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For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.... And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1: 18; 30-31 Ignorance Versus Wisdom " Ignorance of Scripture is the most dangerous self-inflicted wound."  – Dale Partridge. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Prov 9:10). Fear in this context means reverence and awe. Ignorance is defined as lacking the correct knowledge or proper understanding of something. Individuals who are ignorant are uninformed or unaware. Sometimes, our ignorance stems from not realizing there is something we need to know. Other times, it may be a deliberate choice to remain ignorant, known as willful ignorance. What does the Bible say about ignorance? The Lord mercifully cautions us against ignorance: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you" (Hosea 4:6). This goes beyond having a simple lack of information; it is a deliberate refusal of the valuable knowledge God has given to us through His Word. It represents a sinful ignorance driven by choice, which is rooted in pride. While ignorance about worldly matters might be excusable and carry minimal consequences, willful ignorance regarding spiritual matters is a tragedy and carries eternal consequences. By rejecting the knowledge freely offered to us in the Scriptures, namely the saving message of the Gospel, we are ultimately rejecting God Himself, leading to our own eternal demise because of our willful ignorance. "Satan’s greatest weapon is man’s ignorance of God’s Word."  – A.W. Tozer. Wisdom stands in stark contrast to spiritual ignorance, and our primary pursuit should be seeking wisdom above all things (Prov 3:13-18). By delving into God's Word, we can exchange our ignorance for genuine wisdom and understanding. God offers wisdom to everyone and generously grants it to those who ask for it (James 1:5). The Scriptures freely provide us with all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and purpose. Through faith in Jesus Christ, Scripture equips us with the knowledge and wisdom necessary to lead a meaningful and abundant life that leads to eternal life. The Lord does not withhold anything we need to know for this life or the next. It's all right there for us. All we have to do is open the Scriptures for ourselves and believe what God is telling us. The Lord is Patient & Merciful God's patience on this side of eternity is evident through His long-suffering nature, granting us the valuable gift of time as part of His common grace. This time allows us to turn away from our sins, embrace Jesus as our Savior, and receive salvation, escaping eternal destruction. Despite mankind’s reluctance to seek Him in the Scriptures, the Lord generously provides us all with numerous chances, some more than others. As Paul acknowledges, God extended mercy to him even when he was acting in ignorance and unbelief (1 Tim 1:13). The Lord's patience and mercy endure, even in our deliberate ignorance, as He desires all to repent and turn to Him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but everyone to come to a saving knowledge of the truth (2 Peter 3:9). Very sadly, many will still die in their sins due to their stubbornness and willful ignorance, and on the Day of Judgment, they won’t be able to blame anyone but themselves. But still, many will repent and turn to Jesus and be saved, all by His grace. Hallelujah! It is comforting and hopeful to know that Jesus is always available to us on this side of eternity, being long-suffering and extending His mercy and grace to us every day. However, we must not take His patience and mercy for granted. The Lord urges us to seek Him without delay, as Scripture states that today is the day of salvation; now is the favorable time. As it is written, He says that now is the day of salvation. For He says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). Since we are uncertain of how much time we have left on this earth, we should not cling to our sins and put off salvation, as we could unexpectedly die in our sins at any moment. When confronted with the Gospel truth, we must not harden our hearts to it (Heb 3:8) but embrace it wholeheartedly. Ignoring the truth or putting off the truth deliberately (saying we will submit to it later or when we’re “ready”) will only make it harder to accept in the future. We cannot ever assume that we will have another opportunity to embrace the truth and be saved; thus, now is the right time to believe! Calling Everyone, Everywhere When Scripture commands us to listen, it presents another valuable opportunity to exchange our ignorance for wisdom. In Proverbs Chapter One, wisdom is portrayed as a woman calling out in the streets, urging everyone to seek prudence, knowledge, and wisdom. She warns about the dire consequences for those who reject her. Her message is passionate, repetitive, and crystal clear. She earnestly invites all to seek her while there is still time on Earth. She can be found in plain sight and is accessible to all those who genuinely seek her. While sinful temptations are secretive and covert, wisdom is openly available for all to find. In Proverbs 1:20-33, wisdom is personified as someone we can become acquainted with. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul explains that Jesus embodies wisdom from God. "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption," (1 Cor 1:30). True wisdom is attained through having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, by grace through faith. Jesus is the highest, purest form of wisdom that exists. He encompasses it all: He is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30) and the only One who offers us eternal life. Knowing Jesus intimately as our Lord and Savior is possessing genuine wisdom; the highest, purest wisdom there is! ​ The Gospel - True Wisdom The wisdom discovered in the Scriptures surpasses all the wealth in the world (Prov 3:15-17) as it directs us to Jesus Christ, the only way of salvation and our sole source of hope. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6). The Gospel is true wisdom. To those who do not believe or choose to ignore, the Gospel of Jesus Christ may seem foolish, but to believers, it is the wisdom and power of God (1 Cor 1:18-25). The message of Jesus Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection embodies the highest wisdom there is, as the Gospel itself is the power to eternally redeem all who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ alone. (Rom 1:16) This is the Gospel, the Good News: the most important and vital message one could ever hear: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of the Virgin Mary and took on human form as the God-man, fully man and fully God. Jesus lived a sinless life, perfectly obeying His Father's will, even unto death on a cross (Phil 2:8). He died as the perfect atonement for our sins, fulfilling the judgment and wrath of God, and ultimately conquering death. Jesus' final words before dying were, "It is finished" (John 19:30), signifying the completion of His sacrifice for the sins of all who would ever come to believe in Him. By shedding His blood on the cross for us, Jesus paid our debt in full (Eph 1:7). As believers, He wiped away all our sins (past, present, and future) by nailing them to the cross (Col 2:14). After His death and burial, Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, offering eternal life to all those who look to Him, by grace through faith. Jesus' resurrection serves as the supreme proof of His divinity, as only God could perform such a miraculous act. God's Hidden Wisdom But as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor 2:9).   The verse is often mistakenly thought to be about the marvels of heaven, but it actually pertains to the wisdom that God has revealed to those who believe in Jesus. Essentially, God's truth cannot be understood through sight or hearing (objective or empirical proof), nor can it be comprehended through emotions, thoughts, or human intellect (subjective or rational deductions). Divine wisdom is concealed and can only be uncovered and comprehended by those who put their faith in Jesus. This wisdom from God is often foolish and even offensive to unbelievers. That's because without the presence of the Holy Spirit within, God's wisdom cannot be fully comprehended, trusted, or cherished (1 Cor 2:14). True wisdom, given by the Holy Spirit, is exclusively possessed by those who believe in Jesus. Salvation and all its accompanying blessings (including wisdom) are entirely bestowed by grace. It’s all a gift. Neither salvation nor divine wisdom can be earned or sought after by our own human efforts. These are gifts and can only be given to us from the Lord Himself. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  Prov 2:6. For those who have received repentance, faith, wisdom, and ultimately salvation in Jesus, it is entirely a gift without any opportunity for self-congratulation. Salvation is not by works but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. As believers, the only One we can boast in is the Lord. Even our faith is a gift by His grace. It's only because of Him . And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:30-31   For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,   but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor 1:22-23 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, Rom 1:16 Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path . Psalm 119:105 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Prov 3:15-17 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim 3:15

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, 'Here I am.'   Isaiah 58:9 A Good Cry A good cry can feel good, but crying out to the Lord makes us feel better. So, if you want to have a really good cry, cry out to the Lord. We serve a God who hears and cares. We have a Father in Heaven who listens to His children when we cry out to Him. Unlike the gods of false religions, our God is not indifferent to His people's needs or cries for help. Jesus is attuned to our every sigh and tear. He understands all our weaknesses (Heb 4:15) and shares in the deepest depths of our grief. When we call, the Lord will answer. When we cry out to Him, He will say, “Here I am” (Isaiah 58:9). Jesus will be there to deliver us from all our troubles because He promises to always be with us. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 “Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name. When he calls to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16). To Cry Out To cry out  is to express oneself loudly in a state of distress or desperation. To cry out is to direct our needs to the Lord. He is the Master Recipient of our cries. When we lift our voices to Him we can trust that He hears us with clarity and compassion. (See 1 Samuel 7:8; Psalm 107:6,13, 19,28). When Peter found himself sinking in the water, he cried out to Jesus for help, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him (Matthew 14:30–31). Jesus heard Peter's cry for help and immediately took hold of him. He does the same for you and me when we cry out to Him. He will come to our rescue and say, “Here I am.” Crying out doesn’t always mean expressing oneself vocally. Sometimes our cries to the Lord are silent. In times of distress when no words come out, God still hears the cries of our hearts. Just as Hannah prayed silently in distress, as “her voice was not heard” since she was “praying in her heart” (1 Samuel 1:10, 13), God was there, listening to Hannah’s unspoken pleas. In our most silent moments of angst or sorrow, when no one else can hear, Jesus always does. He hears the silent cries of our hearts loud and clear, and He says, “Here I am.” Crying out to the Lord is not just an act of desperation, but a demonstration of our faith in Jesus and total dependence on Him. Through our tears or anxieties, we not only recognize our sins, shortcomings, and failures but also our limitations and the impossibility of taking on life's struggles in our own strength. Our cries are not just a plea for our Heavenly Father to intervene on our behalf but evidence of true saving faith and confidence in His ability to do so. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters, by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  Romans 8:15 Two Prayed, One was Heard Scripture says that God does not listen to the prayers of unbelievers; people who are self-righteous, who pride themselves in their “goodness,” and feel no need for repentance. We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him (John 9:31). But God always listens to the cries of a repentant sinner who recognizes his own sinfulness and pleads for forgiveness. In the parable of two men praying, one is proud while the other is humble and repentant. Jesus tells us how two prayed but only one was heard. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14    The corrupt tax collector came to God with a contrite and broken heart. He was burdened with sin and guilt and cried out to the Lord to have mercy on him. In contrast, the Pharisee, a respected religious figure in the community, prided himself on being an example of goodness and righteousness. He was blind to his own sinfulness and didn’t recognize his pitiful state like the tax collector did. Even though both men prayed to the Lord, it was only the tax collector's prayer that reached God's ears, as he was the only one who genuinely cried out to the Lord. One exalted himself and was ignored, and the other humbled himself and was received. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:15-18 Jesus Died for Me. Jesus Cares. Scripture makes it clear that self-reliance is not a quality of a true follower of Jesus; only complete dependence is. As believers, we are to never rely on our own strength. Instead, we must always turn to Jesus, especially in our trials. We must continually remind ourselves of the greatest truth and love there is: that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead, so that by grace through faith in Him, we may have eternal life! So knowing this, why wouldn’t we always want to cry out to Jesus, for everything ? Jesus solved the biggest problem we’ll ever have 2,000 years ago on a cross: our sin problem that separated us from God. Will Jesus not solve all the comparably little problems too? Of course He will! All in His perfect ways and timing. Jesus died for me. Jesus cares. Jesus is compassionate, patient, and loving toward us in all our trials, big and small. He takes pleasure in helping us when we are in need, which is always! There is never a time when we don't need Jesus, whether in a tough trial or on "easy street." The beauty in trials is that it drives us to cry out to Jesus way more than when life is going smoothly for us. Trials test our faith and produce endurance (James 1:2-3). Trials give us a precious opportunity to prove the authenticity of our faith in Jesus, which gives us assurance of our salvation. And assurance of our salvation is one of the greatest blessings from God and joys we can experience in this life! When setbacks happen and troubles arise, when we find ourselves caught in a sin cycle, when people are mean to us, when life throws a curveball or seems to fall apart, just have yourself a good cry by crying out to the Lord. Only in Him do we find our help, relief, comfort, and mercy. Whether we cry out to the Lord loudly or silently, we can trust that Jesus hears our cries. We can trust that Jesus cares. We can trust that Jesus will always say, “Here I am.” And we can trust that crying out to the Lord will always make us feel much, much better! Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28 “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” Psalm 50:15 I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble. Psalm 142:1-2 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:3

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Mark 2:27–28 What About the Sabbath? What does Jesus say about Christians keeping the Sabbath? In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Jesus pointed out that the Sabbath was created for the benefit of man, rather than man being created to serve the Sabbath. Jesus made this statement in response to the Pharisees criticizing His disciples for "breaking the Sabbath law" by picking grain as they walked through the fields (refer to Mark 2:23–28; Mat 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5). Furthermore, Jesus pointed the Pharisees to the OT Scriptures for understanding. He brought up the time when King David was hungry and in need of food. He was given consecrated bread, which technically was only lawful for the priests to eat (1 Sam 21:1-6). However, this sacred bread met the practical needs of David and his followers. This was just like in Jesus' situation when picking the grain in the fields met the practical needs of Jesus and His followers. David and his men did not commit any sin by eating the consecrated bread, just as Jesus' disciples did not commit any sin by picking heads of grain on the Sabbath. Jesus affirms this by saying, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27–28). The Sabbath was Made for Man Jesus' response to the Pharisees conveys two significant lessons. The first lesson is that the Sabbath was originally designed to benefit people with rest rather than weigh them down. Jesus had to remind and/or teach the Pharisees of the original purpose of keeping the Sabbath. It was to rest from their work and worship and honor God. Unlike the relentless labor the Israelites endured as slaves in Egypt, they were instructed by God to observe a complete day of rest once a week, according to the Mosaic Law. But over time, the Pharisees twisted this beautiful purpose of the Sabbath and transformed it into a burdensome obligation. They imposed additional man-made restrictions beyond what was specified in God's Law. The simple act of plucking and eating a head of grain while casually walking through a field should not be deemed as "working" or "harvesting" as the Pharisees insisted. The disciples did not sin or violate God's Law in any way; they simply did not comply with the Pharisees' strict and obsessive demands of it. In Mark 3:1–6 (also Matthew 12:9–14; Luke 6:6–11), Jesus gives another example when He heals a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees sought to accuse Jesus and observed His interaction with a man with a withered hand. “Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent (Mark 3:4). The Sabbath was meant to alleviate burdens, not create them. Prohibiting acts of kindness and compassion on the Sabbath goes against everything that is good and right. Jesus did what was good and right. Lord Even of the Sabbath The second lesson is that Jesus is Lord even of the Sabbath. In other words, Jesus is the Ultimate Authority over the Sabbath. Being God incarnate, He is the One who created the Sabbath day. Since He is the Author of the Law, Jesus naturally has the authority to determine how the Law should be upheld. The Pharisees had elevated their own human additions and rules to the status of God's Divine Law, laying heavy burdens on people, which led to them criticizing the Lawgiver Himself. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath because the Sabbath symbolizes the rest that Jesus offers, by grace through faith in Him. Jesus is our ultimate rest as He completed all the necessary work for our redemption (Hebrews 4). He accomplished the requirements of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). Christ is the culmination of the Law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). Jesus is Our Sabbath Rest As the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus possessed the authority and power to regulate it however He wanted. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus became the total fulfillment of our “Sabbath rest.” The salvation we receive through Jesus has rendered the old Sabbath-keeping law unnecessary and no longer obligatory. When Jesus proclaimed, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), He affirmed that just as the Sabbath was established to offer mankind rest from weekly labor, Jesus came to offer mankind eternal rest from working for our salvation through our own efforts. Through Jesus’ perfect life, finished work on the cross, and resurrection, we can now rest from our efforts to earn God’s favor and earn our salvation. Instead, we find complete rest for our eternal souls in God’s great mercy and saving grace through His Son, Jesus. As believers, we are free in Christ and free to obey Him. We are not judged by whether or not we keep the Sabbath day (Colossians 2:16). Instead, we follow and obey the Lord of the Sabbath Himself, Jesus Christ, our Great God and Savior. Our rest is found solely in Jesus, and every single day of the week is dedicated to worshipping Him, forever and ever. Small Note: The Sabbath was Saturdays for the Jews. Sunday for Christians is called "The Lord's Day." Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, 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 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. Colossians 2:16 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. Romans 14:5-6

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 The Wind Blows The phrase "born of God" is mainly found in the book of First John. 1 John 5:1 says, Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. Other mentions of this phrase can be found in 1 John 2:29, 3:9, 4:7, 5:4, and 5:18. In John 3:3, Jesus says a similar phrase. He tells Nicodemus that in order to see the Kingdom of Heaven, one must be born again. The phrase born of God is closely connected with being born again, born from above, and born of the Spirit. Nicodemus responded the way many of us would. He asked, “How can someone be born when they are old?” (v 4) Jesus responded with an interesting analogy. He said, The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit” (v 8). Unpredictable Why did Jesus use the analogy of the wind to explain the concept of being born again? The Greek term for "wind" is pneuma, which is also used to refer to "spirit." Just like the wind, the Holy Spirit is unseen but His effects are visible. The wind's path itself cannot be seen. The wind cannot be predicted, captured, or controlled, yet it has the power to bring about change wherever it goes. The effects of the wind can be seen through the bending of trees, the rustling of leaves, and the sensation on our faces. Similarly, the Holy Spirit is unpredictable to us, but He brings about a spiritual rebirth that is evident in the life and behavior of a person. Just like we couldn’t cause our physical birth, we couldn’t cause our spiritual birth either. Being born again is not achieved through human efforts, good works, persuasive speech, or intellectual understanding, but only through the work of the Holy Spirit in a repentant and contrite heart (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38). It's all of God's grace. A New Creature To understand what it means to be born again or born of God, one must follow the analogy of an earthly birth to explain a spiritual concept. Just as a newborn baby emerges as a completely new creature, those who are born of God emerge as a completely new creature as well. When a baby is born, a new life comes into existence that never existed before. The baby is a completely new creature who gradually starts to resemble his or her parents. Likewise, a kitten matures into a cat, a puppy into a dog, a lamb into a sheep, and so also, an infant into an adult human. This analogy also applies to those who are born of God. Those who are born of God take on His qualities and then slowly but surely grow mature in Him, reflecting His likeness more and more. To be born of God is to experience an inner transformation through faith in Jesus and begin to resemble our Heavenly Father in an outward way. As stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17, being in Christ makes someone a "new creature" where the "old has passed away and the new has come." In John 3, Jesus elaborates on how one can be born of God: Whoever believes in the Son shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). By God’s grace through faith in Jesus, we are born again into His family, and a major internal transformation takes place. By being born of God and becoming a child of God (John 1:12), we will naturally grow to look and act more like our Father. Pleasing our Father 1 John 3:9 describes a person who has been born of God: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot keep on sinning because they have been born of God.”  Continue to sin in this context means living a life of sin; continuing in unbroken patterns of sin and fleshly, selfish living. To one degree or another, it’s the life we all lived before we were born again (Eph 2:2-3). Our Heavenly Father is holy, and He commands His children to be holy like Him (1 Peter 1:15–16). Scripture also says that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (Heb 12:14). When we are born of God (repent of our sins and put our trust in Jesus alone for salvation), we receive a new heart that desires to please Him (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Cor 5:9; Col 1:10), and He puts His Spirit in us the very moment we come to saving faith in Jesus, sealing us forever as His own (Eph 1:13-14). Pleasing our Father is not achieved through mere good intentions or white-knuckling it, rather it's by yielding to His Holy Spirit whom He's given us. By the Holy Spirit who lives in us and helps us live out our Christian life, we simply desire to please our Father. It's a big part of our new nature to want to please Him. It's God’s grace that causes us to be born again, and it's God's grace that allows us to be like Him, through the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One who teaches us, guides us, picks us up when we fall, and helps us live out the Christian life victoriously. The Holy Spirit is the One who transforms our hearts, natures, desires, affections, and will to align with God’s will (Rom 8:29; Phil 2:13) and want to please our Father in heaven as His child. What grace! Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 Our Number One Helper When you and I first repented of our sins and believed in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to make His permanent home in our hearts. He is our Number One Helper in living out our Christian life (John 14:16-17, 26, 15:26). One of the major roles of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is to help us be what we already are: Christians and children of the Most-High God. The Holy Spirit aids us in our prayers (Jude 1:20) and He "intercedes for God’s people in accordance with God's will" (Rom 8:26–27), meaning He prays for us! He brings comfort, courage, strength, fellowship, and joy to us as we go through a hostile world (1 Thess 1:6; 2 Co 13:14). He is our Teacher and Guide. He leads us into all truth and protects us from false teachers, false doctrine, and lies in a post-truth world (1 John 2:26-27). He fills believers with "all joy and peace" as we trust in Jesus, causing us to "overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom 15:13). The Holy Spirit is a giver of spiritual gifts as well. He helps us use our gifts to help our brothers and sisters. "There are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them" (1 Corinthians 12:4). The spiritual gifts that believers have are bestowed by the Holy Spirit according to His wisdom (1 Cor 11). Our Pledge of Guarantee The Holy Spirit is the One who secures the salvation of everyone He indwells and seals us for the day of redemption (Eph 1:13-14). He is given to us as our Pledge of Guarantee of our future heavenly inheritance (2 Cor 1:22). Essentially, the Holy Spirit is the down payment of our salvation. Once we are given the Holy Spirit, by grace alone through faith alone, we are permanently sealed and can never lose our salvation (John 10:28). Scripture says that all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God (Rom 8:14). We know we are children of God because the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we belong to Him (Rom 8:16). Furthermore, Scripture says we have received the Spirit of adoption as children because we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15). Abba is an Aramaic word that means Father. It’s a common term used to express affection, confidence, and trust. Abba represents the deep, intimate bond between a father and his child, along with the innocent trust that a young child has in his "daddy." A believer cries out to God His Heavenly Father like a small, needy child does to His Dad. Our Sanctifier Sanctification is a process guided by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The Spirit leads the believer away from old sinful pleasures and the desires of the flesh and guides us towards righteousness and the lovely, pure, true things of God (Gal 5:16–18). The Holy Spirit works through God's Word as we read it on a daily basis; He sanctifies us by the truth. (John 17:17). As a result, the works of the flesh and the power of sin decrease in our lives, while the manifestations of the Spirit become more and more evident (Gal 5:19–26). Believers are instructed to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), meaning that we should submit ourselves fully to the Spirit's leading in our lives. God commands us to no longer live according to the flesh but to "put to death the deeds of the body" by the Spirit (Rom 8:12-13). Through the Holy Spirit's power, believers now have the ability to obey God's Word from the heart. What grace! The Greatest Influencer The Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence only in the believer's heart, but it's also an active influence even among those who do not believe. He is the Greatest Influencer the world will ever experience because He influences people to turn from their sins, believe in Jesus, and be saved. Jesus had promised His disciples that He'd send the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). The Spirit bears witness to the truth in Jesus (John 15:26), influencing and guiding people to His saving grace. Additionally, the Holy Spirit currently restrains sin and opposes the "mystery of lawlessness" in the world, preventing the emergence of the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:6–10). He Helps Us Understand The Holy Spirit has another major important role, and that is to give believers wisdom by which we can understand the things of God. “These are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:10–11). As believers, because we have received the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we are able to comprehend the mind of God as revealed to us in the Scriptures. The Spirit enables us to understand God's hidden wisdom. This is divine wisdom, not worldly wisdom. No amount of human understanding or reason could ever replace the teaching and the guiding of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:12–13). Divine wisdom is kept hidden by God and only revealed to His children. His wisdom can only be uncovered and comprehended by those who put their trust in Jesus. The wisdom from God is often foolish and even offensive to unbelievers. That's because without the presence of the Holy Spirit within, God's wisdom cannot be fully comprehended, trusted, or cherished (1 Cor 2:14). Dear Heavenly Father, You chose me and planned my salvation before the foundation of the world. Jesus provided the way for me by dying on the cross for my sins. On the third day, He rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith alone, I may have eternal life and be given the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is my Pledge of Guarantee and my Number One Helper in living out my Christian life. What mercy and grace! All glory belongs to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! May 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 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 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

"Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1 The Most Abused Verse in the Bible ​ ​​"Jugde Not" (Matthew 7:1). This verse is frequently misinterpreted to justify one's actions and attitudes. It is commonly used as a shield when confronted about wrongdoing, revealing a reluctance to accept criticism. Such individuals, driven by pride, reject guidance and misuse the phrase "Judge not" to evade responsibility. Many resist correction because they prefer darkness over light, as stated in John 3:19-20. They shun truth to conceal their sins and avoid exposure of their dark deeds, distorting the meaning of 'Judge not' to seek validation (and even praise) for their sinful ways (Philippians 3:19). ​ "Judge Not" Out of Context Misinterpreting this verse is often used as a way to avoid accountability for someone's words or actions. Some individuals use this verse to manipulate others by accusing them of being judgmental. Ironically, the offended party can end up being the one passing judgment by hypocritically criticizing the other person whom they perceive as judgmental. The Scriptures teach that a wise and righteous person welcomes correction and rebuke, while a rebellious individual reacts with hostility. The passage warns against trying to correct a mocker, as it will only lead to abuse, but advises that reproving a wise person will be appreciated. Teaching a wise individual will increase their wisdom, and instructing a righteous person will enhance their knowledge (Prov 9:7-9). ​ The saying 'Judge not' is frequently accompanied by the popular expression, "Only God can judge." Indeed, only God has the ability to assess someone's intentions as He alone can discern the depths of the heart. Additionally, being a holy God, He abhors sin. While the notion that only God can judge is commonly accepted, what many fail to grasp is the dreadful prospect of facing judgment from God. As stated in Hebrews 10:31, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Although only God can judge the intentions of the heart, believers are instructed by Scripture to make righteous judgments based on a person's actions that are observable. The Bible directs us to discern the spirits to determine if they are of God (1 John 4:1). Jesus cautions us to be cautious of false prophets who appear as harmless as sheep but are actually like wolves (Mat 7:15-20), and He indicates that we can identify them by their actions or fruits. Therefore, exercising theological discernment and making righteous judgments are essential according to these teachings. "Judge Not" In Context In order to interpret 'Judge not' correctly and responsibly, it is essential to consider its proper context within the Bible and view it as part of the complete Scripture. Simply focusing on one verse and disregarding the surrounding text will not lead to a full understanding of God's intended message, which constitutes His revelation. Without grasping the true meaning intended by God, we will lack the divine guidance necessary for our spiritual well-being. When interpreting Scripture, our only entitlement is to interpret it responsibly, as instructed by the Scriptures themselves (2 Tim 2:15). Therefore, to interpret 'Judge not' responsibly, it is crucial to examine the entirety of Matthew 7 and reference other parts of the Bible as well. Jesus says, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. 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 7:1-6). Nowhere in this passage does Jesus explicitly state that we should refrain from making any form of judgment. In fact, if that were the case, we would be unable to address someone's errors, missteps, or misconceptions. Guiding individuals towards the correct path, aiding in their comprehension, learning, and fostering wisdom would all be unattainable. Moreover, teaching the truth itself would be impossible without the ability to make judgments, as all these actions necessitate discernment. Truth Told in Love In this passage, Jesus does not forbid us from judging others entirely. Instead, He advises us to address our own sins first. This implies that we should reflect on our own wrongdoings before criticizing others for theirs, so that we avoid hypocrisy. By removing the log from our eye, we can then help our fellow believers by addressing the speck in their eye. Jesus teaches us the importance of righteous judgment, emphasizing the proper approach, motives, and attitude required to help others. According to Scripture, we are instructed to address others about their sins with truth spoken in a spirit of love. This means that we should approach others with gentleness and compassion when discussing their sins. Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently (Galatians 6:1). Speaking the truth in love is the most caring action we can take. It is our responsibility to discern and uphold what is good, right, and true, while also demonstrating love by sharing the truth, even in moments of discomfort. Prioritizing our own comfort or reputation over the truth would be selfish and unloving. Placing our comfort and reputation above the truth would go against the very essence of love. The ultimate goal is to guide people towards the Truth, which is embodied in Jesus (Eph 4:21). Jesus represents the highest, purest, and truest form of wisdom, because He alone saves us from our sins and offers us the free gift of salvation through His finished work on the cross and His resurrection. Only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ do we have eternal life. If we are not supposed to judge anyone at all, then we would not be able to address behaviors like lying, stealing, cheating, blaspheming, committing adultery, or murder, or even telling someone they cannot judge. In reality, all of these situations require us to exercise our judgment. Therefore, Jesus is not instructing us to refrain from judging entirely. Instead, he is guiding us on how to judge, emphasizing the importance of having the right attitude, pure motives, and a gentle spirit. Do Not Give Dogs What is Holy In verse 6, Jesus instructs us not to give valuable teachings to those who show no respect or appreciation for them. This means we should not persist in sharing the message of eternal life with individuals who are resistant, dismissive, or hostile towards it. We are not to keep preaching the gospel to those who disrespect sacred things and even attack us for it. Following this command requires us to use our judgment. When encountering such individuals while sharing the gospel, Jesus advises us to be wise, shake off the dust from our feet, and move on from that place. "If the house is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet." (Matthew 10:13-14) It's not about avoiding arguments for our own benefit, but rather out of consideration for the other person. It can be an act of mercy to refrain from sharing biblical truths with someone who is openly hostile towards them. Persisting in sharing the truth with a stubborn individual may lead them to accumulate more wrath for themselves on the Day of Judgment (Romans 2:5). Choosing to reject the good news of the gospel despite hearing it repeatedly is essentially a way of suppressing the truth, ultimately leading to a harsher judgment. As stated in Luke 12:48, those who acted without knowledge will face a lighter punishment, while those who had more understanding will be held to a higher standard. 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). Judge with Righteous Judgement In essence, Jesus instructs us not to judge in a hypocritical, unfair, or condescending manner, especially when it comes to trivial matters. Instead, He encourages us to judge with righteousness, either to assist others or to protect ourselves. Jesus emphasizes the importance of discerning rightly, advising, "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" (John 7:24). While Jesus cautions against prideful or harsh judgment rooted in self-righteousness, He urges us to exercise moral and theological discernment when evaluating someone's actions, speech, behavior, and public lifestyle - essentially, the fruit they bear. As stated in Luke 6:45, "The good person brings forth good from the good stored up in their heart, while the evil person brings forth evil from the evil stored up in their heart, for out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." Here Jesus warns us about false prophets and how we will recognize them: 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 (Matthew 7:15-20). Testing the Spirits Jesus warns us about false prophets and instructs us to test the spirits rather than believing every spirit. This requires us to exercise discernment. In 1 John 4:1-6, it emphasizes the need to discern spirits, as not all are from God due to the presence of many false prophets in the world. It is crucial to evaluate individuals not just by their words but also by their actions, as some may claim to know Jesus but their deeds contradict their profession of faith in Him (Titus 1:16). By observing the fruit of their lives (what they produce through observable evidence), we can discern the authenticity of their faith. Christians are encouraged to be cautious without being overly suspicious, avoiding blind trust and instead assessing others based on their consistent actions. Jesus' warning to be vigilant is relevant as false prophets are not always easily identifiable. John warns that many false prophets exist, even within the church community, seeking to deceive believers and lead them astray. Test Like the Bereans Just like the Bereans, we are expected to evaluate the spirits. The Bereans, inhabitants of Berea in Macedonia during Paul's time, were known for their diligent examination of everything in light of Scripture. Their understanding of the Word of God led them to scrutinize teachings and actions against the backdrop of God's truth. The key to making righteous judgments, distinguishing truth from falsehood, and recognizing the difference between right and nearly right, lies in accurately interpreting God's Word. The Bereans serve as an admirable example of how we should respond scripturally to teachings, presentations, or messages from people claiming to believe in Jesus. Ending With the Gospel My goal is always to incorporate the gospel into everything I write. I will conclude this piece with the gospel message: Salvation comes solely by grace, through faith in Christ alone. We must repent of our sins (even embrace the correction of our sins, as those who gently correct us are the ones who care about us). Remember, those who speak the most truth to us are the ones who love us the most. We must believe in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Salvation is not by works; it is a free gift (Eph 2:8-9). We cannot save ourselves or earn salvation by our own good works; Jesus has already accomplished salvation for us through His perfect life, death on the cross, and resurrection. All we have to do is repent (turn away from our sins) and put our total trust in Jesus Christ alone. Genuine faith in Christ will naturally result in good deeds (Eph 2:10), and we will be identified as Children of God by our words, actions, conduct, and a transformed life through the power of the Gospel. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

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 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. Finally, there is a volitional element (fiducia) that involves a personal trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A truly saved person will not casually read the Scriptures without considering their significance to his/her life. A truly saved person will diligently examine them and endeavor to live by their teachings out of genuine trust in Jesus and gratitude for their salvation. This concept is simple. Sincere obedience to Jesus' teachings is a direct outcome and clear manifestation of one's faith in Him. Striving to obey our Savior, empowered by the Holy Spirit, serves as proof of the authenticity of our faith. Genuine faith and obedient love are closely intertwined. We Cannot Earn Salvation. It's a Gift. "Legalism is an attempt to make ourselves more acceptable to God by the deeds we do...The Spirit enables us to do the duty to which the Bible calls us. It is not an attempt to make ourselves acceptable to God, but it is to live in the empowerment of God in a way that pleases Him...Hearing the Word without doing it, professing it without practicing it, singing 'Jesus is King' and pleasing myself is an indication of the fact that I have never truly trusted in Christ. And therefore, we must examine ourselves and run afresh to Christ." - Alistair Begg from False Teachers Among You Series (Part 3 of 3) God's favor cannot be earned by what we do. Salvation is not achieved through self-perceived goodness, good deeds, or lifestyle changes, as we are saved solely by grace through faith alone (Eph 2:8-9). Even our repentance and faith are not self-generated; they do not stem from personal merit, human accomplishment, or our own strength, so that we cannot boast except in the Lord. As it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31). Genuine repentance and saving faith are gifts by God's grace, and all glory belongs to Jesus for our salvation. "You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary." - Jonathan Edwards Enabled & Empowered by His Grace We are not saved by our good works, but we are saved to good works. (Eph 2:8-10) We are saved by faith alone but it is not a faith that is alone. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?...So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:14,17). “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” – Martin Luther. Repentance and faith go hand in hand. As we turn away from our sins and put our trust solely in Jesus, living a holy life and bearing good fruit naturally follow as a result of our faith in Christ. Good deeds are a visible expression of our inner convictions and are carried out through the power of the Holy Spirit. The strength to live in a way that pleases God does not come from our own efforts or willpower. It is through God's grace that we are saved, enabled, and empowered to follow His ways, carrying out good works for His glory. Just as God the Father predetermined our adoption through Jesus Christ according to His will, He also predetermined the good works for us to walk in (Eph 2:10). Therefore, the faith that brings salvation is evidenced by our actions, the fruit we bear, the righteousness we practice, and the way we conduct our lives. As James 2:18 says, faith is demonstrated through works, not merely words. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Pisteuo = To Believe, To Obey ​ 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). Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death (John 8:51). Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1:22). (See also James 2:14-26) The terms faith and obedience, believe and obey, disbelieve and disobey are interchangeable in all of Scripture and are derived from the same Greek word. In ancient Greek, pisteuo commonly signified obedience. Pisteuo encompasses the meanings of to believe, entrust, be persuaded of, place confidence in the thing believed, dedicate one’s life to, and obey. Professing faith in God through words alone holds no value if one's actions contradict that faith. As stated in Titus 1:16, claiming to know God while behaving in a manner that goes against His teachings is hypocritical. Engaging in sinful practices and disobeying God's word reflects a lack of belief. Conversely, living righteously and following God's teachings is a genuine demonstration of our faith in Jesus. Trusting in Jesus leads us to naturally want to follow His commands. Our obedience is not a means to earn His approval through good deeds, but stems from our faith in Him as our Savior and our willingness to acknowledge Him as the ultimate authority. Our motivation comes from our belief in Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). It is the result of God's grace guiding our hearts towards Him, instilling His Spirit within us, and granting us a new nature through our spiritual rebirth. This new nature fosters a deepening love for righteousness and all that aligns with God's will, as well as a growing aversion to sin and all that opposes God's ways. Easy Belivism Heresy Genuine saving faith goes beyond simply agreeing intellectually with the historical facts of the gospel. Even demons acknowledge those facts and tremble (James 2:19). This shallow form of faith is often referred to as Easy-believism within Christianity, which is a deceptive belief system promoted by Satan and prevalent in many evangelical circles today. Easy-believism and modern popular theology may acknowledge the facts (notitia) and assent to them (assensus), but they frequently lack trust (fiducia). They promote the idea that surrendering to the authority of Christ is unnecessary for being a Christian. Instead, Easy-believism distorts the concept of heartfelt obedience to God's word, turning it into a works-based gospel. It wrongly labels those who desire to obey God as legalists. This heretical belief system distorts the true message of God's Word and leads to self-deception. Jesus Paid it All Genuine faith involves relying on the character and integrity of God, believing in who Jesus is, and understanding what He accomplished for us through His life, death, and resurrection. Out of His love, Jesus did what we could never do for ourselves by living a life of perfect obedience and ultimately sacrificing Himself on the cross (Philippians 2:8). For our sake, the sinless One took on our sins so that through faith in Him we might be made righteous in God's eyes (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus bore the full weight of God's wrath on the cross for our sins, died and was buried, and in three days rose again so that by grace through faith in Him, we may have eternal life. The profound truth will naturally inspire a profound sense of gratitude and joy within us, leading to a genuine longing to follow His path. While our obedience may be imperfect due to our sinful nature, He reassures us that His grace is more than enough (2 Corinthians 12:9). Secured by His Grace Even though believers will continue to face struggles with sin while combating the flesh, the world, and the devil daily, God's grace keeps us from permanently falling away. His grace prevents us from persisting in unbroken cycles of sin, as we did before receiving Him as our Savior. God's grace prohibits us from indulging freely in sin, as we did prior to believing in Jesus. Once we are saved, we are always saved; eternally safeguarded by God's grace (John 10:28). God ensures we do not ever return to the broad and easy road again. Our security lies entirely in His grace. Whenever God's children stray from His path, He will lovingly correct us, and the Holy Spirit will gently remind and lead us back to the right way, all for His glory. God's grace is bestowed upon believers to enable us to glorify Him and carry out good deeds in His name, which He had planned for us to do even before the world was created (Ephesians 2:10). I am Not Religious. I am Saved by Grace. I am not religious. I am saved by grace. It is not through good works or practicing rituals that I find salvation, but by God's grace alone. My repentance and belief in Jesus are a gift. Jesus has freed me from sin, transformed my heart and my life, and granted me the incredible gift of eternal life by grace alone through faith alone. Jesus rescued me from the punishment I deserve, eternal damnation, and blessed me with something I could never earn, eternal life. How could I not desire to surrender to the God of the universe who has done all this for me? May I live for the One who died for me (by His grace) and praise Him for all that He is, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). I am eternally grateful for my Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. All glory belongs to Him forever and ever. 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) ❤️ With love, Jenna But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves (James 1:22). By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:8 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you continue in my word, then you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31-32 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28). 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). 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead (James 2:18-26).

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 Jesus is With Me In one of the most well-known texts in all of Scripture, we find great comfort from our Lord Jesus. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). There's nothing to fear because Jesus is with me. Knowing Jesus is with me helps me walk through all kinds of valleys. Knowing Jesus is with me helps me overcome every danger, trouble, or misfortune along the way. Knowing Jesus is with me helps me understand there is nothing and no one to fear. Truly! And I know Jesus is always with me because Scripture says that Jesus dwells in my heart through faith (Eph 3:17). I carry Jesus in my heart only because Jesus is the One who holds me in the palm of His hand. He's the One who never lets me go (John 10:28). He’s the One who provides for me, protects me, and preserves me. I am His sheep. He is the True Shepherd of my soul. I hear His voice, and I follow Him. No one can snatch me out of His hand (John 10:28). Jesus is with me forever (Mat 28:20). I never have to rely on my own sheep-like strength for anything, but I can always rely on Jesus for everything since He is the True Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and The Door of the Sheep. He gives me true rest in green pastures and true refreshment from His living waters (John 7:37-38). He provides me with daily bread for my earthly body and living bread from heaven for my eternal soul (John 6:51). He laid down His life for me so that I may live eternally. My Shepherd gives me everything I need, even His own life on the cross. What more could I want? (Psalm 23:1) Only a Shadow Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. This text doesn’t say that I walk through a valley of death by myself, but it says I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, with the Lord as my Shepherd. I don't walk alone, and although a shadow on my path may look scary, a shadow can't hurt me. Even a shadow of the deadliest weapon, poisonous snake, or ferocious wolf is still only a shadow. With every creeping shadow, I can just keep on walking by because I know Jesus is with me. When I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and follow the sound of His voice, every shadow will soon fade away. The light of Jesus overpowers all darkness and every shadow there is (John 1:5). As much as a shadow of death can't hurt me, neither can death itself. That’s because I believe in Jesus. I am eternally secure in Him. He is Lord of Heaven and Earth, and He is also my personal Savior. Jesus died for me. Jesus defeated death for me when He took my place and died on the cross for me, satisfying God's judgment and wrath against my sins. That’s why right before Jesus died, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus paid my debt in full; a debt so big it would take me longer than eternity to pay for it. It was an impossible debt I owed, but not for my Lord Jesus. He paid it all with His blood (Eph 1:7). Jesus Found Me Not only did Jesus take away all my sins on the cross, but three days later, Jesus rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith in Him, I may live forever. Jesus defeated death and accomplished salvation for me: A free gift by His grace. There’s nothing I did to earn my salvation, and there's nothing I can do to lose it either (John 10:28). Salvation is not by works or by merit. It wasn't like I was wise enough to choose Jesus and eternal life on my own, otherwise I’d really have something to boast about! Jesus even told me that I didn't choose Him, but He chose me and appointed me to bear fruit (John 15:16). And I believe Him. Therefore, the only One I can boast about is my Lord Jesus (1 Cor 1:26-31). I was the one who was lost, not Jesus. As His lost sheep, I didn't go out and find Him, but He went out and found me. And when He did, He gathered me into His arms and carried me close to His heart (Isaiah 40:11). He is the True Shepherd of my soul. In this short life, I may walk through small, medium, and even big valleys of grief, loneliness, sickness, accidents, injuries, uncertainties, failures, loss, and even disasters, but none of these should ever cause me to fear. I know Jesus is in control of everything, and Jesus is with me through them all, big and small. He even walked the deepest and darkest valley there ever was. Jesus walked that valley for me 2,000 years ago when He hung on a cross for me. He walked through the darkest valley of them all, all because He loved me. So truly, there is nothing to fear. Jesus is my Lord, my Savior, and my closest Friend. Jesus is the True Shepherd of my soul. I hear His voice, and I follow Him. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending Your Son Jesus into the world to save me from my sins and gift me with eternal life. Thank You for my repentance and faith in Jesus, the True Shepherd. What a gift. Jesus is with me forever. I praise You for Your saving grace. All glory belongs to Jesus Christ, my Lord & Savior. I pray these things in Jesus's name. Amen. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10:2-4 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:7-9

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11 What is a Christian? Many people would say being a Christian means reading your Bible every day, praying at least twice a day, and going to church every Sunday. Others might say it includes fasting, tithing, volunteering at church, donating money to a ministry, and sharing the Gospel. These are all good things in the life of a Christian, but these things are not what makes someone a Christian. Being a Christian is not about our performance, practicing morals, doing our due diligence, or checking things off a list. So, what is a Christian? A Christian is someone whose heart has been transformed by the truth in Jesus. A Christian is someone who has been made new in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). A Christian is someone who has been given the Holy Spirit and a new heart with new affections and desires (Ezekiel 36:26). A Christian is someone who has been born again into God’s family (John 3:3-7) and adopted into His eternal Kingdom. A Christian is someone who has peace with God and has been restored to a right relationship with Him, by grace through faith in Jesus (Rom 5:1). A Christian is someone who is eternally secure. A Christian is a son or daughter of God. A Christian is a disciple and friend of Jesus. A Christian is someone who has a genuine and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and abides in His love. A Relationship with Jesus What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus? It means knowing Him, but more importantly, it means being known by Him. It means learning of Him, listening to Him, talking to Him, walking with Him, waiting for Him, trusting Him, loving Him, obeying Him, finding joy in Him, and growing in His grace. And we come to know Jesus through His Word. The chief end of man and the sole purpose for our existence is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. (Isa 43:7, 2 Cor 3:18, John 17:1-5,22, Ps 145). That's what it means to be a Christian. To fulfill our purpose is where we will experience the greatest joy. The end of the matter, all that has been heard: fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the end of the matter for all mankind (Ecc 12:13). Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts (Ps 119:2). Abiding in Jesus “I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vinedresser…Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 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. If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. 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. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:1-11). Scripture describes Jesus as the True Vine and Christians as the fruitful branches. There is no such thing as a "fruitless Christian." There will be a struggling Christian at times, but certainly not a fruitless one. We will produce fruit only when we abide in the True Vine, proving to be both Jesus' disciples and His friends. A few verses later Jesus tells His disciples, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14). He doesn't say, "You are my friends if you hear what I say but don't do what I command." The word abide means to remain or persevere. 'Remaining" in Jesus and abiding in His love is evidence that salvation has already taken place and not vice versa. We don't abide in Jesus to be saved. We abide in Jesus because He's already saved us. Scripture says that our actions will be the evidence that we have come to know Jesus in our hearts. And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments (1 John 2:3). A Perfect Trio Love, obedience, and joy are three aspects of the Christian life that sing together in unity. They are a perfect trio. You can't have one without the other two and vice versa. They come as a package deal in the Christian life. Naturally, we do what we love. So when we do God’s will from the heart through faith, it shows that we love Jesus. Scripture defines love as an action, not an emotion or an abstraction (1 Cor 13:4-7). In the simplest terms, Scripture defines love for God as obedience to God. Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; (John 14:21). A Christian is someone who loves God's Word, loves His Law, loves His commandments, and loves to do His will (See Ps 119). To sum it up, a Christian is someone who not only knows the Truth but loves the Truth. And consequently, hates all false ways (Ps 119:104). Obedience is the Christian's loving response to who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for him, which is always marked by joy. Free to Obey To understand the significance of joyful, loving obedience, we must look to Jesus, who was our Perfect Example. Even through all the evil opposition that Jesus faced, Jesus found joy in doing the will of His Father. Looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross (Heb 12:2). Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and accomplish His Work” (John 4:34). As Jesus found real joy in obeying the will of His Father, we too as Christians can experience that same joy when we lovingly obey the will of our Father. When we surrender our own will to God’s will, we will experience the fullness of joy that Jesus is talking about (Ps 16:11) Obedience naturally flows from a loving relationship with Jesus. We can’t say we love Jesus and claim to have an intimate relationship with Him and then continue a life of disobedience and rebellion to His Word. That wouldn't make any sense. And if we try to obey Jesus without a love for the Truth, then our efforts are in vain and amount only to legalism. Mere external obedience only shows that we're still under the tyranny of the Law and not under grace. In order to be free to obey God and find joy in our obedience, we must be under grace. God is the One who gives us the grace to obey Him through faith. He's the One who gives us the Holy Spirit and a new heart with new desires. That's what Christian liberty is: it's freedom to obey Jesus because the Christian is no longer under the Law but under grace. The Christian is someone who is no longer a slave to sin but a slave to righteousness (Rom 6:18). The Greatest Joy Being a Christian is not about checking things off a list or performing duties to earn salvation or God’s love. The Christian knows that he is saved by grace through faith alone in Jesus (Eph 2:8-9). The Christian knows salvation is a free gift and that salvation belongs to the Lord (Ps 3:8). Being a Christian means experiencing the most beautiful relationship there is: A personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe, who is none other than Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and our closest Friend. As we come to learn more of Jesus, we will grow in His grace and come to love Him more. As we come to love Him more, we will come to obey Him more. As we come to obey Him more, the more of His joy will fill our hearts and show up in our lives and conversations, pointing everyone to Jesus: Our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Dearest Friend, and Greatest Joy. The greatest joy is to obey Jesus out of love for the Truth and to abide in His love. A Christian is someone who ought to be the happiest person in the world. "As followers of Christ, our greatest delight will always be found in our obedience to His Word." - Voddie Baucham For I delight in the Law of God in my inner being. Romans 7:22 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. 2 John 1:6 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Romans 6:15-18

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Psalm 19:1 "Atheist: If God created the universe then who created God? Me: If a baker baked a cake then who baked the baker?" - Unknown The Sky Above The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, who voice is not heard (Psalm 19:1-3). This is one of the clearest declarations in Scripture that nature itself proves there’s a Creator. Not only that, it proclaims His greatness. God’s glory is everywhere, and He makes Himself plain and obvious to all in what has been created. Nobody can deny God’s existence. People have ample proof telling them that God exists. Scripture says, For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Rom 1:19-20). Nobody can stand before God on Judgment Day and claim they didn’t know there was a God. Ignorance will be no excuse. God has so clearly demonstrated His existence to the whole world since the beginning of creation that knowledge of His existence is inescapable. Scientific Proof Information is always understood as the product of intelligence. We always recognize the information as a work of the mind, not as blind luck or mere chance. For example, when we look at a painting, we don’t think the painting just appeared out of nowhere. We don’t even have faith there was a painter. We know for a fact there was a painter because paintings don’t paint themselves. A painting is scientific proof of a painter. We know there is intelligence behind the product. So, when we look at the breathtaking creation all around us, we see scientific proof of a Creator. Birds, butterflies, flowers, trees, clouds, rainbows, mountains, oceans, the sun, moon, and stars, kittens, puppies, you and me: these are all clear signs and scientific proof of an Intelligent Designer, who is none other than the God of Scripture. Since God is the One who invented science, we can use His awesome tools to explore and understand the world around us. The more we discover of the world through science, the more evidence we collect that God is the One responsible for all of nature and its laws; and the more glory we give to Him. As Christians, we know that He upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3) and we know that everything flows from His Creative Hand alone. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:3). A Peculiar Faith Contrary to the peculiar faith of the atheist that believes nothing created everything, the Christian believes the eternal God created everything. “Atheism is a strange thing. Even the devils never fell into that vice, for the devils also believe and tremble’ (James 2:19).” – CH Spurgeon. In short, atheists deny God’s handiwork not because they don’t believe in His existence but because they don’t want to be held accountable for their sins. Atheism comes down to this: They don’t want to submit to a moral and just God so they deny His existence altogether. But Scripture says that everyone knows there’s a God, even atheists. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to Him (Rom 1:21). What's just as bad as atheism is its close cousin: agnosticism. The agnostic doesn't flat out deny God's existence. The agnostic just says they can't be totally sure if there is a God.They believe there isn't sufficient evidence to come to any real conclusion on the matter. The agnostic often says they believe in a "higher power," but they're not quite sure what that higher power is and if we'd even assign the name "God" to it. The agnostic is not only unwilling to affirm God's existence but also blames their own unwillingness on God for not giving sufficient evidence of His existence. In that case, agnosticism is worse than atheism. To blame God for one's own sin is what Adam did in the garden. That's taking it to whole another level than the atheist. Not Intellectual but Moral In the end, affirming the existence of God does not come down to an intellectual problem but a moral one. According to Scripture, a fool is not one who is intellectually deficient but morally bankrupt. And the one who is morally bankrupt is the one who is unwilling to affirm God's existence. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1) Scripture goes on to say, For even though they knew God, they did not honor God or give thanks to Him but became futile in their speculations and their foolish hearts was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:21). The basic sin of the whole human race and the sin we've all been guilty of is the sin of refusing to honor God at the very first moment we became aware of His existence. We have all refused to give the proper acknowledgement, honor, and gratitude to our Creator. This is until God Himself graciously opens the eyes of our hearts to see the light Gospel and be saved through faith in His Son, Jesus. Then the whole world looks different! The sky above is more beautiful than ever. Trees are cooler than you've ever seen. There's a whole different sparkle to everything after putting your faith in Jesus and knowing you're eternally secure in Him. The biggest problem with the atheist and agnostic is not that they don't know God but that they refuse to acknowledge what they know to be true in their hearts, and that's deception at its root. No matter how hard anyone tries to escape the knowledge of God, all the unbelief, disinterest, or apathy in the matter has no power to destroy Him or escape the grim reality of His coming judgment. The reality of God's existence is not dependent on our finite thinking, nor our feelings or personal preferences. God exists whether the Christian believes in Him or the atheist and agnostic does not believe in Him. Sadly, the same God atheists and agnostics reject is the One who is willing to forgive them of all their sins if only they would turn to Him. He is willing to gift them with eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and give them real purpose, significance, and peace in their lives. And even still, they don't want a loving God. They prefer their sin. They don't see the Gospel as good news but as bad news that God even exists at all. That makes me feel sad for Jesus that people hate Him that much they deny His existence altogether. They deny the One who loves them the most! If only they knew who they were rejecting. Special Revelation The testimony of the universe comes forth consistently and clearly, but mankind continues to reject what is plain and obvious; the fact there is a Creator. General revelation (what we perceive with our eyes) is not sufficient to save sinners, but it certainly makes us all highly accountable (Rom 1:18). General revelation is meant to point us to the Bible, where God graciously gives us His special revelation. When a person first believes the light he or she has been given through general revelation and desires to know his/her Creator more, God will grant them even more light. He will send His special revelation to that person...the Gospel Message. Salvation comes ultimately through special revelation, the Word of God, carried by the Holy Spirit. We can’t just look around the world and believe in the existence of God if we want to go to heaven. That's not true saving faith. In fact, that's not even faith at all. That's just intellectual assent to God's existence, which will only make those more culpable on Judgement Day for rejecting His special revelation. We need personal faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved from our sins and granted eternal life. We need to have a proper relationship with God, and that comes only by God’s grace when we repent of our sins and trust in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. It begins with general revelation and acknowledging God in His magnificent creation; the heavens, the sky above, and everything we see with our eyes, but it doesn’t end there. We must come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in our hearts, by believing in the saving Gospel message. So faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17). (The Word of Christ means the message concerning Christ; The Gospel). 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 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). (The ones who are eternally rewarded are those who don't stop at general revelation but diligently seek Him through special revelation, His Word). "You never meet an atheist who wishes God is true. It's because they don't want God to be true." RC Sproul "The question of the existence of God can never be resolved on the basis of our psychology." RC Sproul