If you are a Christian, did you know the devil wants to hurt you? In fact, according to John 10:10 (NIV), he not only wants to hurt you, he wants “to steal, kill and destroy” you. One of the ways he accomplishes this is by constantly telling you that you are not righteous and you are of no value to God or to anyone! With the breastplate of righteousness firmly in place, you know that God has made you righteous because of Jesus. No words of condemnation, no false allegations, and no guilty thoughts can penetrate your heart or lodge in your mind.

Did you know in this cosmic world war we are in, if you fail to give the word of God the top place of priority in your life, it is only a matter of time before your faith begins to fail and you fall right into the hands of the enemy?  The first, and most important piece of armor, is the Belt of Truth, the written word of God. The word of God must be revered in the heart, foremost in our priorities, and operational in our life!  

Did you know that you and I are at war? Satan declared in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 that he wanted God’s throne and everything that came with it. From that moment on, there has been fierce spiritual warfare between the forces of evil and God and His people. But praise the Lord, this cosmic world war is not ours, but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). God has provided spiritual weaponry that has the ability to counterattack and defeat every scheme the devil tries to use against us. God knows that in order for us to be successful against these unseen powers, we must have His supernatural power that He has provided: the Armor of God!  If you wear it, you can defeat the enemy and live victoriously. If you ignore it, there will be serious consequences for you, your loved ones, and for the Body of Christ!

Have you ever questioned your salvation? If you have, then you are in good company! David, the guy who killed Goliath, the guy who was anointed king by the Prophet Samuel, the guy who wrote many of the Psalms, the guy who was called “a man after God's own heart” by God Himself, yes, that David! Did you know that even he needed assurance from God of his salvation? Beloved, like David, do you ever cry out to God for assurance of your salvation? The Church can't give it to you. Books can't give it to you. Preachers can't give it to you. Assurance can only come from the pages of God’s word!

Is it possible for someone who has genuinely repented of sin and believed in Jesus to one day lose their salvation?  Believe it or not, the answer to this question is an emphatic “NO!”  This false assumption clearly violates sound Bible teaching! How can we lose that which we had no part in obtaining in the first place? “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9, KJV). Beloved, God’s plan of salvation is not arbitrary. When you repent of your sin and believe in Jesus, you are kept by the power of God, ALONE (1 Peter 1:5)!

Now that Easter has passed, the question is raised, “Why did Jesus have to die in the first place?” 1 John 2:2 answers the question, “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” The word “atone” means reconciled or satisfied. Jesus’ death on the cross satisfied God’s judgment of sin and offers reconciliation for everyone who believes in Him. When Jesus sacrificed Himself to atone for our sins, He did it by taking our place on the cross. This is called The Great Exchange—Jesus hanging on the cross, in our place, assuming our guilt, embracing our punishment, and exchanging our sins for His righteousness.  

Have you ever wondered about that Sunday morning, over 2,000 years ago, when the women went to the tomb, found the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty? In Mark 16:6-7, an angel said to them, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here…just as he told you.” Jesus has everything under control.  There is no enemy too powerful that can stand against Him…not even death.

When you are desperate for help, is God’s grace really enough to help you in your time of need? The word grace or charis speaks of unmerited favor given to undeserving people. It is an unceasing flow of divine favor pouring into the life of the believer that saves them, keeps them, enables them, sanctifies them, delivers them, and comforts them, and when their life is over, it glorifies them by taking them immediately and directly into the presence of Jesus. Oh, how precious the gift of the all-sufficient GRACE of God is!  

The Bible describes God’s unmerited favor as a gift offered to everyone who will receive it. In fact, it’s such a significant gift that it baffles the mind and overwhelms the heart because it forgives, it pardons, it liberates, and it saves by connecting you with the divine; clothing you with the power of God; promising you every attribute of God for your defense; helping you to defy the hosts of hell and allowing you to stand in triumph over your enemies.  It’s the core message of the gospel and the heartbeat of the Christian faith.

What separates Christianity from all other religions in the world? Truly, It’s GRACE! God’s unmerited favor upon you. It’s GRACE! Something you cannot earn and cannot do anything to obtain. It’s free of charge and with NO strings attached.  Indeed, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7. Praise the Lord!

If you were to die tonight and you found yourself standing before God and he asked you, “Why should I let you into my Heaven?” What would you say? The Apostle Paul tells us, in Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV), “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Paul is telling us that salvation cannot be earned by doing good works. “It is the gift of God.” So, what would your answer be?

Isn’t it frustrating to have gone through a trial, and just when you think the trial is over here comes another? Nobody goes through life facing only one giant. The minute you toss one giant out, along comes another giant that hunts you down, suddenly appearing out of nowhere at the time you least expect it. You might know the Word of God and you might serve God faithfully—but giants don’t care; they just keep on coming. 

Take the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, and SLAY THOSE GIANTS!

O, the absurdity of it all!  Yet, it is only absurd until you understand that Jesus was born to bring light into your world.  It is only absurd until you realize that Jesus is the answer to the deepest needs of your heart.  It is only absurd until you embrace Jesus as God in the flesh, offering forgiveness of sin and everlasting life if you will believe in Him. Believing in Jesus may seem absurd, but it is what you are to do because Jesus died for YOU!

A song written in the 1970s by Mike & Ruth Greene, this action song continues to be a favorite in Children’s Ministries worldwide. Its message is crystal clear and straight from the Bible: O B E D I E N C E. Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe! Jesus said in, John 8:31 (NIV), “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” And, in John 14:15 (NKJV), “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

Do you obey God with all your heart, or only halfheartedly? When God instructs you to not forsake the assembling together of other Christians, and you stay home from church because you don’t feel like going, that’s “partial obedience.”  When you believe in God and desire to follow Him and only do it halfheartedly, that is “partial obedience.”

This week Laine Wilder shares some insight about this topic from the historical account of King Saul found in 1 Samuel 15 to demonstrate the importance of obeying God fully, and not just the parts you’re comfortable with.

Are you a follower of Jesus?  If you are His disciple, does your walk match your talk or are there contradictions between what you say and what you do?  I’ll ask you the question again, is Jesus truly your Master?  Does your life embody His teachings, His passion, His worship, His work, and His mission? 

Join Laine Wilder as he confronts the Christian who chooses to live a double life as Obedient or Hypocrite for all the world to see.

Did you know one day, you will stand before Jesus, and the genuineness of your faith will be tested? 

From Matthew 7:21-23, listen to what Jesus has to say about that day, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” In these verses, Jesus makes it clear that the true test of genuine faith in Christ is not found in words or in works. So, what is the true test of genuine faith in Christ?

Do you want to live a life characterized by obedience? Did you know in the Hebrew language, there is only one word for obedience?  It is the word shema.  The Hebrew word picture of shema is the yoke of the oxen.  A yoke is the wooden harness that is placed around the neck of each of the oxen that are teamed together. When a farmer yokes oxen together, he chooses an older, stronger ox and yokes it to a younger ox. By harnessing the power of the older, the younger ox learns to follow its lead and they become very productive. 

What would you do if you knew your life would be over in minutes? Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV) gives us the account of Jesus walking on the water. In the midst of tumultuous seas, Peter boldly steps out of the boat and begins to walk towards Jesus. Verse 30 tells us, “…when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’” Today, call out to Jesus and He will immediately reach out His hand and take hold of you and your circumstances because Jesus is “mighty to save!

Do you really “know” the Lord? Or are you basing your identification with Him on your Christian friendships, your work, your ministry, or some other religious activity? The Hebrew word for “acknowledge” signifies an intimate relationship established at some point in the past. What the King is saying to his son is, “Before your life and destinies can be directed by the Lord, at some point, you must choose intentionally to turn away from your own life’s agenda, your own wisdom, and your understanding, and embrace the words, the ways, and the will of the Lord.