Grateful for Transformation 

If you do not already know, it is Thanksgiving week. The week that we all gather around a table, hopefully, and express our thanks for all that the year has provided to us. There is so much that I am thankful for that I could not begin to write it all down nor would you have the time to read it. Number one for me always is my salvation, my family and friends and everything that My Father in heaven has provided. The offering of thanks, itself, requires acknowledgement of God’s involvement in your life and our sincere gratitude in response. Tim Keller said, “It is one thing to be grateful. It is another to give thanks. Grateful is what you feel. Thanks giving is what you do.” 

What I am going to talk about is one of the most thankful things I have in my life; the Word of God and how the study of it is so important. As usual with God, He always knows just what is best. Whom does He speak to about study but that of a school teacher of 30+ years. And like my former students, the word STUDY brings ugly thoughts to your head. If we would all be truthful, once we finished school of any type, we thought I am never going to study again. However, even though the word study 

brings bad thoughts to our minds, study can be one of the most energizing, liberating and deepening of human activities. 

I love to learn and have been described as a ‘life-long student.” I have always told my students that I try to learn something new every day. Study is an adventure and a doorway to discovery for me. The purpose of study is not just to learn information but to transform every aspect of our lives. I recently saw a church billboard that said, “Books informs us, the Bible transforms us.” Paul said, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this word, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing, and perfect will.’ Rom. 12:2. We renew or minds by applying them to those things that are most worthy. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” Phil 4:8. 

Study helps us see more deeply into reality. Many are hindered in their spiritual walk by simple ignorance of the truth. Christ said the knowledge of the truth will set us free. ‘Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32. I do not know about you but the way things are going in the world today, I want and need the truth. Not the world’s truth but the truth of Scripture. 

But how much time do we spend studying? There is more to our Christian life than just sitting in church and listening to the sermon and then just going home and never thinking about what 

was said or applying it to our lives. I lived my life like that for many years. I never opened my Bible during the week, had never participated in a Bible Study and as I got older, I did not even attend a Sunday school class. God spoke to me loud and clear one day that I was just playing at being a Christian. I realized that He spoke the truth and it forever changed me. I then realized that my desires, motivations, and decisions should be in Christ. How was I going to know Him and what He wanted for my life? This was going to require study. He then sent me this Scripture, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His suffering, becoming like Him in His death’ Phil 3:10. I knew that if my relationship with Christ was going to be that of a close friend, my constant companion, my source of strength in my darkest hours and greatest joys, I have to know Him. Study then became a spiritual discipline, the discipline of continual discovery of Him Who had saved me. 

Here is one story of how God used Scripture to speak to me. I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life. I was sitting in my garden praying what felt like a Gethsemane garden prayer, and I heard thunder. I stopped and looked up. I saw no clouds in the sky at all. I saw no planes. It was just a big beautiful blue sky. As I began praying again, I heard it again. Yes, there was thunder, again. I thought that was strange. Afterwards, I picked up my Bible and opened it up to that day’s reading in Psalms. I read a Psalm a day and, on this day, I was set to read Psalm 81. As I read verse 7, I started to cry. It said “In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud…” God was telling me, I have heard your cry and 

will answer you with thunder. God knew that I was going to read that particular Scripture on that particular day. Nothing with God is coincidental. 

Remember, study for a Christian goes beyond human desire for information and knowledge. What we seek will transform our hearts and lives into the mind of Christ. Through study we exchange destructive habits for new, life-giving ways of thinking and living. Scripture, also, tells us that we are to be able to have the answer for what we believe. “But in your hearts set apart Christ, as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Pet. 3:15. People need a spiritual perspective on life in all its complexity; a Christ-centered outlook to guide decision making. Christians who study will be equipped to share that outlook and call people to a realistic faith. 

So finally, why bother studying the Bible at all? It is a question we need to return to frequently especially in churches that take the Bible more seriously than many others. As a church, our unity should help us all to explore the full riches of the gospel and interacting with other believers is one of the things that spurs us to do this. So do not ignore the value of small-group Bible studies. The Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation from other believers, we need one another. It is so thrilling when I am taken deeper into what I thought I already know or I notice something I have never seen before in His Word. So, the transformation come to us by deepening our knowledge and love for Christ. We can know Jesus personally. He is the only 

reason ultimately for delving into the Scriptures. He was my reason. I pray that He becomes your reason as well.

Victory has come yet the war rages on

“It is finished.”

It seemed that darkness had won, that the wicked had prevailed, and it looked as if all hope was lost. It was at that moment when these 3 words were uttered by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; all of creation shook, evil rejoiced, and darkness fell upon the Earth. Little did they know that with these 3 words, our Lord was claiming Victory.

In the days following those moments Jesus conquered the grave and secured the keys to death and Hell. Our Savior resurrected from the dead and walked the Earth again. He then ascended to Heaven to sit victoriously at the right hand of the Father, for his mission was complete. He had given himself as a sacrifice for us because we owed a debt that we couldn't pay and we were in a fight that we couldn't win.

This fight began before the foundations of the Earth had settled. This fight isn’t even just a fight. It is an all out war, and even though Our Lord Jesus Christ claimed ultimate victory, the war still rages on today.

It was long before John’s Revelation, and the letters from Paul. It was before the empty tomb and the Roman Cross. Before David’s reign, and Joshua’s march, or Moses Exodus and Noah’s Ark. It was before we fell into sin and death. The war of good and evil was started before Adam’s first breath.

A prideful rebellion in the heart of Heaven has now become a war that is fought in the minds and hearts of all men. Sadly, the truth is, whether we want to recognize it or not, our fallen world is being consumed by this fiery conflict. There is also the unfortunate reality that most of socitety is so engrossed in the sinful nature of this world, that they don't even know there’s even a war to begin with. It’s truly the blind leading the blind while bullets breeze past our heads.

When I finally came to the lord there was a rush of emotions and with that also came an intense revelation about what has truly been going on all around us since the beginning of time. It’s as if I was a civilian in a place under enemy occupation and getting saved was like I had picked up a weapon and the occupying forces turned their guns toward me.

I felt like me declaring Jesus as Lord had placed me firmly in the sights of enemy fire. I was overwhelmed with attacks, persecution, and a constant battle to free myself from the darkness that once plagued my soul. It took what felt like forever to finally come to the realization that this war that I felt inside and all around myself has already been won. Not only had the war for my soul already been won but the very spirit of the king who won this battle lives within me.

I soon learned that as a child of God and a born again believer we must come to realize that even though darkness rages all around us, the blood of Jesus Christ has claimed ultimate victory. Even though I am called to fight the good fight while being strong and courageous, I can rest assured in the fact that evil has no claim or authority over me or my life. In the words of King David in the 23rd Psalm “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me”.

It’s not always going to be easy, we must continually put on the full armor of God, and fight for those who are still lost. We fight for the weak, we fight for the blind, and we fight to remind our brothers and sisters that even though evil surrounds us, the tomb is still empty.

The enemy tries to condemn us but the tomb is still empty. The world spews hateful lies, but the tomb is still empty. The Devil tells you that you're unworthy but the tomb is still empty. He whispers “Look around, it’s over, there's nothing you can do to save yourself”.

But that's just a lie to distract you from the fact that THE TOMB IS STILL EMPTY.

So lay hold on the Victory that is found in our Lord Jesus Chirst and find joy in suffering for the Gospel. Pick up your cross and follow the one who has already won this fight. Cherish the fact that you’re on the team that has won and do whatever you can to make the celebration in Heaven as packed with people as possible. It is our duty to bring people to the truth. It’s our duty to share the glorious gifts of love, mercy, and grace that have been given to us and it’s our duty to help people find their way to the only one that can win the war for their soul. Start your days knowing that the fight is won and be greatful that you have the opportunity to bring others into this Victory.

At this very moment the war continues to rage and the Lord is asking

“Who will go for us”

It is in this moment that we should answer confidently and say “Here am I, Send Me” 

But if Not…

Most people know the story from Daniel, chapter 3 about King Nebuchadnezzar and the three Hebrew boys; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that at the sound of the music, everyone must bow down to a giant golden image. Anyone who didn’t obey, would be thrown into a fiery furnace. The Hebrew boys worshiped the one true God, Yahweh, and did not bow to the image when everyone else did. Some Chaldeans told the King, and he was FURIOUS, and said he would give the boys one more chance, but if they didn’t obey, they would be thrown into the furnace that very hour and, “...who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15, KJV) The boys told the king they still would not bow down and, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18, KJV, emphasis mine). 

This story has a happy ending. They were thrown into the fire (heated 7 times hotter than it was before), and God delivered them without so much as a smell of smoke on their clothing. The king was amazed and promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and passed a new decree that anyone who spoke against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would be “...cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” (Daniel 3:29, KJV) 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew there was no humanly way to get out of this situation, but they had complete trust in the God they served. They knew He was able to deliver them. They believed He would deliver them… But what if God had chosen NOT to deliver them from the fire? “...our God…will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. BUT IF NOT…” (emphasis mine)

But if not… There is so much packed into those three little words. What happens when we pray, fully believing that God will answer our prayer, but he doesn’t answer in the way we hope or in the way that we feel would surely be in His will? Do we still believe that He is God and He is good and His will is perfect, even when we don’t understand it?

We pray for healing and God chooses not to heal. We pray for the salvation of our loved ones and they never choose to trust in Christ. We pray for God to provide us with a spouse or a child and we remain single or barren. We pray for deliverance from an addiction, but we continue to struggle with it daily. We pray for a child who is out of the will of God, but the child continues upon the path he has chosen. These are all prayers that in our human minds appear to be in the will of God. God clearly says He will answer our prayers when we pray in His will. “This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15, CSB)

Here is the reality of our human mind. We don’t know the mind of God and often don’t know His ultimate will. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV) God knows the end of the story. We do not. Those three words, “but if not” require us to have faith that whatever God chooses, whatever God allows, however God answers… He is God and we are not. It will be for His glory and our good.

I remember being in the hospital for 2 months. I was praying to God for understanding, and he gave me only one verse. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, KJV) I told God that I could not see how good could come out of what had happened to me and begged Him for another verse. When he didn’t give one to me, I asked him to show me, and He did. He showed me one good thing after another that had come out of my situation. But the reality is, even if He had not shown me, and even if I never understand why I went through what I did, God is still God and God is still good and I can trust Him with all I have.

Through that situation and many others, God has taught me that sometimes we see a mountain in front of us. We can’t see what is on the other side of the mountain; all we see is the impossibility of it. But God sees and knows it all. He knows the beauty on the other side, he knows the difficulties we will face as we climb it and He promises to be with us and give us strength to endure. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, KJV) “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, KJV).

What are you praying and trusting God for? He promises that he will answer our prayers. He just may not answer them in the way that we think they should be answered. So pray in faith, believing He will answer in the way you ask. But if not, know that God is still God. He is still faithful. He is still good and His answer is the answer that is exactly what you need and will bring the most glory to Him.

Finding Christ in Every Season

The Four Seasons of Christ

There’s something sacred about the rhythm of the seasons. They come and go with beauty, challenge, and purpose, each one telling a story about life, death, and renewal. As I’ve grown in my walk with Christ, I’ve come to see that these changes in nature mirror the spiritual seasons we all experience.

Just as the earth cycles through summer, autumn, winter, and spring, so do our hearts. And in each of these seasons, if we look closely enough, we can find the story of Christ written in creation itself.

When I first got saved, everything around me felt new. It was as if the world had been repainted, brighter, clearer, alive with purpose. I started looking for Christ in everything I could throughout the day-to-day.

I watched the birds fly as if they were being lifted by the same grace I had felt. I watched water flow so clearly and in one direction, just as my spirit began to flow in His will. I even found meaning in the quiet moments alone. The more I searched, the more I saw His fingerprints everywhere, especially in the seasons.

Summer – A Season of Growth and Development

Summer is the season of warmth and light. The days are long and hot. Under the sun’s rays, everything either grows or withers.

In my walk with Christ, I’ve realized that walking in the light of The Son feels much like being in a refiner’s fire. It isn’t easy, and it isn’t quick. It takes a surrendered heart, one willing to trust the process of sanctification.

Just as summer is the season to till the land, plant seeds, and water them faithfully, it is also a season of spiritual preparation. We must till the soil of our hearts, breaking up the hardened ground, removing the stones that hinder growth, and allowing the Word to take deep root. Then, as the heat of trials comes, we must water our faith through prayer, Scripture, and obedience, so we do not shrivel under pressure.

This is the season of growth and testing. It’s where character is formed and faith is refined. It’s the season of ministry, work of endurance.

In the life of Jesus, summer represents His ministry on earth the years of healing, teaching, planting, and preparing hearts for the harvest to come.

Autumn – Change, Reflection, and the Harvest

Autumn, or Fall is a season I’ve always loved. It’s the season of change. Leaves turn from green to radiant colors of red, yellow, orange, brown before falling gently from the branches that once held them vibrant and alive.

Nature begins to slow down, and so do I. In this season, I often feel God touching my heart, urging me to let go of the things that no longer belong. To release bitterness, fear, and old habits. To see less of myself and more of others.

Autumn carries soft sadness, a quiet peace. There’s beauty in the dying leaves, a reminder that letting go can be holy. I often sit and reflect during this time, feeling both melancholy and grateful. Grateful for the growth that has happened. Grateful for how God brings change, even when it’s hard.

This is the season of thanksgiving, when the harvest is brought in. The seeds planted in the summer now bear fruit. People gather, thankful for what has grown, yet sometimes forgetting Who it is we thank and why.

In the story of Christ, autumn mirrors His persecution and crucifixion the slowing down, the surrender, the pain before the promise. It’s the season when He was whipped, bloodied, and bruised on the cross. Yet even in His dying, there was purpose. It was a great harvest of souls.

Winter – Cold, Stillness, and Purity

Winter has always been a season I’ve struggled to appreciate. It feels so cold and lifeless, everything is dead or dormant. The days are short, and the nights seem endless. Scientifically, the sun is at its furthest point from the earth, and spiritually, it can feel that way too.

This is the season of faith. Faith that the sun will rise again. Faith that warmth will return, even when everything looks barren. When you look at the fields and trees, it seems like nothing is alive. But stillness doesn’t mean absence.

There’s beauty hidden in the silence. The trees may be bare, yet ice and frost glisten on their branches, catching the smallest rays of light. The snow covers the ground, white and pure soft to the touch yet echoing loudly under each step.

Winter reminds me that when God is silent, He is not absent. He is preparing for something greater.

This season reflects the time between crucifixion and resurrection of the stillness of the tomb. The Son felt distant, just as the winter sun felt far from the earth. Yet even then, God was working. In the cold, dark silence, the greatest miracle in history was being prepared.

Winter is the death of Christ the time when He was wrapped in burial clothes, laid in a cold, damp tomb. It was silent, but not hopeless. The silence of winter is never the end—it’s the quiet before rebirth.

Spring – New Life and Resurrection

Then comes spring, the season of renewal, life, and resurrection.

After the stillness of winter, everything begins to stir. Trees start to bud, flowers bloom, and the air fills with the hum of bees and the songs of birds. The warmth returns, and the world feels alive again.

Spring is a celebration of new beginnings. It’s the joy of color returning after months of gray. It’s nature praising its Creator in harmony everything declaring, “He lives!”

Just as winter could not hold back spring, the tomb could not hold back Jesus. He defeated death. He conquered the grave.

When I accepted Christ, I experienced my own springtime. The old me was buried in the winter of my life, and a new man rose in the warmth of His light. A spring of living water began to flow in me, cleansing and renewing me.

This season mirrors the resurrection of Christ the moment when life triumphed over death, and hope burst forth from the darkness.

Conclusion – Christ in Every Season

In every season, I have found the story of Christ. From the warmth of growth to the cold of silence, from the letting go of autumn to the resurrection of spring He is present in them all.

God foreshadows Christ throughout the Bible, and it only makes sense that He would do the same in His creation. The seasons testify to His story, His love, and His unchanging nature.

The world continues to turn, and the seasons keep changing. But Christ remains the same faithful, constant, and eternal.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” — Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)

When we seek Him, He is always faithful to reveal Himself. And just as the earth cycles through its seasons, so too do we. Whether we’re in the heat of refining, the chill of waiting, or the joy of renewal Christ is there, unchanging in every season of our lives.

The same God who paints the leaves in autumn and melts the snow in spring is shaping your heart with that same careful hand. Seasons will come and go, but His love and purpose remain constant. 

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

So often we find ourselves asking, ‘what is the will of God for my life?’. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard it said by friends and family, ‘I want to find the will of God for my life.’. It is interesting to me how God has instilled this very same desire deep within each of us to abide in His will. But what exactly is the will of God for our lives? Could it be that each of us has a calling for the same will over our lives? And if so, what is that perfect will of God? 

Several years ago, I heard a sermon preached on this very same passage of scripture and it changed the way I thought of and pursued the will of God for my life. I was always in search of something that would apply only to me, or that would be specific to my gifts, but I was thinking about and approaching it all wrong. I realized that the will of God for our lives is rather simple and involves our daily comings and goings to revolve around Christ. Every thought, every word spoken, every action should all be to the glory of God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us point blank what the will of God is for our lives. To rejoice evermore. To pray without ceasing. (And) give thanks in everything. Now that we have the recipe to enact the will of God in our lives, what does that look like in application format? 

First, we are called to ‘rejoice evermore’. To rejoice, or have an attitude of rejoicing, simply means to have a deep sense of delight and gladness not based on one’s own circumstances but on the Lord. It is the action of finding joy in God’s character and the hope of our salvation, even amid our struggles, our suffering and sorrows. The command of rejoicing in all things gives us strength and encouragement to praise and feel the overwhelming sense of joy that only the Lord can bring, both in our most wonderful seasons and in our most difficult situations. This joy can remain even in our downfalls because of the unwavering foundational love and relationship we have with Christ. Jesus is our source of strength, our comfort, and our peace. No matter what life brings our way, we are called and commanded to rejoice in all things because our joy is not rooted in our circumstances but in God. 

Second, we are called to ‘pray without ceasing’. Our thoughts should be a continual string of prayer. We should remain in constant communion with the Lord both in our hearts and our minds. This is the form of having an attitude of prayer. We are called to integrate prayer into all aspects of our life. It is a wonderful thing to practice the habit of setting aside specific times for prayer; however, it is even more wonderful to stay in constant prayer with the Lord. We are called to pray through all of life’s happenings. There are many different types of prayers, as mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:1, ‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.’. We are called to be in continual prayer with the Lord: bringing our specific needs, our general requests, our confessions, our prayers on behalf of others, and our prayers of praise to God. The act of being in constant prayer with the Lord will not only strengthen our faith but it will enable our minds to focus on Christ and not on our current circumstances. As the Bible promises, those who stay in continual prayer will be kept in the perfect peace of Christ: Isaiah 26:3, ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.’. 

Last, we are called to ‘give thanks in every thing’. Life will be filled with ups and downs. We know there are seasons of flourishing and thriving. And then there are seasons where we struggle and feel weak. A season may only last for a few days or weeks, but sometimes it seems they last for months on end. We can experience sadness, disappointment, loneliness or longing, fear and anger, time and time again. We can receive bad news from a family member or a friend, or a bad report from a doctor, and it feels as if our entire world has turned upside down. In these moments we must remember that we are called to act and respond in the will of God. We are commanded to give thanks in every season, in every situation, in every moment. The act of giving thanks in all things keeps our hearts and minds focused on God’s goodness and sovereignty. Giving thanks is a component of prayer, therefore, the previous command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is twofold, as you cannot pray continually without also giving thanks to God. As stated in James 4:8, we are to ‘Draw near to God, and he will draw nigh to you.’. What a beautiful truth it is to know that when we bring ourselves to the Lord in all things, that He will draw closer to us. The giving of thanks is an act of worship and praise and can assist in strengthening our faith and trust in the Lord. 

God wants to have an intimate relationship with us. He has invited us to act in His will for our lives. To rejoice in all things, to be constant in prayer, and to give thanks for everything. Acting in His will for our lives will draw us closer to Him. It will strengthen our faith, comfort us in our hardships, and give us peace in painful times. We certainly cannot control the circumstances and struggles that life will throw at us, but we can decide and choose how we will respond to them. In this passage of scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:16-16), we are invited to respond to the ups and downs of life in a different way from our natural response. We are invited to respond in rejoicing, praying, and with thanksgiving. Life may feel uncertain at times, but we must cling to the rock, the firm foundation, that is Christ. He is the very anchor of our soul (Hebrews 6:19). Let us choose to act according to His will for our lives and encourage one another to do the same. 

-Written by Libby Jenkins

They knocked on my door on a Saturday morning. My husband was gone to play tennis, both kids were playing video games downstairs with the sound on full blast and my house was a wreck. At nearly eleven AM I’m still hanging out in my bathrobe and pajamas, unwashed hair tossed up in a claw clip.

I couldn’t see them clearly through the translucent cling film on my front door. We didn’t need a new roof, my husband is our bug guy, and FOR THE LAST TIME, I’m not switching to AT&T. But there were three people, two men and a teenage girl. So what flavor of pseudo-Christianity would they be peddling?

No white button downs. Don’t Mormons wear button downs? Or is it Jehovah’s Witnesses?

I opened the door and stood on the threshold letting all the mosquitos in. They identified themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Vulnerable as I was in my pajamas outnumbered by strangers with my husband not home, they seemed more nervous than me. Across the great divide from the bottom of my front porch stairs the first man held out a pamphlet.

Would I read it? he asked. Yes, I answered.

Both sides hesitated then. I stood there wondering when they were going to ask to come inside. Isn’t that what normally happens? Instead they thanked me and left. Something felt unsaid. From an upstairs window I discreetly watched them canvas the entire culdesac, wondering which of my neighbors answered the door, which of them took the pamphlet like I did.

Some could say good riddance. Go away and never come back. God’s position on false teachers is clear in the Bible:

“For certain men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” - Jude 1:4

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” - 1 John 4:1

“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself is disguised as an angel of light” - 2 Corinthians 11:13-14

There’s an interesting story about Charles Taze Russell, the man who founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses. To sum it up, Russell claimed that he knew Greek and therefore needed to retranslate the Bible to suit his false teachings. His writings were criticized by another man,

Reverend J.J. Ross, so Russell sued him for libel. During the hearing Russell was unable to even recognize one letter of the Greek alphabet. If he lied about this, what else did he lie about? He certainly didn’t have the credentials to translate any document whatsoever. I think we could safely make the conclusion that he falls into the category of false teacher for this alone and not even considering the many failed prophecies he proclaimed.

I don’t want my neighbors to read the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ tracts. I don’t want them to internalize these false ideas about God that false teachers created. The idea that people that I care about could be led astray is upsetting.

But those three people who stood on my doorstep have been led astray. I don’t know their story but I want them to come back so they can share it with me. I regret allowing my internal struggles about appearance or insecurities to distract me from digging deeper with these people whom God loves. We could hate them–them or anyone else who comes to proselytize for any religion we don’t agree with–or we could choose to look at them as God does.

My greatest hope is in Jesus, that when I close my eyes for the final time I will open them in his presence. My salvation was freely given after Jesus paid for it in blood.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” - Romans 8:1

I am free from the power of sin in my life. Fear and anxiety, my greatest tormentors, have been conquered by Jesus.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him who loved us” - Romans 8:37

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in a works-based salvation. Only 144,000 people since the time of Jesus will be ‘sealed’ and the rest can only hope to survive a coming apocalypse. Now in the present time, the Witnesses believe that the door to ultimate salvation is shut.

To put it simply, Jehovah’s Witnesses are knocking on doors to earn their salvation. The three from my experience knocked on my door to hand me a pamphlet, one of many that they are obligated to pass out. Whether or not they cared about me specifically I’ll never know, but passing out literature is another task on the Jehovah’s Witness salvation checklist.

Tragically, my door and every other door they knock on to earn their salvation is the wrong one. We know that salvation comes by grace through belief in Jesus Christ.

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” - Romans 10:8-9

One of my favorite verses comes to mind. I feel that it’s fitting here. Jesus said:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” - John 10:9

Please join me in praying for these three individuals and all the others who have been led astray, that they would hear the Lord’s call and knock on his door. Let us pray they will find the freedom of God’s grace.

I encourage you to learn from my mistakes and engage them kindly and without restraint. With God’s help, let us be ready at any moment to share the truth of the Gospel. I also pray that we would have the same zeal to witness to our neighbors but instead of witnessing out of obligation, we would instead witness out of love.

Maybe those three will knock on my door again. I hope so. This time I’ll invite them in, ready or not, and tell them about the true Door. 

The Son of Suffering 

Have you ever been going through something difficult and, even though your circumstances didn’t improve, there was comfort in talking to someone who had been through something similar? 

Perhaps you meet another couple who has lost a child. Or you cross paths with someone struggling to care for aging parents. Maybe it’s a widow struggling with life after loss. 

No matter the scenario, simply talking to someone who can relate acts as a balm to your hurting heart. 

When I was going through some of the darkest days of my life (doubting my salvation, depression, etc.), I felt so alone. No one seemed to comprehend my struggle. With good intentions, they tried to offer help. But they didn’t understand the pit I was in. 

When God opened my eyes to the root cause of my problem - OCD - which, perhaps will be a future blog post, I remember wanting to hear from others who had struggled with the same thing. The compulsive prayers, the endless doubts, the lack of assurance no matter how many Romans Road scriptures I knew. Hearing others’ testimonies brought hope and made me see I wasn’t alone. 

Yet the other morning on my way to work, the Holy Spirit spoke to me through some song lyrics, which I had actually heard multiple times before. But that morning, it was different. 

How can it be? 

There’s a God who weeps 

There’s a God who bleeds 

Oh praise the One 

Who would reach for me 

Hallelujah to the Son of Suffering 

Yes. God made us to be around others. He even uses other people who have been through similar trials to comfort us as they have received comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) 

But even when there is no human comfort, praise God, He is there. He understands. 

The Son of Suffering sees you, tired mom, praying over a wayward child. 

The Son of Suffering knows the ache of an empty womb, weary couple. 

The Son of Suffering comprehends the burden of caring for a loved one with an illness. 

The Son of Suffering understands the sting of a life filled with unmet expectations. 

Hebrews 4:15 tells us, ‘For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ 

Jesus is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. Because of that, it goes on to say in verse 16, ‘we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ 

The pain may not go away. However, there is One - Jesus - who sees you in it. And not only does He see You, but He longs to comfort you. 

What grace. The Son of Suffering, suffering with us. 

But there’s more. 

The Son of Suffering suffered for us. 

Isaiah 53:5 says, ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.’ 

Jesus took on the penalty that was meant for you and I. And because of His suffering, we can have eternal life when we repent of our sin and place our faith in Him. 

Romans 10:9,13, ‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 

The lyrics continue… 

Your cross, my freedom 

Your stripes, my healing 

All praise King Jesus 

Glory to God in Heaven 

We’re not promised a life free from all suffering. But we can find comfort in knowing that, when we do suffer, we are not alone. And, that the ultimate suffering of an eternity in Hell doesn’t have to be our fate. 

Oh, praise the One 

Who would reach for me 

Hallelujah to the Son of suffering!

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: - Romans 5:12

Imagine a globe sitting on a desk. You walk up to the table, grab the globe, and spin it on its axis. After a few seconds you reach out with your index finger and stop the spinning globe. Wherever your finger lands, if it is a place inhabited by people, then at some point in time a grievance, injustice, or atrocity has occurred there. Although we live in 2025 amid the most advanced civilizations to ever exist on earth there has yet to be any technology, science, psychology, or philosophy to correct the most fundamental human problem, the sinful heart of man. After Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God, the hearts of mankind had become tainted, and like a dark thread interwoven throughout time the curse has connected all of us to that singular action in the Garden. Cain and Abel, the first brothers to be born on earth immediately fell victim to what would inevitably be within us all. Cain’s pride and jealousy gave birth to hate which manifested itself in the murder of Abel. Cain had the opportunity to love his brother, he killed him instead. Humanity’s attempts at rectifying evil, to overcome the sins that plague us all have lead only to more death and suffering in the name of achieving equity and earthly Utopia. Ever since the fall of humanity in the Garden, there has been a yearning from the thinkers, the great philosophers to try and understand our purpose, make sense of our existence, and rationalize suffering. There is a void at the center of every heart and it longs to be filled. However, the issue is that it cannot be filled with anything material. The void within us is spiritual. When humans and or governments try to implement the teachings of Nietzsche, Marx, or even Socrates the effort is always doomed to fail if the goal is perfection, for our sinful nature has and will always remain imperfect therefore corrupting any man made system or social structure.This is to say no matter how good the system, every individual person is tethered to the basic truth that “all have sinned”, which always leads us back to destruction as it did Cain. Adam and Eve walked with God Almighty; He loved them and communed with them, He was their reason for existence. When they were banned from the Garden of Eden the world became dark and dull, and what our hearts so desire is to be walking with God once again; this is what He had intended for us from the beginning. Nothing in our world can ever compare to speaking with God in the cool of the day, on a crisp morning, amidst the trees and walking among Creation in perfect harmony. Our reality turned to something lesser, a mere dream and fragment of that which was in the Garden when Creation lived united with the Creator. Every mortal soul now wanders about aimlessly, physically alive at present but spirituality asleep. Will there ever be something to awaken us from the self inflicted nightmare we find ourselves in?

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:17

At the Greater Heights Family Huddle this year Pastor Chris expounded upon the books written by the apostle John. Throughout his gospel and his letters John shares with us two extraordinary truths that are powerful beyond comprehension but also personal and comforting for any individual. Jesus, the man born in Bethlehem and whose ministry and message has spread across time and generations was not merely a prophet or philosopher; Jesus was there at the beginning of time itself, but not as an observer. He was there one with God because He is God the Creator, the one who walked with Adam and Even in the cool of the day. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;”.”I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Jesus of Nazareth is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, He is the Lion and the Lamb, He is perfect love and He is perfect justice. Simply put, John reveals to us that Jesus was and is God, He is life and light. The earth after being introduced to sin had become dark; Jesus stepped down into our darkness to light the world and awaken humanity from the nightmare. John 1:4-5 says “ In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” The second truth John reveals is equally as powerful as is personal. 1 John 1:3 says “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Jesus, the creator of the universe is inviting you into a personal relationship with Him! This is the reason for His manifestation on earth. He came to pay our penalty for sin with the purpose of our redemption, and to draw us back to Him, to draw us into life eternal. As Pastor stated during Family Huddle, this is what it means to be a Christian, everything that is done by the local and global church, every Christian ministry and program has begun in order to draw people into this miraculous personal relationship with Christ. C.S Lewis writes in Mere Christianity, “This is the whole of Christianity. There is nothing else... the church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” The dark thread interwoven by sin that linked us to Adam has now been changed to scarlet and held together by the blood of Christ that reunites us with God the Father.

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. - Ephesians 5:14

In Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace one of the main characters named Prince Andrei has a dream after being mortally wounded. In his dream, he is healthy and sitting in a room, but a dark spirit (Death) is trying to enter and consume him. After a struggle Death breaks in and kills Prince Andrei. In the exact same moment Prince Andrei dies in the dream, he is woken up back into reality. He comes to the realization that “death is an awakening!” Jesus Christ stands at the door of every human heart knocking. The temporal life we experience is but a dream, the best it could ever be pales in comparison to the life eternal that Jesus offers that can begin today, even in this very moment. The life He offers is much greater than anything we can imagine, He offers us Himself. C.S Lewis says in Mere Christianity:

Christ says ‘Give me All. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your

money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it...Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked - the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.’

When a person dies to the self and accepts Jesus is the Lord, He freely gives eternal life because this is the only life He offers, nothing less . The sinner can come to Christ today and accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus offers. For the saint, it is daily required to choose to live for the eternal life and not for the temporal as Pastor Chris preached this past Sunday morning. 1 Timothy 6:12 says “ Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” I would like to leave you the reader with a question. When you wake up every morning are you waking up into life, are you choosing to live after the eternal or the temporal? Very often Pastor Chris reminds us how we should start every morning. When the day begins we are faced with a decision. Will I live after my will, am I going to choose what I want, or do I kill it and choose Christ, choose the eternal? If we are to escape the dream, the rat race, the temporal life that is never satisfied we must surrender our will for Christ’s.

The great religious struggle is not fought on a spectacular battleground, but within the ordinary human heart, when every morning we awake and feel the pressures of the day crowding in on us, and we must decide what sort of immortals we wish to be. - Kathleen Norris

- Written by Jacob Littlefield