ThoughtSeeds

Even sealed in a deep pit in the utter darkness, surrounded by hungry lions, Daniel was not alone. God sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths. No matter where YOU go, and no matter what you do, you are never alone, either. God promises He is with you everywhere and anywhere, and He will never forget you. He can't! You are engraved in the palms of His hands, because He is holding you there securely.

How often do you feel truly alone, like you're isolated and maybe even abandoned? Sometimes, we have to walk through a portion of life without others, but in those times, God is still with us, no matter how dark or lonely the circumstances become. Look with me at David, Elijah, and even Jesus Himself and how they went through lonely times and know you do not walk alone through the valley of the shadow of death.

The beautiful and stirring hymn, "My Jesus, I Love Thee," was written by a teenaged boy after he found salvation in Jesus Christ. William Featherstone blessed us with his poem, even as his own life was cut short at age twenty-seven. "My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine; For Thee all the follies of sin I resign." Join me to find out more and to be able to truly say "If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

The transforming power of the Holy Spirit can change our hearts. As we looked yesterday at returning to Christ, our first love, we look today at how the Holy Spirit can help us do that when we allow Him to change our hearts and minds by rooting out sin and planting the seeds that yield the fruit of the Spirit.

In Revelation chapter 2, we find a letter from Jesus to the church at Ephesus. In it, the Lord praises them for numerous positive traits, but pauses: "Nevertheless, I have this against you: You have left your first love." Today, we'll explore what that means and examine if we are also guilty of leaving our first love -- Jesus.

With truth as our foundation walking through life, we need God's help day by day. Lina Sandell knew this and experienced God's faithfulness and sustaining love in her own life through personal loss. This "Fanny Crosby of Sweden" composed more than 650 hymns in her lifetime, and it is a blessing to share this one with you.

How and why does living a life of truth affect us and the people around us? Are we walking in integrity, or are we living a dishonest life? Join me in thinking about what is true, honorable, pure, lovely, and more as we discuss how to make truth a centerpiece of importance in our daily lives.

Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that He IS the Truth, and in John 8, He also says that we can know the truth and it will set us free. What is truth -- really? And why is it important? How can we be set free by truth? Like a path of solid, secure rocks across a flooding river, truth leads us from one secure step to the next in life, giving us firm footing.

Most people have heard the term "Neanderthal," but do you know where it comes from? It is the German name for "Neander's Valley," which is a valley near Dusseldorf, Germany named after Joachim Neander. Neander wrote around 60 hymns in his short life before he died at age 30, and he loved to praise God for the beauty of creation. One of his most famous hymns is "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," and we look at both the life of Joachim Neander and the words of this hymn in today's episode.

What is one of the greatest spiritual weapons God has equipped us with? The power of praise! Praise has literally defeated mighty armies, shaken the earth and loosed chains, and it has powerfully converted torturers in the moments that their victims are singing praises while dying. How can you effectively wield this and praise the devil into fleeing from you? Join me today, and let's praise the enemy away!