Jesus Christ Is Lord

 

 

In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss. That is basically what Lord means—one possessing authority, power, and control. The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14; 17:14).

The realm of Christ's reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth. No one—not even those who deny His existence—can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of authority. Although Satan tries to convince us that liberty is found in doing what we want, true freedom is acquired only through submission to Christ's loving lordship.

Even death cannot release anyone from the authority of God's Son. He is Lord of both the living and the dead. All people must decide to either yield or rebel against Him, but they have the opportunity to make this choice only while they are still living. After death, they will acknowledge Christ's lordship through accountability to Him. If we have not bowed the knee to Jesus in life, we will be forced to bend it in the judgment.

Have you submitted to Christ's rule over your life? His authority causes anger or fear in individuals who have not yet yielded to Him, but those who have experienced His lovingkindness, trusted in His goodness, and surrendered to His authority take comfort in knowing Him as the Lord of their lives. 

~From Pastor Charles Stanley, intouch.org

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Have You Met Any Of These People?

 

One day in 2020, during the pandemic, I was at work. Now I was a customer service rep for an information line. People would ask their questions, and I would give them an answer. Most of the people who called were senior citizens or just older. Some were even lonely or just very outgoing. After answering their questions, they would talk of any and everything. I would have to do a little talking and then ease them off the phone.

On this particular day, I was asked a question about the pandemic. Then I was asked the question I think a lot of people were wondering during the pandemic: Are these the last days? When asked my mind, though I knew we were in the last days, focused on The Great Tribulation, so my answer was "Trust me, you would know."

Yes, to those who know, it was the wrong answer. I know a lot of people shy away from Revelation or even talking about the last days, but the fact is, we are in the last days. I cannot tell you when they started but the last days are here. 

But how do you convince people of that? I would say point them to the Word of God. In 2020, I would not have any scripture to back it up until a few months ago. I was attending a Bible study, and it covered 2 Timothy 3:1-9. And there was my answer. And yours.

Celebrities, famous people, politicians and the like are on this list. I've met a few of the people listed.You are truly blessed if you haven't met a person listed. But in this day and age, yeah, they exist. They are published, accomplished, unapologetic, and celebrated.

From this point forward, my answer to the question is yes, we are in the last days. And I'm providing 2 Timothy 3:1-9 as my proof.

 

 

 Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

 

Think Good Thoughts

 

Every circumstance in your life, whether good or bad, is affected by your thinking. Though it seems overwhelming, this is good news because it gives you the power to transform one part of your life and reap great rewards in nearly every other!

Your thoughts today are your results tomorrow.

Minor changes such as forgiving a past wrong, not blaming authority figures, or being grateful every day can make a gigantic difference in our lives, especially over time.

Your thoughts really are your destination.

One of the most profound changes you can make on the journey to renewed thinking is to adjust your perspective. You can control your attitude and how you react to situations, but assuming a more positive view will not come naturally.

Controlling your thoughts is like strength training for the soul, and it happens through meditation. Though it sounds like a strange Eastern sort of thing, the Bible talks more about meditating on Scripture than it does about memorizing it.

No matter what situation you find yourself in today, change is possible! There is a way out of every difficulty if you choose to cultivate the right thoughts. Like a caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly, when you renew your mind according to the Word of God, you experience metamorphosis — a complete and total transformation.

Growth begins when you acknowledge that you have the power to change your thoughts and begin making minor adjustments to your course. As you choose to shift your perspective on challenging situations and meditate on the truth of God’s Word to feed your spirit, your life goes from ordinary to truly extraordinary.

Your mind is like a garden. When you plant and nurture good ideas and pull out the weeds of blame, jealousy, judgment, self-pity, and pride, your thoughts cultivate good fruit that feeds and blesses those around you!
 

~From Change Your Thoughts, Change Your World by Bobby Schuller 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Doubt Can Lead To More Faith

 

It’s tempting to think that many of us will reach a point in our lives where we’ll be forced to question all that we believe, and then after this struggle we’ll never doubt again. The truth, however, is that all of us test our beliefs every day. Every time you make a decision about how to respond to someone who is rude to you, your beliefs are front and center. Every time you feel that ache in your body, a reminder of the emergency surgery you’re still paying for two years later, you wonder if you’ll recover, not just physically but financially as well.

When your car breaks down on the same day that your spouse overdraws your checking account, you face a dilemma about how you’ll respond — and more important, about what the basis for your response will be. When you’re reading a news app and scan the “word bites” about impending military action against yet another aggressive country, about the latest victim of a serial killer, or about the death toll in a train accident, you’re forced to confront your own beliefs — about human nature, about life, and about God.

If we want a stronger faith, then we might be wise to allow our doubts to stand as we work through them instead of trying to chop them out of the way.

Judging from what I see in Scripture, I’m convinced that God honors those seekers who sincerely look for the truth, just like that boy’s father who wanted to believe so badly that he asked God to help him overcome his unbelief (Mark 9:21–24). Maybe you can relate. You are like so many others who want to believe but feel like life has gotten in the way.

More than a third of the Psalms are prayers or songs of people in pain. These inspired poems often articulate our pain for us when we can’t find the words.

More than 2,600 years ago, Habakkuk asked many of the same questions people all over the world are still asking today. And in His grace, God relieved some of Habakkuk’s anguish, even as He left other questions unanswered. But on the other side of his doubts, Habakkuk grew into a person with a richer faith, a faith that may not have developed as fully had he not struggled through his doubts.

Think about it. If you understood everything completely and fully, you wouldn’t need faith, would you? But without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Why? Because faith and trust must emerge from love, not from a business relationship, a transaction, or some situation in which we have no choice.

Are you willing to ask honest questions? To wrestle?

And more important, are you willing to listen for God’s answer?

~From Hope in the Dark: Believing God is Good When Life is Not by Craig Groeschel

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Letting Go Of Unforgiveness

 

One of the hardest things to purge is unforgiveness. We’re tempted to think that unforgiveness gives us power, when in reality, it keeps us a victim. Yet we keep clinging to our unforgiveness, convinced that doing so is fair. 

But as Jesus followers, we don’t focus on what’s fair. We focus on being faithful. And one of the most faithful things we can do is offer forgiveness, especially when it’s undeserved.

It’s not easy to forgive. But when we follow Jesus, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. And His Spirit is strong enough to help us forgive those who have hurt us, even in the most horrendous ways.

So, when you’re struggling to offer forgiveness, consider this question: Do you want to be right, or do you want to be healed?

You can choose to keep holding on to hurt, convinced that keeping score keeps you ahead. Or you can choose to forgive anyway, knowing that you’re never more like Your Father than when You forgive one of His kids.

This kind of deep work requires humility, honesty, and compassion for both yourself and the other person. And while forgiveness is not a magic solution that will fix all your problems, it does help you fix your eyes on your Father, who is guiding you, helping you, and cheering for you in the process.  

 

~From Deep Clean: Getting Rid of Shame, Toxic Influences, and Unforgiveness Devotional on YouVersion

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

 

Lean On God For Life's Difficulties

 

Jesus never promised a life without difficulty, or that while we were here on earth that we would just tip toe through the tulips until eternity. Life throws us curve balls and sometimes these difficulties nearly take us out, but even though we will face adversity and hardships that drive us to want to worry and give up.

The good news is that we have a God who never runs out of strength, and who never leaves us or forsakes us. 

~From The Opposite Life by Alex Seeley

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

God Hears Your Prayers

 

 

When you pray, whether in gratitude, pain, or confusion, your prayers aren’t dissolving into thin air or disregarded for more important prayers at the moment. God hears your prayers. He is ready to listen any time of day or night. He doesn’t get distracted, impatient, or irritated. Even if you’ve prayed the same prayer hundreds of times, He doesn’t roll His eyes and dismiss it. Our heavenly Father never misses a word we think or say in prayer; remember this truth when you’re praying today.

Think about God hearing your prayers; how do you imagine He receives them? What does today’s scripture tell you?

 

~From 100 Days of Hope, copyright Thomas Nelson

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

 

 

 

Having Peace In The Last Days

 

Apart from Jesus, there is no peace—not within a human heart and not among human beings or nations. With Jesus, we can experience peace that surpasses our rational capacity and settles deep within (See Philippians 4:7). We are to seek and find this peace as we await the Lord’s return.

When the Lord comes, will he find you among those who love him and call him Savior and Lord?

When the Lord comes, will he find you doing what he has commanded you to do?

When the Lord comes, will he find you eager to see him?

When the Lord calls with a shout from heaven, will you instantly rise to be with him?

When the Lord appears in the clouds, will your heart rejoice with exceedingly great joy?

You have it within your grasp to positively answer these questions. How will you choose to respond to the Lord’s challenges upon your life?

The fact is, he is coming again!

 

~From "Life Principle 30," The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, by Pastor Charles Stanley, Intouch.org

Give God Access

 

Whatever you open yourself up to gains access into your life and dominates you. Ignorance is one of the biggest door openers to Satan. When we lack knowledge, it is easy for him to gain access and afflict us. Ignorance keeps people in bondage and so do fear and worry.

Beloved, God's plan for your life is good! Don't allow ignorance of that plan or fear or worry to keep you out of God's blessings. Give God more access to your life today. Empower your life with His Word. You will be perpetually blessed.

 

~From Devastation to Restoration (30 Day Devotional) by Kayode Tadese

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Is Your Faith In God Growing?

 

 

Life is complex. You must deal with a secular culture, temptations you never knew existed, the demands of work, an imperfect marriage or other significant relationship, financial pressures, the challenges of parenting, and more. Do you find yourself wondering what on earth God is doing? Do you wonder if your life matters? Are you finding your way, or are you trying to do it like I was — without a map?

The Bible is one big story made up of two halves: the Old and New Testaments. Each has five major events that mirror one another. Our story with God begins in paradise, and it will end there again, thanks to Jesus who offers us forgiveness and salvation.

Everything in human history turns on the person of Jesus.

So really, it’s not a secret what God is doing on earth. The world is no accident. And you are here on purpose. There is a bigger picture to life, and you are a part of it. God is inviting you to follow Him, grow up in your faith, and “have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
 

~From Grown-Up Faith: The Big Picture for a Bigger Life by Kevin Myers with Charlie Wetzel

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

The Church In The Last Days

 

Biblical prophecies about the church include predictions of persecution, apostasy, and the faithfulness of God’s remnant. We have seen more prophecies regarding the church fulfilled in the last century than ever before. Some prophecies that have to do with the persecution of the church were fulfilled during the Middle Ages, but others are still being fulfilled today in countries where Christianity is outlawed or ostracized. (See, for example, Matthew 24:9–10.)

At the same time, especially in the West, the church is going through one of its biggest times of apostasy, as predicted. (See, for example, 1 Timothy 4:1.) We are seeing a departure from the faith and from the ministry of the Holy Spirit that is quite alarming. Significant portions of the church are ignoring or renouncing the supernatural and the full efficacy of the cross. The church has moved away from the priesthood of believers, prayer, worship, and fasting. Instead, for many congregations, church has become merely a social club. Some people may try to help their communities and the world, but they are attempting to do so without the power of the cross and God’s Spirit.

Yet there is a remnant of Christians who wholeheartedly embrace the Holy Spirit and all that God desires to pour out upon His people. We see a reference to this faithful remnant in the book of Revelation, which repeats the phrase “he who overcomes.” (See, for example, Revelation 2:7; 3:5; 21:7.)

Our generation is on the verge of seeing the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the greatest revival in history. The remnant church is about to enter into the glory of God. This remnant will complete its spiritual cycle when the bride of Christ is taken up by her Bridegroom, Jesus.

In these days, the Lord wants to reveal Himself more fully to the church, and that is why He is bringing manifestations of His glory. Only when we dwell in His glory will we stop looking to human beings for our strength and help, and look to Him instead. The Holy Spirit is disclosing more spiritual understanding about God’s elect than ever before. It is only through the revelation of the Spirit of God that we will see what no eye has seen and hear what no ear has heard! (See 1 Corinthians 2:9–10.)

 

~From Discerning Prophecy And End-Times Devotional by Guillermo Maldonaldo on YouVersion

 

Stay Encouraged And Be Blessed! 

Know God Through His Word

 

The greatest way to get to know God is through His Word. When we feel weak, discouraged, or overwhelmed. His Word has the ability to lift us up and fill us with hope. Just like we go to a filling station when our car runs out of gas. I often view my time with God like stopping at a "Holy Spirit filling station." 

If you have trouble being hopeful, start by saying aloud several times a day, "Something good is going to happen to me, because God is good! (See Jeremiah 29:11). You will find that the more you speak this and meditate on it in your thinking, the more you will believe it and the happier you will become. 

~From Blessed in the Mess by Joyce Meyer, JoyceMeyer.org

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

 

 

 

God's Word on Justice

 

 

I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
Ecclesiastes 3:17 NKJV

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
Hebrews 10:30 NKJV

It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
Proverbs 21:15 NKJV

But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
Amos 5:24 NKJV

Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.
Psalm 37:27-29 NKJV

For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 61:8 NKJV

Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Isaiah 1:17 NKJV

Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother."
Zechariah 31:9 NKJV

The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
Proverbs 29:7 NKJV

You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
Leviticus 19:15 NKJV
 

 "Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."

- Martin Luther King Jr., Where Do We Go from Here, 1967

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

God's Word on Worry

 

 

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:25-34 NKJV

As long as you keep your focus on God and His kingdom, you will have no worries.

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Jesus Is Enough For You

 

Jesus didn’t live an easy life or die an easy death. The glory of Easter was preceded by the sorrow of absolute rejection. Our Redeemer knows what it feels like to be stripped of all comfort and ease. He experienced the betrayal of best friends. He sobbed alone, without a single person offering support. Yet, instead of trying to drown His sorrows with a margarita or spilling His guts to a sympathetic stranger on a plane, He endured.

He shouldered the greatest possible anguish, being completely abandoned by everyone, including God, so we would never have to carry that burden ourselves.

 

~From Lisa Harper in Joy For The Journey Devotional

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed! 

When The Answer Is Taking Long

 

 

How can we deal with disappointment with God?

If we seek to retain high faith expectations regarding God, won’t that just make us vulnerable to further disappointment and disillusionment?

If we lower our faith expectations, doesn’t something die inside us?

And is there a difference between hope and expectation?

If so, what is that difference, and is it desirable to concentrate on retaining one and letting the other go when faced with disappointment with God?

Maintaining a biblically based worldview, a larger perspective on life as to its meaning and purpose, can place our struggle with anxiety or depression in a larger, hopeful perspective. And while God doesn’t want us to be mentally ill, He often does not answer our prayers for relief and healing in the way we desire. Thus, it is important to learn how to express honestly and authentically our feelings and attitudes toward God in these times. There is biblical precedent for this (see Psalms), so we can go ahead and be honest.

~From Finding Quiet by J. P. Moreland

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

The Body Of Christ

 

 

At salvation, you become a part of the body, no matter what your local church's membership rules may be. By receiving the Savior, a person is made one with Jesus. Therefore, if you're a believer, you are a breathing and active part of Christ, who is at work on earth through His followers. The church is Jesus' feet to carry the gospel message, His arms to care for those in need of love, and His hands to uphold the weak.

Christ's physical body underwent terrible pain and persecution. His church body cannot expect a cozy, easy existence either. Being Jesus to the world means making sacrifices, accepting ridicule, and loving our enemies (Heb. 13:16, Matt. 5:44). God called us to spread the gospel, but that doesn't mean people always like what we have to say. Sin and accountability aren't popular messages. Yet being trendy and well liked is not the point. We're here to carry out the work and mission of God, even when doing so is uncomfortable.

The spiritual makeup of the church is linked to its mission. The gospel cannot be spread except through the strength and wisdom of Jesus Christ, the head. The body of believers is united with Him through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. He reaches the world through His church and its members. 

~From Pastor Charles Stanley, Intouch Ministries, intouch.org

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Fight The Lies With Truth

 

Can you imagine how much shame Jesus endured as He faced that cross? He’s naked, beaten beyond recognition, and about to die a very public death. And yet He endured the shame of the cross so that we could overcome shame once for all.

That’s why the answer to shutting down shame isn’t self-help. It’s not doing good things. It’s not telling ourselves we’re awesome. It’s not ignoring our mistakes or compensating for them.

The answer to shame is an empty grave. And when we focus less on what we’ve done and more on who God is and what He’s done for us—we’re on our way to conquering shame.

The next time you’re trapped in a toxic shame spiral, convinced that what you’ve done disqualifies you from the family of God, here’s the truth you declare:

I am not ____. Because of Christ I am ____.
I am not bad. Because of Christ I am forgiven. (Romans 8:1, John 3:17)

I am not broken. Because of Christ I am loved. (John 3:16)

I am not enough, but Christ in me is more than enough. (Romans 8:37)

Whatever lie shame is telling you, shut it down with God’s truth.

Pray: God, I don’t want to separate myself from You any longer. Shame says that I’m too much, too bad, too messed up for Your love. But You say that because of Christ, I am loved, worthy, chosen, called, and forgiven. Replace my lies with Your truth. Thank You, Jesus, for conquering shame and offering freedom. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

~From Deep Clean: Getting Rid of Shame, Toxic Influences, and Unforgiveness Devotional on YouVersion

 

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You Are Good Enough, God Wants You Near

 

Satan perverts the reality that we are beloved children of God. He wants our thoughts to be tightly entangled in his thoughts.

These are his thoughts. This is his script: Not. Good. Enough. We hear it when we try to create. We hear it when we try to be brave and start anything new. We hear it when we try to overcome what has been and step into what could be.

Remember, while God converts with truth, the enemy perverts the truth. God wants us transformed, but Satan wants us paralyzed. So when we hear thoughts like I’m not good enough that cause us to shrink away, we must keep in mind that the enemy will do anything he can to prevent us from moving closer to God or connecting more deeply with other people. This “truth” we think we hear is not truth at all. Rest assured, God wants us near, no matter our imperfections. 

~From It's Not Supposed To Be This Way by Lysa TerKuerst

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Lead By Example

 

 

Throughout Mark Chapter 9, we see the disciples creating obstacles to the gospel for others. They argue with religious leaders, fight with each other about who will be first in the kingdom, and try to condemn a man who was trying to set an oppressed person free because he wasn’t “one of them.”

In other words, today’s verse isn’t only for outsiders, but to those closest to Christ as well—and that includes us. In her commentary on Mark 9, professor Amy G. Oden writes: “Sometimes, even our best intentions to reprove others can have unintended consequences for innocent bystanders. Indeed, great damage is done to the gospel when Christians are preoccupied with infighting and self-righteous proclamations about others. Jesus returns the focus to our behaviors, the ways we speak and live good news, and the ways we place obstacles in the way of that good news.”

Jesus’ warning in today’s verse is stern because those who look to us and follow our example can be hurt when we don’t embody the faith we claim. Let’s be careful not to cause anyone—young or old—to stumble by our carelessness, but let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus to a watching world.



Pray: Father, help me see the areas in my life where I may have caused someone else to stumble in their faith and forgive me for getting in the way of the good news You offer them. Please help me repent and lead others to the life-giving, thirst-quenching hope of the gospel by my example. Amen.  

~From Rob Nieminen in The Study Of Mark Devotional, Part 5 on YouVersion

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Unified In Christ

 

The devil knows that when believers get together and walk together, they will strike blows into his kingdom. Not only that, but as you walk in unity with the body of Christ in community, you become strong and less vulnerable to attack.

We know why people tend to avoid true biblical fellowship, because we used to avoid it too. We know these types of relationships can be messy. We know the possibility and likelihood of hard, uncomfortable conversations. We know that with being known comes accountability, and with accountability comes change, which can be painful. We know that being known can seem terrifying.

However, since experiencing the power of true community and fellowship with the Body of Christ, we have come to know so much more of the good that comes from walking this way, in contrast to walking alone and isolated from the Body. We know the benefits of iron sharpening iron. We know the intrinsic value of being needed and being provided for. We know the good that comes from being known, and we are no longer afraid of it.

 

~From Marriage After God by Aaron & Jennifer Smith

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

The Power Of The Holy Spirit

 

Many believers settle for a two-thirds God. They rely on the Father and the Son but overlook the Holy Spirit. You wouldn’t make that mistake with a tripod, trike, or prism. You certainly don’t want to make that mistake with the Trinity. Your Bible refers more than a hundred times to the Holy Spirit. Jesus says more about the Holy Spirit than He does about the church or marriage. In fact, on the eve of His death, as He prepared His followers to face the future without Him, He made this great and precious promise:

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. — Acts 1:8

Imagine all the promises Jesus could have made to the disciples but didn’t. He didn’t promise immediate success. He didn’t promise the absence of disease or struggles. He never guaranteed a level of income or popularity. But He did promise the perpetual, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is central to the life of the Christian. Everything that happens from the book of Acts to the end of the book of Revelation is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit of Christ. The Spirit came alongside the disciples, indwelled them, and gave the early church the push they needed to face the challenges ahead.

Perhaps you could use a push. 

~From Unshakeable Hope by Max Lucado, Author

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Yield Control To God

 

We need to yield control over what happens in our lives and trust God to do whatever He thinks best … until we develop a taste for God we prefer a better life of blessings from God over a better hope of intimacy with Him … we prefer control over trust … you were saved by grace and you’ll grow by grace … the law imposed the intolerable pressure to live perfectly in order to live well. You now stand in the Law of Liberty. Stand tall. Live as free men and women.

 

~From Author Larry Crabb, used in God Hunger - Meditations For A Life of Longing Devotional on YouVersion 

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Happy New Year!