Following Jesus with your whole heart is no guarantee that your life will be free of pain, suffering, hardship or even tragedy. However, you can stand on the absolute truth that the Lord is your Shepherd, and He will never leave you or forsake you.

“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause.” --Abraham Lincoln

With our finances, we can choose to follow God’s instructions to care for the things He cares about, or we can choose to be concerned with only ourselves. Scripture is clear that God honors a cheerful giver and a wise, faithful steward.

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just; and He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (Daniel 4:37, NASB).

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12, NIV).

Every day you have an opportunity to take the high road, a chance to choose God’s best or settle for less. Every day your children will watch what you do. Make a conscious decision to inspire them to choose godliness.

God is fully able to accomplish His work. His success doesn’t depend on our success. The fact that we can be part of fulfilling the desires of our Father’s heart gives us a matchless opportunity to know Him well.

Too often we cut off other Christians because we judge them for something we disagree with or think is inappropriate. We need to remind ourselves that if God took that attitude with us, none of us would ever know His love.

Hearing words of affirmation from a father is a privilege nothing can replace. Even our heavenly Father expressed His approval of Christ. Imagine how good it must have felt for Jesus to hear His Father’s words: “You are My son, whom I love, with You I am well pleased.”

No one has escaped the effects of Adam’s fall. Only Jesus could make the exchange of life that can restore us to a meaningful relationship with God as our Father. Only His sacrificial death on the cross could atone for our sins & offer us eternal life & abundant life.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12, ESV).

“The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him” (Exodus 15:2, ESV).

If you have bought into the lie that we can’t make a difference in these last days because things will get worse with evil men becoming more wicked, you have allowed yourself to be defeated by one of Satan’s greatest lies. We have been left here to be a light in the darkness.

The revered hymn says it best: “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” When we receive Christ, we are in a new family with a new identity, called to fulfill God’s kingdom purpose as we move in this new power.

You can be the expression of God's love and character to impact people both near and far.

I respond to belittling our Armed Service members and irresponsible voting in Congress. I respond to prayer left out of personal lives and removed from schools. I respond to murder in the name of abortion and to abortion in the name of women’s rights. I respond because I care.

The apostle Paul urged Timothy to “stir up the gift of God that was within him.” Every person who knows Jesus and has been filled with the Spirit has special gifts in their lives. Ask God to stir up the gifts and use you for His glory!

God’s will can be done on earth through the family of God.

The Lord is as easy to see as light in the darkness when it is turned on or uncovered. He is magnetically attractive and awesome in His power and love. He longs for His children to “have understanding of the times” and not be defeated by rejecting His teaching and wisdom.

“Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thess. 5:11, NLT).