You are wonderfully made!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:14 NIV) 

You won a very big race!

On the day you were conceived over a million of your “brothers and sisters” raced to reach your mother’s egg. And you got there first! You won! That’s right, you were truly the winner that day! And you are still a winner today! (Psalm 139:15 NKJV)

You were skillfully made in secret

“My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (Psalm 139:16 NKJV)

God’s thoughts are still with you today, and they are precious!

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalms 139:17-18 NKJV)

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10 NLT)

As described in the passage above, there are two purposes, one is from God and the other is from the devil. 

The devil’s purpose

Billy Graham said, “Don’t think of Satan as a harmless cartoon character with a red suit and a pitchfork. He is very clever and powerful, and his unchanging purpose is to defeat God’s plans at every turn—including His plans for your life.”

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

 “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.” (Eph. 2:2)

The devil’s purpose will be crushed

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” (Rom. 16:20)

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.” (2 Thess. 2:8)

God’s purpose

“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10b)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

“He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” (Eph. 1:5 ESV)

“Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” (2 Tim. 1:9 ESV)

God’s purpose will succeed

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Prov. 19:21 ESV)

“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:12 ESV)

Therefore

“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;” (James 1:13)

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13)

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11)

“in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Eph. 6:16)

And finally

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” (Eph. 1:11 ESV)

Quote

“As Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a gospel too; the latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it parades, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it.” - A.W. Pink

“Rejoice always,” (1 Thess. 5:16)

Rejoice: To experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult. 

Rejoice always!

We are exhorted in the Bible to rejoice always and we should and must! As God’s redeemed children and followers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we do have a lot to rejoice about! And, no matter our circumstances, we can always choose to rejoice and praise the Lord. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If we are always filled with the Spirit, and the Spirit causes us to rejoice, then it follows that we will rejoice always.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Phil. 4:4 ESV)

Reasons to rejoice always

·      Rejoice always because you trust in His holy Name

“For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.” (Psalm 33:21) 

·      Rejoice always because you love Him 

“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” (1 Peter 1:8 NLT) 

·      Rejoice always because God has clothed you with the garments of salvation and righteousness

 “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isa. 61:10 ESV) 

·      Rejoice always in God’s creation

“Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!” (Isa. 65:18 NLT)

·      Rejoice always because your name is written in heaven

“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

·      Rejoice always in your undertakings and blessings

“There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.” (Deut. 12:7 ) 

·      Rejoice always in times of suffering

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,” (Rom. 5:3 ESV)

Therefore

“But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.” (Psalm 68:3)

“Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord! (Psalms 119:1-9 ESV)

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” (Lamentations 3:25 ESV)

Pray—and Wait with Patience

Whether facing a personal struggle or a national crisis, God is always the place to turn for help. But while you wait for His answer, be patient—don’t give up or lose heart. There’s often a delay between the moment you pray and the moment the answer arrives. In Daniel’s case, God responded immediately to his prayer, but the answer was delayed 21 days due to spiritual opposition (see Daniel 10:13–21). Thankfully, Daniel didn’t give up—he waited in faith, trusting that help was on the way. In our modern world of instant everything, it’s easy to lose patience and miss out on what God is doing. But Scripture encourages us to be courageous, to endure with hope, and to trust that God will respond—in His perfect time.

Wait with Courage and Strength

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14 ESV)

Wait Patiently, Trusting God to Answer

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.” (Psalm 40:1–5 ESV)

Remain Steadfast through Trials

“Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” (James 5:11 ESV)

Wait on the Lord for Renewed Strength

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 ESV)

Wait—While Hoping, Praising, and Proclaiming

“But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.
I will tell everyone about your righteousness.
All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words.
I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just.” (Psalm 71:14–16 NLT)

Therefore… Keep Waiting and Trusting

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7 ESV)

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:7–8 ESV)

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 30:18 ESV)

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 ESV)

What the Future Holds

Times of political change often stir up anxiety, with people on all sides wondering how their lives and futures will be affected. But no matter who holds office or what circumstances shift around us, one truth stands firm: God does not change.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)
“For I the Lord do not change...” (Malachi 3:6 ESV)

His promises remain as true and powerful today as ever—for those who believe and act on them in faith:

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.” (2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV)

As someone wisely said, “I stopped worrying about what my future holds when I put my faith in the One who holds the future.”

God Plans to Give You a Future and a Hope

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

Great Is God’s Faithfulness

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21–23 ESV)

Therefore

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12 ESV)

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:18 ESV)

“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Cor. 16:14 ESV) 

When love is your motivation… 

·      Your attitude toward others will be right

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor 13:4-7 ESV)

·      Your life will have more harmony

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:14 ESV)

·      People will know you are Christ’s disciple

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)

·      You will be without fear

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18 ESV) 

·      You will abide in God

“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)

·      Your reward will be great

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” (Luke 6:35 ESV) 

Therefore

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 ESV) 

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Rom. 12:10 ESV) 

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Rom. 12:9 ESV)

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” (Rom. 13:8 ESV) 

Quote

“The world does not understand theology or dogma, but it understands love and sympathy. - Dwight L. Moody

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” (Heb. 11:16 ESV)

Dual citizenship means being a citizen of two countries at the same time and sharing the rights and responsibilities of both. As Christians, we have dual citizenship—here on Earth and in Heaven.

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21 ESV)

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,” (Col. 1:13 ESV)

While here, we represent Christ

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:20 ESV)

Therefore

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3 ESV)

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:1-4 ESV)

Quote

"I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same." - C.S. Lewis

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9 NIV)

He never knew how close

There’s a popular story about a man who was determined to create a new soft drink to rival the big names in the cola industry. He poured his time and energy into the project, naming his first formula One-Up—but it was a complete failure. Undeterred, he tried again with Two-Up, but that one flopped too. Still, he didn’t give up. He went on to create Three-Up, then Four-Up, Five-Up, and even Six-Up—each attempt ending in disappointment.

After the sixth try, he finally quit, worn out and discouraged. What he didn’t realize was that success might have been just one more try away. If he had held on a little longer, he might have reached Seven-Up—the name that eventually became one of the most well-known soft drinks in the world.

The lesson? Perseverance matters. You never know how close you are to a breakthrough until you keep going—especially when you're tempted to quit.

The Bible gives us many reasons to persevere and not to give up

• Don’t give up because you will be blessed

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

• Don’t give up because you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Heb. 12:1 ESV)

• Don’t give up so you will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

• Don’t give up because the Lord is compassionate and merciful

“Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” (James 5:11 ESV)

• Don’t give up and be saved

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 24:13 ESV) 

• Don’t give up because Jesus is coming soon

“I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Rev. 3:11 ESV)

Therefore

Often, success is achieved by simply continuing to persevere in something -  by keeping on keeping on. No matter what! And as God’s children, we have the great advantage of His help!

“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.” (Phil. 1:6 ESV)

(2 Chron. 15:7) “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

“If we endure, we will also reign with him;” (2 Tim. 2:12 ESV)

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9 ESV)

Perceptions of God Vary Among People

Some picture God as an impersonal, white-bearded old man sitting on a cloud far away—completely out of touch with the modern world. Others see Him as a harsh judge with a strict set of rules, constantly watching to catch any mistakes. And when you fail, like the evil Ming from Flash Gordon, He supposedly sends terror from the sky through plagues, storms, or other so-called “acts of God.”

Some see Him as a mean and controlling father, teacher, or drill sergeant—someone who sends problems, accidents, or sickness to “teach you a lesson.”

If your perception of God aligns with any of these, it’s no wonder you might find it hard to pray. You likely wouldn’t want to spend time with Him, be His close friend, or even be near Him. In fact, you might be afraid of Him.

On the other hand, If you see God as good, loving, kind, generous, and joyful—a personal and approachable God who saves, provides, protects, and blesses—you’ll have a much more positive view. Prayer would come easily, because you’d be spending time with someone you’re excited to be around!

You can know who God is

The passage at the top of the page says you can learn about God by looking at Jesus. In John 10:30, Jesus also said, “I and the Father are one.”

Seeing God According to the Life of Jesus

• He came to seek and save the lost
“For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56 KJV)

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10 KJV)

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NIV)

• He is joyful and wants you to be joyful too
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11 ESV)

• He loves you and doesn’t want you to perish
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

• He wants you to be victorious
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57)

• He wants your life to be abundant
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

• He wants to have a close and personal relationship with you
“Jesus replied, ‘All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.’” (John 14:23 NLT)

Therefore

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)