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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. John 1:14 Dear Lord, I praise You for Your written word. The written word points me to the living Word, Jesus Christ, who is the Truth Incarnate. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). Scripture is More Precious Than Gold How blessed am I to have such abundant access to God’s Word; to live in the United States where Bibles are still allowed and Scripture is right at my fingertips. God's wisdom is only a click away. The Bible is banned in 52 countries. People get killed for concealing a Bible for their own personal use. Obviously, the Word of God is that precious that people will risk their lives to keep His Word in their possession (See below for the list of countries where the Bible is banned). If the Bible is just a dead pile of letters like most of this world believes, why would it be illegal or threatening to anyone to own a book of fairy tales? Obviously, we know that Satan is behind banning the Word of God since he hates the Truth. Ever since the garden, Satan's main goal has been to distort the Word of God - to ultimately keep souls from finding eternal life in Christ. The distortion of the Truth is the greatest evil that exists. “Satan’s greatest weapon is man’s ignorance of God’s Word” - A.W. Tozer. Scripture holds all the answers for not only this life but for obtaining eternal life, and so naturally, Satan does anything to stop people from having those answers. Since Satan is the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), it comes at no surprise that the Bible is banned in so many places across the world. And one day, probably not too far away, it's going to be illegal to own a Bible in the United States as well. But for now, I am going to learn and memorize as much as I can from the very Words of God Himself. For His Word is life itself. What could be better than freely holding the invaluable Word of God right in the palms of my hands? For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and all that you desire cannot compare with her (Proverbs 8:11). How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver (Proverbs 16:16). Scripture is infinitely more precious than all the gold in the world. It's the only roadmap to eternal life. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). Scripture is Revelation All Scripture is God’s revelation to mankind. That means, it reveals. And what God reveals, He wants us to know. All Scripture is inspired by God; all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). The apostle Peter says holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). Scripture was authored by God and written by men who were internally led by His Spirit. So, whether we choose to read it or not, the Bible is God speaking to us. The Bible is God communicating to us who He is. The Bible is the story of God, and by His grace we are a part of it. The Bible is God telling us His promises, as well as clearly stating His warnings. God is talking directly to us, you guys, and we will do well to listen to Him. Since Scripture is the Word of God, and God is the Word (John 1:1), we must give Scripture the due honor and respect that we also give to God. Not only does the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have immense glory, but Scripture, the very Words of God Himself, carries such glory as well. 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 (John 1:14). Scripture is What God Meant it to Say God doesn’t need to be defended as being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and since God is the Word, Scripture doesn’t need to be defended either. "The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself"- Charles Spurgeon. Scripture has its own power and glory. When I open the Word of God, it reveals itself to be true all on its own, and I am to approach the Word of God responsibly, trusting wholeheartedly in its authority, clarity, and sufficiency for my life. God commands me to not only seek to understand Scripture, but interpret it responsibly (meaning accurately), so that I may rightly receive God’s true, intended meaning for my life. If I don’t seek to understand the true meaning, I simply will not have God’s revelation for my life. Scripture is not what I think it means to me personally. Scripture is what God meant it to say. There may be 1000 different applications to any given verse, but there is only one true meaning that God gives it, and I am commanded to know it and obey it for my life. I am not to be the interpreter of God’s intended meaning in Scripture, but I am to be the humble, obedient, and joyful receiver of it. So how do I get to the true revelation of Scripture? Well, I must get to the meaning of it. This requires an accurate interpretation on my part. Thankfully, I am not alone when interpreting Scripture. I have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide me and teach me all things, including how to rightly interpret and apply Scripture to my life. Scripture calls us to interpret Scripture in the plain, normal sense of language, just as I would interpret the natural meaning of any kind of book or document. Normal, natural literal interpretation is the only way to interpret it responsibly and to stop the reckless abuse of Scripture. As soon as anyone stops interpreting Scripture in the normal, natural literal sense that it demands for, it becomes a fair game for anyone to interpret the Bible in a wild and reckless manner. “Ignorance of Scripture is the most dangerous self-inflicted wound” - Dale Partridge Scripture is Not a Riddle or a Puzzle See, the thing is, God cares that we get His Word right. I mean, that’s why He wrote it; to communicate to us so that we are able to understand what He’s saying. Otherwise, what would be the point if He wrote something that wasn’t meant to be clearly understood and obeyed? If the Bible is confusing then that would mean the character of God is confusing, and we know that isn’t true. For Scripture makes it clear that God is not a god of confusion or disorder, but a God of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). See, if the Bible doesn’t mean what God meant for it to say, and everybody has a different view or interpretation of it, then nobody has the authority to say what is actually true. In other words, if the Bible doesn’t mean what it says it means in the normal, natural literal sense, then any and every personal interpretation is just as bad as the next. God didn’t write His Word for it to be cryptic, a riddle, or a puzzle for us to be confused over. God wrote His Word to be plain and obvious for those who have spiritual ears to hear; for those who desire to truly trust Him and obey what He says. Scripture is Abundantly Clear to Only Those Who Desire To Obey As a Christian, I am responsible to rightly divide the Word of Truth. To rightly divide it means to “cut it straight” so that I can understand His Word clearly and be well-equipped for what He would have me do, say, or think in any situation in my life. Otherwise, I ought to be ashamed to not handle His Word responsibly. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). I am never to take away from Scripture or diminish it, nor dare I ever add to it, for if I do, God says He will add to me the plagues described in His Word, which would be terrifying. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book (Revelation 22:18). I trust that when God warns me about something, He means exactly what He's warning me of. See, God is not a hidden god of mystery, and the knowledge of God and the interpretation of Scripture is not a mystical experience, an inner knowing, or a vision of the divine. The real God of the universe makes Himself clearly known in Scripture to those who desire to know Him, and His commandments are loud and abundantly clear to those who desire to obey Him. Blessed are those who truly listen to His Words and prove their faith to be real through their actions - through their loving obedience to His Word. Cursed are those who walk in darkness, in their own pride and ignorance through their lack of knowledge and desire to know God and His will for their lives. The will of God is found in the Word of God. And it's the one who does the will of God who is saved. 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). Scripture is the Mind of Christ "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The mind of Christ is the Bible. And if I want to know what God thinks about anything, it’s no mystery to me, but it's right there in Scripture for me. Not only that, the Lord has given me the internal teacher, the Holy Spirit, to help me to interpret God’s Word responsibly and truly understand His revelation for my life so that I may do the will of God and prove my faith to be authentic. I cannot trust and love Jesus Christ and not trust and love His Word too, for Jesus is the Word incarnate. I hold in my hands the Bible, the mind of Christ. And I have living in me, the Spirit of Christ. I praise You Lord, for choosing me and saving me through sending Your Son Jesus to die for my sins. Before really seeing the light of the gospel, I was a nominal Christian, a lukewarm Christian, a hypocrite who called myself a Christian - when I didn't even know what it meant to truly follow Jesus Christ and be saved. Lord, thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening my blind eyes to the light of the gospel before it was too late for me. Thank you for saving me from hell and giving me life in Christ. When I deserve hell, You've given me heaven in Christ Jesus, all by Your grace. What. A. Gift. And I praise You for graciously giving me Your Word to learn about who You are and what Your will is for my life so that I may do it and prove my faith to be real - and bring You glory. Truly repent of your sins, believe in the gospel, and you will be saved. My prayer is that you come to the full knowledge of God and truly see the magnificence and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is your final answer. The day of salvation is today, and none of us know how much time we have left on the clock. Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6). All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray amen. Love, Jenna No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:3 "If we want to do the will of the Father, we need to study the Word of the Father." – RC Sproul "You can't love Jesus and not love His Word." RC Sproul Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17) 52 countries where the Bible is banned: 1. Afghanistan 2. Iran 3. Kazakhstan 4. Kyrgyzstan 5. Maldives 6. Mauritania 7. North Korea 8. Saudi Arabia 9. Somalia 10. Tajikistan 11. Turkmenistan 12. Uzbekistan 13. Yemen 14. Algeria 15. Bhutan 16. Brunei 17. China 18. Cuba 19. Djibouti 20. Eritrea 21. Kuwait 22. Laos 23. Libya 24. Malaysia 25. Morocco 26. Oman 27. Sudan 28. Tunisia 29. Bahrain 30. Bangladesh 31. Central African Republic 32. Columbia 33. Egypt 34. Ethiopia 35. India 36. Iraq 37. Jordan 38. Kenya 39. Lebanon 40. Mali 41. Myanmar (Burma) 42. Nepal 43. Niger 44. Nigeria 45. Pakistan 46. Philippines (Mindanao) 47. Sri Lanka 48. Syria 49. Tanzania 50. Turkey 51. United Arab Emirates 52. Vietnam

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3 Dear Lord, I am unable to give You the praise You deserve for who You are and what You have blessed me with – freedom from my sins in this life and eternal life in Christ. There is no blessing under the sun that can even begin to compare to the blessing I will forever hold in You, Jesus. This world proclaims "hashtag blessed” so much on their Facebooks, Tik Toks, and IG profiles when it comes to worldly things; to temporal things that will soon be passing away, whether that means next year or in the next 50 years. Either way, this world is all passing away very soon, and eternity awaits every single one of us - whether that's heaven or hell. For true Christians, it’s the new heavens and the new earth. And let's quickly clarify this glorious Truth: According to Scripture, the new heavens and the new earth is a tangible, physical place, in which we will all have tangible, physical (upgraded and indestructible) bodies, serving an awesome purpose in the Kingdom of Heaven, living wholeheartedly for the glory of God, with a height of joy that none of us have ever experienced before. We will not be disembodied spirits floating around aimlessly as many people imagine heaven to be. And we will still all recognize one another and know who we are when we get to heaven. You guys, no need for a bucket list in this life, ok? The only thing you better have in your bucket is Jesus Christ. So if you truly have Christ, you have absolutely nothing to be anxious for in this life. You'll have all of eternity to do all your travels and live your life to the fullest on the new earth...which will blow this life clear out of the water. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:20). Invest in Your Eternity Everything we do here on earth; every single thing we say; every single thing we think; every single choice we make, has an eternal and lasting impact on our souls in the next life. “Our work is great; our time is short; the consequences of our labors are infinite.” - John Newton With your eyes set on heaven, make this moment and every single day count for Jesus. Deny yourself. Take up your cross daily. Live for Him in all that you do. Place the glory of God at the center of your thoughts, speech, and life - and not yourself, like the world is always telling you to do. Don't listen to the world. It's full of countless layers of deception aiming to drag souls to hell in every way it can. Listen to the Word of God. It's absolute Truth and the only roadmap to eternal life in Christ. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well (Matthew 6:33). Invest in your eternity wisely, dear ones. "Life is short and eternity is long, and so it is only reasonable to live this short life in the light of eternity." - Charles Spurgeon. Also, Christ could be coming back at any time, and the Word of God commands us to be responsible and prepared for His arrival. Whether Jesus comes here first or we go there, the time is negligible. We're all inevitably going to stand before Him one day, and that means every day counts. Each and everyday matters, and every choice we make matters too. Every time we read His Word it matters, and every time we don't, it matters. Every time we trust Him and obey Him, it matters, and every time we don't, it matters. It all matters. So everything that we do here on this temporary earth, everything, will have some type of lasting impact over there. Now we know that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, and there's nothing we can do that could ever earn our salvation. But as Christians, who we are here and what we do on earth now is to prepare us for who we are going to be and what we're going to do over there. Our present actions are determining our heavenly statuses that will be fixed for all eternity. The Wisest Investment to Make The only real perspective to have on this life we live - is an eternal one. This world is but a test. The only way you pass it is with Jesus. In other words, be responsible with your eternal soul. Prepare wisely, and first and foremost, examine yourself to make sure you're truly in the faith. Millions profess to know Christ, but don't truly follow Him. The faith that says but does not do is really unbelief. Millions are either still following themselves, or they are deceived and following a distorted version of Christianity and a counterfeit Jesus. (Read the book of 1st John to examine the authenticity of your faith). Know what the Word of God says for your life, be responsible to interpret it accurately, and trust it; which your faith will be proven true through your obedience to it. What true Christians do here and now will ring in the halls of heaven forever. If you're not desiring to obey and glorify Christ here on earth, what makes you think you'd all a sudden start obeying and glorifying Christ when you died? That's why living all for the glory of God is how you really should be living this life. Living for the glory of God is the wisest and greatest investment you could ever make, with the biggest payoff that quite frankly, would make a multi-billionaire look like a pauper. So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). #Blessed Vs. Blessed in Christ The world assigns "hashtag blessed" to things like money, material things, earthly riches, houses and cars, vacations and travel, status and notoriety, degrees and awards, bank investments, retirement plans and portfolios, good health and physical strength, vanity and external beauty, jobs and careers. Although we all like those things, often times for many people those earthly blessings can quickly turn into idols; things that take us captive and steal our focus away from the eternal blessing that really matters - the blessings of all blessings - Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Jesus should be the One at the center of our thoughts and focus every. single. day. That's because He is the way, the Truth, and the life (John 14:6). And we were made for Him, and we were made to bring Him glory. That's our main purpose in life and why we were created - to bring God glory. Only when we live out our true purpose, will we discover true joy and peace, no matter what chaos or turmoil may be surrounding us. Joy and peace naturally flow from trusting and obeying God. Sorrow and confusion flows from trusting and living for oneself. My Supreme Treasure In reality, to have Jesus Christ is to be truly blessed beyond all comparison; spiritually and eternally blessed beyond our wildest imaginations; infinitely rich beyond our wildest dreams. If I have Jesus Christ, and yet I'm stripped of everything and everyone else, I am nevertheless blessed and rich beyond all incredible measure. I have eternal life by God's grace through faith in Christ. And not only do I have eternal life, but Jesus has saved me from my sins so that I may also live an abundant life of joy in this dark and evil world. I have joy because I am at peace with God. Being at peace with God means I am right with God through faith in Christ. Being right with God is a peace that surpasses all understanding; a peace the world can't comprehend. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1). And furthermore, I have nothing to fear - past, present, or future - because I have Christ. Without Christ, I would have everything to fear...the wrath of God. Jesus is my supreme treasure, and I count everything else as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:8). Lord, help me to suffer well for You, deny myself, live for You, love You, and be a blessing to others, boldly proclaiming the gospel and pointing everyone to the awesome glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus always says it best because He is the Best. This is what it means to be truly blessed: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12 esv All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna 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 esv

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. (Philippians 3:8) In Christ, and in Christ Alone Lord, what a magnificent truth it is that You have granted to me "everything pertaining to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). Everything I need for my life can be found in Christ alone. Unfortunately, there is an alarming number of Christians who don’t fully comprehend this glorious truth or really trust that we’ve been given all that we need in Christ, and in Christ alone. The Gospel - The Only Thing That Can Change Any of Us Many still search for answers to life's problems through secular teaching, vain self-help books, psychology programs, human philosophies, positive thinking seminars, and influential and powerful people like Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins, and Dr. Phil…people who don’t mention one thing about the glorious light of the gospel and its power to truly transform lives. See, the gospel is the only thing that can actually change any of us. We're all striving in vain without it. Empty Promises From the World The world promises to deliver us from our problems but only in exchange for our "likes" and "follows," our credit card numbers, or for our very own souls. Satan always promises, yet never delivers. That's because he is the Father of Lies, and Scripture describes him being disguised as an "angel of light." The greatest evil of all is the distortion of the Truth, and Satan has been distorting God's Word ever since the garden. Satan is very predictable, and his tactics have not changed one bit. Sin always seems like it'll bring satisfaction, yet it always eludes us every. single. time. That's because sin is simply a lie from hell, and often times we fall for those lies because we aren't grounded in the Truth. Scripture is the best remedy against Satan's lies because the only way you can truly fight lies and win - is with the Truth; the Word of God. and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John 8:32). That's why it's so important to read His Word daily and "write it on the tablet of your heart." (Proverbs 7:3). When the world (Satan) promises to fix us, it’s all smoke and mirrors. It sounds good. It seems good. It may even work for awhile. However, it's only an illusion and damning to our souls in the end. None of the world's "solutions" can save any of us from our sins, which is the real root problem that needs fixing. A Free Gift From Heaven (and a slight detour and point I need to make) Only Jesus can truly deliver us from our problems (our sins), and with Him there is no catch. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17). Salvation is a free gift. Jesus already paid for it all on the cross when He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). All we have to do is believe in Him, and we will be saved from our sins. By grace through faith, Jesus will not only grant us eternal life in Him, but He will give us an abundant life filled with joy and peace too - through our humble obedience to His Word. *And let's just stop right here for a minute so we get the correct definition of faith, which is the biblical definition of faith. Sadly, millions of people are self-deceived by their own definitions of faith, as I once was until God's grace opened my eyes. And our own definitions of faith and relative truths can't save us; definitions based off notions, mere feelings, and our own minds, which are always changing - and not based off the Word of God, which never changes. Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered (Proverbs 28:26). It's absolutely critical to make sure we all start with the correct definition of faith. None of us would ever want to hear those tragic words from Jesus saying, "Depart from Me. I never knew you." (Matthew 7:23). I can't think of anything more terrifying than that. No one wants to wake up on the other side one day in absolute shock. We must be living our lives in the light of eternity, not just getting sucked into the moment and epically failing to prepare for the bulk of our entire existence. It's only reasonable to be prepared, and it's our very own responsibility to know what God's Word says, interpret it accurately, choose to believe it, and choose to obey it - which proves our faith to be authentic. The single most responsible thing any of us could ever do in this short life is to make sure we're truly in the faith..that our faith in Christ is a genuine and saving faith, based off the Word of God and not our feelings. We are commanded in Scripture to examine and test ourselves to make sure we are in the faith, secure in Christ. (2 Corinthians 13:5). That begins with a thorough understanding of the biblical definition of faith. (Also, see bottom for the three aspects of true saving faith). The Definition of True Saving Faith According to Scripture Having faith doesn't just mean we intellectually agree with the facts of the gospel and go about our lives living however we want; living half-heartedly for Christ; balancing between light and darkness, truth and error, righteousness and sin, Christ and worldliness; thinking God's grace allows for unrepentant sin. The Bible does not speak in the grays. It is antithetical to the world's deceptive system, meaning it's black and white. In other words, following Christ is mutually incompatible to the patterns of the world and its Satanic belief systems; everything that is popular and common among the masses. To that point, I'd like to share one of the most sobering texts in all of Scripture: 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). The Bible is black and white and so is truly following Christ. Believing in Jesus / having faith in Jesus is a serious and lifelong commitment, and it does not involve serving self too. In Luke Chapter 14, Jesus tells us in a parable to count the costs before following Him. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:27). However, when you choose to really follow Jesus, He tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, unlike the heavy yoke and burden of pride, sin, and self-sufficiency. Come to me all you 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 and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 Throughout the gospels, Jesus commands us to deny ourselves and take up our crosses to follow Him, otherwise we can't be His disciples. (We will do well to listen to Jesus, especially when He repeats Himself over and over and over). Faith is not both serving self and serving Jesus. Faith is not just a prayer you prayed one time in Sunday school where your teacher told you to "just invite Jesus into your heart, little Suzy." "Make Jesus Lord of your life, little Timmy, and now you can go to heaven!" We don't just "invite Jesus into our hearts" nor do we "make Jesus Lord." Jesus Christ is Lord, whether we believe that fact or not! And if Jesus wants to come into any of our hearts, He is not going to need our permission or a special invite from us. He's going to break down the door, come into our hearts, and transform them in the process. Having true saving faith in Jesus Christ means that we place our personal trust in Him, not only as our Savior, but as Lord of both heaven and earth. Truly believing in Jesus Christ includes a genuine repentance and a surrendering to His authority and Lordship. (We are only able to submit to Him when we truly trust Him and His goodness for our lives). Therefore, our actions and obedience to His Word will naturally reflect our faith in Christ and prove our faith to be a true saving faith. And although we are saved by grace through faith alone, it's not a faith this is alone. Faith naturally produces good works. It's a very simple concept. (See James 2:14-26 for the obedience of faith). To drive this point home further, the words "faith" and "obedience," "believe" and "obey," "disbelieve" and "disobey," are synonymous throughout all of Scripture, and they are the same exact word in the original Greek. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36. *Thank you for taking this very important detour with me to better understand the true meaning of faith, defined by the Word of God and not defined by our own imaginations. Now let's get back to saying how Christ holds all the answers. All the Answers are in Christ because He is The Answer Sadly, far too many Christians are still searching for something else, something more, something outside of Christ that will take them to that place of ultimate peace, joy, wisdom, and growth. The thing is, Jesus Christ is standing right in front of each one of us, freely offering us all the real answers we could ever want or need, in Him. Everything I will ever need to know I can find right there in the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit guiding me and teaching me all things. Jesus makes it so simple for us, but it's not always easy. But that’s why as Christians we have been given the Holy Spirit to be able to read, love, and accurately interpret Scripture for our lives. He is our helper until the end of the age. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him (1 John 2:27). Look to Christ and Christ Only We can often be tempted to shift from “Christ alone” to “Christ plus…”. This wandering away from the sufficiency of Christ and His Word can often be very subtle, and it’s nothing new to our current day and age. All the way back in the first century, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Colossae to warn them about the alluring attraction of the world’s philosophies. He wrote, See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8). How did Paul help guard the Colossians against the enticement of human wisdom and philosophies? He simply pointed them to the unparalleled, exceptional glory, and surpassing worth of Jesus Christ as their supreme treasure. Obviously, Jesus Christ blows everything else out of the water, and that’s an incredible understatement. That’s because He is the way, the Truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is God Himself. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:36). Christ alone is sufficient. In Him, I am complete. As a Christian, I need not to look anywhere else but to Christ alone for everything I could ever want or need for all of an eternity. Lord, I praise You for the supreme treasure You’ve given me; the One who holds all the answers; the final answer to everything; my love, joy, peace, comfort, blessed hope, and life itself; the One and Only Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. All glory in heaven and on earth belongs to You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen. Love, Jenna *** The Three Elements of True Saving Faith: ​ 1. An intellectual element (notitia), which is a positive recognition of the truth 2. An emotional element (assensus), which includes a deep conviction and affirmation of the truth 3. And finally, a volitional element (fiducia), which involves a personal trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This includes a genuine surrendering to His Lordship. (Meaning, you will have a real desire to obey the Word of God when you truly trust Him and His goodness for your life). Obedience to God's Word is simply the by-product and outward expression of your faith in Him. Obeying God's Word is proof that your faith is real. Faith and obedience are inseperable. You can't have one without the other. They go hand-in-hand. They are two sides of the same coin. For the whole world knows that actions speak louder than words. Well, that basic, universal principle also applies to expressing faith in God. ​ Modern popular theology tends to recognize notitia and often assensus, but often eliminates fiducia. This is called "Easy Believeism" which is a very popular, modern-day Christianity that runs rampant in the church. It is heretical, a radical distortion of God's Word, and yet just another layer of Satan's deception to steal away souls to hell. See, faith is not authentic saving faith if it lacks the attitude of genuine repentance and a genuine surrender to Christ's authority and Lordship. Obviously, we are all fallen, we will all still sin, even as Christians (more than we even realize), and we will never obey God's Word perfectly. But nonetheless, true Christians desire to obey God's Word, and we do experience real victory over sin in this life. Verbal professions of faith in God are empty and futile if someone's actions continue to deny God. They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny him (Titus 1:16). I used to be an empty profession of faith in God, but then by God's grace, He opened my eyes and I saw the light of the gospel. All glory to Him for gifting me with my faith! For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:24-25 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 7:1-3 O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. - Helen Lemmel

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

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Dear Lord Jesus, You created me to treasure and live for the glory of God above all things. The very purpose for which You created me was to bring You glory in everything I do. The light of Your glory was made to shine at the center of my life; of my heart, mind, and soul. Your glory is never to be secondary to anything else in my life, but Your glory is to be the absolute focus in everything I do, say, and think. When Your glory is replaced by anything else, or when I put myself or anything else above Your glory, my life becomes disordered, and my peace and joy are lost. There are so many lost and confused people in this world because they don’t want to know the glory of God or live their lives for Him. The healing of our hearts only begins by re-establishing the glory of God to where it's meant to be. Jesus is meant to be at the center of our lives, every single day. Starved for the Glory of God People are severely lacking in the glory of God. People are not lacking in self-love like most of this world promotes and endlessly chases in vain. See, no one goes out into nature or watches a sunset to boost their self-esteem. Why do we love nature and sunsets? We love those things because deep down we know there is a far greater and deeper healing for our souls when we regard one of God’s magnificent creations. We can never find that level of splendor or awe when we look within ourselves. It's only when we look outside of ourselves that we behold such healing and joy through the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. If self is the problem, self cannot also be the answer at the same time. We will only find darkness when we look within ourselves. We must look to the light, and that glorious light is Jesus Christ. What could be more absurd inside this wondrous and vast universe than a person, a tiny speck in this universe, who peers into the mirror and strives to find significance, honor, and glory in his own self-image? Unfortunately, this is the gospel of the modern world and all the false religions which have deceived billions of people. Satan will do anything to get us to stop focusing on Christ and Scripture and place our focus on ourselves and worldliness - because Satan’s ultimate deception is blinding us with our own pride, which is the root of all sin. He wants to get us to focus on self, the elevation of self, and to rely on self as the agent that brings peace and tranquility, over focusing on the only real thing that brings peace and tranquility, and that is Jesus Christ. The enemy wants us to put ourselves and our feelings at the center of our thoughts and lives, over the glory of God; the only thing that brings any of us true joy and peace. Living For the Glory of God The pure Gospel is “the Gospel of the glory of Christ” because its final goal is that we would live for the glory of Christ and glorify Him in absolute gratitude for all eternity because of what He did for us. See, what could ever bring more joy and healing to our souls than what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross?! For the glory of Christ is the same exact same thing as the glory of God because Jesus Christ is God. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” (Hebrews 1:3). “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Furthermore, The light of the gospel is the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4), and when the light of the gospel shines into our hearts, it is “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Finally, when we “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2), that hope is Jesus who is our blessed and only hope! “our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper All glory belongs to You, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Love, Jenna Devotion is inspired by John Piper's "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ." For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 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 lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 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 2:10-11 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 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. John 1:14 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3 Entertainment is the devil’s substitute for joy. The more joy you have in the Lord, the less entertainment you need. - Leonard Ravenhill.

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

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

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.

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

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