“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Recently, my wife Susan called our bank to make sure enough funds had been deposited into our account to cover the bills she planned to pay. Once she was assured the money was there, she didn’t hesitate—she sat down and confidently wrote the checks.

A Deposit Has Been Made to Your Account!

In the same way, you never need to fear coming before God as though you might not “have enough” to be accepted. Spiritually speaking, your account was empty—but Jesus stepped in and made an infinite, non-refundable, never-overdrawn deposit of righteousness into your life. Because of His finished work, you can walk right into the throne room of grace and “receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

We May Approach Boldly with Confidence

The payment is complete. The account is full. The door is open. You can approach God without fear, without shame, and without hesitation—knowing you will always find mercy, grace, and help exactly when you need it.

“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3:12 ESV)

Therefore

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:19–24 NIV)

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Words Are Important

The old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is simply not true. Words do hurt and can cause lasting damage. I have spoken words in haste or in anger and immediately wished I could take them back—but I couldn’t. The harm had already been done.

Speaking in haste is like squeezing toothpaste from a tube—it comes out quickly and easily, but you can never put it back in. The Bible warns us that rash words can pierce like a sword, while wise words bring healing:

Rash words are like sword thrusts

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18 ESV)

Our words don’t just wound—they also have the power to bring life or death:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21 ESV)

When emotions run high, a gentle response can change the entire outcome of a conversation:

A soft answer turns away wrath

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1 ESV)

And when we choose kindness, our words can refresh and strengthen the soul:

Gracious words bring health

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” (Proverbs 16:24 ESV)

Therefore

Once words leave our mouths, like toothpaste from a tube, they can’t be taken back. That’s why Scripture urges us to think before we speak, letting the Holy Spirit guide our tone and timing. As followers of Christ, our goal is to speak in a way that builds up, heals wounds, and points others toward Him—leaving behind a blessing instead of regret.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

It’s Always Been Easy for Me

I’m a “type A” personality. So after I became a Christian, it came naturally to share my faith with others. I was excited about knowing Jesus, and I talked about Him to everyone I met.

But this wasn’t the case with my wife, Susan. She’s a more private “type B” person, and sharing her faith didn’t come easily to her. However, it wasn’t impossible. One day, she found herself seated across the table from another woman just like her—another “type B” personality. As they talked, the conversation gently turned toward knowing God. To her surprise, Susan began to share her faith with a very receptive listener.

That day, Susan realized something important: being effective in sharing Jesus doesn’t require a specific personality type. It starts with a willing heart (which she had) and a readiness to respond when asked. Scripture says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Susan had taken the time to learn key Bible verses about how to know and receive Christ personally, so when the opportunity arose, she was prepared.

Someone once said

“Sharing your faith is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

“Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.” (Col. 4:5 NLT)

For Such a Time as This

“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 ESV)

Be Ready In Season and Out of Season

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (2 Tim. 4:2 ESV)

Therefore

“You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (2 Tim. 2:2 NIV)

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Psalm 37:4–6 ESV)

Anything my heart desires?

When I first read this passage and saw the phrase, “He will give you the desires of your heart,” I thought, Wow! How can that be? My desires are usually self-centered, to say the least. It seemed to say I could have anything my heart desires!

But upon closer examination

I noticed the conditions included in the surrounding verses:

1. Delight yourself in the Lord

2. Commit your way to the Lord

3. Trust in Him

This combination does something remarkable

It transforms your desires. When you truly delight in the Lord and commit your way to Him, trusting Him fully, your desires begin to align with His will. Then, when He gives you the desires of your heart, they reflect what He already wants for you.

Trust with all your heart

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5–6)

Strength and help

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7 ESV)

Therefore

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:7–8 WSV)

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Rom. 12:14 ESV)

Persecution Has Always Existed

The Bible records persecution of God’s people from the very beginning. It started in Genesis 4:3–7, when Cain murdered his brother Abel—an act of the unrighteous persecuting the righteous. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, believers have faced opposition for doing what is right in God’s eyes.

Christians are persecuted because their faith in Jesus Christ does not conform to the godlessness of a sinful world. Yet the Bible calls us not to retaliate, but to bless those who persecute us and to pray for them.

Love Your Enemies

“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (Luke 6:27–29 NLT)

This teaching of Jesus is radical—and impossible to live out in our own strength. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can show supernatural love and patience, even when wronged.

Let God Fight Your Battles

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exo. 14:14 ESV)

“When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:7 ESV)

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” (Psalm 138:7 ESV)

God sees every injustice and promises to protect and deliver His people. Our job is to trust Him and respond with grace, not vengeance.

Therefore

Are you facing criticism, rejection, or mockery for your faith? Don’t respond with anger. Instead, bless, pray, and trust God to fight for you. Your quiet endurance speaks louder than words and draws people to Jesus. Remember: your reward is eternal.

Persecution for doing what is right is not a curse—it is a blessing. Jesus Himself promised great reward in heaven for those who suffer because they follow Him.

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” (Matt. 5:10–12 NLT)

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1 NIV)

From Harshness to Gentleness

Charles Colson, former White House counsel and President Nixon’s infamous “hatchet man,” served time in a federal prison because of his role in the Watergate scandal. But while in prison, Colson encountered Christ—and his life was completely transformed. In his best-selling memoir Born Again, he wrote:

“I found myself increasingly drawn to the idea that God had put me in prison for a purpose and that I should do something for those I had left behind.”

He went on to found Prison Fellowship, a ministry that continues to serve incarcerated men and women to this day. The contrast between the “before” and “after” versions of Chuck Colson is striking. Before Christ: cold, mean-spirited, argumentative, and ruthless. After Christ: loving, kind, and gentle. He became a living testimony of how God can transform a life.

We see this same radical change in the Bible through the life of Saul, a violent persecutor of Christians who became the Apostle Paul, a passionate defender of the faith (see Acts 9:1–19; Acts 22:6–21; Acts 26:12–18).

Instruct with Gentleness

We live in a world filled with opposition to truth—in religion, politics, social media, and entertainment. When confronted with error or hostility, our instinct may be to argue or retaliate. But that approach rarely leads to lasting change and is not what Scripture teaches. Instead, we are called to respond with gentleness, truth, and prayer:

“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” (2 Tim. 2:25–26 NLT)

Ask for God's Wisdom Before Responding

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17 NASB)

Walk in Humility and Gentleness

“…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love. Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” (Eph. 4:1–2 NASB)

Therefore

Let your gentleness be visible to everyone. The Lord is near—and when we reflect His character, even in the face of opposition, hearts can be softened and lives can be changed.

When you’re tempted to respond in frustration or defensiveness, pause and pray. Ask God for the wisdom and gentleness that come from above. Your calm and Christlike response might be the very thing God uses to break down spiritual strongholds in someone’s heart.

“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:5 NASB)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Eph. 1:18)

Things You Cannot See

Some people say they don’t believe in God because they cannot see Him. Yet they rely on many unseen forces every day—radio signals, magnetic waves, microwaves, gravity, electricity, and oxygen, just to name a few. Clearly, invisibility does not equal nonexistence.

The Spiritual World

There is also a spiritual world that is invisible to the natural eye. The Bible teaches us that the things we see are temporary, but the things we cannot see are eternal.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

Elisha Prayed for His Servant to See the Invisible

“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

You Must Be Born Again to Understand Spiritual Things

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

“To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18)

Spiritual Blindness Is Removed

“But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Cor. 3:16)

Those Who Are Spiritual Receive Understanding

“But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” (1 Cor. 2:14 (NLT)

Faith Gives Assurance About What You Cannot See

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Heb. 11:1 (NLT)

Therefore

Even though we live in a visible, physical world, our true battle is spiritual. God gives spiritual sight to those who turn to Him, and equips believers with powerful weapons to overcome deception, doubt, and darkness.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3–5)

Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart so that you may see the unseen, walk by faith, and live in the light of eternity.

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16 ESV)

The World’s Definition of Love

It has been said that you can learn what a culture believes about almost anything by listening to the songs it sings. Consider the following titles from American love songs over the years. You’ve probably heard some of them—and when you read the titles, you might even remember some of the lyrics:

• Everybody Loves My Baby (1924)

• Love Me Tender (1956)

• To Know Him Is to Love Him (1958)

• Baby Love (1964)

• You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling (1965)

• I Think I Love You (1970)

• Love Hangover (1976)

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? (1984)

• Justify My Love (1991)

• Crazy in Love (2003)

• We Found Love (2011)

• Love Lies (2017)

• The End of Love (2018)

With so many mixed messages about love, it’s no wonder there’s confusion about what love truly is. The truth is, human definitions of love often fall short. But the Bible gives us the true and timeless definition.

The Bible’s Definition of Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:4–8 NIV)

God Alone Is the Source of Love

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7–8 NIV)

God Is Love

God does not merely have love—He is love. Everything He does flows from His love.

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 ESV)

God’s Kind of Love

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1 ESV)

He Shows His Love for Us

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 ESV)

Therefore

God’s love is not a fleeting emotion or a passing feeling—it is eternal, unchanging, and freely given through Jesus Christ. In a world full of confusion about love, you can rest in the truth that nothing will ever separate you from the love of God.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:37–39 ESV)

“For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:12 ESV)

Because of Jesus

We Have God’s Favor. When Christ was born, the angelic host announced to the shepherds that God was sending “peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14 NIV)

Another word for favor is grace, which is often defined as “unmerited favor.”

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 ESV)

His Favor Wins Battles

“For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them.” (Psalm 44:3 NKJV)

He Bestows Favor and Honor

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 ESV)

His Favor Establishes the Work of Your Hands
“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17 ESV)

His Favor Is for a Lifetime

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 ESV)

Because of His Favor, You Have a Hope and a Future

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

Therefore

Because God's favor surrounds you, strengthens you, and goes before you, live with confidence—seeking Him first, trusting His provision, and walking boldly in the plans He has prepared for you.

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31–33 ESV)