Category Archives: Daily Devotions

Only ONE

Matthew 4:19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Your president is going to fail you.
Your pastor is going to fail you.
Your boss is going to fail you.
Your spouse is going to fail you.
Your kiddos are going to fail you.
Your parents are going to fail you.
Your teachers, idols, friends, co-workers…..everybody is going to fail you.
Expect and accept it.
Beware and prepare for it, most likely it is when you need it most.
Prepare for things that are dear to you, to pass by easily to them.
Prepare for things that stir your soul, to barely cause a ripple in theirs.
Human nature…….is sin filled….and sin disappoints.
Jesus is perfected, holy, sinless and he never disappoints, never changes, never fails.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Yesterday I was crushed as my pastor and my deacon brothers tried something new in observance of the Lord’s Supper. In the short time I pastored a church, leading communion I think four times, there is nothing that I held more sacred than the observance of that ritual that symbolizes everything that Christ did for us; to quote from the Bible as Jesus spoke to his disciples that night, carries an incredible weight on every pastors shoulders. I had served communion many times as a deacon, but until I felt that weight, I never truly understood. I did my best to convey the depth of it each time, and how we are to come to the alter clean, or not come to the alter at all. This is literally the only religious ritual that I hold dear.

The only way you will ever feel the weight of the Lord’s Supper is for God to place it on your heart. The only way he will, is for you to seek him in prayer or his Word, or if by divine design his plans include opening you up to that glimpse of understanding of his condescending love for you……unto death. Jesus created you, sustains you, and died for you, all so that you may spend eternity with him; he paid the ultimate price, a price you cannot pay, so that you may be in the presence for eternity with a holy God. It boggles the mind the depth of love he has for you and me, even as the sinners we are. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We are all going to fail each other every day, even when we are trying to do good and maybe different things, we will disappoint somebody. It doesn’t mean we don’t love them, or even don’t love Jesus, it just means we can’t get all of life right. Only one guy did……..and we call him Jesus.

Get It Right

Titus 3:4-8 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

I dare you to dig deep within your soul, to question your religion at it’s core, and then to question how you are living your life in response to what you say that you believe. Many of you will read no more, or stop in disagreement to what I ask of you. Does your religion of choice ask you to “DO” so that you may receive from God? Must you perform ritualistic tasks to obtain the gift of God for the keys to heaven? Must you pray specific prayers, obey religions laws, ask for mercy from certain saints, abstain from certain unholy things, or a seemingly endless list of what you must do, to accomplish what God wants of you, so that you are good enough in his sight to get into heaven? Is that what you have been taught, and are trying to live? It is the natural way we think in our sin-filled state of what the Bible labels our “flesh.” It is our natural inclination to feel we must “do to receive.” The sad part is that we are denying all that Jesus did for us, saying he was not good enough for us, and wiping away his blood on the cross with our wasted sweat of useless works that He will withhold the kingdoms keys to paradise from us.

Grace is what saves you; God’s free gift to you through his Son dying on the Cross; rising from the dead, conquering death forever, and returning to Heaven to rule until he returns to claim those who believe. When God opens your mind through your heart to that truth, your life will never be the same. Your heart is changed forever in the realization you can never earn your way into heaven; that Jesus fulfilled the highest price. But…..I must be perfectly clear, at that point is where your life must change. You are now to work out your salvation as Paul puts it in Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. You are going to be asked by God one day, “What did you DO with the knowledge of my Son?” The rest of your life is to be used to prepare for eternity. The rest of your life is an outpouring of love to the One who died for you. The rest of your life opens the doors to heavenly mansions full of heavenly crowns you will be able to lay at Jesus’ feet. Look at how Paul puts your good works into perspective, “God who works in you both to will and do.” These good works as you work out your salvation are God at work. These good deeds if you will, or these denying sins if you will, they are the work of God within you; you are to never be the same, or when you fail, a repentant heart is pleasing to the Lord. God is wanting to use you for the rest of your life to draw others to himself and reward you in Heaven.

If your life looks the same, after you proclaimed Christianity, are you really saved? If your life has not changed at all…….your are NOT. Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? If you have continued to read through this 1MM, and God has stirred your heart with this eternal question, it can only be answered there through prayer with Him. I truly believe these are the last days before Jesus returns; it is a critical time in all of history to get things right before God.

Pup Tents

Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

My house down here has troubles
As a contractor it needs repairs
The list of things needing attention
Are seemingly everywhere.

The house is getting older
This brings about more to do
Now I am not talking about bricks
I am talking about me and you.

My house is my earthly body
In the Bible described as a tent
My house is not made to stay
From this earth it will be sent.

Why does the Bible describe
Our bodies as tents any way
Because they are just temporary
And one day are taken away.

In heaven Jesus describes mansions
Built with heavenly hands
He builds them on the rock
Nothing to weaken like shifting sands.

Down here our tents are battered
Down here they blow every way
The struggles and trials of life
Sometimes make them go astray.

Paul writes of how our tents are battered
Of how anxieties takes it toll
Paul writes of how to focus
Of how heaven is truly our goal.

Paul writes of contentment here
From prison he pens he is OK
Of how the gospel is going further
For he knows Jesus is leading the way.

Paul’s tent was battered badly
Paul’s list of struggles is immense
Paul continues to focus on heaven
And not his little pup tent.

Consider the Poor

Psalm 41:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

I have had a really rough couple days, Satan still pounding my head with all that comes with the battles of depression. He is really great at twisting things around, always planting doubt of all we do and have done in life, always seeking to destroy us from within. It is a tiresome battle of epic proportions, and many of us face the battles of the mind. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We must just remember as disciples of Jesus, we are conquerers through Him, and we have already won this war. We must however reach out to those we see who are suffering, maybe such as us, without the confidence that comes with Jesus. We must reach out to those facing any battles of life with the hand of compassion, not the turned shoulder of selfishness. We cannot deny the opportunities Jesus places in our paths to share our struggles with others. God has let us go down the road of life building our testimonies; the difference he has made in our lives, and how that knowledge of him helps us to cope with life. It is the hope that he places within us that gives us strength to face tough days such as these.

This entire Psalm of David hinges upon the first verse. The entire passage revolves around the condition of our hearts in regards to others that are suffering, and how we view suffering ourselves. It is an open struggle from David of his own problems, and a view of how we and God should view others struggling down their life path. Matthew Henry exposition of this scripture reads, “We must regard them more generally with application to ourselves. Here is a comment upon that promise, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Observe, (1.) What the mercy is which is required of us. It is to consider the poor or afflicted, whether in mind, body, or estate. These we are to consider with prudence and tenderness; we must take notice of their affliction and enquire into their state, must sympathize with them and judge charitably concerning them. We must wisely consider the poor; that is, we must ourselves be instructed by the poverty and affliction of others; it must be Maschil to us, that is the word here used. (2.) What the mercy is that is promised to us if we thus show mercy. He that considers the poor (if he cannot relieve them, yet he considers them, and has a compassionate concern for them, and in relieving them acts considerately and with discretion) shall be considered by his God.” Likely in it’s simplest state, how we view and handle these situations to show mercy, is the same as God does.

You are not alone, your struggles are not the first of it’s kind, and God has allowed you to be on the path of life you are at this present time. Remember in your seemingly weakest state, is where you see the greatest strength of God. The apostle Paul was open in his struggles too. 2 Corinthians 12:5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Consider the poor, in any way, and God will consider you.

Loath Days Like These

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

I loath times like these……. drug into the pit is a place of the mind where darkness lies. People that do not share the battle, the unseen struggle, simply do not understand. This is a inward war that plays out openly for all to witness, to feel, yet have no understanding of the why…. I loath times like these. The switches that seemed to get flipped, and those feelings begin, many times headed down the roads of the highs of anxieties, and the U-turns of depression. The worse the highs, the greater the lows. Sometimes they come alone, separated if you will, but many times it is a 1-2 punch. Many times we may open the doors of these wars through sin, other times we cannot put our fingers on the cause. We always want to retreat to someplace safe, someplace of solitude, many times just to sleep and escape those feelings….waking up with them remaining is the times I loath.

I have always tried to be transparent, so that my struggles can through God help you with your struggles. I am no different from you, and this world gets to me just as it does you. There is nothing that matters more to me than your salvation, and I seek to point you to Jesus for it, and almost as importantly to seek him daily to work it out. I look for my help with every battle of life through prayer and time in his Word, no longer any coping mechanism that is taught, accepted, or even tolerated by this evil world we live in. This world needs revival, and this worlds needs us to encourage each other daily. That is why I am including a link of scriptures here that talk about depression. A link you can save and go to when you loath days like these.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/depression-bible-verses/

Easy Work

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

You can do no work to get there
You can never pay the price
Jesus paid your eternal debt
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice.

He died for you on a cross
He died so that you might live
He died for your due punishment
He died so that God will forgive.

He arose from the grave victorious
He conquered death for all to see
He has victory over sin forever
He has a heavenly gift for you and me.

No good works can we offer
No good works can every repay
The free gift of his gospel to us
Must be understood as the only way.

But how we live after receiving
How the remainder of our days
We are called to work out our salvation
We give thanks with our lives different ways.

We humbly seek him each day
In prayer and his Word we will go
With expectant heart we desire
Which way today Lord will you show?

Abiding hearts that walk with him
Each day brings a new possible way
To live our lives differently than the world
To seek to abide with him for each day.

The heavenly works he calls us to
Are the easy part you will see
He has written them out before time
Obedience is simply the key.

From the heart that seeks to abide
Flow the gospel of his story
Sharing the good news to all
By our lives drawing him glory.

Levels of Faith

Mark 4:29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

The depth of this passage, this story of faith and healing, is much more than a OneMinuteMinistry can contain. The means by which God can reveal, the pastor try to expound, and the heart’s desire to understand, many hours can be spent in Mark 4:14-29. Simply put, it is a passage of faith, the levels of faith if you will, and possibly pride woven in. A man’s son is demon possessed and he seeks out the disciples to heal him. They cannot, and Jesus charges many with unbelief, the seriousness of the situation, and the requirements needed for the boy to be healed of a demon spirit so strong it has been with him since birth.

We all have wavering levels of faith in our Christian walk. We are never perfected, and Satan as the author of doubt and confusion seeks to weaken our faith relentlessly. Even the greatest pastors, scholars, theologians, and yes, even those in the Bible struggled with doubt, fear, anxieties, and depression at times through their lives. It is a cycle of highs and lows that God uses the tactics of the enemy who seeks to weaken us, God uses these lows as opportunities to strengthen us. There are few Christians who will not reveal the depth of their intimacy with God during their greatest trials of life. Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. God does not operate as we do, or think he should. He lets us go down roads that lead to pain. He even lets Satan impute fear and doubt, all with a sovereignty’s complexity intertwined with Free Will at a level that spoke stars into existence. But we are assured he never breaks his promises, and that if we believe, he works it all for our eternal benefit. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Do you see the doubt in not only the father of the possessed, but likely the disciples as they failed? The passage of the father holds special meaning to me as I struggle with my daily walk and fears that we all face; it is a reminder to pray for the strength for the day. Mark 4:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” The father pled for Jesus to give him strength, a heavenly gift of deeper faith. Can you imagine the disciples struggle as they failed in healing the child; they had done this before. What if….pride had crept in? What if this had just become routine to them, and they rested on their abilities, and not their faith? It is a question that deserves contemplation, even for us supposed religious today. 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Jesus told them plainly of the seriousness of the situation. He told them of how the must consecrate themselves in preparation for a task beyond their capabilities. He told them of how they must humble themselves before God, to allow him to work differently than they would, and accomplish a task they could not, only through a deepened level of faith. If you struggle with unbelief at times as we all do, fast and pray. If God has laid something big in your path, fast and pray. That alone will increase your faith, and decrease your unbelief.

Cannot see, but can feel

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

I am really struggling with how, and even if to share some of this, but the Godliest man I know reminded me of God’s gift to me to write, and commanded me to do so. My testimony one of pride, and sanctifications blows of humility cause anxieties in pointing to details about me; it is never about me, only to show you Him through being open about my life. I seek no honor, and even struggled standing in the pulpit for over a year, and the attention it drew to me. But, what God gave me a glimpse of yesterday rattled me so, I must share in some way. Acts 2:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
Evil is among us; it always has been, and until Jesus casts Satan and his demons to eternal condemnation, it always will be. There is a world we cannot see, but we can feel, and with his strength we can attest to. We can take it to the extremes of denying it’s existence, or even to the opposing viewpoint of blaming everything that happens to us on the devil’s wiles. Somewhere between those two is the spiritual realm that has existed since creation. Satan has limited power, but Satan does have power, a power greater than you, until the Holy Spirit resides in you. 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. This does not mean you have a life of ease, but you have declared victory eternally, no matter the trials and pain your enemy brings; you win in the end through Jesus, but you are at war while you walk this earth as His disciple.

I was in prayer yesterday, interceding at a place immersed in a deep spiritual warfare battle; attacks coming of great proportions. The attacks have increased, and we agreed the only thing we knew to do was to pray, for wisdom in how to know what to do. We prayed for discernment of what the problem may have been; I was not prepared for what God showed me in prayer, it was the evil that lurked upstairs. I was completely overcome by the presence of darkness that lived above my head at this place. I have only felt that one other time in my life, in a muslim mosque in India, a feeling of evil that only can be described as oppressive. I hate that feeling, that knowledge, that glimpse into another world and the burden that it brings. My primary spiritual gift is discernment, and I have many times described it as both a blessing and a burden. Seeing through things brings great responsibilities and many times great angst in wanting to run from what you know you can’t. Such a time is this, what God gave me a glimpse of, I must confront.

In the midst of it all, and even later as I was trying to seek counsel, I wept uncontrollably. I have come to realize that was both the fear that resides in my flesh, my sin in me, and the intimacy of the relationship I had with God in those moments of another world. You can never be in the presence of our Lord and not weep. I found myself so mentally and physically exhausted, I could not hardly drive home, and for the remainder of the day, the simplest tasks seemed difficult. So many thoughts and scriptures seemingly floated through my head until the evening, as the war raged on, but God reassured me through his Spirit within me, as he gave me passages and wisdom till I slept, and thankfully gave me rest with no nightmares and warfare that came after India’s trip.

Why do I tell you just a glimpse of my yesterday? Because I truly believe we are living in the last days, and God wants to use little old me to encourage you to repent and believe. At the root of my ministry is my hearts desire to get you to seek God every day, for that is when and how my life changed. How will you recognize evil; how will you discern truth, or will you fall prey to wolves in sheep’s clothing? Only through your relationship with your heavenly Father, only through your diligent heartfelt pursuit of him daily in prayer and his Word. When you feed the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you, you strengthen him and he nourishes you. The relationship grows out of the heartfelt pursuit of him, and the gifts and wisdom he brings to you, feed the desire and grows the circle of an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. It is ONLY in that abiding relationship that he will give you the glimpses and discernments for these days such as these.

You must understand the evil that lurks among us, many times playing out openly in today’s society, many times in leadership roles of society. In a movie called the Devil’s Advocate years ago, Al Pacino playing Lucifer asked why a young Keanu Reeves why he would not join his team. He went down the list of the people he had in powerful places; he proclaimed of how he was at the peaking point. What he failed to proclaim, was that he was about to fall after he did, when Jesus returned. Y’all……we are somewhat living that movie from 20 years ago, moreover we are living in the last days biblically. God may be wanting to use you in these last days to draw others to himself. God may be wanting to show you things that will blow your mind, and with that do heavenly work with your Creator. God has things and plans in store for those who seek to be his disciples, calling you to difficulties that come with eternal heavenly rewards. How will you know if you never seek him with your heart? How will you be able to see, if you never open your eyes to the Truth that lies in a world among us, that we cannot see, but can feel and attest to?

Dead or Alive (not a question)

Ephesians 2:1-11 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Dead or alive; that is not a question, but the truth of mankind; we will either remain dead in our sins for eternity, or alive through the Gospel in heaven for eternity. Do you see every Christian’s testimony in this passage above? Do you see the before Christ, the present Christ, and the future Christ? Do you see how Paul writes of how we all were dead in our sins, living for the world and the pleasures of it? Of how we will die in it without the mercy of God? “God who is rich in mercy,” mercy is God withholding the punishment of sin that we deserve. God’s grace is giving us something that we do no deserve; his gift of Jesus to rescue us, to pay for the due punishment of our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. In this passage of Ephesians is one of the most beautiful of the Apostle Paul’s writings, the depth of God’s love for us, wrapped up in the simplicity of the Gospel to us; we can never earn heaven, but accept the ultimate gift of love with a humble hearts understanding of it. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

In the middle of this passage is the life of a Christian, the present Christ in you. The process of sanctification is God’s work for your time here, to wring out the sin of your life, and to make you more like Jesus. Sanctification is not a single act, but a daily obedience for the remainder of your life. It is God’s way lessening sin, and gaining glory. It is how God changes you from the inside out; how he speaks to you through his Spirit living inside of you. It is a daily roller-coaster of life’s struggles, the battle of good and evil, the spiritual warfare that plays out daily in our lives. The closer a Christian draws to God, the greater the warfare for his soul. The life of a Christian is sometimes falsely proclaimed as a life of blessing and ease, but Paul also wrote in 2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

The future that is promised you lies in this passage; the promise of remaining with Jesus for eternity, to show the riches of eternity. We must understand that we only have this lifetime, one shot of an undetermined amount of time, to determine where we spend all of time. A Godly friend of mine once said, “Anderson, it is Heaven or Hell; pick a side.” You must understand your choices today affect your eternity. You must understand that your decision to deny those tugs God is placing on your heart, could prove deadly for eternity. You must understand after your time here, you will have eternity to understand the statement, not the question, dead or alive.

Beginning of our End

Philippians 3:7-14 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

My heart pains at the level of sin, and the lack of focus in our nation.
My heart pains at how we seek political saviors, when there are none.
My heart pains at how our nation has become a Godless nation.
My heart pains at how Satan is sliding into victory with this misguided focus.
My heart pains at how the Truth is no longer spoken.
My heart pains at how PC is now the trojan horse defeating our nation.
My heart pains at how we are so wrapped up in the now, we are blind to eternity.
My heart pains at the weakening of our preachers watering down the gospel.
My heart pains at how our religious leaders now won’t speak the truth, for the fear of the offense.
My heart pains at how those that do speak the truth, are persecuted, and silenced.
My heart pains at how we are truly getting what we deserve…….

You and I are in a critical intersection of our nation; we will never be the same nation after this election, and God has sealed our future in the “choices” we have before us. We have an imminent threat to our life as we know it, and likely an increasing persecution to Christianity as we know it. The future is uncertain, but it is certain that all our lives will not be the same heading into 2017.

This section in Philippians is where my heart aligns with Paul’s. I want so badly to remain in the center of God’s will for my life. I am no different from you, this crazy world takes my eyes of Christ every day; the focus on eternity is skewed by the pleasures of endless sins and the misguided labors of countless things that moths and rust will destroy. Paul here pens about that eternal focus with a blend of earthly wisdom. To be a part of the sufferings of Christ while we are here; to labor in the gospel so that all may come to know Christ. Paul speaks of not focusing on all this worldly pleasures and sins, but to focus on the One who died to rescue us, and rose to provide us heavenly access for eternity. Oh how my heart pleas that we will seek him diligently. Oh how my heart pleas that we will stand for truth. If we don’t….this is the beginning of our end.