Our voice is a gift that God gave us to change a culture that is saturated in lies. We are charged by God to gather together with like minded people. Why? There is great power as we join His force within the Body of Christ. As a twig on the Vine, or a toe on the body, there is value in balance. Our face to face people encounters are daily, and our eternal impact is in a word of truth. Withdraw from the world order, and engage the plan God has for all mankind. 

Choose not to invest time or emotions in relations that are fleeting. Arise daily with the desire to contribute some lasting value. Keep curiosity alive, continue to learn, and pass on the beauty of your everlasting friendship with Jesus. Our God is closer than near. The Holy Spirit abides in our every stride, in fact, we are never alone. Enjoy each day as if it were your last, but stand firm on the frontline to represent Jesus, our everlasting friend. Real friends stand by each other not just in favorable times but also during challenging situations. What a friend we have in Jesus! Unlike humanity, Jesus never disappoints, He is full of patience, compassion, and trustworthy advice.

The primary motivation for a relationship with Jesus is found only in what He can deliver. Faith, everlasting life, joy, love, peace, and words of encouragement.  There is no lack of depth, He is there to listen, comfort, and guide.   His effort to maintain a relationship is consistently there in the lavish favor that He constantly shows us. While it is natural for some relationships to have elements of give and take, true friendships thrive on deeper connections built on caring and mutual respect. Recognizing the difference between genuine friendship and a casual acquaintance, is extremely important. True friends are there for us not only when it suits them but also when it demands sacrifice or effort on their part. Their emotional investment shows up as they celebrate our successes and support us in times of hardship and pain.  We are wise to consider Jesus as a friend like no other. He gives more than we ever could.  Rare is the earth bound friend who allows us to be transparent without a fear of being castout.

The unpleasant truth about being a friend of Jesus is that we will lose family and friends. Many people simply tolerate us, but the love that Jesus offers is eternal. Our heavenly reward is greater than anything this world offers. Wisdom is to seek QUALITY over quantity in all our relationships. A friend demonstrates loyalty, kindness, and ongoing support without the expectation of gain. Jesus encourages us to grow in Him by our surrender.  If God blocks a person in our life, trust that His plan far outweighs and outlasts  anything we leave behind.

Mordecai refused to bow down, and the bad guy got hung! Unforgettable as God’s grace is, a modern Corinth confusion erupts whenever we stand for Jesus. Clearly, we are no longer alarmed by what we read. It is like our sense of justice has been dulled. An article in “The Economist” said that God is changing and more lenient. That God is accepting same-sex marriage. WHAT? The church must decide between interpreting the Bible through the lens of culture or, as Paul exhorted, critique the culture through the lens of the Bible.  Our inner Guide intercedes while we debate.  Trust the still small voice, always.

“Operation Redeem All.” Enter into the counsel of heaven and hear the Lord say; “I believe in you.” Thank You Lord for the honor, and we committ to steward it well. We are moving back into covenant with our King, Yeshua, the Messiah. We are to make Jesus conspicuous.  We were chosen, anointed and called to be a servant of God. Firey preachers will spread the Truth around the globe. Isaiah 32 “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm,  like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected. For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil: they practice ungodliness and spread error concerning the Lord; the hungry they leave empty and from the thirsty they withhold water. But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.” GLORY TO GOD for what He is doing through people who do not even know they are God’s servant. The spirit of resistance that was behind Sanballat, and Haman has been destroyed by Archangel Michael. The Lord is doing heart surgery on this nation. The resister has been busted and disarmed. Oregon is becoming an overcomer state. We honor and worship God. Blessed are the pure in heart. The plan of God will not be hindered by the perversion darkness. Exodus 14 God delivered a nation from the left and the enemy was drowned. There was a stillness that overcame the hearts and they rejoiced. God brought them to Morah to see what He sees in their bitter hearts. The Father grieves at our pride. Jericho was a testing to keep the mouth shut, and speak only words that matter. God is exposing the artificial. We must be a holy people. Walk towards 2026 in unity. Look in the mirror, examine your hearts. The momentum is not about our walk, it is about God. Humble yourselves and love righteousness and confess inequity, which is purposeful sin. As the remnant, we must be holy, holy, holy people who honor God. This golden era of Renaissance is for God’s glory.

In the church, the stained glass windows cast a kaleidoscope of colors across the hushed sanctuary. Two figures, silhouetted against the light, stood locked in a silent struggle.  Their eyes, though fixed on each other, held the intensity of a thousand battles.  Each man clutched a Bible, a familiar symbol of faith twisted into a weapon by man’s pride. Hypocrites!

Where is the love for one another? Isaiah 3:5 “People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the nobody against the honored.” One, older man weathered, his face etched with the wisdom of years, spoke with a clipped certainty. He pointed to the worn pages, his voice a firm baritone. “The word is clear. We must adhere to tradition, to the teachings passed down through generations.” The other, younger, his features youthful yet etched with a fervent passion, countered with an equal fire in his eyes. “But tradition can grow stagnant, Brother. The spirit of the word must breathe life into our hearts!” He pounded his open palm against the Bible, his voice echoing through the silent church. It was like a courtroom battle with a cross section of the current culture as the jury. The Judge of all, earnestly listening to both sides. God help us.

The air crackled with tension.  Outside, the world continued, the clash of doctrine unheard.  But within those hallowed walls, two souls wrestled with faith, with truth, with the very essence of their beliefs.  A battle fought not with swords, but with words, and the weight of their interpretation of the Holy Book was heavy.

What happens next? Do they find common ground, or does the debate escalate? Is there a resolution, or does the conflict linger?  With a silent storm brewing beneath the surface of their faith, do they reconcile in love or allow bitterness to boil?

Humans have the capacity to deceive themselves. Toddlers, teens and unfortunately, adults delight in holding back, or not surrendering ALL to God.  Our holy God, with perfect justice, must judge as well as love us. Our Father would prefer that we humble ourselves and seek His forgiveness, but our sinful nature is rebellious. God does not change, but if we invite Jesus into our hearts, the Holy Spirit changes us over time — as we yield more and more to Him.

“The Lie” by Ken Ham is a great Audiobook, a must listen for graduates from any university. The history of mankind and his battle against God is found in Genesis. The Bible has been classified by man, who was not there at the time God created all things, as a religion. Graduating students rebel against the absolute authority of God because evolution is man’s opinion about how humanity was birthed. Evolution is the scientific religion which is now taught in schools. Freedom of Religion in the USA has ousted God’s Word, and replaced it with man’s opinion based on their bias. The evidence that God exists for me is summed up in this statement. “I once did not trust God or man. My life was mostly miserable as I lived in doubt. Now I trust God and my life is mostly good as I live in faith. The difference between who I was and who I am today is Jesus. When Jesus entered my life, doubt was replaced with trust and confidence. My reliance on the abiding Holy Spirit has proven to lead me in ways that result in love of myself and others, a deep joy, God’s peace in the midst of chaos, and compassion rather than my old way of condemnation. No science will ever change my belief in the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.” Man says many things about creation, but they were not there when God spoke. Evidence of God is found in a daily sunrise, and the formation of a baby.

Change occurs slowly, like a sunrise.  A soft glow gently rises, then a glimmer of hope shines. This generation needs to see Christ in us. Their only hope is in Jesus. All year round, we need to let the Spirit lead us in greater grace. Our ways must reflect God. Our example influences more than our words. Prepare for the Lord’s return–because just as the first coming of Jesus was foretold, so is His second soon coming. Keep your oil overflowing and your lamps fully lit. A kind reminder to humbly reconcile with God’s will.

Dazzling logic and clever arguments are based on the pride of popular opinion. Our body is sacred as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Redeemed by a blood sacrifice, let us be the peacemakers who value unity.  Let us pray for wisdom and not grumble. The slow crawl of a lowly catapillar, in time, will adorn itself with wings of a new creation.

Be renewed by this truth: “For God so loved the world that He….” John 3:16 ❤️ When we give God our weakness, He gives us His strength with a renewed joy flourishes as we surrender. Romans 3:24 “All are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” God rushes to greet the prodigals. Romans 12:3-5 “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

Make space for Jesus by intentionally getting alone to marvel at His creation. Seek God and allow Him to take you into a new level of  faith and into greater grace and wisdom. Maturing in Christ is a visible joy. We can compare who we once were and note positive differences in the choices we now make. We get comfortable with our new identity in Christ. We are thrilled to have purpose and join Him in the new, glorious things He is doing.

The witness of laughing teen girls in church  evokes a range of emotions as we observe them with great joy.

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In a softly lit interior of a church, sunlight streams through stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the polished wooden pews. The tranquil atmosphere is typically marked by reverence, but amidst it all, a teenage girl bursts into laughter, her bright smile illuminating the solemn space. Dressed in a modest yet trendy outfit, she sits among a group of friends, the bond of youth evident in their shared whispers and playful nudges. The laughter erupts as she catches an amusing glance from one of her companions, a moment of light-heartedness amidst the once believed gravity of attending church.  Her laughter is infectious and carries through the silence, causing a few heads to turn.

A few members smile knowingly. They recognize the joys of youth, while others frown, caught off guard by the break in decorum. Girls of this rare generation remain blissfully unaware of the mixed reactions; their spirits unburdened, they just relish the joy and hope in Jesus.

These pictures serve as a reminder that even in places of worship, where solemnity reigns, laughter and joy have their rightful place. It highlights the contrast of youth’s exuberance against the backdrop of tradition, showcasing the diversity of emotions that can coexist within sacred spaces. Pray for reconciliation and joy!

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