We live in a world that seems to become more negative with each passing day. Turn on the television, look at social media, read the news, or listen to conversations around us, and it is easy to become discouraged. There is violence, division, anger, immorality, political conflict, economic uncertainty, and disappointment everywhere we look. Sometimes it seems that negativity has become the language of our culture. As Christians, however, we cannot allow the negativity of the world to determine the attitude of our hearts. We may live in a negative world, but we serve a positive, powerful, and victorious God.

We must be careful about what we allow into our minds. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” Philippians 4:8 teaches us to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. We cannot constantly fill our minds with negativity and expect to remain positive Christians. Instead, we should focus on God’s blessings, His promises, and His goodness.

Being positive does not mean pretending that problems do not exist. Christians face sickness, disappointment, grief, and difficult circumstances just like everyone else. The difference is where we place our burdens. Peter tells us, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). We have hope because this world is not our permanent home. Jesus promised, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

Our attitude also affects those around us. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The world has enough darkness and discouragement. Christians should be people who bring encouragement, kindness, hope, and joy wherever we go. Paul said, “Do all things without complaining and disputing” (Philippians 2:14).

Jesus gives us the greatest reason to remain positive: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We may not be able to change the world around us, but we can choose how we respond to it. Let us be people of faith instead of fear, gratitude instead of complaining, and hope instead of despair. When the world is dark, let us allow the light of Christ to shine through us. When people are looking for hope, let them find it in us because they see Christ living in us. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13).

God is still on His throne, Christ is still Lord, the church is still His people, the Gospel is still God’s power unto salvation, and heaven is still our hope.

God Bless

Few Bible subjects have caused more confusion than predestination. Many have been taught that before the foundation of the world God arbitrarily chose certain individuals to be saved and others to be lost, leaving man with no real choice in the matter. While God certainly knows all things (Isaiah 46:9-10), the Bible does not teach that He forces anyone to be saved or condemned apart from their own response to His will. Instead, Scripture reveals that God’s plan of salvation was predetermined, but each person must freely choose whether to accept or reject that plan.

The New Testament teaches that God predestined a people, not specific individuals without regard to their faith. Paul wrote, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). Notice the phrase “in Him.” God’s predetermined plan was that all who are in Christ would receive every spiritual blessing, be holy before Him, and receive the adoption as sons (Ephesians 1:3-5). The question is not whether God chose me personally before I was born; the question is whether I have chosen to be in Christ, where all of God’s promised blessings are found.

Peter makes it clear that God desires salvation for every person. “The Lord is… not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Likewise, Paul declared that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). If God had already predetermined that many could never be saved, these passages would lose their plain meaning. God’s invitation is genuine and extended to everyone.

The Bible consistently teaches that man has the ability and responsibility to choose. Joshua challenged Israel, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Jesus invited, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden” (Matthew 11:28). At the close of Scripture, the invitation remains open: “And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). These invitations would be meaningless if people had no opportunity to respond.

God’s foreknowledge should never be confused with predetermination. Because God knows the future does not mean He causes every decision. A loving parent may know what choice a child is likely to make without forcing that decision. In a far greater way, God knows the end from the beginning while still allowing mankind the freedom to obey or reject Him. Those who obey the gospel become part of the people God predetermined to save. Paul explained that we are “baptized into Christ” (Galatians 3:27), and it is those who are in Christ who share in God’s eternal purpose.

God planned from eternity that salvation would be available through Jesus Christ, and He has faithfully fulfilled that promise. The gospel is offered to every person, and each of us has the opportunity to respond in obedient faith. May we choose to be found “in Christ,” where God has prepared every spiritual blessing for those who love and obey Him. The choice is yours!

God Bless

“Jesus Loves Me! This I Know” is one of the first songs many learn as a child, yet its message is profound enough to encourage us throughout our entire lives. The song declares that we know Jesus loves us because “the Bible tells me so.” That simple statement is the foundation of our faith. Our confidence in Christ’s love is not based on our emotions, our circumstances, or our own worthiness—it is based upon the unchanging truth of God’s Word. The Bible repeatedly assures us that God’s love is real, personal, and demonstrated through the sacrifice of His Son.

Perhaps the greatest declaration of God’s love is found in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s love was not merely spoken; it was demonstrated. He gave His Son so that we might have the opportunity to be forgiven and enjoy eternal life. Paul echoed this truth when he wrote, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus did not wait for us to become perfect before loving us. He loved us enough to die in our place while we were still separated from Him by sin.

The love of Christ is personal. Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd, saying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Later He declared, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). The cross stands forever as the greatest expression of love the world has ever known. Every nail, every wound, and every drop of blood reminds us that Jesus willingly gave Himself so that we could be reconciled to God.

Knowing that Jesus loves us should also give us confidence during life’s trials. Paul triumphantly asked, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35). After listing hardship, persecution, danger, and suffering, he concluded, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come… shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). The Christian may face many difficulties, but nothing can destroy God’s faithful love for those who belong to Christ.

Because Jesus loves us, He calls us to respond with faithful obedience. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Our obedience does not earn His love; rather, it is our grateful response to the love He has already shown us. Likewise, John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). When we truly appreciate the sacrifice Christ made for us, we desire to honor Him in the way we live, worship, and serve.

The familiar words, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so,” are much more than the lyrics of a children’s hymn. They summarize one of the greatest truths found in all of Scripture. The Bible tells us that Jesus loves us because He came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, was buried, and rose again so that we might have hope beyond the grave. That love invites every person to trust His promises, obey His gospel, and remain faithful until the end. May we never outgrow the simple but life-changing truth that Jesus loves us, and may we strive each day to love Him in return with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

God Bless

Grief is one of life’s greatest certainties. Every person will eventually experience the pain of losing someone they love or face circumstances that leave deep emotional wounds. Becoming a Christian does not exempt us from sorrow, nor does faith remove every tear. What Christianity does provide is something the world cannot offer, hope in the midst of grief.

God understands our pain because He is a compassionate Father. David wrote, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart And saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). When grief enters our lives, we may feel isolated or abandoned, but the Lord assures us that He is especially near to those whose hearts are broken. His presence does not always remove the pain immediately, but it provides strength to endure each day.

The apostle Paul gives Christians a unique perspective on grief. He wrote, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Notice carefully that Paul does not say Christians do not grieve. He says we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Our tears are real, our hearts ache, and our loss is genuine, but our grief is tempered by the promises of God. Because Jesus conquered death through His resurrection, those who are faithful in Christ have the assurance that death is not the end.

During seasons of grief, Christians are encouraged to bring every burden to God. Peter wrote, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). God never grows weary of hearing the prayers of His children. He welcomes our cries, our questions, and our broken hearts. Prayer is not merely asking God to remove our pain; it is placing our pain into the hands of the One who loves us perfectly.

God also designed the church to be a source of comfort during difficult times. Paul instructed believers, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Christians are not meant to suffer alone. Through encouraging words, acts of kindness, meals, visits, prayers, and simply being present, brothers and sisters in Christ help carry one another through life’s darkest valleys.

Grief also reminds us of an important truth: this world is not our permanent home. Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and we look forward to the day when Christ returns. The Bible concludes with one of the most comforting promises ever given: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). What a glorious hope! Every funeral, every hospital room, and every cemetery reminds us that this world is temporary, but God’s promises are eternal.

If you are grieving today, remember that God has not forgotten you. He sees every tear, hears every prayer, and walks beside every faithful child. Trust Him even when the answers are unclear. Lean upon His Word, seek strength from His people, and hold firmly to the hope found in Jesus Christ. Grief may be part of our journey through this life, but it is not the end of the story. For those who remain faithful to the Lord, a day is coming when sorrow will give way to everlasting joy, and every tear will be replaced with eternal peace in the presence of God.

God Bless

The account of Uzza and the Ark of the Covenant is one of the most sobering lessons in all of Scripture regarding the importance of obeying God exactly as He has instructed. The story is recorded in 2 Samuel 6:1-7 and 1 Chronicles 13:1-10. After many years away from its proper place, King David sought to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It was a noble goal, and the people celebrated with great joy as the Ark was transported. However, despite their enthusiasm, they failed to follow God’s revealed instructions concerning how the Ark was to be moved.

God had made His will clear long before David’s day. The Ark was never to be carried on a cart, no matter how new or well-built it might be. Instead, it was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites using the poles that had been placed through the rings on its sides. Numbers 4:15 specifically warned, “But they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.” Likewise, Numbers 7:9 explains that the sons of Kohath were given the responsibility of carrying the holy furnishings “on their shoulders.” God’s instructions were neither vague nor optional.

As the oxen pulling the cart stumbled the Ark shifted. Uzza instinctively reached out his hand to steady it. Humanly speaking, many would say he was only trying to help. Yet 2 Samuel 6:7 states, “Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.” Uzza’s action may have appeared reasonable in man’s eyes, but it directly violated God’s command. The issue was not whether his intentions were good, but whether he respected God’s revealed will.

David himself was deeply troubled by the incident but later came to understand the true cause of the tragedy. When preparations were made to move the Ark a second time, David acknowledged the mistake, saying, “For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order” (1 Chronicles 15:13). This time the Levites sanctified themselves, bore the Ark on their shoulders according to the Law of Moses, and God blessed the effort. The problem had never been God’s severity but man’s failure to obey His instructions.

This account teaches that sincerity alone does not make an action acceptable before God. Throughout Scripture we find examples of individuals whose good intentions could not replace faithful obedience. Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and were consumed (Leviticus 10:1-2). King Saul spared the best of the Amalekite livestock under the guise of worship, but Samuel reminded him, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). God desires hearts that love Him enough to respect His authority.

The lesson remains just as relevant today. Many religious practices are defended by saying, “God knows my heart,” or, “I mean well.” While God certainly knows our hearts, He has also revealed His will in the New Testament. Jesus declared, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Our worship, our doctrine, and our daily lives must be guided by Scripture rather than by personal preference, tradition, or emotion. Good motives cannot authorize what God has not commanded.

Uzza’s death reminds us that God is holy and that His word deserves our highest respect. We should never treat God’s instructions as suggestions to be altered whenever they seem inconvenient or unnecessary. Instead, we should approach Him with reverence, carefully seeking His will in all things. As Peter wrote, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). May we learn from Uzza’s tragic mistake that true faith is demonstrated not merely by good intentions, but by humble and careful obedience to the Word of God.

God Bless