Philippians 3:10-11 - “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

God created each of us with a purpose, whether you believe this or not.

You may be thinking that you are just existing; just getting through the day the best you can. Each day seems identical to the next.

You sometimes wonder if anyone would notice if you didn’t show up.

Believe it or not, I’ve been there and it’s a rotten place to be. It took me years to realize God’s purpose for my life.

Now that I know, I’m sold out to Christ. I’ll never turn back to my old way of life. I’m holding the course.

I realize now that without God in my life, directing my steps, I would be stuck with the old habits; going through the same problems and never getting ahead.

You matter to God. He loves you and wants to be a part of your life.

Choose God. Hold the course and let Him direct your steps.

There are so many reality t.v. shows out there, which is one of the reasons I don’t watch much t.v. anymore.

The world is hungry for someone to just show them how to live a better life. You’ve heard the phrase, “barking up the wrong tree?” Many are searching for answers in the wrong places.

1 Kings 22:19 - “Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left.”

Heaven is reality, my friends. Unfortunately, so is Hell.

There are millions of people who are making earth their residency. We are all renters of this earth, temporary residents.

Which kingdom are you seeking to be a resident of?

I hope you can answer that question with ‘heaven.’

Don’t be fooled into this world’s enticing glamour. Watch out for the pretty lures, pulling you into dark places.

It says in the Bible that in the last days there will be many false teachers. These are people who claim to know God, but are working on Satan’s behalf to destroy you.

God is the only way to enter the kingdom of heaven. He’s real. He’s the first and the last.

Choose life today with God.

Psalm 121:3 - “He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;”

As I was hiking a treacherous hike recently, all I could think of is, “one slip of the hand or foot, and I’m a goner.” I asked God to guide my steps and keep me safe.

As it says in the verse above, God will not let our foot slip. It is also referring to other things in life. He will not let us go into danger without warning or protection.

And the last part of the verse states that God does not sleep. There’s such comfort in knowing that even while we sleep, God is watching over us. While we’re busy going about our day and busy lives, God’s meeting our needs. He’s concerned about the tiniest need that we may have.

So, whether you find yourself climbing the side of a mountain, or you’re facing an unknown medical diagnosis, God’s got it. He will not falter in keeping us safe.

Don’t fear. Trust God with your challenges today.

One definition of preserve is to maintain something in its original or existing state. It can also mean to keep safe from harm or injury.

My mom used to can everything from beans to pears. We loved it because deep in the heart of winter and cold weather, we could enjoy the sweetness of the pear preserves, or take delight in fresh green beans with supper.

Parents also try to preserve their children’s younger years by taking measures in keeping them safe and well fed.

The most precious thing we can preserve in our lives as Christians is God’s promises. There are many promises throughout the Bible for God’s children.

Read about them, meditate on them and relish them throughout your journey here on earth.

These promises protect us, encourage us and guide us each day.

But, don’t just take my word for it. Read these promises for yourself.

You’ll be glad you did.

Psalm 119:50 - “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

The lost and broken world we live in is waiting on you and me to be the light.

We’ve always had wars, discontent, hunger, depression and anger in the world we live in.

But, given all the discouraging times, we can come together in one agreement. There has to be answers, freedom from all the pain.

I have the best news ever! It’s all recorded in the Bible. There are some amazing stories of hope, perseverance, joy and accomplishments. But, that’s not where it ends. Jesus died for all of us, so that we can have a better life, a wonderful eternal home.

He’s waiting on me and you to not only accept Him as our savior, but to tell others of this good news.

Be the light in this dark world. Let Jesus guide you into the mission fields. I’m referring to your neighborhood, the workplace, the schools and communities who so desperately are seeking some resemblance of hope.

Matthew 5:16 - “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

An intercessor is a person who intervenes on behalf of another, especially by prayer.

There are several types of intercessors out there. You could say that a parent is an intercessor for their children. An adult child often becomes an advocate for their elderly parent.

Whatever the case may be, there is one intercessor that is superior above all and that’s the Holy Spirit.

I’ll admit as a young Christian this type of intercessor seemed foreign to me, almost scary. Most pastors in my day referred to him as the ‘Holy Ghost.’

But Jesus made a promise to all of us. After He was sent to earth to be borne, to live as a man, to die a horrible death, and to be raised from the dead, Jesus told His disciples that He’s going away. But, He followed that statement with the promise that even though He will not be present in the flesh, that He will send an advocate, an intercessor, called the Holy Spirit.

This is our ever present go-between us and God. He’s always with us, hears our prayers and comforts us in need.

Don’t underestimate God’s promises. Seek the Holy Spirit and you’ll find the Helper, the Intercessor.

Romans 8:26 - “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

As my husband and I were hiking recently, we ran across a guy who told us he was hiking as many of the 66 peaks in Maine that he could. Now there’s a guy who likes a challenge. As he moved past us both on the trail, I realized two things. One, is that he’s in far better shape physically than me, and two, that he’s seeking challenges ahead.

I wonder if I’m doing this in my Christian walk. Am I intentionally looking for ways to lead others to Jesus?

In my opinion, if you’re a Christian and you’re seeking to know more about Christ, then you should be seeking new challenges that will help you stretch your faith.

We need to be opportunists, looking for new avenues in approaching others and deliver the message of salvation.

We don’t have to go to seminary to do this. It’s as simple as reading the Bible, building on your relationship with Christ, and seeking the guidance on the challenges ahead.

I’m always up for a good physical challenge, but I have to admit I met my match on this very physically demanding hike to Mt. Katahdin.

I was scared and worried along the way, but I persevered. The reward of making it to the top failed in comparison of winning souls for Christ.

Where are you today? Are you aspiring to find ways to reach others that are lost? Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and share your faith?

Seek the challenges for Jesus’ sake today.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

In most airplanes you ride in today, there’s a sign on the back of the seats, “Life vest under your seat.”

We see the sign, but have we ever physically checked to make sure the life vest is actually under the seat? Probably not. Most will look at the sign and not give it another thought, until the plane is heading toward the water. Am I right?

So it is with life. How many people see the signs; they know this world will some day come to an end. And, instead of looking to see how they can have a better life, an eternal home, they ignore everything and enjoy the ride, or so they think.

They live it up today, spend all their money and time and end up with a bankrupt soul.

The Bible is God’s word. Our creator, the one who made me and you, gives us all kinds of warnings and signs of how this will all come to an end some day.

Will you be one of those who just ignores signs and hopes for the best? I hope not.

Book your final flight to eternity. Trust God and His promises. I can assure you, based on His word that you’re going to love the final destination.

Matthew 24:14 - “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”