For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 Dear Lord Jesus, I praise You for choosing me, saving me from my sins and the eternal wrath to come, and for granting me eternal life by grace through faith. I praise You for the treasure I forever have in You, Jesus. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:8). All the treasures in the world put together couldn't even hold a candle to the treasure I have in You, Jesus. You are the Treasure of all treasures. The Lord Looks at the Heart During Jesus’ earthly ministry, most people in His audience believed that what was most important to God was their performance - their outward actions and external keeping of the Law. The Pharisees were considered highly spiritual by others because they were strict and rigid in their religiosity and traditions. First off, no one could ever earn eternal life by the way of good works, for we are saved by grace through faith alone, but true saving faith naturally produces good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). Secondly, Jesus teaches that God cares about what's in a person's heart. Righteous behavior is only truly righteous, and saving faith in Jesus is only proven authentic when supported by a devoted, loving heart to Christ and others. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Professions of faith in Christ and external obedience are empty and futile without a loving, trusting heart in Jesus. You Can't Serve Two Masters Jesus applies this perspective to money. He teaches us not to stockpile riches or hoard money and earthly possessions. (Yes, we are to be thoughtful and save for a rainy day, provide for our families, and be good stewards of what God has given us. However, we are not to be anxious, greedy, or tied to perishable money or earthly treasures in any way). We can't truly serve our Lord Jesus if we are also serving money. We either trust in Jesus, or we trust in money. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (Matthew 6:24). As believers, we trust that no matter what, God always provides. If He provides for the sparrows, we can trust that He will never fail to provide for His own children. Money and possessions are all temporary things and are easily lost or stolen. Everything on earth belongs to God anyways, and these things are not for us to keep in this temporary, fleeting life. We will leave our money and possessions behind us when we die, and we won't even care one iota about them! We will finally be in our real home in heaven, in the presence of our Lord Jesus, and in the fullness of His glory forever. Lay Up Treasure in Heaven Instead of laying up treasures here on earth, Jesus says to lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven. We are to store up rewards in eternity by expressing sacrificial love, devotion, and obedience to God and others during our short time on earth. Every loving thought, word, deed, and prayer produced from a trusting heart in Jesus will be rewarded to the believer as treasure in heaven; a treasure that can never perish or be stolen for all eternity. The point Jesus is making isn’t that Christians shouldn’t have wealth or possessions, but we are to have only one ultimate priority and treasure; and that is Jesus Christ, who will be our treasure for eternity. He is to be our supreme treasure every single day. He is to be at the center of everything we do, say, and think, not just something added to our lives. Our attitudes towards wealth matter because our hearts are owned by whatever we consider our treasure to be. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also (Luke 12:34). The treasure of our hearts, whether perishable or imperishable, proves to be the real foundation of our affections. If we focus all or most of our time, energy, and effort on building our wealth, managing our money, storing up piles of money, chasing after cars, houses, jewelry, art, gold, handbags, shoes, etc, it shows that wealth and possessions are what our hearts are focused on. Rather, if we focus on treasuring Jesus in our hearts and living for the glory of God, our hearts will glow with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. And we will walk in the Spirit and obedience to His Word as we lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven. These treasures will be forever, where moths and rust can't destroy, and where thieves can't break in and steal them. (Matthew 6:19-20). These are treasures that please the Lord and are safe with Him for eternity. Invest Wisely The wisest investment one could ever possibly make is investing in the glory of God by doing the will of God. And the will of God is found in the Word of God. We are to invest in our eternity wisely by investing in Jesus. Lord, help me to live every day with keeping an eternal perspective on my life and living all for the glory of You. Help me to live this short life in the light of eternity, and give me the grace to live every day as if Jesus is coming back tonight. This life is but a vapor. You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Keeping an eternal perspective also helps me to better endure my present sufferings and glorify God through them. For my brothers and sisters who want to develop this perspective more, pray to our Father in heaven and simply ask Him for it! He loves when you ask Him for things according to His will! You do not have, because you do not ask (James 4:2). And let's renew our minds in the truth in Jesus by opening our Bibles and keeping them open. When we grow in the knowledge of who Jesus is, that eternal perspective will become more of a reality in our hearts - because it truly is our future reality when we trust in Jesus. And how awesome is that?! Lord, help me treasure You above all things every single day. And when I fail to treasure You as I ought, help quickly guide me back onto Your path of righteousness for Your name's sake. By Your grace, help me live for the very purpose for which you created me - for the glory of You. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. “I am so thankful that I have a joy that the world can not rob me of; I have a treasure that the world can not take from me; I have something that is not in the power of man or devil to deprive me of, and that is the joy of the LORD.” D.L. Moody Love, Jenna 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Dear Lord Jesus, You created me to treasure and live for the glory of God above all things. The very purpose for which You created me was to bring You glory in everything I do. The light of Your glory was made to shine at the center of my life; of my heart, mind, and soul. Your glory is never to be secondary to anything else in my life, but Your glory is to be the absolute focus in everything I do, say, and think. When Your glory is replaced by anything else, or when I put myself or anything else above Your glory, my life becomes disordered, and my peace and joy are lost. There are so many lost and confused people in this world because they don’t want to know the glory of God or live their lives for Him. The healing of our hearts only begins by re-establishing the glory of God to where it's meant to be. Jesus is meant to be at the center of our lives, every single day. Starved for the Glory of God People are severely lacking in the glory of God. People are not lacking in self-love like most of this world promotes and endlessly chases in vain. See, no one goes out into nature or watches a sunset to boost their self-esteem. Why do we love nature and sunsets? We love those things because deep down we know there is a far greater and deeper healing for our souls when we regard one of God’s magnificent creations. We can never find that level of splendor or awe when we look within ourselves. It's only when we look outside of ourselves that we behold such healing and joy through the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. If self is the problem, self cannot also be the answer at the same time. We will only find darkness when we look within ourselves. We must look to the light, and that glorious light is Jesus Christ. What could be more absurd inside this wondrous and vast universe than a person, a tiny speck in this universe, who peers into the mirror and strives to find significance, honor, and glory in his own self-image? Unfortunately, this is the gospel of the modern world and all the false religions which have deceived billions of people. Satan will do anything to get us to stop focusing on Christ and Scripture and place our focus on ourselves and worldliness - because Satan’s ultimate deception is blinding us with our own pride, which is the root of all sin. He wants to get us to focus on self, the elevation of self, and to rely on self as the agent that brings peace and tranquility, over focusing on the only real thing that brings peace and tranquility, and that is Jesus Christ. The enemy wants us to put ourselves and our feelings at the center of our thoughts and lives, over the glory of God; the only thing that brings any of us true joy and peace. Living For the Glory of God The pure Gospel is “the Gospel of the glory of Christ” because its final goal is that we would live for the glory of Christ and glorify Him in absolute gratitude for all eternity because of what He did for us. See, what could ever bring more joy and healing to our souls than what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross?! For the glory of Christ is the same exact same thing as the glory of God because Jesus Christ is God. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” (Hebrews 1:3). “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Furthermore, The light of the gospel is the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4), and when the light of the gospel shines into our hearts, it is “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Finally, when we “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2), that hope is Jesus who is our blessed and only hope! “our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna Devotion is inspired by John Piper's "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ." For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3 Entertainment is the devil’s substitute for joy. The more joy you have in the Lord, the less entertainment you need. - Leonard Ravenhill.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD holds him with his hand. Psalm 37:23-24 Dear Lord, Please help me through this day by leading me in Your truth. Before I begin anything today, help me begin today with opening Your Word and listening to You. Be with me every step of the way today, and guide me in all my thoughts, actions, and deeds. And whatever I may do today, may I do it all with love so that I may bring You glory and be a blessing to others. Help me grow in my faith, Lord. Help me grow in wisdom and discernment by opening the Scriptures. May my faith shine brightly through my obedience to Your Word. Lord, I know that obedience naturally flows from truly trusting Your Word, just as disobedience naturally results from not trusting Your Word. Jesus, I trust in Your ways and Your goodness for my life, even when I don’t understand. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Help me to always trust in the Word of God over my own mind. Help me to not just know the Truth but live the Truth, by Your grace. I pray that when I open my Bible today, You speak directly to me about whatever it is that You want me to know. Help me keep my eyes on You, Jesus, by keeping my eyes on Your Word. Lord, humble me and do away with any pride that tries to find its way into my mind and heart as it so easily does. Just as pride is the root of all sin that leads to more sins, sorrows, and death, humility is the essence and foundation of being a child of God in which life, joy, and peace flow. Lord, keep me humble by reminding me of the gospel today. Help me live out this day by keeping the gospel at the center of my thoughts, speech, actions, and deeds. The highest aim in life for a man or a woman is not fatherhood or motherhood but to be conformed to the image of Christ and to grow more like Jesus every single day. That's what happens when we are born again. We continue to grow in the fruits of the Spirit and become more like Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit working in our hearts. Help me be one tiny bit more like Jesus today than I was yesterday. Help me be reminded that I can experience victory over sin because You have gifted me with the power of the Holy Spirit, which grows me in the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I am not alone. I am a child of God. I have the grace of God with me! Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He is who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Lord, I am eager to obey Your Word, not because my obedience or good works could ever earn Your favor, but because I sincerely trust You and Your goodness for my life. May You help me take up the full armor of God and be prepared for Satan’s schemes and the spiritual battle today by putting on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Christian life is not easy, but as a Christian, it makes sense that I would be one of the most joyful people in the entire world, no matter what. That’s because I have You, Jesus. Jesus is the greatest joy there is! I pray for Your wisdom, discernment, and direction, for Your power, love, and protection. I pray that You bless me in the presence of my enemies. I pray that I find my joy in You today and every day, and may the joy of the Lord be my strength! (Nehemiah 8:10). Lord, help me be courageous as I walk in the Truth today in this dark and deceived world, and help me to boldly let the light of the gospel shine so that others may come to know You too. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray Amen. Love, Jenna PS I encourage you to read Psalm 119 this week :) O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; Psalm 15:1-2 Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth. John 17:17 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior,20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions,21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:19-23

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned but have not love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Dear Lord, Lord, You are the essence of love, and You are all together lovely in every sense of the word. I praise You for who You are! Lord, thank You for having mercy on me, opening my eyes by Your grace, and gifting me with my faith in Jesus Christ, my glorious Lord and loving Savior. One way we know that we belong to You is that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, our neighbors and enemies. For love is the ultimate mark of a true Christian. It's the love in one’s heart that shows evidence of belonging to Christ. Lord, I would like to recite to You one of the most lovely passages in all Your Word. I praise You for Your Word, Lord. It is my favorite thing in the world. That's because it's You, Jesus. You are the way, the Truth, and the life. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). Jesus Christ is the Word Incarnate, the Word made flesh, and God is love. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). It's the work of the Holy Spirit within us, not our good works, that gives us the assurance of our salvation. It's putting our trust in Jesus and His work that gives us the Holy Spirit by God's grace, which gives us the security of our salvation. It's the indwelling Holy Spirit that produces good fruit in our lives, yielding to assurance. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10) Security of Salvation Vs Assurance of Salvation The security of a believer's salvation is fixed for eternity and never waivers, and a believer can never lose his or her salvation. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:27-28). The security of a believer's salvation is solely dependent on Jesus Christ and His work on the cross and resurrection. But assurance of a believer's salvation is a feeling, and it is dependent on how we talk, behave, respond, and live as a Christian. True joy and assurance of salvation is found in our obedience to the Word of God and suffering for the sake of Christ and the gospel. If as a Christian we lose our joy, we don't need to look at our ever-changing circumstances, but we must examine our relationship with the Lord and our obedience to His Word. Whenever we start doubting our salvation, we must examine our obedience, confess and repent of our sins, and then quickly turn our eyes upon Jesus and rest in His love and mercy and what He did for us. And that's where your eyes should remain - on Jesus and His love for you. Fill Our Mind With Truth, & Fix Our Eyes on Jesus When we fill our mind with the hope and joy of Christ and the Truth of His Word, there is no room for sin or lies that lead to doubt or lack of assurance. Assurance of salvation will be restored when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and submit ourselves to Him. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you (James 4:6-8). Satan knows he can't destroy our souls, but he aims to destroy the joy and peace that we have with Jesus. And one way he tries to steal our joy and peace is by getting believers to doubt our salvation. Filling our minds with Truth and reading His Word daily is how we spiritually grow and mature as believers, and the more Truth we read everyday and fill our minds with, the more assurance we will have. While Satan wants people to empty their minds through Eastern meditation practices, Jesus never tells us to empty our minds but commands us to fill our minds with Scripture. We are to mediate on God's Word, and we are never to meditate by emptying our minds. Emptying our minds is a very dangerous thing to do spiritually, and it's just a free invitation for the devil. but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:2). Love is the Evidence We Believe One way we know that the Holy Spirit is at work in our hearts is that we love our brothers and sisters. In First John it says, No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this, we know we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit (1 John 12-13). Since God is love, those who believe in Jesus also demonstrate God’s nature. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). The night before He goes to the cross, Jesus tells us to love one another. By loving one another, we will prove that we are truly His disciples. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35). Love is the evidence we have the Holy Spirit and believe in Jesus. Prophecies, knowledge, and tongues will all pass away, but love will never. Love never ends. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). Whatever the outside deed is; however extravagant or sacrificial it may be to the world, it is the inside of the deed that counts to Jesus. He sees deep down into the depths of our hearts where our true intentions and motives are, and we cannot hide from the God Almighty. May the truth of our deeds come from a place of humility and sacrificial love and not from pride or selfish gain. May our actions and deeds be that which bring glory to God and not to ourselves to be seen or praised by others. Love Covers a Multitude of Sins May we keep our eyes focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ as our wonderful hope and not ourselves or our own deeds. May we make all sacrifices for His glory, and may the center of everything we do, be with love – love for God and love for others. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Saving faith naturally produces love, and love is the most effectual ingredient in a living faith. Love also promotes deeper faith and commitment because we are more likely to trust in those whom we love. Lord, may we be empowered by love to accomplish all that you call us to do, and may it be love that helps drive us to share the gospel with others. The Word produces faith, and faith produces love, and love produces good fruits, which bears evidence of a true Christian. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Lord, help me to grow with you spiritually through reading Your Word. Also, please give me the grace to be more sensitive to my own fallenness and sin so that I may be quicker to confess it, repent of it, and turn to You in faith, hope, and love. May my obedience of faith be driven by the love I have for you, Jesus. All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray amen. Love, Jenna Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins. Proverbs 10:12 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but 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 work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 2 Corinthians 5:11 The Conscience Accuses or Excuses The conscience is a gift to all of mankind. It’s the ability to have self-awareness, to contemplate and weigh our thoughts, feelings, actions, intentions and motives. It’s the soul reflecting upon itself. The conscience is the faculty by which we make moral assessments, sound judgments, and act accordingly on them. It either accuses us of our sins or excuses us in our sins. The conscience can either be our ultimate comforter and supporter as the best friend of a pure and holy heart. Or, it can be a nagging and bothersome voice as the worst enemy of a sinful soul. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:15). When people quit listening to their conscience is when their behavior and actions become unconscionable. Unfortunately, for those who continue to go against their conscience, it becomes easier to do so over time. In turn, the conscience becomes faulty, seared, and just doesn’t work very well anymore – sometimes to the point of no return, in which God gives people over to their sins. He eventually abandons them to their own greedy, lustful, and prideful desires that they continue to choose. Examples of a Faulty Conscience Here are a couple examples of a faulty conscience: It's kind of like a teenage girl who gets super nervous shoplifting for the first time. She is sensitive to it at first because she has never done it before. Her conscience is screaming at her, trying to save her from doing something that is wrong. However, the second time she does it with a bit more ease, since she got away with it the first time, scot-free. The third time, she feels a bit more bold to steal something of even greater value, and so on and so forth. This goes on until it becomes almost second nature to her, until her conscience grows so dull that it stops warning her altogether, until her entire identity becomes that of a thief. Another example is someone who is a liar. The more he lies, the easier it becomes. The easier it becomes, the bigger the lies. This is until he tells so many lies that his whole life and human existence becomes one big lie. And he becomes sloppy and so convoluted by his own lies that his mask slips right off, eventually exposing the truth for all to see on God's perfect, appointed time. Until he repents by the grace of God or inevitably gets caught, he will continue to lie and hide secrets, while his conscience just gets duller and duller and duller. Once it becomes so dull, it simply can't respond anymore, and there's no going back - except maybe by being exposed or certainly by the grace of God granting him repentance and true saving faith. Only Christ can truly save us from our sins and truly transform our hearts. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light (Luke 8:17). Deadly to Misinform the Conscience See, it is very deadly to misinform the conscience over and over because it gets to the point where it becomes so turned upside down and flipped on its head that people begin to glory in their shame and call evil good and good evil. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Philippians 3:19). Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20). People are then riddled with confusion and debilitated inside their own world of chaos from continuing to go against their conscience. By rejecting the conscience over and over, it's like committing suicide. It's only a matter of time until a person gets so turned upside down by rejecting his conscience, and he loses his mind. There's no coming back once the conscience is obliterated, and that's when God gives people over to their fleshly desires and sins. He abandons them to what they really want. God is so patient and merciful, but He will also allow us to choose what our heart desires in the end. “You see the conscience functions like a skylight, not like a lamp. It doesn’t have a light of its own. It can only let light through. It’s not the source of light. It does not produce its own light. It can only let light into the soul, and therefore it needs to have the right information. Its usefulness is determined by the amount of pure light passing through it. So, a fully functioning conscience then is fully informed by the truth of God’s word.” - John MacArthur The Conscience Needs the Right Information The conscience is not to be misinterpreted as the voice of God. It's not to be equal to the law of God or the Word of God. The conscience is the God-given function and the built-in mechanism of the human soul that helps guide us to what is true, good, and safe for our eternal souls. It's there to help give us a peaceful life and protect our souls from what is eternally harmful and damning. It's to ultimately help lead us in the direction to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved by God's grace. All sane people have knowledge of right and wrong, without it having to be explicitly taught to them. It’s just in the fabric of being human in this world, being created in the image and likeness of God. The conscience is the warning system of the soul, and by nature, it’s built into every single human, not just Christians. A Buddhist, a Muslim, a Hindu, a New Age person, and an Atheist all have a conscience too. Everyone does, no matter what we choose to believe in, listen to, learn, study, follow, trust and obey. And everyone’s conscience works at the highest level of morality that one chooses to follow, live by, or submit to. To be fully effective and to function as God designed, the conscience must be fed the right information since it can’t produce information by itself. If the conscience is to work the way in which God designed it to work, then it must submit to the truest, highest, and purest moral law that exists. And where can we find that? We can find that in the truest, highest, and purest tangible source that exists in this physical realm. And that is the clear, authoritative, sufficient, and infallible Word of God, authored by God and written by men who were internally led by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). Ultimately, the Word of God is the only place where we can truly come to know and love Jesus Christ, who is wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30), and the only One who can save us from the eternal wrath to come and grant us eternal life. He is the way, the Truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). God not only gave us the gift of our conscience, but He also gave us the gift of His Word to fully inform our conscience with His absolute Truth, renew our mind in Scripture, and transform us by the power of the Holy Spirit. God's divine power gave us everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and it's simply a choice we all make in this preparatory life to either reject God's Word, ignore it, diminish it - or read it, know it, trust it, and obey it with joy. This is why it's wise to inform our consciences with the right information - with the absolute Truth of the Word of God, which is loud and explicitly clear to all those who desire to know Him and trust Him. Jesus Christ is the Highest Form of Wisdom Wisdom is personified in Proverbs Chapter One and is described as someone who we can “get to know.” Therefore, the truest, highest, purest knowledge and wisdom that exists is Jesus Christ Himself, found in the Word of God, and found living in the hearts of true Christians. Divine wisdom and spiritual discernment only come through truly knowing Christ and what He did for sinners on the cross by placing our trust in Him as our only hope for eternal life. Knowing Jesus Christ goes far beyond the intellectual realm. Anyone can intellectually know Jesus, understand Scripture intellectually, and even positively agree with the facts of the gospel, intellectually. Many people have head knowledge of Christ, but not everyone has heart knowledge of Christ, in which the Holy Spirit indwells in the hearts of true Christians, guides us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake, and transforms our lives through the process of sanctification. Truly knowing Christ in our hearts gives us a healthy fear of the Lord, and that's where all true wisdom originates. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). Once we repent of our sins and believe in the gospel; trusting in the person and work of Christ alone, our consciences then officially come under the truest, highest, purest moral law that exists: Jesus Christ - the wisdom of God, Lord to all, and Savior to all who believe and receive Him. By trusting in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, Christians are gifted the Holy Spirit who is our teacher and guide. He gives us spiritual discernment and helps us understand, love, and interpret the Word of God accurately, which helps keep us on the path of righteousness for His name’s sake...ultimately leading us to eternal life by His grace. God gave us the conscience to help us navigate this world safely and wisely, and He also gave us the freedom of choice to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved. When we choose to obey His command to believe in the sacrifice of His Son, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). And the instant we are justified by grace through faith and sealed with the Holy Spirit, we can never lose our salvation. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30). Subject the Conscience to the Word of God It's so important to subject the conscience to God's Truth and to the teaching of Scripture. When we digest and internalize the Word of God on a daily basis, the conscience becomes sharper over time, more focused, and more equipped for this world to then be able to respond accordingly and reliably. A faulty or dulled conscience is a great barrier to our spiritual growth. It's a huge hindrance. But a sharp and effective conscience, renewed by the the Word of God, is a trustworthy and powerful helper and friend in our personal walk with Jesus. A mind renewed in God's Truth helps us discern better what God's perfect will is for our lives, so that we may do the will of God and carry out our God-given purpose to glorify Him. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21). Knowing the will of God begins in knowing the Word of God. Do not be conformed with the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11). A Fallen Conscience Strengthened by Grace Since we are part of a fallen world, our consciences are fallen too. In First Corinthians 4:4-5, Paul says, For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. Paul is saying that even when he knows he is not doing anything wrong or has anything against himself, he is still not justified by his own conscience. That's because our own conscience is just as fallen as the rest of us. And so, it could never be the final determiner of anyone's true spiritual condition. However, no matter how flawed we are by the curse, conscience and all, it's the best we have. And when we rely on the grace of God, when we subject our conscience to His Truth, when we renew our minds in His Word daily, and when we as Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us, the conscience is still very capable of choosing that which is good, right, and true - ultimately bringing glory to God. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Love, Jenna They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 1 Timothy 1:19 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, Romans 9:1 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 1 Corinthians 1:30

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 Dear Lord Jesus, Hallelujah! He is risen! All glory belongs to You, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5). Peace with God Through Faith in Christ The very crux of the work of Jesus in His resurrection is that He gives us a whole new humanity; a whole new nature in Christ! We are redeemed! Through His death and resurrection, we are now restored to the original image of God and who we were before the fall. And now, whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). What a gift it is that God loves us that much! There is nothing greater than to be loved by God, for that is the definition of peace; a peace the world does not know. But we as believers know that peace, for we are made right with God through faith in Christ. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) By grace through faith in Christ alone, we have been given the blessings of all blessings - eternal life! Jesus has triumphantly swallowed up victory, crushed Satan under His feet, and death shall be no more! I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). Raised with Jesus Jesus was the very first to be raised, but by no means is He the last! All of us who are found in Christ will share in the glorious resurrection of our bodies too. knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence (2 Corinthians 4:14). And this is our glorious hope, which is at the very heart and soul of the Christian faith. Jesus swallowed up death once and for all, and we are eternally secure in Him! He bore our sins on the cross, took our punishment in full measure as the perfect lamb of God, and in three days He rose again so that by grace through faith we may have everlasting life with our Great God and Savior and all our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are headed for eternal glory in Christ, dear ones. I mean, what could possibly be better than to have peace with God and be loved by Him? Now that's what I call "winning the war." In Jesus, and only in Jesus do we "win the war." It's nothing we could ever do. It's what Christ has already done! And all we have to do is trust Him! God's Story This world, this life - this is not our story. It's not about us. We are not the center of the universe. None of us are; not individually or even collectively. It's all about God. This is His story, and by His grace, we are a part of it! What a tremendous privilege that is! In His story, God saves us in Christ and for the sake of Christ - because He loves us, and it's all for His glory. And what a wonderful part of the story that is! In God's story, we are saved from Him, by Him, and for Him! He is the Hero of the story, and God is the central character. It's the glory of God that lies at the center of the universe, not us, and we were all born for the purpose of bringing God glory in everything we do, especially in believing on His Son, Jesus Christ. When we believe in the Truth of Jesus, which is the wisdom of God and the only way to eternal life and we submit to His Lordship, we bring God more glory than anything else! And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, (1 Corinthians 1:30). Jesus Christ is the Good News From Genesis to Revelation, it becomes evident that the whole Bible is one big unfolding story of God's love, mercy, and saving grace towards sinners in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself is the gospel. Jesus Christ is the good news, and the gospel is as free as the air we breathe. Jesus Christ is the best news that mankind will ever hear. The gospel is the greatest thing that will ever pass through anyone's ears. Nothing can top the gospel or even hold a candle to it. That's because Jesus is the way, the Truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him! (John 14:6). Christ is life itself. Jesus Christ is the Pinnacle of the Bible In the Old Testament, Jesus is predicted. In the Gospels, He is revealed. In Acts, He is preached. In the Epistles, He is explained, and in Revelation He is expected to return! Although Jesus is not literally the entire content of the Bible, He is the core, the essence, and center of it all. Everything in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation points to Christ, His Work on the cross, and His resurrection. Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of the Bible and the good news of what God did to save us from our sins, rescue us from eternal torment, redeem us, and grant us the spectacular and undeserved gift of eternal life through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, by grace through faith. In God's story, He saves us from Himself, by Himself, and for Himself. Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is risen, and He is King, and we belong to Him forever and ever! I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28). All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Happy Easter everyone! Love, Jenna But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:5-6 "He is not here; he has risen!" Luke 24:6-7 Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:34 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 1 Corinthians 6:14 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 1 Corinthians 15:21 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 1:4 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 Dear Lord, I will be praising You for all eternity for sending Jesus to save me. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Maundy Thursday This week in history are the final days leading up to the biggest turning point in the history of mankind, bringing about the best news the world will ever come to know. The gospel is the greatest news that could ever pass through someone's ears. Jesus will die on a cross for all the sins of all the people who will ever come to believe in Him, in all of human history. And in three days, Jesus will rise again so that by God's grace whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). On Thursday evening, Jesus anticipates the worst death that this world will ever know, mere hours away from Him. Among the terror and foreboding heaviness that weighs upon everyone that night, especially Jesus, the primary focus is not fear or death - but love. Not only is Jesus anticipating the horror of what the Romans and Jews will do to Him physically, but more so what His Father will do to Him spiritually. God will lay on His perfect, blameless Son all the past, present, and future sins ever committed of every single person who would come to faith in Him. Jesus will be punished to the maximum; His precious blood covering every single sinful thought, word, action, and deed that would ever come into existence of those who would come to believe in Him. His Father will pour out and exhaust His holy wrath on Him, and the just requirement of God’s Law will finally be fulfilled, the propitiation and perfect sacrifice for our sins. And all of us who would ever come to believe in Jesus will be set free from the law of sin and death and be given life and peace in Christ. The only way we escape this world alive, is through Christ and through Christ alone. Jesus Christ is Lord to all and Savior to only those who choose to believe in Him. • There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). Jesus will have defeated death once and for all, and Satan will soon be crushed under His feet. • When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30). On the cross, God treats Jesus as if He committed all of our sins, though He committed none. And God treats us as if we did only the righteous deeds of the sinless Son of God. Believers are made perfect by grace through faith in Christ! Amen! We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, all for God’s glory alone. Praise our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! The Most Powerful Love That Exists Even with the most painful and agonizing event in all of history only hours away, Jesus’ focus is still not on Himself. His focus and attention is on His disciples, on others. The night before Jesus is crucified, He overflows with love for them. It's the type of love that is sacrificial, called Agape. Agape is an unconditional love, the highest form of love and charity, and the most powerful love that exists. It's the type of love God has for us and us for Him. Jesus displays His sacrificial love by comforting His disciples with hope and promises. He comforts them with the promise of divine love, the promise of heaven, the promise that He’s going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s House. Let these words from Jesus and Scriptures also be comforting to you, Christian :) • In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:1-3). • Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him (John 14:21). • As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love (John 15:9-10). The Promise of the Holy Spirit Jesus promises that He will supply everything His disciples ask through prayer in His name. He promises that they will never be alone. He gives them the promise of the Holy Spirit, who will be their helper, comforter, and guide in this life; empowering and teaching them all things, bearing witness of Jesus to the whole world. Let these promises speak right now to you too and comfort you, Christian. • And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17). • But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26). The Promise of Peace Jesus also promises that He will grant them peace; a peace the world does not know; a peace that comes only through the promise of the forgiveness of sins; a peace that only comes through the promise of eternal life by grace through faith; a peace that comes from being right with God. I hope you too feel the peace that surpasses all understanding, the peace that guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus, the peace that comes only by being made right with God and being loved by God. Peace be with you, Christian. • Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). • Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:27). • And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). The Promise of Bearing Fruit and Being Hated by the World Jesus promises His disciples that they will bear much fruit as believers, and He also promises that as true believers, they will inevitably experience persecution, hatred from the world, and even death for His sake. Dear Christian, may you bear much fruit and so prove to be His disciple. And when you are persecuted for righteousness sake, I pray that you remain steadfast under trial, even counting it all joy. One of the biggest comforts and joys that come from persecution is the assurance of our salvation and that we are truly His. And may you rejoice and be glad when you are reviled, slandered, or persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the gospel, for the sake of boldly proclaiming the Truth, and for bearing the name of Christ. For great is your reward in heaven, Christian! The greater the persecution, the greater your eternal reward. Let that promise from God bring you comfort, strength, and endurance, Christian. • By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (John 15:8). • I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). • If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours (John 15:18-20). • Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12). The Promise of Overcoming Death Jesus promises that they will have trouble in this life. But He also promises them that He will overcome the world and all its hostility and death. He comforts them and tells them not to be troubled or afraid. You mustn't either be troubled or afraid, for Jesus has overcome the world. He gives you eternal life, and you shall never perish. No one can snatch you out of His hand (John 10:28). The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God is also the one who overcomes the world. So, do not be troubled or afraid of anything! When you have Jesus, you have absolutely nothing to fear. If God is for you, who could ever be against you? (Romans 8:31). It's the one who chooses not to believe in Jesus who has everything to fear. • Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1). • I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). • Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5) The Promise of Joy Jesus promises to give them a joy that no one will ever be able to take away. A joy the world knows nothing of. And may you find joy in the obedience to His Word. Just as Jesus showed that His obedience to His Father was the foundation of His joy, when you are obedient to His commandments, you will also experience the same joy, Christian. That's a joy the world knows nothing of, but you do. Finally that evening, Jesus commands His disciples to love one another, as He has loved them - with Agape love, sacrificially. All these promises are given to comfort His disciples on the night before He is going to hang on a cross and experience the worst pain and death the world will ever know. Jesus commands us to love one another in His final and ultimate message to us before going to the cross. Jesus Christ is Love, and all glory belongs to Him forever and ever and ever! "The greatest joy in the world is to know Jesus Christ. The second greatest joy is to make Him known." - Steve Lawson • These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11). • So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you (John 16:22). • This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you (John 15:12-14). My Lord Jesus, eternity will not be long enough to give You the praise You deserve for giving me what I never deserved – the blessings of all blessings – eternal life in You, Jesus Christ my great God and Savior. Jesus, thank you for loving me with the most powerful love there is. There is nothing greater than to be loved by God. And that is the definition of peace. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (Romans 16:20). Love, Jenna But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. Luke 22:42 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:26-29 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17c

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8) In Christ, and in Christ Alone Lord, what a magnificent truth it is that You have granted to me "everything pertaining to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). Everything I need for my life can be found in Christ alone. Unfortunately, there is an alarming number of Christians who don’t fully comprehend this glorious truth or really trust that we’ve been given all that we need in Christ, and in Christ alone. The Gospel - The Only Thing That Can Change Any of Us Many still search for answers to life's problems through secular teaching, vain self-help books, psychology programs, human philosophies, positive thinking seminars, and influential and powerful people like Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins, and Dr. Phil…people who don’t mention one thing about the glorious light of the gospel and its power to truly transform lives. See, the gospel is the only thing that can actually change any of us. We're all striving in vain without it. Empty Promises From the World The world promises to deliver us from our problems but only in exchange for our "likes" and "follows," our credit card numbers, or for our very own souls. Satan always promises, yet never delivers. That's because he is the Father of Lies, and Scripture describes him being disguised as an "angel of light." The greatest evil of all is the distortion of the Truth, and Satan has been distorting God's Word ever since the garden. Satan is very predictable, and his tactics have not changed one bit. Sin always seems like it'll bring satisfaction, yet it always eludes us every. single. time. That's because sin is simply a lie from hell, and often times we fall for those lies because we aren't grounded in the Truth. Scripture is the best remedy against Satan's lies because the only way you can truly fight lies and win - is with the Truth; the Word of God. and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John 8:32). That's why it's so important to read His Word daily and "write it on the tablet of your heart." (Proverbs 7:3). When the world (Satan) promises to fix us, it’s all smoke and mirrors. It sounds good. It seems good. It may even work for awhile. However, it's only an illusion and damning to our souls in the end. None of the world's "solutions" can save any of us from our sins, which is the real root problem that needs fixing. A Free Gift From Heaven (and a slight detour and point I need to make) Only Jesus can truly deliver us from our problems (our sins), and with Him there is no catch. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17). Salvation is a free gift. Jesus already paid for it all on the cross when He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). All we have to do is believe in Him, and we will be saved from our sins. By grace through faith, Jesus will not only grant us eternal life in Him, but He will give us an abundant life filled with joy and peace too - through our humble obedience to His Word. *And let's just stop right here for a minute so we get the correct definition of faith, which is the biblical definition of faith. Sadly, millions of people are self-deceived by their own definitions of faith, as I once was until God's grace opened my eyes. And our own definitions of faith and relative truths can't save us; definitions based off notions, mere feelings, and our own minds, which are always changing - and not based off the Word of God, which never changes. Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered (Proverbs 28:26). It's absolutely critical to make sure we all start with the correct definition of faith. None of us would ever want to hear those tragic words from Jesus saying, "Depart from Me. I never knew you." (Matthew 7:23). I can't think of anything more terrifying than that. No one wants to wake up on the other side one day in absolute shock. We must be living our lives in the light of eternity, not just getting sucked into the moment and epically failing to prepare for the bulk of our entire existence. It's only reasonable to be prepared, and it's our very own responsibility to know what God's Word says, interpret it accurately, choose to believe it, and choose to obey it - which proves our faith to be authentic. The single most responsible thing any of us could ever do in this short life is to make sure we're truly in the faith..that our faith in Christ is a genuine and saving faith, based off the Word of God and not our feelings. We are commanded in Scripture to examine and test ourselves to make sure we are in the faith, secure in Christ. (2 Corinthians 13:5). That begins with a thorough understanding of the biblical definition of faith. (Also, see bottom for the three aspects of true saving faith). The Definition of True Saving Faith According to Scripture Having faith doesn't just mean we intellectually agree with the facts of the gospel and go about our lives living however we want; living half-heartedly for Christ; balancing between light and darkness, truth and error, righteousness and sin, Christ and worldliness; thinking God's grace allows for unrepentant sin. The Bible does not speak in the grays. It is antithetical to the world's deceptive system, meaning it's black and white. In other words, following Christ is mutually incompatible to the patterns of the world and its Satanic belief systems; everything that is popular and common among the masses. To that point, I'd like to share one of the most sobering texts in all of Scripture: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14). The Bible is black and white and so is truly following Christ. Believing in Jesus / having faith in Jesus is a serious and lifelong commitment, and it does not involve serving self too. In Luke Chapter 14, Jesus tells us in a parable to count the costs before following Him. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:27). However, when you choose to really follow Jesus, He tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, unlike the heavy yoke and burden of pride, sin, and self-sufficiency. Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 Throughout the gospels, Jesus commands us to deny ourselves and take up our crosses to follow Him, otherwise we can't be His disciples. (We will do well to listen to Jesus, especially when He repeats Himself over and over and over). Faith is not both serving self and serving Jesus. Faith is not just a prayer you prayed one time in Sunday school where your teacher told you to "just invite Jesus into your heart, little Suzy." "Make Jesus Lord of your life, little Timmy, and now you can go to heaven!" We don't just "invite Jesus into our hearts" nor do we "make Jesus Lord." Jesus Christ is Lord, whether we believe that fact or not! And if Jesus wants to come into any of our hearts, He is not going to need our permission or a special invite from us. He's going to break down the door, come into our hearts, and transform them in the process. Having true saving faith in Jesus Christ means that we place our personal trust in Him, not only as our Savior, but as Lord of both heaven and earth. Truly believing in Jesus Christ includes a genuine repentance and a surrendering to His authority and Lordship. (We are only able to submit to Him when we truly trust Him and His goodness for our lives). Therefore, our actions and obedience to His Word will naturally reflect our faith in Christ and prove our faith to be a true saving faith. And although we are saved by grace through faith alone, it's not a faith this is alone. Faith naturally produces good works. It's a very simple concept. (See James 2:14-26 for the obedience of faith). To drive this point home further, the words "faith" and "obedience," "believe" and "obey," "disbelieve" and "disobey," are synonymous throughout all of Scripture, and they are the same exact word in the original Greek. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36. *Thank you for taking this very important detour with me to better understand the true meaning of faith, defined by the Word of God and not defined by our own imaginations. Now let's get back to saying how Christ holds all the answers. All the Answers are in Christ because He is The Answer Sadly, far too many Christians are still searching for something else, something more, something outside of Christ that will take them to that place of ultimate peace, joy, wisdom, and growth. The thing is, Jesus Christ is standing right in front of each one of us, freely offering us all the real answers we could ever want or need, in Him. Everything I will ever need to know I can find right there in the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit guiding me and teaching me all things. Jesus makes it so simple for us, but it's not always easy. But that’s why as Christians we have been given the Holy Spirit to be able to read, love, and accurately interpret Scripture for our lives. He is our helper until the end of the age. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him (1 John 2:27). Look to Christ and Christ Only We can often be tempted to shift from “Christ alone” to “Christ plus…”. This wandering away from the sufficiency of Christ and His Word can often be very subtle, and it’s nothing new to our current day and age. All the way back in the first century, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Colossae to warn them about the alluring attraction of the world’s philosophies. He wrote, See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8). How did Paul help guard the Colossians against the enticement of human wisdom and philosophies? He simply pointed them to the unparalleled, exceptional glory, and surpassing worth of Jesus Christ as their supreme treasure. Obviously, Jesus Christ blows everything else out of the water, and that’s an incredible understatement. That’s because He is the way, the Truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is God Himself. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:36). Christ alone is sufficient. In Him, I am complete. As a Christian, I need not to look anywhere else but to Christ alone for everything I could ever want or need for all of an eternity. Lord, I praise You for the supreme treasure You’ve given me; the One who holds all the answers; the final answer to everything; my love, joy, peace, comfort, blessed hope, and life itself; the One and Only Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. All glory in heaven and on earth belongs to You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen. Love, Jenna *** The Three Elements of True Saving Faith: ​ 1. An intellectual element (notitia), which is a positive recognition of the truth 2. An emotional element (assensus), which includes a deep conviction and affirmation of the truth 3. And finally, a volitional element (fiducia), which involves a personal trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This includes a genuine surrendering to His Lordship. (Meaning, you will have a real desire to obey the Word of God when you truly trust Him and His goodness for your life). Obedience to God's Word is simply the by-product and outward expression of your faith in Him. Obeying God's Word is proof that your faith is real. Faith and obedience are inseperable. You can't have one without the other. They go hand-in-hand. They are two sides of the same coin. For the whole world knows that actions speak louder than words. Well, that basic, universal principle also applies to expressing faith in God. ​ Modern popular theology tends to recognize notitia and often assensus, but often eliminates fiducia. This is called "Easy Believeism" which is a very popular, modern-day Christianity that runs rampant in the church. It is heretical, a radical distortion of God's Word, and yet just another layer of Satan's deception to steal away souls to hell. See, faith is not authentic saving faith if it lacks the attitude of genuine repentance and a genuine surrender to Christ's authority and Lordship. Obviously, we are all fallen, we will all still sin, even as Christians (more than we even realize), and we will never obey God's Word perfectly. But nonetheless, true Christians desire to obey God's Word, and we do experience real victory over sin in this life. Verbal professions of faith in God are empty and futile if someone's actions continue to deny God. They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny him (Titus 1:16). I used to be an empty profession of faith in God, but then by God's grace, He opened my eyes and I saw the light of the gospel. All glory to Him for gifting me with my faith! For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:24-25 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 7:1-3 O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. - Helen Lemmel

Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 Dear Lord, How I am in awe of Your abounding grace, mercy, and love. In while I was still a sinner, You sent Your Son, Lord Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins so that in Him I might become the righteousness of God. I thank You and praise You for Your unchanging, unfailing, and everlasting love. I pray that You help me come to a new and deeper understanding of what Your love truly means through studying Your Word and grasping the magnificence of the gospel. Through Your help in gaining this wisdom, I pray that I may image You more and more; that I may be a blessing to Your creation by loving and serving others while making Your glorious Name known, everywhere I go. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins so that I may be saved by the gift of Your grace through faith. Thank you for everything You have given me and everything You have taken away. It is all a gift, and I am truly blessed to be a child of God. All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna

Test the spirits beloved to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 1:4 Dear Lord Jesus, We thank You for Your almighty protection from the evil one. With You Lord, we are safe. May we cling to You as we trust in Your unfailing love and saving grace. We know that evil things are hardly ever disguised as evil. Many times, evil things appear to us as beautiful, enticing, or even safe. In Scripture, Satan is called the Father of Lies and described as an angel of light. It’s sometimes hard to recognize all of Satan’s lies, but we praise You for Your light and truth that help us see clearly. Lord, we ask that You continue to help us discern between right and almost right. Protection from Satan – The Father of Lies Satan has layers upon layers of deception out there, and he works day and night to keep people from the full knowledge and truth of Jesus Christ. Just as it was in the garden, Satan’s main goal is to misrepresent God. As the Father of Lies he’s been deceiving people for centuries, and he knows what he’s doing. To be vigilant and on guard is to be a responsible Christian. Along with the lies of sin, Satan’s deception includes false teachers with half-truths and twisted Scripture; worldly-minded preachers with only soft, “feel good” messages that stroke our egos; watered-down or distorted gospels; and lukewarm, superficial Christianity - all masquerading as the Truth. Another one of Satan’s lies is to get us to doubt the clarity of sacred Scripture; to think that there are many “right ways” to interpret Scripture. This lie creates confusion, aiming to lead people astray from what God means in His Word. There may be many different human applications to one given text, but there is only one meaning that God gives it. Satan casts doubt and confusion about the clarity of Scripture to divide, separate, and even destroy God’s Truth from people. Satan’s greatest weapon is man’s ignorance of God’s Word. – A.W. Tozer. Our God is not a God of confusion. He is a God of peace and understanding. God’s Word is clear because God is light, and God’s light is meant to give us all eyes to see. The only right people have to interpret Scripture is the right that carries with it the responsibility to interpret it accurately. God has not given us His Word to be confused or so that we can make a reasoned evaluation of His judgment and decide whether or not we want to obey. He has given us His Word because that Word is Truth and Life, and we are to trust it and obey it with confidence and peace in our hearts. Lord, we ask that you bless us with more of Your wisdom and knowledge every day, and please help us to discern between right and almost right. May we navigate this world with eyes wide open, clinging to You in all Your light, truth, and love. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 115:105). The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. 1 Corinthians 16:23-24 Love, Jenna Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose and the lion will defend itself. - Charles Spurgeon Where God has put a period, the Devil puts a question mark, casting doubt. - Steven Lawson See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 Satan continues his efforts to make sin less offensive, hell less real, and the gospel less urgent. – John MacArthur The most important thing to know is the will of God. And the will of God is the Word of God. – Dr. J Vernon Mcgee