Peace vs. Fear

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~ John 14:27

There's a difference between feeling the emotion of fear and letting it live in our hearts. Feelings can be fleeting. They change based on circumstances. But our hearts are the very core of our being.

God promises to give us peace, even in the midst of having feelings of fear. We can rest in the fact that we know the one who knows the end. But only if we don't allow fear to grip our hearts. 

Is your heart gripped with peace or fear today?

God bless,

J.W.

Face Transplant

"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." ~ 1 Chronicles 16:11

What does it mean to seek God’s face? Who even knew that God had a face?

To seek God’s face simply means to pursue His kingdom and righteousness (see Matthew 6:33). The ultimate goal is to stand face to face with Him and take in His presence.

But often times, we are afraid of seeking God’s face because we’re afraid of being exposed – afraid that we won’t measure up, that the façade we give the world will be stripped away, and that God will see us for who we really are – broken, messed up, and flawed.

But the thing is, when we stand face-to-face with God, not only is He able to identity our flaws and exercise His strength in our weaknesses, He’s also able to heal us from our brokenness. God is not looking to expose us and broadcast our sins to the world. That’s what the world does.

God wants us to seek His face so that He might change us from the inside out. So much so that eventually, we take on his image and when people see us, they see Him.

God is looking to give you a face transplant. But in order to do it, you’ve got to go in and see the Physician.

God bless,

J.W.

Nothing New

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." ~ Matthew 5:11-12

There is nothing new under the sun. Oftentimes, we think the persecution, tribulation, or hate we experience is new. But God knows and has seen everything, even before it happens.

While God has created us each special and unique, the trials we got through are not. We all share common bonds through this human experience.

Learn from others' experience and take comfort in knowing that what you experience is not new to the human experience or to God. Seeking the one who knows all will help you through. 

God bless,

J.W.

Planned Long Ago

"Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago." ~ Isaiah 25:1 NIV

"Wonderful things planned long ago..."

What a thought. To know that our Creator had things planned for us long ago. To know that things might be new to us but they're not new to Him. To know that we have a God that has charted our path before we ever existed.

Oftentimes, we get so anxious and worried about the future. But why? We've got a God that holds the future in His hands. And he's already planned "wonderful" things for that future.

God bless,

J.W.

A Reminder of Our True Selves

"You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins." ~ Psalms 85:2

Ego and our own self-absorption often pushes us to have a distorted view of ourselves and our behavior.

This leads us to often deny our faults and gloss over our shortcomings.

But the perfect posture before God is brokenness. It's something to be embraced.

God shows His strength in our weakness, but we block that demonstration when we lead from our own strength and not from our own weakness.

In a culture that is enthralled with the projection of strength, we can forget that we are human and are not perfect.

The beauty of the Gospel is in today's scripture - that God forgave us and covered our sins, even while we were still sinners.

God bless,

J.W.

The Free Gift

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23

The imagery here is so powerful. We get paid in death for our sin but God gives eternal life as a free gift.

So often we work to try to obtain the results we want, but this verse reminds us that God is the ultimate gift giver. Why do we strive to attain so much when the gift has already been given?

We just need to accept and say thank you.

Just a reminder today that we don't need to earn what God has already given us for free.

God bless,

J.W.

All Fall Short

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," ~ Romans 3:23 NKJV

As Christians, we set up hierarchies of sin, as if God looks at our sin as minor, forgivable on sight, but other people's sin is major, and somehow God has a hard time forgiving theirs.

But we all fall short. Which means none of us measure up. Just as God promises to forgive you upon repentance, He also promises to forgive others the same way.

So, would it blow your mind if I told you that that person you think is unforgivable just might wind up in Heaven? Or the person you dislike the most, God loves?

How would a true recognition and acceptance of this phenomenon change the way we look at life and other people?

God bless,

J.W.

Cancel Culture ≠ God's Way

"Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." ~ Luke 6:36 NKJV

Cancel culture is plaguing our society. 

But scripture instructs us to show mercy just as God has shown mercy to us.

When we sit on our high horse and shun people to the point of cancelling them, we are violating the very essence of Christianity. 

Christianity is rooted in the notion that mankind is imperfect and needed a Savior to redeem it. We all need that Savior. Every last one of us. Each and every day.

Canceling others without showing mercy is to be like the Pharisees, who Jesus called out for their hypocrisy. 

Our faith teaches us to go into all the world, preach the Gospel and make disciples. So how can we reach the world if we cancel it?

Show mercy today fam. 

God bless,

J.W. 

Casting Out Fear

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." ~ 1 John 4:18 NKJV

Culture will teach you that it is courage that casts out fear. That we should just push past our fear and do it afraid.

But this scripture tells us that the true antidote to fear is love. That if we love through our feelings of fear, love will always prevail.

What are you using to cast out fear today?

God bless,

J.W.

Your Mouth

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." ~ Ephesians 4:29

Not only does our health call us to check what goes in our mouth (through the food we eat). It also calls us to check what comes out of our mouths (through the words we say).

Check your mouth today fam.

God bless,

J.W.

Bread Alone

"But He answered and said, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"" ~ Matthew 4:4

Today's scripture proves that our lives are not just physical. We don't just have a physical body, but we have a soul and spirit that needs to be fed too. So if you're living your life only focused on the physical world around you, you are missing out on a huge piece of life that God has waiting for you. 

Live life to the fullest today by remembering life is about more than what you can see.

God bless,

J.W.

Far Off

 

"...for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." ~ Philippians 2:13

Often times, we think God as this distant, far off being who we only call on to intervene when we are in drastic situations. 

But Philippians 2:13 tells us that God works within us, not outside of us. The great work that God does is inside our hearts. And when we invite Him in, we actually get God living on the inside.

He is the greatest Helper I know. A God that would give up his own Son, sacrifice Him on the cross, only to come and live inside of each one of us.

God is not far off family. He's close.

God bless,

J.W.

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Why does God tell us not to lean on our own understanding? Could it be that our understanding of things is limited and finite?

In Romans 12:2, God tells us to be transformed by the renewing our own minds. He is calling us to have a heart and brain transplant. To trade our heart for His. To trade our spirit for His. To trade our mind for His. 

It's why Isaiah 55:8 says that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than ours.

Lean not on your own understanding today.

God bless,

J.W.

Our Help

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." ~ Psalm 121:1-2

The maker of Heaven and earth is our helper. That's why Psalm 27:1 asks, in whom shall I be afraid? We don't have to fear anything, knowing that the maker of Heaven and earth has our back.

Walk in that assurance today fam.

God bless,

J.W.

Brokenhearted

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." ~ Psalm 147:3

With so much grief happening in the world today, it's important that we're reminded that we have a God who cares about the brokenhearted. It's ok to be sad and be a believer. We are allowed to feel the full range of human emotions at Christians. God is there for you if you have a broken heart.

God bless,

J.W.

"Don't Judge Me!"

"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ." ~ Colossians 1:28

The notion in today's society that we're NOT supposed to critique or say anything to correct another is just not scriptural. God calls us to admonish. 

The question is, how do we do it? Do we seep into judgment, condemnation, and condescension with harsh words. Or do we do like the Bible tells us and do it with wisdom, sprinkling salt with our words (Colossians 4:6).

Likewise, it matters who we critique. This passage was written by Paul to believers in Colossae. This was not directed to unbelievers.

So often the church can judge, critique, and condemn people in the world without critiquing itself. But the Bible teaches us to look at the speck in our own eye before looking at the log in the eyes of another (Matthew 7).

As believers, we should not be afraid to admonish. But in all things, we should ensure we're walking as Jesus walked - with grace and truth (John 1:17), not just one or the other.

God bless,

J.W.

Rest for Our Souls

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." ~ Matthew 11:28-29

Has your soul found rest?

It's one thing for our bodies to rest. It's quite another thing to find rest for our souls.

How do we find this rest?

Well, this passage of scripture tells us we can only find it in Jesus by exchanging our burdens for His yoke. He says by making this exchange, we can walk lighter and freer in our souls.

This is the type of freedom that God brings. Rest, peaceful, contentment, security. If we're not experiencing this today, perhaps we need to revisit this scripture. Perhaps we're taking on more than God wants us to bear.

God bless,

J.W.