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GOD HAS MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CITY (Acts 18)

“Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
(Acts 18:9–10, NKJV)

THE UNDERDOG

Have you ever been the underdog? 

When watching sports, if you don’t know either team, you may not know much more than the rankings. 

Sometimes in the NCAA tournament, a lower-ranked team starts beating teams nobody expected them to beat. They call those Cinderella teams. Don’t you want to root for the underdog in those moments? It’s exciting to see them win.

That’s the situation we find the Apostle Paul in Acts 18. 

KEEP PREACHING

When Paul traveled, he often stayed for a short time to establish a church and then left once elders were appointed to care for it. He stayed longer in Corinth than usual, though.

Paul knew there was very real danger there as he had encountered before, being beaten and left for dead. But God told Paul he didn’t have to fear. He told him nobody would hurt him because He had many people in that city. He was telling Paul that there were people in the congregation he didn’t know about and people who, if they could hear the gospel, would come to Christ.

He always did as the Lord instructed, even if others were warning him against it. So he stayed in Corinth for a year and a half teaching the Word of God among them.

As a hospice chaplain, I often went to nursing homes. Sometimes while visiting someone, I just talked with them and provided comfort. Other times, I was able to share the gospel.

One time, the man I was supposed to see wasn’t in his room, so I went down to the common area. There were about six people there, and I found him sitting in his wheelchair. I spoke with him and asked about his church background. He told me he didn’t have one, but he listened as I talked about the Bible. I went over the verse in Romans that says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” He said he knew that meant him and he believed it was true. I came to the part where it says the wages of sin is death. In other words, the penalty for sin is death. He nodded yes.

I said, “Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And I asked him if he would like to do that. He said, “Yes.” I prayed a sample prayer and he prayed along with me. I then invited him to pray in his own words, and he accepted the Lord that day.

You see, he was sitting in that common area in his wheelchair that day waiting and ready to hear how to be saved.

Only God knows how many are in your city waiting for someone to tell them about Jesus.

The ones already active with Paul were part of the many in the city. But there were many who would come to accept Christ while Paul was there, and there were also those who were already believers that Paul had not met yet.

It’s kind of like what happened with Elijah on Mount Carmel. Elijah stood before the 450 prophets of Baal and challenged them to call on their god to send fire to their sacrifice. They cried out to Baal all morning, danced around the altar, and even cut themselves, but nothing happened. Elijah mocked them, suggesting their god was busy or asleep. But when Elijah called upon God for fire, He sent fire!

When Queen Jezebel heard what had happened, she threatened Elijah’s life. He fled into the wilderness and became discouraged, telling God that he was the only one left who was serving Him. But God told him he wasn’t alone. There were still 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal.

Just like Elijah, Paul knew there were people who were serving God that he didn’t know about. God told Elijah there were 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal, and He told Paul, “I have many people in this city.” Because Paul believed God’s promise, he stayed at Corinth longer than he stayed at most places.

KEEP MOVING

(Verses 18-23) So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

I want you to notice all the movements going on here. When God impresses upon us that it’s time to move, we need to move. If He impresses upon us to stay, we should stay. Difficulties happening around you are not always a reason to leave.

What matters is obeying what God has put on your heart, just as Paul did here.

There was a tribe in Africa that always believed there must be a creator just by looking at the sky. When someone came to teach them about evolution, the tribe just laughed!

But when a missionary, sent by God, visited this tribe, they asked him, “Are you the one that’s going to come with the words that help us understand the Creator of the universe?” He answered, “Yes.”

The tribe, who had never even seen a Bible, were captivated as the missionary spoke. He began in Genesis telling stories all the way to the New Testament, the life of Jesus, and then the crucifixion. It was so vivid in their minds that they began to weep! They were left in remorse waiting until morning when the missionary came to finish the story.

He told them how Jesus had risen from the dead, and the whole tribe got excited! As was their custom, they got up, jumping up and down on one foot and celebrated the risen King!

KEEP LEARNING

(Verses 24-26) Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

John the Baptist’s message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Aquila and Priscilla explained to him, “you need to be preaching the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as repentance.” He did not get upset when they corrected him. He received it and went on to help others greatly.

An older pastor went to a young seminary graduate with a doctorate degree with a question. He said, “I don’t understand the meaning of just one word in John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world.’ It’s the word ‘so.’”

The young man looked up at his degree and it couldn’t help him answer the pastor.

As you go through life, the longer you live, the more you find out you don’t know. But you should keep learning. Get in the Scriptures and let the Word of God teach you new things. There is always something more to learn, even in the verses you think you know well.

CONCLUSION

When God tells you to do so, keep preaching. Keep teaching. Move when He tells you to move and stay when He tells you to stay.

Most of all, keep learning.

Have you at least learned that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God? And that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus!

If you repent of your sins, believe in Jesus, trust in Him, and call upon Him, He will bring you salvation.

If you haven’t done that, I would encourage you to come to Christ today.

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Mighty Arrow

Psalm 127

Introduction

“Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it.”


Psalm 127 begins with a simple truth: if the Lord is not in what we are building, our labor is in vain. That applies to our homes, our families, our churches, and even our nation.

After the Revolutionary War, the American colonies had won their independence, but they still needed a government that could hold the new nation together. In 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention. They quickly found themselves divided over what that government should look like.

Benjamin Franklin, at 81 years old, rose during the disagreements and reminded the delegates how often they had prayed for God’s help during the struggle for independence. He said that the longer he lived, the more convinced he became that “God governs in the affairs of men.”

Franklin then referred to Psalm 127 and proposed that prayers asking for God’s help be held before the Convention’s daily business. His proposal was not adopted, but his words still pointed to an important truth.

Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain.

We can work, plan, organize, and try to build everything ourselves, but ultimately our hope must be in the Lord.

Our Nation Needs Hope

Our nation needs hope. There are wars, economic concerns, natural disasters, uncertainty, and pressures facing young people that many of us never faced when we were their age. We can look around and find plenty of reasons to become discouraged.

But our hope is not ultimately in circumstances getting better. Our hope is in Jesus.

Years ago, I went through a time when I was deeply depressed. I could not even explain why I was so discouraged. I attended a conference where they taught different techniques and ideas, but those things were not really what helped me.

What helped me was hope.

Something about that experience reminded me that there was hope, and my outlook began to change. Maybe you have experienced that too. You were discouraged, and someone gave you a little encouragement. Maybe God sent a blessing at just the right moment that reminded you not to give up.

Hope can change things.

And Psalm 127 points us toward another source of hope.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.”

Children Are Like Arrows

I have not had a great deal of success with bows and arrows.

When I was young, I bought a little plastic bow and arrow from a dime store. I was proud of it and took it to show my cousins. Within about thirty minutes, the bow was lying in the yard in two pieces with the string between them.

Later, at Boy Scout camp, we went to the archery range. They asked whether I wanted a light bow or a strong one. Looking at the target in the distance, I decided I needed the strong one.

That bow was so strong that my hand trembled trying to pull the string back. When I finally released the arrow, it did not come anywhere close to the target.

So I am probably not the person you want teaching an archery class.

But Psalm 127 tells us that children are like arrows in the hands of a warrior. An arrow has the ability to go beyond the person holding the bow. In the same way, our children and young people can go places, reach people, and accomplish things for the Lord that extend far beyond us.

Sometimes we say young people are the church of tomorrow. I hope they are.

But they can also be the church of today.

A Mighty Force

I learned something about young people being a mighty force when I was in high school.

Being a freshman was not exactly the most honored position in school. There were some seniors who had a habit of grabbing freshmen by the feet while they were sitting on the tall gym bleachers and pulling them down.

One day, two seniors came into the gym and did it to a freshman. The boy was left sitting there with tears in his eyes.

The seniors walked away laughing and sat farther down the bleachers.

Then something happened.

The basketballs stopped bouncing. A group of freshmen gathered together. The seniors were not paying much attention as that group moved toward them.

Instead of going after the smaller senior, they picked the biggest one.

There were suddenly hands everywhere. They grabbed his feet, pulled, and down he came.

As far as I know, they never did that to another freshman again.

There is strength when young people come together with a purpose.

Imagine what can happen when young people give that strength, energy, and willingness to the Lord.

Children Used by the Lord

When my own children were in high school, I knew people would eventually start asking them that question young people hear all the time: “What are you going to do when you get out of school?”

A lot of young people do not know yet.

I told mine, “Just tell them, ‘I’m going to serve the Lord.’”

At the time, I was partly giving them something to say when they did not know how to answer the question. But today I can praise God that all of them are serving the Lord.

That is what we should desire for our children.

I once had a friend named Ralph Rice who worked with young people at church camp. Years later, he and his wife were in a store when a young man approached him and asked, “Brother Rice, do you remember me?”

The boy had grown up.

He thanked Brother Rice for caring about him and loving him when he was young. Then he told him that he was now working in the church himself.

That is encouragement for every Sunday school teacher, youth worker, parent, grandparent, pastor, and church member who has ever wondered whether investing in a child really makes a difference.

Kids grow up.

You may not immediately see what God is doing through the time you spend teaching them, loving them, praying for them, and pointing them toward Christ. But those children are growing, and God can use them.

Our young people are not merely waiting for their turn to become part of the church. They are part of the church now.

So let’s pray for them. Let’s encourage them. Let’s teach them the Word of God and give them opportunities to serve.

And young people, if God is leading you to do something for Him, do it. You do not have to wait until you are older to serve the Lord.

You can be one of those mighty arrows in His hand.

Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain. But when the Lord is the One doing the building, there is hope for our homes, our churches, our children, and the generations still to come.

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Encountering the Risen Lord

John 20

Encountering the Risen Lord
Leads to Faith and Belief
And Belief Leads to Life

Introduction

Mary Magdalene was discouraged by the events of the days preceding the resurrection. She, and many others, had seen their Lord falsely accused and beaten so badly that His flesh was unrecognizable. Then He was made to carry a cross so heavy that He fell under its weight.

They witnessed the awfulness of the crucifixion and heard their Lord cry out, “My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?” Then He cried, “It is finished!” and gave up the Spirit. His own disciples placed His lifeless body in the tomb.

Mary and some other women went to the tomb with spices to prepare His body, wondering how they would move the heavy stone covering the tomb.

They soon realized it had already been removed.

Encounter the Word
John 20:1-10

Mary was coming from the tomb, running to find Peter and John to tell them the tomb was empty!

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Peter and John ran to the tomb and looked into the place where the Lord’s body should have lain. They saw the cloth that had covered Jesus’ face, folded and put in place. The rest of the grave clothes looked as if they had settled down as they went right through His body, and they had.

Jesus had come back to life. The tomb was empty.

Many times the Lord had tried to prepare them for this moment. He told them He was going to be crucified at the hands of sinful men and would rise again in three days. They had also seen Jesus do unbelievable miracles, like feeding the 5,000. These things helped them believe the words He had spoken, but this encounter was still hard to believe. The empty tomb reminded them of His promises. Since He is the Living Word of God, these realities helped them with their encounter with the Word.

When we hear the Scriptures tell us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and we believe it to be true, it brings conviction. We understand that with this sin problem, we are not fit to be accepted into Heaven.

Then we hear the Word of God, that Jesus Christ loves us and that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If you are saved, you have encountered the Word of God. You have not only heard the Word, but you believe it.

Encounter Jesus Personally
John 20:11-20

When Mary had finished talking with Peter and John, she returned to the tomb. There she saw two angels where Jesus once was. They told her Jesus was not there. She still wanted to know where His body was. She turned around to see a man standing with her and supposed He must be a gardener, so she asked Him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

He spoke her name, “Mary,” and she knew that it was Jesus. She cried out to Him, “Rabboni!” which is a term of respect for a teacher.

She had already encountered the Word of God, and now Mary had encountered her risen Lord personally. He was alive!

That is what happens to us when we are saved. We encounter the Word of God, choose to believe it, and meet the Living Lord.

I don’t know what it was like on the day you were saved, or if that day has happened yet. Some people are overcome with sorrow over their sin and the realization that Jesus went to the cross because of it. Others are overcome with joy because they understand that their sins have been forgiven and removed as far as the east is from the west. Our experiences may be different, but we encounter Jesus personally.

Mary heard Jesus speak her name. Did you know Jesus knows your name?

I think about the old children’s song, “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I have a friend who sometimes signs his emails, “Jesus knows me, this I love.” And it’s true. God knows every one of us, and He loves every one of us.

But Mary wasn’t the only one who encountered Jesus. Later that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered behind closed doors when Jesus appeared in their midst and said, “Peace be unto you.”

They had already heard that He would rise again on the third day. Now they were experiencing it for themselves. They encountered Jesus personally.

Move from Skepticism to Belief
John 20:24-28

Much of the world looks at things as if God is not in the picture. There are influences that can cause us to doubt the things of God, what He can do, and whether miracles can happen.

There may be evidence of a miracle, such as when a doctor finds something concerning in an X-ray, and after prayer, we go back for another X-ray and it is gone. The doctor may say he made a mistake the first time, but we know it was God. That may be the kind of miracle the average person encounters today.

But the disciples saw Jesus walk on water. Peter even stepped out of the boat and onto the water. When he took his eyes off the Lord and lost his faith for a moment, he began to sink. His only hope was the living Lord who was there with him. Jesus reached down and picked him up.

Though we have encountered the living Lord, skepticism may still come our way, and many are reluctant to believe.

Verses 24-28 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!“

Have you ever been so ashamed of yourself for failing God that you were in real need of peace? Have you faced turmoil? Aren’t you glad the Word of God comes to remind you that if you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness? There that peace comes once again.

Jesus said, “Peace be unto you.”

I am convinced that Thomas didn’t need to place his hands on Jesus’ side to know it was Him once he saw Him. He knew it was the Lord and cried out, “My Lord and my God!” What a beautiful declaration of faith!

We often refer to him as “Doubting Thomas.” But there was also a believing Thomas. We, too, can go from skepticism to belief.

Belief Leads to Life
John 20:29-31

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

It’s only through Christ and trusting in Him that we can have life. I can’t promise you everything will be wonderful all the time, but I do know that life with God is so much better than the alternative.

Richard Wurmbrand endured years of imprisonment and torture for his faith in Christ. While imprisoned, a guard mocked him for praying and asked what he could possibly have to pray about after everything he had suffered.

Wurmbrand replied, “I can pray for you.” And he did. He had a life in Christ that transcended what was happening around him.

Jesus has come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

One person I knew was close to death, and her loved ones tried to comfort her by telling her she would get better. I heard her say, “I don’t know whether I will or not, but I am so excited to go to Heaven.” Then she turned to me and said, “Isn’t that what you’ve preached about for 50 years?”

Heaven is real, too. If you have encountered the Word of God and the living Lord and have put your faith and trust in Him, you know Him.

That leads to life, life abundantly, and eternal life in Heaven.

Do you have that today? If not, today could be the day.

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The Journey That Led to Athens

Acts 17:16-18

Acts 17:19-21

Acts 17:32-34

Matthew 11:28

Introduction

“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. Some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,’ because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.” (Acts 17:16–18)

“And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, ‘May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore, we want to know what these things mean.’ For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” (Acts 17:19–21)

Before we look at what happened in Athens,  consider the journey that brought Paul there.
It began in Philippi, where Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. At midnight they prayed and sang praises to God, and God miraculously opened the prison doors. The jailer came in, fearing the prisoners had escaped, and was about to take his own life rather than face the Roman authorities. But Paul called out, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”


By the beginning of Acts  17, Paul had traveled to Thessalonica. As was his custom, he first went into the synagogue and preached to the Jewish people. Many believed. Others rejected the message, stirred up the crowd, and recruited troublemakers to form a mob. Paul’s life was in danger; his friends urged him to leave.


From there, Paul traveled to Berea. The Bible says the Bereans were more noble, or fair-minded, than those in Thessalonica. They listened carefully to Paul’s preaching and searched the Scriptures to see whether what he was saying was true. As a result, many believed.


Unfortunately, the opposition from Thessalonica followed Paul to Berea and stirred up another crowd. Once again, Paul’s friends urged him to leave for his own safety. They escorted him to Athens.


That is where we find Paul in this passage.

The Sadness, Idolatry, and Deception

Paul had asked Silas and Timothy to join him as quickly as possible, but they had not arrived yet. While waiting, Paul walked through Athens. The population of Athens was about 10,000 people, yet historians estimate there were around 30,000 idols in the city, three idols for every person.


As Paul walked through Athens and saw that the city was wholly given over to idolatry, it grieved his heart. He came from a very different background, growing up studying the Old Testament under Gamaliel, one of the most respected teachers of the Law in that day. Then everything changed.


Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus.


Before that encounter, Paul had zealously opposed Christianity. These followers of Jesus seemed to contradict everything he had been taught. But after meeting Christ, Paul returned to the Scriptures and discovered this “new way”, he saw that Jesus was the Messiah promised throughout the Old Testament.


The same zeal Paul once used to oppose Christ became the zeal with which he preached that Jesus is Lord and God had proved it by raising Him from the dead.


But, behind the idolatry in the city was  the deception of Satan.


The King James Version says, **”**Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.” Other translations say they were “very religious.” But, religion without God is nothing but superstition!


Paul had met the Savior. He knew there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. None of the names written on those thousands of idols could save anyone. There was only one way to heaven, and that way was Jesus Christ.


There is freedom of religion in the United States. God Himself gives people the freedom to love Him or reject Him. Likewise, our nation gives people the freedom to be Christians, atheists, or followers of other religions.


Sometimes people begin to think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere. That is a lie from the pit of hell. It does matter what you believe!


The place where Paul spoke was the Areopagus. The Greek god associated with that place was Ares, while the Romans worshiped the same god under the name Mars. That is why it is often called Mars Hill. It was a place where people gathered to debate ideas and discuss philosophy.


Paul warned us to be careful that we are not “cheated through philosophy and empty deceit.” Satan is the father of lies, and one of his greatest tools is deception. He wants people to believe that any path is acceptable or truth doesn’t really matter.


There are many issues in our culture today where people, regardless of political party, fail to line up with God’s Word. This is not a political statement, nor is it an attack on individuals. But when our laws begin to approve what God’s Word says is wrong, we must stand with the Word of God.


Waves of philosophy and empty deceit continue to come against people today. Paul understood that personally because there was a time when he had been deceived, traveling in the wrong direction, sincerely believing he was doing God’s will, until he met Jesus Christ.

The Message That Could Have Brought Salvation

When some certain philosophers heard Paul preaching, they asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be proclaiming foreign gods,“ because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.


They invited him to the Areopagus.


In one sense, that’s a good thing. People should be willing to listen and examine ideas honestly.
Paul accepted the invitation and began by saying, “I perceive that in every way you are very religious.” As he walked through Athens he  saw their many idols and beliefs. They were religious, but they did not know the true God.


Paul did not begin by attacking them. He began where they were and pointed them to the truth. He told them about the God who made the world and everything in it. This God does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He served by human hands as though He needed anything. He is the One who gives life and breath to all things.


The God they needed to know was not another idol among thousands. He was the Creator of all things. The message Paul preached could have brought salvation to every person who was willing to listen, repent, and believe. But sadly, not everyone was willing to hear the truth.

The Message That Did Bring Salvation to a Few

When Paul spoke of the resurrection of the dead they cut him short. When he spoke of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked him, while others said they would hear him again on the matter.

Yet the message did bring salvation to a few.

“When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” (Acts 17:32–34)

Some people might have looked at Paul’s ministry in Athens and thought he had very little success. But God does not measure success the way we do.


The message brought salvation to Dionysius, Damaris, and others who believed. Much depends on the attitude of those who are listening. Will they be like the Bereans, searching the Scriptures to see whether these things are true? Or will they allow prejudice and preconceived ideas to keep them from hearing God’s Word?


For those who believed, the difference was that they listened. They believed the Word of God and came to the one true God through Jesus Christ.


You could have pointed to any of the idols that filled Athens and asked, “Did this god die for you?”


No!


Or ask, “Did this god die and rise again?”

No!


The gospel of Jesus Christ is different.


The good news is that although we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Because He is the Son of God, His sacrifice was sufficient for every person in every generation. His death was the complete payment for sin.


Yet not everyone is saved because not everyone accepts the gift He offers. Jesus offers salvation freely, but if someone rejects Him, there is nowhere else to turn. With Christ, there is hope. Without Christ, there is no hope.

Will You Reject the Deception of Satan and Accept Christ?

Are you fully trusting Him, or are the philosophies of this world, the pressures of society, and the lies of the enemy pulling you away from God?

The world pulls against us. What we hear in the media, what we see on television, and what our culture celebrates can cause people to question God and doubt His truth.

Friend, there is an answer. There is a way. 

Will you reject the lies of Satan and simply trust Jesus? Will you trust Him completely for your salvation? Have you truly placed your faith in Him?


If you have, praise God. But if you’re not sure you’ve ever really done that, then there is an invitation from Jesus Himself:

“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

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God’s Instructions for a New Nation

Micah 6:8

He has shown you O man, what is good; 

and what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

Love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

God’s Instructions to a New Nation

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Introduction

“I can’t get in!” said George Duffield, the new Presbyterian pastor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His friends watched him standing at the locked church door and called, “Come over here!” He followed them to the side of the church, where they opened a window and pushed him in. He then opened the doors for them. Duffield faced opposition to his ministry even before the Revolutionary War. His support for independence later caused him more trouble, but he eventually became accepted and preached for more than 50 years.

One of Rob Morgan’s 100 verses that made America is Micah 6:8. John Winthrop referenced this verse in his famous sermon, A City on a Hill. John Adams frequently mentioned it, and George Washington referenced it in his 1783 Circular Letter to the States.

God’s Instructions to a New Nation | Do Justly

At the beginning of the war, the British put a price on George Duffield’s head! He went into hiding to protect his life. British soldiers took possession of his church, turned it into a hospital, and burned the pews to keep their soldiers warm. Still, Duffield continued to be an active military chaplain.

There is an old saying often attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville: “America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” The passage of Scripture we are focused on tells us to do justly. One translation puts it like this: “do what is right.”

An old friend of mine, Stan, owned a carpet company with his brother. One time a church made a large carpet purchase from his company. Unfortunately, the carpet didn’t hold up well, and the threads began pulling out. Stan called the manufacturer to make it right, but they would neither replace the carpet nor compensate him.

Stan knew replacing it from his own inventory would cost him a lot of money. Still, he did what was right and replaced all the carpet the church needed at no charge. It seemed Stan lost a lot of money that day, but word got around that his business had integrity and stood behind its product. Who knows how many sales came over the years because he did what was right?

The world tells us to look out for number one. It would tell Stan the defective carpet wasn’t his fault, so why should he lose money? Let the manufacturer deal with it! But the Bible says to do justly. Do what is right.

God’s Instructions to a New Nation | Love Mercy

Stan was also a friend I went to high school with, and he showed that same integrity even back then. We had study hall together. If you’re smart, you’ll get your homework done and study. If you’re like a lot of us, you go in there and mess around.

There were only four of us in the class. One of the coaches was our teacher, and he felt there were better things to do than sit with four students. He told us, “Hey guys, I’m not going to be in here,” and gave us freedom to have fun in the gym. I asked if we could go outside. “Sure,” he said, “as long as you don’t go around the other rooms.” It was going to be a great year. We’d just had freedom handed to us.

One day Stan and another friend, Steve, were playing tag. Steve ran into the gym with Stan chasing him, then held the door shut from the other side. Stan got an idea! Holding the doorknob, he put his foot on the door frame. I heard a cracking noise. The crack went up both sides and across the top. Just like that, the door fell open.

We had torn up the gym door, and we knew it. Steve got as far away as possible. Stan and I thought maybe we could fix it quickly, but the ag teacher walked up. Have you ever done something you know is your fault and wondered what the consequences would be? I wondered if I was going to get kicked out of school. Our parents could have been called in. There could have been a school board meeting.

Instead, the ag teacher, who was known for being a Christian man, looked at the damage and told Stan, “The shop is right over here. Let’s get the hammer and nails.” They came back and fixed the door frame. Justice could have come down on us that day, but he showed mercy. Do justly. But also, love mercy.

An old story is told about a soldier under the great general Napoleon who deserted his army. He was caught and brought back, facing a penalty that could have been death. His mother learned he would appear before Napoleon for judgment and somehow made her way around the guards to plead for her son.

Napoleon told her that her son deserved the justice coming to him and that he wanted to make an example of him. She did not argue his innocence. She fell to her knees and said, “Sir, I do not ask for justice. I ask for mercy.” Napoleon was so touched that he granted mercy and allowed her son to live.

The Bible tells us to do justly, to do what is right. Those words of Scripture were applied to this new nation. We were told America is great because she is good. She does justly because she shows mercy. But if America ever ceases to do good, she will no longer be great.

The world says, “Fight back! Take care of number one.” But Jesus said, “Turn the other cheek.” Hanging on the cross, He looked at those crucifying Him and mercifully said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We can know Christ as our Savior because Jesus is merciful to us. On our behalf He said, “Father, forgive them.”

God’s Instructions to a New Nation | Walk Humbly with Your God

There was a man whose life stretched from the Civil War into WWII. Granny Clampett called the Civil War “the war of northern aggression!” It was a time in America we aren’t proud of, when human slavery was taking place. George Washington Carver was born into slavery during this time. When he grew up, he became an important part of the Tuskegee Institute, one of the early Black colleges in America.

While doing research there, Carver prayed God would give him knowledge of peanut crops. He did all kinds of experiments, and God answered those prayers. He found over 300 uses for peanuts, helping produce a better market for the crop and becoming a well-known man in the United States.

A story is told of Dr. Carver standing in a hotel lobby one day in his everyday clothes. A white traveler walked in, saw him and said, “Hey boy! Get my bags!” Dr. Carver picked up the man’s bags, no questions asked. The hotel proprietor was shocked. “Oh, Dr. Carver! You don’t have to do that. I’ll get someone to take care of it.” The traveler realized his mistake and asked, “Are you Dr. Carver?” Carver simply said, “At your service.”

To walk humbly with our God is our third instruction. The disciples once argued as they walked about which of them would be the greatest. Jesus asked what they were arguing about, and they were ashamed. He used a small child to teach them about greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven and that they must humble themselves and become like children.

In reading the whole passage, we learn what George Washington Carver had learned. Jesus teaches that true greatness is to humbly serve others without thought of reward. Have you ever thought about how Jesus is the Lord of Glory? He was the Lord of Heaven! The Son was in Heaven with the Father and the Spirit, with angels to do His bidding.

Yet He came to earth knowing Judas would betray Him. Jesus was in the garden when Roman soldiers and authorities came to capture Him. When Jesus identified Himself, they drew back and fell to the ground. Still, He willingly allowed them to carry Him off to Pilate.

Here was the Lord of Glory humbling Himself. He became a little lower than the angels, just as the Bible says we all are. He left Heaven’s glory to come to earth and live as humans do. The most powerful being in the universe experienced tiredness and thirst. He was mocked, spit on, and had hairs plucked from His beard. He experienced it all willingly. He came to humbly serve us as a loving Savior.

Conclusion

Jesus is our King. He is The King! He is my King. Oh! He’s such a wonderful King. He is the One who was willing to lay down His power and give His life as a ransom for sin.

You and I owe a debt we cannot pay. He paid that debt in full so that we might be saved. So I ask you, is He your Savior today?

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The Blessing of Focus

Matthew 22:34-40

Ephesians 5:18-6:4

Matthew 28:18-20

Focus

At my house, we have a landing at the top of the stairs overlooking our living room. From the landing, you can see the TV. I often head upstairs only to get distracted by the TV. By the time I’m ready to get back to what I was doing, I think, “Was I going upstairs or was I going downstairs?”

Focus is the key to remembering why you headed upstairs.

I’ll encourage you to focus on  five things. To help you remember, we will state them as commands.

Loving God

 Matthew 22:34-40: The Great Commandment

When the Pharisees asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

The first command is to LOVE GOD. That is the great commandment.

The Jewish young men and women, as they grew up, learned from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 that they were to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The focus was on loving God.

In the Old Testament, the nation did well when they had a good king who loved God. But when they had a king who did not love God, the nation did not fare as well. Eventually, the kingdom split into two nations: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

During this time was King Hezekiah. Scripture says he was a good king. He focused on that first commandment to LOVE GOD, and modeled that to his nation.

When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh did not follow in his father’s footsteps. Instead, he set up idols throughout the land where pagan and ungodly worship of false gods took place. One of those false gods was called Molech. They had a large statue that they would heat until it turned red from the fire, and they would sacrifice their children by laying them on that statue. These practices were promoted by evil kings, causing the nation to decline. Judgment was coming.

Babylon captured Manasseh, put him in chains, and carried him away. While he was in captivity, he came to his senses. He realized, “I have not been worshiping God. I have not focused on loving God, the true God, the God of my father.”

He cried out to God. He sincerely repented of his sin. God heard his prayers. He was restored as king of Judah and lived the rest of his life with God’s blessing because he returned his focus to God.

So, our first command is to LOVE GOD.

Loving Others

The commandment second to the greatest one is to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus quoted that, and someone asked Him, “Who is my neighbor?” He was looking for a way to avoid loving everybody, perhaps because some people are hard to love.

Jesus answered by telling the story of a man who was attacked by robbers. They robbed him, beat him so badly that he could not move himself, and left him without the means to care for himself. As he lay there, people came by. Some stayed on the other side of the road, some crossed to the opposite side to avoid him. One was a priest, another a Levite.

One was a Samaritan.

The Jews despised the Samaritans, yet Jesus said the Samaritan had compassion on the wounded man. He went to him, cared for his wounds, took him to an inn, and said, “Take care of him, and when I come back, I will settle up with you.”

Then Jesus asked, “Which one was a neighbor to the man who was robbed?”

It was the despised Samaritan.

These are your commands:

  1. LOVE GOD
  2. LOVE OTHERS

Loving the Church

Ephesians 5:18-6:4 teaches us what it looks like to live under the influence of the Spirit. Paul explains the importance of submitting to one another, loving our families, and living according to God’s design. He reminds husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.

Think of how Jesus demonstrated that love in John 17 when He prayed for the church. He prayed for His disciples, and He prayed for those who would come after them. He was praying for you and me as well.

A man named Brian said, “When my love for the church mirrors Christ’s love for the church, things will go well.”

Brian said Jesus was optimistic because He looked at these disciples and believed these flaky men would change the world. When Jesus was crucified, they all ran away and hid. Yet after He was gone, Jesus was depending on those same disciples to establish the church and care for it. He knew they would.

Remain committed to the gospel. This is the good news of Jesus!

A seminar I attended mentioned that each one of us should be doing whatever we can to share Christ. We were challenged to come up with a fifteen-second testimony. I want to extend this challenge to you.

If you’re saved, think of what your life was like before Christ and what it is like after. Try to find a way to tell those two things in 15 seconds.

My 15-second testimony would be: Before I came to Christ, I didn’t think anybody could know for sure they would go to heaven. They couldn’t know it until they died. After I met Christ, I found out you can be sure and I’m on my way to heaven. In fact, the Bible tells us over and over that we can be sure.

Do you have a story like that? As you go through life, there will be opportunities to take the conversation in a spiritual direction. Sometimes all it takes is asking someone, “Could I tell you a short story about my own life?”

Remember, their salvation doesn’t depend on you. You simply share the good news that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin.

That’s the gospel.

Whenever my love for the church mirrors Christ’s love for the church, I actively pursue peace and unity. When my love for the church mirrors Christ’s love for the church, I seek God’s glory and not my own.

These are your commands:

  1. LOVE GOD
  2. LOVE OTHERS
  3. LOVE YOUR CHURCH

Loving Your Family

I know a family that was a great example to others. The husband was a pastor, with a faithful wife, and they were raising their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Both sons eventually accepted the call to preach. To the shock of his family and those who had sat under his ministry, the pastor became involved with another woman, and the marriage ended in divorce.

If you identify with the husband in this story and have come to Christ in repentance, you have been forgiven. You can focus on your family where you are right now.

This story reminds us why we must focus on our families. Our choices do not only affect us. They can have far-reaching effects on those we love and those who look to us for guidance.

These are your commandments:

  1. LOVE GOD
  2. LOVE OTHERS
  3. LOVE YOUR CHURCH
  4. LOVE YOUR FAMILY

Fulfilling Your Mission

Matthew 28:18-20

 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

This is The Great Commission.

As we live out our lives, we are to announce the gospel to every people group in the world.

Some of us cannot physically go out to do that. We can support others who do, however. Our church supports several missionaries on a regular basis. They usually let us know how we can support them.

Sometimes we focus on “going into all the world” as a command to go somewhere, but as we are going through life, we share the gospel with others in our everyday lives.

This is accomplished in these commands:

  1. LOVE GOD
  2. LOVE OTHERS
  3. LOVE YOUR CHURCH
  4. LOVE YOUR FAMIL
  5. FULFILL YOUR MISSION

Keep thinking about that 15-second testimony and share it with someone this week.

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Victory in Jesus

Troubles come to each of us. But with Jesus, you can have victory over the trials and tribulations in your life.

Troubles From Without

King David and his men were hiding in a cave when they heard King Saul’s army approaching. Saul was deeply jealous of David. After David won a great victory, the people sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Saul took that as a slight, grew jealous, and threw spears at David on a couple of occasions, forcing David to flee for his life.

While 600 of David’s men waited silently in the cave, Saul walked inside alone to relieve himself. One of David’s men whispered, “Your enemy is here. You can get him now.” But David replied, “I will not touch the Lord’s anointed.” Instead, he secretly cut off a piece of Saul’s robe.

After Saul left and was a safe distance away, David called out from the entrance, holding up the piece of garment: “Why are you chasing me? Don’t you understand that I don’t want to kill you? I had my chance just a few minutes ago.”

Saul, who struggled with jealousy and periods of mental instability, had a lucid moment. He said, “David, my son, you have been more righteous than I because you spared my life.”

Yet David still faced troubles from without. After returning home, Saul began to dwell on what happened, letting it fester. He thought, “I should have attacked him. I had thousands of men, and he only had 600.” When he heard where David was, Saul set out with his army once again.

That night, David and his man Abishai slipped into Saul’s camp under the cover of darkness. They found the army asleep in a protective ring around King Saul, his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abishai said, “Here’s your chance again. God has delivered your enemy into your hands.” But David answered, “No. I will not do it. He is still the Lord’s anointed.”

David took Saul’s spear and water jug and slipped away. At daybreak, David called out from a nearby hillside, “King Saul! I could have killed you today. Send someone up here to get your spear and your water jug.”

Once again, God delivered David. Knowing Saul would likely try again, David prayed:

“Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;

O Lord, make haste to help me!

Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life…

Let those who love Your salvation continually say, ‘The Lord be glorified.’”

— Psalm 40:13–15

We can experience trouble from without in our own lives: at work, through jealousy, or when issues aren’t worked through and people become enemies. The hardest trouble to handle comes from people who misunderstand you and believe you’re trying to harm them when you’re not.

Troubles From Within

Then there is the struggle from within:

“For innumerable evils have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;

They are more than the hairs of my head…”

— Psalm 40:12

Many times, the problems we face are of our own making. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and we know that the wages of sin is death. That inner struggle is the pull of sin within our lives, and sin must be forgiven and dealt with.

Paul describes this same struggle in Romans 7. He notes that there are things he knows he ought to do that he doesn’t do, and things he shouldn’t do that he finds himself doing. He asks, “Who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death?” Then he answers, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

David viewed his own iniquities as too many to count, yet earlier in the Psalm he said, “It is written in the book; I have come to do Your will.” He came to the Lord. That’s the answer for us, too.

Mark Twain once said, “There are many things in the Bible that are hard to understand. My problem is not with the things I don’t understand, but with the things I do understand.”

The Serenity Prayer speaks to this as well: “Lord, help me to accept the things I cannot change” (troubles from without), “give me the courage to change the things I can” (struggles from within), and “give me the wisdom to know the difference.”

Victory in Jesus

In the opening verses of Psalm 40, David writes of experiencing joy and salvation:

“I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.”

— Psalm 40:1–2

David described being down in a horrible pit of miry clay. That clay is slick and slippery; if you try to move, you’re in danger of falling, or your feet become stuck.

Sometimes we get stuck in our lives, whether in dealing with other people or dealing with ourselves. Other times, we are walking on slippery places where our faith slips and slides. But God brings us up out of that miry clay and sets our feet firmly upon a rock. Through every struggle, we can have victory through Jesus Christ.

Tell Others About That Victory

When God delivers us and gives us victory over troubles without and struggles within, our response should be to praise Him and share it:

“He has put a new song in my mouth:

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”

— Psalm 40:3

David said, “I have proclaimed Your righteousness in the great congregation.” When we receive that victory, we ought to go out and tell others about the brand-new life we have in Him.

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Nail Your Book Writing Format Like a Pro (Without Losing Your Mind)

Book Writing Format Like a Pro

So, you’re writing a book. You’ve got the ideas. The passion. Maybe even a killer opening line. But then—bam! The formatting monster shows up. Margins? Indents? Font choices? Suddenly you’re knee-deep in settings you didn’t even know existed. Let’s work on nailing your book writing format like a pro, and let’s do it in a way that would keep you from losing your mine.

Relax. You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not doomed.

Whether you’re writing the next great novel, a business book, or a memoir about that wild summer in ’88 (you know the one), your book writing format matters. Why? Because formatting is like clothing for your words—it can either make your manuscript look like it’s headed to a job interview or like it just rolled out of bed with bedhead and coffee stains.

So let’s dress that manuscript for success.

Below are the five essential pillars of great book writing format—especially if you’re planning to self-publish. These aren’t fluff tips either. This is the real-deal, get-it-right-the-first-time stuff. Let’s go!

Nail Your Book Writing Format Without Losing Your Mind

✅ 1. Book Writing Format: Choose Reader-Friendly Fonts and Sizes

Your story might be fire, but if it’s dressed in Comic Sans or written in 8-point Papyrus, readers will run—not walk—to the next book on the shelf. Fonts matter, and not just to designers. They set the tone, affect readability, and play a surprising role in your credibility as an author.

For print books, go classic with serif fonts like:

  • Times New Roman (the old faithful)
  • Georgia (slightly softer on the eyes)
  • Garamond (for that subtle, elegant touch)

Stick to 11- or 12-point font size. Anything smaller screams “please squint,” and anything larger makes your book look like it’s shouting at people.

For digital formats, you’ll want fonts that translate well to screens, like:

  • Arial
  • Calibri
  • Verdana

Digital readers can adjust font size, but don’t make them wrestle with a weird default. Think smooth, clean, and readable.

Pro tip: If you’re using a tool like Vellum or Atticus, you’ll have presets that take the guesswork out. But if you’re formatting manually—this part matters.

✅ 2. Book Writing Format: Use Clear, Consistent Paragraph Formatting

Here’s where things can get real messy, real fast.

First off: DO NOT hit the space bar five times to indent your paragraphs. This is 2025, not 1997. Let the software do the heavy lifting.

Set your paragraph style to first-line indent of 0.5 inches. You can do this in Word, Google Docs, Scrivener, or pretty much any writing program with a settings button.

Next up: line spacing. Aim for 1.5 or double-spacing. Not only is this easier on the eyes, but it also makes your manuscript easier to edit and proofread later. Bonus: It won’t look like your words are gasping for air.

And for the love of clarity: avoid extra line breaks between paragraphs unless you’re shifting scenes or thoughts. Think tidy, not cramped. Spacious, not sloppy.

✅ 3. Book Writing Format: Adapt Layout for Medium (Print vs. Digital)

A one-size-fits-all format? Not a thing. What works beautifully in a paperback might be a formatting disaster on Kindle.

For print books:

  • Fully justify your text so both left and right margins look crisp and clean.
  • Set mirrored margins to allow space for binding (aka the gutter).
  • Add page numbers, but skip numbering your title page or copyright page.
  • Use page breaks between chapters—not just a handful of carriage returns. That’s amateur hour.

For ebooks:

  • Left-align your text. Justified alignment can cause awkward spacing on small screens.
  • Use reflowable text, meaning your book adjusts itself to fit any screen size. (No locked-in pages, please.)
  • Skip fancy headers and footers—they won’t show up well and can frustrate readers.
  • Include hyperlinked navigation so readers can tap and jump to chapters. Trust me, your future fans will thank you.

Remember: Amazon KDP and other self-publishing platforms have their quirks. Always preview your file using their tools before hitting “publish.” It’s like spellcheck for formatting.

Format Your Book Like a Pro

✅ 4. Book Writing Format: Keep Chapters Organized and Navigable

Imagine trying to read a book with no chapter breaks, no table of contents, and no idea where you left off. That’s not a book—it’s a hostage situation.

Break your book into clearly defined chapters, and start each one on a new page. This isn’t just about looks—it’s about logic and flow.

And don’t skip the table of contents, especially for ebooks. It’s not just a courtesy, it’s a sanity saver. Bonus points if your TOC is clickable—nothing says “I’m a pro” like smart navigation.

While you’re at it, consider using consistent chapter headings like:

  • Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins
  • Chapter 2: That One Time Everything Exploded

Even if you don’t use titles, numbering matters. Keep it clean, keep it consistent.

✅ 5. Book Writing Format: Prioritize Consistency and Professional Presentation

Formatting isn’t just about looking good—it’s about building trust with your reader. If your font jumps around, your headings change styles mid-book, or your margins mysteriously shift, it sends a not-so-subtle message: “This book might be a mess.”

Start by picking your style choices early:

  • Font and size
  • Heading hierarchy (e.g., Chapter Title = Heading 1, Subsection = Heading 2)
  • Margins, line spacing, and indents

Then—stick with them like your book depends on it (because it does).

Not sure if you’re nailing it? Use tools like:

  • Vellum (Mac only, super intuitive)
  • Atticus (cross-platform, built for authors)
  • Reedsy Book Editor (free and web-based)

Or—if formatting gives you hives—hire a pro. Seriously. A good formatter can take your raw manuscript and turn it into a sleek, bookstore-ready product. It’s not cheating. It’s smart.

Would you like to know more about writing a book? Here is a good place to start. Also, if you would like a whole book on the subject, get a great one here.

Final Thoughts: Formatting is the Secret Sauce

You don’t need to be a design expert to format your book like a boss—but you do need to care enough to get it right. Great formatting doesn’t draw attention to itself. It lets your words shine.

So go ahead, write that masterpiece. But when it’s time to format? Give it the same love and attention you gave your plot twist or killer first sentence.

Your readers might not consciously notice perfect formatting—but they’ll definitely notice when it’s wrong.

And remember: Good content gets people to buy your book. Good formatting keeps them reading it.

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Three Paths to Victory

Three Paths to Victory: Obey, Pray, and Remember

https://www.youtube.com/live/EeJ-G4ARY54

Today, we’re looking at Deuteronomy 4, focusing on verses 4–9. As we consider this passage, I’m reminded of an unusual question asked in the Old Testament: What is the meaning of this bleating of sheep and goats that I hear? This question was posed by the prophet Samuel to King Saul after Saul had disobeyed God’s command regarding the Amalekites.

Three Paths to Victory: Obedience, Prayer, and Remembering

Three Paths to Victory |The Path of Obedience

God had instructed Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including their livestock, yet Saul and his people spared King Agag and kept the best of the flocks. When confronted, Saul claimed he had obeyed, but the evidence—the sound of livestock—proved otherwise. He then shifted the blame to the people, excusing their disobedience by saying they intended to sacrifice the animals to God.

Samuel’s response was clear: Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. He went further, stating, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Obedience is one of the key paths to victory. We cannot substitute religious acts for obedience to God’s commands. As James put it, I will show you my faith by my works. A true faith produces obedience.

Three Paths to Victory | The Path of Prayer

The second path to victory is prayer. Deuteronomy 4:7 says, For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? This verse reminds us of the privilege we have to pray to a living God who hears and answers.

Sometimes God answers quickly, as in the case of a recent prayer request at a meeting when a family member was feared to have had a stroke, but by the end of the meeting, we received news that she was fine. Other times, God tells us to wait because the timing isn’t right. And sometimes, He says no because He knows what’s best for us, even when we don’t understand.

Paul experienced this when he pleaded with God to remove a thorn in his flesh. God’s response was, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. If God’s answer to Paul could be no, we should not be surprised when we don’t always get what we ask for. But He is still near, and He hears us when we call.

I recall another instance when my second oldest daughter was in college at Free Will Baptist Bible College. I overheard her telling a friend on the phone that she needed $500 but felt responsible for it herself this time. She said, I guess I’ll have to pray. Rhonda and I didn’t intervene, and even if we had wanted to, we might not have been able to help. The next week, an envelope arrived in the mail with her name on it. Inside was a check for $500 from a church with which we had no known connection. They had simply felt led to give. That is the power of a living God who hears our prayers and provides in His own way and time.

Three Paths to Victory | The Path of Remembering

The third path to victory is to remember. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.

God’s people were about to enter the Promised Land, and He wanted them to remember all He had done for them. Forgetfulness leads to unfaithfulness. When we fail to recall God’s past faithfulness, we are prone to wander. That’s why it’s crucial to share our testimonies with our children and grandchildren, passing down the stories of God’s provision and power.

G. Campbell Morgan once said there are four things we should remember: the law of God, His deliverances, the close calls where He saved our lives, and His love. We must tell others about the times God has intervened in our lives so that they too can trust in Him.

One of the greatest things we must remember is Christ’s sacrifice. The hymn Lead Me to Calvary reminds us: King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be. Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, lead me to Calvary.

Jesus endured suffering beyond comprehension. The crown of thorns was not a mere decoration but a painful mockery, its long thorns driven into His head. Before that, He had prayed in Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood as He submitted to the Father’s will. The Roman scourging ripped His flesh, leaving Him unrecognizable. And on the cross, He bore the sins of the world, experiencing separation from the Father for the first time in eternity. Yet, He willingly laid down His life for us.

But the story doesn’t end there. Mary found the tomb empty, and Jesus appeared to His disciples, then to two travelers on the road to Emmaus, and later to over 500 people. His resurrection is a proven fact, and because He lives, we can claim the gift of eternal life.

Conclusion

Victory in the Christian life comes through obedience, prayer, and remembering God’s faithfulness. When we obey, we show our faith. When we pray, we acknowledge our dependence on God. And when we remember, we build our trust in Him and encourage the next generation to follow Him.

If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, today is the day. If you’ve drifted from Him, now is the time to return. In a moment, we’ll have a song of invitation. If you need salvation, rededication, or simply have a burden to bring before the Lord, I invite you to come. If you go forward in a church service someone will meet you to pray with you if you don’t want to come alone.

Let’s determine to walk these paths to victory every day.

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Want To Write A Book | Where To Start

want to write a book | where to start
want to write a book | where to start
Want to Write a Book | Where to Start (Click to Watch the video)

I’m going to kick things off by surmising that you have a book idea in the oven, but before you preheat to 350 degrees and start baking that literary cake, you’ll want to figure out who’s coming to the party. Establishing who your audience is isn’t just a box-ticking exercise; it’s central to the success of your book.

You’re probably asking, ‘Why does this matter?’ Simply put, knowing your audience shapes everything from the tone and vocabulary of your book to the marketing strategies you’ll employ upon release. It’s about setting the stage for a conversation between you and your readers where the topic is your book.

Now, how exactly do you zoom in on your audience? Start with demographic parameters like age, gender, and interests, sure. But don’t stop there. Dig into the psychographic aspects too, like values, aspirations, and challenges. This isn’t just about compiling data; it’s about getting to the heart of your readers’ desires and fears.

Once you have a rough sketch of who your audience is, it’s time to test and adjust. Beta readers, surveys, and social media can all be instruments in your symphony of audience understanding. Through them, you can observe firsthand what resonates and what falls flat.

Right about now, you might be realizing that identifying your audience is also a process of self-discovery. Choose something that resonates with you as much as with them. After all, the best books emerge from the intersection of the author’s passion and the audience’s interests.

Uncover the Challenge: Pinpointing the Problem Your Audience Faces

I’m here to help you with a crucial step that’s going to include putting yourself in your audience’s shoes. Understanding the challenge your readers are up against isn’t just a matter of intuition; it’s an art of empathy. When you know what bothers or confuses them, or what obstacles they can’t seem to overcome, you’re on the right track to providing a solution that resonates with them.

In my opinion, the core of a compelling book is one that targets a clear, relatable problem. This isn’t just an issue to be solved; it’s a way to connect with your readers on a deeper level. If you want to make your book indispensable, you’ll need to pin down a problem that’s both significant and specific to your audience.

Now, identifying the problem isn’t something you take a wild guess at. Conduct thorough research; talk to people in your target group, engage with them on social media, and immerse yourself in the environments where they express their concerns. Surveys and interviews can also yield goldmines of insight.

Once you’ve gathered this information, distill it into a clearly defined problem statement. Choose something that resonates with you, too. Remember, the sharper the identification of the problem, the more precise your solution will be. And a precise solution is what makes your readers’ lives easier.

Now, what if you’re worried about not getting it quite right? Don’t. Your first attempt at a problem statement doesn’t need to be the last. Refinement is your friend here. Get feedback, adjust, and move forward. It’s this cycle that ensures you’re developing a book that’s truly tailored to your audience’s needs.

In the next section, I’m going to take you through how to turn these problems into opportunities. That means creating actionable steps that directly combat the issues at hand. We’re going to build a stellar roadmap for your readers that’s both practical and implementable. Stay tuned.

Crafting the Solution: Steps to Solve Your Audience’s Problem

This isn’t just about writing any book; it’s about creating a resource that genuinely helps your readers. Now what? After identifying and empathizing with your audience’s challenge, it’s time to outline actionable steps to solve their problem. You can always adjust your approach down the road, but having a solid starting point is critical.

Begin with brainstorming 5 to 7 clear, practical steps based on your expertise and the needs of your readers. These steps aren’t arbitrary; each one should serve as a milestone towards a tangible solution. Don’t worry too much about the details at this stage. The goal is to create a scaffold for your content.

Strive for a balance between depth and simplicity. Yes, your steps should be comprehensive, but also accessible. If your first step seems too complex, break it down. Each step must be actionable and specific enough that your reader can see progress as they go along.

Confirm that each step relates directly to the problem you’ve identified. If a step seems off-topic, it’s not helpful. Clear relevance is what will make your book resonate with your audience. In my opinion, relevance is what differentiates a good book from a great one.

With your steps as the foundation, you’re going to find out about building upon them in the next section, where the focus will be on transitioning from a basic outline to a full-fledged book. Choose something that resonates with you as a structure to expand upon, ensuring it can withstand the addition of complex ideas and research.

Expanding the Framework: Building a Comprehensive Book Structure

You’ve pinpointed the problem, and you have your golden steps ready to guide your readers towards a solution. But hold on, you’re not just going to hand over a list of steps and call it a day. You’re crafting a book, a resource that your readers will cling to, refer back to, and maybe even pass on to friends. And that’s where structuring your thoughts into a comprehensive guide comes into play.

Think of your initial outline as the skeleton of your book. Each bone—or step—in that skeleton is fundamental, but it’s the flesh and muscles—or chapters and sections—that make it walk and talk. Your job now is to expand those solid steps into engaging, informative chapters that provide depth and context. This isn’t about padding your book with fluff; it’s about adding value, enriching the narrative, and honing in on the practical application.

How do you make that leap? Start with research. Delve into what’s out there already. Take a good look at the tables of contents of books addressing similar topics. This isn’t about mirroring what’s already done but about understanding what resonates with your audience. Identify gaps in the existing literature that your book can fill. Maybe there’s a perspective that’s underrepresented, or perhaps there’s an area that’s been overlooked.

Then, it’s time to draw out your chapters. Flesh out the outline with relevant anecdotes, case studies, and your unique insights. Develop each step into a chapter that’s robust with actionable advice, clear descriptions, and illustrative examples. If you’re tackling complex concepts, break them down into digestible pieces. Your reader should be able to put down the book at the end of each chapter with a clearer understanding and tangible takeaways.

Remember, there’s a lot happening in the publishing world, and you want your book to stand out for all the right reasons. Emphasize clarity, practicality, and a narrative that captures and keeps interest. Bounce your drafts off trusted readers; get feedback and refine as you go along. Your first draft is just that—a draft. It’s your springboard to something greater.

Choose something that resonates with you and your readers—something you’re passionate about but also offers them real, substantial help. I really hope that you find this journey of turning your problem-solving steps into a comprehensive book as rewarding as it is challenging. As you venture through this process, remember that your first attempt doesn’t need to be your last. You can always adjust and refine. Good luck with your book-writing journey—I’m cheering for you!

Check out my book on Amazon if you would like more writing tips.