By: Josh Sims

For Such a Time as This

Esther 4:14 (NIV) - “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place… And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4 tells the story of a woman who found herself in a position of influence during a moment of crisis. Esther was the queen of Persia, but she was also a Jewish woman living in a foreign land. When a plan was set in motion to destroy her people, she faced a difficult decision: remain silent and protect herself, or speak up and risk everything.

Her cousin Mordecai challenged her with a powerful question: What if this is the very reason you are where you are?

Esther had not become queen knowing that this moment would come. She couldn't have seen the future or understood how God would use her position. But when the moment arrived, she had an opportunity to step into a purpose much greater than herself.

That is one of the most important lessons we can learn from Esther 4: God can use the position you're in today to accomplish something greater than you can see.

We often think about purpose as something waiting for us in the future. We tell ourselves that one day, when we have more experience, more confidence, more resources, or more opportunities, we'll be ready to make a difference.

But what if God wants to use you right where you are?

What if your current season, your current relationships, and even the challenges you're facing are opportunities for God to work through you?

We may not always understand why God has placed us in certain circumstances. We may not recognize the significance of an ordinary conversation, a simple act of kindness, or a moment when we choose to stand for what is right. But God is able to use our everyday obedience to accomplish things we may never fully see.

Esther's decision was not easy. Approaching the king without being summoned could cost her life. She had a legitimate reason to be afraid.

Yet Mordecai's words challenged her to look beyond her personal safety and consider the needs of others.

Eventually, Esther made her decision. She asked the Jewish people to fast, and she prepared to approach the king. Her response is recorded in Esther 4:16:
“I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

Esther did not know how everything would turn out. She simply chose to move forward in faith.

That is what courage looks like. Courage doesn't mean we never feel afraid. It means fear doesn't get the final say in our obedience to God.

Sometimes, God calls us to have a difficult conversation. Sometimes, He calls us to stand up for someone who cannot stand up for themselves. Sometimes, He asks us to step into an opportunity that feels bigger than our abilities.

And sometimes, He calls us to lead even when we're tired, serve when nobody notices, or worship wholeheartedly when life outside the church feels anything but easy.

It's easy to serve when everything is going well. It's easy to sing about God's faithfulness when we can clearly see His hand at work. But real faithfulness is revealed when obedience costs us something.

God isn't asking us to have every answer before we obey Him. He's asking us to trust Him enough to take the next step.

Esther could have viewed her position as queen simply as a privilege to enjoy. Instead, she came to understand that her position carried a responsibility.

The same principle applies to us.

Our gifts are not merely for our benefit. Our talents are not simply opportunities to be recognized. Our influence is not just something to enjoy. They are opportunities to serve God and others.

He can use our faithfulness to minister to people in ways we may never fully understand.

We don't have to stand on a platform to make a difference. We simply have to be willing to let God use what He has placed in our hands.

Mordecai's question to Esther is still worth asking ourselves today: Who knows but that you have come to your position for such a time as this?

Perhaps, the opportunity in front of you is not an accident. Perhaps, the person who needs encouragement is in your life for a reason. Perhaps, the responsibility you've been given is an opportunity to demonstrate God's character. Perhaps, the gifts you've spent years developing are meant to serve a purpose beyond yourself.

We don't need to know the entire plan to be faithful in the moment God has given us.

Esther's story reminds us that our lives are not ultimately about protecting our comfort, building our own platforms, or receiving recognition. They are about being available to God.

So, don't underestimate where you are today. Don't assume your contribution is too small. And don't let fear convince you that someone else must be better equipped to do what God has placed before you.

You may be exactly where God can use you most.

The question is not whether you feel perfectly qualified. The question is whether you are willing to trust Him with your position, your gifts, and your obedience.

You were not given your opportunities merely to enjoy them. You were given opportunities to steward them for God's glory.

Who knows? Maybe this is your moment.

By: Tabitha White

I don’t know about you, but I really do enjoy reading my Bible. I love learning about the faith of people that followed Jesus and their boldness in declaring who He is! I love seeing how God came through in situations that, on the outside, looked dire and impossible..but God! And I love how God speaks through verses that I have read over and over throughout my life, but they jump off the page at the moment that I need them.

This week, I was reading a story at the end of Acts, and one line caught my attention. Acts 24:25 says, “As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.” 

Let me set the stage a little…Once again, Paul is standing trial. This time, he is before Felix, who was the governor of Judea. We know that Felix was also “quite familiar with the Way,” since Luke included that in his description of the scene. In several instances, we get to read exactly what Paul said to the leaders he faced, but in this case, we only know that he spoke on “righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgement.” 

However, Luke tells us clearly that Felix “became frightened” as Paul spoke. Can I put that into a more common language for all of us? Felix became convicted! He was hearing the truth, and conviction was stirring in his heart. 

Have you been there before? I know that I have. The pastor starts preaching, and it feels like he has spent the week walking around in your shoes! Or that the Holy Spirit directly downloaded the sermon to the pastor to make sure that you knew that God was speaking to you! Well, that’s where we find Felix! Listening to Paul and becoming frightened (or convicted). 
What happens next is the saddest line in the chapter, Felix said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.” Felix didn’t respond to that conviction in his heart. He sent Paul away saying that he could call for him again “when I find the time.”

“When I find the time…” That’s a pretty common phrase, right?

“When I find the time, I’ll clean out my car (or closet, or purse).”

“When I find the time, I’ll call (or text) my friend that God laid on my heart.”

“When I find the time, I’ll read my Bible (pray, step out like God asked me to do).”

“When I find the time, I will go up to that person face-to-face and share the Gospel!”

“When I find the time…”

Here’s the problem with that: James 4:14 says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” How do you know that you have the extra time to find or that the person on the other side of your obedience has that time left too?

I don’t want to sound all gloom and despair, but I do want to be honest…Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us! That’s a phrase that I have seen, and heard, quite a few times over the last few months. 

Tomorrow isn’t promised. It’s a concept that we’ve all heard, but do we live like it is true? If tomorrow isn’t promised, would you place the call or send the text? If tomorrow isn’t promised, would you dive into God’s Word to see what He wants to speak to you each day? If tomorrow isn’t promised, would you share the Gospel and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading - even when it made you uncomfortable?

Let’s get back to our story from Acts 24. We know that Felix sent Paul away when he became convicted, but Luke shares a little more insight. Over the next two years, Felix calls Paul back and has several more conversations with him…but one thing is missing from the story. Did Felix ever surrender his life to Christ? And the answer is that we don’t know. However, we do know that Paul was faithful to share God’s Word throughout those years.

I want to leave you with a recent conversation that I had with a friend who is also a children’s pastor. I was talking to her about how there were several people that I had been praying for to receive salvation and how sometimes it can be discouraging. (You’ve been there too, right?) Then she said something that has stuck with me ever since…”If they are still breathing, there is still hope!”

So today, while we are still here, let’s seize the moments that we have and lean into the leading of the Holy Spirit! Pray, dig into God’s Word, listen to the Holy Spirit, and be bold enough to follow in step when He asks you to move!! Today, find the time!

By: Jason White

1 Timothy 4:7-8, "" Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives tales. Instead, train yourself to be Godly. Physical training is good but training for Godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

Discipline in life is a good thing. In all facets of life it's good. Being disciplined at your job keeps you employed. Being disciplined with your body, keeps you in good shape and can lead to living a longer life. Being disciplined in your finances, leads to a good financial status in your life, having low to no debt, helps you build high balances in your bank accounts.

However, the most important thing in our lives to discipline is our spiritual lives. Notice in our text above, Paul is telling Timothy, above all else train yourself to be Godly. This by far, is the most important thing in our lives to train and be disciplined in. The question is, how do we do this in our lives, how do we train to be more Godly?

I'm going to share some quick thoughts because this is a blog and I'm sure you don't want to read a book.

First, you have to be disciplined in reading God's Word! I don't mean just read it to check it off a list! Truly, READ IT, STUDY IT, MEMORIZE IT, and I mean do it EVERY SINGLE DAY! Statistics show that most Christians only read their Bibles only a few times a week, month, or year. I'm talking about every single day and when you do this you will fall in love with God's Word! It will become alive and active to you (Hebrews 4:12). It will give you the answers to your questions, it will give you direction in your life, it will meet any need you have!

Second, being disciplined spiritually means you have to have a strong prayer life! There are so many scriptures in the Word that stresses the importance of prayer! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to "never stop praying". I don't mean weak and small prayers either. I believe we should pray strong, bold, what seems IMPOSSIBLE prayers! We need to have enough faith to pray things that look impossible to man, because we serve a God that can make the impossible, POSSIBLE (Matthew 19:26). We need men and women who know how to pray strong, faith filled prayers!

There are so many other pillars of our spiritual journey that we need to be disciplined in. For time's sake and the blog's sake, I will conclude with these few things. We need a discipline of PURITY. God is holy and He calls us to be holy. (1 Peter 13:16). The Bible tells us how to live holy and pure, we must read it and live it! We need to be disciplined with our FRIENDSHIPS! It's so important to be close and connected to people who are led by the Holy Spirit and who are committed to Jesus Christ being the number one thing in their lives. Scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 to not be unequally yoked. That's why things like Community Connection groups and Sunday School is so important, because that gives us a chance to get connected with like-minded believers. Lastly, we need to be disciplined in our MINDS. We must have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16, Colossians 3:2, Philippians 4:8). We have to make sure we are allowing Godly things into our minds and not the things of the world.

I could go on and on about spiritual disciplines, the key is to be disciplined in these things and more, and when you do, you will grow stronger in Christ, and you will grow closer to God!

Let's be trained and disciplined in what truly matters: GODLINESS!

By: Angie Drummonds

Do You Know What You Believe and Why?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how important it is for us as Christians to know the Word of God. Not just to own a Bible. Not just to hear a verse on Sunday. Not just to know a few familiar Scriptures. But to actually read it, study it, understand it, and allow it to become the foundation of our faith.

Because we are living in a time when there are so many voices competing for our attention. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a version of truth. We hear things online, from people we trust, from people we don’t know, and sometimes even from people who claim to speak for God. And if we don't know the Word for ourselves, how will we know what is true?

We can't recognize truth if we don't know the Truth.

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, correcting, and training us in righteousness. Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

That means God's Word isn't just an old book filled with stories. It is our guide. It is our foundation. It is how we learn who God is, who we are, what He has promised, what He has commanded, and what He desires from our lives.

And this is especially important when our faith is challenged. There will be moments when someone questions what you believe. There will be moments when culture tells you something completely different from what Scripture says. There will be moments when you encounter someone who has never heard the Gospel, or has heard a distorted version of it.
 
What will you say?

Our faith shouldn't be built on My pastor said… or My grandmother always believed… or I just feel like… Those things may have played an important part in our journey, but ultimately, our faith needs to be rooted in the Word of God.

We need to know why we believe what we believe. Not because we're trying to win arguments. Not because we want to prove someone wrong. But because truth matters. And because there are people all around us who are searching… People who are hurting. People who are confused. People who have questions about God. People who have never opened a Bible. People who may have been hurt by religion but have never truly encountered Jesus. And God may put some of those people in our path.

How can we point them toward truth if we don't know it ourselves? How can we tell someone who Jesus is if we haven't taken the time to know Him through His Word?
We don't need to be Bible scholars to share Jesus. But we do need to be students of His Word. Read it. Ask questions. Study it. Don't be afraid of the parts you don't understand. Dig deeper. Seek wise, biblically sound teaching. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you're reading.

And don't simply believe something because someone says, The Bible says…

Open it. Read it for yourself.

Because the more we know God's Word, the more firmly rooted we become. And when the winds come, and they will… we won't be so easily shaken.

Jesus talked about this in Matthew 7 when He compared those who hear His words and put them into practice to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

That's what I want my life to look like. Not a faith built on feelings. Not a faith built on popular opinion. Not a faith that changes every time culture changes. But a faith built on the solid foundation of God's Word. Because we don't know the truth by simply hearing about it. We know the truth by knowing His Word.

And the more we know His Word, the more prepared we are to live it, stand on it, and share it with someone else.

There is someone who may need the hope you've found in Jesus. Someone who may need to hear the Gospel. Someone who may have questions you never thought to ask. Someone who may be searching for truth.

So, let's make sure that when God gives us the opportunity to point someone toward Him, we aren't pointing them toward our opinions. Let's point them to His Word. Let's know what we believe. Let's know why we believe it. And most importantly, let's know the God we are telling the world about.

By: Blake Allums

“Stand Firm and Hold Your Position”
Text: 2 Chronicles 20

Have you ever had a serious problem in your life? The obvious answer is, “Duh, Blake.” We have all had problems that stood before us that we knew and felt like we had no answer for.

This is exactly where King Jehosaphat finds himself in this chapter of the Bible. He is faced with a huge problem. He has just defeated King Ahab through a narrow escape and he is tired, weary, and borderline defeated. This is exactly when the enemy tried to attack. Sound familiar? The devil does not fight fair. He will not get you when you are on your spiritual mountain. He will wait for the valley experience and then strike. He does not fight fair. But we know that it is a fixed fight. We have the winner.
 
The second Jehosaphat finds this problem in front of him the text tells us in v.4 that he gathered everyone and sought the Lord. He commanded everyone to fast and go after God. He then stands before everyone and says a wonderful prayer in v.6-12, but I want to highlight v.12b. He says, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” The king declares in front of his entire tribe, “I don't know what to do.” How humble? What a powerful statement though? Perhaps today you need to declare this over your problem. You could say, “God, I am lost and troubled. I have no answer. But I do know that my eyes are focused on who you are.”

Then a guy named Jehaziel comes before everyone and says (v.15 & 17), “ 15b Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at his great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 17b Stand firm, hold your position…”. This is what I really want to hit on as I close. The battles and problems that we see in our culture today are not our fight. It is the Lord's. All He commands of us is to stand firm in his truth and hold our position. In a world that tries to make evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20) we must choose to stand firm. In a culture that tries to say that homosexuality is okay. In a culture that says abortion is okay. In a culture that says Islam in our country will be okay. We must stand firm and hold our position.
 
Here is my final challenge. How can you stand firm in something that you have not studied? How can we hold a position that we know nothing about? We must be in our word so deeply that we can defend it. We must be able to stand firm in it and hold our position. So this week, do your duty, and stand firm in God’s truth.

By: Gabi Pope

“You grow differently when your prayer stops being, ‘God change it", and becomes, ‘God change me in it.’ Because some things don’t end when you ask them to. They end when they finish shaping you.”

I read this quote recently, and it immediately made me think about Joseph. His story is one I’ve heard probably a hundred times, but the older I get, the more I realize there are parts of his story that hit differently when you’ve lived through your own seasons of waiting, disappointment, and wondering what in the world God is doing!!!!
 
Joseph had every reason to pray, “God, change it.” He was betrayed by his own brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and eventually forgotten in prison. None of those things were part of the life Joseph probably imagined for himself. He had dreams of what God was going to do through his life, but his reality looked nothing like those dreams for a very long time.

I wonder how many times Joseph prayed for his circumstances to change. How many times did he wonder when God was going to finally get him out? How many times did he question why he was still waiting? Scripture doesn’t give us every conversation Joseph had with God during those years, but we do know something incredibly important, God was with him. Joseph’s circumstances kept changing, but God’s presence never did.

And maybe that’s something we need to remember in our own lives! Sometimes we become so focused on asking God to change our circumstances that we miss what He might be trying to change in us. We pray, “God, get me out of this. God, fix this. God, make this different. God, let this season end.” And there is absolutely nothing wrong with bringing those prayers to God. He wants us to come to Him with our hearts, our disappointments, our desires, and even our questions. But what if we started adding one more prayer? “God, while I’m waiting for You to change this, would You change me?” Because sometimes God does change the situation. But sometimes the first thing He changes is us.

Joseph’s years of waiting were not wasted years. God was developing something in him that he would eventually need for the purpose He had prepared for him. Joseph couldn’t see the palace from the pit. He couldn’t see his future from the prison. He couldn’t understand how any of it could possibly work together. But God could see what Joseph couldn’t.

Eventually, Joseph’s circumstances changed. He went from the pit to the palace, from being forgotten to being placed in a position of influence, and from having no idea what God was doing to seeing pieces of God’s plan unfold right in front of him. And one of the most beautiful parts of his story is what happened when he finally came face-to-face with the brothers who had betrayed him!!! Joseph had every reason to hold onto bitterness. He could have spent the rest of his life defined by what had been done to him. Instead, he was able to look at his story through the lens of God’s faithfulness. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.”

Joseph wasn’t saying that what happened to him was good. But God was good, and God was able to take every painful part of Joseph’s story and use it for something greater than Joseph could have imagined.

I think that’s where this quote becomes so powerful for me. “God, change me in it.” Maybe the waiting is teaching me how to trust Him. Maybe the disappointment is teaching me how to surrender. Maybe the uncertainty is teaching me that I don’t have to have all the answers to know that God is still faithful. Maybe the season I desperately want to escape is producing something in me that I will need for the season I’ve been praying for.

We don’t always want the lesson in the situation, we want the ending. We want God to move the mountain, not teach us how to climb it. We want the answer, not the waiting. We want the breakthrough, not the process. But sometimes the process is where God does some of His deepest work.

Looking back, I can see seasons in my own life that I didn’t understand while I was living in them. At the time, I just wanted God to change everything. I wanted Him to make things easier and take away the uncertainty. But now I can see how those seasons shaped my faith, softened my heart, taught me to surrender, and showed me that God really can be trusted even when I don’t understand what He’s doing. I wouldn’t necessarily choose those seasons again, but I also wouldn’t trade what God produced in me through them.

That’s the joy I find in this now. I don’t have to understand the whole story to trust the Author. I don’t have to know how everything is going to work out to believe that God is working. I don’t have to see the palace while I’m standing in the pit. I just have to remember that God is still there.

So maybe your prayer today isn’t only, “God, change it.” Maybe it’s, “God, change me in it.” Change my heart, my perspective, the way I trust You. Change the things I’m holding onto. Teach me what You want me to learn!! Don’t let me become so consumed with getting out of this season that I miss what You’re trying to grow in me while I’m here!
 
Because one day, you may look back at the very season you begged God to end and realize it wasn’t wasted. God was working in places you couldn’t see, preparing you for things you couldn’t yet understand. The pit wasn’t the end of Joseph’s story. The prison wasn’t the end. The waiting wasn’t the end. And whatever you’re walking through right now isn’t the end of your story either. God is still writing every one of our stories!! And maybe instead of only asking Him to change what is around us, we can begin asking Him to change what is within us.

“God, change it if You want to. But more than anything, change me in it.”

Because when God finishes shaping us, we’ll realize that even the seasons we wanted to escape became part of the story, He was using to make us more like Him! And honestly, I think there’s something really beautiful about that.

By: Kara Wallis

I Can Do All Things Through Christ

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.” This
verse reminds us that our strength does not come from ourselves—it comes from
Jesus. There will be moments when we feel tired, overwhelmed, discouraged, or unsure
of what to do next. We may look at what is ahead and think, “I can’t do this.” But God
reminds us that we don’t have to face anything in our own strength. When we depend
on Christ, He gives us the strength we need for whatever He has called us to do.

Sometimes we misunderstand this verse and think it means we can accomplish
anything we want simply because we believe. But Paul was talking about learning to
trust Christ in every circumstance. Just before Philippians 4:13, Paul explains that he
had learned how to be content whether he had plenty or very little. Philippians 4:12
says, “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound.” Paul had learned that
his circumstances did not determine his joy or his faith. Whether life was going well or
things were difficult, Christ was enough.

There will be seasons when God asks us to keep going when we feel like giving up.
Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.” God
does not promise that we will never become tired, but He promises to renew us when
we place our hope in Him. When our strength runs out, His strength does not. When we
don’t know what to do, we can seek His wisdom. When we feel like we cannot take
another step, we can trust Him to give us strength for the next one. I definitely feel like I
am walking in one of these seasons right now, and I don’t know what I would do without
God’s strength to carry me and sustain me.

Jesus also reminds us in John 15:5, “Without me you can do nothing.” This is not meant
to discourage us; it is an invitation to depend on Him. We were never created to live the
Christian life through our own strength. Prayer, God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit help us
remain connected to Christ. The more we depend on Him, the more we recognize that
what seems impossible to us is not impossible when God is leading us. Our confidence
is not in how strong we are, but in how faithful He is. I am thankful for this.

Today, whatever you are facing, remember Philippians 4:13. You may not know how
everything will work out, and you may not feel strong enough for what is ahead, but you
don’t have to have all the answers. Christ will give you the strength you need, one step
at a time. Don’t focus only on the size of the challenge, but focus on the greatness of
the One who is with you. Your strength may have limits, but God’s strength does not.
You can keep going, not because you are strong enough on your own, but because
Christ is your strength.

By: Brandy Wallis

I Still Believe…

Do you know the worship song I Believe by the Helsers?

If you don't, you should give it a listen. The message is simple, but powerful: the
blood of Jesus still has the power to redeem. The Gospel still restores broken
people. Jesus is still who He says He is. And regardless of what is happening
around us, we can remain confident that we will see the goodness of the Lord
right here in the land where we are living.

That declaration comes straight from Psalm 27:13:
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the
living.”

I love that David doesn't say, “I hope I might see God's goodness.” He says, “I
remain confident.” And there's a big difference.

David wasn't writing those words from a life untouched by difficulty. He knew
rejection. He knew betrayal. He knew what it felt like to be hunted,
misunderstood, afraid, and exhausted. Yet somewhere in the middle of all of that,
David made a decision: a decision to believe God is good, that God is faithful, that
God is working, and believe that he would see the goodness of God! And see it
not just someday in Heaven but in the land he was living.

So here's a question worth sitting with:
What do you really believe about the goodness of God when life doesn't feel
good?

It's easy to talk about God's goodness when the prayer has been answered, the
diagnosis is good, the bills are paid, the family is healthy, and everything seems to
be falling into place.

But what about when it isn't?

What happens to your confidence when the prayer you've prayed a hundred
times still hasn't been answered? What do you believe when God seems quiet?
Can you still say, “I believe I will see His goodness”?

Living in the goodness of God doesn't mean living without disappointment, grief,
uncertainty, or hardship. It means refusing to allow our circumstances to become
the evidence we use to determine God's character.

Our circumstances change. God's character doesn't.

The blood of Jesus still redeems. The Gospel still restores. Grace still reaches the
broken. Mercy is still new every morning. Jesus still saves. And God is still working
in places we cannot yet see.

Maybe another question we need to ask ourselves is this:

Have I become so focused on what God hasn't done that I've stopped noticing
what He is doing?

Think about that for a moment. Where have you seen His goodness lately? Maybe
it wasn't the miracle you were asking for. Maybe His goodness looked like
strength you didn't know you had. Maybe it was peace that made absolutely no
sense. Maybe it was a friend who called at exactly the right moment, a door that
unexpectedly opened, provision you couldn't have orchestrated, or simply
enough grace to get up and take another step.

The goodness of God isn't only found in the miraculous moments. Sometimes His
goodness is found in the daily evidence that He never left.

So today, look again. Look for His fingerprints. Look for His provision. Look for the
prayers He has answered. Look at the places you've survived that you once
thought would destroy you. Look at the person you are becoming because God
has faithfully walked with you through every valley.

And then ask yourself one final question:

Can I trust the goodness of God even before I see the outcome?

Maybe today you are standing somewhere between the prayer and the answer.
Between what God promised and what you can currently see. If so, don't
surrender your confidence in the waiting.

Make Psalm 27:13 your declaration.

I remain confident.

I don't understand everything happening around me. I don't know how every part
of this story will unfold. I may not see the answer yet.

But I know who my God is.

The blood still has power. The Gospel still restores. Jesus is still faithful. God is still
good.

Whatever today looks like, plant your feet firmly in this truth and refuse to let
circumstances have the final word:

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the
living.”

I still believe. Do you?

By: Josh Sims

There Is No Rock Like Our God

Scripture — 1 Samuel 2:2
“There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.”

Hannah spoke these words after God answered one of the deepest cries of her heart. She had experienced years of disappointment, grief, and unanswered prayer. Yet when God finally moved, Hannah’s response wasn’t simply, “God gave me what I wanted.” Her response was worship.

She recognized something greater than the blessing she had received: she recognized who God is.

“There is none holy as the Lord.”

God’s holiness means that He is completely set apart. There is no one who compares to Him. He isn’t simply better than everything else—He is in a category all His own. His character is perfect. His motives are pure. His power is unmatched. His wisdom is complete.

We live in a world filled with things competing for our attention and affection. Success, relationships, careers, money, influence, comfort, and even ministry can become incredibly important to us. But 1 Samuel 2:2 reminds us that none of these things can take the place of God.

There is none beside Him.

Hannah had learned that God was enough even before her circumstances changed. Her worship wasn't ultimately based on what God had done for her; it was based on who God was.

Then she says, “Neither is there any rock like our God.”

A rock speaks of stability, strength, and security. Everything around us can shift. People change. Circumstances change. Plans change. Emotions change. Even things we thought would always be there can suddenly disappear.

But God remains.

When everything else feels uncertain, He is still our Rock.

When we don't understand what He is doing, He is still our Rock.

When the answer hasn't come, He is still our Rock.

When the answer finally comes, He is still our Rock.

That is an important distinction. We don't worship God because life is always stable. We worship Him because He is.

For those of us serving in ministry, this truth is especially important. It is easy to allow our identity to become wrapped up in what happens on a platform—the size of the crowd, how well the service went, whether people responded, whether we made mistakes, or whether others noticed our contribution.

But our foundation cannot be the platform.

Our foundation must be the Rock.

Before we are musicians, singers, leaders, pastors, volunteers, or servants, we are worshipers. And our worship begins when we see God for who He truly is.

Hannah's circumstances gave her a reason to rejoice, but her revelation of God gave her a reason to worship.

By: Tabitha White

Over the last year, Revival Kids has begun to host Family Discipleship Nights each quarter. At these services, we’ve invited families to come experience a Revival Kids service together. So, of course, we play competitive games, get out energy during fast worship, memorize our power verse, and then move into slow worship. It’s always fun to watch parents and students engage in the service together and then to jump into slow worship as a family. There’s nothing like watching an entire family lift their hands to worship together!

Our next Family Discipleship Night is this week, and we are talking about the importance of passing our faith on to the next generation. Billy Graham is famously quoted as saying, “the church is always only one generation away from extinction.” Can you imagine a world without the Gospel? What about an entire generation that doesn’t know what God has done in each of our lives?

Let’s read what I think is one of the saddest verses in the Bible, “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10)

Just think…one generation of Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and saw miracle after miracle! The next crossed the Jordan and saw the walls of Jericho fall! And then, we read Judges 2:10! Joshua’s generation died, and the next knew nothing about all of the miracles that God had done!

We might wonder how that could happen, but it’s pretty simple. One generation chose not to pass along their faith to the next. It probably wasn’t a conscious choice that they made. It most likely happened as a slow fade. They started with good intentions to share the miracles with their family, but then life got busy…or other things seemed more important…or small idols of the world started to draw their attention…or something bad happened, and they were convinced faith was no longer important…or the desire to fit in with their new surroundings took priority over following God’s law.

But if we look back to the book of Deuteronomy, we see how God gave the Israelites instructions on how to keep this from happening.

“These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

God gave the Israelites these instructions to help them pass along His laws and faithfulness to their children. Teach His laws at home; talk about His Word as you walk, lie down, and get back up; write them on your doorposts. In other words, keep God’s Word present in your life and family. God didn’t make it difficult or tiresome. He literally told the people to teach their children the ways, laws, and faithfulness of God and to keep God at the forefront of their lives.

This is the challenge for every family that wants to raise kids who know and love Jesus. Faith cannot be something that we only talk about on Sunday mornings. It has to become part of our everyday lives. We have to talk about what God is doing, remind our children of what He has done, and make His Word a regular part of our homes. Our kids need to know that the God they read about in the Bible is still working in our lives today!

And maybe that’s where we start—by telling our own stories. Tell your kids about the prayers God answered. Tell them about the times He provided when you didn’t know how things were going to work out. Tell them about the seasons when God was faithful even when life was hard. Our children need to hear and learn all the stories of the Bible, but they also need to hear about the God of the Bible working in the lives of the people they know and trust the most.

We can’t make the decision for our child to build a relationship with God for them, but we can make sure they have every opportunity to see what a real relationship with Him looks like! We can intentionally talk about His Word, worship together, pray together, and share His faithfulness with our families. We don’t have to do it perfectly, but we do have to be intentional. Because one day, the faith that we are living out in front of our children today could become the faith that they carry into the next generation!

By: Jason White

I get the HONOR to be the “Discipleship” Pastor at the Revival Center. I put the word “Discipleship” in quotations because we are ALL called to be disciples of Jesus. The word disciple comes from the Latin word “discipulus” which means learner and the Greek word mathetes. By definition the word disciple means a learner, follower, student, who closely mimics the life, teachings, and ways of a master or teacher. I heard a quote that says a disciple should follow their teacher so closely that their words are covered in the dust of the teacher’s feet. WOW! That means we are so close that every step the Master takes, the dust that is thrown off His feet is going into our mouths and we taste it.  

Unfortunately, we throw those words, disciple or discipleship, around so loosely, I feel we have truly lost what it means to be a disciple of the One and Only, Master and Teacher, Jesus! Let’s go to the Word of God to truly define what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. 

First, we have to love another! John 13:35 says “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The conditional "if" indicates that love is the essential evidence of true discipleship. This love is agape, a selfless, unconditional love that mirrors the love of Christ. In the cultural context of the time, such love was countercultural, as society was often divided by class, ethnicity, and religion. The command to love one another is a recurring theme in the New Testament, seen in passages like 1 John 4:7-8, which states that love is from God and those who love are born of God. This love is a fulfillment of the law, as Paul writes in Romans 13:10 “Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirement of God’s law”, and is a reflection of the new covenant relationship established by Jesus.

Second, we have to bear fruit! John 15:8 says “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” Bearing fruit is a metaphor for living a life that reflects the character and teachings of Jesus. In the agricultural society of ancient Israel, fruit-bearing was a common image used to describe productivity and success. The Old Testament often uses the imagery of fruit to describe the results of a righteous life (Psalm 1:3, Jeremiah 17:7-8). In the New Testament, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) represents the qualities that should be evident in a believer's life. Jesus' use of this metaphor in John 15 connects to His earlier teachings about the vine and branches, illustrating the necessity of remaining in Him to produce spiritual fruit. 

Third, we must hold to the truths of scripture. John 8:31-32 says “Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, ‘You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.’ And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus distinguishes between mere followers and true disciples. True discipleship involves a deep, ongoing relationship with Jesus, characterized by obedience and transformation. This statement challenges the superficial belief of some of His listeners, urging them to examine the authenticity of their faith. The concept of discipleship in the New Testament is not just about learning but about living out the teachings of Jesus.

Fourth, Jesus tells us that we have to love and choose Him above ALL, even our own families. Luke 14:26 says “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else-your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” The term "hate" here is understood as a hyperbolic expression common in Semitic languages, emphasizing preference rather than literal animosity. In Matthew 10:37, Jesus clarifies this by stating that anyone who loves family more than Him is not worthy of Him. The cultural context of the time placed strong emphasis on family loyalty, making this statement particularly challenging and highlighting the radical nature of discipleship.

Lastly, to be a true disciple, we must be willing to be a martyr. We must be willing to lay down our lives for the sake of Christ. In America, we haven’t gotten to the point of this that other places in the world have and they have for many years. Luke 14:27 says “And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” This statement sets a clear and uncompromising standard for discipleship. It underscores the cost of following Jesus, which involves prioritizing Him above all else, including personal desires and relationships. The use of "cannot" indicates that without the willingness to carry one's cross and follow Jesus, true discipleship is impossible.

I want to encourage you, that He is worthy of all the requirements that are needed to be a true disciple of Jesus! Let’s truly follow Him today!

By: Angie Drummonds

When God’s Word Is Hidden in Your Heart
There are seasons in life when you realize just how much you need the Word of God. Not just on Sunday. Not just when your favorite preacher posts a powerful message.  Not just when you need a verse to put on a social media graphic.

But really need it.

Need it in the middle of the night when your mind won’t quiet down.
Need it when fear starts whispering things God never said.
Need it when disappointment comes.
Need it when you’re tired, discouraged, confused, or simply trying to figure out what the next step is.

I’ve learned through the years that there is something powerful about having God’s Word already planted in your heart.

Psalm 119:11 says,
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

I love the picture those words create.

Hidden in my heart.

Not simply read.
Not simply heard.
Not simply underlined in a Bible.

Hidden.
Stored up.
Planted.
Treasured.
Known.

Because there will be moments when you don’t have your Bible open in front of you. There will be moments when you don’t have a preacher standing in front of you. There will be moments when you don’t have a worship song playing in the background.

But if you have hidden God’s Word in your heart, the Holy Spirit can bring back to your remembrance what God has already spoken. And sometimes, that Word is what carries you.
David understood this.

David knew what it was like to face battles, opposition, loneliness, fear, disappointment, and uncertainty. Yet over and over again, we see David turning his heart back toward God.

In 1 Samuel 30, when David was in one of the darkest moments of his life, Scripture says that he “strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

David encouraged himself in the Lord.

How do we do that?

We remind ourselves of who God is. We remind ourselves of what He has said. We remind ourselves of what He has already done. And we can’t do that if we don’t know His Word.

God’s Word gives us something to stand on when everything around us is shaking.

I can look back over my own life and see how many times Scripture has carried me. There have been moments when I didn’t know what to pray, but a verse came to mind. Moments when I felt discouraged, and God reminded me of His promises. Moments when fear tried to take over, and His Word reminded me that He has not given me a spirit of fear.Moments when I questioned what was happening, and Scripture reminded me that His ways are higher than mine. Moments when I felt weak, and His Word reminded me that His grace is sufficient.

That’s why reading the Bible cannot simply be something we check off our spiritual to-do list.

We need the Word because we need God.

The Bible isn't simply a book full of good advice. It is God's revelation of who He is, what He has done, what He has promised, and how He calls us to live.

It teaches us His character.
It corrects us.
It encourages us.
It gives us wisdom.
It exposes things in our hearts that need to change.
It reminds us of truth when the world is shouting lies.
And it gives us hope when our circumstances don't look hopeful.

Psalm 119:105 says,
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

I love that Scripture doesn't say His Word gives us a spotlight that lets us see the entire road ahead. It says it is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.

Sometimes God doesn't show us everything. He simply gives us enough light to take the next step. And we have to learn to trust Him with the steps we cannot yet see.

But there is another reason we need to know the Word.

It is our weapon.

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He responded with Scripture. Again and again, Jesus said, “It is written.” He didn't argue with the enemy. He didn't reason with him. He didn't try to negotiate. He answered the lies of the enemy with the truth of God's Word.

Ephesians 6 calls the Word of God “the sword of the Spirit.”

Think about that.

God has not left us defenseless. He has given us armor. And He has given us a sword. But a sword doesn't do much good if we don't know how to use it. We cannot fight spiritual battles with verses we don't know. We cannot stand on promises we've never taken the time to learn. We cannot recognize the lies of the enemy if we don't know the truth of God's Word. That's why we have to move beyond simply hearing the Word.

A sermon can encourage you.
A podcast can teach you.
A devotional can inspire you.
A worship song can minister to your heart.
And God can absolutely use all of those things.

But there is no substitute for opening the Word of God for yourself. There is something different about sitting with Scripture. Reading it slowly. Studying it. Asking questions. Looking at the context. Learning who wrote it and why. Comparing Scripture with Scripture. Meditating on what it means. And then allowing it to speak into your own life.

Because we don't grow simply by being around people who know the Word. We grow by knowing the Word ourselves. We cannot live on someone else's revelation. Your pastor's Bible knowledge is not a substitute for your own. Your favorite preacher's sermon cannot replace your personal time in Scripture.

The Bible verse someone posts online may encourage you today, but God wants His Word to become something deeper than a caption you read and scroll past.

He wants it hidden in your heart.
Because there will be a day when you need that Word. 
A day when you're hurting.
A day when you're tempted.
A day when you're afraid.
A day when you're making a difficult decision.
A day when you need to encourage yourself in the Lord.

And in that moment, what you've been faithfully putting into your heart can rise up and remind you:

God is still faithful.
God is still good.
God has not forgotten me.
God is with me.
God's promises are still true.

This is not the end of my story.

There is hope in the Word.
There is truth in the Word.
There is wisdom in the Word.
There is correction in the Word.
There is comfort in the Word.
There is power in the Word.
And there is life in the Word.

So if you've gotten away from your Bible lately, maybe this is your invitation to come back. Not out of guilt. Not because you need to check another box. But because you need what is inside those pages. You need the reminder of who God is.

You need His truth.
You need His promises.
You need His wisdom.
You need His correction.
You need His encouragement.
You need His voice above all the other voices competing for your attention.

Open your Bible… Sit with Him. Read it. Study it. Ask Him to help you understand it. Hide it in your heart.

Because you never know what battle tomorrow may bring. But when the battle comes, you want more than something you vaguely remember hearing. You want the Word of God already living inside of you. You want to be able to say, “It is written.” You want to be able to encourage yourself in the Lord. You want His Word to be a lamp for your feet, a light for your path, and a sword in your hand. And perhaps most importantly, you want to know the God who gave you the Word.

Because the more we read Scripture, the more we discover that this isn't simply about knowing a book. It's about knowing Him. And the more we know Him, the more we trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more we can follow Him. And the more we follow Him, the more our lives begin to look like the One we've been reading about all along.

“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” — Psalm 119:11

May we never be satisfied with simply hearing God's Word. May we hunger to know it, live it, hide it, and carry it with us.

Because one day, the Word you've been faithful to put in your heart may be the very thing that gives you the strength to stand.

By: Blake Allums

2 Timothy 4:1-5

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture in the entire Bible. Why? Because it is a commissioning from Paul to Timothy to do the things that are written. It is important to note that this is the last letter, or recorded words, of the apostle Paul and he is in a Roman prison “bound by chains like a criminal” (2 Tim. 2:9). What does he choose to do with it? Encourage a young person named Timothy.

The first place I want to settle is in verse 1 where Paul writes, “I charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus…”. This is interesting because Paul’s setting of writing this is a Roman prison bound by chains. So, how could he be in the presence of God and Christ Jesus in the middle of a bad situation? Because that’s how good our God is. He meets us in the middle of our mess and redeems us through His Son. It doesn’t matter where you are in your life, you are still in the presence of God and Christ Jesus.
 
In verse 2 we see a commissioning to Timothy to “preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” 

• Preach the Word: this is a constant theme throughout this letter. References to the word of God appear 36 times. It is a major theme. Why? Because the word of God changes lives. 
• Be ready in season and out of season: when should you be ready to preach the word? In season and out of season. Always. 
• Reprove, rebuke, exhort: this is to convince, disapprove, and encourage people through the preaching of the word of God. 
• With patience and teaching: this is how you preach the word.

Verses 3-4 introduce the distortion of scripture and unsound doctrine/preaching. In this letter, Paul warns against unsound teaching of the word of God 17 times. A time is coming where unsound teaching will take over the church. I believe that we are slowly walking into this abomination. Not only the preacher but the listener will have itching ears. They will want sermons that are story-based and not word-based. They will look for someone who does not preach conviction and repentance. They will look for someone who says they can habitually sin and still be in Christ. BUT, it is our job as true believers to never distort the word. It is our job as true believers to never conform to the passions of the world but rather transform our minds. Why is this all important? Because a watered-down gospel cannot produce devoted disciples.
 
Verse 5 encourages us though. It says what we are to do when this time comes and what to do right now. 

• Be sober-minded: this is language that is often used when dealing with substance abuse. That is because it distorts your mind. It causes you to be out of control. To be sober-minded is to be self-controlled. 
• Endure suffering: James 5:13 tells us that if we are suffering, PRAY! The answer to endure suffering is prayer. 
• Do the work of an evangelist: this is the act of sharing the life changing message of the gospel. It is to put action to the words you confess. 
• Fulfill your ministry: this is when we carry out what we have been called to do. Ultimately, Matthew 28:19. 

Let this serve as encouragement for you. I would love to leave you with this charge:

• “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

By: Gabi Pope

We live in a culture that allows our feelings to be the highest authority in our life. “If it feels right, do it”, “follow your heart”, “speak your truth.” It sounds so freeing on the surface, but when feelings become our guide, we often find ourselves more lost than ever! If I am being completely transparent here, I am guilty of this! It is so easy to allow our feelings to be the one thing that matters, but here is the truth… feelings change, they rise and fall with each circumstance, people, and moments. The Truth does not!!

God never asked us to build our lives on what we feel, He calls us to build on what is true!! That doesn’t mean our emotions are wrong. They are real and they matter, in fact, scripture is full of honest, raw emotion. One of the clearest examples is David!! He wasn’t distant or polished in his prayers, instead he was deeply human. He wrote from places of fear, anxiety, grief, and even despair. In Psalm 6:6, he says, “I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” That’s not a man pretending to be okay. That’s someone who feels overwhelmed to his core!!

There are moments throughout the Psalms where David’s words echo deep anguish, where life feels heavy and exhausting, where the weight of everything around him presses in so hard that he seems desperate for relief. Have you ever been there too? I know I have!! The most powerful thing is not just that David felt those things, it’s how he handled those feelings when they came! He brought them to God!
 
David didn’t suppress his feelings, but he also didn’t surrender to them. He let his emotions speak, but he didn’t let them have the final word. Again and again, you see a pattern: he starts in distress, but he ends in truth. He reminds himself of who God is, even when his feelings are telling him something completely different!

That’s the tension we all live in. Feelings can be LOUD. They can convince us that we’re alone, that we’re not enough, that things will never change. In those moments, it’s easy to believe that what we feel must be what is real. But Scripture will always correct that thinking. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” That doesn’t mean our hearts are worthless, like the enemy tries to tell us, it means they aren’t meant to lead us!!

Jesus said in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Not feelings, not circumstances…Truth!!

When we choose to live by truth over feelings, we aren’t ignoring what’s going on inside of us. We’re simply refusing to let it define reality. We’re choosing to bring what we feel under the authority of God’s Word instead of placing it above it. So when you feel alone, but God says He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), Truth wins. When you feel forgotten, but God says He will never leave you nor forsake you, Truth wins. When you feel weak, but God says His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), Truth wins.

This isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s often a daily decision, a dying to your flesh prayer, sometimes a moment-by-moment one. It requires humility to admit that our feelings might not be telling us the full story. It requires trust to believe God’s Word over our internal narrative. But it’s in that surrender that freedom is found!! David’s life shows us that you can feel deeply and still stand firmly in Truth. You can be honest about your pain and still anchored in God’s promises. You can have moments of weakness and still walk in faith!!!
 
So feel what you feel, but don’t ever stop there. Bring it to God, lay it before Him, and then, like David, remind your soul of what is True!!! Because at the end of the day, feelings may speak, but Truth is what sustains us. 

By: Kara Wallis

Fear Not

Life has a way of presenting challenges that leave us feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, and even afraid. Whether we are facing health struggles, financial difficulties, broken relationships, or simply the pressures of everyday life, fear can easily take hold of our hearts. Yet in the midst of those moments, one of the Bible's most comforting promises reminds us that we are never alone.

Isaiah 41:10 declares:
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

This verse is more than just an encouraging quote—it's a powerful promise from God to His people. Every phrase carries hope and reassurance for anyone who feels weary or uncertain.

The verse begins with the command, "Fear not." God doesn't tell us to ignore reality or pretend our problems don't exist. Instead, He reminds us that fear does not have the final word because His presence changes everything. The reason we can release our fear is found in the next statement: "For I am with you." God's presence is constant. He walks beside us through every valley and remains faithful in every season of life.

Next comes another comforting reminder: "Be not dismayed, for I am your God." To be dismayed means to lose courage or become overwhelmed. God gently calls us to lift our eyes from our circumstances and fix them on Him. He is sovereign, loving, and completely trustworthy. When everything around us seems unstable, God's character remains unchanged.

The promise continues with three incredible assurances. First, "I will strengthen you." God supplies the strength we cannot find on our own. He equips us to endure trials and gives us the courage to take the next step, even when we feel weak.

Second, God says, "I will help you." We were never intended to carry life's burdens alone. God invites us to lean on Him, bringing our worries, fears, and needs before Him in prayer. His help often comes through His peace, His Word, and the people He places in our lives.

Finally, He promises, "I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." This beautiful image reminds us that God not only helps us but also sustains us. His righteous right hand symbolizes His power, authority, and faithfulness. Even when we feel like we're about to fall, God holds us securely.

Isaiah 41:10 encourages believers to replace fear with faith. That doesn't mean life will always be easy, but it does mean we never face our struggles alone. God's promises are not based on our ability to stay strong; they are based on His unchanging faithfulness.

Today, whatever challenge you are facing, remember that God's presence goes before you. His strength is available when yours runs out. His help is never delayed, and His hand will never let you go. Fear may knock at your door, but faith can answer because God has already promised to be with you.

By: Brandy Wallis

A Gospel They Can See

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." — John 13:35

When we think about sharing the Gospel, our minds often go to preaching, teaching, or having intentional conversations about Jesus. Those things are absolutely essential. After all, faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). But before many people ever hear the Gospel with their ears, they witness it with their eyes.

For countless people, you may be the first Bible they ever "read."
The way we love, serve, forgive, speak, and respond to difficult circumstances paints a picture of the God we claim to follow. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to either reflect Christ or obscure Him.

Jesus never intended for His followers to simply know His teachings. He intended for us to embody them. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus tells us: "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Notice that He didn't say our good works save people. Rather, our lives point people toward the One who does. Throughout Scripture, believers are repeatedly called to imitate Christ.
Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us."

Paul echoes this challenge in Philippians 2:3-5, reminding us to put others before ourselves, adopting the very mindset of Christ—one marked by humility and selfless love.
So what does living like Jesus actually look like?

It looks like showing kindness to someone who can offer nothing in return.
It looks like extending forgiveness when holding a grudge would be easier.
It looks like serving quietly when no one is watching.
It looks like feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, welcoming the lonely, visiting the sick, encouraging the discouraged, and praying for those who are hurting.

It looks like speaking truth with grace instead of responding with anger.
It looks like choosing integrity when compromise would be more convenient.
It looks like generosity with our finances, our time, our talents, and our attention.

These aren't simply acts of kindness. They are visible demonstrations of the invisible character of God.

James reminds us that "faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17). Our actions do not earn salvation, but they reveal a heart that has truly been transformed by it.
One of the most beautiful examples comes from 1 Peter 2:12: "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable... so that... they may see your good deeds and glorify God."

People are watching.
Your coworkers notice how you respond under pressure.
Your neighbors observe how you treat your family.
The cashier remembers your patience.

The struggling single mom notices your willingness to help.
The lonely elderly gentleman remembers the conversation you took time to have.
These moments may seem ordinary to us, but they become extraordinary when God uses them to reveal His love.

Every smile offered with sincerity, every meal shared, every act of compassion, every encouraging word, every hour spent serving someone else becomes another brushstroke painting a picture of Jesus.

The world desperately needs to hear the Gospel, but it also needs to see it.
May our lives reflect the heart of Christ so clearly that people are drawn not to us, but to Him. May our actions consistently proclaim the message our lips confess: that Jesus changes lives.

After all, sometimes the most powerful sermon isn't preached from a platform.

It's lived!

By: Josh Sims

Built to Last

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays alert in vain." — Psalm 127:1

This past week, our nation celebrated a remarkable milestone—250 years since the birth of the United States. Across the country, communities gathered with fireworks, parades, music, and expressions of gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy. Milestones like these invite us to look back with appreciation and forward with hope.

Yet Psalm 127:1 reminds us of a timeless truth: no matter how strong a nation appears, no matter how impressive its achievements, lasting success is never built on human effort alone.

King Solomon, known for his wisdom and wealth, understood this better than anyone. He had overseen magnificent building projects, fortified cities, and established one of the greatest kingdoms in Israel's history. Yet he acknowledged that all human labor is ultimately empty if God is not the foundation.

That truth applies not only to nations but also to our own lives.
We spend countless hours building careers, raising families, strengthening churches, planning for retirement, and pursuing dreams. None of those things are wrong—in fact, they are good gifts from God. But if Christ is not at the center, our accomplishments can become impressive structures resting on unstable ground.

As America begins its next chapter beyond 250 years, perhaps the greatest prayer we can offer is not simply, "God bless America," but "Lord, build America." We need more than economic strength, military power, or political solutions. We need God's wisdom, His righteousness, and His presence. The same is true for our homes, our churches, and our hearts.

The encouraging news is that God delights in building what is surrendered to Him. He strengthens what we cannot sustain on our own. He guards what we cannot fully protect. He establishes what human effort alone never could.

Today, ask yourself: What am I trying to build? Is my confidence in my own plans and abilities, or have I invited the Lord to be the Architect of my life?
When God is the builder, our labor has purpose. When God is the watchman, our hearts can rest in peace. And when God is our foundation, what He builds will stand.

By: Tabitha White

This entire year, I have seen the words “all in” over and over again! From the theme of our kids crusade to the NextGen conference that Gabi and I attended to sermons in youth, I have seen the phrase constantly! God has been reminding us and having us challenge our students and team to commit to being fully “all in” this year!

If we are making a list of people in the Bible that were “all in” for running after God, we probably wouldn’t think of Gideon at the beginning of Judges 6. Judges 6:1 says, “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.” The Midianites were constantly cruel and stole their crops and cattle, to the point that the Israelites faced starvation!

That’s where we pick up the story of Gideon. Judges 6:11 tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon while he was hiding in a winepress.

We think of people that follow after Jesus as being bold and ready to face whatever the devil tries to throw at them…but that wasn’t the case for Gideon. He was in a winepress threshing wheat for his family. In Biblical times, a person would thresh wheat on an elevated platform, so that the wind could blow away what they didn’t want. Instead, Gideon was hiding from the Midianites…and while he was hiding the angel said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” (Judges 6:12)

The angel didn’t see Gideon as he was - hiding from the enemy - instead, he saw Gideon as the person he was created to be. In fact, the angel tells Gideon, “Go with the strength that you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” (Judges 6:14) Gideon wasn’t asked to go on his own to rescue Israel. No, he was being sent in God’s strength that Gideon didn’t realize was already placed inside him!!

Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Gideon had to feel like he was at one of the weakest points in his life, but God was with him! After God confirmed that He was truly sending Gideon, Gideon became the mighty warrior that he was created to be. Later in Judges 7, Gideon defeats the entire Midianite army with only 300 men!

So, what is God asking you to do with the strength that He has placed in your life? 

Is He asking you to share a story of His faithfulness with a co-worker or neighbor? Is He asking you to boldly pray for a family member that has turned away from Christ? Or, is He asking you to take a step into a calling that feels much too big or scary?

No matter what He is asking, I want to encourage you! God will give you the strength that you need for the assignment He has placed on your life, and as Paul reminded us, “For when I am weak, then I am strong!” Take the step, make the phone call, pray the prayer! No matter what He is asking, go “all in” for following after God and walk in the strength that He is placing in your life!

By: Jason White

The Heart of the Father

Yesterday was Father’s Day and I got the privilege and honor of preaching the Father’s Day message at the Revival Center! I wanted to preach a sermon on how good, loving, and forgiving our Heavenly Father is. I used the text from Psalm 86:5 as the launching point for the sermon! The Lord gave me this verse and honestly, I could have preached for HOURS on the goodness, love, and forgiveness of the Father!

“O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.” Psalm 86:5

I realize that not everyone has a good earthly father. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have a good relationship with their earthly father. That can taint our opinion and relationship with God, our Heavenly Father. I want to take just a few moments, or lines, in this blog to give you a short summary of what I preached in the Father’s Day sermon!

God is good! He doesn’t just do good things. By nature, His character is good! He knows exactly how to meet our needs in just the right way for each of us. You see, we are all created in His image, but we are all different. He knows exactly how to care for each of us in exactly the right way. He knows exactly how to provide for us. He is Jehovah Jireh. He provided Abraham and Isaac with a ram in the thicket, so that Abraham didn’t have to sacrifice his son. He provided us with Jesus, who gives us the way to Heaven, all we have to do is ask and repent! God protects us. He is our rock, strong tower, and refuge. I can’t tell you how many times in my life that He has protected me and kept me safe. God also has good plans for not only me, but all of us! The question here is, will we allow Him to work out His plans in our lives, or will we decide to do this thing called life our own way?

God is forgiving! His very nature is forgiveness! So many people have an image of God in their minds of a mean, old judge who sits on a throne with a gavel in hand, waiting to pound it and yell “guilty”. That’s not our Heavenly Father! He is forgiving! In Second Peter, it says he is wanting everyone to be saved - that’s why He is delaying Jesus’ return. He is patiently waiting on everyone to call on His name and repent! I think one of the most beautiful stories of His forgiveness is the parable that Jesus tells in Luke 15 of the prodigal son. How fitting this story is of so much of our stories in life! We take the blessings that God has in store for us and we waste them. We waste them so much most of the time, that we find ourselves in the same position as the prodigal son, lost and desperate with nowhere to turn! We come to our senses and run back to God and guess what, He’s there running after us as well! EVERYTIME!

Lastly, our God is loving! His love is proven by the unconditional nature of that love. How many of you reading this blog would send your only son or daughter to die a criminal’s death for someone else! Only God did that and that proves His love for each of us! There are countless verses in the Bible that describe that love for each of us and I wish I could share them all. However, I will leave you with one of my favorites: Romans 8:39 “nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God is so good, so forgiving, and so loving! God Bless!

By: Angie Drummonds

Here am I. 
As I prepare for our mission trip to Ecuador, there are so many things I’m doing to get ready.

I’m packing clothes, choosing the right shoes, gathering essentials, making lists, and trying to think through everything I might need while we are there.

That’s part of preparing. We plan. We organize. We do our best to be ready.

But as I’ve been preparing for this trip, God has been reminding me that the most important thing I can prepare isn’t my suitcase…
It’s my heart.

Because a mission trip is about so much more than getting on a plane and going somewhere new. It’s not just about the places we visit, the things we do, or the people we meet.

It’s about being available.

It’s about allowing God to use an ordinary person who is willing to say, “Here I am, Lord. Use me.”

And the truth is, we can prepare every detail. We can have schedules, plans, and expectations. We can think we know how things will go.

But ultimately, God is in control.

He already knows the moments we haven’t planned for.

The conversations we will have that we haven’t prepared for.

The people who will cross our path.

The opportunities we don’t even know are coming.

Our job is not to control every moment.

Our job is to surrender and be a vessel.

I’ve found myself praying…
“Lord, prepare my heart before You prepare my feet.”

Remove anything in me that would distract from what You want to do.

Help me lay down my expectations and pick up Your purpose.

Give me eyes to see people the way You see them.

Give me ears to hear the things You want me to hear.

Give me a heart that is willing to love, serve, and show Your kindness wherever You send me.

Because the reality is, being used by God isn’t reserved for those who travel across the world.

Sometimes our mission field is another country.

Sometimes it’s our neighborhood.

Sometimes it’s the person standing beside us in the grocery store.

Sometimes it’s a coworker, a family member, a stranger, or someone who simply needs to know they are seen and loved.

God is looking for willing hearts.

Isaiah 6:8 says, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

That is the heart I want to carry into Ecuador.

Not a heart that says, “Look what I am going to do for God.”

But a heart that says, “Lord, what do You want to do through me?”

Because the greatest thing I can bring on this trip is not what’s in my suitcase.

It’s a heart surrendered to Him.

A heart willing to be stretched.

A heart willing to serve.

A heart willing to say yes.

So as I prepare my bags, I’m praying God prepares me.

And maybe today, wherever you are, that’s a prayer we can all pray…
“Lord, make me a vessel. Use me wherever You send me. Let my life point people back to You.”

Please keep our mission team in prayer over the next couple weeks as we allow God to work through us to reach the lost, the hurting, and the broken.

By: Blake Allums

Text: John 12:37 & 42-43

I do not want to ever miss a moment where the Lord can do something tremendous in my life. Before we begin, let's glance at the context of this passage. Jesus has just raised a man named Lazarus from the dead and people are talking and actually getting saved as a result of this miracle. Then Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt while everyone cried “Hosanna, Hosanna!” Finally, people have turned on Jesus and now want him crucified. What a roller coaster of a story. But, I feel as if we find ourselves on this roller coaster today. We see the miracles of the Lord taking place and we see church growth but at the same time we see murder in our community, we see false religions moving closer, and scandals breaking out in the church world. Tensions are high in our communities.
 
Here is the beauty in all of this though, we can use these moments to bring someone to the feet of Jesus. Here is the hard part, we often miss these moments while being consumed with something else.

1. You can experience God and still not believe (v.37)

This text reminds me of Pharaoh in Exodus 7 where he had a hardened heart even though God was doing all of these miracles and working through Moses. It was his PRIDE that got in the way of the moment.

John 3:16 says it perfectly, “believe”. Experience is one thing but belief is another. You can experience God all you want but if you never believe then you have no eternal life.
It does not stop there…

2. You can believe and still disobey. (v.42)

You can experience God and you can believe in God but if you do not obey him then it is dead. The Pharisees in this story did not CONFESS him. Romans 10:9 proves that confession is a part of our salvation. Matthew 10:33 shows that if we deny Jesus in front of others he will deny us in front of his father. This makes me reflect over my own life to see if I have ever denied Jesus in front of others… and I HAVE. This is something that ate at me in high school and still haunts me to this day. How much more could I have done for the kingdom if I had cared more about it than my own reputation?

Fear is the reason these men did not confess in our passage. Matthew 10:28 warns about this though, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
A faith that fears people more than God is always going to struggle. They were afraid of ruining their reputation. When you care more about protecting your worldly reputation you begin to delay your Godly obedience. Obedience to God is far more important than any title, position, job, financial security, etc.

3. What glory are you after? (v.43)

The glory from man comes from fame, riches, good job, relationships, etc. 
The glory from God is eternal life, heaven, being in his literal presence, the opportunity to worship, casting our crowns at his feet, etc.  I am after the glory that comes from God more than anything. I will throw away anything temporary if it means that I get to dwell in his presence forever.

I pray that you would do the same.

By: Gabi Pope

A few weeks ago, I came across a song called Pharisee, and there’s a line in it that I can’t seem to get off my mind: “Like John, would I be by His side. Or like Peter, would I just deny? Would I be so stuck in my mind that I never opened my eyes?”

If I’m honest, I want to say I’d be like John! The one who stayed close to Jesus, the one who didn’t run when things got hard, the one who remained near even at the cross. I want to believe my faith would be that steady, that loyal, that unshakable. But when I really think about it, I see parts of Peter in me too. There are moments where fear gets louder than my faith. Moments where I stay quiet when I should speak up!! Moments where I care more about how I’m perceived than who I belong to…please tell me I’m not alone in those feelings?

And then there’s that last line: “Would I be so stuck in my mind that I never opened my eyes?” That one hit deeper than I expected. Because sometimes, I get so caught up in my own thoughts with overthinking, worrying, doubting… that I completely miss what God is doing right in front of me! I can be present physically, but spiritually unaware. I can be there in the moment, but my heart isn’t in it.
 
It made me think about the Pharisees. They knew Scripture, they followed the rules, they looked the part. But somehow, they still missed Jesus when He was standing right in front of them! And that’s what scares me the most, not failing loudly, but missing Him quietly. Missing His voice because I’m too distracted, missing His presence because I’m too busy, missing His truth because I’m too wrapped up in my own mind!!

Lately, my prayer has been simple: “God, open my eyes.” Not just to see Him, but to recognize Him! Not just to know about Him, but to truly walk with Him! Not just to look like I have faith, but to actually live it out in a real and honest way.

I don’t want to be someone who knows all the right things but misses the point. I don’t want to be so consumed by my own thoughts that I lose sight of His heart. I want to stay close like John, be restored like Peter. But more than anything, I want to have eyes that are fully aware of who Jesus is and what He’s doing in my life and in others lives!
 
Maybe you’ve felt that too. Maybe you’ve wondered where you’d stand, or if you’ve been missing what God is trying to show you. The good news is, we don’t have to stay stuck there. God is still drawing us close. He’s still opening eyes, still restoring hearts. All we have to do is be willing to see!

So here’s my challenge for each of us, don’t just go through the motions. Don’t just think about God, look for Him, slow down and invite Him into our thoughts instead of letting them consume us. Don’t let our mind keep us from what our heart was created for.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 
2 Corinthians 10:5

By: Kara Wallis

There are few things more emotional than praying for someone you love to come to Christ. Whether it is a spouse, child, sibling, parent, or close friend, we often carry a deep burden for their salvation. Over time, however, discouragement can creep in when we do not see immediate change. We may wonder if our prayers are working at all. Yet Scripture reminds us that God is always moving, even when we cannot see it. 2 Peter says, “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise… not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God’s heart for the lost is greater than ours could ever be.

One of the greatest dangers in long-term prayer is frustration. We pray faithfully for months or years and begin to lose hope when hearts remain hardened. But the Bible teaches believers not to grow weary in doing good. In Galatians 6:9, Paul writes, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Salvation is often a process, not a sudden moment. God may be using circumstances, conversations, hardships, and unseen convictions to draw a person closer to Him. Just because we do not see immediate fruit does not mean God is absent from the situation.

Prayer itself is powerful and effective. Sometimes we underestimate what happens spiritually when we intercede for others. James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Every prayer lifted in faith matters. God hears every cry, every tear, and every whispered request made out of love. Even when emotions tell us to give up, faith calls us to continue trusting God’s timing. We are not responsible for changing hearts — only God can do that — but we are called to remain faithful in prayer.

It is also important to remember that no one is beyond God’s reach. Throughout Scripture, God saved people who seemed unlikely to ever turn toward Him. The apostle Paul once persecuted Christians before dramatically encountering Christ. Jesus Himself reminded us in Matthew 19:26, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” When we keep this truth before us, hope begins to replace frustration. God specializes in redemption, restoration, and transforming lives that seem impossible to change.

As believers, we must continue praying with patience, faith, and love. Even when answers feel delayed, God is still writing the story. Our prayers may be planting seeds that will one day bloom in ways we never imagined. Continue encouraging your loved ones, continue living out your faith before them, and continue trusting God’s promises. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply says, “Pray without ceasing.” God honors persistent faith, and in His perfect timing, He can bring salvation to the hearts we care about most.

By: Brandy Wallis

When Seasons Change
Graduation season is filled with emotion. One moment, there is celebration and excitement. The next, there is uncertainty about what comes next. Graduates walk across a stage with smiles on their faces, but many are also carrying questions in their hearts. What will my future look like?

Am I ready? What if I fail? What if things don’t go as planned? Along with the joy and
anticipation often comes anxiety, confusion, and even fear of the unknown.
The truth is, graduation is not that different from many seasons of life.

Life is full of transitions. Some are exciting, while others are painful and unexpected. We step into new jobs, new relationships, new ministries, new responsibilities, and sometimes even seasons of loss, heartbreak, or disappointment. Just like a graduate standing at the edge of a new chapter, we often find ourselves wondering what’s ahead and whether we are equipped for the journey.

But one of the greatest comforts we have as believers is knowing that we never walk into a
season alone. Jesus never promised that every road would be easy, but He did promise His presence. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.” When life feels uncertain, we lean into Him. When we are overwhelmed, we trust Him. When we don’t understand the path, we follow the One who does.

Sometimes we want God to immediately remove the difficult parts of our story, but often He
uses those very moments to shape us. Pain is never wasted in the hands of God. The struggle you are walking through today may become the testimony that gives someone else hope tomorrow.

The heartbreak you survived may help another person believe they can survive theirs too.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. That includes the victories and the valleys. The joyful moments and the painful ones. God has a way of taking broken pieces and turning them into something beautiful just as scripture reminds us in Isaiah 61:3.

Some of the strongest people you will ever meet are those who walked through difficult seasons and discovered God was faithful every step of the way. Their stories become reminders that overcoming is possible. And your story can become that reminder for someone else.

So, whether you are stepping into a brand-new season filled with excitement or walking through one marked by uncertainty, remember this: God is already ahead of you. Lean into Him. Trust Him with the unknowns. Keep walking even when you cannot see the full picture.
There are blessings on the other side of obedience, growth on the other side of hardship, and purpose on the other side of pain.

And one day, someone else may find hope simply because they watched God carry you through your season.

By: Josh Sims

Pursue. Measure. Grow.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” — Ephesians 5:15
“Not that I have already obtained all this… but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” — Philippians 3:12

There are two truths that shape growth in every area of life:
You cannot grow what you do not measure.
You will not possess what you do not pursue.

So many believers desire spiritual maturity, stronger relationships, deeper worship, greater leadership, or more impact for the Kingdom—but desire alone does not produce transformation. Growth requires attention. Possession requires pursuit.

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly calls His people to intentionality. He told Joshua to meditate on the Law day and night. Jesus told His disciples to “watch and pray.” Paul examined his life like an athlete training for a race. None of these are passive images.
Healthy things are observed, cultivated, and pursued.

If we never examine our prayer life, how will we know if we are growing in intimacy with God? If we never evaluate our character, how will we recognize compromise? If we never track our obedience, generosity, discipline, or worship, we may mistake activity for maturity.
Measurement is not about legalism—it is about stewardship.

What gets measured gets attention and what gets attention grows.
But growth alone is not enough. There are promises, callings, gifts, and spiritual territory God desires us to walk in that we will never experience casually. Israel had a promised land, but they still had to step into it. David was anointed king long before he sat on the throne. The disciples were called, but they still had to leave their nets and follow Jesus.
Many people pray for what they are unwilling to pursue.

Faith is not passive agreement; faith moves. It seeks. It presses forward even when the outcome is not immediate.

God often partners with pursuit.

The team that pursues excellence will grow in unity. The believer who pursues holiness will grow in sensitivity to the Spirit. The leader who pursues wisdom will become trustworthy with influence.

You will not accidentally drift into purpose. You will not unintentionally become spiritually mature.

You must pursue what God has placed before you.

Small, faithful steps become spiritual momentum.
Measure what matters, pursue what God has promised, and trust Him for the growth that follows.