Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

— James 1:17 NIV

Christ-followers may not have a pleasant present, but they have a marvelous future that is literally out of this world. Read more from Pastor Greg...

You can trust the LORD to help you. Amid trials and afflictions, quickly cry out to the LORD for help. His help will come as you wait on Him. As you wait for the help He is bringing, reflect on all He has brought you through in the past. He did it before; He will do it again. As others see you place your trust in the LORD, they also will learn to place their trust in the LORD. Read more from Pastor Greg...

It is easy to obey the Lord when we see results, but that is not where our faith is tested and perfected. Our faith is tested when our prayers go unanswered and we do not see the expected results. Our faith is perfected when we do not give up and continue to obey without seeing. Read more from Pastor Greg...

Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind.

— Helen Steiner Rice #MakeItYourPrayer

Let's rejoice in the moments of glory and splendor received, but let's also recognize that these are just a glimpse, a tiny taste, of our great and glorious future with Jesus. Read more...

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 

— James 1:12, NLT

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

— Psalm 89:14-15 NLT

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

— Isaiah 9:6 NLT. 

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you — they are full of the Spirit and life.

— Jesus, John 6:63 TNIV

The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born BY his purpose and FOR his purpose.

— Rick Warren

When Jesus said these things, a woman with the people there began to speak. She said to Jesus, "What a great blessing God gave your mother, because she gave birth to you and fed you." But Jesus said, "The people that hear the teaching of God and obey it — they are the people that are truly happy!"

— Jesus, Luke 11:27-28 (ERV)

From time immemorial men have quenched their thirst with water without knowing anything about its chemical constituents. In like manner, we do not need to be instructed in all the mysteries of doctrine, but we do need to receive the Living Water which Jesus Christ will give us and which alone can satisfy our souls. 

— Sadhu Sundar Singh

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

- Jesus, John 8:31-32 ESV

Look at the wild flowers. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field like that. That grass is living today, but tomorrow it will be thrown into the fire to be burned. So you know that God will clothe you much more. Don't have so little faith! So don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don't worry about it. All the people that don't know God try to get those things. Your Father (God) knows that you need those things. The thing you should want is God's kingdom. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. Don't fear, little flock (group). Your Father (God) wants to give you the kingdom. 

- Jesus, Luke 12:27-32 ERV

So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live. Don't worry about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes. Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest. Birds don't save food in houses or barns. But God takes care of them. And you are worth much more than birds. None of you can add any time to your life by worrying about it. If you cannot do the little things, then why worry about the big things?

— Jesus, Luke 12:22-26 ERV

When birds are sold, five small birds cost only two pennies. But God does not forget any of them. Yes, God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many birds.

 ~ Jesus, Luke 12:6-7 ERV

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.

- Isaiah 51:6 NIV

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

— Titus 3:4-7 NLT

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

- Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. — Jesus, John 14:21 NIV

"I don't call you servants now. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But now I call you friends because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue {in your life}. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other." — Jesus, John 15:15-17

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 

— Proverbs 3:3-4 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 

— Ephesians 2:19-20 NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

- Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
 
- Jesus, Matthew 6:33 NLT

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time - to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
 
- 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 

For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

- Romans 8:22-23 NLT

While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

- 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 MSG

The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. 

— Psalm 121:8 NIV

For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:6 NLT

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NLT

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5 ESV

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
     They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
     They will walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).
 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 ESV

‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ Matthew 1:23

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:4 ESV
 

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence since my youth.
From birth I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
    I will ever praise you.
I have become a sign to many;
    you are my strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor all day long. Psalm 71:5-8 NIV

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For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

The law of the Lord is perfect,
     reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
     making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is
          clear,
     enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure,
     enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are
          true
     and righteous altogether.

Psalm 19:7-9

With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17b NLT

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Giver of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

We live in stressful times, and stress causes mental and physical illness. Stress causes high blood pressure that leads to heart disease and stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in the world. Learn six ways to reduce stress in this encouraging short video by Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

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so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 ESV

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day:
 
  Give thanks to the Lord,
  call on the Lord's name;
  make known the Lord's deeds among the nations;
  proclaim that the Lord's name is exalted. Isaiah 12:3-4

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalm 34:18 NLT

With the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, joblessness caused by the pandemic, and race riots in the streets, America is at a crossroads. Will God help us? Find a key to God’s help in this encouraging video by pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

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Learn how you can defeat any temptation to give up on prayer in this encouraging video by pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

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Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
   whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
   and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Psalm 32:1-2 NRSV

But for you who welcome him [the Spirit of Christ], in whom he dwells — even though you still experience all the limitations of sin — you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's! — Romans 8:10-11 MSG

In a world that is being shaken, learn how you can live free from fear in this encouraging video by pastor, Gregory A. Johnson.

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For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. Romans 8:16-18 NLT

Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Proverbs 2:11 NLT

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NIV

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Psalm 119:1 NLT

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. — Colossians 3:23-24

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. — 1 Peter 3:18

"We cannot thank Jesus enough for all he has done for us and all that he is doing for us. He came into our word and made the way to bring us to God. Thank you, Jesus!" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:20-22

Your hope is safe. No one can steal it from you. Learn more in this encouraging video by Pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

Related Videos: 

• Building Hope Within You
• There Is Hope in a Famine of Truth

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As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Psalm 103:15-18

"The love of the Lord is forever with the faithful and the righteousness of the Lord is with their descendants. Beloved, be faithful to the Lord and his word. Be faithful." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Psalm 86:5

"Never fail to ask the Lord for help. You can do so throughout each day. As we ask the Lord for help, he wraps us in blankets of love and forgiveness, pouring his goodness upon us as we live dependent on him." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Living in a famine of truth in a day when fear threatens to overcome our society, learn how you can build hope within you in this short encouraging video by Pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

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Related Video: There Is Hope in a Famine of Truth

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

"Make this your prayer today: 'Heavenly Father, renew my mind as I read your Word and keep my eyes focused on your Son. As I make decisions, help me discern your will as declared in your Word and by your Son, Jesus. Amen.'" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

"The next time you are tempted to give up on prayer, be reminded that the one you are praying to is the creator of everything. God is able. Nothing is impossible for him." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Life can be very challenging at times. Stress, panic, and fear threaten to destroy minds and bodies as people struggle to make it from day to day. Watch as Pastor Gregory A. Johnson describes the one reason why you made it through the night and how you will make it through any crises that come your way.

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So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
Galatians 5:1

"Jesus set us free from the Old Testament law, giving us a new commandment of love — loving God and loving one another. Love God with everything you have and love others as Jesus loves you. It is how you stay free." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." — Jesus, John 15:15

"Christ-followers depend on the one they follow, finding in him all that they need, staying connected with him, realizing that it is Jesus at work within and through them, doing good." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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[Jesus] unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke 4:17-19

"His mission is defined by Scripture. His focus is on the marginalized. His anointing is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus comes into our world, calling us to follow him." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6, NLT

"Throughout life, I'm confident that Jesus pursues us. He comes looking for us, calling us, keeping us on the right path in our tendency to lose focus and veer, helping us along the way, leading us closer to our destination." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 
Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

"Pray for your needs, knowing that the Lord will make a way for you. Don’t dwell on past failures and mistakes. Pray, expecting a bright future. It may not be in your timing nor the way you imagine, but the Lord is making a way. Follow him." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Watch as Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org, declares that love wins! 

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Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

"Jesus has done more for us than we think we deserve. He believes in us more than we do. He sees our bright future while we focus on present woes. He knows we are created in God's image while we see ourselves and others as less. Jesus loves us." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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[ Fulfilling the Law Through Love ] Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

"It is all about Love. God loves us so much, he came into our world — Jesus lived as our example, died for our sins, was resurrected, and gives us eternal life. We live to follow Christ, fulfilling God's word as we love others." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

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Learn how to defeat fear and evil in this short encouraging two-minute video with Pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

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And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

"God brings peace out of chaos, joy out of sorrow, strength out of weakness, endurance out of weariness — he never fails his children who love him. While we are busy with life, he is resting in what he has prepared for us. God is good to us." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9

"We all are sinners, but Jesus has given us his spirit, the Holy Spirit, to help us with our sin problem. So, we have supernatural help available to us and the power of confession. As we confess our sins to Jesus, he not only forgives, but he also cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Thank you, Jesus!" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

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Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

"When we meditate on the goodness of God and his love for us that is never ending and never waning, the result is giving him thanks. God is not only good, but God is good to us, loving us in spite of what we have done or have become. Thank you, Lord!" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, Founder of LovingGodFellowship.org
 

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

"Life brings ups and downs, good times and bad times. As you follow Christ, you can rest assured that he will give you direction when you don’t know where to turn, he will bless you with his presence even when others shun you, and you can look forward to living with him forever." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org #ThankYouJesus

But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Learn how to protect your mind in this encouraging two-minute video with Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

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For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 

"God's love for you was completed at the cross of Christ. Nothing can take his love from you. There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more or any less. It is finished. Live in his Love, allowing it to flow through you." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

Learn how you can successfully navigate life in this encouraging three-minute video with Pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

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I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. — Jesus, Matthew 16:18

"Jesus is the first to mention the church. He says it is his, that he will build it, and that nothing is able to destroy it. His teachings and actions reveal his church to us. It is made up of Christ-followers who will not be conquered by evil and hate. Not now. Not ever." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

"As we follow Christ, he makes us more like him. That's our desire—to become more like Jesus. He does this work by his spirit that he deposits within us. It is finished when we leave this earth, becoming more than we can ever imagine or have prayed. The glory is his alone." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in God's word I hope. Psalm 130:5

"Because I believe God’s word, I wait. Because I long for Jesus to come, I wait. Instead of wishing for, I fully expect God to keep his promises. It keeps me going when I no longer want to go, during the times I think I can wait no longer. I wait." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, Founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have rescued. Psalm 71:23

"Thinking of all the Lord has rescued me from, despite my strong-headed stubbornness and spouts of selfish ambition especially when young, ushers joy into my praise. Joy replaces regrets, realizing God has been in control all along, molding and shaping this clay into a vessel for his presence. Rejoice, Beloved, rejoice. God has rescued you!" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. Psalm 130:5

"You can trust that God will do what he declares in his word. Put your hope in his word and stand on the promises he has given you there. God's word and your faith in it will get you through all that comes your way. You can count on it!" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, found of LovingGodFellowship.org.

Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.  Proverbs 23:18 NRSV

"Beloved, hope wins over fear. Your hope is safe. No one can steal it from you. It is yours, so hope away, putting fear to flight. Your future is bright!" — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

The Bible, God’s word to us, is full of promises. With those promises come conditions. For example, the promise is that our prayers will be answered. The condition attached to that promise is... Learn more in this two-minute encouraging video by Pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

Brought to you by LovingGodFellowship.TV.

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you." — Apostle Paul

"More in our day than ever, we must protect our mind. Control your thoughts by thinking about all that is good. As we think about good, we will do good. As we do good, God and his peace consume us and any thoughts that threaten peace are defeated—our mind is protected." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

"There is one reason why you made it through the night—the Lord sustains you. Your hope rests on it getting better for you, but the good news is that the Lord is here with you now, loving you, caring for you, healing you, and saving you." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

Learn three things you can do today and every day to help yourself regardless of the circumstances that surround you in this encouraging two-minute video by pastor Gregory A. Johnson.

Brought to you by LovingGodFellowship.TV.

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

"Evil does not win. It never has, and it never will. It thrives in the fear that it breeds. Do not allow it place in your day or life. Stay focused on Jesus, following him. He assures your victory today and every day as you follow him." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

"Jesus is relevant to your day today. He gives direction, never steering you wrong. He speaks the truth while others deceive, saying what they think you want to hear. He gives life, both abundant and eternal. Follow Jesus today; he will lead you to the Father." — Pastor Gregory A. Johnson, founder of LovingGodFellowship.org.

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

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Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.

Brought to you by LGF TV.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. — Jesus

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. — Jesus

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Come now, let us argue it out,
says the Lord:
though your sins are scarlet,
they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool. 

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him (ESV).

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe (NLT). 

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong (NLT).

He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying (Matthew 28:6 NLT).

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (ESV).

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life (NLT)."

For the mountains may depart, 
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you (NRSV).

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand (NLT).

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God's] mercies never come to an end;
hey are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness (NRSV).

It is not after we were reconciled by the blood of his Son that God began to love us, but before the foundation of the world. — John Calvin

All the stuff we work so hard for will not last forever. If someone gives you a nice present, you can enjoy it for a period of time, but it won’t last forever either. Just like stuff, conditions and feelings will not last forever.  

What will last forever? LovingGodFellowship.org founder, Gregory A. Johnson, shares the answer in this encouraging video, Things That Will Last Forever.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (NLT).

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (ESV).

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world (ESV).

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (NLT)."

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord (ESV)!

All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God (NLT).

I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me (NLT).

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock (ESV).

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (ESV). — Jesus

This is what the LORD says-the LORD who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the LORD: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (NLT).

See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory (NLT).

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands (NRSV).

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit (NLT).

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words (NLT).

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs (NLT).

Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail (NLT).

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (ESV).

Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known (ESV).

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (NLT).

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (NLT).

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (ESV).

But ask the animals, and they will teach you; 
the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In [God's] hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being (NRSV).

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (ESV)

But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love (NRSV).

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne (NLT).

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments (ESV).

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses (NLT).

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (ESV).

I cried out, "I am slipping!" but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer (NLT).

And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord (NRSV).

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (ESV).

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (ESV).

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake (ESV).

Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death (NLT)?

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there (NLT).

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you (NLT).

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (NLT).

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (ESV).

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (ESV).

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (ESV).

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (ESV).

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us (ESV).

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (ESV).

Keep yourself as a pilgrim and a stranger here in this world, as one to whom the world's business counts but little. Keep your heart free, and always lift it up to God. — Thomas à Kempis

We are Christians and strangers on this earth. Let none of us be frightened; our native land is not this world. — St. Augustine of Hippo

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow (NLT).

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (ESV).

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David (NSV)!

I have three words for you today—you are loved. Jesus loves you so much that He died for you on an old, rugged cross. He desires to be your strength today and always. — Gregory A. Johnson

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand (ESV).

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (ESV). — Jesus

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us (NRSV).

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness (NLT).

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life (NRSV). — Jesus 

You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. — Thomas Merton

God is in the business of restoration, and he's been doing it for a long, long time. We're merely his partners, his apprentices. We're working with a pro! Today open your heart and let God's touch bring restoration to those areas of your life that need repair. Then go and touch others with his restoring love. — Amy Nappa

It is not the uniqueness of "Christianity" as a system that we defend, but the uniqueness of Christ. ... So, because in no other person but Jesus of Nazareth did God first become human (in his birth), then bear our sins (in his death), then conquer death (in his resurrection) and then enter his people (by his Spirit), he is uniquely able to save sinners. Nobody else has his qualifications. — John R. W. Stott

You are not an accident. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. ... Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God. He thought of you first. It is not fate, nor chance, nor luck, nor coincidence that you are breathing this very moment. You are alive because God wanted to create you! — Rick Warren

God's redemptive revelation in Scripture is necessary to saving faith and peace with God. Faith in a risen Savior is necessary if the vague stirrings toward immortality are to bring us to restful and satisfying communion with God. — A. W. Tozer

When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul (ESV).

[ To the Church in Laodicea ] “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (ESV).

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it (NLT).

[ Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith ] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (ESV).

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (NLT)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (ESV).

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children" (NRSV).

He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along (NLT).

When you face the perils of weariness, carelessness, and confusion, don't pray for an easier life. Pray instead to be a stronger man or woman of God. — Luis Palau

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord (ESV).

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (ESV).

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (ESV).

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (ESV).

God will either give you what you ask, or something far better. — Robert Murray M'Cheyne

At his ascension our Lord entered heaven, and he keeps the door open for humanity to enter. — Oswald Chambers

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (ESV).

[ Life in the Spirit ] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death (ESV).

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (ESV).

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (ESV)

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (NLT).

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake (ESV).

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life (NLT).

"Although Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and be thankful for everything that God has so graciously provided, enjoying it has no relation to the abundance of what we have, or what we lack." ​Continue Reading >>

-- Gregory A. Johnson

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? (NIV)

Do not be discouraged at your faults; bear with yourself in correcting them, as you would with your neighbor. Lay aside this ardor of mind, which exhausts your body, and leads you to commit errors. Accustom yourself gradually to carry prayer into all your daily occupations. Speak, move, work, in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be. -- François Fénelon

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

-- Philippians 4:6-7 NRSV

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

-- 1 Corinthians 15:58  NRSV

Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

-- Joshua 1:9 NRSV

"Return to the Lord, your God, for [the Lord] is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."

-- Joel 2:13 NRSV

That night, the boat was still in the middle of the lake. Jesus was alone on the land. Jesus saw the boat far away on the lake. He saw the followers working hard to row the boat. The wind was blowing against them. Sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, Jesus went to the boat. Jesus was walking on the water. Jesus continued walking until he was almost past the boat. But the followers saw Jesus walking on the water. They thought he was a ghost. The followers shouted with fear. All the followers saw Jesus and were very afraid. But Jesus spoke to the followers and said, "Don't worry! It's me! Don't be afraid."

-- Mark 6:47-50 ERV

God has cast our confessed sins into the depths of the sea, and He's even put a "No Fishing" sign over the spot.

-- Dwight L. Moody

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

-- Psalm 118:21-24 NRSV

​

by Gregory A. Johnson 

Under dark skies with the wind blowing wildly, causing the waves to be hurricane-like in size and strength, they were all together in the boat. Their pulses raced with anxiety. Fear was on the verge of overpowering and overwhelming them as they frantically tried steering the vessel through the madness and the fierceness of the raging sea. They would row in one direction only to have to row in the other direction as the unrelenting, powerful winds were swirling all about them. The spray was stinging their eyes, and the waves were lapping up over the sides of the boat. The boat was taking on water, and the question of survival was racing through their minds. It was the storm of a lifetime, and they could not rely on any past experiences or self-ability to get them through it. 

Continue reading »

by Gregory A. Johnson

Not just during the Easter season, but each day, we are confronted with the cross of Christ and the empty tomb. What do they mean? Why are they so significant?

In the 1800's Ralph E. Hudson wrote the chorus to the sacred hymn, At the Cross: "At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day!"

• At the cross, we realize how much God loves us (Romans 5:8).
• At the cross, we are justified and saved from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9).
• At the cross, we are reconciled to God (Romans 5:10).
• At the cross, we experience forgiveness of sins (Luke 23:34).

Continue reading >>

Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and the waves to stop. Jesus said, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind stopped and the lake became calm.

-- Mark 4:39 ERV

by Gregory A. Johnson

Every year, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter. Spanning approximately six weeks, it is a wonderful season on the Christian calendar, being observed by Christ’s followers, Protestants and Catholics alike, who desire to fast something in recognition of our Lord's sacrifice for us.

It is good to give the cost of what is given-up during Lent to the work of the ministry, and the time associated with what you give up to works of faith and justice (Isaiah 58:6-11 ESV).

What are you giving up for Lent? The Spirit within you will help you decide as you pray and ask the Lord.

Continue reading >>

“Diamonds do not dazzle with beauty unless they are cut. Then cut, the rays of the sun fall on them and make them shine with wonderful colors. So when we are cut by the cross, we shall shine as jewels in the [reign of God].”

-- Sadhu Sundar Singh

I am thankful that we are one day closer to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Media has utilized the date-setting false prophets of our day to desensitize society to the reality of the return of Christ, but that does not negate its truth. I feel the Holy Spirit compelling me, more and more, to remind people that Christ is returning as he promised, and we are to always be ready.

So many in our day, both inside and outside the walls of the church building, base what is right from wrong on what feels good, what is socially acceptable, what media and Hollywood suggests, instead of on Scripture. They are not hearing much different coming from behind the pulpits, and they are not reading the Bible on their own. Many go to church and only hear about receiving God's blessings. This bless-me-and-all-that-I-do message mimics many of the books written today by popular television preachers. Continue Reading >>

-- Jesus Christ Will Return, by Gregory A. Johnson

We must offer ourselves to God like a clean, smooth canvas and not worry ourselves about what God may choose to paint on it, but at each moment, feel only the stroke of His brush.

-- Jean Pierre de Caussade

“Sabbath observance invites us to stop. It invites us to rest. It asks us to notice that while we rest, the world continues without our help. It invites us to delight in the world’s beauty and abundance.”

-- Wendell Berry

We are Christians and strangers on this earth. Let none of us be frightened; our native land is not this world.

-- St. Augustine of Hippo

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.

-- Blaise Pascal

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

-- Ephesians 3:20-21 tniv

You were planned for God's pleasure. ... God did not NEED to create you, but he CHOSE to create you for ... his benefit, his glory, his purpose, and his delight.

-- Rick Warren

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

-- 1 John 1:7

He (Jesus) gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

-- 1 Timothy 2:6, NLT

The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don't cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don't turn up the TV and pretend they aren't there. Instead, stand still, whisper his name, and listen. He is nearer than you think.

-- Max Lucado

When you carry out acts of kindness, you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, "Yes, this is how I ought to feel."

-- Rabbi Harold Kushner

"Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;"

-- Psalm 146:5-7 NIV

What we do is very little. But it is like the little boy with a few loaves and fishes. Christ took that little and increased it. [Christ] will do the rest. What we do is so little that we may seem to be constantly failing. But so did [Christ] fail. [Christ] met with apparent failure on the Cross. But unless the seeds fall into the earth and die, there is no harvest. 

-- Dorothy Day

God's touch in our lives is kind ... Romans 2:4 says that it's God's KINDNESS -- not his power or justice -- that leads us to repentance. ... And because of this kindness, we want to be closer to him.

-- Amy Nappa

You know how it is -- you say the same words, yet they mean different things to those hearing them. you offer the same touch, yet it yields different results in different lives. Some people soak up your touch; others wipe it off. You might look at these situations and get discouraged: "Fine! I just won't do anything nice for anyone!" Yet look back at the example of Jesus.

-- Amy Nappa

Real encouragement occurs when words are spoken from a heart of love to another's recognized fear.

-- Larry Crabb

"Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of [God’s] people [God] will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for [God], so that [God] might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in [God's] salvation."

-- Isaiah 25:8-9 NRSV

Does God indeed need to rest? Of course not! But did God choose to rest? Yes. Why? Because God subjected creation to a rhythm of rest and work that He revealed by observing the rhythm Himself, as a precedent for everyone else. In this way, He showed us a key to order in our private worlds.

-- Gordon McDonald

Some people think that faith is believing that God will do what you want him to do—if you pray and believe, God will act in the way you want him to act on behalf of your situation or circumstance. They have been taught that if you mix some fasting with praying and believing, you can really get God’s attention, and he will do more of what you want him to do. With this type of thinking, glory is given to the individual who can supposedly move God into action. A true move of God will be in such a way that only God receives the glory.

Faith is believing that God will keep his word, doing what is right because he is in control and loves his children. It is in prayer where we receive more of his grace and mercy in our time of need as we release all of our worries and anxieties to him. Our human nature tries to hold on to them, but his nature is to bear them all if we just release them to him.

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For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...

— Titus 2:11-12 NIV

When the followers heard this, they were very surprised. They asked, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at his followers and said, "This is something that people cannot do themselves. But God can do all things."

— Matthew 19:25-26 ERV

We wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

-- Titus 2:13-14 NIV

[Jesus said,] "I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative -- that is, the Holy Spirit -- he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift -- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."

-- John 14:25-27 NIV

God has made a way for us to have eternal life through Jesus Christ. We can walk with Him every day, and one day He will take us to be with Him forever. God taking Enoch typifies the great gathering in the sky with the LORD that is to come for Christ-followers. Read more...