Today I want to address our expectations of God.
If you are a professing Christian, do you expect God’s best? Honestly, do you expect, hope for, anticipate, look forward to God’s best for your life?
Not long ago while I was waiting on the Lord the Holy Spirit whispered to my spirit “Steve, expect God’s best.”  
“Expect God’s best” was significant and timely for me. I was seriously pondering what might happen in the future. Wondering where our mixed-up world was heading and how it would impact me and my loved ones as we live for Him in these last days.
The Lord answered my questioning with “EXPECT GOD’S BEST!”
Expecting God’s best sounds like a tremendous New Year’s resolution for 2024.
Truth: Satan hates the thought of you and me expecting God’s best. The devil knows God’s love is the best of the best. The evil one’s hatred is the worst of the worst. His strategy is for you and me to expect the worst in life, especially from God.
The world system, which rejects the Kingdom of God, always expects the worst, never the best. In addition to our soul’s arch enemy and the world, our fallen. sinful nature tends to lean negative, to the worst rather than the best. Be honest. You and I know we do this at times.
It is too easy and spiritually/emotionally deadly for you and me to think the worst rather than God’s best. Reflect on times when you expected the worst. How did that work out? Not so good huh!
Thinking and hoping for God’s best. Sound hopeless? Not at all.
I believe expecting God’s best is a choice. The right choice. A faith-driven, determined choice followed by diligent, daily discipline to keep choosing to believe God’s best for my life no matter what curve balls life hurls my way.
You may ask, how do we know God has His best in mind for us? Thank you for asking. Romans 8:31-32 is one passage that says so.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us.? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up or us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
I can expect God’s best because He is for me. Nobody can come against me and succeed. A pastor commented “If God is for me, everybody else might as well be!” Amen to that.
God loves me and is for me. He demonstrated that love by sending His own Son, His only Son, Jesus, from heaven to die on a cross and rise from the dead to save me from my sins.
God the Father did not withhold His only Son, His best, back from you and me.
When we see Jesus hanging on the Cross and rising from the dead the message is clear from God: this is how much I love you. I gave up my absolute best for you!
Then verse thirty-two tells us if God did not hold back Jesus from us, certainly He will “freely give us all things.” All things…. whatever I need to successfully fulfill God’s will for my life.
Because God gave the greater, greatest gift of His Son, I can rest assured He will supply the lesser gifts I need. He loves me that much. Therefore, I can indeed expect His best from Him!
In verses 33-39 Paul lays out all the worst stuff that can come against you and me. Paul was convinced, completely persuaded that nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God. Christ’s followers overwhelmingly conquer life because Jesus loves us.
How can you and I not expect God’s best when He has done all of this for us?
Life lesson for me: Expect God’ best no matter what circumstances confront me. Up, down or all around, trust God for His best. God never gives us less than His best. Less than best is not in His character. He calls me to walk by faith in Christ, believing and expecting to receive God’s best!
His love is the best thing I can expect from Him every day. I do not need much more than that!
The best way to know God’s best for your life is to study the Bible. Read, meditate upon and faithfully confess His exceeding great and precious promises for your life. Trust me, expecting God’s best every day really works.
God’s best is for you, yes you, today!
I challenge you to confess with your mouth each day “Lord, I expect your best!.”
My friend, in 2024, experience a great day every day because you are expecting God’s best!
“My soul waits in in silence for God only, for my hope, expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62:5
A Word For Your Week: Expect God’s best then rest in Him.

​Our nation is fast becoming a hard-hearted, unkind, unforgiving, hateful people.
 
Genuine love and concern for one another is in short supply in America. Of course, people of every stripe say they love one another. But the truth is love cannot flow from hard, unkind, unforgiving hearts. Having served as a pastor in Christian ministry for over forty years, I have encountered many people, non-Christian and Christian, who would do well to heed Paul’s advice in our word for the week.
 
In Ephesians 4:31 Paul writes “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander, be put away from you along with all malice.” Paul exhorts us to put this icky stuff away from our lives. How can you and I have healthy, meaningful, mutually satisfying, lasting relationships with others if our hearts are hardened with this emotional poison?
 
When God’s Word tells us what not to do, it always follows with what to do.
           
Sad to say, many hearts today are tough as nails. Hard as a rock. Ephesians 4:32 is the antidote to verse 31.
 
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other as God in Christ has forgiven you. “Ephesians 4:32
 
As a professing follower of Jesus Christ, it is my personal responsibility to put away the poison and put on kindness, tenderness and forgiveness…in the same way God has forgiven me in Christ. I love the phrase “tender hearted.” Just saying “tender hearted” softens my heart which is tempted to harden because of life around me.        
           
Truth is it is way too easy to develop a hard heart in our current culture.
 
When you consider the heart breaking, hard-heartedness of abortion, sexual crime, injustice, brutal violence, bullying, discrimination, prejudice, degrading, demeaning profanity, immorality, political correctness, slander-filled rhetoric, vicious verbal attacks, hate speech, oppression, terrorist attacks, and daily bombardment of breaking news that breaks the heart, your and my heart can harden in a hurry.
 
Who hasn’t shouted a few choice words toward the television when you hear of the hard-hearted mistreatment of our fellow Americans? I know my spiritual/emotional blood pressure rises quickly. I have been guilty of hardening my heart.
 
The devil, our real enemy, (Ephesians 6:10-20), is a divider who specializes in hardening hearts so people will hate each other instead of loving one another.
 
Hard hearts beat with Satan’s hatred. Soft hearts beat with God’s love.
 
Hebrews 3:12-13 warns us “Take care, brethren, least there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”  
 
Sin is deceitful. Satan uses sin to harden our hearts toward God and people. Could it be that we sin against each other when our hearts, words and deeds lack kindness, tenderness and forgiveness? I am convinced that is true.
 
Tender, kind, forgiving hearts are vital to healthy relationships.
 
Two words of encouragement are on my heart for the body of Christ today.
 

1. The mission of the church of Jesus Christ is to evangelize the world (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8).

 
Our primary purpose is to witness for Jesus and win lost sinners to the Lord. How can we win spiritually lost, hurting people if our hearts are hard? A loving, kind, tender, forgiving heart is necessary for reaching and winning lost people to Christ.
 
·      A hardhearted person will be open to receiving Christ when a loving, caring, sensitive Christian shares God’s love with them from a soft heart.
 
      2. A tender heart in no way means Christians must tolerate sin.
 
Tender hearts uphold truth. Soft hearts do not trash or toss the truth. A compassionate heart, beating with the love of Jesus Christ, never compromises convictions. You and I can share our beliefs unashamedly, firmly, and wisely with a soft touch. (See I Peter 3:14-15).
 
Today the name of Jesus is openly taken in vain, mocked, ridiculed and blasphemed. Christians are marginalized, vilified and demonized. So, what is new? The world persecuted Jesus and will persecute His followers (John 15:20).
 
·      Persecution is not permission for having a hard heart.
 
 My fellow Christian, in these last, difficult days (see II Timothy 3:1-15), do not allow the world to harden your heart. Instead, let God’s Word and the Holy Spirit keep it tender and soft.
 
BE HONEST. If your heart is hardening, ask the Holy Spirit to soften it.
 
Why not be like Jesus whose name you claim? Be a kind, tenderhearted, forgiving person every day.
 
A Word For Your Week: Tenderize my heart

​Star Wars junkies, like me, recall this cryptic, critical battle order from command and control to young Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker as he fearlessly piloted his Star Fighter on his final attack run against the dreaded Death Star of the evil Empire.
 
Destruction of the Death Star required a direct hit on a specific target. Staying on target to deliver a fatal blast to the intimidating and seemingly invincible enemy military outpost was Luke’s sole objective. As Darth Vader (the man with the black hat!) breathed down his neck, and laser bombs exploded all around his lone fighter…….
 
Luke stayed on target, relied on “the force,” blasting the Death Star into a bazillion pieces!
 
Skywalker saved the day by staying on target.
 
Now that we know the galaxy is safe, we can turn our attention to even more important targets in life.
 
The Apostle Paul, nearing the end of his earthly ministry, while on trial, stood tall before King Agrippa, confidently declaring that he has stayed on target as a Christian and minister of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Observe what Paul says.
 
“Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.”  Acts 26:19-20
 
First, Paul was obedient to God’s vision for his life. Paul’s passion to pursue and fulfill the “heavenly vision” given to him commenced at his conversion (Acts 9). God’s target for Paul was to preach the Good News to Jews and Gentiles. Paul never strayed off target by being disobedient to his call. Not once no matter what he suffered. (see II Corinthians 11:22-33).
           
Paul was ever faithful and never faltered to share his faith in Jesus Christ. Through thick and thin he “kept declaring” God’s plan of salvation. Through his entire ministry, Paul obeyed God’s command and stayed on target.
 
Secondly, Pauls help to stay on target came from the Lord. For Paul, staying on target was standing for Christ. “The force” in Paul’s life was Jesus Christ. Paul, “having obtained help from the Lord” (verse 22) took a stand for Christ, kept standing, and would continue to stand. Paul stood for God because God stood with Paul.
 
Third, Paul’s ministry was proof of his staying on target. Missing or falling short of the target was not an option for Paul. Through faith, Paul trusted in Christ to help him stay on target. He meant with all his might to hit the bullseye of God’s will. Paul never strayed off target. He prayed and served and stayed on target to the end.
 
In the end, he received from Jesus the crown of righteousness as his eternal reward (II Timothy 4:7-8). Those who love Christ’s appearing will receive the same crown! I can hardly wait for that moment when I see Jesus and He sets the crown of righteousness on me!
 
 The Christian life is a lifelong mission of staying on target. Our God-given vision is our mission. Our mission is to stay on target to fulfill the vision.
 
Paul inspires me and fires me up to stay on target! He stayed on mission and completed the vision. The devil, like Darth Vader, will do all he can to distract, discourage and destroy God’ visionaries. Satan’s strategy of destruction is designed so that Christians might stray and stay off target.
 
Paul would have none of the enemy’s nonsense. The Apostle of grace knew where he stood in Christ. God’s Word boldly declares to believers “You are from God little children and have overcome them; for greater is He (Jesus Christ) who is in you than he (the devil) who is in the world.” (I John 4:4).
 
Life tends to drift from time to time.
 
Drifting off target leads to being overwhelmed and overcome by life. Staying on target keeps us overcoming in life and overwhelming the enemy! Paul was not a spiritual drifter, and neither should we be.
           
 The ultimate test and proof of Christian commitment is staying on target. Here are some thoughts on staying on target.
 

• Staying on target is God’s will for us.
• Staying on target keeps our faith focused.
• Staying on target through Christ makes us conquerors.
• Staying on target reaps God’s richest rewards.
• Stay on target when you cannot see the target.
• Stay on target when you are a target.
• Stay on target when others stray off target.
• Stay on target when you are tired of staying on target.
• Stay on target when other targets distract you.
• Stay on target when tempted to go off target.
• Stay on target knowing God is with you!

 
What “heavenly vision” has God given you? Are you being obedient to God’s vision for your life? Are you staying on target?
 
Staying on target keeps us from straying off target.
 
When it seems hardest to stay on target, stay on target! Look to the Lord, lean on the Holy Spirit for His help, and stay obedient to what God has called you to do.
 
My fellow Christian, stay on target. Whatever you do, keep the faith and stay on target for Jesus Christ.
 
“But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”                                                                        Hebrews 10:3
 
“But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”                                                                                                              Philippians 3:13-14
 
A Word For Your Week: Trust God and stay on target.
 

​Every single day is a gracious gift from God.
 
With undying hope in my heart and unwavering trust in my personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I begin each day with bold, optimistic faith in my faithful God.
 
“This is the day the Lord has made; we (you and me) will rejoice and be glad in it.
 Psalm 118:24
 
As I look forward expectantly to every day, the Lord has told me to stay awake spiritually and morally. More than ever before. Why? Because of the day you and I and our families are living in.
 
Our Word For This Week is found in Romans 13:11.
 
“And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” Romans 13:11
 
Note Paul says, “knowing the time;” it was the hour for Roman Christians to “awaken from sleep.” Why? Because salvation was nearer than ever before. Paul was writing to Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. Roman culture rejected Jesus. Believers in Christ were suffering for the sake of His name and cause.
 
During intense, costly cultural oppression, Paul exhorted his fellow Christians to know the time and to wake up and stay spiritually awake.           
           
In II Timothy 3:1-15 Paul told Timothy that “in the last days, difficult (perilous, trying) times will come” (verse 1). Read these fifteen verses and see if they do not describe our nation and world. Difficult days. Perilous times are indeed here.
 
You, me, our families and the body of Christ in the United States and around the world are experiencing a monumental societal shift. A cataclysmic cultural change that is altering what Americans believe and how they behave themselves. America is changing----in the wrong direction.
 
A deadly, deceptive spirit stealthily slithers its way through our slumbering society. Self-absorbed, mean-spirited peddlers of personal agendas distort truth and bombard our culture with fabricated falsehoods.   
           
             
Slick-tongued liars, motivated by selfish-ambition, self-interest and power, sell naïve people a bill of goods that is not good for them. We are told to save trees and whales, while we kill babies. We are expected to tolerate and accept as normal, and even God-caused, perverse sexual conduct that culture laughs at, but God calls abomination.
 
We are railroaded to redistribute wealth while burying our children in mountains of greed-based debt. All that is innocent, sacred, holy and pure is being sacrificed on a carnal altar of comfort, convenience and preference of arrogant, unbelieving men who believe they know better than their Creator.
 
While average Americans snooze spiritually and morally, sinister forces stay wide awake, huddling behind closed doors late at night, deviously, and without moral conscience, plotting the demise of society as we have known it.
 
We are being taken for a dangerous ride, and many of our fellow citizens do not even know who is driving the bus to destruction. Why? Because they are spiritually and morally asleep. Sadly, many professing Christians have fallen asleep too.
 
Today is not the day to fall asleep spiritually or morally.
 
Does it matter if we fall asleep spiritually and morally? Indeed it does.
 
Read Mark 14:32-42. In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus prepared His soul for going to the Cross to become sin for us, the disciples were sleeping! Jesus rebuked Peter and the others for sleeping when He needed them to be awake. When it was time to go, Jesus was ready to face what was coming. The disciples were not. They fled and failed because they slept. May we not be like the disciples who pushed the snooze alarm, hoping to catch a few more z’s because they were weary of the battle.
 
While the disciples slept and you und I sleep, spiritual conflict rages on. This day and everyday we cannot afford to go to sleep while the devil is wide awake. Snoozing will not make Satan and his evil, demonic forces fade away. Sleeping on our part provides opportunity for the evil one to steal, kill and destroy.
           
My brother or sister in Christ: do you know the time and are you staying awake?  
     
You and I are God’s righteous remnant. As His witnesses, we are here, not to sleep and slumber our way through life, but to stay awake in Christ, walking firm and steadfast in our faith, sounding the alarm against all who deceive and distract precious people for whom Jesus died from coming to the knowledge of God’s only Son.
 
Staying Awake
 

• Know the truth. Read and meditate upon God’s Word. Reject men’s lies.
• Join a small group of prayer warriors. Boldly hold each up before the Lord.
• Do not blindly accept what you hear from worldly media. The media markets what they want you to hear. Do not buy what is being sold.
• Resist relentless pressure to be lulled to sleep by the spirit of compromise and complacency that brainwashes us to buy into tolerance and indifference.
• Do not roll over and think there is nothing you can do to stem the tide. You and God are an invincible force for righteousness in an unrighteous world. Believe it. Act upon it.
• Encourage fellow Christians everywhere you go. We have already won in Christ. The victory is ours. Act like the winner you are in Him and exhort other believers to do the same.
• Lift up the name of Jesus every chance you have. Do not be silent. With eyes wide open, look for opportunities to tell people about The Way, The Truth and The Life.

       
Stay awake my fellow Christian. Wide-eyed awake. Man your post. Remain on spiritual alert. Give no quarter to the enemy of our souls. Cover your family with the Word of God. Stand up courageously, in the name of Jesus Christ, to resist and resoundingly reject the anti-Christ, anti-Christian spirit stalking our society.
 
Personally resolve to rise up in Christ’s resurrection power. Boldly and joyfully enter each day with the love of God in your heart, the grace and goodness of Jesus in your words and conduct, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit that empowers you to fulfill His will on earth.
 
Stay awake every day.
 
“For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”                                                                                                         Ephesians 5:14
 
“Awake to righteousness, and stop sinning…”                                     I Corinthians 15:34
 
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
                                                                                                                         I Peter 5:8-9
 
A Word For Your Week: Stay spiritually wide awake while others sleep.

​As a Christian who loves and serves the Lord Jesus Christ I am blessed and very grateful that I have lived my life and raised my family in the United States of America.
But every day my heart is heavily burdened with concern for my country.
While multitudes of Americans are sleeping at our nation’s moral wheel, sinister, evil forces are working feverishly and overtime through naïve, misguided, morally lost people who are committed to toppling and destroying our Judea/Christian nation.  
‘Woke” is one of them.
My friends, America needs to wake up. But not the “Woke” way.
Contrary to its zealous adherent’s claims, “Woke” is not enlightened. The truth is “Woke” is dark. “Woke” is founded upon and operates in spiritual/moral darkness.
The souls of “Woke” subscriber’s dwell in ever-deepening, dark shadows of death. The prince of darkness, Satan, is the one who tricks vulnerable, gullible folks into believing and buying into the lie that “Woke” is the new truth. Truth that will liberate humankind into a glorious utopia that sets each of us free to be whatever we decide and choose to be.  
“Woke” is not some noble, life elevating wake-up call. Quite the contrary. “Woke” is dangerous. It is a deceived, deluded, immoral movement, espousing unholy, unsacred, unrighteous, perverse, indecent, degrading human conduct. “Woke” arrogantly, and at times violently, opposes what Almighty God declares in the Bible to be holy, sacred, righteous, good and decent.
“Woke” is not awake. It is asleep, blind to God’s holy Word in the Bible.  
WAKE UP READERS. “Woke” is not a silly joke to be laughed at. Our nation made that mistake when we made fun of homosexuals in the 1970’s, blind and naively oblivious to the crafty strategy of the devil to begin to chip away one deception after another at our nation’s moral core and code.
It deeply saddens, maddens and grieves my spirit that “Woke” is being force fed to innocent kindergarten children. Oh God, please spare our little ones from the perversion that is presented to their innocent minds and hearts as normal and acceptable. Who is going to save the children? You? Me? Christians? Who?
“Woke” folks are in for a soul-shocking surprise when the cosmic curtain is pulled back and realize they, like dumb sheep, have swallowed hook line and sinker an insidious lie that has negative eternal consequences. If they do not receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before they die, they will awaken in hell, not “Woke”, but woe is me! What did I do to myself? Why did I believe a lie when Jesus showed me the truth and His love for me throughout my life?
I am not surprised about “Woke”.  The Bible reveals perilous times in the last days (II Timothy 3:1-15, Jude 17-25, I Peter 4:12-19). Immorality will abound. I expect the world to be “Woke”. But I am shocked and stunned that some so-called churches have welcomed ‘Woke” to their congregations. What would Jesus say about that today?  
Fellow Christians, can anything turn the “Woke” tide”. I believe with all my heart that America’s answer for revival, restoration, renewal and redemption is not to wake up to “woke”.
It is to WAKE UP TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, would have this to say to “Woke”. Addressing Christians, the apostle of grace made it clear that righteousness is God’s will for His people.
“Awake to righteousness and stop sinning. Some have no knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame.” I Corinthians 15:34 (KJV).
“Awake sleeper, arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14.
And this do, knowing the time, that it is already to hour to awaken from sleep; for salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” Romans 13:11.
Three major thoughts in these verses.

1. Awake to righteousness. The Bible reveals that our Creator, Almighty God is righteous. Righteousness means being and doing what is right. Rightness, if I may put it that way, flows from God who is the author and enforcer of right and wrong. God’s people and the lost world need to wake up to what God declares is right. Wrong can never be right. What is right in the sight of God is what is right for you, me and everyone else.  

 

1. Awaken from sleep. Paul exhorted believers in Christ to wake up to what is right. Turn our moral clock off snooze mode. Christians are to live their daily life according to the guidelines of right and wrong in the Word of God. The Ten commandments would be a good place to start!

 

1. Stop sinning. You and I cannot walk in Christ’s righteousness if we willfully sin. Unrighteousness, falling short of God’s righteous plans for you and me, is sin. Sin lulls people into a spiritual coma. Satan hunts down folks who are morally asleep. The evil one subtly suggests to spiritual sleepers that right is wrong and wrong is right.

 
My friends, please listen to me. WAKE UP to the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ.
 Sin is man’s deadly enemy. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Sin is always wrong, never right. Sin’s payday is eternal death. But God’s free gift to you and me is eternal life. Life in Christ.
My heart as I write is bursting with exhortation. You and I let’s ask God to search our heart. Ask the Lord to clean up whatever is sinful and unholy. Then commit ourselves to His righteousness in our daily life. Let’s choose to stand firm and walk by faith every day in joyful obedience to God’s commandments and guidelines for holy living.
People walking in the darkness of Satan’s damning shadow will never wake up if God’s people are asleep. I believe God has always and is now issuing a wake-up call to His righteous people to live right and reach out with Christ’s mercy and love to those who are living wrong.
You and I can make a difference. Next week I will write a few thoughts about staying awake.   
 America: Wake up “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave” before it is too late.
“Righteous exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
A Word For Your Week: Awaken to righteousness America.

​Enough is enough.
It is time for Christians (who I am addressing today) to take a stand against the irreverent, rampant, revolting, unchecked evil that is ravaging our nation and world.  
Let’s call evil what it is. Evil is evil. Evil will never be good.
Evil people are boldly, unashamedly, unapologetically, fanatically in some cases, standing against everything that is holy, righteous, good and decent. Unafraid, emboldened by the evil one who they blindly serve, evildoers stand up and speak out for what they erroneously believe. Deceived and duped by the devil, they spew their poisonous ideology on naïve people.
I have a question.  Why is it that many of God’s good people are strangely, eerily silent as evil attempts to destroy America’s Judeo-Christian heritage and history?  
I have an idea. It takes courageous commitment and unshakeable convictions to take a stand in our current culture. Demonic forces, evil people and weak Christians put pressure on you and me to sit down and shut up when we should be standing up and speaking up.
People who stand for nothing will fall for anything. There are people, even in the church, who fall for anything because they stand for nothing.
Think about this. Not taking a stand for what you believe is taking a stand that you really do not believe what you say you do.
If you don’t clearly define where you stand, someone else will define your life for you, and you may not like their assessment!
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” The Lord declared that His church, the body of Christ, would prevail against hell’s gates. The original intent of the verse means that God’s people would push back the gates of hell, not be pushed back, pushed around and pushed down by the gates of hell.  
How in the world, with a promise like that, can the church of Jesus Christ not prevail over the evil that hell has unleased through its gates? You, me and fellow believers must ask ourselves if we are prevailing or failing in the presence of Satan’s demonic hordes and evil minions.
In the Bible, Peter exhorts us in I Peter 3:15 to defend our faith. “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
Defending Christian faith means Christians should take a stand for Jesus Christ in their daily life. You and I should be ready, prepared to share our faith with the people God puts in our path.
 If you profess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, do you stand up for His name and His Word? Is your faith in Jesus settled, firm, steadfast, immovable, unshakeable? Would you be willing to lay down your physical life for the Savior?
Taking A Stand For The Cause Of Christ

• Search your heart. What do you stand for today? Do you stand for good and stand against evil?
• Do you take a stand that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, authoritative holy Word of God and Jesus is the only way to heaven? He alone is the way, the truth and the life? John 14:6
• Do you take a stand for sanctify of life for all ages, especially the innocent unborn who are murdered in a mother’s womb by abortion?
• Do you take a stand for moral/sexual purity standards and boundaries defined by the Bible? Do you stand against all forms of abominable sexual immorality and perversion, including homosexuality, same sex marriage and mutilation of gender of males and females?
• Do you take a stand against mental, emotional, verbal, physical, sexual abuse and exploitation of defenseless, children and senior citizens?
• Do you take a stand for pure, decent, dignifying speech, standing against crude language, cursing, profanity and swearing that permeates our society in private and public?
• Do you stand up for truth and stand against lies from the mouths of liars?
• Do you take a stand when “Breaking News” contradicts, makes fun of, mocks and blasphemes the Bible, ridiculing, maligning and marginalizing Christians who believe in God’s Word?
• Do you take a stand to respect and support law and order, lawful authority and law enforcement personnel?

My friends, it is truly time for you and me take a stand for what we say we stand for.
Jesus took a stand when He died voluntarily on the Cross. His shed blood secured salvation for you, me and all who will believe. How can we not stand for Him who died in our place?
There are brothers and sisters in Christ today, right now, in the world who are being killed because of their faith. Regardless of the persecution and suffering, they courageously choose to take a stand for Christ, knowing it may well cost them their earthly life.
My brothers and sisters in Christ. Take a stand. Stand up for Jesus and the Bible.  Arise. Get up off your spiritual fanny (I said it nicely) to stand up boldly for Lord.
Take a stand now while you can. Stand by yourself if necessary. Stand up to evil with the Good News!
Multitudes of people are spiritually lost. Their hearts are empty. Without Christ, they are hopeless, helpless and powerless to save themselves from sin, death and the grave.
 Stand with Jesus to win the lost to Christ before it is too late.   
 “Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men, be strong. I Corinthians 16:13
A Word For Your Week: Take a strong stand for Jesus Christ and Christianity every day.   

Evil from the pit of hell has reared its ugly across the world.
I do not have to tell you that Satan inspired, demon empowered evil is spreading like a deadly  viruss of death throughout humanity. Misguided men and women and their supporters, under the devil’s dominion, are savagely ravaging their fellow human beings with their blind belief that lies and hate are greater than truth and love.  
Unchecked evil, that ruins and destroys innocent people’s lives, gets my spiritual dander up. If you don’t know what spiritual dander is, it means evil really ticks me off! Makes me righteously angry!
Defiance and rebellion towards God. Disrespect for lawful authority. Sexual immorality. Perversion of purity. Violence against others. Murder of the unborn. Taking advantage of the elderly. Lying. Stealing. Cheating. Corruption. Vile hatred. Terrorist attacks. Barbaric butchering of human beings. Being a false witness. These evil deeds, as well as others, get Steve Roll’s dander up in a hurry! 
My friends, it is time to call evil evil.
The words evil, evils, evil doers, evil deeds are mentioned at least 700 times in God’s Word. If you want to know what is evil, pay clear attention to what God says is evil, (not the world, media, political figures or your favorite celebrity!) 
In the Bible, God calls good good and evil evil. Nowhere in the Bible does God tolerate evil. Sorry politically correct world: Tolerance is not a biblical principle regarding evil. Meditate on this ominous, foreboding warning from Isaiah 5:20-23.
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight. Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and valiant men in mixing strong drink; who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right.”
No comment necessary except if you dare to call evil good or good evil, you better think again.  God’s “woe” means watch out! Hit the deck! Judgment from the hand of Almighty God is coming!
Satan, “the evil one” in the Bible, always makes evil look good. The devil is a deceiver who entices and seduces unsuspecting, naïve, vulnerable people into accepting evil over good. Satan is a liar who peddles falsehood to folks who are not grounded in God’s good Word.
Our current culture, and some segments of the church, are soft-peddling evil, making light of and mocking what is good. Christians who love the Lord and His Word should be appalled, ashamed and gravely concerned about the tolerant attitudes toward evil that are coming from some pulpits. Many so=called Christians are blinking and winking at evil when they should be speaking out and standing up against it.
Making evil palatable and excusable is inexcusable for the body of Christ. Jesus never tolerated evil in any way, shape or form. The Cross was horrifically evil. Jesus voluntarily died on that cruel cross to save you, me and all of mankind from the evil of all evils, eternity in hell.
Compromising and coddling evil by the culture or church invites the displeasure of the One who Sent His only Son to redeem us from sin and deliver us from the evil one.
What do you think about evil? How do you feel about evil’s onslaught on our society and world? Does it matter to you that evil is being exalted while good is being trampled underfoot?
  Steps For Standing Up Against Evil

• Pray for you and your family to be protected from evil. God delivers His people from evil.
• Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Do not lead us into temptation, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”  (Matthew 6:9-13).
• Pray for our nation to return to the Lord. Life-changing spiritual awakening and moral revival forsakes evil and embraces good. We need good, not evil, citizens.
• Pray for the protection from evil for the innocent, naïve, vulnerable, the unborn, children and elderly and all who are preyed upon by evil men and women.  
• Pray that God will shut the mouths of evil speakers and shut down the wicked deeds of evil men and women. It’s time for evil to be dealt with, not ignored.    
• Push back the gates of hell. That’s right. Don’t be pushed around by evil.  Push evil around with good. Jesus said “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). The body of Christ isn’t called to hold on, hang in there, hope it somehow survives Satan’s assaults.  Quite the contrary. Jesus meant that Christians are to push back the gates of hell to hell where Satan and evildoers belong!
• Attend a church where the Pastor stands up for good and stands against evil. If your pastor compromises the Word by calling good evil or evil good, find another church.
• Never return evil for evil. Return good for evil. “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.” Romans 12:17
• Stand up. Speak up. Oppose evil in Jesus’ mighty name. No time for being a wimpy, wish-washy, compromising believer. It is time to stand up boldly in the power of the Holy Spirit for our Lord Jesus Christ, His eternal Kingdom and the Word of God that was given to save all of us from sin and evil.

 Booker T. Washington once said” A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good just because it is accepted by the majority.”
Truth. Goodness. Righteousness. Holiness. What is right. What is just. What is pure. What is sacred. When have these biblical virtues ever been a majority?
My friend, boldly rise up with others as a fully committed, God-loving, God fearing minority that has the full force of heaven on our side to turn our increasingly evil society and world back to goodness and decency.
I am signing up for God’s side. How about you?
“Then Elisha answered, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” II Kings 6:16
A Word For your Week: Evil will retreat when God’s good people stand up against it.
 

​Currently our world is deeply troubled.
 
The ominous threat and unnerving possibility of widespread world war among nations is hovering over humanity. Peace eludes many. Not just peace from war, but peace in hearts torn by fear and terror that war produces.
 
Like me, you dislike trouble.
 
If someone likes trouble, they are in real TROUBLE!
 
Most of us will agree that life is not trouble free. Trouble is part of living in a fallen world. Troubles can find you and me when we are not even looking for them!
           
Trouble’s troublesome head was first raised when Adam and Eve decided to listen to the devil instead of God (see Genesis 3). Humankind and trouble have been traveling companions throughout human history ever since our first parents were booted out of Paradise for disobedience. But man’s Creator had a remedy for trouble.
 
 Jesus Himself said that we would have tribulation (trouble) in this world.
 
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33
 
The Lord was no stranger to trouble. Everywhere He turned, the Son of God’s traveling companion was trouble. Because He and we are not of this world system, we will experience trouble too. All kinds of it. We must remember that the servant is not above His Master. We must also remember that trouble did not master our Master.
 
Jesus mastered trouble. So can you and me. We can be courageous in Christ.
 
 Jesus tells His followers to be of good cheer and courageous when troubled. Why? Because He has overcome the world where trouble comes from. We can overcome trouble because Jesus overcame the world. Triumphing over trouble is a hallmark of people of faith in Christ.
 
One of my favorite scriptures is John 14:27.
 
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, or let it be fearful.” John 14:27
 
The Lord tells us specifically to not be troubled in our hearts. Neither are we to be fearful. The trouble with trouble is that it can lead to a fearful heart. A fearful heart loses courage to walk by faith. When we walk in fear instead of faith, trouble triumphs over us.
 
Life may not be trouble free, but our hearts can be. The Master’s key to triumphing over trouble is God’s peace.
 
 Note it is “My peace” that Jesus gives to us. Not the world’s false peace, but God’s true peace. Peace that overcomes is the peace that comes from the Prince of Peace. Jesus’ peace kept him victorious in times of trouble. AMAZING TRUTH: Jesus gives us His peace. I have God’s peace when I trust in Him! His peace stills our spirit, enabling us to stand firm and steady during trouble’s storms.
 
The God of peace sends Christ’s peace to calm our troubled hearts and give Christians courage to rise up and overcome life’s difficulties.
 
Seven Steps For Triumphing Over Trouble
           
1. Believe in God and His only Son Jesus Christ.
2. Receive the peace of God.
3. Be courageous in the face of trouble.
4. Do not allow fear to take hold in your heart.
5. Turn away from your troubles.
6. Turn to and turn up your faith in Jesus.
7. Walk every day in Christ’s victory over the world.
              
Multitudes of people across the world are troubled by trouble. Some of them live next door or down the street from you. You work with folks who are anxious and fearful concerning world events. Governments are scrambling to contain trouble. Even some professing Christians are not sure what to do.
 
How about you? Are you currently troubled by trouble? Please don’t be.
 
Turn the table on trouble. Trouble is in trouble when God’s children are not troubled by trouble. When trouble knocks on the door of your heart, simply tell it to go away. Tell your troubles to take a hike in Jesus’ mighty name! Stand firm in your faith. Send trouble down the road to trouble you no more.
 
I say again: do not be troubled or be afraid. Jesus’ peace has trouble covered!
 
“Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.”    John 14:1
 
A Word For Your Week: Triumph over trouble through trust in Jesus Christ.
 

​At this time, you, me and precious, innocent, decent, well-intentioned, good people all over the world are witnessing hell unleashed through evil men and women. Unrestrained, horrific, abominable, Satan inspired, demonic empowered evil from the fiery pit of hell is stalking the world.
 
Anxiety, fear, terror and uncertainty, like a dark, sinister storm cloud, is hovering over the human race.
 
People everywhere are asking “Who will deliver us from evil?” The government? Military power? Political coalitions? New leadership? Economic prosperity?
 
My friend, look no further than God’s Word, the Bible. Who can and will deliver good, righteous people from evil? Almighty God will. The God of the Bible is a God of deliverances.
 
For as long as I can remember Domino’s Pizza advertising slogan has been “Domino’s Delivers!”
 
Personally, I have eaten my share of pizza pie in my seven decades of life. Piping hot  sausage and cheese pizza delivered to my door has a wonderful way of rescuing me from hunger pangs. Yum! Can’t you just taste your favorite pizza melting in your mouth about now? Some of you are ready to dial Domino’s aren’t you!
 
Domino’s is not the only one who delivers. I am not talking about pizza here.
 
God is in the delivery business too. Delivery with a big “D.”  Domino’s Pizza rescues from hunger. But God rescues His people from their enemies.
 
David’s chapter title for I Samuel 17 could read GOD DELIVERS!
 
David was obviously overmatched when the giant Goliath (9 feet tall and weighing 700 pounds) stepped onto the battlefield to taunt him into a fight. King Saul and the Israeli army, paralyzed by fear, stood frozen in their sandals for forty days and nights. Eighty times the gigantic, menacing giant ate their lunch. Israel seemed powerless to do anything about it.
 
Day forty-one, enter David who possessed a bucket load of faith, a laser guided slingshot (okay, I am exaggerating a bit!) and a handful of bunker busting stones (I did it again didn’t I?). You read the story for yourself and see what really happened.
 
With brazen, unbridled, and brash boldness, David decisively defeated the mighty Philistine warrior Goliath. How in the world did this little known, pint-sized shepherd boy bring down the towering, trash-talking giant?
 
David confidently and courageously exercised faith in the God who delivers.
 
“And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”       I Samuel 17:37
 
Where did David’s conquering confidence come from? He was confident of God’s ability to rescue him from Goliath because of past deliverances.
 
As a shepherd tending sheep in the field, David had faced danger before. At least two times. Attacked by a lion and bear, David rehearses how he was rescued from disaster. God’s mighty hand overpowered the paws of the two prowling predators, delivering David and his flock from destruction.
 
Therefore, full of faith, David concluded that as God rescued him from the lion and bear, He would certainly deliver him from this mountain-sized menace of an ungodly man.
 
The God who had delivered David yesterday would deliver him today.
 
How about you? How is your faith in God as your deliverer? Right now? During these perilous, unnerving times in human history?
 
Do you need God to rescue you from an enemy or difficult circumstance? Psalm 68:19-20 declares. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. GOD IS TO US A GOD OF DELIVERANCES; And to God the Lord belong escapes from death.”
 
Absolutely Awesome! God is a God of deliverances! Note “deliverances” and “escapes” are plural. He delivers from anyone, anything and everything, every time. However many times we need delivered, GOD DELIVERS! He rescues the redeemed from the hand of enemies. While I am writing I say glory to that!!!
 
The focus of this week’s word is this:  Our God who has delivered us in the past will rescue us in the present and the future.
 
If you are like me, I need my memory jogged from time to time. Especially when I am under attack from the enemy. I need to focus my faith and reflect upon past times when God delivered me from the assaults of Satan, the mockery of men, the hurt of heartbreak or the insecurity of a sudden setback.
 
Let us help ourselves out by not forgetting past deliverances.
 
Remembering past rescues stimulates faith for rescue now.
 
Take a pad and pen and write down all the times God rescued you from the enemy. Refer to it when under attack. Rejoice in what God did for you. Then rest assured that the God who delivered you before will deliver you now!
 
When Facing A Goliath You Need Rescued From….
 

• Remember the lions and bears God has delivered you from.
• Look past the giants’ taunts and lean on God’s promises.
• Remove yourself from the doubting, fearful onlookers.
• Reject man’s unproven armor and strategies.
• Rely on the Lord to deliver you with your God-tailored slingshot and stones.
• Run toward your adversary with faith in the God who delivers.
• Rejoice in your deliverance by the hand of Almighty God!
• Rally others to believe in the God who rescues!

 
A Goliath of terrorism is has raised its ugly head and sword to annihilate decent human being. Who are you turning to: “Breaking News or God’s Good News?
 
When Goliath shows up on your turf resist him with faith. Summon the God of deliverances. Stand back with bold confidence. Watch Him deliver you from your adversary. Then rejoice in the God who rescues!
 
It is time for good people to stand up to evil, trusting in the God who delivers.
 
“But Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and Thou has put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Thy name forever.”                                                                                          Psalm 44:7-8
 
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.”    Hebrews 13:8      
 
A Word For Your Week: The God who delivered you yesterday will deliver you today and tomorrow.

​As I write today (October 18th) dark, ominous clouds of uncertainty hover over humanity.
Anxiety. Fear. Terror taunt and haunt the hearts and minds of men and women everywhere on planet Earth. Why? The prospect of a possible world war is on the table.
The war cry is eerily loud. Modern sabers are rattling, instilling uncertainty and confusion in folks like you and me. People of all stripes are troubled, wondering and worrying about what may be next. 
As a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian, what should Steve Roll do in a time such as this? I believe I should stand firm in faith as to what I am convinced of.
To be convinced means to be certain, persuaded, without any question or doubt.
There are people in our culture and world who are convinced of wrong things. Evil things. I choose to be different.   
In II Timothy 1: 12 the Apostle Paul shares with us what he was certain about.
“For this reason I also suffer, but I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed and am convinced, completely persuaded, that He (God) is able to keep what I have entrusted to Him against that day.”
Paul was a convinced, committed, confident Christian.
 Paul suffered for his faith (see II Corinthians 11: 22-31). The faithful messenger of the love and grace of God never sucked his spiritual thumb or threw a personal pity-poor-me party. On the contrary:  I have suffered. I am not ashamed. I know who I have believed. I am convinced. I like the personal pronoun “I”. Paul’s “I” meant he was an-all in guy.


Being convinced in my and your Christian faith is powerful. Do you believe that God will guard your commitment to Him every single day, no matter what?  

• Being convinced is a by-product of commitment. Commitment is based on convictions. Convictions underline character. Character rises above challenges.

Truth: Not being fully convinced creates confusion, chaos, instability and failure.

• Wishy/washy. Hot/cold. On/off. In/Out. Up/Down. Belief/unbelief. Trust/mistrust.  Obey/disobey…does not make for a consistent, overcoming, victorious Christian life.

My friend, there is tremendous, life-transforming, supernatural power in being 100% convinced and committed to fully follow the Lord Jesus Christ with a daily lifestyle of uncompromising faith and obedience. If I may, I say AMEN AND AMEN TO THAT!
RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD TIME
Are you convinced the world system is your security? Think again. Are you convinced the government will always protect you and your loved ones? Think again. Are you convinced that the economy is your supply? Think again. Are you convinced some political figure, celebrity or popular pastor is your savior? Think again. Are you convinced that fellow humans could keep you safe from Satan? Think again.  
Look up Romans 8:31-39 in your Bible. Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired pen records incredibly motivating words of unwavering commitment to Jesus Christ in verses 38-39.


“FOR I AM CONVINCED that neither death or life, or angels, or principalities, or things present, or things present, or powers, or height, or depth, or any other created thing, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.”
Paul nailed it down for himself. Even though he bore in his body evidence of suffering for Christ, he knew without a single question or doubt what he was convinced of. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could ever separate Paul from God’s love in Jesus.
I do not know about you, but I want to be like Paul in the way he followed Jesus.
How about you my fellow Christian?  Are you convinced, fully persuaded, that absolutely nothing can separate you from God’s love? Are you completely convinced that God is who He says He is and does what He says He will do? Seriously, are you on board 100% with unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? No matter what happens? Even if others around you are uncertain about their faith? Even if the world chooses to go to hell in a hand-basket?
 I challenge you in these uncertain times to be convinced. Make this your confession of faith.
‘I (Your Name) am not ashamed; for I (Your Name) know in whom I have believed and I (Your Name) am convinced that He is able to guard what I (Your Name) have entrusted to Him until that day. I will be unwavering in my personal devotion to My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who laid His life down for me through the shedding of His precious blood so that I could be saved for time and eternity.”
THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR WATCHING OVER ME EACH AND EVERY DAY!   
“The Lord is my light and my salvation. Who shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Who shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, MY HEART WILL NOT FEAR. Though war rise up against me, in spirt of this, I SHALL BE CONFIDENT.” Psalm 27:1-4
A Word For Your Week: Conduct your daily life as a convinced Christian.