Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11) The Humility of Our Savior In my last couple of Christmas devotions, we have been focusing on the humility of Jesus. Jesus’ whole life was a display of humiliation. He was born in a manger to the virgin Mary, who was a peasant. He lived in the small town of Nazareth as a common person with a common profession as a carpenter. And during His ministry, when a scribe wished to follow Jesus, Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Jesus was essentially homeless during His ministry. One would never think a King would be homeless. Yet, Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, humbled himself and lived the life of a suffering servant. Jesus’ humble birth led to His humble life, which led Him to His ultimate humiliation. Jesus died on the cross, the most painful and dishonorable manner of death reserved for the worst of criminals. Yet, His humiliation brought Him to His ultimate glory. Because Jesus lived a perfectly obedient life to the point of death, even death on a cross, the Father exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-10) And as believers, by grace through faith in Christ, we are humbled before God and granted eternal life – the glorification of believers. In His incarnation, Jesus’ glory was underneath the veil of human flesh. Although His glory was hidden throughout most of His life and ministry, He was still fully God. In His body was the fullness of deity (Colossians 2:9). His divine greatness as the Son of God was veiled by His humility as a man, who lived among us. He was Immanuel, “God with us.” Although His glory was often veiled, there were times in His life and ministry when He let His glory temporarily shine through His humble veil. The greatest example in Scripture was when Peter, James, and John saw His transfiguration. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:1-13). His glory had also shone through in places where people were not expecting it. There was an unveiling of His glory in the humbling setting of His birth. In Luke 2:8-9, an angel appeared to the shepherds nearby who had the tremendous privilege of viewing the most glorious light show ever – Baby Jesus was born, and He shone the light of His glory to all the shepherds who were gathered by. His glory was witnessed first-hand by the people who were considered to be the outcasts of society. Who could've ever predicted that people of such social status would be the chosen ones to witness the birth of the almighty God of the universe? These were exactly the ones who were given the glorious announcement of our Lord and Savior's birth. What a tremendous privilege and sight to behold! Hallelujah! God’s great promise had arrived! The Savior of the world had come into the world to be a ransom for many, to seek and save the lost, to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance, to bind up the broken-hearted, to give liberty to the captives, to invite the weary and burdened to rest, to give grace to the humble, to be the light of the world, our blessed hope, our ultimate comfort, our supreme joy, and our greatest love. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins, so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:14) God opposed the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, (1 Peter 5:5-6) Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for the birth of Our Savior, Christ Jesus; the One who is our Great Redeemer, our Guiding Light, our Blessed Hope, and our Eternal Joy! Jesus is the Gift of all gifts, the Blessing of all blessings, and He is the Reason for the season! He is the Reason for every season, every day, every hour, and every second because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). And this week and always, we celebrate the birth of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11). All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, I pray Amen. 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel, 'God With Us' The book of Isaiah talks about how a child was born in the time of King Ahaz who was named Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” Immanuel was given as a sign to the king that Judah would find relief from the enemy attacks. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The name Immanuel spoke to the fact that God would provide His guidance and protection for His people. It was a sign of God’s presence. This sign was but a tiny shadow of what was to come; the ultimate guidance and protection. Isaiah’s prophecy about a child named Immanuel pointed to the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, who would come to live among us and save us from our sins. Seven hundred years after King Ahaz, a virgin named Mary was visited by an angel with a divine message. She was to conceive a baby by the Holy Spirit who was to be the Son of God in human flesh, and she was to name Him Jesus. The prophecy in the book of Isaiah was fulfilled, and Matthew writes, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call him Immanuel’ (which means, ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:22-23). The Word Became Flesh & Dwelt Among Us Jesus Christ came and fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, for Jesus was “God with us” in the most literal sense. He was born into this world as both fully God and fully human, and He came to live among His people, just as Isaiah foretold. The tiny baby Jesus, born to the virgin Mary in a lowly manger became the Word incarnate, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3), the living expression of the Incarnation of the Son of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth...No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (John 1:14-18). Jesus came to be the Light of the world and to reveal God to us in human flesh, so that we might repent and trust in Him for eternal life. Jesus was not just a mere sign of ‘God with us,’ like the child who was born in the time of Ahaz. Jesus was God Himself, who walked and talked among us as a living human being. Furthermore, Jesus was not just a partial revelation of who God was. He was fully God. Throughout His life and ministry, and ultimately through His death and resurrection, Jesus proved Himself to be God in all the fullness of His divine nature. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:9-10). God is With Us & God is For Us Jesus humbled Himself by setting aside His heavenly dwelling place and supreme divine status and took on the form of a suffering servant and dwelt among us, identifying with our daily human struggles and sufferings. Jesus was tempted in every way we are, yet He was without sin. He became the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus paid it all. Through Jesus’ sinless life, His death and resurrection, we can be reconciled to God by grace through faith. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). When we are born again into His living hope, Christ comes to live in our hearts, and He will be with us forever. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Not only is Jesus with us, but He is for us. And when God is for us, who could ever be against us? (Romans 8:31). When we trust in Jesus, we have nothing to fear - past, present, or future. We are loved eternally by God. And nothing can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39). Dear Lord Jesus, Christmas is about You, the miraculous birth of the Savior of the world. It is a joyful time celebrating our blessed hope and supreme joy that is in Christ Jesus, our great God and Savior. I pray for the souls who do not yet know You. Lord, have mercy on the lost, draw them to Your Word, open their eyes by Your grace, grant them the gift of repentance, and gift them with the greatest gift they'll ever receive - faith to believe in Jesus. I pray that You help everyone look to You Jesus, the Light of the world. Lord, I ask that You give me the grace to meet people where they're at with the Truth, and help me boldly, gently, and faithfully share the gospel message in my community and beyond. May the light of Jesus shine into hearts this Christmas season and give new life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Merry Christmas to all! All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for Your eternal love and infinite mercy. We praise You for Your Son Jesus who has rescued us from our sins and eternal damnation. He is the Light of the world and our blessed hope and supreme joy. Father, we praise You for providing the perfect sacrifice for our sins and granting us eternal life by grace through faith in Christ. In ultimate humility and in an unlikely setting, Jesus, the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary in a manger. God Himself took on the form of a newborn baby and prepared to be “a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Jesus came into the world to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to release prisoners from the darkness (Isaiah 61:1). He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Jesus, both fully God and fully man, came into this world to do what no animal sacrifice could ever do. Throughout the Old Testament, all the animal sacrifices were but mere shadows of what was to come, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for mankind. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). The Old Testament Scriptures all point to Jesus and make clear the need to believe in God's promises. In the OT, the Law is there to show us how much we need God's grace. The Law was never meant to be trusted as the means to salvation. The purpose of the Law was to display God's demand for holiness, to reveal our own depravity and the inability to save ourselves, and to show us our desperate need for a Savior. The Law was never given to save anybody but to lead us to the only One who could – Jesus. The Law was preparative in nature and disclosed only a part of the truth. The fullness of truth in which the Law pointed towards came through Jesus Christ. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). The Scriptures from the OT through the NT all point to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and salvation is carried by the Holy Spirit through God's Word. So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Ultimately, Scripture is the wisdom that leads us to salvation by pointing us all to Jesus – the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus came into this world as a baby in a manger, lived a sinless life, and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). In His final hour on earth, as Jesus hung on the cross for our sins, He received the sour wine and said, “It is finished.” Then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit (John 19:30). He descended into hell. On the third day, He rose again and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and will come again to judge the living and the dead. We all broke God’s Moral Law. Jesus paid the fine so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). We are saved by grace through faith alone, not by our own works or self-perceived goodness, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Not even our faith originates from ourselves. Faith is a gift from God, and it is faith in Jesus that saves us. “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” – Martin Luther. Good fruit and the habit of holy living are the byproducts of true saving faith and evidence that we are children of God. Lord, my hope is in You alone. Help me to keep my eyes on you today and every day. Help me share the good news and be filled with the Holy Spirit with the joy of Jesus in my heart this Christmas season. Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the reason for life itself. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray amen. The Good News: The word “gospel” comes from the Greek word evangelion, translated as “Good News.” The term implies and includes salvation, literally meaning, “The message that saves humanity.” We all broke God’s Moral Law, the Ten Commandments. Jesus paid the fine. Jesus lived a sinless life, suffered and died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. That’s why right before Jesus died, He said, “It is finished.” If I’m in court and someone pays for my parking tickets, even though I’m guilty, the judge can legally let me walk freely. Even though I am guilty before God, He can let me live forever since Jesus paid the fine on the cross for my sins, rose again from the dead, and ultimately defeated death. All I have to do is repent of (turn away from) my sins and trust in Jesus for eternal life. - Notes inspired by Ray Comfort, LivingWaters.com Repentance comes from contrition. One who is remorseful is contrite. Contrition is to be genuinely sorry for my sins. The Bible says godly sorrow produces repentance which leads to salvation. (2 Corinthians 7:10). I must repent of my sins with a contrite heart and trust in Jesus, Lord to all and Savior to all who believe in Him. I must trust in Him with child-like faith. Child-like faith doesn’t mean immature but trustful, teachable, obedient, and loving. I must transfer my trust from myself to trust in The Savior for eternal life. To come to know the real Jesus and not a Jesus of my own making or imagination, I must open His Word and trust in whom God says He is; not whom I say He is or think He is based upon my own imagination. Scripture is the wisdom that leads to eternal life. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, Scripture all points to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Psalm 25:4-5 Dear Lord Jesus, You are such a good God! You lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. You direct me in Your wisdom. You illuminate the safe path for me to take. You reveal the way I should go through Your Word, which I am so blessed to hold in my hands. Lord Jesus, You are the Word incarnate, and the Scriptures are my precious, invaluable guide on the narrow path with the narrow gate...the only way to eternal life is through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). I know that my faith in You isn’t proven just through mere words and verbal professions, but it is naturally proven through my actions and obedience to Your Word, which at times I stumble off Your path and take my own. Lord, I confess to You that at times I trust in my own ways, in my own will, or in Satan’s lies, and my faith fails in the moment of temptation or in my own pride or selfishness. I pray that You may give me the grace to always stand firm in You and be committed to Your righteousness and the Truth, no matter what. Help me to always take Your path, Lord because that's the only right path to take. And I know where to find Your path for me - it's found in Your Word, as Your law is written in my heart. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (John 4:4). You have given me the power to resist the devil and flee temptation by gifting me with the Holy Spirit when I became Your child. I am no longer a slave to sin, as I once was, but now I am a slave to Christ; a slave to righteousness. I don't owe the devil anything, as I do not belong to him anymore. (Refer to Ephesians 2:1-10) As a child of God, I belong to You now, and so my faith and devotion is to You only, Lord. You have given me the power by the Holy Spirit to teach me Your paths and to do Your will, and I praise You for that! When I do Your will Lord, that’s when I experience the fullness of joy – that’s when my heart feels light and free, no matter what chaos or turmoil may be surrounding me in this fallen and deceptive world. The more I walk with You Lord, the more I grow aware of my own sinfulness, and the more I grow in awe, reverence, and respect for You. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). I know a person cannot be truly wise unless he first has a fear of the Lord. It's a level of wisdom that brings humility, and it's absolutely foundational to possessing true wisdom in order to grow spiritually. I thank You for the growing perspective I have of just how fallen I am in comparison to how holy and perfect You are. When I have a correct view of myself, a proper understanding of who You are and Your full range of attributes, is when I have a clear view of reality. And I praise You and thank You for teaching me all of that in the Bible, with the Holy Spirit as my guide. May You help me to continue to grow everyday in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. (2 Peter 3:18) I pray that you would pardon my guilt for Your name’s sake; not because of who I am, but because of who You are, Lord. You are so merciful, so gracious, so loving. Lord, help me when I fall, and help me to always put my trust in You and Your way for me on the narrow path to the narrow gate...which is eternal life with You and all the saints. Help me to always do Your will and grow my faith in You! That's where true joy is! And I love feeling joy! No other source of happiness in all of existence could ever come close to the joy that is found in Jesus Christ alone. Amen that I have been gifted that joy! AMEN! :) All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, I pray Amen. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14) So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21) Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24-27) And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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 2:1-10) Psalm 25 1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. 6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11 For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. 12 Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. 13 His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. 14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. 15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. 18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. 20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' Matthew 7:21-23 “To preach Christ is our delight. To uplift his cross is the joy of our hearts. Our Master is our witness. We love to blow the silver trumpets…But knowing the terror of the Lord, these solemn things lie upon our conscience, and while it is hard to preach of them, it would be harder still to bear the doom which must rest upon the silent minister. The unfaithful watchman who did not warn the sinner and who must therefore eternally bear the sinner’s blood upon his head because he warned him not.” - Charles Spurgeon "The subject of hell is not a popular subject by any means; and yet, it is a necessary one. It is a compassionate preacher who preaches on hell. It is a loving preacher, a sympathetic preacher who warns people of the horrors of eternal punishment. All of that is true because it was a sympathetic God who revealed hell to us, and a sympathetic Christ who was the primary preacher of hell." - John Macarthur Testimony of One Surprised to Be In Hell I'd like to share this series with you. It is preached by John Macarthur, and it's about Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus. According to Scripture, he explains what hell is like, why the rich man went to hell, and what sends people to hell. And as always, MacArthur preaches the way to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone. I highly recommend this to every believer and non-believer, for we are all sinners and are deserving of God's eternal wrath. Only by grace through faith in Jesus do we escape God's judgment and eternal damnation and are granted eternal life. Testimony of One Surprised to Be in Hell Part 1 Testimony of One Surprised to Be in Hell Part 2 Testimony of One Surprised to Be in Hell Part 3 - If you don't want to listen to the full series, I recommend just listening to Part 3. Testimony of One Surprised to Be in Hell Part 4 Testimony of One Surprised to Be in Hell Part 5 Jesus Was a Hell-Fire Preacher As the most tender-hearted and compassionate person who ever lived, Jesus was a hell-fire preacher. In Scripture, Jesus preaches far more on the dangers of hell than He does on the glories of heaven. Our Lord Jesus speaks more about hell than everyone else in Scripture combined. And He doesn't only reference hell, but He explains it in great detail and with emphasis - all because He loves us. Jesus wants us to be fully aware of hell, and He provides us the way to escape God's eternal judgment. Not only that, He warns us over and over about it. When Jesus speaks, I do well to listen to Him, especially when He repeats Himself. Jesus says, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28). Fear is not the enemy but the sinner's friend when it comes to hell and God's eternal wrath. Here's a simple illustration. It's kind of like being on an edge of a cliff without a net or a parachute, and we are forced to jump for whatever reason. Fear is our friend in that case, and fear drives us to put on the parachute. If we aren't scared, we won't feel the need to be driven to safety. Being oblivious about hell is stupidity. Fearing hell is not. Fear helps drive us to the foot of the cross and cry out for Jesus. It is a healthy thing to fear hell and the terror of the Lord, in order that we may come to Him by His grace. And once we are secure in Christ Jesus by grace through faith, we have nothing to fear - past, present, or future. We only have more to rejoice in and praise God for, understanding what He has saved us from. It's only when we fear God more than we fear man that He becomes our sanctuary. The doctrine of hell has played a major part in my walk with Jesus and has been integral in my understanding and growth as a Christian. Without understanding the doctrine of hell, we miss a massive part of Christianity, a huge puzzle piece to the Christian faith. Without understanding the reality of hell and why people go there, we rob ourselves of a complete understanding of who God is; His character and His attributes. It also robs us of an eternal perspective that we are called to live by. As Christians, if we don't gain a proper perspective of hell, or even worse, if we choose to ignore it completely, our growth becomes severely stunted. From that, we miss out on a greater joy and peace in the Christian life. When hell becomes more real to us, that's when we become more faithful and bold in sharing the gospel, which is the reason why God keeps His children in this world. As believers, we are meant to shine the light and point everyone to Christ. In other words, the doctrine of hell is foundational for every single Christian, both who have a simple faith or a complex faith. Willful Ignorance Ignorance is lacking knowledge or understanding of something. When we are ignorant, we are unaware or uninformed. At times, we can be ignorant simply because we didn't know there was something we needed to know. Other times, we may be ignorant because we’ve made the choice not to learn or understand something we need to know. This is called willful ignorance. What does God say about ignorance? He says, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you" (Hosea 4:6). To willfully reject the knowledge God has compassionately supplied us through His Word is a sinful ignorance. That's because it’s ignorance rooted in choice. Ignorance without choice about earthly matters is understandable. However, willful ignorance about spiritual matters and our eternal destiny found only in the Word of God, can lead us to our eternal demise (Romans 1:18-23). “We are required and obligated not only to know it (Scripture), but to live by it, by every Word that comes to us by God” – RC Sproul. Hell is a Painful Topic, Yet Vital Hell is a painful and sobering topic, but it is one that we mustn't be willfully ignorant of, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Hell is an eternal reality, and it is the very reality from which Jesus saved me. Understanding what Scripture says about hell has brought me to a deeper level of gratitude and peace that I could have never attained otherwise. It has made me stronger in my walk with Christ and has given me the ability to praise God in a greater way, understanding more what I deserve and what He has saved me from. By His Spirit through His Word, understanding more about hell and God's mercy has had its sanctifying effects on me. Sanctify them by the truth. Your Word is truth (John 17:17). In other words, it has made me grow in my walk with Jesus. Not only that, understanding the doctrine of hell has helped me be more confident and bold in sharing the gospel and pointing others to Jesus. The perspective I've gained from learning about hell is one I cannot explain. It's been difficult to come to grips with at times, but it has been foundational in my Christian walk. A Little Bit About John MacArthur & Saving Faith I look up to John MacArthur because not only is he faithful to God's Word, but He is loving to tell us the truth, especially when the truth is hard to hear. Throughout his entire ministry, He has put other people's eternal souls before his own comfort and worldly reputation. He warns people of the danger they are in without Christ and faithfully preaches the way to salvation. By doing this, MacArthur is often perceived by the world as judgmental, hateful, and even evil. Not only that, he is falsely accused of preaching a works-based gospel by many so-called evangelicals who tragically confuse obedience to God's word with self-merit and human works. They think teaching repentance is a violation to the gospel. In reality, repentance and faith are interchangeable in which repentance is inherent in believing and believing is inherent in repentance. They are two sides of the same coin, and no one can demonstrate true faith without demonstrating repentance of sin. MacArthur preaches the pure gospel of Jesus Christ that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. He preaches that we are not saved by good works, but we are saved by faith alone for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10). A big part of MacArthur's ministry, along with those who are reformed and believe in Sola Scripture (Scripture alone), explains how authentic faith in Christ will naturally produce good works by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Good works and holy living as a general lifestyle are objective evidence of our inward faith in Jesus. As much as one cannot separate heat from fire, one cannot separate obedience from faith. Faith and obedience / Believe and obey / disbelieve and disobey are synonymous throughout all of Scripture, and they come from the same exact word in the original Greek, Pisteuo. It means to believe, entrust, to be persuaded of, to place confidence in of the thing believed, to dedicate one’s life to, to submit one’s life to, to obey. Obedience organically results from an inward persuasion of the truth in Jesus and consequent faith. God's grace is not given to believers so that we may live however we want as if we don't believe in Him. God's grace is given to believers so that we may have the power to repent, carry out good works in His name, and glorify Him. Many so-called evangelicals twist faithfulness and obedience to God's Word into a works-based gospel simply to try to get out of obeying God. Instead, they try to turn God's grace into a license to sin. It's just another type of self-deception to confuse works with genuine trust and obedience to God's Word. This is because there is a lack of trust in God's authority and goodness and a love for sin still. MacArthur is a godly mentor who has taught me a lot in my Christian walk; all the way from understanding more what it means to have true saving faith in Jesus to the place called hell. It's not easy to warn people about hell, but it is absolutely necessary, and I admire his love for the Truth and others. MacArthur has been an encouragement to me with sharing the Truth in love with my own tiny ministry. Eternities hang in the balance, and that's why sharing the whole gospel can be such an energy drainer. It's just so important; The gospel is dire, and this life is but a vapor. It is nothing other than God's divine grace that is with preachers who preach the true gospel. I admire all faithful gospel preachers who speak the truth in love. For without love in one's ministry, there is no true ministry. Believe the Scriptures One of the most loving and selfless things we could ever do for someone is give them the whole gospel, warn them of the burning building they are standing in, and point them to the Scriptures: to Jesus. Scripture is the wisdom that leads to eternal life and all point to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. By opening the Scriptures, we come to a genuine understanding of the biblical definitions of faith in Jesus, God's grace, and true love, defined by God Himself. These are terms we certainly do not want to get wrong, and that's why we must never trust in our own minds, feelings, or personal definitions of these critical terms. We must never trust in our own ideas and personal standards about what faith in Jesus means to us or who we personally believe God to be. But we must open the Scriptures and trust in God's written Word and who He says He is and how we are to escape judgment and find eternal life in Him through His own Words. Scripture is abundantly clear too, and God has made it very simple for us because He wants us to get it right. What God reveals in His Word, He wants us to know and hold fast to, otherwise, He wouldn't have written it. He is not going to make the way to salvation confusing for us, for He is not the author of confusion. He clearly spells out the way to eternal life for us, over and over in the Scriptures. We either trust His clear, authoritative written Word for eternal life, or we trust in our own minds and personal definitions of the terms like faith, grace, and love. Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. (Proverbs 28:26). (wisdom here means the Scriptures). Everything we hear from our teachers or pastors, we must also search the Scriptures ourselves and see if what they say lines up with God's written Word. Let the Holy Spirit be your Guide, who guides you into all truths and helps you discern right from almost right. Even here, everything I'm saying - don't blindly trust me. See if what I say lines up with Scripture, and trust in God's written Word with all your heart. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 Love your friendly watchman on the wall, Jenna “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.” - Charles Spurgeon “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:31).

He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:31 Jesus' Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus 19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31 *Moses and the Prophets means the Scriptures. Dear Heavenly Father, By Your grace, You saved me from my sins and Your eternal wrath to come. The relief is just overwhelming at times; to know that I don’t have to suffer for eternity because Jesus paid it all for me on the cross. Not only did You save me from hell, but You gifted me with the tremendous gift of eternal life, by grace through faith in Jesus. You had mercy on me and saved me from what I deserved. And by Your grace, You gifted me what I never deserved. For all eternity I will praise You, Jesus! The reality of hell and eternal damnation are terrifying, and rightly so. This is certainly not a bad thing to be afraid of the reality of hell. Knowing the terror of the Lord is important for sinners to come to Christ and be saved and for the saints to carry the message of the gospel faithfully to those who need Jesus. For when we are secure in Jesus, we have nothing to fear, past, present, or future! Lord, I thank You for revealing to me in Your Word the way to escape judgment and eternal damnation and find eternal life in You. Scripture is more precious than all the riches in the world. Scripture is the wisdom that leads to salvation. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, Scripture all points to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. All Scripture is God’s revelation to mankind. That means, it reveals. And what God reveals, He wants us to know and hold fast to. The Bible is God speaking to us. Scripture is God communicating to us who He is and how to find eternal life in Him. From Genesis to Revelation, the entire Bible is one unfolding story of God’s love, mercy, and saving grace towards sinners through Jesus Christ. Like Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man did not go to hell because he was rich and didn’t share his wealth. Nor did Lazarus go to heaven because he was poor. We don’t go to hell because we are rich. Nor do we earn heaven by suffering and being deprived in this life. We don’t earn heaven by our race or ethnicity, nor do we earn heaven because we have sinned less than others or because we are less selfish than others. We don’t earn heaven because we are religious, get baptized, take communion, or go to church on Sundays. Eternal life is not a matter of being religious or even having a very refined theology. Eternal life is a gift by God’s divine grace, not by human achievement, earthly status, or by our own works. There is no earning our way to salvation. Heaven will only be our eternal experience because we have believed the Scriptures, which is the wisdom that points us all to Jesus. We are saved by grace alone and granted eternal life when we repent with a contrite heart and put our faith in a gracious, merciful, and loving God who has provided the perfect sacrifice for our sins for those who turn to Him. By opening the Scriptures, we come to a genuine understanding of the biblical definitions of faith in Jesus, God's grace, and true love, defined by God Himself. These are terms we certainly do not want to get wrong in this short life, and that's why we must never trust in our own minds, feelings, or personal definitions of these critical terms. Theology matters!!! We must never trust in our own ideas and personal standards about what faith in Jesus means to us or who we personally believe God to be. But we must open the Scriptures and trust in God's written Word and who He says He is and how we are to escape judgment and find eternal life in Him through His own Words. God gave us His Word not so we would set it on a shelf somewhere and go about our life but that we would open it, read it, believe Him, and praise Him for showing us the way! Lord, I pray that we turn away from our sins and turn to Jesus and receive the glorious gift of eternal life that You so mercifully offer. Lord, I pray that we all take You at Your Word. May we believe You in who You say You are through Your Word, not who we feel or think You are based on our own finite minds and emotions, human logic or reasoning, or personal preferences. Help us trust in You with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). We all get one chance at eternal life. Now is our chance in this short and fleeting life. We are living on borrowed time. This is the favorable “year” of the Lord, meaning the day of salvation is today. That’s because tomorrow is never promised. 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 Corinthians 6:2). The most universal gift of God’s common grace is time: time to repent, time to believe, time to be saved. God is loving, merciful, patient and long-suffering, and we are living in the time right now of His patience, mercy, and grace. This life is short and eternity is forever, so it is only logical to live this short life in the light of eternity. Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6). The gospel is urgent because life is short, the world is deceptive, sin is damning, death is certain, hell is a reality, eternity is forever, salvation is available, and there is only one way, and that way is through Jesus Christ; Lord to all regardless of personal preferences and Savior to all who put their trust in Him. Lord, help me share the gospel boldly in love, understanding the world will mock me and hate me for it. Help me to not care what people think of me. Help me to only care what You think of me. May I glorify You by loving people enough to tell them the truth and point them to the Scriptures. May You help me to always put other people's souls above my own worldly reputation and personal comfort for the sake of the truth. Although the truth is highly offensive because it talks about sin, judgment, and hell, the truth is the most loving thing there is. Help me to always share the truth in love, gentleness, and patience, pointing everyone to Jesus by pointing everyone to the Scriptures - the wisdom that leads to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, I pray amen. Check out my recent blog that goes with this prayer - "Believe the Scriptures" PS, I am well aware of how long my blogs are! I am working on trying not to write so much, but let me tell you...I struggle with that. There's just so much I am compelled to say, especially when it comes to the definition of true saving faith in Jesus, which is often a big detour in most of my blogs. But I'm working on it because I know my blogs are just too long for one sitting, and it's important that the truth I'm sharing is received with peace and joy..and not where you get bored or overwhelmed with how much more there is to go that you just drop off. Nobody got time for 14-minute blogs! Also, I get we are in the era of Tik Tok, an era of instant gratification. In 2022, our attention spans have officially dropped to an average of 8 seconds - becoming less than a goldfish, who beats us at 9 seconds. So yeah, I am working on shortening my blogs. :) I love you guys! Love, Jenna I tell you No! Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:3 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Salvation is found in no one else, and there is no name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 Dear Lord Jesus, I praise You for who You are. You are merciful, gracious, and loving. You saved me from my sins, and You gifted me with my faith to believe in the gospel. My repentance and faith were not of my own doing, but a gift from above. (Ephesians 2:8-9). For I am sure of this: I couldn't have ever repented on my own strength or believed on my own merit, but only by Your grace. "The greatest act of mercy God performs is giving the gift of faith." When I was weary and burdened, You had mercy on me and drew me to Your Word. It was the work of the Holy Spirit that carried salvation to me through Your Word. And by Your grace, I responded with childlike faith in Jesus. So faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of God (Romans 10:17). I praise You for who You are. You are not strict or harsh with me. You are not some taskmaster in the sky who gives me heavy burdens or demands difficult things from me. Rather, You are the Creator of heaven and earth who is patient and kind. You are gentle and humble in heart. Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. And it’s only in You that I find rest for my soul. Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 This verse is a beautiful gospel invitation to all those who are weary and burdened by their sins and desire to be saved from them. The gospel is for all those who yearn to be freed from the heavy yoke of iniquity and the endless, vain striving in self-sufficiency. Jesus extends His invitation to all those who labor and are heavy-laden; those who are crushed under the Law and working for salvation; those who are wounded emotionally, spiritually, or physically. Like a bruised reed or a smoldering wick, Jesus invites all those who are weak and broken to come to Him. To the world, bruised reeds and smoldering wicks have no power, purpose, or importance. They are often overlooked, marginalized, or despised. But these are exactly the ones whom Jesus calls, and He offers a shalom for our restlessness. a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, (Matthew 12:20). Jesus has compassion for the bruised reed, for He was bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). On the cross, Jesus was bruised on the behalf of those bruised by their own sins. He was sent into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. (Luke 5:32). He was sent to bind up the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty to the captives, (Isaiah 61:1). Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Matthew 9:12). The gospel can only be received with a humble heart that recognizes its own sinfulness and need of a Savior. Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3). Humility is key in receiving Jesus, and it’s only by God’s grace that we are humbled to receive Him through child-like faith. Child-like faith does not mean childish or immature, but trustful, teachable, and obedient. The gospel is an open invitation to all who are bruised, smoldering, weary, and burdened. Jesus tells us to come just as we are, but He doesn't intend to leave us that way. Jesus didn't come to affirm us in our sinful state and accept us just the way we are. Rather, He came to save us from our sins, call us to repentance, and transform our hearts and minds to live our lives for Him, the One who died for us. It's the invitation of all invitations, and I am so moved that by His grace, I accepted. Lord Jesus, You died on the cross for my sins and rose again that I may find eternal life in You. I was once weary and burdened by my sins, but You had mercy on me. By Your grace, You granted me repentance, drew me to Your Word, and gifted me with my faith to believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I praise You for saving me from my sins and inviting me into Your eternal rest. It’s only from a place of stability and rest that power can flow. Jesus, it’s only in You that I find my joy and strength. I praise You for who You are. You are gentle and humble in heart. I pray that You help me be gentle and humble in heart, too. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray amen. The gospel is open to all; the most respectable sinner has no more claim on it than the worst. Martyn Lloyd-Jones The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of who I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16). Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:35-37 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 Dear Lord Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior, and You are my best friend. There is no one else who can share the depth of grief I may feel or the heights of joy I experience. You know every feeling I feel to its fullest extent, every single hair that is on my head, and Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely (Psalm 139:4). I love the intimacy that I share with You, Jesus! For You love each and every one of Your children as if there were only one of us! "God is the most glorified in us when we are the most satisfied in Him." - John Piper. The latest news, TV shows, fantasy land, Tik Tok and Instagram reels, and entertainment are all Satan's substitutes for joy. The more joy I have in Jesus, the less entertainment I need to fill me up. All I need is Jesus if I want to have real satisfaction and peace in my heart. With peace and satisfaction comes joy. All I need is Jesus if I want to feel joy in my heart. I find joy in Jesus when I come to Him and spend time with Him. I find joy in Jesus when I do my work for Him. I find joy in Jesus when I open His Word and listen to Him. I find joy in Jesus when I love and obey His Word. I find joy in Jesus when I reflect on who He is and what He did for me. Jesus is all I need if I want joy. He is the epitome of joy. He is the source of joy. And with my joy in the Lord, comes strength! Of course, my brothers and sisters in Christ bring me great joy too! I need them to help strengthen me in my faith and daily walk with Jesus. We all have our own personal walks with Jesus, but we are here for each other to help and encourage one another on our way to heaven. My walk with Jesus should never be kept hidden or concealed from others as if it were a secret. Like any other joy we share, our joy in Jesus will be the fullest when we share Him with others. "The greatest joy is to know Jesus. The second greatest joy is to make Him known." Steve Lawson. Lord, I pray that You help me share Your truth in boldness and confidence in You. I ask that You help me to never be ashamed of Christ and to never shy away when the opportunity arises to say Your name with conviction or to share the gospel with those who desperately need You. Help me put others' eternal souls above my own comfort and worldly reputation. Help me to be loving and gentle when sharing the Truth. And also help me to never compromise on the hard or uncomfortable parts of it. Help me tell the whole Truth in love. Lord, give me the grace to always be a blessing to others and to glorify You in everything that I do, say, and think. When I live for the glory of God, I live out my God-given purpose, and that is wonderful! It brings me joy to bring You glory! The glory of God is none other than the glory of Jesus Christ, for they are one and the same. I want to live for You because You died for me, Jesus. Although I will stumble, I desire to obey Your Word and walk in Your ways because I trust You! Your Word is good and perfect in every way. And I know that by Your grace You will keep me from ever falling away indefinitely. The Holy Spirit gives me the grace to walk in Thy statutes and is the guarantee of my inheritance in heaven (Ephesians 1:14). How comforting is Your grace! I am secure in Your arms for all eternity! Praise You! Lord, thank you for choosing me, cleansing me of my sins, saving me, setting me apart, and loving me with an eternal love. What. A. Gift. You are my everlasting joy, Jesus! All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11). Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16).

And Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 Dear Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior, and You are my best friend. There is no one else who is able to share the depth of grief I may feel at times or the heights of joy I experience. You know every single hair that is on my head and Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely (Psalm 139:4). I love the intimacy that I share with You, Jesus! "God is the most glorified in us when we are the most satisfied in Him." - John Piper. TV shows, fantasy land, social media reels, and entertainment are all Satan's substitutes for joy. The more joy I have in Jesus, the less entertainment I need to seek out. All I need is Jesus if I want to feel true joy in my heart. All I need is Jesus if I want to have real satisfaction and peace in my life. And of course, I also need my brothers and sisters in Christ to help strengthen me in my walk with Jesus. We all have our own personal, intimate walks with Jesus, but we are here for each other to help and encourage one another on our way to heaven. Lord, I pray that You help me share the truth and glory of You, in boldness and confidence in You. Please, I ask that You help me to never be ashamed of Christ and to never shy away when the opportunity arises to say Your name or share the gospel. Lord, give me the grace to always be a blessing to others and to glorify You in everything that I do, say, and think. I want to live for You because You died for me, Jesus. Although I will stumble, I desire to obey Your Word and walk in Your ways because I trust You! I know by Your grace You will keep me from ever falling away indefinitely. I am secure in You for all eternity! When I live for the glory of God, I am living out my God-given purpose, and that is wonderful! This is not about me or my story, but this is Your story, Lord. How amazing is it that by Your grace, I am part of Your story? Thank you for choosing me, cleansing me of all my sins, saving me, setting me apart, and loving me forever. What. A. Gift. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34 “If our Gospel were received in peace, it wouldn't be the true Gospel.” - Martin Luther Dear Heavenly Father, You are the God of peace. Your peace is a gift, and it comes by grace through faith in Your beloved Son, Jesus, who took the full penalty on the cross for my sins, saved me from the eternal wrath I deserve, and granted me eternal life in Him. When I think about this truth, it just continues to stagger the imagination. Every day I find myself shaking my head in awe at what Jesus did for me. My God died for me. I have no words to express my gratitude except to say, Praise my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! All glory belongs to You forever and ever! All is well with my soul because I trust in Jesus as my Savior, and because I trust Him, I submit to Him as my Lord. For by grace I have been saved. His saving grace fills me with the peace that surpasses all understanding and guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). He is my peace and joy, and everything in this world pales in comparison to Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The Prince of Peace One of the many names Jesus was known by was The Prince of Peace. Verses like John 14:27, John 16:33, Ephesians 2:14, and Colossians 3:15 talk about how peace comes from Jesus. By God’s grace, those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus are gifted eternal life, which produces a supernatural peace. This type of peace is the peace between man and God; the peace that surpasses all understanding. Those who are justified by faith and are in right standing with God, have peace with God. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). On the contrary, those who reject the gospel and the gift of eternal life through Christ will continually find themselves at war with God. People who reject Jesus may have a false sense of peace through their own deception, but they do not have any true peace. However, deep down in their souls, they cry out to God because He has put eternity into their hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God created us with the innate desire to live forever. No one wants to die. Not Peace, But a Sword What did Jesus mean when He said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). A sword is something that cuts and divides. Jesus meant that there will be division in the world because of Him. In Luke, He says, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division (Luke 12:51). This means there will be conflict and division between truth and lies, good and evil, light and dark, children of God who believe in Jesus, and children of Satan who reject Jesus. Although there will be a division in this world that comes from believing in Christ, (especially when we boldly proclaim His truth and share the gospel), we as believers should seek to be at peace with all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18). Seeking to be at peace with all men doesn’t mean we stop sharing the gospel because of the hostility it brings. As believers, we are never to compromise the Truth for the sake of "keeping the peace" or for unity. However, we are called to be discerning and know when to shake the dust off our feet when sharing the gospel. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town (Matthew 10:13-14). We are never to continue sharing the free gift of eternal life with someone who refuses to receive something so glorious. Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs (Matthew 7:6). If we do, God's judgment on that person only increases, as the more truth we are given, the more responsibility we have towards it. To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48). The World Loves Darkness We also must remember that Jesus warns us that we will be hated for His sake. “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you (John 15:18-19). It shouldn't come as any surprise that at times when we share the gospel, we will be reviled or hated for it. Many people in the world coexist peacefully and get along just fine with self-professing Christians. That's because most self-professing Christians don't tell people about the truth in Jesus or the truth about hell to those who don't believe in Him. They don't tell people about their sins and their need to repent and believe in the gospel. They don't warn people of the dangers of hell at all, which is one of the most loving and selfless things we could do, however uncomfortable it may be. Instead, many so-called Christians just blend right in with the rest of the unbelieving world so there is no clear division between light and dark. Most self-professing Christians still want to be friends with the world, which is enmity with God (James 4:4). Many self-professing Christians want to be liked, admired, and thought highly of. Therefore, to obtain that status, they don't share what will divide them from everyone else - the Truth. Jesus said, Woe to you when all the people speak well of you; for their fathers used to treat the false prophets the same way (Luke 6:26). It's when Christians start boldly proclaiming the Truth out loud that we begin to experience the division Jesus talks about. Persecution shows the true converts from the false ones. And suffering for Jesus' sake is one way that gives believers assurance of their salvation. We Are the Aroma of Christ The light we carry as believers either attracts or repels people. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). All those who reject and hate the light and truth that is in Jesus, also reject and hate His messengers who carry it. That’s because the Truth is light, and those who live in darkness are disturbed by those who carry the light. The Truth sheds light on their evil deeds that are done in darkness, and people hate to be exposed. Conflict and division will inevitably occur when we shine the light of the gospel in dark places. For God So Loved The World 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God” (John 3:16-21). It's the world's love of the darkness that brings judgment on them in the end. Jesus warns us that this division arises within families too. As a result, some children will be set against their own parents or brothers and sisters. A person’s enemies may be from their own household. This is at times part of the cost of true discipleship. We should never choose family over Christ. If we are faced with the painful choice of loyalty to family over loyalty to Jesus, we must always choose Jesus. Even if our family disowns us for being Christian, we must choose to follow Christ instead of forsaking Christ to be accepted by our family. To read more about true discipleship, check out my blog, Counting the Costs. An Audience of One Lord, although proclaiming Your Truth in this dark and deceived world will cause people to think I'm weird and "super religious," or avoid me, gossip about me, unfriend me on social media, or even hate me, help me boldly proclaim it anyways. Help me be loving enough to warn people of the dangers of hell and point them to the only One who can save them – Jesus. By Your grace, help me stand fearlessly on biblical truth and speak the Truth in gentleness, patience, and love, not caring what the world thinks of me. Lord, help me live for an audience of One and only care about what You think of me. May I live to please You and glorify You in all that I think, say, and do. Although I know I will stumble, the Holy Spirit will keep me from falling away and He will gently convict me when I sin and guide me back to You. Help me to live for You 24-7-365. Help me grow in my relationship with You through reading and hearing Your Word. Sanctify them by the truth. Your Word is truth (John 17:17). "If you please God, it doesn't matter whom you displease. And if you displease God, it doesn't matter whom you please." ~Steven Lawson. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! In Jesus’ Name, I pray amen. Love, Jenna Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility Ephesians 2:14 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15