Therapeutic Art Coaching
“Just when the Caterpillar
thought The World was Ending...
He Turned Into a Butterfly
CREATING
Environments
through the Vehicle of visual & expressive
ARTS
to Help Plug Others Into their CREATOR
by
Fostering Spiritual Growth
By combining
Theraputic Art, Christ-Centered CBT Techniques
and
Integrated Arts in Scriptural Education,
I Seek to
Heal Brokenness
and
REDEEM FULLNESS
through the
Transformative Healing Power
of the
HOLY SPIRIT
…And it is by
Grace
We are SAVED through Faith
Genesis 1:1
Of Potter and Potsherds:
Isaiah 40 & 45
He SPOKE, and it Came
to BE
Psalm 19; 33; 139
God spoke the universe into
EXISTENCE
God’s CREATIVE ACT
of speaking matter, life,
and BEING into
EXISTENCE out of nothing
sets Him
APART as GOD
This is one
REASON we WORSHIP GOD
As the psalmist writes:
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.”
Psalm 33:6-9
Because
God spoke everything into existence,
HIS CREATION
also says something about God
Creation
“POURS forth SPEECH”
in that it reveals
what is TRUE about God
It REVEALS His GLORY
Our words are closely CONNECTED
with our selves
There is an intimacy between our
WORDS and our BEING
Because God spoke the world into existence,
he loves what He has made
This is particularly TRUE in RELATION
to us humans,
WHO ARE MADE in HIS IMAGE
God KNEW
EACH and EVERY ONE of us
before we were even BORN
He knows us better than we know ourselves
As the psalmist says,
Such
KNOWLEDGE is too WONDERFUL
for Me
In God’s CREATIVE ACT
then, we
EXPERIENCE both
God’s transcendent GLORY
and
his CLOSE PRESENCE
All that
Has been Made POINTS US back to
the ORIGINATOR
We were made to DE-LIGHT in what has
been
CREATED but to FIND our COMPLETENESS
in the ONE WHO CREATED
The Word Became Flesh
In the beginning was the Word,
and the
Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made;
without him
nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the
light of all mankind.
The light
shines in the darkness,
and the
darkness has not overcome it
There was a man SENT from God whose
NAME was John.
He came as a
WITNESS to TESTIFY concerning
that LIGHT,
so that through him all might
BELIEVE
He himself was not the LIGHT
He came as a WITNESS to the LIGHT
The TRUE LIGHT
that gives LIGHT to everyone was COMING
into the WORLD
He was in the world,
and though
the world was made through him,
the
world did not RECOGNIZE him.
He came to that which was his own,
but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who did receive him,
to those who believed in his NAME
he gave the
right to become children of God
children born not of natural descent,
nor of human
decision or a husband’s will,
but
BORN OF GOD
The WORD
became FLESH and made his
DWELLING AMONG US
We have
SEEN his GLORY, the GLORY
of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father,
FULL of GRACE and TRUTH
John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying,
“This is the one I spoke about when I said,
‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever SEEN God,
but the one and only Son, who
is HIMSELF God and
is in closest relationship with the Father,
has made him KNOWN
John the Baptist Denies Being the
MESSIAH
Now this was John’s TESTIMONY when the
Jewish leaders IN Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely,
'I am not the Messiah.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you?
Give us an answer
to take back to those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“I am the Voice of one Calling
in the wilderness,
‘Make straight The Way for the Lord.’”
Now the Pharisees
who had been sent questioned him,
“Why then do you baptize if you are not
the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
'I baptize with water,” John replied,
“but among you stands one you do not know.
He is the one who comes after me,
the straps of
whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at
Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
John Testifies About Jesus
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
Look, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world!
This is the one I meant when I said,
‘A man who comes after me
has surpassed me because he was before me.’
I myself did not know him,
but the reason I came baptizing with water was
that he might be revealed to Israel.”
Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
I have seen
and
I testify that this is
God’s Chosen One.”
John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
The next day John
was there again with two of
his disciples.
When he saw Jesus passing by, he said
, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
When the two disciples heard him say this,
they followed Jesus.
Turning around, Jesus saw them following
and asked,
“What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”),
“where are you staying?”
"Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,
was one of the two who heard what
John had said and who had followed Jesus.
The first thing Andrew did was to find his
brother Simon and tell him,
“We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John.
You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanae
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,
he said to him, “Follow me.”
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,
and about whom the
prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
'Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”
Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him,
"Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
'“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered,
"I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before
Philip called you.”
Then Nathanael declared,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because
I told you I saw you under the fig tree.
You will see greater things than that.”
He then added,
“Very truly I tell you,
you
will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on
TheSon of Man.”
In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul makes a beautiful statement that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” The context helps us understand what is the treasure in earthen vessels (other translations say “jars of clay”). Paul is exhorting his readers that, even though there is great difficulty in their ministry, he is encouraged (2 Corinthians 4:1). He acknowledges that in his ministry he had received mercy and that he and the others who shared that ministry are not losing heart (in this case he is also referring to Timothy, see 2 Corinthians 1:1). They could have confidence because they were walking in the truth of God’s Word and not in their own cleverness or craftiness (2 Corinthians 4:2). Because their confidence was in His truth and not their own ability, they could fulfill their ministry with good conscience even as God could observe their actions (2 Corinthians 4:2).
Even though Paul and Timothy’s gospel-proclaiming ministry was at times met with rejection, it was not because of any flaw in the good news itself. Unbelievers suffer from a blindness of the mind and are unable to see the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). Because of this great need, the message of the gospel is so important. They weren’t proclaiming or promoting themselves; rather, they were serving others by proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5). The light that Paul and Timothy were proclaiming had come from God—that same God who had originally created light (Genesis 1:3) and who had determined that Christ would come to provide light to humanity (John 1:4–9). God had accomplished the creation of light and the coming of Jesus. What He determines shall happen; it will indeed take place, and God had shone light in Paul’s and Timothy’s hearts that they would be equipped to present the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ and the eternal life He provides (2 Corinthians 4:6). It is for this reason that Paul explains that they have the treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7) and why that is significant.
Paul says elsewhere that, if he will boast, he will boast in the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:17). He is doing exactly that here when he says that they have the treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). The marvel that Paul is communicating is that, even as Paul and Timothy (and presumably the other disciples) were proclaiming Christ, they were not fulfilling this responsibility in their own power. Instead, God had provided the life, the power, and the message. Paul understood that those who were doing the actual proclaiming were simply earthen vessels—with no glory or merit of their own. As he said to the Corinthians in his previous letter, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Such lowly and humble people were given an incredible treasure—the personal and lifegiving knowledge of Jesus Christ in their own lives and the good news to proclaim to others. This shows how surpassing is the strength and power of God, and those who hear the message can be encouraged that the power is from God and His truth. The power does not originate in the cleverness or strength of people.
As God uses broken and imperfect people, we can also be encouraged that God can use us to accomplish important things and that, when we use the tools He provides, the power is not our own, but His. We are simply earthen vessels / jars of clay; the treasure is God’s gift inside.
The Bible consistently
warns us that this world will
not last forever.
"Heaven and earth will pass away,”
Jesus said in Matthew 24:35.
His statement was in the context of end times’ prophecies and the eternal nature of Jesus’ words: “My words will never pass away.” This means that trusting Jesus is wiser than trusting anything in this world.
Jesus also refers to the passing away of heaven and earth in Matthew 5:18. In Revelation 21:1, John writes of a new heaven and a new earth in the eternal state, having seen that “the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (cf. Isaiah 65:17 and 2 Peter 3:13). To “pass away” is to disappear or be no more. This refers to the physical heaven and earth—the material world and all it contains—but not to the spirits/souls of the inhabitants of those places. Scripture is clear that people will outlast the current material universe, some in a state of eternal bliss and some in a state of eternal misery, and that the current universe will be replaced by another that will never know the contamination of sin.
The method of this world’s destruction is revealed in 2 Peter 3:10–12: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire. . . . That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” In Noah’s day, the world was destroyed with water, but God promised to send no more global floods (Genesis 9:11). In the Day of the Lord, the universe will be destroyed by fire.
The prophet Isaiah foretold the passing away of heaven and earth, too. “All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree” (Isaiah 34:4). The Lord assures His people that, even as the heaven and earth are passing away, His salvation is secure: “The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail” (Isaiah 51:6).
Knowing that heaven and earth will pass away gives us perspective in life. This world is not our home. “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Jesus tells us to have the proper priorities: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth. . . . But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19–20). And Peter, after reminding us of the temporary nature of this world, says, “Dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (2 Peter 3:14).
The journey of life often resembles a winding path with twists and turns that can leave us feeling lost, disoriented, and uncertain about the future. Amidst this uncertainty, Proverbs 3:6 shines a light to guide our paths: “In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” These simple yet reassuring words hold a wealth of meaning, providing guidance and comfort to those seeking direction in their lives.
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings attributed to King Solomon, a man of “wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sane on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt” (1 Kings 5:29–30, ESV). In Proverbs 3:6, Solomon imparts wisdom to his son about the necessity of putting God first.
Proverbs 3:6 advises us to commit our ways to the Lord rather than leaning on our own understanding (see verse 5). As we do so, he will make our paths straight. The metaphorical expression make your paths straight means that God will align our thoughts, intentions, and actions with His own. Just as a straight and smooth path is free from obstacles and leads directly to the desired destination, acknowledging God in every aspect of life leads to righteousness.
The act of making straight paths involves removing obstacles and barriers that hinder progress. Similarly, when God makes our paths straight, He removes the obstacles that impede spiritual and moral progress. This can happen in a variety of ways, from providing guidance through difficult decisions to granting us the strength to overcome challenges. It is important to note that the removal of obstacles does not mean an absence of hardships. Rather, it signifies the ever-abiding presence of God that helps us to maneuver through trials and tribulations with perseverance and endurance (cf. Hebrews 12:1–2).
When we allow God to make our paths straight, we are aligning our will with His. This requires humility and a willingness to surrender our plans and desires to the sovereign will of God. It is also a recognition that our finite understanding cannot lead us in the right direction and that true fulfillment comes from following the path that God sets for us.
What are the practical implications of Proverbs 3:6? First, it means that we seek His guidance through prayer and meditation on the Word. Second, it means that we acknowledge Him in every decision that we make, whether big or small. Third, it means that we surrender our lives to Him. This is not a passive endeavor but one that requires active cooperation between us and God.
In a world that values self-sufficiency and independence, the wisdom of Proverbs 3:6 challenges us to embrace a different paradigm. Instead of trusting in our own abilities and plans, we should trust in the One who never fails. This is not a blind trust; rather, it is a trust built upon a foundation of faith and strengthened as we experience God’s presence in our lives.
Proverbs 3:6 resonates with our innate longing for clarity and purpose in life. It is also a reminder that God does not leave us to fend for ourselves; instead, He accompanies us on the journey of life to lead us “beside still waters” (Psalm 23:2, ESV). So, as we walk the path of righteousness, we find that the twists and turns of life are sovereignly directed by the One who knows the way.
Isaiah 55:10–11 says, “As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, . . . So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void” (KJV). The word void means “empty.” The remainder of verse 11 explains what it means to “not return void,” saying that God’s Word “will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Rain and snow are part of a cyclical water process. Precipitation comes upon the earth, drains into the land, and produces great benefit in the growth of crops, the refreshment of souls, and the sustaining of life. Rain and snow come from above and do not return back above without accomplishing their purpose. God compares His Word to the rain and snow because, like the precipitation, God’s Word always fulfills His good purposes.
When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we can know that He has an intention for His Word. God’s Word is from above. He “breathed out” His words to us, and they were recorded in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). Every word He gave humanity is purposeful and was given for a reason. Like the rain and snow, God’s words bring forth life (John 6:63) and produce good fruit in our lives. Through His Word, we know that God loves us and that Jesus died to free us from sin and death; we also learn how to live in light of those truths.
When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we are encouraged to abide in His Word, allowing it to absorb into our lives, soaking it up as the ground soaks up the rain and snow. The truth will not return void as our hearts are changed. God’s Word rebukes us and corrects us when we are wrong, and it trains us in godly living (2 Timothy 3:16–17). His Word is a light guiding us in this dark world (Psalm 119:105). It is relevant to every pressing and practical problem. God’s Word will always accomplish what He desires, whether it is teaching, correcting, training, leading us to Him, revealing our sin, or some other good and profitable end.
When God says that His Word will not return to Him void, we understand that God is sovereign. The promise is that God’s Word will accomplish what He wants it to, not necessarily what we want it to. We may share the Word with the purpose of changing someone’s mind—and the person’s mind doesn’t change. Was God’s Word void? No, but our personal goals may have been different from God’s. Like the wind that “blows wherever it pleases,” the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways (John 3:8). And God may use His Word in surprising ways, at surprising times, and in surprising people. We can’t predict exactly how God will use His Word any more than meteorologists can predict with certitude the rainfall and snowfall.
God’s Word will not return void. It is too powerful. When God said, “Let there be light,” the immediate result was that “there was light” (Genesis 1:3). When Jesus said, “Peace! Be still!” the wind ceased and the sea calmed (Mark 4:39). God’s Word will always prosper; God will succeed, and those who receive His Word will be overcomers as well (1 John 5:4).
Watchmen in the Bible were guards responsible for protecting towns and military installations from surprise enemy attacks and other potential dangers. Ancient Israelite cities often stationed watchmen on high walls or in watchtowers. Their job was to keep watch and warn the townspeople of impending threats.
The Hebrew word translated “watchman” means “one who looks out,” “one who spies,” or “one who watches.” Sometimes watchmen were scouts who looked out for approaching friends as well as enemies.
There are many references to watchmen who kept an eye out for physical threats in the Bible: “Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came and said, ‘I see a company.’ And Joram said, ‘Take a horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, “Is it peace?”’” (2 Kings 9:17, ESV).
Watchmen safeguarded fields and vineyards during harvest time (Isaiah 5:1–2; Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1) and acted as sentinels who announced the start of a new day (Psalm 130:6; Isaiah 21:11–12).
The Bible also refers to watchmen in a spiritual sense. God appointed prophets as spiritual watchmen over the souls of His people: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 33:7; also Hosea 9:8).
The prophets’ job as watchmen was to urge God’s people to live faithfully and warn them of the perils involved in falling away from the Lord and doing evil. As watchmen, the prophets were also called to warn wicked people of the judgment and destruction that would come their way unless they turned from their evil ways.
Israel’s spiritual watchmen bore a heavy responsibility before the Lord. If a prophet failed to warn others as God had appointed him to do, his own life was in danger, and he would be held accountable for the people’s sin: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood’” (Ezekiel 33:2–6).
A watchman who was blind or disobedient to the Lord’s Word left the people he was called to protect open to danger and suffering (Isaiah 56:10). Obedience is the only course of action for a true watchman: “But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved” (Ezekiel 33:9).
The role of spiritual watchman continues in the New Testament in the form of church leaders: “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit” (Hebrews 13:17, NLT).
In another sense, God calls not just leaders, but all Christians to be watchmen. Jesus told His disciples to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). We should all be ready and waiting for the Lord’s return: “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:35–40).
Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17–18). This important statement of our Lord gives us insight into His mission and the character of God’s Word.
Jesus’ declaration that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them, obviously contains two statements in one. There is something Jesus did and something He did not do. At the same time, Jesus emphasized the eternal nature of the Word of God.
Jesus goes out of His way to promote the authority of the Law of God. He did not come to abolish the Law, regardless of what the Pharisees accused Him of. In fact, Jesus continues His statement with a commendation for those who teach the Law accurately and hold it in reverence: “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).
Note the qualities that Jesus attributes to the Word of God, referenced as “the Law and the Prophets”: 1) The Word is everlasting; it will outlast the natural world. 2) The Word was written with intent; it was meant to be fulfilled. 3) The Word possesses plenary authority; even the smallest letter of it is established. 4) The Word is faithful and trustworthy; “everything” it says will be accomplished. No one hearing Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount could doubt His commitment to the Scriptures.
Consider what Jesus did not do in His ministry. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was not to abrogate the Word, dissolve it, or render it invalid. The Prophets will be fulfilled; the Law will continue to accomplish the purpose for which it was given (see Isaiah 55:10–11).
Next, consider what Jesus did do. Jesus says that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was to establish the Word, to embody it, and to fully accomplish all that was written. “Christ is the culmination of the law” (Romans 10:4). The predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah would be realized in Jesus; the holy standard of the Law would be perfectly upheld by Christ, the strict requirements personally obeyed, and the ceremonial observances finally and fully satisfied.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Prophets in that, in His first coming alone, He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies concerning Himself (e.g., Matthew 1:22; 13:35; John 19:36; Luke 24:44). Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law in at least two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law (Matthew 22:35–40; Mark 1:44), and He obeyed the Law Himself (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22). In living a perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the moral laws; in His sacrificial death, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws. Christ came not to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it; He came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New.
Jesus came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. In fact, the ceremonies, sacrifices, and other elements of the Old Covenant were “only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1). The tabernacle and temple were “holy places made with hands,” but they were never meant to be permanent; they were but “copies of the true things” (Hebrews 9:24, ESV). The Law had a built-in expiration date, being filled as it was with “external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10).
In His fulfillment of the Law and Prophets, Jesus obtained our eternal salvation. No more were priests required to offer sacrifices and enter the holy place (Hebrews 10:8–14). Jesus has done that for us, once and for all. By grace through faith, we are made right with God: “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).
There are some who argue that, since Jesus did not “abolish” the Law, then the Law is still in effect—and still binding on New Testament Christians. But Paul is clear that the believer in Christ is no longer under the Law: “We were held in custody under the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the Law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:23–25, BSB). We are not under the Mosaic Law but under “the law of Christ” (see Galatians 6:2).
If the Law is still binding on us today, then it has not yet accomplished its purpose—it has not yet been fulfilled. If the Law, as a legal system, is still binding on us today, then Jesus was wrong in claiming to fulfill it and His sacrifice on the cross was insufficient to save. Thank God, Jesus fulfilled the whole Law and now grants us His righteousness as a free gift. “Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
…Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My wordswill never pass away. 36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.…
Berean Standard Bible · Download
Psalm 102:26
They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.
Psalm 119:89
Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens.
Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth below; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its people will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail.
Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
Matthew 5:18
For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
https://instagram.com/anewlightcreatives?r=nametag
In the
Beginning was The Word,
and the
Word was with God,
and the
Word Was God
The Book of Genesis
from
Greek Γένεσις, Génesis;
Biblical Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית,
romanized: Bərēʾšīṯ, lit.
'In [the] beginning')
is the
First Book of the Hebrew Bible
and the
Christian Old Testament.
The Gospel of John begins much like Genesis,
the “book of beginnings.”
The account of creation in Genesis begins with the phrase
In the beginning (Genesis 1:1),
which is translated from the Hebrew word bereshit.
John 1:1a: en arche, or “in the beginning.”
“In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). To the audience receiving the gospel, John’s intentions in this statement would be clear—“the Word” is connected with the God of Israel, the Creator of all things. John further explains this idea two verses later in John 1:3, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being”
“The Word”
is the sole means by which reality finds its existence—He is the Creator of all things, and without Him no created thing would exist. Before anything was created, “the Word” existed.
“The Word” is used within the first chapter of John four times.
The context for each occurrence is used to
• describe the eternality of “the Word” (1:1a)
• describe the distinction of “the Word” from God (1:1b)
• describe the identity of “the Word” as God (1:1c)
• identify the person described by the phrase the Word (1:14)
Jesus Christ is “the Word” that was in the beginning (see John 1:14–18). “Word” comes from the Greek term logos. Logos would have been a familiar concept for both the Jews (Psalm 33:6) and the Greeks. The Jew would understand the word of God to point to creative and communicative acts of their personal God. Greek philosophers utilized the concept to identify the reason, thinking, or mind of divine authority as words were utilized to explain the thinking of the one using them. To both potential groups receiving John’s writing, the emphasis on the object behind “the Word” was clear.
Interestingly, John utilizes Logos in the first verse of his prologue (John 1:1–18) while explaining it in the last verse of the prologue. Much like Paul explains Jesus as revelatory (Hebrews 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–20), John shows that Jesus is the complete revelation of God when he states, “He [Jesus] has explained Him [the Father]” (John 1:18, NASB).
“The Word” also finds connection with the Hebrew word dabar, which means “word, matter, word of God.” This Hebrew word, in connection with God’s name, Yahweh, appears 261 times in the Hebrew Old Testament and is translated most typically as “the word of the Lord.” The repeated usage of the phrase establishes a foundational connection between God and His personal interaction with His creation. Not only was everything created through the use of words (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26), but God continues to interact with that creation through the use of words (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and the Word (John 14:6).
The statement “In the beginning was the Word” encapsulates the eternality of the Word, the creating power of the Word, and the revelatory nature of the Word. As John later defines the Word as being Jesus (John 1:14–18), the purpose of the Gospel of John becomes clear—“that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Jesus is the revelatory and actual eternal Creator—the object of the Christian’s faith. He is not simply a representation of God, but He is God, and He has always been so: “In the beginning was the Word.” The remaining chapters of the Gospel of John endeavor to show this statement to be true.
In the
Beginning was The Word,
and the
Word was with God,
and the
Word Was God
The Book of Genesis
from
Greek Γένεσις, Génesis;
Biblical Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית,
romanized: Bərēʾšīṯ, lit.
'In [the] beginning')
is the
First Book of the Hebrew Bible
and the
Christian Old Testament.
The Gospel of John begins much like Genesis,
the “book of beginnings.”
The account of creation in Genesis begins with the phrase
In the beginning (Genesis 1:1),
which is translated from the Hebrew word bereshit.
John 1:1a: en arche, or “in the beginning.”
“In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). To the audience receiving the gospel, John’s intentions in this statement would be clear—“the Word” is connected with the God of Israel, the Creator of all things. John further explains this idea two verses later in John 1:3, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being”
“The Word”
is the sole means by which reality finds its existence—He is the Creator of all things, and without Him no created thing would exist. Before anything was created, “the Word” existed.
“The Word” is used within the first chapter of John four times.
The context for each occurrence is used to
• describe the eternality of “the Word” (1:1a)
• describe the distinction of “the Word” from God (1:1b)
• describe the identity of “the Word” as God (1:1c)
• identify the person described by the phrase the Word (1:14)
Jesus Christ is “the Word” that was in the beginning (see John 1:14–18). “Word” comes from the Greek term logos. Logos would have been a familiar concept for both the Jews (Psalm 33:6) and the Greeks. The Jew would understand the word of God to point to creative and communicative acts of their personal God. Greek philosophers utilized the concept to identify the reason, thinking, or mind of divine authority as words were utilized to explain the thinking of the one using them. To both potential groups receiving John’s writing, the emphasis on the object behind “the Word” was clear.
Interestingly, John utilizes Logos in the first verse of his prologue (John 1:1–18) while explaining it in the last verse of the prologue. Much like Paul explains Jesus as revelatory (Hebrews 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–20), John shows that Jesus is the complete revelation of God when he states, “He [Jesus] has explained Him [the Father]” (John 1:18, NASB).
“The Word” also finds connection with the Hebrew word dabar, which means “word, matter, word of God.” This Hebrew word, in connection with God’s name, Yahweh, appears 261 times in the Hebrew Old Testament and is translated most typically as “the word of the Lord.” The repeated usage of the phrase establishes a foundational connection between God and His personal interaction with His creation. Not only was everything created through the use of words (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26), but God continues to interact with that creation through the use of words (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and the Word (John 14:6).
The statement “In the beginning was the Word” encapsulates the eternality of the Word, the creating power of the Word, and the revelatory nature of the Word. As John later defines the Word as being Jesus (John 1:14–18), the purpose of the Gospel of John becomes clear—“that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Jesus is the revelatory and actual eternal Creator—the object of the Christian’s faith. He is not simply a representation of God, but He is God, and He has always been so: “In the beginning was the Word.” The remaining chapters of the Gospel of John endeavor to show this statement to be true.
Anew Light Ministries
No one knows us like Jesus, and nothing can
heal like Jesus
The Bible is God's Word to each of us, andWe are invited to cocreate with the
true creator
ART Heals
and so does the living
JESUS
Where is God's GPS calling YOU?
Hi, thanks for visiting!
I’m Lindsey, a
wife, mother of two,
and my three biggest passions are family, God, and art!
In 2021 I received my therapeutic Arts life coach Certification
through which I combine two of my biggest
passions, faith and art!
I began regular biblical studies around a decade ago, and
My deepening
relationship with Christ
began to come to fruition
following the birth of my second child.
Through my passion of creating art,
I discovered that the process can not only
BE very therapeutic
but can also deepen your spiritual connection.
Through my Art background and
journey
with experiencing the transformative Christ,
my experiences have called me to not only
share the
VISION of GOSPEL GLORY
and personal testimony through my art,
but to help others heal brokenness and redeem fullness
through embracing the
transformative power of Christ!
The "GOOD NEWS" is
Your creativity has a "story to tell"
All too often,
psychology and spirituality are kept in separate boxes,
lessening the power of each to work effective changes.
Through the therapeutic art process of art making and art expression combined with
Christ-centered healing, I know the spirit has the power to profoundly transform.
Just as God transformed the resurrected Christ through his suffering
at Calvary, God uses our struggles and pain for a greater
purpose through the power of his
idwelling spirit
The more we paint, the more we see.
Through the process of
therapeutic art we may
"uncover his design"
in
"Anew Light,”
where redemption lives and weakness is is made whole
THROUGH HIM
While teaching Art to students
in underserved schools and second-language Communities in
SW FL,
I was privileged to see and be a part of the hope, joy, and transformation
that I witnessed occurring in kids who may have had the first opportunity
in their lives to explore their creativity and talents
through different Art classes and mediums.
The classroom became a safe haven for many who found
their safe place at school. A Lot of my kiddos were in very bad life situations.
Being a part of a team of people who sacrificed themselves beyond limits
every day to build the kids and school from the
ground up,
and seeing kids living in hopeless, impoverished and drug prevalent situations change into hopeful,
empowered and prepared individuals was forever life-changing.
I witnessed
students in my class who, in high school, were taking their very first Art class.
Being fully devoted, and earning their trust through a lot of effort and TIME,
I saw teenagers who in the beginning cursed me and stole from me daily,
end up staying after school in my room to work on art and tell me about their struggles at home.
The raw talent was mind-blowing to me, and seeing these kids
realize
their potential for their first time in their lives was a
TRUE GIFT
Our classroom walls were
murals,
and our ceiling tiles were each painted by each student
and displayed the
diversity and unity of our culture.
Many students were first and second generation immigrants from a
hodge podge of Latino Islands, so needless to say- we had
A LOT of FUN
creating and uniting the different cultures
Like all of you creative beings, creating some form of Art is a necessary outlet for me.
I encourage everyone to explore their hidden talents with the vehicle of art, and perhaps,
YOU will discover more than
your creative gift- but
your
purpose revealed
through our creator
'Christ is the essence of Spiritual Transformation,
Scripture
is the TRUE key that unlocks the spirit...
For WE are SAVED
by
GRACE through FAITH
Anew Light Ministries
No one knows us like Jesus, and nothing can
heal like Jesus
The Bible is God's Word to each of us, andWe are invited to cocreate with the
true creator
ART Heals
and so does the living
JESUS
Where is God's GPS calling YOU?
Hi, thanks for visiting!
I’m Lindsey, a
wife, mother of two,
and my three biggest passions are family, God, and art!
In 2021 I received my therapeutic Arts life coach Certification
through which I combine two of my biggest
passions, faith and art!
I began regular biblical studies around a decade ago, and
My deepening
relationship with Christ
began to come to fruition
following the birth of my second child.
Through my passion of creating art,
I discovered that the process can not only
BE very therapeutic
but can also deepen your spiritual connection.
Through my Art background and
journey
with experiencing the transformative Christ,
my experiences have called me to not only
share the
VISION of GOSPEL GLORY
and personal testimony through my art,
but to help others heal brokenness and redeem fullness
through embracing the
transformative power of Christ!
The "GOOD NEWS" is
Your creativity has a "story to tell"
All too often,
psychology and spirituality are kept in separate boxes,
lessening the power of each to work effective changes.
Through the therapeutic art process of art making and art expression combined with
Christ-centered healing, I know the spirit has the power to profoundly transform.
Just as God transformed the resurrected Christ through his suffering
at Calvary, God uses our struggles and pain for a greater
purpose through the power of his
idwelling spirit
The more we paint, the more we see.
Through the process of
therapeutic art we may
"uncover his design"
in
"Anew Light,”
where redemption lives and weakness is is made whole
THROUGH HIM
While teaching Art to students
in underserved schools and second-language Communities in
SW FL,
I was privileged to see and be a part of the hope, joy, and transformation
that I witnessed occurring in kids who may have had the first opportunity
in their lives to explore their creativity and talents
through different Art classes and mediums.
The classroom became a safe haven for many who found
their safe place at school. A Lot of my kiddos were in very bad life situations.
Being a part of a team of people who sacrificed themselves beyond limits
every day to build the kids and school from the
ground up,
and seeing kids living in hopeless, impoverished and drug prevalent situations change into hopeful,
empowered and prepared individuals was forever life-changing.
I witnessed
students in my class who, in high school, were taking their very first Art class.
Being fully devoted, and earning their trust through a lot of effort and TIME,
I saw teenagers who in the beginning cursed me and stole from me daily,
end up staying after school in my room to work on art and tell me about their struggles at home.
The raw talent was mind-blowing to me, and seeing these kids
realize
their potential for their first time in their lives was a
TRUE GIFT
Our classroom walls were
murals,
and our ceiling tiles were each painted by each student
and displayed the
diversity and unity of our culture.
Many students were first and second generation immigrants from a
hodge podge of Latino Islands, so needless to say- we had
A LOT of FUN
creating and uniting the different cultures
Like all of you creative beings, creating some form of Art is a necessary outlet for me.
I encourage everyone to explore their hidden talents with the vehicle of art, and perhaps,
YOU will discover more than
your creative gift- but
your
purpose revealed
through our creator
'Christ is the essence of Spiritual Transformation,
Scripture
is the TRUE key that unlocks the spirit...
For WE are SAVED
by
GRACE through FAITH
SALVATION
by
GRACE through FAITH
is at the HEART
of the
Christian religion
The
GOSPEL MESSAGE
is the
GOOD NEWS
of
GODS GRACE
so it is important to
KNOW what grace is and to constantly
SEEK to get a
better
VIEW of what GRACE does in our lives.
GRACE
is an essential
Part of God’s character
GRACE
is closely related to
God’s benevolence, Love,
and
Mercy
Grace can be variously
defined as
'God’s favor toward the unworthy”
or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.
To fully understand grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who we become with Christ. We were born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and we were guilty of breaking God’s holy laws (Romans 3:9–20, 23; 1 John 1:8–10). We were enemies of God (Romans 5:6, 10; 8:7; Colossians 1:21), deserving of death (Romans 6:23a). We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10) and without means of justifying ourselves (Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls were in peril of everlasting punishment.
But then came grace. God extended His favor to us. Grace is what saves us (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is the essence of the gospel (Acts 20:24). Grace gives us victory over sin (James 4:6). Grace gives us “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16). Paul repeatedly identified grace as the basis of his calling as an apostle (Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:2, 7). Jesus Christ is the embodiment of grace, coupled with truth (John 1:14).
The Bible repeatedly calls grace a “gift” (e.g., Ephesians 4:7). This is an important analogy because it teaches us some key things about grace:
First, anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much different from a loan, which requires repayment or return by the recipient. The fact that grace is a gift means that nothing is owed in return.
Second, there is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the recipient, although it is not free to the giver, who bears the expense. The gift of salvation costs us sinners nothing. But the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great cost for our Lord Jesus, who died in our place.
Third, once a gift has been given, ownership of the gift has transferred and it is now ours to keep. There is a permanence in a gift that does not exist with loans or advances. When a gift changes hands, the giver permanently relinquishes all rights to renege or take back the gift in the future. God’s grace is ours forever.
Fourth, in the giving of a gift, the giver voluntarily forfeits something he owns, willingly losing what belongs to him so that the recipient will profit from it. The giver becomes poorer so the recipient can become richer. This generous and voluntary exchangefrom the giver to the recipient is visible in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
Finally, the Bible teaches that grace is completely unmerited. The gift and the act of giving have nothing at all to do with our merit or innate quality (Romans 4:4; 11:5–6; 2 Timothy 1:9–10). In fact, the Bible says quite clearly that we don’t deserve God’s salvation. Romans 5:8–10 says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. . . . While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.”
Grace does not stop once we are saved; God is gracious to us for the rest of our lives, working within and upon us. The Bible encourages us with many additional benefits that grace secures for every believer:
• Grace justifies us before a holy God (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:6; Titus 3:7).
• Grace provides us access to God to communicate and fellowship with Him (Ephesians 1:6; Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace wins for us a new relationship of intimacy with God (Exodus 33:17).
• Grace disciplines and trains us to live in a way that honors God (Titus 2:11–14; 2 Corinthians 8:7).
• Grace grants us immeasurable spiritual riches (Proverbs 10:22; Ephesians 2:7).
• Grace helps us in our every need (Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace is the reason behind our every deliverance (Psalm 44:3–8; Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace preserves us and comforts, encourages, and strengthens us (2 Corinthians 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 2 Timothy 2:1).
Grace is actively and continually working in the lives of God’s people. Paul credited the success of his ministry not to his own substantial labors but to “the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Grace is the ongoing, benevolent act of God working in us, without which we can do nothing (John 15:5). Grace is greater than our sin (Romans 5:20), more abundant than we expect (1 Timothy 1:14), and too wonderful for words (2 Corinthians 9:15).
As the recipients of God’s grace, Christians are to be gracious to others. Grace is given to us to serve others and to exercise our spiritual gifts for the building up of the church (Romans 12:6; Ephesians 3:2, 7; 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10).
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). The statement has three parts— salvation, grace, and faith—and they are equally important. The three together constitute a basic tenet of Christianity.
The word salvation is defined as “the act of being delivered, redeemed, or rescued.” The Bible tells us that, since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, each person is born in sin inherited from Adam: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Sin is what causes all of us to die. Sin separates us from God, and sin destines each person to eternal separation from Him in hell. What each of us needs is to be delivered from that fate. In other words, we need salvation from sin and its penalty.
How are we saved from sin? Most religions throughout history have taught that salvation is achieved by good works. Others teach that acts of contrition (saying we are sorry) along with living a moral life is the way to atone for our sin. Sorrow over sin is certainly valuable and necessary, but that alone will not save us from sin. We may repent of our sins, also valuable and necessary, and determine to never sin again, but salvation is not the result of good intentions. The road to hell, as the saying goes, is paved with good intentions. We may fill our lives with good works, but even one sin makes us a sinner in practice, and we are already sinners by nature. No matter how well-intentioned or “good” we may be, the fact is that we simply do not have the power or the goodness to overcome the sin nature we have inherited from Adam. We need something more powerful, and this is where grace comes in.
The grace of God is His undeserved favor bestowed on those He has called to salvation through His love (Ephesians 2:4–5). It is His grace that saves us from sin. We are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Being justified, we are vindicated and determined to be sinless in the eyes of God. Our sin no longer separates us from Him and no longer sentences us to hell. Grace is not earned by any effort on our part; otherwise, it could not be called grace. Grace is free. If our good works earned salvation, then God would be obligated to pay us our due. But no one can earn heaven, and God’s blessings are not His obligation; they flow from His goodness and love. No matter how diligently we pursue works to earn God’s favor, we will fail. Our sin trips us up every time. “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20, NKJV).
The means God has chosen to bestow His grace upon us is through faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Salvation is obtained by faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, in what He has done—specifically, His death on the cross and His resurrection. But even faith is not something we generate on our own. Faith, as well as grace, is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). He bestows saving faith and saving grace upon us in order to redeem us from sin and deliver us from its consequences. So God saves us by His grace through the faith He gives us. Both grace and faith are gifts. “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8, ESV).
By grace, we receive the faith that enables us to believe that He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and provide the salvation we cannot achieve on our own. Jesus, as God in flesh, is the “author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Just like the author of a book creates it from scratch, Jesus Christ wrote the story of our redemption from beginning to end. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:4–6). The Lord died for our sins and rose for our justification, and He forgives, freely and fully, those who accept His gift of grace in Christ—and that acceptance comes through faith. This is the meaning of salvation by grace through faith.
Faith resides at the Core
of
Christianity and the Christian
Life
While the Bible has much to say about it, faith is a challenging concept to define. A biblical definition of faith reaches beyond mere belief—the simple acknowledgment that God exists—into the realm of trust. Genuine faith involves abandoning all human reliance on self-efforts and placing total dependence upon God’s character, His actions, and His promises, as revealed in His Word.
Faith has many dimensions. One crucial facet of faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Biblical faith takes present-day possession of things not yet seen with our eyes but hoped for in the future. What God has revealed in His Word becomes our inner reality today. Rather than looking at life with our earthly eyes, faith sees through the lens of God’s promises.
The apostle Paul said, “We walk by faith and not sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith does not put trust in bank account balances, headline news, or the doctor’s report. “We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18, NLT). When the world seems to be falling apart, our faith stands secure on the rock-solid, trustworthy promises of God and His Word.
Faith begins with God. It is His gift, not the result of any human effort or achievement. God initiates the relationship between Himself and humans by revealing Himself to them (Ecclesiastes 3:11; Romans 1:19–20) and lovingly persuading them to come to Him (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 30:18), just as Jesus called the disciples to follow Him (Matthew 4:18–22). But then God expects us to respond to Him in faith: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NLT). Failure to trust God was at the heart of the first sin (Genesis 3:1–7). Ever since the fall of man, God has been calling people back to faith—to a place of trust and obedience to Him.
Faith is and always has been the only means of salvation. In the Old Testament, the covenantal bond was the believer’s expression of faith. God initiated the covenant, and believers responded in faith, actively obeying His Word and trusting in the Lord to fulfill His promises. In Genesis 15:6, Abraham “believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith” (NLT; see also Romans 4:22; Galatians 3:6). The prophet states, “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God” (Habakkuk 2:4, NLT).
In the New Testament, it is by faith that people receive God’s grace in Jesus Christ and, through Him, the gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9). Paul emphasized the centrality of faith in the believer’s life: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’” (Romans 1:16–17, NLT; see also Romans 3:27–28; 10:9–10).
Faith results in numerous blessings and benefits. At the top of the list are the gifts of salvation, justification, and peace with God (Romans 5:1–2; Galatians 2:15–16; 1 Peter 1:8–9). Jesus makes His home in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17). We receive forgiveness of sin (Acts 10:43; Luke 7:48–50), adoption into God’s family (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26), God’s protection and power (1 Peter 1:5; Matthew 17:20; Luke 8:43–48), freedom to draw near to God with a clean conscience (Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 10:22), reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18), sanctification (Acts 26:17–18), and a new life in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20), all through faith. Moreover, we are granted victory over death and eternal life (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 11:25–27).
The Bible plainly teaches that faith is not just a mental attitude. James explains that saving faith is revealed in a person’s actions. He writes, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” (James 2:14, NLT). James is not saying that we are saved by works, but that faith and good deeds go together: “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26, NLT). Good works are proof that our faith is alive.
A biblical concept of faith includes believing that God exists and that He is wholly trustworthy, so much so that we base our lives on Him and His Word, doing what it says, no matter what our physical eyes tell us. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we obtain “the victory that has overcome the world” (1 John 5:4–5).
Transformation
is
“CHANGE or RENEWAL
From a LIFE
that no longer
Conforms to The WAYS
of the
WORLD
To One that Pleases God”
(Romans 12:2)
This is accomplished by the renewing of our minds, an inward spiritual transformation that will manifest itself in outward actions. The Bible presents the transformed life in Christ as demonstrated through our “bearing fruit in every good work [and] growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Transformation involves those who were once far from God being “drawn near” to Him through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13).
Moreover, evidence of transformation within us is seen in the way we increasingly reflect the likeness and glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). For as the apostle Paul said, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9). To be considered as children of God, we must be led by the Spirit of God. And it is through the power of God’s Spirit that Christ lives within us. The transformed life mirrors the attitude of the apostle Paul: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
This power of transformation comes from one source. Paul said, “For the message of the cross [the gospel] is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). In speaking of Jesus, the apostle Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit, boldly declared this truth: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Transformed lives begin with the gospel message of Christ, for in it is the power of God. It is the gospel that brings us salvation: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17).
Through the gospel message of Christ, we learn “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:13-14).
Just before he died, the apostle Peter provided us specific instructions on how we are to live out our transformed lives: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness ... for if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:3-11).
Salvation is deliverance
All the world religions teach that we need to be delivered, but each has a different understanding of what we need to be delivered from, why we need to be delivered, and how that deliverance can be received or achieved. The Bible makes it abundantly clear, however, that there is only one plan of salvation.
The most important thing to understand about the plan of salvation is that it is God’s plan, not humanity’s plan. Humanity’s plan of salvation would be observing religious rituals or obeying certain commands or achieving certain levels of spiritual enlightenment. But none of these things are part of God’s plan of salvation.
God’s plan of salvation – The Why
In God’s plan of salvation, first we must understand why we need to be saved. Simply put, we need to be saved because we have sinned. The Bible declares that everyone has sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). Sin is rebellion against God. We all choose to actively do things that are wrong. Sin harms others, damages us, and, most importantly, dishonors God. The Bible also teaches that, because God is holy and just, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23) and eternal separation from God (Revelation 20:11–15). Without God’s plan of salvation, eternal death is the destiny of every human being.
God’s plan of salvation – The What
In God’s plan of salvation, God Himself is the only one who can provide for our salvation. We are utterly unable to save ourselves because of our sin and its consequences. God became a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14). Jesus lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5) and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice on our behalf (1 Corinthians 15:3; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 10:10). Since Jesus is God, His death was of infinite and eternal value. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross fully paid for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). His resurrection from the dead demonstrated that His sacrifice was indeed sufficient and that salvation is now available.
God’s plan of salvation – The How
In Acts 16:31, a man asked the apostle Paul how to be saved. Paul’s response was, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” The way to follow God’s plan of salvation is to believe. That is the only requirement (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8–9). God has provided for our salvation through Jesus Christ. All we must do is receive it, by faith, fully trusting in Jesus alone as Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). That is God’s plan of salvation.
God’s plan of salvation – Will you receive it?
If you are ready to follow God’s plan of salvation, place your faith in Jesus as your Savior. Change your mind from embracing sin and rejecting God to rejecting sin and embracing God through Jesus Christ. Fully trust in the sacrifice of Jesus as the perfect and complete payment for your sins. If you do this, God’s Word promises that you will be saved, your sins will be forgiven, and you will spend eternity in heaven. There is no more important decision. Place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior today!
The NEW CREATION
is described in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST
he is ANEW CREATION
the old has gone,
THE NEW HAS COME!
The word “therefore” refers us back to verses 14-16 where Paul tells us that all believers have died with Christ and no longer live for themselves. Our lives are no longer worldly; they are now spiritual. Our “death” is that of the old sin nature which was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was buried with Him, and just as He was raised up by the Father, so are we raised up to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). That new person that was raised up is what Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians 5:17 as the “new creation.”
To understand the new creation, first we must grasp that it is in fact a creation, something created by God. John 1:13 tells us that this new birth was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature from our parents or decide to re-create ourselves anew. Neither did God simply clean up our old nature; He created something entirely fresh and unique. The new creation is completely new, brought about from nothing, just as the whole universe was created by God ex nihilo, from nothing. Only the Creator could accomplish such a feat.
Second, “old things have passed away.” The “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature—natural pride, love of sin, reliance on works, and our former opinions, habits and passions. Most significantly, what we loved has passed away, especially the supreme love of self and with it self-righteousness, self-promotion, and self-justification. The new creature looks outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward self. The old things died, nailed to the cross with our sin nature.
Along with the old passing away, “the new has come!” Old, dead things are replaced with new things, full of life and the glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God and abhors the things of the world and the flesh. Our purposes, feelings, desires, and understandings are fresh and different. We see the world differently. The Bible seems to be a new book, and though we may have read it before, there is a beauty about it which we never saw before, and which we wonder at not having perceived. The whole face of nature seems to us to be changed, and we seem to be in a new world. The heavens and the earth are filled with new wonders, and all things seem now to speak forth the praise of God. There are new feelings toward all people—a new kind of love toward family and friends, a new compassion never before felt for enemies, and a new love for all mankind. The things we once loved, we now detest. The sin we once held onto, we now desire to put away forever. We “put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9), and put on the “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).
What about the Christian who continues to sin? There is a difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one reaches sinless perfection in this life, but the redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day by day, sinning less and hating it more each time he fails. Yes, we still sin, but unwillingly and less and less frequently as we mature. Our new self hates the sin that still has a hold on us. The difference is that the new creation is no longer a slave to sin, as we formerly were. We are now freed from sin and it no longer has power over us (Romans 6:6-7). Now we are empowered by and for righteousness. We now have the choice to “let sin reign” or to count ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11-12). Best of all, now we have the power to choose the latter.
The
NEW CREATION
is a
wondrous thing, formed in
the
MIND of GOD and
CREATED by His POWER
and
FOR HIS GLORY
The New Jerusalem,
which is also called the
Tabernacle of God,
the
Holy City, the City of God,
the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and
Heavenly Jerusalem,
is literally
Heaven on Earth
It is referred to in the Bible in several places
(Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22–24; and 13:14),
but it is most fully described in
Revelation 21
In Revelation 21,
the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ has gathered His church in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17). The Tribulation has passed (Revelation 6—18). The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17–21). Satan has been chained for the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 20:1–3). A new, glorious temple has been established in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40—48). The final rebellion against God has been quashed, and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7–10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11–15).
In Revelation 21:1 God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:12–13). The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem. John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10). It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).
The New Jerusalem will be fantastically huge. John records that the city is nearly 1,400 miles long, and it is as wide and as high as it is long—the New Jerusalem being in equal in length, width, and depth (Revelation 21:15–17). The city will be dazzling in every way. It is lighted by the glory of God (verse 23). Its twelve foundations, bearing the names of the twelve apostles, are “decorated with every kind of precious stone” (verse 19). It has twelve gates, each a single pearl, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (verses 12 and 21). The street will be made of pure gold (verse 21).
The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing. The curse of the old earth will be gone (Revelation 22:3). In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life (verses 1–2). It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.
Who are the residents of the New Jerusalem? The Father and the Lamb are there (Revelation 21:22). Angels are at the gates (verse 12). But the city will be filled with God’s redeemed children. The New Jerusalem is the righteous counter to the evil Babylon (Revelation 17), destroyed by God’s judgment (Revelation 18). The wicked had their city, and God has His. To which city do you belong? Babylon the Great or the New Jerusalem? If you believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died and rose again and have asked God to save you by His grace, then you are a citizen of the New Jerusalem. “God raised [you] up with Christ and seated [you] with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). You have “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4). If you have not yet trusted Christ as your Savior, then we urge you to receive Him. The invitation is extended: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17)
.
Matthew 28:19–20
contains what has come to
be called
The
Great Commission:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing
them in the NAME
of the
Father and of the Son and
of the
Holy Spirit,
and Teaching
them to obey everything
I have commanded
YOU
And surely
I AM
With YOU Always,
to the
VERY END of the AGE.”
Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before
He ascended into heaven, and it
essentially outlines what
Jesus expected the apostles
and those who followed them to do in His absence.
It is interesting that, in the original Greek, the
only direct command in
Matthew 28:19–20 is “make disciples.”
The
GREAT COMMISSION
instructs us to make
DISCIPLES
while we are
going throughout the World
The instructions to “go,” “baptize,” and “teach” are indirect commands—participles in the original. How are we to make disciples? By baptizing them and teaching them all that Jesus commanded. “Make disciples” is the primary command of the Great Commission. “Going,” “baptizing,” and “teaching” are the means by which we fulfill the command to “make disciples.”
A disciple is someone who receives instruction from another person; a Christian disciple is a baptized follower of Christ, one who believes the teaching of Christ. A disciple of Christ imitates Jesus’ example, clings to His sacrifice, believes in His resurrection, possesses the Holy Spirit, and lives to do His work. The command in the Great Commission to “make disciples” means to teach or train people to follow and obey Christ.
Many understand Acts 1:8 as part of the Great Commission as well: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Great Commission is enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to be Christ’s witnesses, fulfilling the Great Commission in our cities (Jerusalem), in our states and countries (Judea and Samaria), and anywhere else God sends us (to the ends of the earth).
Throughout the book of Acts, we see how the apostles began to fulfill the Great Commission, as outlined in Acts 1:8. First, Jerusalem is evangelized (Acts 1 — 7); then the Spirit expands the church through Judea and Samaria (Acts 8 — 12); finally, the gospel reaches into “the ends of the earth” (Acts 13 — 28). Today, we continue to act as ambassadors for Christ, and “we plead on Christ’s behalf: ‘Be reconciled to God’” (2 Corinthians 5:20, CSB).
We have received a precious gift: “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3). Jesus’ words in the Great Commission reveal the heart of God, who desires “all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
The Great Commission compels us to share the good news until everyone has heard. Like the servants in Jesus’ parable, we are to be about the business of the kingdom, making disciples of all nations: “He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, KJV).
The Final
verses of Matthew 28
contain what we refer to as
The Great Commission
Jesus gave believers their mission—to make disciples—as they live under His authority and as His representatives on earth. This mission will continue to the end of the age. Christians have the assurance that God is with us, no matter what happens, even “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As Jesus’ time on earth neared its end, He often told His disciples of what was to come, including what would happen at the end of the age. The “end of the age” or “the end of the world” (KJV) means the end of this present era and the commencement of the next dispensation. At the end of the church age, the end-times events will occur, God will judge the wicked, and Christ will return again to establish His kingdom (Matthew 24).
Jesus had told His disciples that He would be killed but would rise again (Matthew 16:21). He intentionally gave them specific ways to recognize that the end was near (Matthew 24:4–14). Although Jesus did not give the disciples all the details of the end of the age, knowing they would not fully understand, His warnings came with assurances that would sustain them. Each time He warned them or gave them a command, He also gave them hope. For example, when He forewarned His followers that they would have trouble in this world, He also assured them, saying, “‘Take heart. I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33). Jesus’ warnings and commands to His own are never found apart from His assurances.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He instructed His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). This promise that He would be with His disciples even to the end of the age still holds true for believers today. We are not yet to the end of the age.
In His promise to be with His disciples always, even to the end of the age, Jesus did not mean He would physically be with them. God is with us always through His Spirit. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised His disciples that He would send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to them (John 14:26). Since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwells all believers from the moment they are saved. He guards and guarantees our salvation (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30), leads us into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18), reminds us of what is true (John 14:26), and gives us godly wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). Through the Holy Spirit, we have assurance that God is in control and that He is with us always, even to the end of the age.
Just as God promised Joshua that He would never leave him or forsake him (Deuteronomy 31:6), so Jesus told His disciples, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NKJV). This promise sustains us as we seek to make disciples and live as God’s representatives on earth, no matter what trials or difficulties come our way.
Matthew 28:19–20
contains what has come to
be called
The
Great Commission:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing
them in the NAME
of the
Father and of the Son and
of the
Holy Spirit,
and Teaching
them to obey everything
I have commanded
YOU
And surely
I AM
With YOU Always,
to the
VERY END of the AGE.”
Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before
He ascended into heaven, and it
essentially outlines what
Jesus expected the apostles
and those who followed them to do in His absence.
It is interesting that, in the original Greek, the
only direct command in
Matthew 28:19–20 is “make disciples.”
The
GREAT COMMISSION
instructs us to make
DISCIPLES
while we are
going throughout the World
The instructions to “go,” “baptize,” and “teach” are indirect commands—participles in the original. How are we to make disciples? By baptizing them and teaching them all that Jesus commanded. “Make disciples” is the primary command of the Great Commission. “Going,” “baptizing,” and “teaching” are the means by which we fulfill the command to “make disciples.”
A disciple is someone who receives instruction from another person; a Christian disciple is a baptized follower of Christ, one who believes the teaching of Christ. A disciple of Christ imitates Jesus’ example, clings to His sacrifice, believes in His resurrection, possesses the Holy Spirit, and lives to do His work. The command in the Great Commission to “make disciples” means to teach or train people to follow and obey Christ.
Many understand Acts 1:8 as part of the Great Commission as well: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Great Commission is enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to be Christ’s witnesses, fulfilling the Great Commission in our cities (Jerusalem), in our states and countries (Judea and Samaria), and anywhere else God sends us (to the ends of the earth).
Throughout the book of Acts, we see how the apostles began to fulfill the Great Commission, as outlined in Acts 1:8. First, Jerusalem is evangelized (Acts 1 — 7); then the Spirit expands the church through Judea and Samaria (Acts 8 — 12); finally, the gospel reaches into “the ends of the earth” (Acts 13 — 28). Today, we continue to act as ambassadors for Christ, and “we plead on Christ’s behalf: ‘Be reconciled to God’” (2 Corinthians 5:20, CSB).
We have received a precious gift: “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3). Jesus’ words in the Great Commission reveal the heart of God, who desires “all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
The Great Commission compels us to share the good news until everyone has heard. Like the servants in Jesus’ parable, we are to be about the business of the kingdom, making disciples of all nations: “He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, KJV).
The Final
verses of Matthew 28
contain what we refer to as
The Great Commission
Jesus gave believers their mission—to make disciples—as they live under His authority and as His representatives on earth. This mission will continue to the end of the age. Christians have the assurance that God is with us, no matter what happens, even “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As Jesus’ time on earth neared its end, He often told His disciples of what was to come, including what would happen at the end of the age. The “end of the age” or “the end of the world” (KJV) means the end of this present era and the commencement of the next dispensation. At the end of the church age, the end-times events will occur, God will judge the wicked, and Christ will return again to establish His kingdom (Matthew 24).
Jesus had told His disciples that He would be killed but would rise again (Matthew 16:21). He intentionally gave them specific ways to recognize that the end was near (Matthew 24:4–14). Although Jesus did not give the disciples all the details of the end of the age, knowing they would not fully understand, His warnings came with assurances that would sustain them. Each time He warned them or gave them a command, He also gave them hope. For example, when He forewarned His followers that they would have trouble in this world, He also assured them, saying, “‘Take heart. I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33). Jesus’ warnings and commands to His own are never found apart from His assurances.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He instructed His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). This promise that He would be with His disciples even to the end of the age still holds true for believers today. We are not yet to the end of the age.
In His promise to be with His disciples always, even to the end of the age, Jesus did not mean He would physically be with them. God is with us always through His Spirit. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised His disciples that He would send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to them (John 14:26). Since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwells all believers from the moment they are saved. He guards and guarantees our salvation (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30), leads us into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18), reminds us of what is true (John 14:26), and gives us godly wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). Through the Holy Spirit, we have assurance that God is in control and that He is with us always, even to the end of the age.
Just as God promised Joshua that He would never leave him or forsake him (Deuteronomy 31:6), so Jesus told His disciples, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NKJV). This promise sustains us as we seek to make disciples and live as God’s representatives on earth, no matter what trials or difficulties come our way.
