “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be dismayed. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will triumph.” And triumph he did. If you set your face like stone, and you display the determination to do his will, you’ll triumph, too.

FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER

1 Timothy 1:17

Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

Let’s wake up to the reality that God is real, and He will remain our Eternal King forever. According to psychiatrist and author, Dr. Leonard Zunin, mankind’s biggest problem is loneliness. It's believed that King Charles II of Spain could not sleep unless a priest and two monks were present in his bedroom. God made us as social beings created to be in fellowship with Him. From the beginning, our allegiance was to Him and Him alone, until Satan cheated man into believing the lie that we could stand independently like gods. Isn't that how many people live today? What really needs to happen is for man to return allegiances to the Eternal King for the gift of eternal life. Give glory and honor to Him and you’ll have eternal glory with God in Heaven forever.