Jake Provance's Blog, page 2

Happy New Year!

It’s a new year! Congratulations for making it through 2022, and we’re excited to tell you that 2023 is going to be the best year yet! This is not because of what is going to happen to you in the year, but because of what is going to happen through you in the year. It’s time to renew your youthful vigor for a bright and hopeful year. It’s time to rekindle your dreams and aspirations that have laid dormant for too long. Kill the cynic inside of you and choose to let hope bubble to the surface. God is too good, too loving, too caring, and too powerful for us to act as if anything that this world or the devil can throw on us can compare to Him.

Follow The Apostle Paul’s lead on this:

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.

Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.

But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.

—The Apostle Paul

Philippians 3:12–21 MSG

The Christian life is not a passive one of survival and desperation waiting for a savior to come. The Christian life is the life of a child of God whose Savior has already come. It is a life full of glorious expectations of a bright future filled with Christ. It is a life filled with daily purposeful actions of faith. We use our words to uplift, inspire, praise, worship, create, effect change, and to release the hope, faith, and love that has been bestowed and perpetuated in us by Christ. So like Paul, press on towards the goal. Keep your eyes fixed on God. If anything comes to distract, discourage, or preach a different message besides faith, hope, or love, then reject it and go on with God. Have a blessed New Year.

—Jake and Keith

A Willing Heart

God doesn’t see things as we do.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7

There are people who most of mankind will disown with disgust, yet they will share a seat at our table in heaven, and then there are people who the world holds in high esteem and honor who will spend eternity away from us in torment. The simple choice of accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior and asking for forgiveness washes our hearts clean. What we do is important, and it can show what is in our heart, but not always. You can give a gift to somebody to gain favor, to look good, or even to feel good. Or you can give a gift to somebody because you were moved with compassion or overwhelmed with the good will you’ve received from God, and you want to share with others what He has so graciously given you. Mankind tends to gaze at the actions and words of others and determine what is in their heart based on these things. God has no such handicap. He can look directly into the heart and soul of a person. There is something that He is searching for:

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him… —2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV

God is searching for a Heart that is loyal to Him. A Heart who is pure towards Him. A Heart that chooses Him, His Words, and His ways above all of the sin and selfishness that this world and society try to push on to mankind. He doesn’t seek one who is perfect; He brings the perfection to the table. He is not searching for somebody who is incredibly intelligent; He brings all the intelligence to the table. He isn’t looking for the strongest or most disciplined person; He has enough strength for the both of you. He isn’t looking for the most talented person; He created talent. He isn’t looking for the most charismatic person; He can give you the words to say and the power to back it up. He is only looking for one thing—just one simple, tiny thing. Our role is so easy and simple. It’s to have a willing heart. All of the heroes of old, every person that the Lord draws our attention to in the Bible, had this trait. None of them were spectacular. In fact, most of the time it was the unlikely candidate. He made a king out of a shepherd boy named David because his heart was loyal to Him. He made a covenant with Abraham that paved the way for us to join God’s family because Abraham was loyal to God above his own child. Three Hebrew children chose the fiery furnace out of their loyalty to God over their king. Daniel chose the den of lions because he was loyal to God above all else. Every one of my heroes in the Bible were loyal to God. Their Heart was willing. They had a simple faith in a Good God and developed a willing heart of love after Him. The willing heart is not a religious duty; it’s an act of love. It’s not blind submission; it’s a trust fall with your eyes wide open.

The willingness I’m talking about is not just “being willing to do something.” The willingness I’m talking about is a desire to please God at all costs. It’s the reason behind your actions. God has always and will always care more about why you did what you did then what you actually did. Always. It’s your heart that makes the act worthy or filthy. Even something as pure and wonderful as faith is meaningless if your heart is not in it. It takes faith to please God:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. —Hebrews 11:6 KJV

Yet it doesn’t even count unless it’s working through love:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. —Galatians 5:6 ESV

When you give a gift, the reason you give it matters more than what you give:

Remember this: He who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously that blessings may come to someone will also reap generously and with blessings. Let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without a cheerful, joyous, “prompt to do it” giver whose heart is in his giving. —2 Corinthians 9:6–7 AMPC

Your act of obedience has to be accompanied with willingness:

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land —Isaiah 1:19–20 KJV

The beauty of this all is that you can make a decision today to be willing. You can change your heart today and purpose to do things out of a pure heart, loyal to God, and full with love for Him and others.

If you feel inclined, read this prayer first, then if it feels right in your heart, pray these words to God. (Make the prayer your own, take or add to it, pour out your heart to the Father. That sincerity is part of the willing and loyal heart He searches so intently for.):

Father, thank you for the opportunity to know you. Thank you for adopting me into your family and for treating me so kindly and loving me so intentionally. Father, I desire to be willing, to have a heart full of sincerity. I desire to act out of the right motives and intentions, but I also know that there is a pull to behave selfishly down here. Sometimes my motives may be questionable or manipulative. Sometimes I can do things to impress others or been seen. So I ask Father that you would let me know when my motives need to be adjusted. Let me know when I’m doing the right things for the wrong reasons. Set a watch, I pray, at my heart, and bring to my attention all that is displeasing to you so that I may repent and change it. I love you Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In closing, this passage seems fitting:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. —1 Corinthians 13:1–3 ESV

The power of simple faith in a sincere, willing heart of Love.

Still...Jesus Comes

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me,

even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith

unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are

remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But

Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said

unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger

into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And

after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came

Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach

hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:

blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” —John 20:21–27, 29

KJV

It is more blessed to have not seen and believe… but Jesus still comes.

“And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It

is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them,

saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said,

Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And

when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to

Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink,

he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand,

and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou

doubt?” —Matthew 14:25–31 KJV

It is always better to have faith, but even when you begin to sink in doubt, Jesus

will still catch you.

Somewhere along the way, many of us forgot about who Jesus is. We can get so

focused on the dos and don’ts of the Bible. We spend our focus on the “what” in

the Bible. We use the Bible as a self-help book, trying to fix all the unlovely things

about ourselves and to grow ourselves. We worship Jesus and the Father every

day, but then we turn around and look in the mirror. We listen to sermons on

“how” we can attain the model life. Sadly, we started believing that our failures

prevented Jesus from rescuing us. With the focus on us and “what” we need to do

and “how” we need to do it to get what Jesus paid such a price to give us; then

we slip into this mindset:

“I wouldn’t have to deal with the problems I am dealing with if I would

have had more faith and been more faithful.”

Honestly, this mindset in and of itself is not a bad one. It can spur us on to lean on

Jesus to get the grace we need and begin again. However, when you stay in this

mindset too long, Satan will see to it that you go one step further. You’ll end up in

condemnation before the day is over, and you’ll begin to lay down and “sleep in

the bed that you made.”

You’ve forgotten that our own salvation was not a bed we made, but one that

Jesus made for us. Jesus showed us the way to live a blessed life, but even when

we don’t get everything right, Jesus shows up anyways. Your decisions in life, as a

Christian, can affect all manner of change, but none of those decisions can

separate Jesus from you; good or bad, Jesus still comes. Jesus still stretches out

His hand to rescue you. Jesus still loves you:

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor

principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor

height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from

the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:38–39 KJV

You haven’t deserved deliverance, but deliverance still comes as a Christian.

Breathe a sigh of relief, and forget for a moment all the “what’s” and “how’s,”

and remember WHOM you have believed in. Thomas and Peter both took their

eyes off of Jesus and forgot what manner of man He was. Jesus reminded them:

He is the kind of man who shows up anyways when they make all of the wrong

decisions.

It Takes Faith

God is a God of Faith. He is unwilling to do without faith in all of His relationships. It is faith that separates us from the world. It is faith that gives us the victory over every adverse circumstance. It is faith that overcomes the world. It is faith in a child of God that lights the way for a dying and broken world. Faith is an action. Every action that the Father God has ever done has been faith. Every word He has ever spoken is alive with the unseen force of faith. God’s Word, The Bible, is living Faith. To hear it is to hear faith, to speak it is to speak faith, to meditate on it is to think on faith, and to do it is to live by faith. It was faith that quelled the raging seas, brought the dead back to life, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, caused the lame to walk, and set free all of those who were oppressed. Every time a problem was met with faith, it was solved. It is faith that connects creation to Creator. It is through faith that the world was framed, and our salvation claimed. The life of every Christian is inseparable from faith. We are faith children of a faith God. We were made by faith with faith. Faith is in our very bones. To deny faith is to deny our very nature. There is a key that makes faith so powerful—that gives faith its potency; in fact, without it present in faith, then faith becomes inert. The secret ingredient is Love. God is Love, and faith works by Love. So faith works by God. God made us in His image much like we make children that look like us. He made us in the image of Love, by faith, and has instructed us to be and walk in Love while living by faith. This victory that overcomes the world and framed the world—our faith—is the manifestation of Love. It makes the hope of tomorrow a reality of today. To go further in life, to reach higher, to get closer to God, to quit the habit, to heal from the betrayal, to rise from the depths of depression, to smile when you feel like crying, to go on living when you feel like dying, to choose the light when all you can see is darkness, to press through the anxiety and pressure of the moment—TAKES FAITH.

Jesus Is Risen

“I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.”

-Jesus {Revelation 1:18}

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone belief that defines Christianity and separates it from all other religions. What other religion can claim their patriarch rose from the dead? None. God’s immeasurable power and fathomless love for us was put on display for the world to see through raising up Christ from the grave, from spiritual destitution, and from Hell. His resurrection was the final confirmation He was truly the Son of God. God ripped Jesus from the clutches of death, and when Jesus rose from the dead He broke the power of death. Later, when Jesus appeared to one of His disciples, He proclaimed, “I am the living one—and behold I am alive forevermore and I hold the keys to death and hell.” It was not enough for Jesus just to die on the cross for our sins. His resurrection sealed the deal! His resurrection established His position as King of kings and Lord of lords, sitting at the right hand of God for all eternity. The Bible also tells us this amazing fact: that God has made that same resurrection power available to all believers.

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” –Romans 8:11 (NLT)

The same power that was in Christ—that caused him to rise up out of the grave—lives in you. All you have to do is tap into it. Plug into that Spirit of power inside you. Walk with a confident expectation that you will rise out of your depression. That you will rise out of your anxiety. That you will rise out of your social and financial standing. That you will rise out of your poor education. That you will rise out of your family’s mistakes. That you will rise out of any and every situation that dares to try to keep you bound. Because Jesus rose, we can rise! That is the true power of His resurrection. Life-altering power echoed out into all of eternity from the defining moment that was Christ’s ascension. And that same power resonates within us the moment we release our faith and act upon the truth within His Word. So rise, for Jesus is risen!

Here is some more encouraging verses to meditate on before easter!

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. –Ephesians 2:4-7

Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! –Colossians 3:1 (TPT)

And as to His divine nature according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated the Son of God in power in a striking, triumphant and miraculous manner by His resurrection from the dead, even Jesus Christ our Lord (the Messiah, the Anointed One). –Romans 1:4 (AMPC)

Yes, God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in you, he will also raise your dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into you! –Romans 8:11 (TPT)

Arise from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! –Isaiah 60:1 (AMPC)

For the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” –Ephesians 5:14 (NLT)

A closing remark from one of our founding fathers.

Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of Thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in Thy fear, and dying in Thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of Thee and Thy son, Jesus Christ. –GEORGE WASHINGTON

Slow Down

It’s okay to slow down. Your time in life is precious. This very moment that you have is valuable. We can be in a hurry to make money, we can be in a rush to get into and out of relationships, we can frantically sprint towards a goal that we feel we must accomplish. The constant pressure to perform, fit in, and be successful at whatever we do can cause us to undervalue the present by overvaluing the future. I’m sure you’ve heard the sentiment expressed: “Live in the moment.”

But what does that really mean, and what does that really look like? It’s a simple but profound reminder to treat this present moment as the most valuable moment you’ll ever have. It’s not about treating every moment like a celebration, or making every day as monumental as a wedding, graduation, giving birth, or similar life events. It’s about enjoying life moment to moment by valuing where you are at and what you are doing regardless of whatever that may be. When things are fast-paced with high demands on your time, enjoy it, take a breath, smile, and count your blessings amidst the chaos. When things are quiet, relish in the opportunity to collect your thoughts, spend time with God, fellowship with a dear loved one, watch your favorite show, eat a meal, cook, read a book while enjoying coffee or tea, but whatever it is you choose to do, don’t treat it as wasting time, treat it as enjoying the salvation that Christ paid such a hefty price for you to enjoy. It can be very difficult to carve out time to enjoy a quiet moment, and some may not even enjoy spending time away from it all, but rather you are at work, at home, in the hospital, or on vacation, you can make the decision to slow down and value the moment you are currently in. When you look at your life as a percentage, your day-to-day home life and work life make up a good 80 percent of it. The celebrations, the vacations, the date night once a month, the evenings or weekends you actually don’t have something planned—these all make up a very small portion of our lives and many endure the 80 percent of their life in hopes of enjoying the very small fraction of life that is left. Even worse, that last 20 or so percent we try to enjoy, we end up spending that time dreading about going back to the other part of life. Don’t get caught up in the easy trap of living an unfulfilled life. Christ never intended for us to be so focused on the past or the future that you don’t enjoy the present. A good rule to live by is to: Learn from the past, plan for the future, but live in the present.

The Bible carries with it this same sentiment, and it gives you the truth of how to escape spending too much time in the past or future—and how to enjoy the moment with Christ.

When you’re living in the past:

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” —Philippians 3:12–14 NLT

When you’re worrying about the future:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” —Matthew 6:25–34 NLT

And finally, when you’re moving too fast:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” —Matthew 11:28–30 MSG

God bless,

Jake and Keith

Cling to Christ

So often we stress over the problems we experience. We struggle to find a path to peace or, for the truly desperate, any form of relief. It’s in the time of shame and pain—when the debts are high, the diagnosis deadly, and the fear crippling—that we are forced into a choice. You are not alone when you find yourself there at the end of your rope. So often the mental anguish of your situation can feel just as perilous and even more scary than a lethal sickness. So often God’s children find themselves between a rock and a hard place, with only a sliver of hope left. Fatigue will make cowards of us all, even the mightiest. Even if it is your choices that have led to this defining moment of tragedy, it is not the end for you. There is only one way to make it through when standing amiss on the precipice of destruction. There is only one path that can lead you home. There is only one, and it’s clinging to Jesus with all you’ve got. With every fiber of your being, through all of the anguish that the present circumstance has brought, reach out and don’t let go of Christ. Touch Him with your death-defying words of faith. Bear your soul before Him, declare Him master, ask for mercy, forgiveness, and help. You haven’t merited it, but it’ll come all the same. Not once did anyone in all of history cry out to God for mercy sincerely and was met with harsh judgement.

God said in Deuteronomy 30:19,

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life…” (NIV)

This is still true today. All are faced with the choice of life and death. We are all faced with times and issues that we don’t understand. It’s what we choose, and who we turn to defines who we turn into. It’s during these times we must reach out and choose Christ—even when we are devoid of feelings and feel as if God is a million miles away, we can still choose Him. And by choosing Christ, you are choosing life:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. –John 14:6 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. –John 10:10 NIV

You don’t have to know how your situation will all pan out. You don’t have to know what life will look like tomorrow because you have Christ as your ally. You know that regardless of what symptoms of sin, sickness, lack, and pain that your life may hold at the moment, they will all give way to the love of God and the faith of His child who has called upon Him. Don’t give up. And if you need to cry out to Him again and again and again because you keep missing the mark—He’ll answer you every time. I’ve cried out for mercy and help many times. He’s rescued me every time. Sometimes He has pulled me right out of the problem. Other times He has held my hand and walked me through it. Deliverance was always the result. God is no respecter of persons. If He’s done it for me, He’ll do it for you. Believe it!

P.S. The key is: Once He delivers you, don’t let go of Him. The relationship makes life worth living.

We love you, and we hope your holidays were happy and surrounded with those you love,

Jake and Keith

Having an Authentic Relationship with God

God loves you enough to tell you the truth. Christ even identifies himself

with Truth incarnate:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man

cometh unto the Father, but by me. -John 14:6 KJV

Before you and even approach the father, you have to go to and through Jesus.

You have to walk the Path of truth and life. You have to accept the reality that you

are a sinner and you need Christ, and can only then approach the father in truth.

Walking with the Lord for a bit of time,

there is something that I’ve come to know about Him. He hates dishonesty.

"He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;

He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence."

-Psalm 101:7 NKJV

When people are fake and insincere, and especially when we are

these things when communicating with Him, then He will not stick around and

chat. When we act this way it really is quite silly considering He

knows our heart better than we do. Sometimes we put on a act for everyone

else and we forget that we are still acting in front of God. We convince ourselves

that our situation is excusable, or not as bad, or not really sinful biased on

the reactions of others and our own self consoling. We practice deceit and lie to

ourselves and others.. This is a real intimacy killer between

you and your father God. God will meet you

wherever you are at, but He will never play your games, bend

to your will, nor pat you on the back in your own self-

deception. Christ is your Savior, so until you can recognize your

need for Him as a Savior, which means you’ve accepted that

you’ve sinned and have made a mess of things, then He can’t

save you. Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God will

forgive your sins, even the gross ones, even the repeated ones,

even the ones that no one knows about. God will forgive you a

hundred thousand times; however, this is only true if you’ll be

sincere and come back to the Father a hundred thousand times

to ask for it. Humanities biggest weakness is separation from

God. God will give you peace, joy, and increase your quality of

life. He’ll provide for you, heal you, and protect you. He’ll even

be your friend. Yes, God will befriend you if you’ll stay close to

Him and desire Him. Just like His forgiveness, a relationship

with Him is also incumbent upon our choices.

You have the ability to gain the greatest ally, the best friend, and

the dearest Father in all of time and eternity. This truth is above

contestation. I have sampled and now enjoy daily this

relationship that I’m referring to. The choice you must make,

though, is the choice of submission. Will you submit to His

decrees and His laws? Even if you transgress the law, like we all

do, then will you go to Him and apologize and ask for

forgiveness, or will you take pride in your sin and parade about

in it? Will you serve Him and alter your entire life for His use?

Will you bow before Him as King and swear your life and

allegiance to no other? He gave you life—and choice. Will you

choose to surrender that life back over to Him? Even if you fail,

sin, and do it big time, if you’ll still go to Him and repent, you’ve

never left His service. You are still His child—still in His

Kingdom. Even the word “kingdom” is referring to any stretch

of land where that specific king’s laws and ordinances are

recognized and followed. So, by you recognizing that what

you’ve done is sin and going before the King to ask for

forgiveness, you have proved that you’re still living as part of

His Kingdom. Condemnation is Satan’s attempt to separate you

from the King and keep you from going to Him to receive the

forgiveness and help you need. You can feel so ashamed for

betraying God’s trust, for sinning, and messing up when He has

done so much for you. You can feel so worthless and little and

unholy before His holy presence. Yet, I’m speaking personally

here now, I’ve never once been met with animosity or

contempt from God.

I brought in all the feelings of worthlessness and shame, and He’s

the one who took them off and clothed me in Christ’s righteousness.

We’ve all played this game of cat and mouse between sin and

forgiveness for so long. We’ve all fell hook, line, and sinker for Satan’s

tactics. But no more; condemnation holds no sway here any longer.

Christ Himself said to the woman caught in the act of adultery,

“Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” The only one

with the right to condemn—does not do it. The Bible is full of

what happens when you choose Him. A lot of good, which

we’ve mentioned, but you’ll also suffer persecution. God is not

“politically correct.” If you follow Him, many will hate you,

condemn you, and claim you are narrow, shortsighted, a fool,

stupid, in need of the crutch of religion, and many other very

mean things. You’ll lose favor in many circles, and many times

it’ll cause rifts in families. Even still, none of this bad is even

worthy to be compared to the good that is God, Christ, and the

Holy Spirit. If you’ll seek God, stay close to God, bow to God as

Judge and King, and submit your life over to Him, you will be

satisfied beyond what you thought possible—in ways you’ve

never dreamed of—both in this life and in the life to come.

Believe it! There are two passages of Scriptures that I

recommend meditating on while keeping all of this in mind.

Matthew 10:22–39 and Matthew 6:25–34. Read them in

your favorite translations, and meditate on God’s

goodness while doing it.

Blessings,

Jake

God Misses You

There is only one God: The God of Jesus Christ. There is only one way to God, and that is Jesus Christ. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is good, mighty, and holy. He is a Father to all who call upon the name of Jesus for salvation. You can actually know God for yourself. You can learn what He likes and doesn’t like. You can enjoy His company, or what many people call His “presence.” You can ask Him for advice and help anytime you would like to. The Bible is filled to the brim with His thoughts! His thoughts about us, this world, heaven, hell, eternity, conditions of the heart, creation, and even thoughts on how to handle daily life. The Bible beautifully displays the personality of God, including His likes and dislikes. So many have equated reading the Bible and praying as a form of religious duty instead of spending time with your Father, Friend, and Savior. God made you, sent His Son to die for you, and knows every single thing about you—the good, the bad, and the most vulnerable and secretive thoughts and desires of your innermost heart. Knowing all that He does about you, He didn’t think twice about sending Jesus to die just so that there would be a chance at a relationship with you. No person in all of time and eternity has ever loved you with that kind of love.

We go to such great lengths to cultivate friendships, and we behave in various manners to attain validation and ultimately, to just be liked; and way too often we forget that there is a relationship we can enjoy with our Father who knows us and loves us with an unequaled, unconditional, and unfailing love. Spend time, invest your resources, and open up your heart to God. He misses you, and He wants to hear from you. He isn’t looking for you to accomplish any grand purpose, make a great sacrifice, or fulfill your religious duty. Like a loving grandparent, He just wants to see you and talk to you. It just so happens that your Daddy is the most powerful and influential individual in all of time and eternity. And He is requesting a private audience with you, today, with His sole purpose of a mutual enjoyment of each other’s company. Will you accept?

And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!”

—Romans 8:15 TPT

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

—Romans 8:38–39 KJV

“I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.

—2 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV

Fight Back

Fight back against the status quo of living a miserable, defeated, and broken life. Quit acting like God’s grand plan of redemption was only a patch up job. Jesus took your suffering, your pain, your poverty, your sickness, your distresses, and bore it on His sinless, spotless body—all so that you could walk in freedom, joy, peace, health, richness, and victory.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.—2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

When you accepted Jesus as your Savior, your old, sin-filled life of suffering passed away with Jesus on the Cross. Behold, you have become a new creation. He didn’t do a repair job. He made you brand new. To identify as broken is to believe a lie and to scoff at the Cross. Jesus took all your pain and shame and paid the price for them, not so that you could live defeated, broken, and disgraced. Even if you sinned this morning, even if you sin later today, it still does not undo what God did through and with Jesus. Every vestige of defeat, hopelessness, and despair that we experience in life is brought on by an out of touch estimation of just how powerful Christ’s redemptive work is. Since when is our sin more powerful than the Blood of Jesus? Why are so many married to and defined by their suffering? Problems do come, and you can begin to feel tired, sick, and broken. This does not mean you are to identify with these things; instead, you shake it off and re-fix your perspective on God. It’s our perspective that determines how difficult our lives are. There are people battling cancer without a dime to their name full of joy and peace; meanwhile, there are people with good health who are incredibly rich that are suicidal. It’s our perspective empowered by what we believe and what we consistently meditate upon that determines the kind of life we will enjoy—or endure. There are two passages in the Bible that reveal the consistent perspective we are to maintain as believers. The first is:

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:17–18 KJV

The Bible tells us that when we experience a problem it is “light” and “momentary.” Then it tells us what to do as a result. We are to refocus our attention away from what’s going on in this world; everything in the world is subject to change. If a situation goes from good to bad, it can go from bad to good. This world is temporal and everchanging, so we can’t place our attention or trust in it. However, God is unchanging, always faithful, and eternal. So you look to, and meditate on, Him and His Kingdom. The second verse furthering this perspective is:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

Paul had a recognizable contentedness and security based on Christ’s empowering, redemptive work. Paul was not at the mercy of his situation. He was not at the mercy of his emotions. He never played the victim; though, he had every cause to, considering what he dealt with in life:

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

—2 Corinthians 11:23–28 NLT

He was able to call all of these things light and momentary and walk through life happy, content, peaceful, full of faith, and empowered by Christ because he kept his attention off of his situation and onto God. When you put your faith and trust in God, then these light afflictions dissipate as quick as they come, and deliverance becomes inevitable.

You see, just like God didn’t do a patch up job with us through the redemption work of Christ, He also doesn’t put forth a half-baked effort when it comes to deliverance. We read in Daniel 3:16–28 (Click to read full story) that when these three Hebrew children were thrown into the fiery furnace, God delivered them in such a powerful way. They walked out of the furnace without a single hair singed, and they didn’t even have the smell of smoke on them. They were under the Old Covenant too; how much more will He deliver us in like fashion with this New Covenant where God looks on us as His children just like He looks on Christ.

Believe in Him, trust in Him, and watch how different your life becomes. It is really that simple.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. —Galatians 5:1 ESV

We pray for you, our readers, and partners. Blessings be to you and yours.

Jake and Keith