Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

James 4:7-8

War is on everyone’s mind right now. Some are obsessed about it, given our 24/7 media and real-time reporting. In fact, a lot of people now use the Ukrainian flag as their profile pictures, when a few weeks ago they had no idea where this small country was located (or maybe even that it existed). Many people may be thinking that it’s too far away to worry about—for now, anyway. But, today, our planet is certainly small, and global issues are our “home” issues too.

The truth is the world has always had its blood-shedding wars and will until the Final Battle. But, friend, humanity—since the Fall in the Garden—has been involved in another ongoing war, a spiritual war. Humans have been at war with God. It wasn’t meant to be this way. When God created Man, we were meant to be in perfect relationship with Him, walking with Him as His friend. But when the Enemy slithered in with lying hisses and temptations of pride, Man lost this sweet friendship with God. We became separated from Him spiritually and relationally, and our flawless bodies—and pristine planet—began its decaying process, filled with pain, disease, and death. 

And so, the battle began. Even now, it continues, being fought on three fronts, with three enemies: the world system, the flesh (pride/selfish desires), and Satan. There’s so much to be said about how this war with God creates battles against self and others (in fact, the entire Bible is replete with this story). 

But there is Good News! We don’t have to live our lives in combat with God! He made a way of restoration, of relational reconciliation with Him. Coming right down from Heaven onto our battlefield, Jesus fought our fight—and secured victory over the world, Satan, and death. The battle has been won, and there is no need to fight anymore.

Turning back to the concept of worldly wars, we all know that for a war to end, someone has to surrender…and the side that surrenders is clearly the loser. Surrender allows for the winning side to take control, take prisoners, and have their way with their foe. But when it comes to our spiritual war with the Almighty God, there is exists a beautiful irony: Unconditional surrender to Him brings complete victory for us (1 Corinthians 15:57)! We are not conquered—we become conquerors! Instead of being taken prisoner, we are made free in Christ (Romans 8:1-39). 

But just as surrender in worldly wars brings peace, our surrender to Jesus brings peace to us. When we stop fighting against God and give Jesus control of everything, we can put down our weapons and rest in His love, grace, mercy, and peace. Friend, the war has been won. Won’t you surrender to Him today…and claim your victory?

Lord, thank You for making a way of peace through Your Son, Jesus. Thank you for the victory over sin and death that allows me to be free.

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

1 Peter 4:16

In elementary school, there are few things more painful than being made fun of on the playground. Although I don’t have the best memory, I can recall glimpses of time where my “friends” made fun of me because I dressed differently than they (less cool) or because my mom chose to cut my hair in a rather boy-like style. Sometimes, at those young ages, a mocking statement comes from immature innocence. Other times, it’s from completely malicious intent.

Sadly, some people don’t outgrow taunting others—or being the one who’s the consistent butt of unkind jokes. In the hardness and blindness of the world, as well as social media cruelty and our divisive culture, mocking at every age should not come as a surprise.

Especially for believers.

When Jesus walked the earth, He even promised us that the world would hate us because it hated Him first (John 15:18). And the Apostle Paul stated it very clearly as well in 2 Timothy 3:12 when he wrote, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (Well, let me caveat this truth…these are promises if we are walking in the Truth, living out the holiness we are called to as Christians. If we’re living like the world and looking like the culture, we won’t have to worry about being mocked.)

Although in this country we’re not at the point of being jailed or killed for our faith (yet), there are other types of persecution. And it can be hard, enduring the rolled eyes and snarky comments about your conduct—particularly when you’re young in faith. But, friend, it can also be pretty cool to stand firm and glorify God through our words (or by what’s unspoken) and our actions (or by things not done).

Just the other day, I was finishing up a group videocall with a client. I’ve been working with this team for over five years, so they know my worldview. (This understanding once kept their cursing at bay, for instance…sadly, they don’t refrain in my presence anymore. Maybe it’s the whole two-dimensional reality thing.) Anyway, at the end of this particular video meeting, someone made a comment that could have been 100% innocent, but, because of worldly sexualized vernacular, it could also go down a road of dirty joking. And when that first turn was made, someone at the table said, “Julianne, you’d better hang up now.” 

So, I smiled to the group, said goodbye, and pressed “end call.” I know what was thought—and maybe even said—about my “prudeness”. But, friend, I counted it a privilege and a joy. They recognize my “in-the-worldness-but-not-of-the-worldness”. To God be the glory…and I will gladly be mocked.

Lord, let me never be ashamed of You, but help me stand firm in a life of holiness, glorifying You.

With (the tongue) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

James 3:9-11

The Bible has a lot to say about the power of our words—both the Old and New Testaments are a treasure trove of wisdom. You can dig into the book of Proverbs alone and get plenty to chew on when it comes to your mouth (pun intended)! “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21) is one admonition that sets a solid foundation of truth.

James, in the third chapter of his book, gets really real with us—a true “ouch” moment. He talks about how we believers have a tendency to praise God one minute and curse someone the next. The classic example is sitting through a church service, worshipping the Lord in song and through the sermon…then, you’re driving home only to start shouting at (and possibly cursing) some motorist who cut you off.

Part of Christian maturity is walking—and talking—in alignment with God’s Word. And that “sanctification journey” is just that—a journey. We cannot be perfect. Part of our motivation for living a holy life is to let our light shine in a dark world (Matt. 5:16). So, when we let unholy, slanderous, or hateful words fly, we hurt our own testimony, as well as the reputation of the Church. 

But there’s another motivation for not having a two-faced tongue. Think of this example: What if someone you love had a habit of consistently using their words in this way: “I love you!” … “You’re such a jerk!” … “You are so awesome!” … “(Expletive expletive!)” Not only would it be maddening, but it would be incredibly painful. (Some of us may not have to “imagine” this example at all, as we’ve lived it.) And this is what we’re doing to our precious Lord (James 3:9; Matthew 25:40-45). This is how we’re treating our Best Friend!

God’s Word also makes it very clear that what comes out of our mouth is a direct reflection of what’s in our heart (Matt 12:34; Mark 7:20-23). So, to address our two-faced tongue, we need to be sure we don’t have a two-faced heart. Because our mouth overflows from what’s inside, we need to fill ourselves with good stuff—and stay in fellowship with Christ. What does this look like, practically?

• Meet daily with the Lord in prayer
• Read and study God’s Word
• Serve others (This seems like giving away, but it’s actually very filling!)
• Be in community with fellow believers (Proverbs 13:20)
• Don’t fill up on junk food for the heart: social media, news, gossip, etc.

Lord, help me surrender control of my tongue to You, filling up my heart so its outflow is honoring to You and refreshing to others.

“You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

James 2:18

Over the past two years, we’ve all had a lot of two-dimensional interactions. I don’t know about you, but I’m on video meetings every single day—some days I could have up to five or six! That’s a lot of screen time, and it doesn’t even include my actual work! So, whenever I do get to interact with clients or teammates in real life, I always joke about how nice it is to see them in “3D” (three versus two dimensions). It’s the way we’re meant to live!

I’m currently studying the book of James in the Bible. And it struck me that we, as believers in Jesus Christ, have to have “3D faith”. Let me explain. 

See, in this powerful (and convicting) book, James talks about three different types of faith. First there is one-dimensional faith—or dead faith—which is all head knowledge. People with this type of faith know their Bible stories, and they may even talk a good talk about theology. But that’s all there is. All talk, but no walk. In fact, you may see these people at church on Sunday…but their behavior the rest of the week does not reflect their “Christian” label.

Next is two-dimensional faith, or demonic faith. This type of faith is head knowledge plus an emotional reaction. As James illustrates, even the demons have this kind of faith. If these fallen angels could sit around a Bible-trivia table, they would win every round. They believe in God—they were there when He created everything. Just read the gospel accounts of Jesus’s ministry, and you’ll see that the demons recognized Jesus as Son of God and Judge. They believe, as James says, and they shudder (James 2:19)! They know God, they acknowledge His power, and they have an emotional response…but they do not love Him or surrender to Him.

Finally, there is three-dimensional faith—or dynamic faith. This is authentic, saving faith, encompassing head knowledge, emotional understanding, and obedient action. Going beyond words and feelings, this kind of faith involves the will, choosing to live in line with God’s Truth…loving God with all we are, and extending that love to our neighbor. In his letter, James also emphasizes that 3D faith is the only way we can demonstrate our faith to the world. See, only God can truly know our saving faith—it is He who justifies us and declares us righteous through the work of His Son on the cross. But there’s no way for our brothers and sisters, or the dying world around us, to know our faith (or even know what it means to have faith), unless we show them. 

So, what kind of faith do you have? Are you currently living with a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional faith? Or have you fully surrendered your mind, heart, and will to Jesus, walking out your faith in steadfast obedience to the One who surrendered it all for you? Friend, embrace 3D faith today—it’s the way we’re meant to live. 

Lord, reveal to me if my faith is just lip-service. I surrender my will to You today—help me demonstrate my faith and give light to a dark world.

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. 

Psalm 36:5 (NLT)

Regardless of the family members that may surround you at home (whether it’s one person or 10), or the friends that you hang out with every weekend, or even those Monday-through-Friday coworkers that can be categorized as close buddies, do you ever just feel alone and unloved? It’s like there’s a definitive limit to the love, care, and concern that these people (as limited humans) have for you…and you’ve somehow hit it. It’s totally illogical to feel discarded and even abandoned when you’re literally surrounded, but I’m pretty sure we’ve all felt this way at some point.

But God. This little—yet powerful—phrase got me thinking about all the promises in the Bible about the limitless love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness God has for us. Now, when the writers of both the Old and New Testaments tried to describe just how immeasurable God’s love is for us, they used what they knew to be absolutely incalculable to them: natural elements. Today, a quick Google search can tell us that the deepest part of the ocean, called the Challenger Deep, has been measured to be about 36,000 feet—or 7 miles—deep. Similarly, a few key clicks later, we’d learn that between Earth and the edge of the observable universe there are 46 billion light-years (whatever that means). 

But thousands of years ago, when those Holy-Spirit-inspired men needed to record the vastness of God’s love, they didn’t have Google. The boundless sky’s height and unfathomable ocean’s depth were perfect descriptors. And, although modern science may have (sort of) calculated these distances, we can still take great comfort in the Bible’s depiction of our amazing God. Here’s just a glimpse… 

How much does God love us? “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds” (Psalm 36:5); But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Will the Lord ever forsake us? “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8); “Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).

How merciful is God? “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23); “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11).

Can we really be forgiven? “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12); “You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

Let me ask again, how much does God love you, friend? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). If you haven’t accepted this free gift of grace, of God’s immeasurable love, why not do so right now?

Lord, if just one is reading this who doesn’t know Your amazing grace, mercy, and love, let them surrender their way for Yours, exchanging their sin for Your perfect righteousness.

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

Romans 6:23

Have you ever been threatened? Most likely, every one of us has been in a situation where we have, either physically or mentally. Maybe it was a verbal confrontation in a store or a workplace clash. Perhaps an impending hurricane or tornado. Regardless of the circumstances, humans tend to react to threats (real or perceived) in one of three ways: we fight, flee, or freeze. 

I was recently talking with a friend about how it’s one thing for us to be/feel threatened, but it’s something else entirely when it’s our child. No fleeing or freezing there—the claws just come out! You other “mama bears” out there know what I’m talking about! But when it comes to each of us individually, our responses differ depending on a multitude of factors. Some of us are generally “freezers”—we’ve sadly learned from a very early age that the best thing to do is stand still and “play possum” in hopes the threat will go away. Others of us are super-scrappy fighters, because self-protection has been imperative (our belief being “if we don’t protect ourselves, no one else will”). Of course, running away as fast as possible, either literally or emotionally, is a popular go-to reaction for a lot of us. Obviously, we don’t always choose the same response, but there’s typically a general pattern.

But of all the potential threats, there are three universal ones that all people must face—believers and unbelievers alike: moral law founded on the God’s Truth; death; and eternal life. 

Let’s start with the law. When God first called out His special people, He gave them the Law in the form of the Ten Commandments. And, from the beginning, the Jews (and all people) could not keep them. Even so, the Pharisees (Jewish leaders) continued to add law after law, rule after rule, making it exponentially more difficult to keep it. When Jesus came on the human scene, He boiled all of God’s law into two simple commands: Love God with all you are and love others. And although it’s just two items, we, as fallen humans, cannot meet God’s high standard of perfection. Not one of us.

Next, you’ve no doubt heard there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. Not everyone pays what they owe the government…but we all will face our last breath on earth. We can stay as healthy as possible and even try to ensure our face doesn’t match our birthday count, but the death rate remains at 100%.

Finally, there’s life after death. The spirit of every human being is eternal. Our bodies decay and die (someday to be glorified), but to be absent from the body is to be in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This face-to-face meeting, friend, will either be a joy-filled experience or one of terrible judgment. 

So how will you face these three threats? Will you freeze, ignoring reality? Will you run away, embracing the world and the lies propagated by its ruler, the devil? Or will you stand up and face the Truth, “fighting” for your soul’s victory? The law threatens us—it’s unattainable. Death threatens us—it’s unavoidable. Hell threatens us—it’s unimaginable. But Jesus. He came to earth to fulfill the Law and trade His righteousness for our sin. He conquered death and reconciled us to God, so we can live forever with Him. Friend, please trust in Him today—He has conquered every threat.

Lord, thank you for conquering sin and death, removing the threat of an eternity of suffering, making a way for us to be in Your presence forever.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10b

Back in the 1980s (best decade ever, just saying), there was a trendy little crafting tool called The Beddazzler. It allowed you to add rhinestones and metallics to your clothes, belts, purses, etc., creating a uniquely sparkly ensemble. The commercials promised the ability to turn your “$8 jeans into a pair worth $50!” (Wait, $8 jeans? Again, best decade ever.) And although I love most things 80s, this sparkly sensation was not something I embraced personally. 

Why talk Bedazzle? Well, I was just attending a conference at our church with the visiting pastor from Africa was teaching for three nights on 1 Corinthians 15:58. (You read that correctly: three evenings of study on one verse—it was amazing.) During the final night I was captivated by an offhand word he used to describe a life lavishly serving the Lord. He was talking about how fulfilling it is to labor for Christ, and he noted the joy, peace, and sparkle it brings. 

Upon salvation, every believer understands the amazing love that Jesus has extended to us through His death and resurrection. Because it is a gift of grace through faith, the new life we receive cannot be earned. In fact, salvation is followed by living a life of surrender and obedience to God because of His love for us—and we respond to demonstrate our love for Him, not to show Him we’re good enough for it. And our service to Him results in joy!

This service is not done in vain (as the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15 and also in Philippians 2), because we receive amazing, abundant blessings. We experience blessings in the here and now—just think about the joy you have bringing a meal to a family, counseling a brother or sister, or sharing the Gospel with others. Even when we may not see fruit right away, we feel rewarded by the Lord!

The New Testament writers share often that we will be rewarded in heaven for our righteous labors on earth. On his deathbed, the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy that he is looking forward to his crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Even Jesus taught that when we serve others in need, we’re actually serving Him—and our rewards are waiting (Matthew 25:34-40). 

Joy comes with salvation—through our blessings and God’s daily miracles, through our experienced and anticipated rewards for service, and even through our trials and storms of life. And this joy of the Lord should bedazzle our everyday lives. We have the opportunity—the responsibility—to live a joy-filled life, so that other people will see our sparkle and ask, “How can I be Bedazzled too?”

Lord, restore to me the joy of my salvation (Psalm 51:12), so I live a sparkly life that attracts others.

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.  

1 Peter 2:7-8

When our boys were in elementary and middle school, respectively, we went on a family vacation to the mountains of North Carolina. Looking back, I would label this the “rock” vacation. We went hiking on rock-faced Humpback Mountain and descended into Linville caverns, in awe of the limestone and stalactites. And we went horseback riding—which was a very, very rocky experience. (Suffice it to say, none of us have any desire to ever ride again.) But the highlight of the trip was probably when we went gem mining—or gemming. 

Although pickaxes were not required, we were able to search for precious gems like garnet, aquamarine, amethyst, ruby, sapphire, and even emerald. But it’s not like in the old movies, when people are going through rocks and a bright, shiny emerald appears. Nope. Every stone in the bucket we were given looked like regular, dirty old rocks. We rinsed and sorted them, then reviewed a chart to figure out which gem we may be holding in our hands. Then we took them to the experts inside who inspected our choices and shared the value of what we had. 

But without the chart and the experts, we would have rejected and tossed out every one of those stones. 

Throughout the Bible, Jesus is talked about as a Rock (Psalm 18:2; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 62:2). And all these verses, Old and New Testament, are so encouraging, as they tout the incomparable value of the Lord. When we trust Him, we are setting our feet on a solid foundation of Truth. So, when the winds and wave of life crash down, that foundation stands—and so do we. 

But God’s Word also warns about rejecting this Rock—tossing Him out as without value (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7-8; Romans 9:33). In fact, this foundational cornerstone becomes a stumbling block to those who reject Him. They don’t see His precious value, what He means for a more joyful life now—or the eternal significance. Maybe they’ve “scooped up” some Truth at some point, but they looked at it and thought, “This old, outdated stuff isn’t relevant for today.” Or, “Why would I give up living life my way?” Although there’s a clear “chart” (the Bible) and “experts” (pastors, teachers, preachers), they choose instead to dump what they see as a stumbling block and walk away. 

Friend, at some point in our life, we are all sitting at the gemming bench. We have a choice to see Jesus as the Rock of salvation, accepting Him as the Cornerstone of our life. Or we can reject Him, tossing Him aside for the shiny (and valueless) trinkets the world has to offer. Which stone will you choose today? Will you choose to accept Jesus as your solid foundation? Or will He become your stone of stumbling toward eternal separation from God?

Lord, I pray that those who have rejected You will open their eyes to recognize Your value—that they trade their worldly trinkets for the Rock of salvation.

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Luke 15:20

I’ve always loved hearing people’s stories. How they grew up, the choices—wise and foolish—they’ve made through their lives, their struggles, their triumphs. We’ve all been on a tumultuous journey to get to where we are…and it’s always breathtaking to travel someone’s path with them through their story. One of my lifelong favorite quotes is by Longfellow: “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”

When I became a Christian as a 30-year-old, I discovered another kind of story that every believer can share—the moment (or slow unveiling) when they realized they were far from God and needed to turn back to Him…the point at which the decision is made to give up the sinful pursuits of this world and give it all to Jesus (who gave it all for us, exchanging our sin for His righteousness). The “churchy” term for this is “testimony”—and every single Christian has one. And it’s always breathtaking.

It’s funny to me, though, because I’ve met lots of Christ-followers through the years who say, “Well, my testimony is so boring.” This typically comes after someone shares a radical transformation, say from drug addiction or a life a sexual sin to the amazing grace and freedom found in Jesus. And these types of dramatic stories are awe-inspiring! But, friend, there is no such thing as a “boring” story of salvation.

Let’s look at the very familiar parable of the prodigal son. A young man who has been safe and provided for in his father’s house decides to go out on his own, chasing after the things of this world. Once he is totally spent (financially, emotionally, spiritually), he turns back home. Before he even arrives, his waiting father runs to him, welcoming him home with celebration (Luke 15:11-32). 

Prior to surrendering to Jesus, every one of us has that turning-back moment (to be “churchy” again, we call that “repentance”). And it is profound—and radical—for everyone! Why? Because a transformational phenomenon has taken place! When we choose to reconcile with God through Jesus, we immediately and miraculously move from the darkness into the light, from slavery to sin to freedom in Christ.

Maybe you never left the proverbial front porch of your father’s house, e.g., you grew up in a Christian home and were saved at VBS when you were five. Perhaps you were one who wandered out into the yard, but before you stepped into the street you realized going further wouldn’t be smart—so you went home. You may have roamed into town, experiencing lots of the world (say, through high school and college-age years), when your eyes opened to the eternal dangers. Or, like me, you may have found yourself wallowing with the pigs before you thought, “This my-way life has got to change.”

Friend, whatever your story—whenever and however you came to accept the free gift of saving grace—it is profound and radical! It is a miracle because you were once lost, and now you’re found! You are a miracle. 

Now, go tell someone.

Lord, I was blind and lost—but You came to rescue me. Thank you for the miracle of salvation. May I be bold and unashamed to share this story of amazing grace with others.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:3

It’s a new year. And it’s a new opportunity to “commit” to losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, etc. (Wait, this might only be me…) Regardless of whether it’s a calendar page turn to January, a birthday, or an impending reunion, people in our culture seem to make a habit of making new habits (or breaking old ones). 

Good thing that we can watch any TV show, a favorite podcast, or some waste-of-time YouTube video and be provided with a plethora of nutritional supplements that shout promises of success. In all transparency, I’ve fallen for some of these schemes—spending a lot of money to realize the assured benefits, only to be let down. 

But 2022 is different (no, really). This year, as I sat at the table on January 1, exhausted from all-night-fireworks insomnia, I determined to do things differently. This year, I will be motivated not by weight loss, but by the simple idea of nourishing my body with whole, real food. No processed junk, nominal-to-no sugar, nothing full of unpronounceable ingredients. It’s all we need, really. (Now, we can go on a tangent of how the quality of even “whole” food has markedly deteriorated over the decades, let alone how God’s natural food provisions have devolved as this world has…but we’ll table that for now.)

What’s the spiritual point here? When we give our life to Christ, accepting that He made a way to reconcile sinners to a holy God by sacrificing Himself and rising victorious over death, we are made complete (Colossians 2:10). We are saved (redeemed and justified) by grace alone, through faith in Christ. This is the whole Truth: Jesus Christ is sufficient. But, friend, so many people—believers and unbelievers alike—are deceived by the spiritual equivalent of those YouTube snake oil salesman. They tell us, “Sure, Jesus is a good thing, but you need Jesus and _______.” Jesus and good works. Jesus and self-denial. Jesus and human philosophy or the latest psychological theory. Jesus and rituals. The list goes on and on. 

But the moment we surrender to Jesus, we are made a new creation in Him. The old is gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15)! No supplements needed! Everything else is processed junk that fills us with false gratification, only to eventually leave us feeling worse. Jesus is sufficient. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

So, how about it? Make this year a year nourishing your mind, heart, and spirit with Jesus. If you haven’t surrendered to Him yet—today’s a great day. If you are a Christian, then spend more time with Him this year—get to know Him better by digging into His Word (the Bible). In a world of culturally hip false promises and enticing lies of the enemy, there is nothing more wholly satisfying to the soul than Jesus.

Lord, may I turn away from the ways of this world that substitute for or detract from You. Help me fully nourish myself with Truth alone.