The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 Dear Lord, Help me find peace and comfort in Your sovereign will. Even though I may not always fully understand it, help me to rest in Your sovereignty knowing Your plan is always a good plan for my life. Regardless of my limited understanding, I know I am called to trust in You with all my heart and to not lean on my own understanding or be wise in my own eyes. Lord, for Your commanded will, I know the response is simple because Your commands are clear throughout the Bible. As a true believer I am called to obey what You command. I know it is meaningless to say I have faith in You or that I trust You if I choose not to do or follow what You say. Even though I may stumble at times, turn to my own ways, and choose my own will over Yours, please help me get right back on the path that You lovingly lay out for me in Your Word. I trust Your commands for my life, and so I desire to know them and to do them. Help me to always trust in what You tell me and prove my faith through loving obedience to Your commanded will. Lord, whenever I start believing Satan’s lies instead and fall into sin, help me to repent and get back to Your Truth. The Truth is what sets me free. God’s Sovereign Will Secret – known only to God except as revealed through history or revelation It cannot be resisted or thwarted It includes both good and evil It is comprehensive and controls all aspects of life, time, and history The believer is not commanded to know or discover what God has not revealed God’s Commanded Will Revealed in the Word of God It can be obeyed, disobeyed, or resisted It includes only that which is good and holy for the believer’s life It is specific and provides principles for living and navigating life The believer is responsible to know, understand, and obey what God has revealed in His Word through faith I praise You for Your Word, Lord. The will of God is the Word of God. That is where I can find your revealed will for my life and be set free through faith in You - all by Your saving grace. All glory belongs to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior! In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen.

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, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 Dear Lord Jesus, By Your grace, I am saved. I praise You! The only thing I contribute to my salvation is the sin that made it necessary. Even my faith comes not from myself but is a gift of Your sovereign grace. When You gave me a new heart and put Your Spirit in me, my life transformed. My eyes were opened, and I went from darkness to light, from dead in sin to alive in Christ. I was born again by Your grace and given everlasting life in You; the grace of all graces. I praise You for choosing me, for patiently drawing me to You, for helping me to finally see my sin with contrition and turn from it, and for helping me turn to the light of the gospel and trust in You. I was dead in the trespasses and sins in which I once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air.. and was by nature a child of wrath like the rest of mankind (Ephesians 2:1-3). I was dead in my sins until God graciously intervened in my heart. Lord, You saved me from my sins, opened my eyes, and now I am a new creation in You – eternally secure and walking upright on Your righteous path with a clear view of objective reality. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinth 5:17). The Power of The Holy Spirit I must never forget who I am in Christ and the power that I have inside of me. As Christians, we must understand who we are as we embark on doing the will of God, which is what proves our faith in Christ to be real. When we do not understand that the Lord has done a tremendous, sovereign work in our hearts, it is hard for us to take up the Word of God and seek to obey it. But when we truly understand the miracle God has done in us; when we know we are a new creature in Christ, we can have the utmost confidence as we look in God’s Word and know that we can obey what He says. His grace is sufficient! As fallen as we are, we won’t be able to obey God’s perfect standards perfectly, but nevertheless, as children of God, we can have real victory over sin. We possess the fruit of self-control by virtue of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to deny self, take up our cross, and choose what is right, good, and true. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Although there will be a great battle everyday with the world, with the flesh, with the enemy, we know that as true believers, we can obey Your Word and glorify You through doing the will of God - Because Your grace is sufficient, Lord. Your grace has not been given to us so that we may still live however we please; so that we may still live in darkness. That is not what Your grace means in Scripture. Your grace has been given to us as Christians so that we may have the power to do what is right and choose Your glory over ourselves. I trust You, Jesus. I trust Your goodness. I trust every single Word You say, and I don’t take any of it lightly. Help me continue to prove my faith to be true through my loving obedience to You…all by Your grace! All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen. Love, Jenna 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 overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Romans 3:31 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:15-16 (I love this passage of Scripture...like I love every other passage in the Bible)! His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-11

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, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36 Dear Lord, I praise You for Your divine sovereignty. Lord, it’s You and only You who reigns over all things and ordains all things that come to pass. There is not one unruly molecule that is out of place or one tiny detail that goes unnoticed by You. Resting in Your sovereignty brings such peace and comfort to my soul because I trust in You, Your goodness, Your righteous path in Your Word, and the future You promise for me. I love the truth of divine sovereignty, but I also embrace the truth of human responsibility. And I cherish the gospel and prayer duty You have placed in my care. Understanding the perfect harmony between Your divine sovereignty and my human responsibility is simply unavailable to all of us in this lifetime. Even if You were to give me an explanation for how those two truths harmonize, I wouldn’t have the mind or the mechanism to comprehend it. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 The LORD reigns – not Satan, not man, not God and man, not good luck, not bad luck, not random events, not chance occurrences, not the alignment of the stars, not accidents, not blind fate, not good or bad karma – only God and God alone. – Steve Lawson And in that I rejoice! I pray that You give me the patience to wait on You with hope and to trust Your ways for me always - and especially when life gets confusing, uncertain, or frustrating. Out of Your thousands of commands, one of my favorites is this one, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). This simple yet powerful verse brings such comfort to me in times where I'm anxious, complaining, or upset about anything, big or small. It's a command that I must obey, and I rejoice in my obedience that I am commanded to rejoice! (Lord, I don't know if that truly made sense, but You get me, and how wonderful it is that I don't ever have to tirelessly explain myself to you..You fully understand me even before a word is on my tongue (Psalm 139:4), and even when I don't make any sense. Amen)! And so anyways, that simple command is one that I desire to obey, just like all of Your commands, Lord. Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again so that I may have eternal life in Him. How could I not rejoice always? Jesus is the unshakable, unchangeable foundation of my peace and joy. Through faith in Christ by God's grace, I am made right with God. In other words, I am at peace with God. Therefore, I have nothing to fear – past, present, or future – because I have Jesus, and I have everything to rejoice in because of Him. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna “But those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD Proverbs 16:33

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 Dear Lord, Please help me through this day and lead me in Your truth. Be with me and guide me in 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. Help me grow in my faith Lord. May my faith shine through as a true Christian through loving obedience to Your Word. I know that obedience naturally flows from true saving faith just as disobedience naturally results from disbelief. Lord, I trust what you tell me because I know You want what is best for me, all because You love me. You are Your Word, and I trust Your Word because You love me and I love You. I pray that when I open my Bible today, You speak right to me about whatever it is that I may need to hear for my life. 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, humility is the essence of Christianity in which all other virtues flow. Humble me, Lord, and keep me humble. The highest aim in life for a man or a woman is not fatherhood or motherhood, but it is to be conformed to the image of Christ and to grow more Christ-like every single day. Help me be one tiny bit more like Jesus today than I was yesterday. May You help me take up the full armor of God and be prepared for 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 happiest people in the entire world, no matter what. That’s because I have You, Jesus. What more could I ever want or need? I pray for Your wisdom and direction, for Your power and protection. I pray that I find my joy in You today (and everyday), and may my joy of You be my strength. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray Amen.

Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 Dear Lord Jesus, I want to praise You with this song! I pray that these words may bring comfort to everyone who reads them. May I be still in You, trusting in Your divine sovereignty, knowing that it is Your will for everyone to come to true saving faith in You. I pray for Your will to be done, and I know You hear my prayers, Lord! This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 I don’t know about tomorrow; I just live from day to day. I don’t borrow from its sunshine For its skies may turn to grey. I don’t worry o’er the future, For I know what Jesus said. And today I’ll walk beside Him, For He knows what lies ahead. Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand. Every step is getting brighter As the golden stairs I climb; Every burden’s getting lighter, Every cloud is silver-lined. There the sun is always shining, There no tear will dim the eye; At the ending of the rainbow Where the mountains touch the sky. I don’t know about tomorrow; It may bring me poverty. But the one who feeds the sparrow, Is the one who stands by me. And the pathway that be my portion May be through the flame or flood; But His presence goes before me And I’m covered with His blood. Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand. – I know Who Holds Tomorrow, by Ira Stanphill All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 I dedicate this post to my dear friend and Sister in Christ, Kathy. She sent me a video of her playing this hymn on the piano and singing along - and it just made me tear up so much because it's just so sweet and so true! Many things I don't understand about tomorrow, but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand: My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ does. And so now I want to share this with you because He holds your tomorrow and He holds your hand too. <3 :) No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me. - Charles Spurgeon Thank you Kathy for your prayers! I know God hears you! Love, Jenna

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. John 10:4-5 Truth Mixed with Error False teaching can be subtle because often times it’s masked in a good amount of truth that is mixed with error. Because of this, people may let their guards down since they hear sections of truth within it; a sneaky trap for the undiscerning and those who don’t have the Holy Spirit to alert them of the error. After a while, the error in false teaching will begin to erode away at their minds and distort the truth that they may already know, sinking them into it even further, getting them to invest in it even deeper. This is because deception is often times progressive. The only way we are able to recognize the deception in false teaching is to be serious students of Scripture and to abide in God’s Word. Without first truly comprehending who Jesus is, what the pure Gospel is, and what Scripture teaches, we won’t ever be able to understand what false teaching is and how to recognize it. The way we fight error is with absolute Truth; the Word of God. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The Gift of the Holy Spirit Thankfully, we’re not left by ourselves to study and interpret Scripture. God has given us the blessed gift of the Holy Spirit who teaches us about all things in every single aspect of life. He is our great teacher and helper who dwells within us as Christians. The Holy Spirit is also the One in us who gives us that desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and hunger and thirst after righteousness and divine wisdom. A person without the Holy Spirit has very little interest in what Scripture says, because Scripture can only be discerned, comprehended, and loved through the Spirit - and not by mere human intellect. 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). The natural mind is obstinate against God’s law; it cannot truly understand His Word nor accept it, let alone love it. However, true believers have been given the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We have an anointing so that we have the ability to truly understand what God’s Word teaches (1 John 2:20). Christ says His sheep hear His voice, and they will not follow the voice of another (John 10:4-5). True believers will not be led into damning teaching, and if they are, the Holy Spirit will convict them, and God will bring them back to His flock. False Teaching Stunts Growth, Biblical Truth Transforms With the Holy Spirit, Christians will recognize that the fruit produced from false teaching will inevitably be bad, simply because bad trees cannot produce good fruit. And good trees cannot produce bad fruit (Matthew 7:18). The bad fruit that comes from false teachers won’t have the power to transform our hearts, feed our souls, or renew our minds. Neither will it safely guide us on the narrow path in this life in order to get to the narrow gate in the next life. False teaching will hook us in the short-term, but it will starve us in the long-term where we will keep coming back to breadcrumbs and an empty well. Satan promises all "great things," yet he never delivers. His promises only play to our fleshly and earthly desires. and anything we do get from Satan comes with a price to pay. The only place we can drink from the living waters and eat the bread of life is through Jesus Christ and His Word. “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst’” (John 6:35). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1). The thing is, even a little error mixed in with a lot of truth will only end up stunting our growth and leading us astray in the end. The Holy Spirit Teaches You About Everything The apostle John writes to us in his first letter about abiding in the Truth with the help of the Holy Spirit; the anointing we have received from God as His beloved children. 1 John 2:24-27 says, “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us - eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no a lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him.” As we test doctrine with the help of the Holy Spirit we must ask, “Does this teaching lead me holiness? Does it teach correct Christology? Does it agree and align with the rest of Scripture? Does it teach submission to authorities or does it teach rebellion?” Apart From Me You Can Do Nothing In John 15:5, Jesus tells us that we as Christians are protected against deception. “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.” As we abide in Christ and in His Word, the Holy Spirit who is our helper will protect us from deception and give us the ability to bear much fruit. Without the Holy Spirit and knowing God’s Truth for our lives, we are all sitting ducks for Satan’s layers of deception. Ephesians 4:14-15 says, may we no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him, who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Added Scripture: This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. Jeremiah 23:16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 1 John 2:20 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1 John 4:5-6 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. Jeremiah 23:16 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. John 8:47 "Walk as children of light for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" Ephesians 5:8-10 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:22-23 Dear Lord Jesus, We thank You for Your Word. Your Word is the truth. We know there is nothing more loving than the truth, even when the truth offends. Lord, I pray that You soften hearts and open eyes so that people are able to truly see the magnificence of the gospel in its entirety. Please, help us unfix our eyes from the temporary things of this world and the ugly news that spews forth deception and half-truths, entrapping us in its empty satisfaction, searing our consciences, and hardening our hearts over time. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, comes not from the Father but is from the world, and the world and its desires are passing away; but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:16-17). Lord Jesus, help us fix our eyes on You so that we may find true knowledge and wisdom, fulfilment, and joy in You alone. Satan’s Deception and the Christian's Self-Deception Now is the time to seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is still near (Isaiah 55:6). This world is our one and only chance to get it right. We don’t want to miss the boat. Satan has layers upon layers of deception out there, including false teachers, worldly-minded preachers, and watered-down, lukewarm, comfortable, counterfeit Christianity everywhere you look, masquerading as the truth. Satan is extremely crafty and slick on so many levels; especially towards those whose guards are down, are unsuspecting, and have a false sense of hope and assurance of their salvation. If Christians think they can’t be deceived, it’s likely the deception has already begun. Satan has those people exactly where he wants them – his goal is to make people think they’re safe and secure in their salvation when they’re not. He wants them feeling comfortable exactly where they’re at; unaware of and even unbothered by their sins, as if their sins don’t offend our Holy God. And Satan wants to keep people following their own hearts instead of following the Word of God. Furthermore, Satan wants us to believe the lie that God’s grace stretches so big that we can just keep on sinning casually with half-hearted repentance and think it’ll still be okay for us in the end. He wants us to downplay our sins, keep us prideful, and lack knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and what the holiness of God truly means. And he also wants us to think we’re not as sinful as we really are, comparing ourselves to others and blinding us in our own self-righteousness. Satan doesn't want us to have a proper understanding of who God is, nor a right view of our own ourselves and who we are in comparison to Him. The human dilemma is this: God is holy, and we are not. God is righteous, and we are not. - RC Sproul Don’t Trust in Your Feelings - Trust in the Word of God Satan is called the Father of Lies for a reason, and he has had centuries of experience in deceiving people. He knows exactly what he’s doing. We must be alert and have a sober, discerning mind as we navigate through this world - and cling to Christ the entire way. Lord please, I pray that You open the eyes of those who are deceived or self-deceived with a false sense of assurance, based on emotion and mere feelings of what they understand faith to mean to them personally in their hearts, over how faith is truly defined in the Word of God - by You Yourself, Lord. I pray that You keep us from trusting in our own feelings and in our own hearts, since the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) Come to the Full Knowledge of God Lord, I also pray that we don’t find wisdom in our own eyes and in our own pride, but in Your Word alone. Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered (Proverbs 16:2). Please, let us grow in faith through the divine wisdom and knowledge You graciously make available to us in Scripture. My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I also will reject you (Hosea 4:6). But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge (Job 26:12). Lord, I pray that people are really listening. Help bring us all to the full knowledge of You, and guide us to learn by the Holy Spirit so that our eyes may be enlightened to the whole truth of You, Lord; not just parts of the truth we are interested in or comfortable with on our own personal level. Lord, I ask that You may place a real hunger and desire for knowledge and wisdom in us all. An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge (Proverbs 18:15). But whoever lacks knowledge, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it’ll be given to him (James 1:5). Examine Yourselves! Examining to see if we’re truly in the faith is one of the most responsible things we could ever do in this life as Christians. This life is short and eternity is long, so it’s only reasonable that we live this short life in the light of eternity. Let’s not be foolish, let’s not lean on our own understanding, and let’s not ignore the reality of eternity that’s quickly approaching us all, not to mention the frailty of all of our lives at any second. The "Grim-Reaper" stands inches away at all times from all the unconverted souls in the world. Lord, I pray that Christians do not get swept away in this life in all its worldliness, pride, lustful desires, fleshly comforts, alluring distractions, and empty entertainment that are all part of Satan’s goal to deceive us and keep us from ultimately surrendering to Christ – our only hope and true source of security. Without clinging to Christ, we are all sitting ducks for Satan’s schemes of deception. Brothers and sisters, I ask that you set your mind on things above because this world is passing away quickly. Be responsible, be wise with your eternal souls, and examine yourselves to see if you’re truly in the faith, resting safely in Christ’s arms. *To examine your faith biblically, read 1st John and fellowship with other Christians to discuss it together. Be honest with yourselves and each other, and pray for one another. And Lord, I pray for us all to set aside our pride because only a humbled heart can be open to fully surrendering to Christ. Confess Your Sins, Repent, and Serve Christ Lord, I pray that we all are able to acknowledge our own depravity, be truly humbled by it, confess our sins to You every single day, truly repent with a contrite heart, turn away from our own self-sufficiency and idols, and follow whole-heartedly after You, Christ. And please Lord, kill our pride, for pride is the root of all sin. It’s often pride that keeps us away from the true knowledge and full understanding of You, Lord. Brothers and sisters, if you’re finding this difficult to deny yourself, pray to the Lord, cry out to Him, and ask Him to give you a new heart; a heart that desires to obey Christ, love righteousness, and hate sin; a heart that truly loves Jesus. Ask that He may give You the grace to truly turn away from your sins and run to Him in all His beauty, glory, and love. Remember, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Lord, only by Your grace did I have the courage and the love to speak the truth boldly as I ought to speak. Prayer is part of Your sovereign plan, and sharing the gospel is Your command to Your children. Lord, I planted the seed as I was called to do, and now I know the rest is up to You. I trust in You. All glory belongs to You. I love you, Lord. Thank You for blessing me through my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me to help others come to the full knowledge of You - in all Your truth, beauty, and saving grace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14 Love, Jenna Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Cor 13:5 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. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26 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 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:22-23 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 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:1 Now we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:3-4

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 Only God is Good One of the biggest mistakes we make is thinking God is like us. Often times we form God into a god of our own imagination; a god who we are comfortable with; a god who doesn’t punish sin or send people to hell; a god who is all love, leaving no room for His justice or His sovereignty, cheapening His love. And many out there think we can earn our salvation through our own “good works” by believing that we are actually good, based on our own personal standards and definitions of what we believe good to be. And also by being self-righteous and comparing ourselves to others whom we think are not as "good" as we are - which gives us a false sense of being good ourselves through our own relative truths. On the other side, we will not be judged based upon our own standards or the world's standards, but by the standards of the Holy God of the universe. The real truth is there has only been one good person in this world, and that is the person of Jesus Christ. We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We first must recognize that we are all sinners. We are depraved, fallen, and utterly dependent on God; whether we like that or not, and whether we are able to humble ourselves to that truth or not. Although we’d like to think so for the sake of pride, mankind does not possess some high value of dignity, esteem, or righteousness through our own human merit or achievement. There’s not one single one of us who does. And even if we did, it could never come close to the standard of that which is the Holy God of the universe. Even our most noble gestures and our most righteous acts are filthy rags to God. (Isaiah 64:6.) - which brings me to my second point: God is holy, meaning He's set apart from us. Furthermore, Holy means that He’s perfectly moral, perfectly righteous, perfectly just, perfectly good. There’s not a tiny blemish nor a stitch of evil anywhere in God. His purity and perfection go way beyond what we could ever begin to grasp. If we don’t first understand this tremendous gap and incomprehensible gulf between man and God, we don’t understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and why it is such tremendously good news to us. The Truth Offends, But The Truth Saves The gospel is the only thing that saves, so we must get the gospel right. The Truth is offensive, but it's the only thing that saves, and unfortunately far too many are blinded by the god of this world (Satan). I am not popular by any means by proclaiming the Gospel Truth of Jesus Christ. In fact, I’m likely hated for it, but I'm not trying to be liked by the world. I care about people's souls. The thing is, I believe whole-heartedly in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I am driven to share the Truth with as many people as I can in this short life - because it is God's will for all Christians and because I love people. I have sincere concern and sadness for people who don't know that they don't know. The thing is, if you love people, you warn them when they’re inside a burning building - while they still have the opportunity to get out. I encourage you to open the Bible for yourself (and by the grace of God) come to the full knowledge and Truth of the real God of the universe while you still can in this life. Life is short, but eternity - that's for a very long time. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen. Revelation 22:21 Love, Jenna I highly encourage you to check out this trailer to learn who God is: American Gospel: Christ Crucified. It's an excellent documentary and very well done. as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Romans 3:10-12 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6 They are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Romans 10:2-3

Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 Dear Lord, You are such a loving God full of mercy and grace! I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins – past, present, and future - through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. I praise You for blessing me in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:3) Your mercies are new every morning, Your grace is sufficient, and Your love is steadfast. Lord, You save me from the judgment that I do deserve, and You shower me with blessings I don’t deserve. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-7) I praise You for Your infinite mercy that flows from Your infinite love. Thank You for Your compassion on sinners like me. Lord, I ask that you give me the grace to be merciful towards others, as You have been merciful to me. Lord, please also help me share with others how merciful and loving You are so that they might come to know You too and trust You as their Lord and Savior. All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, I pray amen. Love, Jenna For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 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

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Dear Lord, I thank You for Your word and the treasure of truth I hold in my hands from the Holy Scriptures. I am blessed by the power that Your Word brings into my life by the Holy Spirit. The ability to hear and understand Your hidden wisdom is an incredible blessing, and knowledge is power. I love learning about You. We know the 1st book of John was written to give us solid assurance that we are true believers in Christ as we approach the Day of Judgement; so that we may approach that predestined time with joy, through fearlessness and a true confidence in our faith. One way we know that we are truly in the faith is that we love our brothers and sisters. 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). Whatever the outside deed is; however great, sacrificial, or significant it may be to the world, it is the inside of the deed that counts to You. You are able to see deep down into the depths of our hearts where our true intentions and motives are, and we cannot hide from You, Lord. We pray that the truth of our deeds comes from a place of love and humility and not from pride or selfish gain. Furthermore, we pray that You help us to recognize our own intentions and motives so that we may be humbled. May we continue to look to the person and the work of Jesus Christ for our only hope, and not ourselves or our own works. May we make all sacrifices for Your glory, and may the center of everything we do, be with love – love for You and love for others. We know that it’s the love in one’s heart that shows evidence of belonging to Christ. Faith promotes love, and love is the most effectual ingredient in a living faith. Love also promotes faith because we are more apt to trust in those whom we love. We put our trust in You Lord, and we love because You first loved us (1 John 4:19). May we be empowered by that love to accomplish all that you would have us do, and may it be love that helps drive us to share the gospel with others. The gospel produces faith, and faith produces love, and love produces good fruits which bears the evidence of a true Christian. Lord, help us learn more about You and Your holiness through Your Word. Also, help us to be more sensitive to our own fallenness and sin so that we may be quick to repent of it, turn from ourselves, and turn to You in faith, hope, and love. Lord, help us grow by reading Your Word and praying at all times to You. All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray amen. Love, Jenna