How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:29-31

There’s a common phrase used in our culture since about 2020 to warn easily “offended” people that they’ll be hearing information that goes against their delicate feels and sensibilities. I’m of the eye-rolling ilk on this topic but am going to use said phrase to start this particular Biblical message, because it’s a topic that Christians simply don’t like talking about. So, here you go: TRIGGER WARNING.

You know when you have one of those weeks (months, years), when there’s a certain providential point that seems to come across every other sermon, podcast, and devo you encounter…one which coincides with the Bible reading your doing? It’s like the Lord is saying, “Hellooooo! Do you get it yet?” Well, I’ve been digging into Revelation of late. And I’ve most recently been in chapters 5-16—stopping there, in fact, to write this. (You see where I’m going, don’t you?) I’ll jump right in then.

Judgment is coming. And for those who reject the Lord, the impending terror and eternal suffering is deserved. There, I said it. Despite the vital message of God’s love for everyone, His immense patience with us to turn from self-idolatry, and the fact that Jesus made a way of salvation for all who call on His name…despite all these amazing, grace-filled truths, there’s another truth: in the end, for the ones who vehemently hold fast to “I’m my own god” and stand firm on the lies of the enemy and this world system, God will take vengeance. Rejecting the free gift of mercy means there will be no mercy for them in the end (Hebrews 10:26-31; Deuteronomy 32:35; Revelation 15:5-7).

This is a terrifying prospect. And there are volumes that can (and must) be said about this message—and, of course, there is plenty of fodder for study from Genesis to Revelation. So here, I’ll focus on two points. First, believers don’t need to take revenge (Romans 12:19; Proverbs 20:22). That righteous anger that wells up in the face of global evils against the innocent? The anguish felt at the persecution and murder of believers around the world (which is greater now than in any other time in history)? The personal discrimination/mockery we experience at school or at work because of our faith (which is only going to grow from now on)? We can endure trusting that God’s got it. The perseverance of the saints comes from knowing (a) our salvation is sealed and we’re destined to be with the Lord forever (Revelation 13:10) and (b) God will take His vengeance—and their suffering will be great (Revelation 14:11-13). 

Second, the prospect of unbelievers separated from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9) and tormented forever with fire (Revelation 14:10) must inflame us to share the Good News of Jesus. And it’s not just “their” impending doom that should motivate us. Yes, those who willfully reject the Holy, Living God and the finished work of Christ on their behalf deserve the horrifying judgment. But, friend, so do we! Our sin and self-idolatry placed us in the same exact category, slated for eternal suffering. We were dead, lost, blind—destined for hell. But we heard the Gospel! We learned that our separation from God was reconciled by the work of Jesus on the cross. His victory allows us to be free from condemnation (Romans 8:1). We accepted this amazing gift of grace, of the imputed righteousness (that is, we are given the righteousness of Christ). Instead of God’s vengeance, we get undeserved mercy. And it’s from this perspective—the fact that we were once on Team Doomed and now we’ve got victory in Jesus—we must go and tell. Let’s go share the Good News of our undeserved mercy and the bad news of the deserved, merciless judgment for rejecting Christ.

Lord, Your mercy is beyond comprehension. We all deserve Your judgment—but Jesus came to the rescue. May we share this Good News of hope with the dark and broken world around us.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.… And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:13, 17

Time for an embarrassing confession. (You can laugh out loud, roll your eyes, or totally identify. And, whatever your eschatological take, I only share this to help make a spiritual point from this Biblical text.) A few weeks back I was waiting for a friend’s arrival for tea at 6 am on a Friday. My hubby was out of town, so I prepared our hot beverages in anticipation of the visit with my sister in Christ. But she didn’t show. After about 15 minutes, I started texting…no response. So, I texted her husband to see if she overslept…no response (and I know he’s up early as well). Did my mind go to, “Oh, it’s a Friday, maybe everyone is moving slowly this morning. No biggie”?

Uh, nope. Where did my mind go? Well, (here’s the embarrassing part) my thoughts leapt right to a panicked conclusion: The rapture has happened, and I am still here! My heart started racing, I started calling out to the Lord…and I texted another sweet sister, who I know heads out to work at o’dark-thirty. Guess what? No response. Full-on anxiety attack ensues—and I, dear friend, do NOT panic or worry easily. “Could it be?” I wondered. “Could I really have missed being called Home?” I ran through all the reasons for soul security: My radically changed life from Day 1 of surrender, my obedience through the years, the supernatural forgiveness I’ve extended, the fruit-bearing journey of sanctification I’ve been on for 25 years…what have I missed? How could it be? I lamented, “I’m just a big faker—I’ve been fooling myself.”

Well, my friends all texted back within minutes. Eternal-hell crisis averted. But then I landed on the truth, thinking, “Oh, Satan, you little piece of skubalon! Your tricky lies and threatening condemnation got me there for a bit—I’m sure you and your minions had a good laugh! But you know what, loser? I have the last laugh, because Jesus wins, and you’re gonna suffer for eternity!” Praise the Lord!

I share this early-morning saga with you as a mutual reminder of the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 6:10-17. Paul urges us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” And then he gives us the tools to achieve this stance. There are a ton of commentaries and sermons on the armor of God, so (per my story above) let’s focus on verse 17a: the helmet of salvation. See, Paul isn’t just talking about the fact that our salvation, in and of itself, helps us stand against the schemes of the devil—it is the assurance of our salvation! The enemy will do his level best to discourage us through doubt, fear, and condemnation—to hiss in our ears lies like, “Are you kidding me? How can you be saved? Look at how you talked to that customer service rep yesterday!” Or “Don’t forget about all that sinning you used to do!” Or “You don’t read your Bible daily or pray very often—if you were saved, you’d do a lot better!” All lies!!! Lying is Satan’s first language, and he is very proficient. 

Friend, every day we must put on the helmet of salvation—the assurance that once we surrendered to Jesus as Lord and Savior, accepting the Great Exchange that takes us from death to life (Ephesians 2:1-10), that the “It is finished” means just that. Our sins (past, present, and future) are paid in full. When that transformative transaction was made, it’s a one-and-done. No matter what our walk toward Heaven looks like (our sanctification process)—and it will be very different for all of us—we are in fact walking Home. And reminding ourselves of this Truth is a key element to defeating the enemy’s tactics in our life.

The full armor is vital because our enemy is wicked and powerful. And if we don’t protect our minds with the holy helmet of salvation assurance, we leave ourselves wide open for attack. Guarding our thoughts sets the foundation for a victorious battle (1 Thessalonians 5:8; Philippians 4:4-9). Our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and reserved for us (1 Peter 1:3-9). So, whether you envision a cowboy hat, baseball cap, beret, or beanie, cover your head with the confident hope of your salvation. And get ready for the fight. 

Lord, may I be prepared daily for the battles of this world with the armor You’ve provided, starting with joy—and assurance—of my salvation.

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encouraged by grace

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…

Philippians 2:14-15

I’m a cold-natured person—I always seem to be freezing. When we moved to Florida, I was so excited to bask in the year-round warmth. It didn’t even dawn on me that because it’s often hot outside, everywhere you go has the AC blasting. Thermostats are set to “brrrr”—so, no matter the month, my daily wardrobe includes a sweater. I must respond to the environment. Only in my own home do I get some control over the temperature. With power over the thermostat, I can set it on “ahhhh”.  

This creates a great analogy for the Christian life: Do we respond to the various environments around us by accepting the temperature in the room that reflects worldly ways and attitudes? Or do we live like a thermostat, creating a God-glorifying environment that is noticeable to others (and may even change their behavior)?

Actually, the Bible has a lot to say about thermostat living—about creating a temperature around us that reflects and honors the Lord. First, there’s the words we ought to use—and not use. In Proverbs, we’re reminded that a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (15:1) and that gracious words are sweetness to the soul (16:24). King Solomon (the author) even warns us that death and life are in the power of the tongue (18:21). New Testament authors also share hard truths about our speech—the Apostle Paul lists for us how to talk (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29)…and how not to talk (Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:8; Philippians 2:14). And James spends most of chapter 3 cataloging the power of the tongue.

It’s not just our words, though. The Bible gives us solid direction on the right attitude settings for our thermostat. We’re to keep our eyes on the Lord, remembering His steadfast faithfulness and standing firm on His promises, so that our glances around at this broken world do not break us. Because our thoughts inform our emotions, which produce our actions, we’re to keep our mind focused on what is honorable, right, pure, and excellent (Philippians 4:8). Throughout each day, we’re to exude the Spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We rejoice in all circumstances (even in pain, persecution, and our proverbial prisons)…letting our gentle spirit be what everyone sees (Philippians 4:4).

These exhortations make up the ideal setting (tap-tap-tap—is this thing working?). Yup, it never ceases to amaze me how often I’m just a thermometer in my life, responding in frustration or anger, saying and doing the things I hate—and not saying/doing what I know I should (Romans 7:15-20). 

But we cannot strive in our own power to live the thermostat life! Praise God, we believers have the Holy Spirit living in us, available to empower us to live God’s way (when we yield to Him). And, friend, in this fallen, dark world full of broken people, we must set the temperature to “hope”! Through the grace we received in Christ Jesus, we’ve been changed, transformed from the darkness of this world to something new—to light and life! And everywhere we go, the temperature should change! 

Every day (at work, in school, at the grocery store) is an opportunity to move the proverbial dial. We can set the temperature instead of setting our own attitude to match the situation around us. Are your coworkers griping? Don’t play along—shift the conversation. Waitress cranky? Sincerely ask how she’s doing—and ask how you can pray for her. Conversation heating up, with rising volume? Answer softly with a desire to understand. Getting worked up in anger or envy while scrolling through your socials? Shut ‘er down and look up in praise and thanksgiving for all the Lord has done.

Preachin’ to myself here, but I want to set the thermostat, so that the way I live (my attitude, words, and actions) points others to a loving and holy God (Matthew 5:16). It’s so easy to fall right into the temperature of the room—to be part of the crowd, accepting the cold and putting on a sweater. Instead, let’s set the temp and tone for those around us. As we click the dial to “Glorify the Lord”, we’ll shift the whole environment, creating a noticeable change that just might change lives forever. 

Lord, may I consistently talk and act in a way that reflects who I am in You, setting a temperature for others that points them to You. 

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57

I love my church. Our leadership (and hence all the worship—in teaching, song, activity) is Bible-based and Gospel-centered. We constantly celebrate the amazing gift of saving grace through faith alone in Christ alone. And we live in the freedom that comes through His Word. Plus, every week, the Lord ushers more and more people into His family through the Good News being preached. It never gets old.

In recent months, the pastor of my church has commented within various sermons that, although the moment of salvation is about surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Savior to experience the transformative freedom in Christ, the Christian life is also war. This is fact. When we join team Jesus, we become enemies of this world, of Satan, and of our own flesh. So, at salvation, we join the fight. This sent my mind reeling to human war, especially as the current geopolitical scene heats up. Then my mental trail led to how men and women enlist in the military to serve our country…or how men (currently only men) may also be drafted to fight, should the situation warrant it. I won’t share my cerebral meandering to the “election” versus “free will” theological chasm, and how one would mean Christians are “drafted” and the other would mean we “enlist”—that is a digression for another day. Suffice it to say that one way or another, believers are at war.

And this is where it gets interesting, Biblically speaking. Is the battle ours to fight? Or does the battle belong to the Lord?

Throughout the Old Testament, we find exhortations to trust the Lord with the fight (of course, in these verses, they typically referred to actual war). See 1 Samuel 17:47 when David trusted God to fight for him against Goliath and 2 Chronicles 20:15, when the Lord assured Judah that the battle was His, and sure enough, the enemy actually defeated themselves—check it out! And in Exodus 14:13-14, before the Red Sea parted, Moses told the Israelites to stop freaking out and be quiet—the Lord would fight for them. These verses can certainly be applied to the proverbial battles of our lives as well.

The battle does belong to the Lord…and so does the victory (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). On this side of the cross, we are privileged to understand that the Real Battle has also been won on our behalf—the Victory that all those other miraculous victories pointed to. As Jesus said before He gave up His life, “It is finished” (the debt is paid, the war is over). If you haven’t heard it yet, listen to the Shane and Shane song, You’ve Already Won, which speaks to our spiritual fight through this world from the vantage point of the Lord’s victory…

…because, although the battle is won, We. Still. Must. Fight.

And as we do, the Lord is with us (Deuteronomy 20:4)! He gets our weakness, pain, and temptations (Hebrews 4:15-16), and He will never leave us or forsake us in the battle (Isaiah 43:2). And He will strengthen us (2 Thessalonians 3:3). But we must also be prepared for the inevitable battles! The Apostle Paul reminds us who our real enemy is and gives us the full battle plan in his letter to the Ephesians (6:10-18).

So, are we to fight—and keep fighting the good fight until the end (as Paul wrote time and time again)? Or does the battle belong to the Lord? The answer is YES! We do fight! However, we fight not for victory, but from victory! Jesus Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33), and because of His victory, we who trust Him in that victory, are more than conquerors (Romans 8:35-39)! So, friend, enlist in God’s army, put on your armor…and join the victorious fight.

Lord, until You return or call us Home, this is war. May we hold fast to Your victory and fight the good fight until then.

encouraged by grace books

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I’ve been thinking about growing older lately. Specifically, my own aging process. Firstly, it’s amazing how when you’re 30, people who are in their 50s seem so stinking old…until you’re 50. Then, it’s astounding how young the fifth decade of life becomes in the scheme of life. See, in my head, I’m still in my late 30s or early 40s. This self-perception abruptly ends, however, when (a) I talk with someone in that age range or (b) I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror. Then I reluctantly acknowledge, “Nope, I am definitely not there anymore. I am old.” 

To be clear, I’m in my fifties. And although I’m decades away from slowing down too much (Lord willing), there are clear signs of the length of road behind me. Waking up with an injury, for instance. Or being nagged by new random pain, seemingly relocating from day to day. Or not being able to come up with the right word for a concept. (This one is pretty frightening for me, as I make my living coming up with the right words.) And it can all be quite disheartening.

But the Apostle Paul has God-inspired wisdom for us on this topic (as he does on most topics). Now, as he was writing to the Corinthian church, he wasn’t technically talking about getting older, but rather the physical consequences of affliction and persecution that he and other believers were enduring as the Church was growing (2 Corinthians 7-11). However, I love verses 16 through 18, as applied to physical aging: We don’t have to lose heart as our outer person is decaying, because our inner person (who we really are) is being renewed every day! The aches, pains, memory lapses—even disease and illness—are “momentary, light afflictions” compared to our eternal life in glory with the Lord. In the previous chapter, too, Paul wrote that because of our hope in Christ, we are being transformed into the Lord’s image from one degree of glory to another (3:18) through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

As the length of our journey in this world increases, we are simply closer to Home. In fact, I believe that the decaying (i.e., aging) process is a sweet reminder from God that we don’t belong here. As long as we’re tethered to this world, we’ll retain the “earthen vessel” (2 Corinthians 4:7) we’ve been given. But we’re in a shedding phase, of sorts. Like the miraculous metamorphosis of a caterpillar to butterfly, we’re meant to slough off our own natural man (day by day, year by year) to more clearly reveal the new nature of Christ’s righteousness given to us at salvation. 

Friend, let’s delight in our decay! Because with it, our true nature—the treasure that the Lord created us to be—is being revealed. And one day (decades from now or tomorrow), when He calls us Home, we will be fully transformed, with a glorious, resurrected body, unburdened by pain, tears, or sin. So, with each new ache or frustrating memory lapse, let’s thank the Lord…it just means we’re that much closer to our joyful flourishing in heaven.

Father, as I struggle with the pain and decay of my body (and this world), may I remember that my home is in heaven and my Real Life is yet to begin.

encouraged by grace books

Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 

Ephesians 4:29

If you’re looking for a particular book of the Bible to dive into this new year, I highly suggest Ephesians. You can literally spend months lingering over, meditating on, praying about, and—definitely applying—these amazing, inspiring, convicting words from the Apostle Paul. (I love this book so much—chapter 2:1-10 in particular—that it’s meaning is now illustrated in a large new tattoo on my right upper arm.)

For now, let’s talk about talk. Paul, among other writers of the New Testament, has a lot to say about the words that come out of our mouth as believers. At salvation (the moment at which we surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Savior), we are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). By God’s amazing grace, our old sinful nature is gone…but, we are still living in our old fleshy selves, in a fallen and broken world that is currently managed by our enemy, Satan. So, we spend our lives of grace growing in our likeness of Christ. We renew our minds (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Philippians 4:8), and we—through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us—lay aside/put away some things and put on other things.

This is where our words come into play. In verse 29 of Ephesians 4, Paul shoots straight: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Let’s break this down.

When Paul uses “unwholesome word”, think rotten, spoiled food. (I know we’ve all experienced taking off the lid of some Tupperware stuck way in the back of the fridge and immediately being slapped in the face with a terrible stench of spoiled whatever-it-is-because-you-can’t-tell-anymore. Yup, it’s just like that.) When we talk to or about others in a way that is bitter, slandering, untrue, or unkind, it’s like speaking with a rotten stink. But Paul doesn’t leave us with what not to do.

We are to speak words that are good for edification. In other words, words that encourage, uplift, instruct…even when we are corrective, we’re to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). And our words are “according to the need of the moment”—fitting the occasion, as the ESV says. That means we have to think about where we are and who we’re with, being highly intentional before our thoughts reach our tongues. Plus, our talk is to extend grace to those listening to us. This is key. See, we’re saved by grace—a gift given freely, unable to be earned! And our lives are sustained by grace, moment by moment, as we are on our way Home. The grace given to us by the Lord must be our standard—the measuring stick by which we assess our words before they leave our mouths. When we speak, brothers and sisters, let’s speak grace.

[Paul goes on in chapter 4, verses 31 and 32 (and the next chapter, for that matter) to describe more ways we talk and walk out our faith, so go check it out for yourself!]

Lord, as a new creation in Christ, may I, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, speak only life and truth and grace to others to reveal Your amazing grace to a dark world.

Encouraged by grace books

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

The most amazing thing about saving grace is that it is a free gift—not as a result of anything we do, so none of us can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is in Christ alone, through faith alone. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. In every other religion (and even within the denomination I grew up in), you have to do, working your way to the finish line…hoping you did enough for your eternal reward. When I came to understand and accept what Jesus accomplished on the cross, conquering sin and death for me, the knowledge of “do” versus “done” brought overwhelming freedom. I no longer had to constantly strive to do better, do more, do enough. It is finished (John 19:30).

For me, that acceptance of amazing grace was 25 years ago. Since that time, I totally get the do-versus-done truth—and try to share it often. I know I can’t earn my salvation—and I don’t try. But my efforts to try and earn value in the eyes of the Lord (and others)…well, that’s been a different story. 

In response to His grace, a believer wants to do for the Lord (serve)—that’s the natural (or rather, supernatural) outpouring of salvation. We do out of love God and love for others (the top two commandments) and bring God glory. But when we take action because we think the Lord will “love us more”, that’s where we go so wrong! Nothing can make God love us any more—or less—than He does! And no “bad” action can separate us from His love (Romans 8:31-19). What’s more, it’s also easy for us Christians to get caught up in serving the Lord to show (or prove) ourselves worthy of His grace and love. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that our service/action is primarily motivated by “being seen”. In fact, we could very well have jumped into serving because the Holy Spirit within us lit a flame of passion that aligned with the gift(s) we’ve been given. But then, thanks to that tricky, deceptive enemy of ours, we start thinking, “Oh, people will know what a ‘good Christian’ I am by how involved I am in church activities!” Or we hope, “With all this ‘doing’, God is certainly seeing greater value in me than before.” But then, Satan, who’d been waiting for those misguided thoughts, pounces and accuses, “Oh, how prideful you are! Look at you trying to look good to others—you don’t really care about God!” It’s a vicious cycle that leads only to dark places.

Does the Lord want us to do for Him and others? Yes, of course! But our value to Him (and to the Body of Christ) is not in the doing. Our activity is meant to be an outpouring of who we are! The Lord has given each of us a unique personality, gifted us with spiritual gifts, and placed us in a particular time/place for His sovereign purposes. We don’t have to be obsessed with, “Lord, what do You want me to DO for You?” We just need to abide in who we ARE in Him. The better question is: Lord, who have You made me to BE? Then, we simply walk in that. The result? Unspeakable joy (and even greater freedom) that rises to complement that amazing grace.

Lord, as a child of God, I am created to be who You say I am. May I not get trapped by the “doing”…but rather, let my service to You and others be a beautiful expression of my “being” in You.

encouraged by grace series

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Genesis 3:15

The Bible makes it very clear: If you are a child of God—a surrendered follower of Jesus Christ—you are an enemy of Satan (the devil) and all of his children (people in this world who do not follow after God). This truth was first given as part of the post-fall curse in the Garden, from verse 3:15 in Genesis. (The other aspect of this astounding verse is that it is often called the “protoevangelium”, literally “first Gospel”, because it’s the very first promise of the coming Messiah. But we’re going to focus on the enmity part here…sorry).

Since Satan’s successful temptation of Adam and Eve with its disastrous result (sin entering the world), the hate-filled battle has been on: God, who calls people to Himself with love, mercy, and grace versus Satan with his enticing hisses of pride, lust, and self-idolatry. It’s a tug-of-war for our souls. And even after we choose God and are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, the enemy will mess with us. Satan cannot do anything (and us respond accordingly) to “undo” our salvation—we didn’t “do” anything to earn it, so we can’t “do” anything to lose it. Plus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit upon salvation. But he can cause chaos, frustration, and discouragement (not to mention sinful choices), making us less effective for the kingdom—if we let him.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus also said it plainly of His followers: Because you’re not of this world, but believe and follow Me, the world will hate you (John 15:18-19; Matthew 10:22). And following Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, the writers of the Biblical epistles continued the warnings. “Don’t be surprised,” John says, “if the world hates you” (1 John 3:13). And Paul primes us to get ready for persecution if we live in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12). 

But don’t be discouraged, believer! There is great news—also from the mouth of our Savior! First, we can have peace amid the enemy’s hatred and condemnation, as well as the world’s persecution. “Take heart,” Jesus tells us. “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Second, Jesus Himself is praying for us in this battle (John 17:14-16). Think about that! We have Jesus as our very own prayer warrior!

So, how do we handle this realization that we are hated by the world and its god/ruler, Satan? Here are three responses from God’s Word:

1. Expect the malice and persecution. Don’t be shocked when vitriol comes your way from this dark world. And don’t be surprised by the struggle to obey God’s Word when we have the world system, the devil, and our unredeemed flesh doggin’ us all the time.
2. Don’t befriend the world. It’s so easy to get enticed into the me-centric culture, with every social media platform and TV ad telling us what we should have, do, be for satisfaction. But “friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (James 4:4), so we must submit to God, resist the devil, and stay close to the Lord (James 4:7-8). 
3. Rejoice! (Wait, what?) Yes! Jesus says that we are blessed through persecution and insult for His sake (Matthew 5:10-12). Luke’s recounting of this sermon says that Jesus actually tells us to “rejoice and jump for joy” when we’re hated, excluded, and insulted—we’ve got a great reward waiting for us in heaven (Luke 6:22-23). The other New Testament writers, including Peter Paul, and James—who themselves experienced hatred, persecution, and martyrdom—wholeheartedly agree (see Acts 5, Romans 5 and 8, Colossians 1, 2 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter, and James 1, just to give you a few places to look).

So, friend, because of your relationship with Jesus are you feeling out of place in the world? Insulted and left out? Hated?This is a good thing! It means you’re a citizen of a better world and a follower of the One who the world hated first. There is a battle on right now—for sure. But Jesus won the war (crushing the enemy’s head, revisiting Genesis 3:15!), and we’re fighting from a place of victory! Amen!

Lord, You said that we’d have trouble in this world and that we’re hated because the world first hated You. Give us the strength and perseverance to keep our eyes on You and not succumb to the schemes of the enemy.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His Bride has made herself ready.

Revelation 19:7

My niece got married this weekend—my brother’s daughter, Victoria. The venue was stunning. It was a 19^th-century home-turned-winery in Buck’s County, PA, with a lovely upper room where the ceremony took place that looked over acres of vineyards. And, since it’s the Christmas season, when dusk settled, bright lights twinkled throughout the grounds as if the stars descended to nestle themselves within the trees and across the rows of sleeping vines. Another noteworthy aspect of this wedding was that all the guests were asked to wear black, which set the scene to further elevate the bride’s beauty and magnificence. (I guess this is a Tic Tok/Insta thing these days. And although I was initially concerned the vibe would be a bit too somber, it worked perfectly amid the venue’s white furnishing and all-white floral arrangements.)

After the couple’s “I do’s” and their jubilant exit down the center aisle as husband and wife, we all headed over to the adjacent equally historical building for the reception. And after the sweet first dances and tear-provoking speeches, it was time for the meal. (A meal, I will say, which was ridiculously delicious, as my loving, generous brother spared no expense for his eldest daughter’s Big Day.) Of course, after the food came the next-level celebrating—feet moving, hands raised, and lyrics shouted as the dance floor flooded in response to DJ-driven beats underscoring favorite songs from the past several decades. 

The event was so joyful, filled with countless declarations of “I love you” and “I miss you” and “Wish we saw each other more”…I don’t get see my family and family friends very often at all, so all of these sentiments definitely were extended from and to me.

So, as I sit on the plane back to Florida this morning thinking about last night’s party, I began pondering another wedding celebration I’m invited to—although I’m not exactly sure of the exact date. The venue, however, is sure to be stunning beyond comprehension. And I imagine being able to look around at heavenly lights as far as the eye can see, creating an enchanted ambiance for the celebration. But, contrary to my niece’s elegant all-black event, everyone present at this marriage will be dressed in white. The food? No offense to my niece’s catering choices, but this cuisine will be more scrumptious than our tastebuds have ever experienced. Dancing? Yup! Singing? For sure. But instead of pop tunes with a backbeat, we’ll be singing songs written at the dawn of creation—and others we compose on the fly! I anticipate hands in the air…not waving like we just don’t care, but rather raised in praise to the Bridegroom and His Father. Oh, and unlike the father of the bride (my bro) footing the bill for the festivities, this wedding supper was paid for in full by the Groom Himself.

For every follower of Jesus Christ—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—we are His bride. You and I are the redeemed, invitation in hand to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. It will be the family reunion of reunions. Lots of “I love you” declarations. But not a single, “Miss you” or “Wish I saw you more”…because this celebration is the kickoff of an eternity with everyone at the wedding. And, oh my, what a party it will be.

Can you picture it? Will you be there? See, if you don’t have your invitation, you’ll miss out. But, friend, all you have to do is ask Jesus if you can join Him—surrender your life to Him, and He’ll welcome you into the party.

Lord, I cannot wait to enter the Wedding Supper of the Lamb and start my heavenly life with You and the rest of Your Bride!