​During the 1970’s, the Jesus movement swept across America. Multitudes of people came to a saving knowledge of Christ. I was one of them. On October 6, 1972 I received Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Savior.
Bumper stickers were a big deal in the 70’s. If you remember that, I know how old you are! Some people plastered their bumpers, trunks and rear windows with myriads of stickers. I am pretty sure some old rust bucket, beater cars were held together by duct tape and the stickers!  
As a young believer in Christ, I remember a bumper sticker that declared “KEEP THE FAITH”.
Today, 2020, when many are struggling with faith in God, maybe Christians should plaster “KEEP THE FAITH” stickers on their bumpers. Sadly, in our day, some folks are jumping ship on the Lord, while others are silently caving into unbelief. Alarmingly, misguided people, who have been deceived by the devil, are outright denying their faith.
Faith is essential to salvation. Salvation is about faith in Jesus Christ.
Without faith, belief in God’s Son who died on the Cross and rose again from the dead to provide forgiveness for our sins, you, me and every human can’t be saved. The Good News is “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, but that no one should boast.“
 Initial faith in Christ saves us.  Continuing, unwavering faith, keeps us. Faith that falters is faith that fails.
Let’s discuss for a moment unwavering, constant, steady, unfluctuating, non-vacillating faith that God rewards.
Imagine you are one hundred years old. Your wife is ninety.  God sends you a news bulletin: Abraham and Sarah, you are going to have a son. You will not adopt one. Sarah will get pregnant by you old man and deliver one. How ridiculous, right? Not exactly.
Study carefully Romans 4: The stunned seniors hoped against hope. Faith fueled their hope. For over twenty, at times very long years, they waited, wholeheartedly believing God’s promise to them. Yes, they questioned the Lord, scratched their heads a few times, even laughed at the prospect that they would have to set up a nursery! You and I would have done the same.
KEEP THE FAITH looks like this. It is recorded that Abraham believed God. He and Sarah hoped against hope. Abraham did not waver in unbelief. He did not become weak in faith. He gave glory to God, for through faith, unwavering faith, he was   assured that the Lord would perform what He had promised.  
In the Hall of Fame of faith, it is recorded about Abraham that when God called him, by faith, Abraham went out not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8). When his faith was severely tested, Abraham did not waver in unbelief, as he offered up Isaac, his only begotten son of promise to the Lord on Mt. Moriah. (Hebrews 11:17). Throughout his life, Abraham believed God.
No doubt in my mind Abraham and Sarah would be worthy of a “KEEP THE FAITH” bumper sticker for their camels.
Abraham’s faith was deeply, securely, profoundly rooted and grounded in God and His promise. It was not faith in faith, nor faith in some creed or religious rule or ritual. Abraham’s faith was simple, unwavering faith in Almighty God, his heavenly Father, who is faithful to keep His Word.
Ways To Keep Unwavering Faith

• Study the Word of God.  Meditate upon the biblical characters stories in the Hall of Fame of Faith (Hebrews 11).  Be inspired and challenged by their real-life faith testimonies.
• Keep doubt out. Slam the door on unbelief. Tell doubt to take a hike and don’t bother to come back.
• Stand tall when Satan tempts you to doubt. Resist the enemy of your soul. Firmly rebuke the evil one’s attacks on your faith. Remember you are covered by the blood of God’s Son Jesus Christ. The devil can’t touch Christ’s holy, precious blood.
• Pass faith tests every single time your belief is tested. Without fail, pass every test!
• Believe when it is the hardest to believe. Dig deep. Hope against hope with unwavering faith in God’s promises.  
• Hang around with brothers and sisters in Christ whose faith is steadfast, unwavering. Fellowship with godly folks that encourage and edify your faith.
• Thank God for the faith He has given you and ask Him to help you to “keep the faith” without a bumper sticker!

Wishy-washy faith never sees the fulfillment of God’s promises. Unwavering faith always does.
My fellow Christian, never compromise or apologize for your faith. No concession or apology tours concerning your belief.  Believe in God’s promises whether anybody else does or not.
When unbelievers and weak Christians challenge your faith, adamantly refuse to cave in, capitulate, or retract what you believe. Truth, righteousness and love does not retreat in the face of opposition. On the contrary, “KEEP THE FAITH”. Be bold about your belief because Jesus was bold for you on the Cross.
 How will lost souls hear about Jesus Christ and turn to Him if His professed followers waver in their faith?
Who and what do you believe in? Why do you believe what you believe?  If you believe in God, why do you keep believing in Him and His promises? Maybe it is time for you and me to do a faith check-up. Maybe our belief needs a tune up, hopefully not an overhaul. 
Keep on keeping on with your faith. Those “KEEP THE FAITH” bumper stickers may not be such a bad idea after all.  
 “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence in your faith, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.’ Hebrews 10:35-36
 “And because lawlessness is increasing, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-23
A Word For Your Week: Keep the faith because God keeps His promises.

Hope.
Hope helps you and me cope with life. No hope…no cope!
A “perfect storm” of life-upsetting, life-altering negative circumstances has produced a spirit of hopelessness that is discouraging, disheartening and depressing millions of Americans.  
A deadly pandemic. Social distancing and lockdown. Business shutdown. Potential economic collapse. Frightening civil unrest. Deception. Distortion. Discord. Division. Distrust. Our society is seemingly coming unraveled at the seams. Any wonder many are struggling with hope?
As I survey my surroundings and personal situation, I like most, am being challenged to make sure my hope is not misplaced.
Let’s be honest. Real honest. Gut level honest.  
Speaking as a Christian,  If our hope is in the world system that rejects God, in people, who the Bible tells us that all of us, including you and me, have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23), in  manmade, fallible institutions, fluctuating financial markets, godless government, agenda driven news organizations, narcissistic celebrities, what is “trending” on social media, political parties, military might, popular pastors, the religious church  or anything else that falls short of putting our hope in God is false hope, ultimately leading to despair.  
I have good news smack dab in the middle of bad news. HOPE IN GOD IS HOPE THAT WILL NEVER FAIL.  
In God’s Word, the Bible, the Hebrews writer exhorts/encourages his fellow Christians, who were being persecuted for their faith and suffering loss in many areas of their life, to encourage one another by confessing their unwavering hope in the Lord.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:23-24   
Please note the following.

1. Christ’s followers are to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.”  

To hold fast means to hold on to. To firmly grasp. Not letting go of our grip. Holding fast is a tenacious unwillingness to surrender what is being held on to.   
Hope is to be confessed. I question if unconfessed hope is really hope. Speak your hope and faith with your mouth. Acknowledge, give witness to your hope in the Lord by your words and behavior.
Hope without wavering. Make you choice and keep your choice. No fluctuating or vacillating. No tottering or weaving. No back and forth. No hopefulness one day, hopelessness the next.

• Unwavering hope is resolute and unwilling to be hopeless.   

 
2. A believer’s hope is based on God who is a faithful promise keeper.

Unwavering, unshakable, immovable hope is rooted and ground in a loving God who is our hope. The God of the Bible promises to meet every need of His followers. He is not a promise breaker as many people are.
God keeps His Word. Period. It is not in God’s character to lie. What our Creator and Redeemer promises He performs. Hope for now and eternity is guaranteed because our Lord Jesus keeps His Word.

• Romans 10:13 boldly declares “For the scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will never be disappointed.” I can put unwavering hope in Christ who will never disappoint me!

 
3. Hopeful Christians are “to stimulate (encourage) each other to love and good deeds”.

Unwavering hope is contagious! If you are feeling hopeless in any way, surround yourself with a bunch of fired-up, hope-filled, hopeful brothers and sisters who do not vacillate concerning hope in Christ. Catch what they have!
Right now, in your circle of relationships, inside and outside of the church, there are people struggling with hope. Be their cheerleader! Remind them of God’s promises. Man has messed everything up. Jesus is the Savior and is coming back soon! Don’t keep your “unwavering hope” to yourself. 

• Unwavering hope in God’s unfailing promises cannot and will not fail you and me.

So, let’s get real. Up close and personal. How is your hope? Hopeful or hopeless? Unwavering or wavering? Is your hope rattled by the latest Breaking News? In who or what do you put your hope in?
Is your hope in the God of the Bible? Is your hope in Him and His promises? Is your hope unwavering? Not wishy-washy, but unshakable, immovable, steadfast, firmly planted in the soil of God’s precious promises?  Is your confession of hope confidently, courageously consistent?
Bottom line. 2020. Yes, 2020! Are you holding fast to the confession of your hope? And are you encouraging fellow Christians with the lope you have in the Lord?
Now is the time. Today is the day. Every day is the day to confess our unwavering hope in God!
“Christ in you, which is the hope the glory.” Colossians 1:27.
 “And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5
“Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind; therefore, I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:20-23
 A Word For Your Week: Keep your hope and faith solidly focused on God’s promises.

​Society is obsessed with success.  
So, what is true success? How would you define success for your life?
I have been asked that question many times during my ministry. As a Christian who has walked with the Lord for nearly fifty years, I have concluded that the world’s idea of success and God’s are very different.
Being a “seasoned citizen” in our culture,  and hopefully, an ever-maturing follower of Jesus Christ, reflecting upon the life I have lived, brings me to the place where “success” for me is not about pedigree, position, power, fame, fortune, influence or any temporal, material thing. Success that lasts into eternity has to do with my relationship with God.
Success for me is fulfilling God’s will for my life.
I believe Jesus Christ is the single, most significant example of someone fulfilling God’s will for their life.
This is what the Bible and Jesus says about His life purpose.
Then I said, Behold, I have come (in the roll of the book written of Me) to do Thy will, O God. Thy Law is written within my heart.” Psalm 40:7-8
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 
 “Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou are my God; let Thy good spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10“
 “I glorified Thee on the earth having accomplished, fulfilled the work which Thou has given me to do. “John 17:4.
“And He went a little beyond them and fell on his face praying “My Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me: yet not as I will, but as Thou will.” Matthew 26:39
Take a sacred peek with me into the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46).  Jesus had traveled to Jerusalem on purpose. He knew a cruel Cross would be waiting for Him. Agonizing for hours, sweating drops of blood because of the burden of sin He would bear, wrestling with His humanity to do His will or God’s, imagine the moments (three times) the Lord declared “Not My will, but Your will be done.”
His human flesh hoped it might be possible to not have to drink the cup of suffering. But in His spirit, He knew He came to fulfill the Father’s will and sacrifice Himself for you and me.
Having settled it to go to the Cross, Jesus gathered up His sleepy followers, was arrested, falsely accused, tortured twice, then nailed on a rough piece of wood. Close to breathing His last earthly breath, Jesus asked the Father to forgive His tormenters and all of us because all of us have sinned.  
“IT IS FINISHED.”  The Son of God breathed His last breath. What was finished, accomplished, fulfilled in that dark hour on Golgotha? SALVATION. The Father’s will for mankind was salvation from sin, death and eternal damnation.
 Jesus death on the Cross and resurrection from the dead purchased salvation. He did the will of the Father when it cost Him everything. Thank you, Jesus, for your willingness to do Your Father’s will so I could be saved!
From the day of His birth, to the ascension to heaven, God’s only Son’s goal was to fulfill His Father’s will. As you journey through the Gospels with Him, it is so evident, that Jesus’ life was not about Him. It was about the Father’s will being carried out through Him.
Jesus’ life, ministry, death on the Cross, glorious resurrection and promise to return for His children was/is His success.
Suggestions Why God’s Will Is The Way to Success.

• Doing God’s will is doing what He wants for me, not what I want for me.
• Knowing God’s Word in the Bible is the pathway to success.
• To know God’s will, study the Bible, pray over the Bible and obey the Bible.
• God’s will is a guarantee of success in what matters most when we faithfully follow His leading.
• The will of God sustains us when we walk by faith and not by sight.
• God’s will is a bright, shining beacon that lights our way as we journey through life.
• My will can never accomplish God’s will unless I surrender my will to Him.
• Conforming my will to God’s will is a safe, secure and stable place for me to be.
• Sleep is sweet when we have done our best each day to fulfill God’s will for us.
• Not your or my will, but Your will Father, is following in the footsteps of Jesus.
• Fulfilling God’s will on earth is rewarded with spending eternity with Jesus in heaven.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:17 “So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
I have settled it for me. I do not want to be a fool! With all my heart, I desire to understand God’s will for my life and with His help fulfill it.  
How about you?  You don’t want to be foolish, do you? Do you know what God’s will is for your life? In general and specifically?
If you know what His will is, are you diligently seeking to fulfill, accomplish it?
If necessary, what adjustments do you need to make regarding your view of success in light of success is fulfilling God’s will for your life?
May His will be done in your life every day.
 “Not by the way of eyeservice, as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Ephesians 6:6
A Word For Your Week: Doing God’s will is success indeed.  

Everyone has expectations.
 
Especially now as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across our world and nation. You and I are still affected in numerous ways by this virus and at a significant junction in our life journey where we are pondering what might be next.
 
There are those who fear the worst is to come. Doom and gloomers are a dime a dozen. Others are cautiously optimistic about the future. Many, maybe most, are unsure where to put their expectation because much is still unknown.   
 
To expect means to hope, to anticipate, and to look forward to.
           
I believe God put an expector in each one of us.
 
Hoping and looking forward to certain things, especially good things, happening in our lives is very natural. Healthy expectation is critical to moving forward in life. A spirit of positive expectation fires up our souls. Hope and anticipation of good things and better days stimulates walking by faith and believing God for the best.
           
But when our hopes and expectations are not realized, we feel let down, disappointed and discouraged. A major cause of burnout, depression and suicide is based on unfulfilled expectations.
 
Often expectations are not fulfilled because our expector is expecting something from a source that is not always reliable. Many of us invest our hopes (expectations) in people. People are wonderful, but they can be very fickle! Investing our hopes, dreams, and expectations in people can be disheartening when their expectations don’t meet ours.
 
Psalm 62 is an excellent word of encouragement to us regarding expectations.  
 
The Psalmist clearly and confidently confesses that His expectation is from God. His hope was in the Lord. “My soul waits in silence for God only, for my expectation (hope) is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.”     Psalm 62:5-6
 
David avoided the tempting trap of putting his hope in people or himself by pinning his hope on God. Therefore, David detoured disappointment by focusing his faith in God and His expectations for his life.
 
David says some significant things about expectation.
 
1. He waited on God to meet his expectations. Note that his soul was silent. Quiet. Meditative. Contemplative. And anticipatory. Why? Because “my hope is from Him.”  God put hope in David’s heart. The Lord was the source of David’s expectations.
 
·      David’s expectation was that God Himself would always meet his expectations.
 
2. God was David’s rock and salvation. Expectations built on a rock will not be moved. David’s life was stable and secure because God was His foundation. The Psalmist had enough spiritual sense to look with faith to His Savior for His hope and expectations.
 
·      Jesus Christ is the bedrock for Christian believers to build their hopes and expectations on.  
 
3. David’s life was not shaken. From time to time, our expectations and hopes will be tested. Shaking comes to reveal what cannot be shaken. Hope that is placed in God is hope that will stand. Misplaced hope will fall.
 
·      You and I will not be shaken when our expectation is founded upon the unshakable God of the Bible. 
 
4. God’s expectations were David’s expectations.  When we spend time with the Lord, and trust in Him, our expectation is from God. His hopes and dreams for us become our hopes and dreams. What He expects of us is what we expect of us. My expectations must be His expectations for my life.  What God hopes for me is what my hope should be.
 
·      Life is fulfilling and enjoyable when we expect what He expects.   
 
Recently I slipped away to a place I go to often to pray and wait on the Lord. As I was seeking the Lord regarding the challenging situation me, my family and others are facing at this time, the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit “Steve, focus today and every day after on  the good, awesome things God is going to do coming out of this pandemic. “
 
Every day since, I have confidently, positively and joyfully confessed my expectation of God’s goodness now and in the future. This perspective has warmed my heart, motivating and encouraging me to expect God to turn this present evil into good on behalf of all those who love Him.   
 
I believe you and I get what we expect.
 
What are you expecting God to do in your life today? What is your expector expecting?
 
Set aside some quiet time to reflect on what you expect. What are you expecting to happen? Where is your hope based? Who are you expecting it to come from?
“Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope (expectation) will not be cut off.”                                         Proverbs 24:14
 
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”                                                                                                             Psalm 62:8
 
A Word For Your Week: Line up your life with God’s expectations for you.
​

​I have been thinking.
Please don’t tell my wife that. She will wonder what has happened in my head and be concerned about my mental state!
Seriously, in light of living life during what some call “unprecedented times” for you, me, our families, country and world, there is most likely a whole lot of thinking going on. Who hasn’t paused to give thought concerning their current situation and the future?
The Lord put on my heart the following thoughts, which are truths, about life.
Reflecting upon them and praying over them has helped me to positively face the realities of our day, maintain proper perspective, and center my life on what really matters.
Here we go into the files of my mental hard drive!   
LIFE HAPPENS.  Life can change in a moment, in a flash, without our permission or approval.  Sometimes the changing season is good, others not so good. Regardless, it is a fact that life doesn’t stand still, even when we wish it would for a while.
When life happens, though we may not know  exactly what is happening or why it is happening,  that is when we have to come to grips with present reality, deal with it successfully, and know that life, by its very nature, will change again!
LIFE IS RISKY. There is no guaranteed outcome in this life. None. Nada’. Zero. Well maybe, death and taxes! Why no guarantees?  Because life is full of risk.
 Driving down the highway is a risk. Boarding an airplane is a risk. Depositing your money in the bank is a risk. Getting out of the bed in the morning could be a risk!  
Even people of Christian faith face risk every day. The good news: God is with us to assist you and me to navigate through risk with His wisdom and guidance.
 LIFE REQUIRES FAITH. Living life is all about trust and faith. People believe and trust in someone or something. Trust is a truth we must acknowledge and then trust in who or what is trustworthy.
Not everyone or everything can be trusted. Walking by faith in God and not by sight is a decision you and I can make every day. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and you will never be disappointed (Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 10:13).
Put your faith in the One who is faithful.
LIFE IS RELATIONSHIPS. The greatest joy is life our relationships. Think for a moment about the people you love and who love you. Relationships sweeten life.
Relationships matter. God set it up that way. He is relational. He loves us and through Christ made it possible for us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Now that is a relationship!
Do you value your relationships with God, family friends and fellow Christians? When push comes to shove in life, healthy, loving, caring, mutual-satisfying relationships will carry the day.
Cherish, nurture and thank God for your relationships every single day.
LIFE IS GOOD. Life can be tough at times. But overall, when you and I stop to think about it, our life is good. We are blessed!
 Life is good because God is good, and He gives us life. Certainly, bad things happen to good people. But God’s goodness overrules bad things. His goodness prevails in the hearts of those who trust Him to make good out of bad.
Praise God for your good life today. No matter your current situation, God has been good to you, is good to you, and will always be good to you.
LIFE IS SHORT. Time flies, especially when you are having fun!  Your and my days are numbered, appointed by our Creator. Our times are in His hands according to the Bible. Our days seem to pass by swiftly, especially the older you are!
Never waste your day. Every day is a gracious gift from God. Rejoice in your days (Psalm 118:24). Give God praise for today because life is short and your days on earth will run out!  
Count your days and make your days count by walking in God’s wisdom (Psalm 90:12).  
LIFE IS CHIRST. Have you discovered what life is all about? In John 14:6 in the Bible Jesus declared” I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but through Me.”  In John 10:10 the Lord says “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”  
Clearly, Jesus is life. There is no abundant life and eternal life without God’s Son. Jesus loves us so much that He willingly gave up His life on a Cross and rose from the dead so that we could live free from sin.
Have you received Christ, who is life, into your life? Is Jesus your personal Lord and Savior? Now is the time to humble yourself before God, repent of your sins, receive forgiveness from the Lord, and live your life for Him the rest of your days.
 Those are my thoughts. Pretty thoughtful huh? What do you think about life?
My friend live your life for the glory of God and the good of people.
“For there the Lord commanded the blessing---life forever.” Psalm 133:3
A Word For Your Week: Think about life the way God thinks about it.

​Uncertainty.
Certainly, the Coronavirus, with all of its negative impact on our health and livelihood, has stirred up a spirit of uncertainty in many lives   
Uncertain things and situations make us uncomfortable.
It is natural and comfortable for human beings to gravitate toward what is certain, sure, known, predictable, calculable and controllable. Who amongst us doesn’t like to feel sure and secure, having everything figured out, laid out in a clear path? I am not ashamed to admit that I am a card-carrying member of the certainty club. 
Being unsure creates anxiety and hesitancy. Surety and certainty produces peace and instills confidence.
So how should you and I deal with uncertainty? Uncertain times and situations?
The best way to handle uncertainty is to know what you are certain of.
The Bible addresses both certainty and uncertainty. One example of this is found in I John 3:1-3.
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  
As a believer in Jesus Christ, I love this passage. These comforting, encouraging words from the beloved apostle John warm my heart and give me spiritual goose bumps! John was certain of the following.

1. The Father has bestowed upon those who believe in Him a “great love.” It is certain that God’s loves us in a big way! No matter how uncertain life appears GOD LOVES US.
2.  The Father has called us His children. It is certain that followers of Christ are sons and daughters of the Living God. That is a very good thing to know! YOU AND I ARE GOD’S KIDS.
3. It is certain that the world doesn’t know God’s people. Worldly people don’t know us because they don’t know Jesus. GOD KNOWS US.
4. Jesus is coming back for His children. It is certain He will appear. When He does, we will see Him and be just like Him. GOD’S SON IS COMING BACK AND WE WILL BE LIKE HIM.
5. It is uncertain just when and how Jesus will appear. The time is not known to us. Exactly what our life will be like while we wait for His glorious return is often uncertain.
6. While we wait with some uncertainty, John exhorts us to purify ourselves as He is pure. In other words, keep working out the salvation that Jesus has worked in you. Pursue a holy, Christ-like life. Grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus. Keep growing spiritually with maturity in Christ as your goal. 

Thanks brother John. You have helped us to walk confidently and boldly in certainty when life is uncertain. Because God loves us, calls us His kids and Jesus is coming back soon for us, you and I can live with surety and security in an unsure and insecure world.
How To Be Certain When Uncertain

• Search the Scripture. Study the Bible. Know what God says about life. Build your life on the sure, certain foundation of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:11).
• When you aren’t sure about something, focus on what you are sure of.
• Go with what you know. Let go of what you don’t know.
• Trust God for what you don’t know or cannot see. He knows and sees what you and I don’t know or see.  
• When moving forward by faith in uncertain times, remember how the Lord has been faithful to you in the past during times of uncertainty. You can be certain He will come through for you again!
• Be certain of what you are certain of even when others are uncertain

Many people today, maybe you,  are anxiously concerned about the future. Our world, the system apart from God’s Kingdom, is confused about what really matters. It amazes me how many folks focus on what is uncertain instead of what is certain. Speculation displaces revelation. What man thinks might happen overrides what God says will happen. Man glorifies man instead of glorifying God.
No wonder people are uncertain in uncertain times.
Don’t be one of those confused, deceived folks. Like you, I face some uncertainty every day. But I choose and do my best with God’s help to dwell on what I know is certain. That’s how I am able to remain reasonably sane and secure in an insane, uncertain world.
My sanity and security is based on knowing God loves me, Steve Roll, with a great love. Knowing I am God’s kid who inherits His Kingdom. Knowing Jesus promised to come back for me at the right time.  Knowing I shall see Him and be like Him. Oh my, Oh my! My soul soars with a holy hope, positively anxious anticipation and eager, enthusiastic expectation that mere words can’t express!
Being certain of where I am going makes it easier to live in uncertain times.
Do you have the certainty that God loves you? That He wants to call you His child? That His only Son Jesus will come back for you one day as you walk by faith and look to the eastern sky for His appearing? Are you sure that you are saved and will go home to heaven when you die?
 Are you certain of what you need to be certain of? The only way to be sure of what really matters is to receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior.
Read these few verses in the Bible. Meet with a Christian. See a pastor. Then, be sure that you invite Jesus into your life. (John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, John 1:12 and Revelation 3:20).
I can place my head on my pillow at night with peace because I am certain, without a single doubt, that I belong to Jesus. I will spend eternity with Him in heaven. Lights out. Good night. Sweet dreams of glory on the other side of this uncertain world.
How do you sleep at night?
A Word For Your Week: Be certain of what you are certain of and leave uncertainty to the Lord.

​When I was about ten years old, my Dad taught me to cast a fishing line into the lake. The picturesque setting was a snow fed, freshwater lake tucked in the towering mountains outside of Spokane, Washington. I remember well enjoying the warm sun and refreshing breeze while eating ham sandwiches and drinking a can of Cream soda.  
 
My father taught me a principle: Steve, you can’t catch fish with the line and wiggly worm in hand. So, my Dad schooled me in the art of tossing, or throwing the line out to where the fish were.
 
Dad was a really good caster! Me, not so good. I am sure my father recollected with fondness in his heart (frustration too!) how awkward and inexperienced his son was in throwing that baited hook and line out of the boat.
 
Dad casted like a professional because he had fished for decades. Casting was natural for him. Not so much for me. My initial casts snagged his pants, landed on logs jutting out from the lakes surface, and I even hooked myself once! But over time I did learn to cast the line and even caught some fish. Imagine that!
 
Jesus taught us not to worry about life (Matthew 6:25-33). The Apostle Paul exhorts us to not worry about anything and to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7).  Peter commands believers in Christ to “cast all their anxieties” (worries, cares, concerns, frustrations and burdens) on the Lord. Why cast our anxieties? To catch a fish?  Not exactly.
 
The Apostle Peter carried some heavy burdens and cares that crushed his spirit. Imagine how devastated his heart felt after denying the Lord when he swore that he wouldn’t? The Lord lovingly restored Peter’s relationship with Him. Years later, Peter wrote “Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.”  I Peter 5:7
 
God desires that His children be carefree. To be carefree never means to be careless.
It means to be free from unnecessary care. It is not our Heavenly Father’s will for us to be burdened and bogged down with worry as we walk through life. 
 
Think about it for a moment. Why should we carry burdens, worries and cares that Jesus nailed to the Cross? Isaiah 53:1-6 makes it clear that Jesus bore or carried everything that would burden us down in life. He took upon Himself all of our cares so we would not have to carry life’s cares.
 
 
CAST YOUR CARE! Please note that tossing our worries, anxiety and cares on the Lord is our responsibility. My Dad didn’t cast my fishing line for me. God doesn’t cast our cares for us. Neither can other people. Each of us are to be our own care caster.
 
It takes a humble person to admit they are burdened and then do something about it. Verses 5-6 in I Peter 5 tell us that God resists the arrogant or proud person (the one who thinks he can handle his or her life without outside help). Arrogant people hang on to their cares and become buried by their burdens. Proud and burdened does not make for smooth sailing through life.
 
 On the other hand, God gives grace and assistance to the humble person. That’s great news! God takes our cares because He cares for us. Because He cares, He takes our cares. He shares our concerns. He invites us to cast our cares His way!
 
 Are you one of those discouraged people who thinks that nobody cares? Please think again. GOD CARES! You have His Word on it. He cares that you have cares and He is ready and waiting to relieve you of them.
 
Unburden your burdens. Lighten your load. Dare to cast your cares on the Lord who for cares for you.
 
Casting Exercise
 
1. Make a list of your “cares” on a piece of paper. Be very specific.
 
2. Write I Peter 5:7 over each one of them. Make the font of the verse                                     bigger and bolder than the care.
 
3. Toss each “care” on the Lord through believing prayer. Speak your care                             into the air of God’s faithfulness and leave it there.
 
4... Tear up the paper. Place it in the trash and move forward in life with                          a renewed faith and a lighter load. 
           
5. When the devil tries to remind you about your “cares”, remind him you                               cast them on Christ and they are history! Hallelujah!
 
I have learned throughout my forty-seven years as a Christian, that the more I cast my cares on the Lord, the better caster I am!
 
Your Heavenly Father loves you and simply asks you to toss your worries to Him! God has big hands, wide shoulders, and a huge heart. He can handle all your anxieties.
 
I can’t imagine why anyone would want to bear burdens and suffer with anxiety with an invitation like this. There is no joy or freedom in being stressed out over the cares of this life. We need to take some casting lessons from our Father in heaven.
 
Do you trust Him enough to toss your cares upon Him? 
 
“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”                                                                         Psalm 55:22
 
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”             Matthew 11:28-30
 
A Word For Your Week: Cast your cares on the One who cares for you.

​As the COVID-19 crisis continues, how is your patience?
I have a pretty good idea that the mandated quarantine and shutdown is causing your patience to wear a little, or a lot, thin. Getting testy. I know my patience is!
As the “blursdays” drag on, impatience is stalking all of us.
“Be patient” is a phrase I have loathed in the past.  I know patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-24. At times I have had conversations with the Lord about that. I mean, love, joy, peace etc. I can do that. But patience is not my personal forte’.
 But over the years of my walk with Christ, I have slowly, slowly learned that patience is my friend, especially when I am waiting for adverse circumstance to turn around.
Job’s story in the Bible inspires me. His life is one of faith, patience and endurance.
James writes “As an example brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who endured.  You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” James 5:10-11
Job: an example of suffering and patience. A man of endurance when life was unbearable.
I encourage you to take some time and read through the entire book of Job. Yes, the whole book, all forty chapters, Read it as a continuing story.
The Cliff note version goes like this. Satan attacked Job. God allowed the devil to test him, but not kill him. Job’s sons and daughters lost their lives. Job’s servants, livestock, crops and wealth were wiped out.
His wife told him to “Curse God and die.” (Thank you for your love and support woman!). Job’s health deteriorated. He sat on an ash heap scraping boils off his body with rocks (I don’t like that picture). Three of his supposedly faithful friends, incessantly taunted him, accusing him of committing sin and evil while Job suffered.
During the trial that affected every part of his life, Job, like you and I would have, questioned God as to what He was up to. At a critical point Job declared “Though He slay me, I will trust in Him.”
 
Suffering. Enduring. Patient with the process. Job declared he would trust God no matter what. God was going to do. The Lord was not going to slay Job.
God is not in the business of killing His servants who go through severe seasons of suffering.
The end of the matter. Read chapter forty. Study it carefully. Be inspired.
Job’s faith was intact. He reveals that He now sees God in an even great way than before. When Job repented of his doubts and prayed for his accusing friends, the Lord restored double, that’s right, twice as much of everything that Job had lost.  For job’s sake, I hope his wife had a change of heart too!
Job is remembered as a faith hero. Job endured because he was patient.  
 How is your patience level with what is going on in our society? “Breaking News” dominated by bad news can definitely produce anxiety, fear and impatience in you and me. What in particular is testing your patience at this time?
Honestly, you and I aren’t facing anything like Job. So, if he had patient endurance because of faith in God, we certainly can!
Endurance is fueled by patience. Impatience sabotages endurance. Being patient with our faith gives us the strength to endure whatever adverse circumstances we may face.
Being Patient When Feeling Impatient

• Recognize the spirit of impatience. What triggers impatience in you? Know your foe if you want to defeat it.
• Resist the impulse to be impatient. Reject the impatience bug with all your might.
• When impatient, sit down. Take a deep breath. Maybe two. Or three. Then get up. Choose and resolve to be patient with your circumstance. Yes, patient!
• Tune out people who are impatient. Stay clear of them. Don’t catch what they have.
• Immerse yourself in God’s promises in the Bible. God’s Word has a calming effect on our impatient soul. Jesus taught “In your patience possess your soul.” Luke 21:19
• Bottom line: Patience is a measure of mature faith. Impatience is evidence of immature faith. Which kind of faith do you want to have, patient or impatient?
• Thank God for helping you to be patient when tempted to be impatient.

My friend, we may or may not be in the same boat. Whatever harbor our boat sails into depends on our attitude.
You and I get to choose patience or impatience.
Be patient. Trust God whether we stay locked down a little longer and, of course, when we are set free again.
“That you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12
“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8
A Word For Your Week: Be patient with your impatience.

​Outlook determines outcome.
I assume, like me, during this Coronavirus downtime, you have been thinking a lot about what’s next. It is natural and normal for us human beings to ponder the future after the pandemic dust settles.
It is also normal for us to listen to all the “noise” clamoring for our attention. Expert panels. Self-proclaimed prognosticators. Speculators think that they know what is going to happen. It seems that everybody and anybody with a camera and microphone wants to tell you how things will turn out.
If you listen to the world, at best, you will be confused, at the worst, you will be seriously concerned. The world has no definitive answers because it leaves God out of the equation.
The outlook of a worldly person who does not know God is negative, pessimistic and woe is us. The outcome of a negative outlook is worry, anxiety, fear, despondency, depression, and despair. Many, many Americans are feeling this way as uncertainty hangs over our heads and hearts.
Sadly, even some professing Christians are speaking pessimistically about the future. Their outlook is not much different than the world. No wonder they have a frown on their face and wrinkled foreheads instead of a peaceful heart and joyful countenance that trusts the Lord to take care of business.
What if God’s people’s outlook was positive? What if Christ’s followers believed the best, not the worst? Believed that the Lord would turn this crisis into opportunities to share the Gospel with fearful folks? What if Christians hoped for, even expected, that God would bring awesome things out of this uncertain season? What if we believed the sun would shine after the storm?
This past week , as I was spending time in prayer, informing the Lord of the world’s situation, (which I am pretty sure He really knew about), the Holy Spirit challenged me to start thinking about the good things God is going to bring out of this crisis.  
It was a revelation, a lightning bolt reminder, that our God is not pessimistic. Not negative. The God of the Bible is optimistic. Positive. Jeremiah 29: 11 states “For I now the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”
No bad news there!
I have decided to deal with the reality confronting me with an attitude that is looking forward with faith and confident expectation of what the Lord is going to do in the near future.
I encourage you to read Isaiah 64:1-5. In summary, when God’s people were in a national crisis, the Word says God came down to His people and did awesome things they did not expect.
I love that. God was present. He surprised His people with awesome things.
 My heart is excited. My spirit is expectant. My mind is full of peace. My renewed outlook is going to see an awesome outcome from the hand of the Lord in the days ahead!
A Christians’ outlook should come from an up-look to the Lord.
How To Keep A Positive Outlook

• Tune out the world’s negativity. Doom and gloom do not make for a good day!
• Reject Satan’s lies. Rebuke the devil. Remind him of his final destination in the lake of fire.
• Tune in to God’s positive Word. Confess God’s Word over your situation. Speak His truth over your life. Then walk in it.
• Believe, without doubting, that God always keep His promises. He is a promise keeper, never a promise breaker.
• Surround yourself with positive, likeminded, faith-filled followers of Jesus who expect the best is yet to come. Be very wise and discerning concerning who you invite into your innermost circle.
• Share your Christian optimism with those who are bewildered, confused, overwhelmed, discouraged, anxious and fearful. Encourage them in the Lord.
• Thank the Lord ahead of time for what is coming. Rejoice in Him. Sing His praises for awesome days ahead.

God’s outlook and outcome is always good for His followers.
Let’s get real. How are you handling this COVID-19 crisis? Be honest with yourself. Check your attitude. How’s your outlook looking? What kind of outcome is your current outlook going to produce in the days ahead?
 Maybe you need an outlook adjustment in order to have a positive outcome, which I believe is God’s good, acceptable and perfect will for His followers.
Keep a lookout to keep your outlook positive, trusting the Lord do direct your steps and bless your life according to His promises in the Bible.
 “As a man thinks within himself, so is he.” Proverbs 23:6
A Word For Your Week: What you see is what will be.

​Coronavirus. Economic downturn. Financial pressures. Unemployment. Uncertainty about the immediate future.
Unsteady times.
From 1973-77, I proudly served our country in the U.S Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. Two years of my four-year tour of duty, I served with the 3rd Marine Division. My role was to provide medical care and support for sailors and Marines.
My claim to fame as a “sailor” is that I spent a total of seven days aboard ship! (I guess I was a land-lubing sailor). My shipboard experience consisted of being assigned to the sick bay aboard an LST (Landing Ship Troops) which was transporting 1,000 Marines and their equipment to Japan for military exercises.
On my maiden Navy voyage, our ship got caught on the tail end of a typhoon. A typhoon is a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean. One hundred plus mile-an-hour winds, with 25 foot waves, battered the bow of our boat for twenty-four hours. At the height of the storm, the Captain ordered personnel to tie themselves into their bunk in the berthing quarters, anticipating a rough night.
Roped in my bunk, feeling very seasick, I anxiously and prayerfully rode out the storm as it tossed our ship up, down, and sideways like a cork. In the morning, our Commanding Officer announced to the troops that the ship had almost rolled over during the night. Comforting thought when you are still plowing holes in an ocean that could turn into a raging sea of destruction on a moment’s notice.
I was thankful to God for sparing our ship and lives. I was also very grateful that our Captain manned his post on the bridge, steering us to safety. When the life-threatening storm looked like it would swamp the ship, sending it down to Davey Jones locker, I have a hunch the Captain uttered the words “steady as she goes”. Probably more than once, you think?
I believe “steady” at the helm got us through to the other side of nature’s unbridled, ferocious fury that literally threatened our lives.
 
My friend, ff you are only half-awake, you know how unsteady, insecure and unstable our culture and world is. Terribly troubling, manmade typhoons are tearing away at the very foundations of our Judeo- Christian country. Unsteady as she goes seems to be the mindless, heartless, senseless direction we are heading as a nation. Many have lost their way, doing what is wrong when they should be doing what is right. (See Isaiah 5:20-24).   
Unsteady times like ours call for steadiness.
I greatly admire and respect people who are steady, stable and secure when life’s storms roll across the horizon.
“Steady as she goes” folks have a way of bringing peace in chaos, order in disorder, clarity in confusion, comfort in discomfort, hope in dark times, and triumph in tragedy. I thank God for people He has used throughout my life that brought steadiness when I was unsteady, unstable and insecure.
I desire to be a steadfast Christian who is steady at the helm when all “hell” seems to break loose in life.
Seven Steps to Steady As She Goes

1. Keep your heart riveted on and rejoicing in the resurrection power of Christ.
2. Keep your eyes fixed on the reward of Jesus’ approval and eternal awards.
3. Stand firm and steady when the ground under you feels like a slippery slope.
4. Resolve to be immovable when life is trying to move you around.
5. Run your faith race with a joyful band of stable, secure, steady people.
6. Refuse to falter or fail when unsteady, insecure people fall by the wayside. 
7. Always remember that your ultimate reward is not on earth, but in heaven!
8. Be a “steady as she goes” Christian who brings glory to God!

“Steady as she goes” keeps us pursuing and fulfilling the will of God. Unsteady as she goes takes us to somewhere we really don’t want to go.  
Feeling unsteady? Insecure? Uncertain? Maybe unstable? Focus your faith on the Lord. Look to Him. He alone is our Rock, our Fortress, our Shelter, our Shield, our Stronghold, and our  Deliverer. (Psalm 18:1-3).  
During a very turbulent, trying, tough time in his life, King David, a man after God’s own heart, cried out to the Lord “Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. David asked the Lord to steady his heart in a life storm.
Jesus is the Captain of our salvation who knows how to take us safely through life’s storms.
Steadfast. Steady or unsteady: My choice. Your choice. Which will you and I choose?
“He will not fear evil tidings, His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:7
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing Your praises.” Psalm 57:7
A Word For Your Week: Steadfast faith in Jesus Christ keeps us steady in an unsteady world.