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In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Isaiah 26:1-4

Isaiah's ministry occurred in a time when the kingdom of Judah was facing grave threats. It was during the reign of Hezekiah that the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians had their sights set on Jerusalem next. In fact the Assyrian king Sennacherib planned to destroy Judah, but God intervened and miraculously delivered the people. “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (2 Kings 19:35).

Yet despite all the threats facing God's chosen people, Isaiah encouraged them to trust in God and live in peace. The world's idea is that we can have peace when we are in good health, when there is plenty of money in the bank, when our jobs are secure, and when there are no threats on the horizon. Because we live in a fallen world, we are not likely to experience this kind of prosperity in every area of life for long, if we ever experience it at all.

God's love and care and provision for us are not a guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong. They are a guarantee that if we are willing to trust His plan over our own ideas, we can live in peace no matter what is going on around us. The Lord strengthens and empowers those who choose to turn to Him for help rather than allowing worry to fill their minds, and He gives peace that cannot be explained. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2 Thessalonians 2:8-11

In 2022, the 11,000 square foot Paradox Museum Miami opened its doors. The museum features dozens of optical illusions that visitors can walk through and see how forced perspective and the use of light can change the way we see things so that we believe what appears rather than what is real. The executive director of the museum, Samantha Impellizeri, said, “It ebbs and flows between periods of highly tactile and interactive exhibit pieces and fully immersive photo opportunities where you yourself become the paradox and walk away with some really fun and unique social media content.” The concept has proven so popular that there are now nearly a dozen Paradox Museums around the world.

The devil has been using deception and delusion effectively for thousands of years. And while lost people have no means of identifying and resisting his lies, we have the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to give us the tools to see and recognize the difference between truth and error. It is vital that we do that so that we do not yield to temptation. We need to know how Satan works so that we can overcome him. “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Rather than believing anything we see or hear, we need to cultivate discernment and weigh what is presented to us. The best way to detect a lie is to know the truth so well that it is quickly apparent. The way to know the truth is to fill our minds with the Bible.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16
 

In October 1963, just a month before President Kennedy was assassinated, Look magazine published one of the most famous photos of his brief time in office. The picture by Alan Stanley Tretick shows Kennedy at work at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. The desk was a present Queen Victoria sent during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes. It is made from timbers from the HMS Resolute, which an American ship had rescued from Arctic ice and returned to England. In an opening underneath the desk the president's son John F. Kennedy, Jr., almost three years old, was playing. There in the office where powerful and well-connected people waited for weeks or even months to see the president, this little boy walked right in and made himself at home—not because of anything he had done, but because of who his father was.

When we come to God, it is not because we are worthy or deserving, but because we are His children. He graciously places us in His family and graciously invites us into His presence to seek His help for the trials and challenges we face. The devil tells us that we are not worthy to come into God's presence, and in our own strength he is right. But we come to not on our own merit, but on that of Jesus Christ. “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9). That is why we come before Him with confidence.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 5:8-11
 

After being wounded three times during the Civil War, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. became one of America's leading legal scholars and most respected judges. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1902 by President Theodore Roosevelt, and served on the bench for thirty years until he reached the age of ninety—still a record for Supreme Court Justices. Even now, nearly one hundred years later, he remains one of the most-often quoted and cited American jurists. With his brilliant mind, many other career paths had been open to him. At one point Holmes acknowledged one of those paths not taken when he said, “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers.”

As Christians we have many reasons to rejoice, no matter what is happening around us. None of those reasons is greater or more important than the salvation we received through the grace of Jesus Christ. He is an unfailing and unchanging source of joy. “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). Being a Christian does not mean that nothing will ever go wrong. However, it does mean that we will never be abandoned or forsaken. The salvation that Jesus purchased for us never goes away. It does not fade or lose value over time. It is certain and eternal, and having received His free gift means that we always have a reason to rejoice.

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 

Acts 16:22-25
 

It would be nice if doing what was right and obeying God meant that people would always like us and respond kindly. However, since we live in a world marred by sin, that is often not the case. While it is possible for us to bring opposition by the way we talk and act toward others, more often it is the truth we are speaking that sparks the response we receive. The question is not whether there will be hardship and difficulty, but how we will respond when it comes.

The only “crime” Paul and Silas committed in Philippi was freeing a slave girl from demon possession. Yet they were arrested, beaten, and put into the most secure part of the prison. They could have been angry at God for allowing that to happen. Instead, they trusted Him, praising Him in the midst of their pain and suffering. They did not allow their circumstances to dictate their praise. They recognized that God is just as good and faithful when things are going badly as He is when they are going well. And He is always worthy of our praise.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Doth not all nature around me praise God? If I were silent, I should be an exception to the universe. Doth not the thunder praise Him as it rolls like drums in the march of the God of armies? Do not the mountains praise Him when the woods upon their summits wave in adoration? Doth not the lightning write His name in letters of fire? Hath not the whole earth a voice? And shall I, can I, silent be?”

And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

2 Chronicles 20:10-12

When the kingdom of Judah was attacked by a coalition of their enemies, it quickly became apparent that they were so badly outnumbered there was no chance of victory—at least humanly speaking. Jehoshapht felt like he only had one option, and so he turned to God in prayer. He made no secret of the fact that he had no solution, and that unless God provided one there was no hope. Yet he also expressed his belief that if God intervened, there was still a way for the battle to be won. Someone said, “Prayer is evidence that we are trusting in God rather than relying on our own strength.”

In response to Jehoshaphat's faith, God answered, telling the besieged king that deliverance was on the way, and that no effort on his part would be required to win the victory. “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). That is not always the way God chooses to work, but when His children cry out to Him for help, He always hears. Whether God works a miracle, changes the heart and mind of others, or gives us strength for the challenge, He provides what He knows is best for our good and His glory. Our task is not to choose how God works, but to trust His plan.

And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

Joshua 14:10-11

The story goes that late in his life the evangelist George Whitefield was sharing some of the burdens of his work, and he expressed his desire to leave earth behind and go to Heaven. Though many of those present agreed with the sentiment, one elderly man strongly disagreed. Whitefield asked, “Well, Brother Tennant, you are the oldest among us; do you not rejoice to think that your time is so near at hand when you will be called Home?” The old man's answer left no doubt about his view. “I have nothing to do with death. My business is to live as long as I can, and as well as I can, and serve my Savior as faithfully as I can, until He thinks it's time to call me Home.”

The society around us has an intense focus on kicking back and taking it easy in the latter part of life. But if God did not have things for us to do, there would be no reason for us not to already be in Heaven. Work may change as we age, but as long as we live in the world, we should be committed to doing all that we can for God. It took forty-five years for Caleb to come back to the land God had promised to him and his family, and though he was old, he still had a vision to accomplish something great for God. Each day God gives strength for the work to those who turn to Him for help, and He honors and rewards those who are faithful throughout their lives.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

1 John 2:3-6

I read about a recently licensed pilot who was making one of his first solo flights. The skies were clear when he left the airport, but after a while the weather began to change. As the clouds rolled in, the pilot began to worry because he had very little experience with flying and landing by instruments. He radioed the control tower for help, and the air traffic controller could tell he was on the brink of panic, flying when he could not see. So he told the pilot, “You just obey instructions, we’ll take care of the obstructions.”

The Lord has given us instructions and directions in His Word to enable us to safely navigate the storms of life, even if we cannot fully see the path ahead. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). As long as we follow what God has told us to do, we will not go astray. The problem comes when we think that we know better, trusting our own judgment rather than obeying what God has said. That reveals a serious lack of commitment on our part.

Obedience is not just a duty—it is the evidence of a heart that truly knows and loves Christ. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Just as a pilot must trust his instruments when he cannot see, we must trust God's Word to guide us, even when life’s path seems uncertain. Faithful obedience keeps us on course, guarding us from the dangers of relying on our own understanding. The more we follow His commands, the more we experience His presence and direction. And as we walk in obedience, our love for Him grows deeper.

And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

Numbers 14:17-19
 

In Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, Portia goes to court disguised as a lawyer to save the life of her husband's friend from Shylock's demand for a pound of flesh cut from his chest to satisfy an unpaid loan. She pleads for the money lender to give up his quest for revenge in Act IV, Scene 1.

The quality of mercy is not strain’d,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
’Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.

The mercy that we show to others is based on the mercy that God first shows to us. The forgiveness that we receive from Him is not given because we deserve it. When Moses prayed for God to not destroy the Israelites after their refusal to enter the Promised Land, he appealed to His mercy rather than justice. That is what we need from God for ourselves, and that is what others need from us as well. We do not have to insist on getting even or getting revenge. We can extend mercy even to those who have harmed or disappointed us.

And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

Genesis 7:1-4

When God warned Noah of the flood He was going to send to destroy the sinful world, Noah immediately responded to begin building the ark. Even though what God told him—that rain would descend and that it would flood the world—was something that had never happened before, Noah was much more concerned with what God said than with what others thought. He was ridiculed and critiqued, but that did not deter him from getting ready for the flood. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).

Much of the world around us is hostile to God and what He has told us to do. They reject His power and authority, and they mock or attack those who are committed to walking in His way. The only proper response is to go right on doing what God said. We should never allow threats or opposition or even persecution to keep us from doing what is right. We need to be far more concerned with pleasing God instead of falling into the trap of trying to please people. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

Exodus 32:7-9
 

In October 2008, forty-three cars made the field for the NASCAR Dollar General 300 race at Charlotte, North Carolina. The highly competitive qualification process left several drivers on the outside looking in, unable to post a time fast enough to be included in the field. Among the forty-three drivers who qualified was Johnny Chapman. But unlike others in the race, he had no intention of reaching the finish line. After just eight laps, Chapman pulled his car into the pits and quit the race. The “start-and-park” strategy ensured that Chapman would receive a check for the race that exceeded his expenses. By avoiding having to purchase at least six sets of tires and the wear and tear on his engine that covering 300 miles at high speed would have produced, Chapman came out ahead financially by quitting just a few minutes after the race had started.

When we are saved and set out to follow God, there are many reasons placed before us to tempt us to quit. It is part of human nature to look for short cuts and easy ways to do things. But if we are to fulfill God's purpose and calling on our lives, we have to be committed to love Him above all else and follow Him no matter what. When Moses was on Mt. Sinai, the Israelites demanded that Aaron make an idol for them to worship. Despite the fact that God had just miraculously delivered them from bondage in Egypt, they quickly turned away from Him to follow something else instead. Their impatience and lack of commitment led them to abandon the God who had rescued them, trading His truth for a worthless substitute. 

If we are not steadfast in our devotion to God, we too can be tempted to stray from His path. Instead of looking for shortcuts or easier routes, may we remain faithful, trusting that God's way is always best.

And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:38-40

In the 1930s, planning began for a bridge across the Tacoma Narrows in Washington state. Both the Army and Navy had facilities on the coast, and they were among the strongest proponents of replacing the ferry system with a bridge. The approved design was deemed too expensive to build during the Great Depression, so a new system for supporting a suspension bridge was adopted. Rather than the 25-foot trusses in the original plan, the new design called for 8-foot girders instead.

This alternate plan greatly reduced the cost of construction and work began. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge officially opened to the public on July 1, 1940, but it quickly became apparent that the wind was having a much more pronounced effect on the bridge than expected. The twisting of the bridge soon earned it the nickname “Galloping Gertie.” But any humor disappeared four months later when the bridge completely collapsed in a forty mile per hour wind.

While not everything new is bad and not everything old is good, we should be cautious about replacing things that are tested and proven. The world is quick to point out and praise new methods and ideas, but truth never changes. The doctrines and promises of the Bible that we have seen proven should not be abandoned in search of a quick or easy solution. Standing firm for the truth protects us from error.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:1-4
 

In August of 2023, the Delbridge Museum of Natural History at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was forced to close. More than 150 taxidermy animals from around the world, originally collected by local businessman Henry Brockhouse, had been displayed for nearly four decades. Some of them were eighty or more years old, and that is where the problem started. Because the techniques used to preserve animals in the past were not up to modern standards of safety, tests showed that many of the animals had dangerous levels of arsenic. Since the museum did not have an adequate safety system in place, the animals were removed from public display. Eventually they were sent to other museums around the country which had the ability and resources to display them behind glass. That way they could still be seen without endangering the health of visitors.

A museum that cannot display exhibits has little reason to exist. A Christian who is not displaying the power of God in his life is not showing the world the truth—and missing the most effective way of doing so. The truth that we have received is not meant to be kept for ourselves, but to be shared with others. The plan of God is for His children to be the evidence of His love and power to a lost and dying world. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 7:24-27

In 1866 Charles Spurgeon published Our Own Hymnal, a collection of more than one thousand songs he had personally selected for use at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. One of the most popular of those hymns was a song written by Charitie Bancroft, an Irish pastor's daughter that reflected on the continuing intercession of Jesus for His children.
 

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

The work of Jesus for our salvation was completely finished by His death and resurrection. But His work for our sanctification is ongoing. He does not save us and then leave us to our own devices. He is actively involved in our lives, speaking out on our behalf before His Father. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). The prayers that we offer are always limited by our inability to see everything that is going on. We pray as best we can, in submission to the will of God. But the prayers that Jesus offers for us are perfect, not only because of His complete knowledge, but because of His intimate relationship with the Father.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.

James 1:13-16
 

When Kim Doggett came home on the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, she found something unexpected. The Costco chocolate mousse cake that she had left on her porch was almost completely gone. Brown paw prints led her to an opossum curled up on her porch couch. “I always have a house full, and we cook a lot. When you run out of room in the fridge you just set it on the table outside in the winter,” Doggett said in an interview. Opossums are omnivores, eating almost anything, but chocolate is not healthy for them. The opossum, nicknamed the “Cake Bandit” was taken to Nebraska Wildlife Rehab. “Sometimes a sweet tooth just can’t wait until Valentine’s Day. With some time in rehab (and a diet reset), this chocoholic should be stabilized enough to return to the wild but until then, she is definitely a little cranky about our strict 'zero chocolate' policy,” Nebraska Wildlife Rehab posted on their Facebook page.

The devil often places things in front of us that look appealing. He tells us that we can indulge without any consequences. But God's laws are unchanging. What looks good and seems enjoyable will inevitably lead to damage and ruin. There are no little sins. While some sins have more severe consequences than others, every sin is deadly. Inflation has no impact on the wages of sin. They remain what they have been from the beginning—death. “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). No matter how delicious sin looks, we must resist the urge to yield to temptation.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mark 8:34-37

Our world places great emphasis on leadership. I read recently that there are more than 57,000 books for sale on Amazon that have “leadership” in the title. Every year companies spend billions of dollars training managers and executives. Indeed, good leadership is  important. I have benefited greatly in my life and ministry from godly leaders who set an example and gave wise counsel and advice. In any area in which God has given us responsibility, we should strive to be effective in leading others to love and serve Him more.

But the first step to being a good leader is not talent or education or programs. The first step is to be a good follower of Jesus. Peter highlighted this truth in his instruction for leaders in the church, reminding them who is ultimately in charge. “Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 5:3-4).

Jesus' call to discipleship is not a call to personal ambition or self-promotion, but to surrender. True leadership in God's economy is not about gaining influence or authority, but about laying down our own will to follow Christ. To deny ourselves means to set aside our personal desires and ambitions, submitting instead to God’s plan. To take up our cross is to embrace the cost of discipleship, being willing to suffer for His sake. And to follow Him means to walk daily in obedience, trusting that His way is best. 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

John 15:1-4
 

California has some of the richest and most productive agricultural land in the world. The Central Valley, in particular, is filled with fields of vegetables and orchards of fruit and nut trees. This fertile land produces over 250 different crops and accounts for about 25 percent of the nation’s food supply. Despite the richness of this soil, crops still require irrigation and cultivation. No farmer can plant and then be done until harvest. A tree left unattended will yield little fruit. Fruitfulness requires continual attention. Plants and trees must be watered, fertilized, and pruned regularly to keep them producing.

The same is true in the Christian life. God’s pruning in our lives is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that continues throughout our lives. Pruning is not passive; we must not sit back and expect God to remove everything for us. God calls us to actively remove anything that hinders our fruitfulness for Him. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” (Colossians 3:5). Holding onto sin and distractions limits what we can accomplish for God. The old Puritan John Owen wrote, “Putting to death the deeds of the body is the work of Christians, for true believers in Christ only...Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.”

Though pruning may be painful, it is always purposeful—God is shaping us to bear more fruit for His glory, and as we yield to Him, we will experience the joy and abundance that come from abiding in Christ.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

John 12:24-26

Jesus does not call His children to live for themselves, but to be willing to give up everything for the sake of following Him. There is no harvest if the seeds stay inert in a package or on a shelf. There is only a harvest when the seeds are planted in the ground. 

The death of the seed is the start of the life of the plant, which is far more productive than a single seed. Those who are willing to invest their lives in serving the cause of Christ and following His example will receive the reward for faithful service. If there is anything we are not willing to do or to give up for the cause of Christ, our commitment to Him is not what it should be.

The Christian life requires us to be sown into the work. What God requires differs for each one of us, but we must be willing to pay the price. Vance Havner said, “We may never be martyrs, but we can die to self, to sin, to the world, to our plans and ambitions. That is the significance of baptism; we died with Christ and rose to new life.” The people who live for the things of this world may accomplish a great deal and receive praise and plaudits from others. But the things of this world hold no eternal value. We cannot live like Jesus and live for the temporal things. Every part of His life ministry was focused on the eternal. Only if we value that most will be willing to make the sacrifices required to follow in Jesus' steps.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

Romans 6:11-13
 

Along with most of the Scottish nobility, Robert the Bruce was forced to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England as a young man. He even served for a time in the king's household and marched into battle with the English army. Yet in 1306, he claimed the Scottish crown, took up the cause of Scottish independence, and went to war against England. Despite a number of defeats and setbacks, he persevered, continuing the fight for independence in battles large and small for more than twenty years. Finally, after a series of Scottish victories, in 1328 England agreed to a treaty recognizing Scotland as a free country, and Bruce had achieved his goal.

All of us started out life as servants of sin and Satan. We were born with a sin nature, and we choose to sin when we are presented with the choice. Until we are saved, we are not able to overcome the pull of our nature and the temptations of the world. Once we are saved everything changes. Not only are we now in the family and army of God, but we have the ability to choose to serve Him rather than continuing to serve sin. It is a tragedy when God's children yield to sin instead, and continue to fight in the wrong army. He has equipped us for victory, but that victory requires our active participation as we turn away from sin and serve righteousness instead. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2). As those who have been made alive in Christ, we are called to live in victory, fully yielded to God and His righteousness.

Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.

Psalm 40:11-13
 

David knew a lot about hard times in life. He grew up as the youngest of eight brothers and they gave him the dirtiest jobs no one else wanted. His father thought so little of him that he didn't bring David to meet the prophet Samuel when he was told that one of his sons would be king of Israel. He was mocked by Goliath for being so young. He was hunted by Saul who wanted to kill the man God had chosen to replace him. He fought battle after battle against enemy armies, many times being outnumbered. His own son led a rebellion against him that almost cost him his life. We do not know exactly at what point in his life that David wrote Psalm 40, but we do know he was speaking from experience when he talked about feeling burdened and hopeless.

It is easy to look at the news headlines and feel like the world is falling apart. There are plenty of troubles and dangers in the path ahead. There is uncertainty and fear in so many areas of life. Yet as children of God we are never alone in those moments. No matter how difficult our circumstances may seem, there is always hope, because God is always there. When we are feeling hopeless, God hears our cries and works to deliver us. “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:1-2).

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Galatians 5:14-18

Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, was long targeted by climbers seeking to be the first to reach its summit. In 1953, a British expedition led by Colonel John Hunt set out from Kathmandu, Nepal, to make the attempt. After weeks of travel and preparation—allowing time for climbers to acclimate to the thin air at high altitude and establish camps along the route—the first summit team, Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans, set out. They reached just 300 feet below the peak but were forced to turn back due to oxygen system failure.

On May 29, 1953, the second team—New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay of Nepal—set out from Camp IX. After a grueling final ascent, they became the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Everest. Tenzing’s experience, having climbed higher than anyone before during a Swiss expedition in 1952, was invaluable. Their success was celebrated worldwide, and as a result, the word “Sherpa” became widely recognized in English—not only as a reference to the skilled Nepalese climbers who assist expeditions in the Himalayas, but as a synonym for a guide or mentor. 

The path that we take through life is determined by who leads us. If we are following the leadership of our old nature, our steps will not be toward God and His glory. If we are following the Holy Spirit Who lives within us, we will not be perfect, but we will be moving forward in holiness and sanctification. If we are God's children, we have His Holy Spirit. The question is whether we are listening to Him and walking under His control. That is a choice that we must make every day.

Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Philippians 4:15-18

Though he eventually became the most famous preacher of his generation, speaking to crowds of thousands each week, Charles Spurgeon's ministry started out in obscurity. He taught Sunday school classes as a teenager and preached in small country churches. Spurgeon later wrote, “I am perfectly sure, that, if I had not been willing to preach to those small gatherings of people in obscure country places, I should never have had the privilege of preaching to thousands of men and women in large buildings all over the land. Remember our Lord's rule, ‘whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’”

Many times God does not work on the timeline we want or expect. Often we have to demonstrate faithfulness on a consistent basis, perhaps for an extended period of time, before we see the results. When Paul wrote to thank the church at Philippi for their support, he noted that they had given to further his ministry not just once, but again and again. The temptation to give up because things are not happening as quickly as we think they should must be rejected. 

The day is coming when we will stand before the Lord and give an account for the whole of our lives of service for Him. If we are faithful to keep on going no matter what, we will receive His reward. “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

James 4:6-9

Joseph Lister displayed an interest in science from an early age. He delighted in using his father's microscope to examine animals and plants. When he was sixteen, Lister left home and moved to London to attend medical school. In 1851 after graduation, Lister began working as a surgeon. He soon noticed how infections spread among patients. At the time, prevailing medical opinion followed the “misasmas theory” that bad air carried diseases. Lister began working on a different approach based on the discoveries of Louis Pasteur. He discovered that by treating the wounds and surgical sites with carbolic acid, the rate of infection was greatly reduced. In 1867 his article “Illustrations of the Antiseptic System of Treatment in Surgery” in the British medical journal The Lancet, laid the foundation for the widespread use of antiseptics in both medical and home environments.

The need for cleansing is a constant and ongoing part of the Christian life. The penalty for our sins is covered by the blood of Jesus once and for all when we receive Him as Savior. However, our relationship with Him requires that we deal with sins—both inward and outward sins—by confessing and forsaking them. Only then can the “infection” be prevented from spreading. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If we want to come close to God and have an unhindered relationship with Him, we must deal with the sin in our lives. Otherwise, a barrier will prevent the fellowship with Him that we need.

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. 

Exodus 13:17-18
 

In his book Promise Them Anything; The Inside Story of the Madison Avenue Power Struggle, Edward Buxton related an eye-opening story about Robert Wood Johnson II. The chairman of Johnson & Johnson believed firmly in keeping a close eye on what was going on in his company. He would personally visit plants all over the country, and his inspections were greatly feared, for he had no tolerance for those who were not doing everything by the book. At one particular time, a plant manager received a tip that Johnson was on his way. He quickly ordered things to be fixed up. There were large rolls of paper that had no room in storage, so he ordered them taken up to the roof of the building. Johnson was furious when he walked into the meeting. “What is all that junk on the roof?” he demanded. They did not expect that Johnson would arrive for the inspection in his helicopter. 

While this is much to commend in working quickly and efficiently, the desire to find shortcuts has led many people astray. The path that God has for us to walk is often not direct. There are lessons that He wants to teach us along the way. There are things He knows we are not yet prepared to face. If we insist on running ahead of Him, seeking an easier path forward, we are likely to get ourselves in trouble. In seeking our own shortcuts around trouble, we miss the opportunities for growing and strengthening our faith that would have come if we had simply continued in the path God set before us regardless of difficulties or obstacles.

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:21-24
 

Ernest Blandy faced a choice in 1890. The English preacher had moved to America as an officer in the Salvation Army. On one hand there was an established church looking for a pastor. On the other hand, there was a slum in New York City known as Hell's Kitchen. Either one was a valuable work, but one required a greater sacrifice. Blandy chose to go the poor and make the sacrifice. Sometime later he penned the hymn “Where He Leads Me I Will Follow.”

I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.

Where He leads me, I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow;
I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.

The path that God has for us to walk in this world is not guaranteed to be easy. The path that led Jesus to the cross was not an easy one either, and we should not expect that following Him will always be pleasant and painless. What we do know is that it is always right. Jesus made no secret of the high cost of discipleship. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). The cost is high, but it is worth paying.

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21

On January 31, 2025, Aleefa Sumpter paid the $400 she owed for the fine and court costs for probation violations stemming from a drug charge in Coweta County, Georgia. Unfortunately for her, the owner of the debit card she used to pay the court (using information she had stolen from a fast food drive through where she worked) quickly recognized the unauthorized charge and notified authorities. Facing new felony charges of identity theft and financial transaction card fraud, Sumpter briefly fled the state before turning herself in. Her efforts to pay her debt not only failed but landed her in worse trouble than she had been in before.

Every one of us owes a debt for our sin which we cannot pay. While we may try to convince ourselves that others are worse or that we are not really that bad, in God's eyes we stand condemned. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). And there is nothing we can take from others to make up the difference. Each person owes the price for his or her own sins and cannot help us. Yet, in His great love and mercy, Jesus freely provides the payment and clears our account. All of our sins are placed on Him, and His perfect righteousness is credited to us. When we place our faith in Him, everything is settled forever. He will not allow what we have done in the past to ever force us to pay again the debt He already settled.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

P. P. Bliss was a gifted hymn writer and musician who dedicated his life to serving God through song. In the eleven years before his tragic death in a train wreck at the age of thirty-eight (while traveling to a D. L. Moody revival campaign), he wrote dozens of hymns and gospel songs. Though he had little formal education, he honed his musical talents and put them to work for God. His song, “Once for All,” reflects a deep understanding of the way faith in Jesus sets us free.

Free from the law, oh, happy condition!
Jesus has bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace has redeemed us once for all.

Once for all, oh, sinner receive it;
Once for all, oh, child, believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall;
Christ has redeemed us, once for all.

Children of God! oh, glorious calling!
Surely his grace will keep us from falling,
Passing from death to life at his call;
Blessed salvation, once for all.

Being free from the law of sin and death does not mean that we are free to do whatever we like. Instead, our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ gives us the freedom to live in a way that honors and pleases Him. The power of sin is greater than we can overcome in our own strength—but we do not have to fight our battles in our own strength. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11
 

A shocking 2019 Barna Research study revealed that 44 percent of Americans who claimed to be Christians did not think regular church attendance was an essential part of their faith. When the COVID outbreak happened the following year and many churches had to stop meeting in person, the opportunity to once again demonstrate the importance of fellowship with the people of God made it clear that we do, in fact, need to be regularly meeting together. The church is a place of both fellowship and instruction. If we are not present, we miss out on both. A person who does not think church is important is missing a powerful and effective tool for spiritual growth.

The desires that we have should reflect our nature as Christians. If we do not want to hear and learn and share the Word of God with others, something is wrong. This should be our goal as believers. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3). God calls us to be encouraging and edifying each other. Though that is not confined to the walls of the church, church is one of the best places for it to happen. And it is important to remember that God designed for us to be givers of help and hope, not just receivers. There are times when everyone needs a kind word, a hug, a prayer or a reminder of hope. However, if we are not meeting on a regular basis, we miss the opportunity to receive it from others and give it to others.

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

John 10:26-30

Evangelist Bill Rice grew up on a cattle ranch in Texas, so he knew all about cows and how the herds move. When he visited the Holy Land, he saw two shepherds with large flocks of sheep headed toward each other. Apparently, they were acquainted, and they stopped to talk to each other while their sheep began to mingle. Telling the story, Bill Rice said, “I thought 'good night they are never going to get those sheep separated.' But when they finished speaking and headed away from each other, they began calling, and the sheep sorted themselves out and followed the right shepherd.” The sheep knew and recognized the voice of their shepherd.

The world is filled with many voices that call us in various directions. But there is only one Voice that is perfect and always worth following. Sometimes people lead us astray without intending to do so. Other times we fail to recognize the path we are on until long after we have started going the wrong way. If we listen to the voice of God, through His Word and His Holy Spirit living in us, we will always be on the right path. 

Often we have to listen intently to hear God over the noise of the world around us, as Elijah found out. “And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). The more committed we are to listening for God's voice, the more likely we are to hear it.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:29-32

Prayer is meant to be a normal and natural part of the Christian life. We do not just pray when things go wrong, but as an ongoing conversation with our loving Father in Heaven. And when we pray, we should expect God to answer. Though He does not always work in the way we expect or would prefer, He always responds when we pray. Even when what we ask for is not part of His plan, He still provides grace. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

John Rice wrote, “When I turn faucets in bathroom or kitchen, I expect water to pour forth every time. If I turned the tap and water did not come, I would be surprised. Also I would know that something radically was wrong and I would immediately set out to find out why the water did not run. Just so, every Christian ought to be in daily communion with God and ought to live the joyful life of answered prayer. And when anything hinders his prayers the Christian ought immediately to be able to find out what is wrong and get it remedied.”

When our prayers are not hindered by something in our lives that is displeasing to God, we can see some truly great and remarkable things. A Christian who is not praying regularly or whose prayers are hindered will not see all that God could do in and through his life.

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:13-15
 

After having been America's top pilot in World War I and surviving for weeks on a raft after crashing in the Pacific during World War II, Eddie Rickenbacker became the president of Eastern Airlines. When the company was considering a large purchase of passengers jets, the choice came down to Boeing or Douglas. After meeting the representatives from Boeing, Rickenbacker met with Donald Douglas. As the two men compared specifications and capabilities, there was one area where Boeing had a clear advantage—noise suppression. Rickenbacker asked if Douglas could promise to close the gap, but after consulting with his team, Douglas said he could not make that promise. Rickenbacker replied, “I know you can't, I just wanted to see if you were honest.” Douglas won the business by telling the truth instead of making promises he could not keep.

The world around us does not place great value on truth. Many people believe that there is no such thing as objective truth. Sadly even a large number of people who say they are Christians have bought into this false belief. Scripture teaches us that there is such a thing as absolute truth. It is eternal and unchanging. It is not up for debate or adjustment when it is no longer popular. 

The world is filled with lies and deception, and it is vital that we know what is true, and tell the truth to ourselves as well as others. The best way to accomplish that is to fill our hearts and minds with truth, which is found in the Word of God. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

Acts 4:18-21
 

Some Christians struggle with the idea of witnessing to others. I read a humorous account of a reluctant witness who prayed every morning, “Lord, if you want me to witness to someone today, please give me a sign to show me who it is.” One day he found himself on a nearly empty bus when a man sat next to him. The timid Christian anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus. Almost immediately, the man burst into tears. He cried out with a loud voice, “I need to be saved. I’m a lost sinner and I need the Lord Jesus Christ. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?” He turned to the Christian and pleaded, “Can you show me how to be saved?” The believer immediately bowed his head and prayed, “Lord, is this a sign?”

We don't need a sign to witness to people—we have been given a command. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Every person we meet has an eternal soul, was born lost, and needs salvation. Every person we meet needs the message we have to share with them. Rather than failing to witness because of fear, we should courageously speak the truth. Our own salvation brings with it the obligation to share the good news with others. 

The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:3-6

One of the more encouraging letters I have received came from a pastor in another state. He wrote that he had been preaching the night before at a conference, and after the service went with the other pastors to a truck stop for a bite to eat. He continued, "There, we met a young lady and gave her a gospel tract. She said she was already saved. She was a former bus rider from your church there in Lancaster. She was saved as a result of your ministry and was heading back home. Just thought you might like to know. I am thankful for your faithfulness and for the far-reaching effects of the gospel.”

None of us knows the impact that our faithfulness to work and worship and witness will have. Often the results are not apparent until much later. When we invest our lives in reaching and helping others, we are doing something that matters, and something that lasts. We are not responsible for the results. That is God's domain. We are responsible to serve faithfully. Some work may produce greater results than others, but that is up to God. “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).

The fact that the harvest may come long after the seeds are sown does not make it any less certain. We must simply continue being faithful until it comes. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9).

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

Ephesians 5:8-13

The 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, featured an unusual experience. As part of a promotion for a History channel program, participants entered a blacked out obstacle course patterned on the training program created for Navy SEALS. They were issued vests, Nerf guns, and most importantly, advanced night vision goggles. They were given an objective and sent off into the darkness. But the obstacles did not trip them up because the goggles enabled them to see the obstacles, almost as clearly as they would have been able to if there had been lights.

The world around us is filled with the darkness of sin, but God calls us to walk carefully through the world, following the path of light He has placed before us. This is to be an ongoing pattern of our daily Christian life. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7).

Every day we determine how we will walk. The world calls us to walk in the darkness. God calls us to walk in the light. In our own strength and ability we could never find and follow the truth. But like participants given night vision goggles for a darkened obstacle course, God gives us His Word and His Spirit so that we can successfully navigate through life in a way that pleases Him.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15

The patients who went to see Dr. Farid Fata, a hematologist-oncologist in Oakland Township, Michigan, trusted his medical advice. He presented himself as a specialist in treating cancer. Many were shocked in 2014 when he was found guilty of fraud, including diagnosing a number of patients with cancer who did not have it so he could get paid for their treatment. The lead FBI agent who investigated the case said, “Fata’s heinous acts did far worse than defraud government health care programs and breach his professional oath. Fata caused grievous emotional and physical harm, betraying the trust of hundreds of innocent patients by selfishly placing his personal financial gain over the health and welfare of those who entrusted him with their medical care.”

If the devil appeared like his cartoon depiction with a red suit, tail, and pitchfork, it would not be hard for us to identify him and be on guard. But temptation rarely comes in obvious forms. Almost always it is presented to us as a good thing. In the Garden of Eden, Satan told Eve that eating the forbidden fruit would make her like God. He did not tell her it was an act of rebellion and defiance, but that it would improve her situation. An attractive package and winsome presentation do not guarantee truth. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). We need to be on guard every day against the deceptions of the enemy.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Matthew 7:15-18

In its section on the origin of phrases, Mirriam-Webster Dictionary says, “The saying ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ is first recorded in English in the early seventeenth century, but it is likely much older. Phrases for the notion that to taste something is to test it go back to, at least, the fourteenth century. But back then, no one was talking about the kind of sweet, creamy ‘pudding’ confections we now get mostly from boxed mixes or pull-top snack containers. Puddings were essentially sausages—usually mixtures of minced meat, cereal, spices, and often blood, stuffed into intestines or stomachs, and boiled or steamed. In the Middle Ages, they could be very good or very bad—or possibly fatal if the meat used was contaminated. But to find out, you had to put it to the ‘proof.’”

The best way to determine whether someone is speaking what he truly believes is not so much by listening to what he says, but rather by looking at how he lives. It is easy for people to put on a front for a time and pretend to be something they are not, but eventually the fruit of what is really in their hearts will become apparent. Only good trees can produce truly good fruit. When a person who claims to be following Jesus gives no evidence of living for Him, something is drastically wrong. All Christians are supposed to be fruitful—not in our own strength and ability, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

Joshua 7:20-22
 

On February 20, 2025, police at the airport in Cartagena, Colombia, arrested a man about to board a flight to Amsterdam when scanners revealed he had about a dozen bags of cocaine taped under his toupee, which authorities described as a “narco wig.” The drugs had a street value of approximately $11,000. An officer used scissors to remove the toupee and expose the drugs. “Organized crime groups are exploiting young people, falsely suggesting they can easily bypass our security measures,” Cartagena Police Commander Gen. Gelver Yesid Peña told reporters. “However, this case demonstrates that is not true.”

While it is tempting to try to cover our sin and keep it hidden to avoid dealing with the consequences, that always makes things worse in the long run. Sin cannot be covered forever. And even if we did manage to hide sin from people, God sees everything we do and even think. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrew 4:13). The path to restoration of our fellowship with Him, begins when we confess and forsake sin. Until we reach the point where we are willing to do that, no further progress can be made. The longer sin lingers and festers, the worse the impact on our own lives and the lives of others as well. Rather than trying to sweep sin under the rug, we need to deal with it promptly.

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Psalm 139:1-4
 

I recently came across some fascinating statistics about the human brain, which truly is an amazing creation of God. According to research, the average person has 48 thoughts per minute. That comes out to around 70,000 thoughts per day, or more than 25 million thoughts per year. The more than 100 billion cells that make up the brain are the longest-living cells in the body, and on average the brain weighs a little over three pounds. Our thoughts are powered by neurotransmitters, which over time develop pathways in the brain. Just as rivers form by water repeating a path over and over, so our thoughts develop into reality by going down the same paths over and over again. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “You become what you're thinking about all day long.”

Our thoughts are not beyond our ability to control. We do not have to think about a temptation again and again as we make our way through the day. We can leave it behind and refuse to allow it to cut a pathway into our brains. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). If we allow our thoughts to be on the things of the world, our lives will not remain holy in the sight of God or others. Solomon highlighted the key—the thoughts that are in a person's heart determine his true nature. “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee” (Proverbs 23:6-7).

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

When Henry V of England led his army into France during the Hundred Years' War, he hoped to establish England's claim to govern France. But stiff resistance from French forces soon forced him to attempt to retreat. With his army suffering from hunger and disease, Henry was forced to face battle at Agincourt against a massively larger army. Most historians believe the English were outnumbered about five to one. Yet, through careful selection of his defensive position and the vast range advantage of the English longbows over French weaponry, the smaller army won a decisive victory. The power of France was broken for the next decade by Henry's famous victory.

The reality is that as Christians we are always going to be outnumbered. Jesus said, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14). As long as we live here on Earth we must battle against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Yet despite being outnumbered, we can still be on the winning side because we have been given powerful and effective weapons to use against the enemy—weapons against which the foe has no defense.

Victory, however, requires that we actually use those weapons. They are powerful, but left in the armory they pose no threat to the enemy. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). While we are never left to fight alone, it is essential that we prepare for battle and do the work God places before us, not in our strength but in His.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:4-7
 

The grace of God, both for our salvation and for the daily process of our sanctification, is irreplaceable. Nothing we can do or have will make up for its absence. And although that grace is given to us freely, there are things that hinder us from receiving it. The most deadly of those hindrances is pride. Pride breaks our relationship with God in such a way that it keeps us from getting the grace we need from Him. Pride shows that God is not in His rightful place on the throne of our lives. This is why God calls us to humble ourselves. 

Andrew Murray wrote, “The humble man feels no jealousy or envy. He can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before him. He can bear to hear others praised while he is forgotten because ... he has received the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not Himself, and who sought not His own honor. Therefore, in putting on the Lord Jesus Christ he has put on the heart of compassion, kindness, meekness, longsuffering, and humility.”

There is a battle that is constantly raging between God and the world. When we allow pride into our hearts, we are choosing the wrong side of that conflict. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). We are called and commanded to stand firm against the devil, resisting his temptations, but we can only do that successfully if our humility positions us to receive God's grace and power.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Romans 7:14-18
 

If we were asked to name the greatest Christians in the history of the church, most people would put the Apostle Paul at or very close to the top of the list. The impact that he made on the world for the cause of the gospel is still echoing today. He was used by God to pen much of the New Testament, he preached the gospel across the known world, he planted churches, and he eventually laid down his life as a martyr. Yet despite all that he accomplished, Paul never lost sight of the fact that he was a sinner who needed God's salvation, or that even after he was saved that he needed God's power for victory over sin.

This sense of humility was a vital part of what made Paul so effective for so long and protected him from the snares that Satan lays in the path of those who are serving God. Paul did not think his achievements were worthy of praise—all praise belongs to God alone. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). If we begin to think of ourselves as being special, we are on the path to failure. As long as we live in this world we will be dependent on God for everything we need. The idea that we can be good on our own is a deadly lie, but the devil keeps telling it because it is so easy for us to believe.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19
 

In June of 1948, while her father was campaigning for reelection, Margaret Truman's piano leg crashed through the floor of her second-floor room at the White House. The building had long been in disrepair due to years of haphazard repairs and upgrades. Although a report detailing its structural issues was presented to President Franklin Roosevelt, he dismissed it due to the urgency of the war. After Truman’s unexpected electoral victory, an extensive renovation of the White House began. The entire interior was essentially removed and rebuilt from scratch. After more than three years of work, President Truman welcomed television cameras into the White House in April 1952, allowing the nation to see the transformation.

When we come to Jesus for salvation, He does not slap a little paint on the outside and call the project complete. He completely changes everything about us, giving us a completely new nature unlike anything we were before. The end goal of God's plan, established long before we were even born, is that we would be like Jesus. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). The work that God does in our lives is not just for our own benefit, but so that we can in turn present others with the truth and offer them the same transformation we have experienced through faith in Jesus Christ.

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Psalm 40:1-4
 

On March 15, 2025, as has been done every year since the 1960s, the Chicago River was dyed Kelly Green in advance of the annual St. Patrick's Day parade through the city. Tens of thousands of people lined bridges, sidewalks, and apartment balconies to watch the transformation as members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union Local 130 used a number of boats to spray streams of dye into the water, turning the river bright green. Though the river appears dramatically different, the change is only temporary. The dye is chemically formulated to be nontoxic, and within hours, the water reverts to its natural color, unchanged beneath the surface.

True worship is not like the fleeting dye in the river—it produces a lasting transformation in our hearts. When we come before God in sincere worship, laying aside our pride and lifting up praises to Him, we are not just temporarily moved; we are deeply changed. Worship reminds us of God's holiness, our dependence on Him, and the humility that should shape our lives. It is possible to go through the motions of a church service without genuine engagement, but that is not true worship. Stephen Charnock wrote, “Without the heart it is not worship; it is a stage play; an acting a part without being that person really…a hypocrite. We may truly be said to worship God—though we lack perfection; but we cannot be said to worship Him if we lack sincerity.” 

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Psalm 51:1-4

David went to extraordinary lengths to try to cover his sin with Bathsheba. He first tried to arrange things so that people would think Uriah was the father of her baby. When that failed, he sent word to Joab to abandon Uriah in battle so he would be killed. Even after that, David refused to confess his wrongdoing, marrying Bathsheba and moving her into the palace. It was not until he was personally confronted by the prophet Nathan and told, “thou art the man,” that David acknowledged what he had done. Though it took far longer than it should have, when David finally repented, his repentance was thorough. He stopped making excuses and blaming others, and instead accepted full responsibility for the evil he had done.

Thorough repentance is a crucial step for the Christian who sins. Like David we often try to hide sin, hoping to avoid the consequences. Like David we often find that our efforts only compound the problem and make things worse. We need to view sin as God does, as a great evil, and ask for His forgiveness. This kind of repentance leads to forsaking the sin rather than clinging to it, and allows our relationship with God to be restored to what it should be. Charles Spurgeon said, “Repentance is a discovery of the evil of sin, a mourning that we have committed it, a resolution to forsake it. It is, in fact, a change of mind of a very deep and practical character, which makes the man love what once he hated, and hate what once he loved.” 

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

1 Corinthians 11:17-21
 

Nathaniel Vincent paid a heavy price for his insistence on obedience to God rather than man. He began preaching in England when he graduated from college, but his refusal to join the Church of England led to him being arrested repeatedly—at least once by soldiers while he was preaching—and thrown into jail. He used his time in prison well, writing a number of books, including A Discourse Concerning Love in 1684. In these pages he wrote, “O love! How much want is there of you in the church of Christ! And how much does the church feel for this want! It groans, it languishes, it dies daily because of your absence. Return, O love, return! Repair breaches, restore paths to dwell in, edify the old ways and places, and raise up the foundations of many generations.”

Any church that is divided is not going to be as effective for God as it should. No one person or group can carry the entire weight. God has given each of us different gifts and talents, and different resources. The church needs everyone to do his or her part. “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16). If our focus is only on ourselves, it will not be long before unity is destroyed and divisions arise.

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

1 Corinthians 11:24-26

On Line Wall Road above the harbor on Gibraltar lies a British cemetery. Leading into the cemetery is a large limestone arch built of stone blocks carved from the famous Rock of Gibraltar. The arch is officially known as the World War I Naval Memorial and was built to honor the cooperation of the British and American navies fighting against German submarines during the First World War. The grave threat posed by these unseen enemies nearly turned the balance of the war, and only the cooperation of the two allies' navies made it possible for victory to be won on both land and sea. The inscription on the north side of the monument reads as follows:

Erected by the United States of America
to commemorate the achievements and comradeship
of the American and British navies in this vicinity during the World War.

The passage of time often clouds memory and sometimes things are lost that should never have been forgotten. Just as the world erects statues and monuments to ensure things will be remembered, God has given us the Lord's Supper as a reminder of the cost of our salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus that made it possible. It seems like such an extravagant gift of grace would never be forgotten, yet God knows that we need reminders so that we will not lose sight of what He has done for us. “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9).

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Ephesians 1:7-10
 

Though she was raised in church and a Christian home, Fanny Crosby was not saved until she was thirty. A friend invited her to a revival meeting, and after hearing the message, she responded to the invitation. She later recounted, “My very soul was flooded with celestial light. For the first time I realized that I had been trying to hold the world in one hand, and the Lord in the other.” Many years later someone asked if there was a special hymn she had written about her own salvation experience. Crosby responded that though there were several that could apply, the one she thought of was “Redeemed.”

Redeemed—how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose way I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child, and forever, I am.

We were purchased by the precious blood of Jesus—the highest price that could ever be paid for anything. And we must never forget that it was only because of His grace that we were made part of His family. We have nothing of which to be proud when it comes to our salvation. Jesus did all the work, and He alone deserves all the glory. The passage of time should never dull our sense of wonder and gratitude for the redemption we have received.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

When we blur the lines between righteousness and unrighteousness—between holiness and worldliness—we lose both our power and our testimony. The world does not need a copy of itself with a Christian label slapped on it. It needs the clear, distinct witness of believers who live out the truth of the gospel in purity and love. Our influence comes not from our similarity to the world, but from our difference.

God’s call to “come out from among them” is not a suggestion—it is a command. It means we must carefully evaluate our associations, our entertainment, our values, and our priorities. Who or what are we yoked with? A yoke implies partnership and shared direction. If we link arms with those who reject Christ—whether in marriage, business, or close companionship—we will soon find ourselves pulled away from the path of obedience.

This doesn’t mean we isolate ourselves. Jesus was known as the friend of sinners, and we are called to be lights in the darkness. But light is only effective when it is distinct from the darkness. The question is not whether we are rubbing shoulders with the lost; the question is whether we are influencing them—or they are influencing us.

God promises blessing and fellowship to those who walk in separation and holiness. “And I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:17–18). This is not a harsh rejection of people, but a loving embrace by God. Separation is not about pride or superiority—it is about purity and loyalty to the One who has redeemed us.

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Luke 12:37-40

Blenheim Palace, the ancestral home of the Churchill family and birthplace of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, often hosts special exhibits of artwork and historic furniture. That was the case in 2019 when an Italian artist's work featuring a working toilet made of 18 carat gold, worth almost $8 million at today's prices, was put on display. It did not stay there for long, as a group of five men drove up to the front door one night, broke into the palace, stole the toilet, and left with the water gushing out of the pipes into the rest of the house. Police were finally able to identify the culprits and bring them to trial, but the toilet was never recovered, having been cut up and sold for the gold value. A review of security tapes showed that one of the group had visited the palace twice, taking photos and identifying flaws in the building's security plans, but the threat went unrecognized until it was too late.

Every day we face an adversary who is determined to take away all the good things we have. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The only way to defeat him is to remain on guard. Any “window” or “door” in our lives that we are not defending can be used by Satan as a point of entry. He takes advantage of any moments of weakness, or failure to be alert to damage and destroy our lives.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 John 3:20-23

Hitoshi Imamura graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1907 and began his military service. Promoted again and again through the years, he commanded the Eighth Area Army during the final years of World War II. After the surrender of Japan, Imamura was tried before an Australian military tribunal for war crimes committed by soldiers under his command. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. Imamura, however, did not think that punishment was fair. Amazingly, he did not think that it was too harsh, but that it was too lenient. So on his release in 1954 he returned to his home and had a replica of his prison cell constructed, and he lived in that cell for the next fourteen years until his death in 1968.

All of us were guilty sinners, deserving of judgment, when God graciously saved us. His forgiveness through Christ brings true freedom—not only from the penalty of sin, but also from the burden of guilt. As believers, we still fall short and must regularly confess our sins to maintain close fellowship with God. But when we have truly confessed and forsaken our sin, He promises to forgive (1 John 1:9), and we must learn to live in that forgiveness. Guilt over unconfessed or ongoing sin is the Spirit’s conviction—but guilt over forgiven sin is a tool of the enemy to keep us bound. While the consequences of sin may remain, the condemnation does not. We are not meant to live in a prison of shame when Christ has already paid the price.