Harbor Rock Tabernacle

Joseph, the man called to the huge responsibility of being the earthly father of Jesus Christ, never says one word in the Bible. But his actions sets a powerful example of righteous character, unquestioning faith and faithful obedience. Facing his own personal fears, as well as social criticism and the risk of his career, Joseph still immediately honored the Lord and embraced the sacrifice of living in the Lord's will. 

In every communication God has with the key people in the Christmas account, He tells them the same thing: "Do not be afraid". Fear is a factor in every person's life, whether external fears like finances and world conditions or internal ones like loneliness, failure and change. But the Lord helps us to move past "What If?" by experiencing His mercy and faithfulness. So even when our hopes are unrealized and we feel inadequate, like Zecharias and Elizabeth, we can be confident that He blesses those who fully trust and faithfully walk with Him, and that He remembers and answers our prayers. 

Jesus interacted with a man names Jairus, whose young daughter was very ill. Even though he begged Jesus to come alongside and help him, she died before they got to the house. The person bringing the bad news told him not to "trouble" Jesus anymore, and it would have been easy for Jairus to just accept her fate, or even get angry and bitter. But Jairus had strong and resilient faith, which requires an investment of our heart and convictions. His unwavering trust that nothing is impossible with God was rewarded, and gives us an example to follow. 

There are countless, distinctive examples of the Lord blessing people and groups. But why does He do this, and are there conditions under which He is more inclined to bless us? Jacob's unique blessing of Ephraim in Genesis 48 not only gives an advance picture of the undeserved mercy Jesus offered at the cross, it also affirms 2 Chronicles 16:9, which says "the Lord is looking to strongly support those whose hearts are completely His". We can be confident of His blessing in that way when we live out four key convictions and actions in our lives. 

As we live as believers in Jesus Christ, we're called to escape safely from sin while running swiftly toward deep faith, holiness and being like Christ. Using the analogy of hunting, we see that this pursuit requires intentional prioritization and preparation, and that working together, we can fulfill our individual and collective purpose of imitating Jesus in our lives and church. The great motivation is our love for, and gratitude to, Him...and the understanding that this is the wisest way to be faithful in our walk. 

Whether in parables or direct explanation, the constant focus of Jesus' teaching was the Kingdom of God. When we view life through the Lord's priority, it transforms our thinking, because everything is filtered through the concept of the rule of Christ over our lives. When we are spiritually reborn and have His Spirit, He then has Lordship over all we think, say and do. The Spirit's power also enables us to see the world through His eyes, and alters how we love and minister to people who need Christ as their Saviour. 

The issue of mental health is a significant and complex issue, especially among the younger generations. This battle resides in our mind, which the enemy is constantly attacking to corrupt and lead away from the Lord, and he pushes us to live by the "flesh" rather than by the Holy Spirit. It's important for us to honestly assess whether the flesh is controlling us and leading us toward death, or whether we are submitting ourselves to the Spirit, Who leads us to life, because the answer has a significant impact on the health of our mind. 

When we believe in someone or something, we are convinced, but it doesn't necessarily change our behavior...but when we trust, we are convinced, and it produces change. Israel struggled with trust, so at Sinai, the Lord called them to hear Him. That Hebrew word sama means to carefully hear, listen to and obey. The depth of our relationship with the Lord determines how well we are doing this, and the proof is conforming to His will, rejecting spiritual neglect, and producing the fruit of righteousness. 

Death has been in the news because of the conflict in the Middle East, but it continues a growing narrative that some lives aren't worthy--Israel, life in the womb, and even those who hold Biblical convictions. But as Christians, we have the hope of life. The Lord not only created us, but offers every person rescue from sin and death through Jesus Christ. This secures eternal life, and until then, allows us to experience life that is "abundant"--"extraordinary and beyond measure". But as we walking in that new life? The answer will show itself in the amount of His Light that is emanating from our lives. 

When we reach our mid 20's, our brain's ability to form new neural connects--it's neuroplasticity--starts to decline, more rapidly as we age. This means we have to be intentional about learning--Biblical truth, essential facts and about ourselves and others. This is vital in living for the Lord, so we remain humble and teachable. In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar didn't learn from the mistakes and spiritual transformation of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, even though the Lord gave him multiple opportunities to repent and change. It's a stark reminder to make sure we are responding to God's teaching and refining.