We all want to live free and achieve what the Lord has put us on this earth to do. However, we must realize that there are forces set against us to distract and weigh us down in life. We are told to live according to the plan the world has set forth for us and in doing so we lose sight of our real purpose as children of God. Many people lose years thinking a change will come, but sadly it never does. Life then becomes a treadmill that never stops and we end up becoming jaded. This is where authenticity comes in. Authentic people rise up and take action.

Follow Me: This simple request of “Follow Me” spoken by Jesus is a life-changer. In hearing Him speak it in the Bible we see the crossroads that it puts a person in with just two simple words. “As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he rose and followed Him.” — Matthew 9:9. “And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23. “And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Life is busy and oftentimes it can feel like one big juggling act. There are bills to pay, jobs to work, problems to solve, ventures to plan, etc…Life can become so overwhelming people forget the necessary things and miss out on the better portion.

Life is Short: Ask anyone who is above middle age and they will tell you, “I can’t believe how time flies.” If you disrespect the time you are given on earth, you will be filled with regret. Be prudent and budget your time towards what is worthy. You get one pass at life, so make sure it’s a good one. “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” — James 4:14

Cyclical Nature: We are surrounded by cycles every day. Seasons change, the sun rises and sets, fields are planted and harvested, tides become low and high, the moon becomes full and then new, moreover, cycles are not only evident in nature but also for societal events as well. Financial economies boom and bust, empires rise and fall, and peace and safety give way to war and hardships. Cycles are also seen in our individual lives and emotions. Like a vast mountain range, there are peaks and valleys.

Free Indeed: When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are born again. Not into bondage, but into freedom. Freedom from sin and death. He washes us clean and we walk in the light. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” — John 8:36. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” — 2 Corinthians 3:17. Freedom from the grip of sin and death is a powerful thing. His mercy and love for us are beyond all measure and we praise His Holy name. So, considering how we have been rescued from the curse of this world and promised a better one to come; shouldn’t we carry a different outlook on life? How should one conduct themselves?

Remembering God daily is your rock of stability. For when the days of triumph are achieved you will praise God for the victory, and when the days of hardships arise you will cast your burdens upon Him. To maintain calmness in your life you need to commune with God daily. “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.” — Psalms 73:28.

I’ve been watching your series from the beginning, Season 1. While en route to Thailand to help with disaster relief after the great tsunami of 04, a fellow missionary introduced me to the series. I’ve been watching ever since and your ministry was a huge push for me to enter full-time missions where I started serving full time in Uganda. I have shared your series with dozens of people I know. God is continuing to use you guys…

Right Traditions: In the modern church the word tradition has largely become a term of disdain. There are valid cases where tradition should not be accepted, such as non-doctrinally sound teachings and heresies that nullify the work of Christ Jesus, but for the most part, Christians should embrace the true traditions of the Word of God and reject those that are not of Christ. Martin Luther was a champion reformer in this way. Luther rejected the heretical Roman Catholic teachings and false traditions of that time. But Martin Luther was not a destroyer of Christian traditions, but rather a restorer of right traditions founded in the Word of God.

Decisions: Life comes down to a constant flow of decisions. Whether you realize it or not you’re making decisions every moment. You decide what you will eat, where you will work, what time you will get up, what values you will follow, what you say to others, how you react to others, et cetera. From the smallest decisions like what items you’ll buy at the grocery store, to the largest decision like choosing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior — Decisions are the fabric of life. Some people never realize the power of their decisions and drift through life letting others influence their path or decide for them. To truly realize your full potential, you must first examine yourself and understand the power of your decisions. “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air.” — 1 Corinthians 9:26

Life is filled with risk, but the greatest risk of all is never taking a risk. In our society today we are taught from a young age to avoid any risk whatsoever. With each passing generation we become more pampered, coddled, and fearful, all while being told, taking any risk is something to be feared. Today’s generation wants more, yet they are unwilling to risk anything to get it. However, history proves to us, it is the risk-takers who shape the world. Think for a moment of any Biblical character that God operated through. Were they risk-takers? David vs Goliath, Noah and the ark, Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Joshua and the conquest, the Apostle Paul on his missionary journeys, etc… All of these great figures faced extreme risks to follow their faith, yet they conquered because they believed in God. You can too, but you must step out in faith and take a risk on God.

Past, Present and Future: Time is a tricky thing. Most people are striving for life in the future or remembering the past, but rarely do people appreciate the moment of now. What is now? Now is the moment you are in right now. Reading this newsletter wherever you are, this is now. Chances are that before you were reading these words you were thinking about something you have to do in the days ahead or what happened last week. That is the future and past. But now is where you are at this moment. This day. Simple, right? But think for a moment how little each person actually lives in the now moment. Oftentimes, living in the now moment can be viewed as a wild or unruly life. This is an extreme view of the now moment. Obviously, every person needs to plan appropriately for the future, but living in and appreciating this day that the Lord has made, is something most people have forgotten.

Kingdoms rise and fall. From Babylon to Rome to the Soviet Union, nothing in this world lasts. Moreover, it’s not just kingdoms that rise and fall but it is businesses, fortunes, famous people and even churches. Every aspect of life is precipitated by a rise and then a fall. Sometimes the rise is spectacular and the fall disastrous, while other times the rise is slow and steady and the decline equally as such. Regardless of the pattern, the truth remains that everything in this world will rise and fall at some point.

Time, Health, and Money: These are three important aspects that affect everyone daily. However, two of these are perishable assets and one is not. Time is perishable because it marches on, and at some point, you will reach your end on this earth. The same is true for health. The older you get the more perishable it becomes. It doesn’t mean you can’t maintain your health into later life, but the simple fact remains, the more you age, the more your body feels the toll. Money on the other hand usually works in the reverse. You start with little and the more time that passes the more a person accrues (We are omitting from the list the most important which is the Spirit, but we will get to the importance of the Spirit later as it relates to all three).

For nearly everyone, it’s safe to say the past year of the pandemic has taken people’s sense of joy and happiness. That’s not to say we don’t have our ultimate joy in the Lord, but in times of distress such as these, hardships are felt. People everywhere have been restricted from interacting with others, many have suffered economically, others have lost loved ones, and every person has been forced to live an abnormal way of life. It’s a tragic time, but we can’t let it rob the fire in us. We are warned in the Bible that we will face tribulations and hardships so we must be ready and believe for better days ahead. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

The definition of Awe is a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. Being filled with awe is an experience we’ve all had. It’s difficult to explain it and words never truly do it justice. Awe might occur as you stand on the edge of a volcano contemplating the immense power and force of nature you are witnessing, or the feeling you get as you look out across the vast savannahs of the Kalahari at dawn. It is a feeling that grabs a hold of you and powerfully stirs emotions.

For many, trying to understand their place in this world or how to connect with others is an all-consuming thought. “Why am I not understood? Why can’t others see me the way that I see myself? Why can I not succeed? Why do I feel so unfulfilled?” These questions are deeply personal and affect the way people live their lives. Everybody at some point or another feels deeply misunderstood and yearns to be connected to others. In mankind’s great pursuit for this connection, many have set themselves to seek external validation. This action of seeking out external validation has controlled societies past and present and placed the opinion of others as the measurement of self-worth. Unfortunately, the person who relies on this will never be content, for those who love fame consider another man’s opinion to be his own good, and as long as he depends on that, which is not his own, he will live in fear.

When we become born-again our home ceases to be of this earth, and instead, our citizenship is a heavenly one. As Christians, we are reminded to live and conduct our lives according to this promise. The heroes of faith in the Bible understood this and likewise lived their lives accordingly. “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” — Hebrews 11:13.

We live in volatile times. A global pandemic has brought the world to a halt. Political unrest grips our nation every week and step by step there is a steady attack on Christian tenets. The rate at which the global changes have occurred should make everyone realize that no matter how secure life may look or feel, in a moment, it can all be turned upside down. God doesn’t want us to be unaware that times like this will come and he warns us to be ready. “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” — Luke 21:34–36.

The Promises of God are many, and as believers, we must remind ourselves of them constantly. The Bible is the place in which we find these promises as it is the spoken Word of God. The Word is the authority upon which we can stand and it protects us against the enemy. The Word is life to all who hear it and it is the way we grow in faith, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” — Romans 10:17. The scriptures below are meant to be kept as a reference upon which you can meditate, pray and declare over your life. Speak them in faith and make them a reality in your heart. These are just a few of the many promises of God made towards those who believe in Him.