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The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel Mary is the virgin and the one who will give birth to a son, but the focus of this verse is on the name Immanuel. Immanuel is at the very heart of Christmas. It’s a Hebrew name that means, “God with us.” Immanuel is the Word incarnate, God in human flesh, and the fulfilled promise that God Himself would be born to a virgin and dwell among us. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). If we were to sum up Christmas in one phrase, it would be “God with us.” It seems that we so often focus on the infancy of Jesus at Christmas when the more profound truth is the deity of Jesus. What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, but the incarnation of God Himself.” - RC Sproul. More than the celebration of a promised baby is that this baby is nothing less than the omnipotent, eternal God and Creator of heaven and earth. It’s this very baby, born in the likeness of men (Phil 2:7), who comes to live with us, die for us, and save us from our sins. This little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger is named Jesus, born to save His people from their sins. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The Message of Grace Just as the name Immanuel is at the heart of the Christmas story so is the message of grace. In His loving mercy, God did for sinners what we could never do for ourselves. Jesus, both fully God and fully man, lived the perfectly obedient life we could never live, died the death we deserved, and satisfied the wrath and justice of God for our sins on our behalf. That’s why right before Jesus gave up His spirit, He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Jesus did all the work. He paid it all for us and took away all our sins by nailing them to the cross (Col 2:14). In three days, Jesus rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith in Him, we may have eternal life. As Jesus took the full punishment for our sins upon Himself, He gives us His perfect righteousness when we believe in Him. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinth 5:17). He clothes us in His robe of righteousness so that when God looks at you or me, He sees His Son - blameless, perfect, and without blemish. How amazing is that?! And He loves us with an eternal love because He chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4-5) and gifted us with our faith to believe in Jesus and be saved. Salvation is a free gift. Salvation is of the Lord (Psalm 3:8, Psalm 62:1). It’s truly all of grace (Eph 2:8-9). God could’ve never revealed Himself more fully in any other form or in any other way than by giving us His Son Jesus so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). And that’s what Christmas is all about. It’s the celebration that The Savior of the world is born. He is our blessed hope, our only hope. In Christ, and only in Christ is there is life, eternal life! And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 15:11). Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending Your Son Jesus to save me from my sins and gift me with eternal life, by the gift of Your grace. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. To me, the reason why Christmas feels so magical is because Christmas tells us the truth, and I believe it. It feels magical because Jesus is real, and I believe Him. What could feel more magical than believing the objective truth that God Himself was born a human and came to live with us and save us from our sins, gifting us with eternal life? Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the reason for every single day and every single moment. I pray to be a blessing to others this Christmas season and point everyone to Jesus, the baby in the manger who created heaven and earth and the reason for life itself. He is our Lord. He is our Savior. He is our joy and our blessed hope. Jesus is the ultimate gift and the greatest treasure. Merry Christmas, everyone! May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you this Christmas season and always. All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray amen! "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing be upon Your people! (Psalm 3:8) My soul waits in silence for God alone; From Him comes my salvation (Psalm 62:1)

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Thankless Heart A thankless heart brings forth a habit of grumbling and complaining over earthly circumstances, a judgmental attitude toward others, impatience, irritation, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, disputes, and division. A thankless heart stems from pride, willful ignorance of God's Word, and hard-hearted unbelief. Being habitually unthankful marks the lives of those who don’t believe in Jesus and whose hearts haven’t yet been transformed by the gospel (2 Tim 3:2). Without believing the gospel and being transformed by it, we would all go on to live proud, thankless lives through our old sin nature. Only Jesus can give us a new nature; a new and thankful heart. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Thankful Heart A thankful heart is one that has been transformed by the saving power of Jesus, by grace through faith in Him. Thankfulness flows from humility and knowing that salvation is all of grace. Even my faith is a gift by God's grace (Eph 2:8-9). To know I have eternal life and did nothing to earn it should cause me to jump for joy and do cartwheels. It should also cause me to walk in heartfelt obedience to God's Word, not just because I am so thankful to Him but because I trust Him. My salvation ought to give me a heart bursting with thanks and praise to the Lord who chose to save me. He didn't have to, but for whatever reason, He did. Sometimes I think, why me, Lord? How did I win the lottery of all lotteries? How did I get so blessed to believe in Jesus and be given eternal life? I've found that meditating daily on this truth can only produce a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23), all the fruits of the Holy Spirit. All those good fruits flow out of a thankful heart toward its Savior. So when I start to complain, lose my patience, or become irritated about my earthly circumstances or other people, I take my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinth 10:5-6). I bring my mind back to the truth that God saved me from my sins and gave me a new and thankful heart. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). And I rejoice! It Unites Thankfulness also has a unifying effect. Instead of causing disputes, debates, and division, it brings people together in harmony and peace. Have you ever noticed that it's rather hard to connect with a grumbling and thankless person? Thanklessness is a natural barrier and divider. It's a party pooper. But"Put two thankful people in a room together and it’s a party!” – Mark Moore. Where there’s a spirit of thankfulness, there’s unity, closeness, trust, joy, and a bond of peace (Eph 4:3). The walls come down, and a true and warm connection forms. There's no thankfulness that unites more than the thankfulness that comes from the salvation we've received in Jesus as a free gift. Thankfulness that we've been saved creates close connections with others who are also thankful for their eternal well-being. To talk about Jesus with another believer and rejoice in the truth of salvation together always produces a rich connection; one that always leaves me feeling fulfilled, understood, encouraged, joyful, and even more thankful. To believe in Jesus is the greatest thing, but to share Him with someone who also believes in Him is the next greatest thing. No conversation could be more unifying than the one that's about Jesus and how He saved us from our sins and gave us eternal life, by His grace. Who could ever be divided in sharing that spirit of thankfulness grounded in that reality? No one! When God's command to be thankful is habitually believed, obeyed, and applied, it will transform us, just like believing, obeying, and applying all of God’s commands, by His grace. That’s what happens when we first believe in Jesus and we’re born again of the Spirit. He gives us a new and thankful heart, along with His grace to believe His Word, obey His Word, and apply His commands to our lives. The truth changes us on the inside, and those inward changes naturally show up on the outside. And that's a life full of thanks and praise to the One who saved us and continues to transform us by His grace. It's God's Will Just as it’s God’s will that we: • be saved (1 Tim 2:4) • be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) • be saturated with the Word of God (Col 3:16) • be sanctified by the Word of God (John 17:17, 1 Thess 4:3) • be submissive for the Lord’s sake (1 Pet 2:13-15) • be self-sacrificing (Rom 12:1-2, Phil 2:3-4) • be suffering for Christ, the gospel, and righteousness' sake (Phil 1:29, 1 Pet 3:17), • it's also God’s will that we are to be giving thanks always. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16-18). Unending thanks and praise shall flow from these eternal, unchanging truths: 1. I am thankful for my salvation in Christ that I can never lose (John 10:28, Phil 1:6, 1 Corinth 1:8, Psalm 138:8, Isaiah 27:3, John 6:37, 39, 1 Peter 1:5, 1 John 2:25) 2. I am thankful that I belong to the family of God, adopted into His Kingdom. I am a daughter of the Most-High God. My identity is in Christ. (Eph 1:4-5, 2:19, Rom 8:14-17, Col 1:12-13, Gal 3:26-29) 3. I am thankful that I have the Holy Spirit living inside of me. He is my Helper, Teacher, and my Comforter. He guides me away from error and into all truth (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:13) He is the guarantee of my salvation (John 14:16, 16:13, 1 John 2:27 Eph 1:14, 2 Corinth 5:5) 4. I am thankful because with boldness and confidence, I have full access to God's throne of grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. I can ask my Heavenly Father for anything according to His will, and He hears me (Eph 3:12, 1 John 5:14, Mat 7:7, John 14:13) 5. I am thankful because I am loved and chosen by God before the foundation of the world and set apart for God's plan and purposes (Eph 1:4-5, Rom 8:29, 1 Peter 2:9, John 15:6, 2 Thess 2:13-14, Acts 13:48, Deut 14:2, Psalm 4:3) Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You and praise You for saving me and giving me a new and thankful heart. A thankful heart can only come by grace through faith in Your Son, Jesus. Today, may I walk in the newness of life You've given me. May You fill my heart with thankfulness that overflows as blessings into other people’s lives. Lord, if and when I start being thankless or complaining today, help me see my sin, confess it to you, repent of it, and turn to You in thankfulness. Give me the kind of thankfulness that makes me turn away from myself and my fleeting circumstances and fix my eyes on Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Even when I can’t always rejoice in my circumstances, help me to rejoice in the Lord always! (Phil 4:4), and give You thanks and praise! Help me go about my day by today being reminded who Jesus is and what Jesus did for me. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. God so loved the world that He sent His beloved Son Jesus to save me from my sins by dying on the cross for me. In three days, Jesus rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith, I may have eternal life in Him. Lord, help me keep that glorious truth in the forefront of my mind so that I may overflow with thankfulness in that eternal truth, regardless of my fleeting circumstances. As a Christian, thankfulness should be my way of life and naturally flow from the new heart Jesus gave me when I first believed in Him. Lord Jesus, I want to thank You for all eternity! All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray, Amen!

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 "Sorrow for sin grows with our growth, and it's so sweet a bitterness that we thank God we are permitted to enjoy and suffer it until we enter eternal rest." - Charles Spurgeon A Time to Cry Scripture says that just like everything else in life, there's a time to cry and a time to mourn. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven...A time to cry and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4). In life, there are many things that make us cry. For starters, love can really make people cry. Sometimes we cry out of sincere love for our family and friends. Sometimes we cry out of concern for the lost. Other times we cry out of loneliness or being hurt, disappointments or discouragement. Sometimes we may even cry the hardest out of a joyful heart. So, there's a sense of crying in a human way that's a blessing because it draws us to the Lord in prayer and to open His Word. Tears are a gift from God because it's a way of releasing our pain and anxieties to Him, giving Him praise, and bringing us in closer communion with Him. A Worldly Sorrow There’s also another kind of crying, and it’s a kind that doesn't glorify God. This is when people cry because they can’t satisfy their own worldly desires or because of their own guilt. Some people cry simply because they don’t get what they want. And some people get so intensely sorry as a way of atoning for their own sins. This kind is a worldly sorrow and nothing more than a guilty conscience. It's a sorrow that tries to conceal its sins, not because we hate our sins but because we hate their consequences. It's a self-focused, regretful, and empty sorrow. It's useless because it's an unsanctified remorse without any redemptive power behind it. No worldly sorrow could ever bring repentance that leads to life. A Godly Sorrow Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.13 By all this we are encouraged. 2 Corinthians 7:8-13 In his second letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul helps us to understand the type of sorrow that brings repentance that leads to life, and leaves no regret. It's a godly sorrow, which is a sorrow according to the will of God and produced by the Holy Spirit. Paul says, Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10). Godly sorrow is when we grieve over our sins because we understand that our sins ultimately grieve God. To know we grieve the One who is so good, kind, patient, gentle, and merciful to us, ought to grieve us. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). There is no regret in a godly sorrow, only life and comfort. Godly sorrow is connected to repentance, and repentance is connected to sin. True repentance cannot occur apart from a genuine sorrow over one's sins. There is no eternal life apart from repentance and no true repentance apart from sorrow over sin. Therefore, the kind of sorrow that mourns over sin is the kind that glorifies God. A godly sorrow pleases the Lord because it makes us turn away from our sins and turn to Jesus in faith. And Jesus is always so ready to cleanse us from our sins and comfort us with His promise of eternal life. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us about true kingdom living in the Beatitudes. He says, Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). In its context, Jesus doesn't mean blessed are those who mourn about human circumstances for they shall be comforted. Jesus is not talking about the crying and mourning that come along with loss, disappointment, or heartache that's common to all people. He's also not talking about the kind of selfish mourning of not getting our way or because of our own guilt. Rather, Jesus is saying, Blessed are those who mourn over their own sins for they shall be comforted. This verse means to be genuinely sorry that we are sinners and that our sins grieve Him. Jesus promises blessings to those who have a godly sorrow over their sin since it's a main ingredient in repentance, which leads to life. Blessed and comforted are those who have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. A true godly sorrow can only come by grace through faith in Jesus, and it's evidence of true saving faith in Christ. We don't try to have a godly sorrow over our sins to be saved. We naturally have a godly sorrow over our sins because it reflects the salvation we've already received. Just like faith and repentance are gifts from God (Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin), godly sorrow is also a gift. It's the Lord who gives us the gift of faith, the Lord who grants us repentance, and the Lord who instills in us a godly sorrow that brings about our repentance. Although we aren't robots and we carry a moral responsibility for our choices and actions, repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. It's all a gift. Scripture says, 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). Human responsibility and God's sovereignty are two truths that run parallel. They cannot be harmonized by the human mind. We just know that they are both equally true. Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit We must understand the verse right before Matthew 5:4 because context is important. (Especially in the beatitudes since they all flow together in perfect sequence)."Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). To be able to mourn over one's sins is to first know that one is poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are those who recognize their total spiritual poverty and their total dependence on God for salvation. They know there is no spiritual merit in themselves and that salvation is all a gift from God, out of His mercy and saving grace. The poor in spirit are the ones who know that "in my flesh, there dwells no good thing" (Romans 7:18) and that only God is good (Mark 10:18). Blessed are the poor in spirit comes first as the intellectual part while Blessed are those who mourn follows as the emotional part. Only when our minds are convinced of the truth that we are spiritually destitute sinners, do our emotions come under that truth, and we mourn that we are sinners. To be poor in spirit is to recognize that we have nothing innately good within ourselves, and can do nothing to earn or keep our salvation. That might not sound like a happy person to the world, but Jesus tells us that blessed (or happy) is the one who is poor in spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Happy is the one who mourns because he is the one who is comforted through it all by the forgiveness of his sins. As Christians, recognizing our sins and falling into them can be very painful and scary at times, and that's why genuine repentance can be so joyful. Godly sorrow can become so sweet when we cry out to the Lord and turn away from our sins and back to Jesus. When we repent, we are restoring our relationship with God, and once we are back in His presence, there is the fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Repentance is a beautiful thing. The Gospel We all broke God’s Moral Law, the Ten Commandments. Jesus paid the fine. Jesus lived a sinless, perfect life (the life we could never live), suffered and died on the cross for our sins (In the place of us, He died the death we deserved), and in three days He rose again from the grave. Jesus paid it all. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. To those who put their faith in Jesus, our sins are washed away, and we are completely forgiven of all our sins, past, present, and future. To say we are blessed is an understatement. What a stunning reality it is to be saved by grace. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, (Psalm 32:1-2). To know of the forgiveness of sins and our salvation in Christ (that we can never lose) (John 10:28, Phil 1:6, 1 Corinth 1:8, Psalm 138:8, Isaiah 27:3, John 6:37, 39, 1 Peter 1:5, 1 John 2:25) is what ought to bring the most supreme comfort to every repentant believer who mourns. And one day, Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eyes. That's why Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; Again I will say rejoice! (Philippians 4:4). All glory belongs to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Side note from me: Sorrow for sin only grows as we continue to grow in Christ. Sorrow for sin and all spiritual growth begins with the mind. We simply cannot grow if we don't read or listen to what the Lord wants to tell us. We can only grow spiritually when we continue to renew our minds in the truth of God's Word. Our faith, repentance, and sorrow for sin will begin as a mustard seed and slowly grow into a large mustard tree only when we continue to read God's Word, meditate on it, listen to sound preaching, surround ourselves with other Christians, and practice and live the truth. And I would say above all (well maybe neck to neck with reading God's Word), it's prayer. Prayer brings about unbelievable change. Prayer is the most powerful thing we could ever do, and it's so important in our growth and relationship with Jesus. Prayer is part of God's sovereign plan. So, that being said, sorrow for sin also grows when we simply ask God for it. Since a godly sorrow is according to His will, He will definitely give it to you if you ask Him. So, we may all be at different stages in our walks with Jesus, and we may all have different degrees of sorrow for our sin. That's why we must never compare ourselves with other Christians but only compare ourselves to Scripture. We just need to listen to Jesus, and trust in Him with all our hearts and lean not onown own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Let's simply take Him at His Word. It's so simple. Repent and believe in the Gospel, and you will be saved! Amen! Sorry guys, I sat on this one for several days trying to make it shorter. I tried my best, and I just had a lot to say again, and I'm just not the greatest writer. But I just love writing about Jesus. “Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting...Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better...It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:2-5 “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom” James 4:8-9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 True Love is Scarce People crave love in this world - being loved, falling in love, and making love. If there’s one virtue people proudly think they possess, it is love. Tragically, love is the scarcest virtue in the entire world. That’s because most people live by the world’s definition of love, not by the Bible’s. The world’s love is conditional, self-seeking, and unforgiving. The world’s love centers on emotional highs, personal desires, and self-pleasure, the opposite of God’s sacrificial love. It is selfish, shallow, sensual, sexual, and thankless. The world’s love is not true love but Satan’s cheap imitation and perversion of it. On the contrary, God’s love is unconditional, self-sacrificing, forgiving, and thankful. So, if God is truly our Father, we will learn to love like our Father by the Holy Spirit He's given us through faith in Christ. True love is evidence that we are children of God; that we truly believe in Jesus. When we love through faith in Christ, we don’t have to worry about lying, stealing, cheating, coveting, envying, demanding respect, seeking revenge, or placing ourselves above God or anyone else. Love does no harm to a neighbor and loves the Lord with all its heart, mind, and soul. Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 3:8-10). Wordly Love Vs. Scriptural Love The world says love is blind. Scripture says love abounds in real knowledge and all discernment (Phil 1:9). The world says love doesn’t discriminate. Scripture says love carefully examines everything to distinguish between good and evil, truth and falsehood (1 Thess 5:21-22). The world says there is no hate in love. Scripture says love is sincere in that it hates evil and only holds fast to what is good (Rom 12:9). The world says love the things of the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (See 1 John 2:15-17). Scripture says do not love the world or those things that come from the world (1 John 2:15-16). Love for the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). The world says that you know you love someone by how they make you feel. Scripture says love is not mere emotion or empty sentimentalism but is secured in the Truth and governed by it. The world says love is a feeling that can’t be explained. Scripture says love is not an abstraction but an action that can be proven (1 Corinth 13:4-7). The world says love yourself. Scripture says love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30, Mat 22:37, Luke 10:27). Scripture says love is not self-seeking but is selfless (1 Corinth 13:5, Phil 2:3-4). The world says to love those who love you. Scripture says to love everyone. Love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:39, Mark 12:31) and love your enemies (Matt 5:43-48). Scripture says “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:32-36). Scripture says love is full of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness. Evidence in Our Actions Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18). We know that actions speak louder than words. Anyone can talk the talk but not everyone can walk the walk. The world says that it’s the thought that counts. At times that can be true. But Scripture says that when it comes to proving your love, it's the thought that turns into action that truly counts. Like everything else, when it comes to love, actions speak louder than thoughts or words. (See James 2:14-24. This same principle applies to genuine faith too). That's where the objective evidence of our love and faith lies. It is not in what we say but in what we do that proves we are the children of God. And there is no argument under the sun that can stand up against that clear and basic truth. Even people who don't believe in God would agree with that universal truth; that actions speak louder than words. The Cross And when we look at God’s love, it’s the cross that speaks the loudest and clearest of them all. Jesus’ death on the cross is the supreme demonstration of God’s love for us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). God could’ve never revealed Himself more fully in any other way than by giving His one and only Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world, for His enemies. God is love and He showed us His love by giving us His Son Jesus, so that in Him we may have life (John 3:16, 15:13). There is no greater love. Dear Heavenly Father, You are love. I love because You first loved me (1 John 4:19). I could’ve never loved You without first being loved by You. It was in Your love that You chose me before the foundation of the world to save me from my sins. It was in Your love that You set me apart for Your purposes and for the praise of Your glorious grace (Eph 1:6, 1:12). I praise You for giving me a new heart by grace through faith in Jesus, transforming my life in Christ, and giving me the ultimate gift of eternal life in Him. Lord, I have no struggle in loving myself. But I struggle to love You with all my heart and soul. I struggle to love others as myself. Lord, I can't increase my love, but You will if I ask You. Lord, make me more loving, by Your grace. Please, Lord. I want to love like Jesus. I want to be like Him. Help me to grow in patience, gentleness, humility, and love like my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 All glory belongs to Him! In His Name, I pray amen. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:6 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:2-3

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:7 Dear Lord Jesus, I praise You for all the wonderful people in my life, and I ask that You may bless my relationships. May they be centered around You, giving You all the glory. You created me so that I may glorify You. That's my ultimate purpose on this earth - to bring You glory. You are the most glorified in me when I am the most satisfied in You. God is most glorified in you when you are the most satisfied in Him. - John Piper. May my satisfaction never be self-centered. May my satisfaction always be Christ-centered, for I know that true joy can only be found in You, Jesus. Lord, I pray that my joy in You radiates to others the truth and love of Christ. Companionship always increases our joy. Sharing what we enjoy with the people we love always seems to deepen our joy. My favorite show is pretty engaging all on my own, but somehow it's much more interesting when I watch it with my best friend. A tasty meal is pretty tasty by myself when I'm listening to YouTube. But in a strange way, it becomes one of the best meals I ever had when I'm listening to my Dad. Going for a walk on a beautiful fall day is pleasant, but the fall colors seem to be more vibrant when I walk with my Mom. We naturally like to invite our family and friends into what we love. “You have to see this and tell me what you think!” “You have to hear that and let me know how it is!” "You have to try this with me!" There are so many joys in life, but there is One Joy that is the greatest of them all. And that is the joy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the epitome of joy. He invented joy! The greatest joy in the world is to know Jesus Christ. The second greatest joy is to make Him known. - Steve Lawson. We were made for God. We were made to enjoy God. We were made to praise God for His creation and all the joys He gives us. We were made to center our lives around Him every single day, giving Him all the glory in everything we do, say, and think. So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our joy in Jesus will be the fullest when we share Him and tell others about the joy we have found in Him. Spending time with other Christians is enriching and invaluable. Friendships with other believers help us to enjoy Jesus even more and grow stronger in our own personal walks with Him. Let us never reverse this and use God as a means to enjoy people more. If we only go to Him to ask for relationships and things, it shows that we view God as the way to gain something other than Him. That's a backward way, and we will always come up empty if we go that route. What we should be doing is looking for more of Christ in other people. Interestingly enough, we will love and cherish our relationships more when they become the means of loving and cherishing Jesus. Lord, I pray that You help me find meaningful friendships and relationships with those who also center their lives around You. Help me find people in this world who understand their ultimate purpose in life and desire to fulfill that purpose. Lead me to those who's highest goal in life is to bring You glory in everything they do, and help me be encouraged through them to do the same. I pray that we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, reach greater heights of joy in You, and spend eternity together, glorifying and praising You. Lord, I praise You for loving me before the foundation of the world, setting me apart for Your purposes, and opening my eyes to see the glorious light of Jesus, full of grace and truth. Help me to be a light in this dark world. Help me to let the light of Jesus shine so that I can help others come to know You and be saved by Your grace. Lord, I know I can't convince anyone to believe in the Truth. It's not my job to save anyone, but it is my responsibility and the greatest privilege on earth to share the gospel message faithfully. I know that it's only by Your grace that people will see Jesus. As I share the gospel message and plant seeds of truth, Lord I ask that You bring the growth. Please have mercy on those who are lost and blind, and open their eyes to see the light of the gospel, like you did mine. I praise You for saving me from my sins and gifting me eternal life, by grace through faith in Jesus. Lord, it is Your will that people be saved, sanctified, saturated with Your Word, Spirit-filled, submissive, suffering for the sake of Jesus, and saying thanks always for what Jesus has accomplished for us in His life, death on the cross, and resurrection. Lord, I pray for Your will to be done. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen Love, Jenna God is most glorified in you when you are the most satisfied in Him. - John Piper We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things; and when we trade the treasure for other things, everything is disordered. The sun of God’s glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all attracting place at the center. - John Piper The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Provers 13:20 Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals. 1 Corinthians 15:33 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:13-17)

How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You, that You bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in You. Psalm 31:19 Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for all my blessings. Help me count them one by one. I have so many that it's hard to keep count! Every blessing I have is a gift from You. I'm also blessed by the things I don't have. That’s because Jesus knows best and has my best interest. I trust Him. He knows what I need (in His perfect timing), protects me from what I can't see and what I don’t need (even if I think I need it), and gives to me abundantly at all times. Counting my blessings helps me keep my eyes on Jesus. Every blessing I have is only to point me back to Him, The Giver of all blessings, so that I may worship, enjoy, and glorify Him. Help me to always be thankful for my blessings, but guard me against turning them into idols or the object of my joy and focus. May my worship and adoration be for You, Lord! Blessings come and go, but Jesus is forever. I pray that my joy is rooted in Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). All glory belongs to Him! In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen. Spiritual & Earthly Blessings The Bible tells me that in Christ I've been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). Now that's a lot of blessings! To belong to Jesus is the blessing of all blessings, and infinite blessings flow from Him. I am spiritually blessed forever. Not only that, but I am earthly blessed too in countless ways. My family is my most treasured blessing of them all. I really "blessed out" when God planned my family for me, and me for them. Yet, even if I had no family or earthly blessings, I still would be rich and blessed beyond measure. That's because Jesus + nothing = Everything. It is well with my soul. Christians! The Lord is always ready to bless His children. He wants to give us blessings, and He is waiting for us to ask Him in prayer. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, 7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11). And I believe Him so I'm going to keep asking, seeking, and knocking! And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him (1 John 5:14-15). I trust Him so I'm going to do just that, with confidence! A Content Heart Counting my blessings helps keep me humble, knowing that everything I have in life is a gift and can be taken away at any moment. The Lord has given; the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). I am to hold my blessings with a loose hand, knowing that Jesus, the Blessed One, holds me securely in His hand. When I continually thank Him, both in times of ease and struggle, abundance and need, it helps me learn to be content (See Phil 4:11-13 below). Contentment is a learned quality, cultivated in the heart over time, through renewing my mind in the truth (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23), by the power of the Holy Spirit. A content heart is a thankful and praise-filled heart. A content heart guards against pride, which causes me to grumble and complain about my circumstances or look upon others with scoffing, judgment, and contempt. Ultimately, pride leads only to division, turmoil, and ultimately destruction. It's a killer. Humility leads only to contentment, love, and all other virtues. A content heart isn't so miserable in times of need that it loses sight and isn't so intoxicated in times of abundance that it loses balance. To be content is to be hopeful in the Lord, balanced in life, and at peace in my inner being because of the strong rock on which I stand, Jesus Christ. He is the source of all contentment. To be content is to prove that I trust in God’s sovereignty and how He chooses to bestow His gifts on different people, in different measures, at different times. When I rejoice in my own blessings, I'm able to rejoice with others in their blessings too, which may be different or even “better” than my own. God knows what He's doing when He doles out His gifts, talents, and blessings to whoever He pleases, whenever He pleases. Unpopular truth statement alert - Nobody deserves anything good, including myself. It's all up to God with whom He blesses and when He blesses. Who am I to doubt or question His decisions or measure of grace for others? Scripture commands that I rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). And like all the rest, that command is not burdensome but simply another good way that leads me to joy, peace, and growing in Christ. The Ultimate Blessing May all my blessings ultimately remind me of who Jesus is and what Jesus did for me on the cross. May all the blessings I have point me back to Him. Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins and rose again from the grave so that I may have eternal life in Him, by grace through faith. The ultimate blessing is to be chosen and loved by God before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5). The ultimate blessing is to be given the gift of repentance and faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). The ultimate blessing is to have eternal life and live and reign with Jesus forever. Jesus is the most magnificent blessing of all! He is the source of all blessings! "Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." I will count my blessings one by one, starting and ending with Jesus, my Lord and Savior, the Alpha and the Omega. Piano Hymn, Count Your Blessings Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:2 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned that in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26

So then, it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs, but on God who has mercy. Romans 9:16 Dear Lord, I praise You for giving me a new heart and for gifting me with my faith to believe in Jesus. Nowhere in Scripture does it say anything about "inviting Jesus into your heart." I didn’t invite Jesus into my heart, rather He gave me a new heart. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Salvation is truly all a gift by Your grace. It wasn’t like I was ‘more spiritual’ or wise enough to believe in Jesus and choose eternal life, for then I would have something to boast about within myself. Rather, repentance and faith are gifts because YOU chose me and loved me before the foundation of the world, according to the purpose of Your will, to the praise of Your glorious grace (Eph 1:4-5, 1:11-12, Eph 2:8-9, 2 Tim 1:9, John 6:44, John 15:16, Galatians 1:15, Rom 8:28-30, Rom 9:16, Mat 22:14, Acts 13:48, Rev 13:8, Jeremiah 1:5). I am not saved because of anything I did or because of any merit in myself, but I am saved because of who You are. You are good, kind, and rich in mercy. So then, it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs, but on God who has mercy (Romans 9:16). You had compassion on me. You looked down upon me with mercy, and you gifted me with my faith in Jesus. AMEN! "The greatest act of mercy God performs is giving the gift of faith." ~ RC Sproul Lord, I praise You for your mercy. I praise You for all that You are. You are perfect, holy, just, righteous, loving, merciful, and gracious. Salvation is all by Your grace, and that is oh-so humbling and You are so, so praise-worthy! Not only does Your grace save me, but Your grace sanctifies me, as I renew my mind in the truth of Your Word. Your grace is both a saving and a living grace. As the Holy Spirit does His sanctifying work in my heart and leads me into all truth, help me to delight in You so that You may give me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4). Lord, I desire for You to give me more holiness. I certainly can't become more like Jesus in my own strength. Like every other good thing, growing in holiness is all by Your grace. More Holiness Give Me More holiness give me, More strivings within, More patience in suffering, More sorrow for sin, More faith in my Savior, More sense of His care, More joy in His service, More purpose in prayer More gratitude give me, More trust in the Lord, More pride in His glory, More hope in His Word, More tears for His sorrows, More pain at His grief, More meekness in trial, More praise for relief. More purity give me, More strength to overcome, More freedom from earth-stains, More longing for Home. More fit for the Kingdom, More used would I be, More blessed and holy – More, Savior, Like Thee. – Author: P.P. Bliss, More Holiness Give Me All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His Name, I pray, amen. even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 5 In love He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6 Hey Guys, So a new thing I'm doing is playing hymns on the piano. I started posting on YouTube a few days ago and connected it to my website here. If you ever feel like listening, feel free to visit my Music Page or subscribe to my YouTube Channel. So far I have one subscriber lol. Let's go for two! So I recorded this hymn on the piano to go with the above devotion: More Holiness Give Me. (This is the first time I'm doing this so hopefully that link takes you right to that piano video on my website). Otherwise, you can just go to my Music Page if you feel so inclined. There's not too much posted as of right now, but stay tuned! I've been loving playing hymns. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). The Lord has not been giving me MY desires. He's been planting HIS desires in my heart, and I believe this is one of them...playing hymns on the piano for His glory. I want to be a good steward of the gifts He's given me and use them to point people to Jesus. For me, it's the truth in the lyrics that really makes the melody sing. That's why I love playing them. It's all about the Truth. There's nothing as sweet, loving, and beautiful as Jesus. Maybe one day I will be able to have a decent singing voice too, if the Lord wills! (With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible). Matthew 19:26 I'll also be posting some classical stuff too like Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, etc, and I hope to revisit some Bach too because I just learned that Bach was a follower of Jesus. I love that Bach will be playing piano for eternity! Ok, I can just keep rambling and typing away so I'm gonna go now :) You know how I can get haha. Love, Jenna

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 Confessing Jesus as Lord Chosen and loved before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5), faith in Jesus is a gift by God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), and God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). It's not what we do that sets us free from the bondage of sin. It's what we believe in our hearts that sets us free, and only Jesus can set us free. Our speech and our actions will naturally reflect what's deep down in our hearts, whether that's love for God and others or love for self and the world. (See 1 John 2:15-17 for definition on the term 'world' in this context). Paul said,“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:8-10). And Jesus said, "For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart" (Matthew 12:34). "What's down in the well comes up the bucket. What's down in the heart comes out of the mouth." - Steve Lawson. We will confess with our mouths what we believe to be true in our hearts. We will confess Jesus as Lord if we believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, since His resurrection is the supreme validation of who He is as God. So if Jesus is down in our hearts, Jesus will come out of our mouths. We will declare Him. We will share Him. We will discuss Him. Jesus said, "Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33), (Timothy 2:11-12). Not ever speaking up for Jesus is equivalent to denying Him. Therefore, if someone never makes a peep that Jesus is Lord, it only reveals that their heart doesn't really know Him as Savior. (Scripture talks about a final, permanent denial of Jesus, not a temporary failure of a true believer like Peter). Jesus is Not a Kept Secret We are never to keep Jesus a secret. There is no such thing as a private faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus makes it clear that if we don't confess Him before others, He won't confess to His Father that He knows us either. True faith is a public faith. True faith is a spoken, verbal faith. Our faith ought to be the most public thing about us, regardless of personalities or insecurities, extroverted or introverted, bold or shy. Being convicted about the magnificent truth in Jesus should far outweigh and transcend our personalities, personal preferences, and the manner in which we like to socialize. No matter what personality we are given by God, where we're at in the Christian walk, true faith in Jesus is a public faith (Romans 10:9), whether we speak of Him in front of an entire audience or we quietly share Him one-on-one with a close friend. I'm not talking about making some grand public announcement that Jesus is Lord (although that would bring glory to Jesus too), but I'm talking about simply acknowledging that Jesus is Lord with our mouths in front of other people, as Scripture clearly states. In the end, no matter who we are or what insecurities we have, the Lord will give us the grace to verbally confess Jesus as Lord in front of others if He is truly down in our hearts. Obeying Jesus as Lord “The driver on the highway is safe not when He reads the signs, but when He obeys them.” AW Tozer We who confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead will naturally follow and obey Jesus too, by the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts. We won't just profess to know Him with hollow words and then by our actions deny Him (Titus 1:16), (1 John 2:4). That's just playing the hypocrite. We don't obey God to be saved. We obey God because we are saved. Reasons why we obey God: • We obey God because we trust in God (Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 37:5) • We obey God because we trust that Jesus paid it all. Jesus was our Perfect Substitute. He died on the cross for our sins and rose again, so that by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, we may have eternal life. (2 Corinth 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, Isaiah 53:5, 1 Corinth 15:3-4) • We obey God because we trust His Word, His goodness, mercies, faithfulness, righteousness, justice, and character. (Psalm 119) • We obey God because we want to. (Psalm 119) • We obey God because we have the Holy Spirit, our Helper who will be with us forever. (John 14:16) • We obey God because His grace is sufficient and enables us to do so (2 Corinth 12:9-10) • We obey God because we have been born again and adopted into His eternal family. (1 Peter 1:3) • We obey God because He knows us and we know Him. (John 10:14) • We obey God because He is our loving and compassionate Father. (Psalm 103:13) • We obey God because we are His children. (2 Corinth 6:18) • We obey God because He has transformed our hearts and given us a new nature in Christ. (Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Corinth 5:17) • We obey God because in our new natures, we now hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6) and hate the sin we once practiced and loved before our conversion. (Psalm 97:10) • We obey God because we know that once we are saved, we are always saved. We are eternally secure. We know we can never lose our salvation. (John 10:28, Eph 1:13-14, 4:30, John 6:39) • We obey God because we love Him..because He first loved us (John 14:15, 21, 5:10) (1 John 5:2-3, 2:3-6, 1 John 4:19) • We obey God because He gave us the greatest gift imaginable: eternal life and to be with Jesus forever. How could we ever return to living in sin and disobedience after being given something as extraordinary as Jesus Himself? (John 3:16, Eph 2:4-9) • We obey God because Jesus is in our hearts. (Rom 10:9) Mere external acts of obedience, sacrificial deeds that are done without love, and working for our salvation and thinking we are earning God's favor through our "good deeds" is legalism. On the other hand, heartfelt obedience to God's Word by God's grace is evidence that we believe in Jesus and belong to Jesus. The Litmus Test Those who claim Jesus with their mouths must also display these three characteristics through their actions as genuine Christ followers: 1. Trusting in sound doctrine and a proper view of Christ, which naturally flows from true faith 2. Obedience to God's Word, which naturally flows from true faith 3. Love for God and other believers, which naturally flows from true faith Those who are truly born again have been given a new nature from God, which gives evidence of itself. Displaying these byproducts of true faith is all by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by our own human willpower. Obviously, we will have far from perfect obedience, but our lives will be marked by a pattern of obedience to God's Word and a practice of righteousness rather than sin. Furthermore, believers are able to discern and reject false teaching by the Holy Spirit, who guides us into all truth (John 16:13) because we are grounded in the truth of sound doctrine. Lastly, our love for God and our fellow believers will flow from loving and obeying His Word, and we will worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). When these three things, true faith, obedience, and love sing together in harmony, they produce joy, holiness, and assurance of salvation in the believer and constitute the litmus test of a true believer. The single most responsible thing we could ever do in this life is to examine ourselves to make sure Jesus is truly in our hearts; the Biblical Jesus and not a wimpy jesus of our own making and imagination. Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5). The best way to examine ourselves is not by comparing ourselves to other Christians but through the lens of Scripture. The Book of First John was written to believers to help us know that we truly believe in Jesus and have eternal life. (It is a book of joy for the believer because it gives us assurance of our salvation)! It's very important to examine ourselves from time to time, but we must never get so fixated on ourselves that we take our eyes off Jesus. For every look we take at ourselves, let's take ten long gazes at Jesus, the Light of the world. Check out my other latest blog, If You Love Me... 7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous, 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he is born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:7-10). "Our faith and works are merely reflections of the salvation we have received, not a contributing factor to it." Sinclair Ferguson "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." Alistair Begg

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 Dear Lord, It is so sweet to trust in Jesus. Help me to take You at Your Word and rest upon Your promise of eternal life as I go about my day today. Help me to remember the amazing news of the Gospel throughout my day. Help me to set my mind on things above where Christ is seated, not on earthly things (Col 3:1-2). Help me to keep an eternal perspective as I do my daily tasks, work heartily for You, and fix my eyes on heaven. When I fix my eyes on heaven, I am fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). Help me to live more fully in the moment, as I carry out my day in the light of eternity. Help me to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14) and to not get so caught up in the worldly cares that can so easily entangle me. Help me to see my sins, confess them and repent of them, and trust in Jesus. Help me to bring You glory in all that I do, say, and think. Give me the grace to be humble, gentle, and loving, like Jesus. I praise You for my faith in Jesus. He is precious. He is my Supreme Treasure, my Savior, Lord, and Friend. He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made (Psalm 145:8-9). I have nothing to fear, past, present, or future because Jesus will be with me to the end and throughout all eternity. God loved me so much that He sent His beloved Son Jesus to die on the cross and save me from my sins and the eternal wrath to come. In three days, Jesus Christ rose again from the grave so that by grace through faith in Him, I may live forever in Him. AMEN! What a joy that truly is! Give me the grace to love Jesus more. Give me the grace to share Jesus more. Give me the grace to praise Jesus more. Give me the grace to rejoice in Jesus more. Give me the grace to trust in Jesus more. Lord, in all things, I need Your grace. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This I pray in Jesus’ name, amen. 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus Just to take Him at His Word Just to rest upon His promise Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord" Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him How I've proved Him o'er and o'er Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus Oh, for grace to trust Him more I'm so glad I learned to trust Him Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend And I know that He is with me Will be with me to the end Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him How I've proved Him o'er and o'er Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus Oh, for grace to trust Him more – Louisa M.R. Stead Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9 I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me. John 10:14

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I praise You for saving me from my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life in Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I praise You for who You are. You are holy and perfect in all Your attributes. You transcend Your creation and rise above all things. You are The One True God, the God of Scripture. You are three Persons in One, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are the God of the universe, and there is none like You (Jeremiah 10:6). And You are full of mercy and truth (Psalm 86:15). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have conspired together from before the foundation of the world to save me from my sins and gift me with eternal life in Jesus. May my praise and devotion to God be extended equally to the three Persons of the Godhead. God the Father I praise God the Father who planned my salvation (Eph 1:4). I praise the Father for choosing me before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:5,11). The Father chose to save a people through His Son and to make His magnificent plan of redemption known to the universe (Eph 1:9-10). The Father works all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11), so I can stand confident and be assured in Him that His plan to save me is grounded in His perfect wisdom and will. The Father drew me to come to Jesus, by His grace. I could have never come to faith in Jesus without the Father who drew me to Him (John 6:44). My faith in Jesus is not by my own doing but a gift by His grace (Eph 2:8-9). Amen! God the Son I praise God the Son who purchased my salvation with His precious blood. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of my trespasses (Eph 1:7). Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Heb 9:22). He was the Perfect Substitute, and He offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time (Heb 10:12). In Christ, I am saved and blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3, 4,7). Jesus saves willingly, freely, and completely through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. Jesus loved the church and gave Himself up to save and sanctify her because He loves, nourishes, and cherishes her (Eph 5:25-29). The Son set His love and affection on the people the Father planned to save. Jesus purchased my salvation with love and joy. Amen! God the Holy Spirit I praise God the Holy Spirit who protects my salvation. When I first put my trust in Jesus, I was immediately sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Once the Holy Spirit was poured into my heart sanctification began, and He became the guarantee of my salvation (Eph 1:14). Once saved, always saved. I am eternally secure by God’s grace, and I will never perish. No one can snatch me out of His hand (John 10:28). The Holy Spirit is my Helper who teaches me all things (John 14:26), guides me into all truth (John 16:13), and will be with me forever (John 14:16). He leads me away from error, gently convicts me of sin, and slowly but surely sanctifies me to conform me to the image of Christ. He is my Comforter and Advocate (John 14:26), and He prays for me according to the perfect will of God (Rom 8:27). God the Holy Spirit prays for me on a constant and continual basis as I live my Christian life, and when God prays, His prayers are always answered. When I don't know how I ought to pray, the Holy Spirit knows how to pray for me (Romans 8:26-26). He also prays for me that I may confess Jesus to others. He gives me the courage and the divine compulsion to speak of His Name with conviction. He helps me share the gospel so that others can come to Jesus and be saved too, by God's grace. Amen! 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 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:6 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one. John 10:28-30 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. John 14:9-11 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17