Trusting God from the seat of a chariot 

I work hard to maintain my trust in God, but I’m truly grateful for the “chariots and horses” the USA owns. I hadn’t even brewed my first cup of coffee Saturday morning before my husband Jim informed me of the capture and arrest of the Venezuelan president and his wife. Later that morning, we watched the president’s address together.

Whatever your politics are, you can be proud of the strength of our armed forces and their military capabilities. The news Saturday morning reminded me of Psalm 20:7, which says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Americans have to work harder than most to understand the importance of that verse. Most of us work to trust in the name of the Lord our God from the seat of a powerful chariot.

Our hope is built on nothing less

Edward Mote wrote that hymn after experiencing his spiritual calling to full-time ministry. He became a Baptist preacher in England and, in addition to pastoring, wrote the words to several hymns. His hymn encourages Christians to trust in nothing less than “Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” The chorus says that Christ is the solid rock where we should choose to stand because everything else is “sinking sand.”

When times are tough, I sing those words with greater depth in my soul than during the easier times in my life. Do you?

The people of Ukraine, the Christians in oncology care or the ICU, or those who struggle each month to pay their bills, probably sing that hymn through tears and fears. Those of us who sing the words from the seat of a chariot probably sing with good intentions rather than deep convictions.

Truthfully, anything we trust more than the character or “name” of God is something less. We are taught to place our hope and trust in “Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” The hymn teaches us to “wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

How do we keep from building hope in something less?

My son Ryan’s article last week included a quote from former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. The fifty-three-year-old Sasse recently told the world, “I have been diagnosed with metastasized, stage four pancreatic cancer and am gonna die.” Ryan provided a quote from Sasse that he said, “describes the hope he and his family have found in light of his diagnosis.” Sasse said, “Often we lazily say ‘hope’ when what we mean is ‘optimism.’ To be clear, optimism is great, and it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s insufficient. It’s not the kinda thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you’re not going to walk them down the aisle. Nor telling your mom and pops they’re gonna bury their son. A well lived life demands more reality—stiffer stuff. That’s why, during the Advent, even while still walking in darkness, we shout our hope—often properly with a gravelly voice soldiering through tears.”

That’s what the psalmist meant when he taught us not to trust in “chariots and horses.” This world and all of its possibilities require us to “trust in the name of the Lord our God.” That’s why a Baptist preacher from the 1800s taught us to sing, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

I regret that I won’t be able to vote for Ben Sasse one day. He didn’t just speak words to gain the Christian vote. His life was a testimony that verified his words and still does. Even today, facing certain death, his “hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Sasse’s hope has been rooted in his faithful trust in Jesus for many years, and now his words validate that trust. 

How do we build that kind of trust in God now, before a crisis? How do we fully trust in God instead of lesser things?

What are your chariots and horses?

What do you trust in more than God? It’s alright to be grateful for the “stuff” we accumulate in this life. God blesses his children every day. I’ve often said we should choose to live lives God is able to bless. That’s why we study to know God’s word and then obey God’s word. God blesses us when we follow his will for our lives. Sasse’s family is likely struggling to feel blessed right now. It will take an eternal focus to trust God for their present realities.

The single greatest blessing from God is the hope we gain in this world because of the promise we have of heaven. Our eternal lives are insured by our trust in Jesus. Everything else we trust is something “less.” 

I’m grateful for a bank account, good reports from the doctors, family, friends, medical insurance, and a home and church to enjoy. I’m glad to live in a country that embraces freedoms, especially religious freedoms. I’m grateful for the people who enlist and serve in the military to keep us safe. We are blessed to live in a country that has LOTS of chariots and horses. 

We are blessed, unless we trust in those things more than we trust in the Lord our God.

When will our trust in God matter most?

The last stanza of Mote’s hymn reminds us, “When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found; dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

None of us will arrive in heaven “faultless” on our own. We have eternal life today because of the blood of Jesus Christ and our faith in him. We can trust the words of the hymn because we trust in the name of Jesus and the name of the Lord our God.

Everything else is just a chariot or horse. It’s okay to be grateful for our chariots. We just need to make an effort to acknowledge that our chariots are not what we should trust. As we prepare to face God, we should work daily to stand on Christ, our solid rock. The chariots and horses are always something less. They are the temporary things of this life that we will simply enjoy for a little while.

On Christ the solid rock we stand. Everything else we tend to trust is just “sinking sand.” Do you need to hop out of a chariot today? You can trust the solid Rock to be waiting.

The seven churches – Philadelphia

The ancient city of Philadelphia was about thirty miles southeast of ancient Sardis and located along a critical Roman highway. Philadelphia was established on a plateau in a river valley and became a fertile agricultural region. The area was known for producing many of the grapes used for making wines and other important agricultural crops. Unfortunately, this beautiful area was also known for its frequent earthquakes. A devastating earthquake in 17 AD destroyed most of the city. The emperor Tiberius assisted in the rebuilding efforts, and in gratitude, it was renamed Neocaesarea in his honor. The city’s leaders dedicated a temple in his name to commemorate his support further. 

We cannot be sure who first established the Christian church in Philadelphia, but we know the church there had a long history of faithfully serving the Lord. Eventually, the entire country fell to Muslim control, yet the city of Philadelphia was able to maintain a Christian population until 1392. Interestingly, many Christians are allowed to live in that region today.

The open door that Jesus would provide

Jesus told John to tell Philadelphia that the words to them were “the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens” (Revelation 3:7). Jesus wanted the church to understand that his message to them was borne of his holy character as their Messiah.

Jesus then praised them saying, “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). Jesus had admonished the church in Sardis for straying from the whole truth, but those in Philadelphia had remained true to the words of Christ and the gospel message. Even though others did not consider them powerful, Jesus would establish “an open door” in Philadelphia, which no one could shut. In other words, Philadelphia would always be a place for people to come and find the truth about how to enter heaven, a truth that would be eternal.

My husband was touring the ancient ruins of Philadelphia several years ago when a government official, a Muslim, handed him a copy of the letter from the Revelation to the church of Philadelphia. This government worker had been provided copies by a Christian organization that asked him to pass them out to those visiting. Philadelphia was still an “open door” more than two millennia later!

The “hour of trial” that will come to the unbelievers

Jesus praised the Christians in Philadelphia for keeping the faith, but then gave a clear warning to those persecuting them. Jesus said, “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:9–10).

There was a synagogue in Philadelphia, and apparently, the Jewish people in the city had said and done evil things to the Christians in God’s name. Jesus referred to them as a “synagogue of Satan” because their actions were not of God but prompted by Satan. Jesus assured those in Philadelphia that these Jewish believers would one day bow before them and learn that Jesus loved his followers because they had “kept” his word and patiently endured.

Theologians interpret Jesus’ following words (v. 10)  differently because we can’t be sure what the “hour of trial” means. We know that the day will come to the whole world and will be a day of judgment. Jesus said that those in the church would be spared the judgment that would come upon the unbelievers. This may be the judgment that occurs at the final coming of Christ, but could also point to the judgment that occurs for everyone upon entering heaven. We know this: Jesus promised that those who believe and faithfully endure on earth will be spared on that day because they are beloved.

Jesus said, “I am coming soon.”

The letter of Revelation was given to John toward the end of the first century. Many of the early Christians had passed away and had even been killed because of their faith in Jesus. So, why did Jesus say, “I am coming soon,” and we are still waiting two thousand years later?

That question will be asked until Jesus returns for the final time. According to historical records, Christians lived in Philadelphia as late as 1392. How many of them took their last breath on earth only to open their eyes and see Jesus coming to take them to heaven! 

The older we get, the faster the years seem to speed by. That fact is worrisome to many, but Christians can be encouraged. Jesus gave us this advice about waiting. He said, “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Could it be that “holding fast” in times of suffering will provide us our greatest rewards in heaven? One day, our faithfulness in our most challenging difficulties could be the blessings of our eternal crowns.

To the one who conquers . . .

If you were to visit the ancient ruins of Philadelphia today, you would see very little. Most of the ancient ruins are buried underneath the current, modern city of Alasehir in Turkey. The frequent earthquakes either ruined or buried much of the ancient city. Interestingly, several of the pillars the city was famous for remain standing. These pillars were constructed by carving and stacking one piece upon the next. When the ground shook, the pillars moved with the earth and either remained standing or were able to be rebuilt by stacking the original pieces. 

Jesus told the believers in Philadelphia, “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:12–13).

The early Christians of Philadelphia were promised an “Open Door” that, against all odds, remains open today. AI reports, “While modern-day Alaşehir is primarily a Muslim city, there are still some Christian communities, including both Orthodox and Roman Catholic, and a growing number of evangelical Protestants. The city is also a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, which indicates its historical significance as a Christian center. Additionally, the ruins of the ancient city, including the Church of St. John, are still preserved and visited by Christian pilgrims.”

The “open door” that Jesus promised remains open today in the Muslim country of Turkey! Many will one day enter heaven because Jesus wrote God’s name and character on them, and now they belong in the “new Jerusalem,” which comes down from God out of heaven. Christians carry the name of Christ now and eternally. 

Jesus will come soon. It may turn out to be the final day on earth or our final day on earth. Either way, Jesus will come for us. When he does, we will face the judgment day without fear because we are saved. For now, we are called to remain steadfast in our faith and look forward with hope to the reward we will receive for our “patient endurance” during this lifetime. 

Until that day, may our lives lead people to that “Open Door” that Philadelphia was promised. How many people will be in heaven forever because they knew you on earth? Our calling is to obey his word and keep his name. That is how we lead people to that “Open Door,” the gospel message, that no one can ever shut!

The power of hope for a new year

I recently read a Vice.com article that quoted a recent CBS news poll saying, “57% of the people polled consider themselves ‘hopeful’ for 2025. That number was up 10% compared to the same poll from 2024.” The Bible often speaks about the power of hope, and I was excited for us to consider that subject in a blog post.

When we all woke up on New Year’s Day to the news of the terrorist attack in New Orleans, I realized the subject of “hope” was even more important to think about. The terrorist attack was not just an attack on American citizens; it was an attack on the country’s sense of optimism.

Why were people more hopeful about 2025?

A Gallup news article dated December 30, 2024, said Americans expected “political conflict, economic difficulty, global discord, and a growing deficit.” Even with those concerns, “66% of U.S. adults expect gains in the stock market, 54% think there will be increasing or full employment, and 52% predict reasonable price growth.”

It’s too soon to know if America’s optimism will fade in the coming weeks and months. Will terrorism continue to threaten our way of life? Will the resulting fears cost us financially and keep some people from investing? Will we feel safer in 2025, or will our fears increase?

Do you share King David’s hope?

King David lived much of his life waiting for the next attack on himself or his kingdom. He was a warrior king, a brilliant strategist, and a person of high achievement, yet he also lived with constant threats. That’s why his words of hope in Psalm 20 are so powerful. King David wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright” (Psalm 20:7–8).

As children of God, our hope is impacted by world events, but our hope should never be a product of the world. I’m happy to live in the United States, and I’m grateful that we have the strength of our “chariots and horses.” At the same time, we, like King David, will probably always live looking over our shoulders as well. Every world power will always be a threat to someone else. 

Many people are placing their hope in a new presidency, but as Christians, we need to put our hope in the King of kings.

Many people are putting hope in jobs, possessions, and financial accounts. Security is found in those things, but Christian hope comes from knowing we won’t always need those things.

Many people are hopeful that our military, FBI, CIA, laws, and leaders will keep us safe in this world. New Year’s Day was a reminder that none of us are completely safe from the things in this world until we are completely safe in heaven.

That’s why the author of Hebrews wrote, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Our greatest hope isn’t in the things we often tend to trust in this world. Those are the things we can “see.” We choose to trust the promises of God’s word because we choose to trust the promise of a greater life after this one. We have been promised life eternal.

Our hope is built on nothing less

Edward Mote composed lyrics to the hymn “Solid Rock” in 1836. He was inspired by the parable of the foolish man who built his house on the sand and the wise man who built his house on the rock. That’s why his chorus says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

The first stanza of the hymn begins with the words, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” This is a perfect time to ask ourselves, “Do we really mean those words when we sing them to God?” When have you trusted only God and not something less?

Most of us can remember when we prayed for someone to be healed, knowing the doctors did not give that person much hope. I celebrated Christmas with my mom this year after I had been told by several people in the medical field that it was unlikely. Sometimes, doctors get it wrong; sometimes, God answers prayers that make things right again in our earthly lives. No doctor will always be right, but God will always make things right for his children. He will either heal them temporarily on earth or eternally in heaven. 

Our hope is built on nothing less.

What can you hope for in 2025?

Your life can abound with hope. Romans 15:13

God has a perfect plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11

Reading the Bible with faith and trust will give you the hope you need. Romans 15:4

Heaven is a reality that gives us hope. 1 Peter 1:3

God will faithfully walk by your side every moment of 2025. Deuteronomy 31:6 

Our hope is unwavering because it is promised by our perfectly powerful God. Hebrews 10:23

Hope can lift you above the hard times. Psalm 42:11

We can hope for God to make all things right if we trust in him. Romans 8:28

We can hope in God’s word because God cannot lie. Titus 1:1–2

The power of hope

Psychology Today published an article in 2023 about the power of hope. The subtitle said, “The secret is focusing on what you can control.” The article had a lot of helpful advice about setting goals, living in the present, hanging around with positive people, and focusing on “self” more often. 

The advice of the experts in the world is often contrary to the advice given in God’s word. Our greatest goals should be God’s goals for our lives. We live in the present, but we should never live without the hope of our eternal future with God. We can hang around positive people, but we should prefer to hang around godly people who encourage us spiritually. We should think of the “self” according to the standard Jesus taught. He said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

We can have great hope for 2025 because we “trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Our hope will be strengthened and encouraged as we study God’s word.

I’m glad to spend 2025 with you. We have a LOT to hope for this year.

A new strategy for ancient truth

My husband and I were walking one morning when our conversation turned into this blog post. He had just returned from speaking to a group of city leaders, all interested in the different directions that our American culture and the city were heading:

  • Who is going to win this election? 
  • What will the consequences be to our nation? 
  • Is unity possible, or will division eventually divide the nation? 
  • Are there ways to bring such different people and different ideals together?

Christians live with standards and values that no government would adopt. Governments are designed to serve the people. When people divide, so does the government. Christians are called to serve God. He defines our highest values and gives us the standards we need to govern our lives. 

I’ve mentioned before an article I read where the author wrote about a future election that is supposed to alter the course of our culture. I can’t link to that article because it was written over a decade ago, and I have exhausted my efforts searching for it. To sum it up, the article said the most important generation of Americans was sitting in the second grade (at the time the article was published). The author said that when that generation reached voting age, it would change the nation.

This election is quite likely that election, which led to Jim and me talking about where we go as a ministry and as teachers/ministers of God’s word.

Ancient truth that is still truth today

Jeremiah 6:16 is a favorite verse that I often quote: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet.” He spoke to the nation of Judah. Some of them remained in the country, and others had already been taken captive by the Assyrians. That verse above was Jeremiah telling his people what God had told Israel, over and over again. God had told them what they would need to do to return to his path of blessing. They were at a crossroads, and they needed to go back to ancient truth, ancient priorities, ancient paths. Those paths were good and the paths that God had told them to walk. Those paths led to the best, most peace-filled life they could have. But the people of God didn’t listen to their prophets. Instead, they heard but then chose not to adjust their lives to walk the ancient paths God had shown them.

Jim and I talked about the need to keep teaching the ancient paths, but possibly with a new strategy. The prophets who wrote to the exiles had a different purpose than the prophets who had written hoping to prevent what was coming.

A new strategy for ancient truth

Jim and I talked about what it’s like to share the gospel to a culture who doesn’t understand that the gospel is “the power of salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Our culture teaches us to value everyone’s choice to believe if they want to believe it. The tension for Christians is knowing that the outcome and consequences of a person’s beliefs will often inspire their idea of truth.

Jim talked about the divisions and stress that exist among our leaders these days. Every one of them seeks to serve people with opposing values. As Jim was talking, I began to picture the division in our country as a raging wildfire. Some people this week would picture it as a raging hurricane! Is the division in our nation more like a fire or a hurricane? The reason that matters is because the strategies to survive are very different.

If the division is a hurricane, we either move out of the way or hunker down and ride out the storm. That strategy describes a lot of Christians these days. Some don’t put their kids in public schools where they will be exposed to teaching or values they disagree with. Others try to influence the schools or fight the decisions they disagree with. Christians are likely to spend time at church or in social groups that share the same values. A lot of Christians are escaping the storm to protect themselves and their families. Others are boarding up their lives hoping to ride out the storm and just clean things up as they are able.

If the division is a wildfire, the strategy is different. We used to own a piece of property that was out in the country. We had the place insured, but we always knew that our greatest threat was a wildfire driven by strong Texas winds. No one stays home hoping to ride out a wildfire. Ranchers know to free their animals to run and then pack up the things they own that are most valuable, and just get out of the way. The fire that is coming can’t be stopped, it has to be planned for.

There are two ways that a raging wildfire can be controlled. God can send the rain or change the direction of the wind, and that’s what we pray for. At the same time, there is a strategy we might need to plan for. If you know the direction the winds are going and you realize there is no rain in the forecast, you can plan where to place a firebreak.

What will end the fire and stop the damage?

The ancient prophets told the people to repent and they would escape the fire, but the people wouldn’t do it. So, the fire arrived, and the ten northern tribes of Israel were taken captive by the Babylonians and never existed again. Judah, the southern tribes, lasted longer, but eventually, they didn’t choose the ancient paths, and many of them were taken captive, too. God’s people were not teaching and living as his word commanded, and the fires came. 

But God planned for and built a firebreak that took eight hundred years to create. God so loved the world he sent his Son (John 3:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ became the firebreak that every wrong way of thinking and all the sinful ways of living could run up against. The gospel truth became the firebreak that removed the lies that fueled the fire. Without the lies, the fire burns itself out.

The people of God can pray for the winds to shift and the rains to come. We should pray without ceasing. God’s miraculous work could be the easiest way to stop the fire. But we should also understand that sometimes God allows the storms to blow and the fires to rage. If that is his will, we must get to work and build a firebreak.

It will take planning and hard work to slowly clear out the ideas, values, and opinions that feed the fire. Some people will think it is odd that we spend our time and efforts working in places that seem far away from the fire. Building a firebreak takes a lot of work, and it is always miles away from where the fire is raging now. When the flames arrive, they will die out without fuel to keep the fire going.

In other words, consequences will likely come. People tend to believe what they want to believe until they have good reasons to know better. As Christians, it’s our job to fight the fires. God will have some on the front lines, fighting the flames, while others will be called to move away or hunker down to ride out the storm. All of us will be called to move to that road of ancient truth and allow it to become the firebreak our culture needs. We need to vote our values, but more importantly, we need to live them each day. The ancient paths of the gospel truth will always be the firebreak the world needs to run up against.

Jeremiah’s words are still our word for today. His question for each of us would be, “Will you walk it?”

Your best help for 2024

It’s a new year! We are getting a lot of emails suggesting they have the corner on the market for shedding those extra holiday pounds. I can sum those emails up in one suggestion: Eat less and exercise more. 

We are getting a lot of advice and ads about simplification, de-stressing, getting organized, and living with more physical and mental energy. I would sum up most of those ideas by saying, “Put down the electronics and give yourself more time for chores and sleep.”

My helpful hint for 2024 is a bit different from a lot of those other articles. I would like to suggest that the best thing we can do for our lives in 2024 is to walk more closely with God led by his Holy Spirit. That one decision will do a lot to improve every other area of our lives.

How can we know we are walking with God’s Spirit?

It’s a common goal each January to make our spiritual lives a higher priority. Inevitably, life challenges that high priority. We can make every effort to walk with God’s Spirit, but we can know with certainty that Satan and his crew will be standing around a corner with an evil plan to trip us up. 

Our inboxes will be filled each day with helpful “advice” from Internet marketing and AI targeting. How do we discern which advice is consistent with God’s plans and which advice sends us in a different direction? 

I had to smile when I heard this from a friend. He was talking to my husband about discerning God’s wisdom when he said, “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting a tomato in your fruit salad.” That’s a good picture for a lesson to remember: Not every word of advice in this world belongs in our lives.

I want to offer you a daily help for discerning God’s wise priorities. I wrote and recorded Wisdom Matters and it is yours, free of charge. You probably won’t get to it every day of the year, but it is available to you each day. I use a verse of wisdom from God’s word to apply it to the various areas of our lives. If you have not signed up for that daily devotional, you can do that today. 

Scripture tells us that God’s word “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, or joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). 

When we fill our lives with God’s word, the Holy Spirit will make God’s word alive in our lives and give us the wisdom and discernment to know what belongs in our fruit salad and what doesn’t.

What did Jesus promise us for 2024?

I was watching Anne Graham Lotz’s Christmas message and knew I would need to include her thoughts in this first blog post of the new year. I love it when I hear a message from God’s word and gain a new, profound truth!

Anne was talking about the verses in Luke, chapter 1, when Mary learned from the angel Gabriel that the “Holy Spirit would come upon her.” She, a virgin, would conceive and bear God’s Son. From those verses, Anne discussed her own salvation and then said something I had never considered before.

She referred to Jesus’ teaching in John 16 when the Lord told his disciples that he was going away. Jesus could tell the disciples were confused and concerned so he gave them a hope-filled promise. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

Anne went on to teach that when she became a Christian she, like Mary, conceived the person of Jesus in her life, through his Holy Spirit. That’s why the Bible teaches us we are “born again” or “made new” in Christ. The Spirit came to indwell us, much like Jesus came to indwell Mary. Jesus told his disciples that it was to their advantage that Jesus would be going away. We are better off walking with the Spirit of Jesus within our lives than those in the first century who walked with Jesus physically.

If you are a Christian, you have received the same Holy Spirit that Jesus promised his disciples. The Spirit of Christ has been conceived within you. We who walk in God’s Spirit, walk with a very great advantage in this world.

Hold Jesus close in 2024

Our best help for the coming new year is already living in our lives. We carry the actual voice of Jesus to offer us wisdom and direction. We walk with Jesus within us, which is more powerful to our lives than those who walked beside him on earth. We are God’s child because we have received his Son in our lives.

Jesus indwells our lives, our thoughts, our hearts. 2024 will be our best year if we choose to trust the power and guidance of God’s indwelling Son. Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

I hope you will allow Wisdom Matters to speak God’s word into your lives each day. I hope gaining a message from God’s wisdom will help you “keep in step with the Spirit.” 

These are changing times, and this year looks to be volatile, divisive, and could be filled with a lot of unknown dangers. God knows what we can’t and would whisper in our ears, “walk with me and follow my direction.”

Your best help for 2024 is already yours because of Jesus. We can look forward to this new year with his joy, his peace, and his promise of hope. This world may throw a few tomatoes our way, but with God’s help we won’t let them alter the fruits of his Holy Spirit.

Happy New Year!

The gift Jesus gave his mom

Jesus didn’t celebrate Christmas, and neither did the early Christians. Jesus wasn’t born in the winter either. There are several theories as to why we celebrate Christmas on December 25, but the most common belief dates the holiday back to the third century.

The Roman Empire marked the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, by celebrating the “rebirth” of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) on December 25. People feasted, exchanged gifts, and celebrated the birthday of a deity called Mithra, a god of light and loyalty.  

The church in Rome began formally celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25 in 336 AD. Rome was ruled by the emperor Constantine, whose mother was a strong Christian. It is believed that Constantine hoped to distract Rome’s citizens from the pagan celebration on that same day. Constantine’s efforts were not widely accepted, and Christmas did not become a major Christian holiday until the ninth century. 

How did Jesus celebrate his birthday? 

There is an easy answer to that question: he didn’t. Jesus was likely born in the spring, but birthdays weren’t remembered or celebrated by the Jewish people. There was one spring, however, when Jesus gave others, including his mom Mary, gifts for his birthday. 

Jesus had been crucified and was near death on the cross when he uttered the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). I’ve often heard that those words mark the moment when Jesus took on the sins of the world, our sins, and as a result experienced separation from his heavenly Father. But, I also like to consider those words as a gift of hope for his mother Mary and encouragement for his best friend John.  

Matthew 27:46 is a direct quote from the first words in the twenty-second psalm, a psalm of David. David’s psalms would have been memorized and sung by the Jewish people of the first century. Jesus would have known this psalm very well. We know Mary and John were at the cross because Jesus instructed John to care for his mother. It is a safe assumption to think that both Mary and John were deeply grieving all they were witnessing. Jesus loved these two people and, even in his own pain, would have felt theirs as well. 

So, Jesus gave his mom and his best friend a gift on the cross. He said, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani,” the first line of a well-known psalm. Jesus knew his beloved mom and friend would know the rest of that favorite psalm of King David. 

The gift Jesus gave

If you have time, read all of Psalm 22 with this perspective. Consider what these words would have meant to the two people who were sitting at the foot of the cross. Jesus knew he was about to die and gave the gift of hope to these two people he cared about. Psalm 22 is a reminder that God delivers his people and can always be trusted, even in the most difficult of times.  

I like to picture Mary reciting that psalm to herself in the days that followed Jesus’ death. What did she feel when she came to the words, “Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God” (Psalm 22:9–10)? Had Jesus thanked Mary from the cross for all she had done to give him life and raise him in the knowledge of God? 

I like to picture John as he remembered the psalm Jesus quoted from the cross. How did John feel when he considered the words at the end of the psalm? David’s psalm begins with the words Jesus cried out to Mary and John, but the final stanza of the psalm says, “All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve him;  it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it” (Psalm 22:29–31). 

The gift Jesus gave his mom from the cross was the gift of hope and the gift of knowing that both of them had fulfilled their highest purpose on earth. Mary gave birth to Israel’s Messiah.  

John had been called to be a follower of Jesus and would ultimately suffer for preaching the gospel. Yet John understood the “rest of the story” could be found in the final words of Psalm 22. “Posterity shall serve him” and “they shall proclaim his righteousness” to all people. 

How would Jesus celebrate Christmas? 

This is a big, busy, important week of the year. In the busyness let’s remember why we celebrate. Jesus celebrated the season of his birth by accepting a cross for the sins of the world. Jesus gave the gifts of love and hope to those at the cross. Jesus gave Mary and John, and maybe himself, the gift of encouragement as well. There is no greater joy for a child of God than to be blessed and rewarded for fulfilling our eternal, kingdom purpose.  

Jesus celebrated the season of his birth by gifting the world with his perfect sacrifice for every sin and the promise of eternal life. We who have received the gift of Christ have received everything Jesus was born to give. 

Merry Christmas! 

I hope you have a blessed and merry Christmas this year, filled with the joy and laughter of those you love. It is fun to give and fun to receive—but let’s remember to honor the One who gave everything so that we can celebrate with the hope of an eternity filled with everlasting joy, peace, and comfort. 

Merry Christmas to all of you, and blessings for the coming year!

Our voices and our choices make a difference

I would like to send out a word of encouragement to all of you. 

If you read this blog post each week, you know I believe in “voting our choices” by choosing how we spend our time and money. Our “voices” matter in this culture, even if we choose not to shout. 

In fact, our voices matter so much more than we realize. 

There is every reason to have hope in the future if we will continue to “vote our message” with our time and our dollars.

Christians should be “proud”

I once wrote a blog post about a high-profile retailer’s choice to allow men to use the dressing room or bathroom of their “choice.” Since that time, there have been multiple reported instances of men being chased out of retail stores by angry parents and customers who saw them illegally and immorally using their cell phones to film young girls trying on clothes, lingerie, and bathing suits. Some women have felt violated by some men who entered the women’s restrooms because they chose to see themselves as women. 

Undeterred by these facts, the retailer announced their “Pride Month” campaign back in June.Subsequently an August CNN article reported their quarterly sales fell for the first time in six years. The article blamed “right-wing backlash.” 

I’m proud to be part of the group of people who choose to shop elsewhere whenever possible. Obviously, our voice counts at the registers, even if it doesn’t count with those writing the store policies. I’m not really sure what constitutes being part of the “right wing” the article mentioned, but biblically I know I want to live “right with God ” and be consistent with his word. 

Do our voices make a difference?

I’ve also been vocal about my disappointment in the obvious changes a major television network has made. A recent CNBC article reported that this channel’s viewership is down 20 percent since 2018. They continue to create movies that celebrate the gay lifestyle. 

I have encouraged my readers to check out the Great American Family channel as a good alternative.  

This network is listed as “TV’s fastest-growing network for the ninth consecutive month after closing out July up 143% in Total Day Household ratings and leading all networks in year-over-year viewership increases. According to Nielsen Media Research, Great American Family also retained its position as TV’s fastest-growing network in 2023 to-date with the largest gains in Total Day Households (+165%) and Total Viewers (+161%); and Primetime Households (+141%) and Total Viewers (+139%).” 

Forgive all the “stats,” but the numbers tell the story. Our voices and our values matter more than we might have realized. 

The way we spend our time and our money is something that goes virtually unreported but not unnoticed. We need to continue to live out our values and our choices, quietly proud to live according to God’s truth rather than a cultural opinion. 

What can we hope for in the future?

Biblically, “hopes” and “wishes” are two different things. There are those companies who have chosen to take their hits and wait out the so-called “right-wing” values, believing those values will die off in a generation. I hope they are wrong, but I wish more young people were speaking up and voting with their dollars.  

Truthfully, our hope is in Christ. He has the power to change a person’s character. God’s word has the power of truth for all who will faithfully believe. The Holy Spirit is at work in the life of every Christian who yields to his leadership. Christians will always have hope for our future, but we can only wish for a better future with our culture. God created people to have free will choices, and we live with the consequences of those who don’t yield their free will to God’s plan and purpose. 

Paul taught us how to wait with hope

Paul wrote to Titus, his friend and brother in Christ, saying, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11–14). 

I pray the church in America will experience widespread renewal and revival. We need to be about the “good works” God has planned for us to accomplish. We never have to wonder if God can “fix things.” We do need to question if we are allowing God to use our lives to do his good work in the world.  

Paul taught that if we want to see God do mighty and great works in our culture then God’s people need to be “zealous for good works.” God’s word teaches us to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.” Paul said we are to “live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” while we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of” Jesus. 

God has given us everything we need to “redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession.”  

When Christians see “bad news” on TV, we need to accept the fact that we haven’t been living the “good news” as clearly as we should. We know God saves. We know people are “born again” in Christ Jesus. We know we are called to be “his disciples” everywhere we go. We know we are called to be salt and light in a world that needs both. 

What is the hope we can hope for?

The writer of the CNN article would probably label me as “right wing,” but, truthfully, my goal is simply to be “right” with God. Paul told the church in Rome how to live with great hope. He said, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).  

Our choices do matter. We can see the statistics now, but one day we will live with the eternal rewards our choices have produced. Jesus wants us to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” as we wait for Jesus, “our blessed hope.”  

So, enjoy a show on the Great American Family channel and shop your values. We can pray for renewal and revival among God’s children as we wait for our “blessed hope, our Savior,” to return. Our voices and our choices are making a difference. 

We should feel proud to live faithfully to the truth of God’s word.

Do you have faith for the future?

I watched the GOP presidential debate last week with hope. After the debate, I realized my hope for our country isn’t based on any certainties. America will always be one election away from better times, worse times, troubling times, or times of peace and satisfaction. 

The older I get, the more I realize that my trust isn’t in my government, it is in my Lord. I will always vote my conscience, and I will always try to vote for the person I think is most able to handle the job. I won’t treat the presidential election like a beauty pageant, voting for the person I think “looks” the best. The most important part of a beauty pageant should be the questions asked and answered, not the dance in the evening gowns that starts the show.  

I will watch all the debates and vote for the person I think has the best answers. But, I live in a country where the majority of people might vote for the person who was funny on a late-night talk show, or who had the best commercials on TV or social media, or who looks like the most popular person at the moment. We shouldn’t jump on a bandwagon until we know where the wagon intends to go. 

How do we have faith for the future if faithful people aren’t deciding the future? 

Stick with me on this one and read this blog post all the way to the end. 

A Forbes magazine article 

I ran across an article in Forbes written in May of 2022. The title caught my eye because it was about key predictions for 2050 (Note: You may need a Forbes subscription to read it.) It was about an interview with a man named Jacques Attali who has written over eighty books and has been involved in several financial and technology companies. He is also seen as someone whose predictions for the future are invaluable to those in business. 

To sum it up, Attali was asked to predict what he saw coming for the United States and the world in the coming decades. 

It wasn’t encouraging. 

Attali predicted the continued decline in America and doubted that the US would remain the world’s dominant superpower. He then said that the decline of this country would be similar to the decline of the Roman Empire. When Rome fell, no “successor” was ready to step in and take its place. He noted that no other nation is able to step into America’s leadership roles. 

Attali also noted that when Rome fell the “Dark Ages” followed because there was a “deceleration of human progress, declining living standards, and a bleak period in the development of art, literature, and culture.” 

Christians should note that the Dark Ages was also the period of time many in the Catholic church called the “Golden Ages.” The church became the leader in education and the preservation of cultural values. Some historians call this the “Age of Faith.” The Protestant Reformation followed in the sixteenth century.  

The thing to remember

I have to admit, I was getting pretty low as I read this article. Attali’s words made perfect sense based on the realities seen in the evening news. Then, I read these statements in the article that gave me pause. 

The article said, “It’s no longer inconceivable that we might one day transcend our mortality by overcoming the effects of aging or replacing parts of our bodies with artificial or mechanical components. But if we are heading towards an eternal life (or at least, greatly increased longevity) where we will live as mindless consumers or slaves to a corporate hierarchy, is there any point?” 

That is the moment in the article when “man’s truth” denied the truth of God’s word. Man will never be immortal or eternal here on earth. The consequences of the first sin took care of that. We should never read an article like this one in Forbes apart from the light of Scripture. Attali is a brilliant man with a lot of knowledge. His predictions have validity based on the realities in our world.  

Christians need to remember this: God is still on his throne. His word is proven truth. Our Creator is always king of his creation. 

More things to remember

Most, if not all of my readers are students of God’s word and people of faith. We know what the Bible says God can do, and we know what the Bible says God will do. We know God and we know world history. 

The knowledge we have is balanced by this biblical wisdom: God is the king of his creation but honors the free will he created in humankind. We know God is able to change the course of history, but we also know that he allows history to be impacted by the choices and consequences of man’s free will. We know we serve a God of miracles who is above the ways of this world and can intervene at any moment. We also know we serve a God who has promised to intervene at some point as the world fails and comes to its end. 

When we read predictions from a man like Attali, we do that remembering to evaluate his words by the truth of God’s word.  

What is the point? 

Referring to Attali’s predictions, the author of the article rhetorically asked, “Is there any point?” 

Attali said, “There is no simple answer to that, but if you want to avoid a life which is absurd, I would suggest it is to say simply and with humility that we don’t know the reason why mankind is here on Earth, we don’t know the reason that a million years ago an entity arose which can ask the question ‘why am I here?’” 

He then said, “The only thing we can do here in the middle of the universe is to have a better mankind and to hope one day to find the answers to these questions.” 

God gave us the answers to those questions. Christians need to make certain others know how to find the answers they need. 

Christians need to view the American culture today like Paul taught the Corinthians to view their Roman culture thousands of years ago. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, an important city in the Roman Empire, saying, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18). 

Do you have faith for the future? 

Christians need to remember to see our culture like Paul taught the Corinthians to view theirs. We don’t lose heart because we don’t lose our faith. Everything on planet Earth is transient. We are called to live our earthly lives with an eternal perspective. 

I will always vote my convictions and place my hope in a president who shares those convictions. I love this country, but my faith is in God. I will serve this country because I feel like America is called to be an example to the world. But I want to be careful not to place my faith or hope in a country instead of in God. This is a democracy and the popular vote, the vote that reflects our citizens’ free will, is going to win.  

The decline of the world is the promise of Scripture. My hope for all of us was Paul’s hope for the church in Rome: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).  

Rome did fall. The church did rise up. Eventually, the world improved. That is the pattern of world history. That pattern won’t change until Jesus returns. Until then, we have the power of God’s Holy Spirit and the hope of an eternity in heaven.  

I don’t know what will happen in America, but I have great faith for the future. The “God of hope” fills me with “all joy and peace in believing.” Let’s choose to walk in his Spirit and we will “abound in hope.” 

 

Who are your forever friends?

Last week, through tears, I looked at a crowd of women who will be friends forever. I may not see them each week, but I will think of them often on Thursday mornings, knowing they are together for Bible study. As I told them, it isn’t hard to go, it’s just hard to leave.

Life is supposed to move forward with new adventures, new friendships, and new directions from God. We have the opportunity to know a lot of people throughout our lives. Some we call friends and others acquaintances. 

For all of us, there are people who will be friends forever. 

Who are your forever friends?

The last lesson I taught was from Revelation 1 and 22. I love the book of Revelation, and it is the only book of the Bible that promises to bless the people who read it and “take [it] to heart” (Revelation 1:3 NIV). In other words, those who read the Revelation and “keep what is written in it” (v. 3 ESV) will have a blessed life now and eternally. 

Revelation 22 redefines our idea of family. All of us have an earthly family that is precious to us, but we won’t define “family” the same way in heaven. Hopefully, all of our earthly family will be there, but realistically we know that isn’t always true.

Chapter 22 provides a picture of what our lives will be like in heaven and redefines family eternally. The Apostle John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos when Jesus came to him and told him to write these things down and to make them known to the churches. The angel provided this picture of heaven that we, the church, are to think about. Consider the words of Revelation 22:1–5, knowing they will be a blessing to you now and eternally: 

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

I pointed out these things to my class last week: 

  • The river of life flows from the “throne” of God and of the Lamb. The triune God, the Holy Trinity, is the source of everything in heaven. There is one throne, one Godhead, One to worship.
  • The tree of life lives and thrives on both sides of the river and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will always be wars and divisions on earth. There will be none in heaven.
  • Nothing is accursed in heaven. God cursed the land after the Fall and now there are plants like thorns and thistles. We live with storms, droughts, floods, and earthquakes. Our planet is not perfect and never will be. Heaven will be perfect because nothing eternal is “accursed.”
  • Everyone in heaven will see the face of God. We will see the One we worship and dwell in his Presence. Every moment will be peace, contentment, health, joy, and love.
  • His “name” will be written on our foreheads. His name, his character, will “mark” every person in heaven. We will be given that “new name” and we will all know we are forever the family of God.

The friends we will have forever are the friends we will call our family in heaven. We will have all of eternity to spend time with them, laugh with them, enjoy their stories, and share eternal joys with one another. Our earthly lives are the way we meet those people now who, someday, we will enjoy in heaven. 

An earthly goal with eternal rewards

Jesus taught us how to live on earth so that our eternal life would be rich with reward. His life was our example to follow. Jesus gave his followers an important commandment. Jesus said: 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:12–15). 

God provided us our example, his own Son, so we can live our lives on earth with eternal goals. We can look at the life of Christ and know the life that God wants for us as well. When we study the words of Christ, we can’t ignore that God’s children are called to lay down their lives for friends too. In fact, we are commanded to live with that goal. 

Each day we share the same earthly goal Christ had when he walked on this earth. Jesus came to help people know God and live eternally in heaven. 

Love one another, as Jesus loved us

What is the best way to be like Christ and fulfill his commands? 

We need to pray to be filled with the love of God so that we have his love for others. “Greater love” has no one until they are filled with the love of God. 

We know what Jesus would do, and those thoughts provide his perspective for the people around us. Jesus didn’t call us “servants;” he called us friends. Jesus said, “I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father.” 

We know our goal in this life is to help people become our forever friends. Those people will not just be our friends in heaven; they will also be our family. 

Whom do you love here on earth that needs to become your forever friend in heaven? 

We have a higher goal than simply enjoying people’s friendships on earth. If we truly love them, we will want them to belong to our family, forever. 

Take a moment and pray by name for those friends who still need salvation in Christ. Jesus will “make known” to you your next steps. He wants those people to be your forever friends too.

The day “Hosanna” changed

It’s Easter week. 

Jesus rode victoriously into Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13). 

Days later, Jesus was led out of Jerusalem, in agony, to the sneers and jeers of people who didn’t know they were slandering God’s holy Son. 

How could so much change in just a week’s time?

I saw a recent survey on our local ABC news. It’s expected that only 28 percent of our nation will attend church this Easter Sunday. 

A lot has changed about Easter week in my lifetime as well. 

AT FIRST, DISILLUSIONED 

The people were thrilled to see Jesus arrive in Jerusalem. The crowds incited shouts of joyful praise. They waved palm branches as they hailed their King. But, when he was arrested, they fled, disappointed and disillusioned. They misunderstood God’s plan. 

There are a lot of people in our country who will have a difficult time shouting praises to God this Easter. They have lost someone they loved. They have been hurt financially. They are disappointed in the politics of the day. And, the evening news reminds them that those who attend church on Easter are a minority. 

All of us have been disillusioned with God at some point. We thought he promised one thing, but he gave us something else. We are like the Easter crowds in Jerusalem. Sometimes we misunderstand God’s plan. 

But those who are disillusioned by a tough year should remember that Easter provided God’s eternal plan. We can still misunderstand his higher purpose. 

THEN, DISAPPOINTED 

The people thought Jesus would become a king. He was supposed to run Rome out of Israel and establish Jewish leaders on their throne. When Rome captured Jesus, the disappointment set in.  

It’s remarkable because they had seen his miracles. They had listened to Jesus preach. They had seen that he was no ordinary man. What they didn’t understand was that they wanted the ordinary but got extraordinary instead.  

The people wanted a king for their daily lives. God gave them a King for their eternal lives. 

It’s easy to be disappointed in God when we want him to fix things on earth. God’s plan has never made what is temporary more important than what is eternal. 

NEXT, HOPEFULLY CONFUSED 

When they hung Jesus on the cross, the believers were devasted. When they heard the tomb was empty, they were hopefully confused. 

Jesus had told them what would happen, and it did. He was raised to life again. The final sacrifice had been made for the sake of every soul that had ever lived or ever would live. They had shouted “Hosanna” and now they were blessed by the One who had come in the name of the Lord. The One who had blessed them was a King. But, Jesus was a King like no other. 

Jesus didn’t die so that people could have mansions on earth. He died so people could have mansions in heaven. His promises were filled with eternal hope and eternal priorities. 

Yet, many people have been hopefully confused about how it can all be true. Many of the people around you hope the Easter story is true but are confused about why it is true. They lack the faith to believe.  

It’s remarkable because there are still miracles. We have a Bible filled with the preaching of Jesus. We know he was no ordinary man. Is it possible people still want Jesus to be a king on earth? His throne has always been, and always will be, in heaven. 

Jesus didn’t come to make earth his home; he came to make heaven our hope. 

FINALLY, THE ANSWER BECAME CLEAR 

The tomb was empty because Jesus didn’t plan to make this earth his home. Jesus made his followers his temporary dwelling on earth. 

The disciples had gathered on the Mount of Ascension. They asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).  

Even after the resurrection, the people still wanted Jesus to come back and be an earthly king.  

Jesus answered them with a clear message. He didn’t give his life for the sake of life on earth. Jesus answered his disciples with their new priority. Jesus said, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7–8). 

Jesus spoke to anyone who would be a disciple and told them he would transform their lives to be a witness to the world. The answer became clear. Jesus told his followers that their priorities and abilities would be changed by the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

And, for those who were filled by God’s Holy Spirit, that transformation occurred. The disciples had new goals, new priorities, and a new power indwelling their lives.  

HOSANNA WAS REDEFINED 

Scripture says that, after Jesus had issued their calling, “he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Jesus, on the Mount of Ascension, redefined “Hosanna”: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  

Jesus enters every city on earth today as a King through the life of every person who allows him to be King of their life. Hosanna. Blessed are the people who live life on earth, in the name of the Lord—because they will allow Jesus to bless others through their witness.  

We stand on the Mount of Ascension with every disciple, from every century. We, like them, still wish Jesus to occasionally be an earthly king and fix things in this world. But, his final answer to his disciples will always be our calling. 

Jesus told us to be witnesses through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Every other priority is something less important.   

Only 28 percent of our population plan to attend church on Easter Sunday. How will you shout “Hosanna” to the world this week? 

We are called to be a witness to the true priorities of Easter week. Blessed are those who share in the name of the Lord.  I hope you and your families have a blessed and holy week!