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 I believe this Scripture to be one of the most sobering verses in all of the Bible. The rest of this passage in Matthew is intense too. A Tree and Its Fruit 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. I Never Knew You 21 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. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Build Your House on the Rock 24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. Matthew 7:15-27

Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:26 God is Eternal God's love is as God Himself is - eternal. When we talk about God being eternal, we are talking about something far greater than the simple duration of His existence. When we say that God is eternal, we are saying God is self-existent or aseity. Aseity is the property by which a being exists in and of itself, from itself; it is the quality or state of being self-derived or self-originated. This means that God's being has no beginning, and He is not dependent on anything outside of Himself to exist. With being self-existent, He has the power to simply be, in and of Himself, with no beginning and no end. The Mind of God He is, He always has been, and He always will be - God is beyond all time and space, and He's beyond what even the most brilliant minds and wildest imaginations collectively put together in all of eternity could ever even begin to grasp. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, (Romans 11:33-34). There is no way anyone could ever comprehend the incomprehensible, inscrutable, unfathomable mind of God, and even if God gave us an explanation for everything, we simply wouldn't have the mechanism in us to comprehend it in this lifetime. God is Love Before God ever created the world He existed. Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). What Scripture makes clear is that throughout all of eternity there was already in His nature the attribute of love. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. (See Psalm 136). God didn't become a God of love, but He has always been a God of love. God's Son, Jesus Christ is the object of His affection. And we all know who God sent to die for sinners, for rebels, for the ungodly. He sent His beloved, blameless, sinless Son to take all of God's wrath for all the sins ever committed of all the people who would ever come to faith in Christ...all in three hours. That's how much God loves us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). God's love is, God's love has always been, and God's love will always be. For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17). Athiest: If God created the universe then who created God? Christian: If a baker baked a cake then who baked the baker? ;)

But by the grace of God I am what I am. And His grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God who is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 Dear Lord Jesus, Eternity won’t be long enough to give You the praise You deserve for giving me something I never deserved – Your saving grace. It is grace that gives me breath. It is grace that draws me to You. It is grace that saves me. It is grace that gifted me with my faith to be saved. It is grace that helps me understand and love Your Word. It is grace that gives me the wisdom to grow in it. It is grace that gives me the power to resist the devil. It is grace that creates an obedient heart in me through faith. It is grace that humbles me. It is grace that gives me gentleness and self-control. It is grace that helps me be a good listener. It is grace that makes me be a cheerful giver. It is grace that helps me lead with zeal. It is grace that helps me love and care for others. It is grace that strengthens my faith in uncertainty. It is grace that helps me endure trials and suffering with hope. It is grace that gives me joy in the midst of them. It is grace that sanctifies me and grows me in holiness, slowly but surely. It is grace that gives me the courage to boldly speak the Truth. It is grace that gives me the patience to meet people where they’re at with the Truth. It is grace that makes me care that the world hears the Truth. It is grace that makes me not care what the world thinks of me when I speak the Truth. It is grace that helps me live for an audience of One. It is grace that helps me do Your will, submit to You, live for You, and love You. Apart from You Lord, I can do nothing. And without Your Hand on me touching me with Your grace, I have nothing in me good to offer. Every good thing I do is only by Your grace. This is why grace is called the surpassing grace of God in you. 2 Corinthians 9:14 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power has been made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses knowing that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 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. Ephesians 2:8-9 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 When I have You Jesus, I have everything I’ll ever need, in this life and in the glorious one to come. Your grace is sufficient. Your grace has saved me. What more could I ever want when I have You? All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 Knowing Who God Is In this verse, the word "beginning" is translated from the root tachillah, which implies a foundation or an origin. Within this context of Scripture, Solomon means for the word "beginning" to be a prerequisite to wisdom. A person cannot be truly wise unless he first has a fear of the Lord. This is a level of wisdom that brings humility, recognizing that God is the originator and ruler of all things; from wisdom to creation to salvation. Submitting to God's authority shows that a person humbly acknowledges his place in the world and understands his need for a savior. A fear of the Lord does not mean having terror or being scared of Him. Rather, it means having a deep reverence, respect, and awe for God and a continual awareness and submission to Him. Having a fear of the Lord is having a proper understanding of His characteristics. It's understanding that God is holy, which means He is set apart from us; He is transcendent. So when we speak of His holiness, we speak of His majesty that rises above all things in the created realm; His divine greatness. The secondary meaning of holiness is purity. Purity means there is not one stitch of evil or tiny imperfection in God. He is perfectly moral, perfectly just, perfectly righteous, perfectly good. His purity and perfection go way beyond what we could ever begin to grasp. Both of these references to His holiness define the love of God. His love is transcendent, sacred, majestic, and it goes far beyond what any creature can manifest. Furthermore, God's love is a sincere love. This means God loves that which is holy, which in turn, causes Him to hate that which is evil. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). Hating evil means God hates injustice, immorality, ungodliness, and every sin. He can't look upon evil and sin, meaning He can't tolerate what He sees. When we come to believe these truths about God's character and His attributes, it instills in us a true fear of the Lord, which is foundational to obtaining true wisdom. Those who have a right view of the one true God have an appropriate understanding of who He is, His character, His role in the universe in comparison to our roles, and a clear view of reality. This leads us as Christians to live upright, balanced lives in line with the Truth, headed for eternal glory. Knowing Who We Are One of the biggest mistakes we make is thinking God is like us because we don't know who God is. We also make the mistake of not having a right view of ourselves, believing we are actually good, based upon our own personal standards and definitions of what we view good to be. This also comes through being self-righteous and comparing ourselves to others whom we think are not as "good" as we are - which further gives us a false sense of being good ourselves through our own relative truths. People often ask the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" The real truth is that has only happened once in history, and that was the person of Jesus Christ who voluntarily gave His life on the cross. We are all sinners, and only God is good, whether we are able to humble ourselves to that truth or not. Only a contrite and humble heart can understand his or her need of a Savior, see the light of the gospel in Christ, and possess a healthy fear of the Lord - the foundation of true wisdom that leads to eternal life. Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. Proverbs 9:7-9 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. Psalm 128:1 Dear Lord Jesus, We know that faith obeys because faith believes God is wise; that God is kind; that God is all-knowing; that God is loving; that God’s plan is undoubtedly better than ours. Faith also believes that God is utterly terrifying to stand before if having rebelled against Him – if having chosen to serve self in this life, over Christ. Lord, may you give us the grace through our faith to live upright, balanced lives in line with the Truth. May we abide in Your Word through our faith, and so prove to be Your true disciples. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD, and turn away from evil (Proverbs 3:5-7). True Saving Faith Creates Obedience of the Heart Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. What Adam and Eve did in the garden was the opposite of repentance. They changed their mind about God, turned away from Him, turned to themselves, and chose their own path because they didn’t trust His Word. They disobeyed God. They thought they knew better than God. The very first act of disobedience this world ever knew, stemmed from doubting God’s Word by judging God’s righteousness and authority; by doubting the goodness and kindness of God and His will for their lives. Did God really say, `You must not eat from any tree in the garden? (Genesis 3:1). We must believe God means exactly what He says through His Word. The God of the Bible is not a hidden God of mystery, and the knowledge of God is not a mystical experience, an inner knowing, or a vision of the divine. The real God of the universe makes Himself clearly known in Scripture to those who desire to know Him, and His commandments are loud and clear to those who desire to obey Him. Blessed are those who truly hear Him. Cursed are those who walk in darkness; in their own pride and ignorance through their lack of knowledge and desire to know the one true God. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:18). God's Word Never Changes The interpretation of the Bible does not progress along with this ever-changing culture but remains fixed in truth and infallibility from the beginning of time. As this becomes even more prevalent in this generation, good is considered evil, and evil is considered moral and righteous. 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’s glory is now in their shame where they’re even praised and celebrated for their sinful deeds, pride and self-righteousness, and grave offenses to God through godless media. And those who stand strong on convictions are now considered narrow-minded, uncompassionate, and even hateful. Yet, the Word of God is all about convictions; it’s about right and wrong. It’s about the Truth. It is the Truth. We must hold fast to what never changes, and that’s God and His Word. True saving faith takes hold of what God says, it obeys Him, and it perseveres until the very end. The true Christian life is a battle. Our faith is proven true through our obedience to His Word as we fight against the flesh daily. Taking up our crosses and denying self for the fleeting time we have here on earth - is sure worth the gift of eternal life. (Check out “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan) The Bible is not for us to cherry pick what we’d like to obey. The Word of God is not open to interpretation based on our own ignorance, personal preferences, standards, relative truths, or the current culture we live in. The Bible is not “What does this passage mean to me in 2021?” The Bible is “What does this passage mean so that I may lovingly obey God in His Word and so prove to be His disciple? (Because I believe in Him)!” “The Word of God is not a puzzle. It does not speak in riddles. It is not cryptic or mysterious. It is plain and obvious to those who have spiritual ears to hear.” - John MacArthur True Disciples Abide in His Word True saving faith is obedience to God’s command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and our faith is proven when we truly submit to Him as Lord. Although we will often stumble, we will continue to war against our flesh and grow in holiness over time (through sanctification) because faith obeys through the power of the Holy Spirit that has been poured into our hearts. Obedience means we hunger and thirst for righteousness because the Spirit is in us, leading us to desire that. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:5). Obedience means we desire that which is holy through our conviction of the Truth. We know the only thing that can save us from being slaves to sin is becoming slaves of righteousness – and this is done by taking hold of the Truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (John 8:31-32). If you abide in His word that means you live in His Word through the power of the Holy Spirit that is at work within you. You stay in His Word, even though you may fall at times. You don’t just read it, hear it, and obey it willy-nilly according to your own wisdom. Instead, you trust God's divine wisdom and believe exactly what He says in His Word. You live it because You love it because your faith is so very true; it’s saving faith. Many think they can live willy-nilly and be saved by their own definitions of faith. They are only toying with their own eternal souls without knowing it. I warn you out of love and truth - Heaven will not be waiting for those who choose to take the broad, easy, and comfortable road in this life; due to their own pride, ignorance, self-deceit, or believing the lie of Satan that there’s an overflow of grace which allows for ongoing, unrepentant sin. Jesus said, "but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). You are either a slave to sin or a slave to Christ. You must choose. 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 (Matthew 6:24). The Word of God should be what permeates your life, and I pray that light may shine brightly wherever you go for all to see. If you abide in His word, you are truly His disciple, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 Love, Jenna “It has been supposed by many ill-instructed people that the doctrine of justification by faith is opposed to the teaching of good works, or obedience. There is no truth in the supposition. We preach the obedience of faith. Faith is the fountain, the foundation, and the fosterer of obedience. Men obey not God till’ they believe him. We preach faith in order that men may be brought to obedience. To disbelieve is to disobey. We do not give a secondary place to obedience, as some suppose. We look upon the obedience of the heart to the will of God as salvation. Obedience is the grand object of the work of grace in the hearts of those who are chosen and called.” - Charles H Spurgeon – Sermon No. 2195 August 21, 1890 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. Psalm 128:1 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 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? James 2:14 Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:17-18 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. Proverbs 15:32 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:26 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1-2 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:31 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what is says. James 1:22 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

For I am not ashamed of the gospel because I know it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes; first to the Jew then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16 Counterfeit Christianity Versus The Real Thing Far too often Jesus Christ and Christianity are being distorted, and so many people reject a Jesus or Christianity that is not even a true version of it. There are so many people who don’t understand who Jesus Christ truly is or what He has done for us. If only those people could understand what real Christianity is and what the gospel of Jesus Christ truly means; so that if they do end up rejecting it, at least they know in truth what they’re choosing to reject. Or if they decide to accept it, at least they’re accepting the true version of Jesus and Christianity - and not one of its many shiny counterfeits that aims to lead people astray and trap them through worldly desires, masquerading as the Truth.. ..which is Satan’s ultimate goal in this world. The Father of Lies works so hard to steer people away from the one true God, away from their salvation - through half truths, lies, and deceit of counterfeit religion, human merit and achievement, and the endless chasing of self-love and self-sufficiency. I love being a vessel of God and sharing the true gospel of Jesus Christ for others to hear. And it's only by the power of the Holy Spirit working in you that people can be brought to faith where the eyes of their hearts are enlightened to the Truth. In the end, those who are truly meant to hear and receive the Word of God, will so, only by the power of God. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (John 10:27) All glory belongs to God - for this is His story, not ours. But by His grace, we are a part of it. Here is an eight minute video of one of my favorite pastors, Paul Washer, on sharing the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to watch it, and may the grace of God help you truly hear it. Love, Jenna

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 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 Dear Lord, May You kill my pride every day. May You help me to recognize when pride starts making its way into my mind and heart as it so easily does. May You give me the grace to be lowly, humble, and loving. May You help me to always share the Truth in boldness and to never lose my zeal - not caring about what the world thinks of me - but caring only to please You. May You show me where to meet people at with the Truth, in patience, humility, and gentleness. May You keep me from boasting in my own humility and help me to recognize when I do. May You also keep me from endlessly peeling back layers of my own motives and intentions through scrutinizing self-examination. May you protect me from that trap devised by Satan who aims to take my eyes off You. May You keep me from focusing on myself too much, and may You direct my eyes onto the beauty, light, and love of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna "Humility is one of the excellencies of Christ, because He’s not only God, but man, and as a man He was humble; for humility is not, and cannot be, an attribute of the divine nature. God’s nature is indeed infinitely opposite of pride, and yet humility cannot properly be predicated of Him; for if it could, this would argue in perfection, which is impossible in God. God, who is infinite in excellence and glory, and infinitely above all things, cannot have any comparative meanness, and of course cannot have any such comparative means to be sensible of, and therefore cannot be humble." - Jonathan Edwards in"Charity and Its Fruits" and pray also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:19-20

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:16-17) Matthew 13:10-17 “Then the disciples came and said to him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ And he answered them, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:’ ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ ‘But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.’” (Matthew 13:10-17 esv) Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? In this passage in Matthew, Jesus says that the hearts of the people have grown dull. They don’t have spiritual ears to hear the Truth, and their eyes are closed. Why though? Why are so many people unable to see the light of the gospel in all its glory? It's because they simply don't want to hear, or see, or understand the Truth. Often times, it's pride. Other times it's ignorance or simply indifference and self-absorption. Deep down people know that if they choose to believe the Truth, then they will have to submit to it. This would mean they would have to repent of their sins and trust God’s will for their lives, over their own selfish wills. You see, the love of sin and the depth of pride has such a grip on lost souls. Many people love themselves and their sins just too much to repent of their ways, turn to God and trust in His will, and so be saved from their sins. They'd rather die in their sins than to repent, believe the gospel, and receive eternal life. It's a choice. People's refusal to believe the Truth comes first, and then in response, God amplifies their pride and stubbornness through their own disbelief and rejection of the gospel through speaking in parables to them. Those who are humble and sincere can (and will) be able to hear the message of the gospel through parables and accept it. But most people will not. In Matthew 7:13–14 it says "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 are few." People are held responsible by God for refusing to understand what is clear and obvious, and as a result, God speaks through parables to keep them from further understanding the Truth. (Proverbs 29:1). Jesus' Parables Were a Judgment Jesus taught in parables because it was a judgment; A judgment on willful, hard-hearted unbelief; A judgment on those who previously chose to reject His already clear teaching of Scripture and the Truth. The parables were designed to hide and obscure the Truth from people who already chose to deny the gospel and God’s plan of salvation through faith in Christ. So for those unbelievers, the parables were a mystery to them, and it was a judgment on their final unbelief. Jesus’ parables were also merciful. There was an element of mercy within the judgment of them. You see, if Jesus kept speaking to unbelievers in clear, unmistakable terms, kept explaining Scripture, and kept proclaiming objective doctrinal Truth, their culpability to accept it would continue to increase with every passing time the gospel was presented to them. To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required “To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). That is referring to judgment. If you keep sharing the gospel with someone who continues to reject it, Scripture says it only increases God’s judgment on that person in the end. That’s why Christians are called to stop sharing biblical truth with people who dismiss or reject the message of salvation through the gospel and trample underfoot the Son of God. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you" (Matthew 7:6). Christians are not to get into any theological debates, respond to insincere or empty questions, or get into arguments with anyone, let alone someone who tramples on what is holy. We are not to waste things of such supreme value on those who do not appreciate them, or those who even get angry by the loving offer. Scripture embraces the immense value of seeking to share Truth with unbelievers. However, there is a big difference between sharing the gospel with willing, sincere people, versus wasting energy on the proud and hard-hearted. It’s wise and merciful to depart from that person, and all you can do is pray for him or her. It's a command that we shake the dust off and leave that person alone. “And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” (Matthew 10:13-15) If we as Christians continue to share the glorious gift of salvation with someone who continues to trample all over it, we are called to be quickly discerning of that. We are to stop forcing the miraculous gift of eternal life on the stubborn, unwilling, and especially on the spiteful. If we kept sharing the Truth to a person like that, he or she would only be storing up more and more wrath for him or herself on the Day of Judgment. Continuing to hear the good news of the gospel and yet still choosing to reject it is simply someone suppressing the knowledge of the Truth. Romans 2:5 says, "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." Concealing the Truth in the parables is an act of judgment tempered with mercy so that God doesn’t add guilt, upon guilt, upon guilt, upon guilt every time that person rejects the knowledge of the Truth. As I said before, we can still always pray for them. You never know what goes through people's minds when they are faced with death, or how they may view things differently, knowing their days are numbered. You never know when God may grow that seed of Truth that was planted 50 years ago through hearing the gospel. All our days and hours are numbered with precision, and we never know how many we have left. That being said, the day of salvation is today. It's now. Don't sit around and wait or put it off until tomorrow. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;" (Isaiah 55:6). Repent and believe the gospel, and you will be saved. My own personal belief and hope is that God does a lot of saving on deathbeds and in final days, moments, and even in a final breath; in the half of a tick of a tock I believe God saves anyone's soul who cries out for Jesus. I have to have that hope in my heart, otherwise it's just incredibly painful for me to think of how many people may perish without Jesus. The gospel is urgent because death is certain, sin is damning, hell is a reality, salvation is available, and there is only one way, and that’s through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to little children; yes Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Matthew 11:25-26) “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:14) "But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." (Luke 12:48) "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” (John 13:20) “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3 Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful to be Yours! According to (John 15:16), I did not choose you, but You chose me - before the foundation of the world. You sent the object of your affection, Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins and rise again so that through faith I may have eternal life in Him. What a tremendous gift all by Your grace! Even my faith is a gift by Your grace. Eternity won't be long enough to praise You for this eternal gift. As a daughter in Your kingdom, I am so very blessed and thankful to be: • Richly blessed (Ephesians 1:3) • Chosen and loved (Ephesians 1:4-6) • Forgiven and redeemed (Ephesians 1:7) • Abounding in wisdom (Ephesians 1:8) • Made spiritually rich (Ephesians 1:11) • Secure, having been sealed with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) • Alive and made new (Ephesians 2:4-6) • The object of God’s eternal grace (Ephesians 2:7) • God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) • Called to a life of good works that God will perform through me (Ephesians 2:10) • One with God and with all Christians (Ephesians 2:13-18) • A member of God’s intimate family (Ephesians 2:19) • The habitation of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22) • Empowered beyond my own imagination (Ephesians 3:20) • Able to glorify God (Ephesians 3:21) • A possessor of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:3) • A member of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:4-6) • A recipient of Jesus Christ, who teaches me to walk in a new life (Ephesians 4:20-24) • A recipient of God’s love, which helps me to walk in love (Ephesians 5:1-2) • A recipient of God’s light, which helps me to dwell in light (Ephesians 5:8) • A recipient of God’s wisdom and truth, which helps me to walk wisely in this world (Ephesians 5:15-17) • A recipient of the power of the fullness of the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18) • A recipient of all the resources that can make every human relationship all that God ever intended it to be (Ephesians 5:21-6:9) • A recipient of invincible and powerful armor, against which Satan is helpless, including the belt of truthfulness, 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 magnificent weapon of the Word of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) What a tremendous list of blessings to be incredibly thankful for – every single day of my life. It all belongs to me, through faith in Christ, by the gift of Your amazing grace, Lord! And it's totally free. It's the most magnificent gift the universe has ever known, or will ever know. Jesus paid the astounding price for our sins on the cross, and all I have to do is trust in Him and what He did for me. The gospel is as free as the air we breathe. So, with that, Happy Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for my wonderful family and friends and brothers and sisters in Christ who are safe and secure in you too, Lord. I am thankful for everything that I have and everything that I don’t have. Above all, I am thankful for You, my Lord. I have everything I will ever need because I have You, Jesus. You are my Savior. Lord, there are so many people who do not yet know you. My heart breaks for people who are blind and deceived, as I once was, before You opened my eyes to receive the gospel by Your grace. Lord, I know You hear my daily prayers of people trapped in false and damning religions, new age deceptions, progressive Christianity, self-deception, ignorance, and pride, and worldly matters that hinder on what's truly important and absolutely necessary and dire for our life - and that is the pure gospel of Jesus Christ - the only thing that saves us from our sins and gives us eternal life. Lord, if there is anyone who needs the Truth, please send them to me so that I can tell them, or send me to them...all on Your perfect timing. Please Lord, I ask that You give me the patience to meet people where they're at with the Truth. Lord, I ask for meekness, humility, and love in speaking Your Truth. Lord, please never let me compromise the Truth no matter how offensive it may be to someone. Please help me to always speak the Truth boldly with love and gentleness and patience. I pray that by Your grace, they may see the glorious Truth and come to true saving faith in Christ. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you today to pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia who have been greatly impacted by the horror and trauma of this terrible war. Jesus, I pray for Your mighty protection and comfort over our dear brothers and sisters in Christ in Ukraine and for everyone who has yet to repent of their sins and see the light of the gospel - and be given eternal life in You. I also pray for all the children who are seeing things their eyes should never see. Lord, as a great King and Healer, may You protect them, guard them, and shield their eyes, ears, minds, and imaginations to the horrific realities of war. By whatever means You choose to display Your grace, may You send mighty angels, loving parents, good samaritans, the direct work of Your Holy Spirit, or believers in Christ to help shield the children and keep them out of harm’s way. I pray for You to pour out Your abundant grace to cover and protect all the children in this war. And may You give the grace to reunite lost children to their parents. May You safely guide them back into their loving arms, as You carry them all in the palm of Your hand - where no one can snatch them out. 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). Lord, no matter how dark and hopeless this war becomes here on earth, I beg for Your mercy on the behalf of those who still need You for eternal life - to shine a glorious light and bring a miraculous hope that is above and beyond this dark and evil world, one that is eternal. Through the darkness of this war, may the light of the gospel shine even brighter and spread even farther to bring comfort and internal peace to those who are in Christ, as well as a glorious newfound hope to those who still need the way, the Truth, and the life - Jesus Christ, who is Lord to all in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and Savior to all who believe and put their trust in Him. The greatest act of mercy You perform is giving the gift of faith by Your amazing grace. I pray for Your mercy and for the miracle of salvation through Christ to be working its way through this terrible war, embracing the souls that You sovereignly choose, all in Your perfect ways and impeccable timing. In the midst of hell on earth, may You give our brothers and sisters the courage they need as they hang on to the eternal hope in You. Lord if it is your will, I pray that You protect and shield our dear brothers and sisters from physical harm, give them relief, healing, comfort, and guard them from suffering even more loss than they already have. May You guard their hearts and minds in You, Jesus. And may they keep their eyes on You. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock (Isaiah 26:3-4). I pray for Your divine sovereignty to bring a supernatural peace to our brothers and sisters, knowing that You, Lord, are in total control. May You give them the supernatural grace and the fearlessness to continue to spread the light of the gospel into the lives of those who still need You. Lord, I ask that You give them courage, strength, and hope to continue trusting in You through this darkness and despair, clinging to Jesus and never letting go – their blessed and glorious hope of pure truth, joy, peace, love, and eternal life. Lord, please bring an end to this war soon, if this is Your will. And if it is, I pray that Your will be done!! The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, (Psalm 27:1-4). All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray amen. Love, Jenna 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). For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. Ephesians 2:14 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8