Nothing (Romans 8:31-39)

31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Psalm 44:22)

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ever had a rough day? Me, too. Week? Yep. Year? I guess so. Life? I sure hope not. When trouble comes, where do we turn? When we're being burdened on all sides, to whom do we look? When feeling like we're being tromped down into a bottomless pit, by whom are we rescued?

This is not a “cheer up; it's Christmas,” writing. I hope this reaches much deeper than that. Everyone has had a bad day at least once; it's just one of those things we have to shrug off. I'm talking about when we feel surrounded by darkness, when every ounce of ourselves wants to scream out, “GO AWAY!” to whomever comes around or calls. We feel isolated, depressed, beat down, exhausted.........banished. It's in those moments when these words from God ring most true. If God is for us, then truly nothing can be against us.

God is the one who judges, who calls us all to answer. Paul emphasizes that Christ didn't just die; he was raised to life again! He is at God's right hand! In trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword, WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM! Philippians 4:13, the main point in context is not “I can,” it's, “through Christ.” Praise be to God the Father for His grace for allowing us sinners to crawl towards Him and find rest in His strength. Praise God for His love for accepting us in all of our transgressions and weakness. Praise God for His justice and righteousness in always holding true to who He is and judging the world (us included) in all rightness and truth.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Does this answer the question of once-saved-always-saved? No. But it does mean that God will love us no matter what, and we can always turn to Him for peace, love, and discipline, a very important part of love. That is a true gift of God.

Praise be to God our Father for who He is: Savior, Judge, unchanging, righteous, holy, powerful, light.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” ~John 1:5

Thank You, God, for Your light. Thank You for Your hand, and might, and power in rescuing us from ourselves. You sent Christ to be a willing and perfect sacrifice. To live with us here on Your footstool, and to die for us by our selfish, unloving hands. It is only by Your grace that we can live. Only by Your power that we can breathe. Your love, Your righteousness is truly amazing. Thank You for You. Amen.

I Will Be Exalted, Psalm 46

1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations He has brought on the earth. 9He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire. 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Most people can agree that we are currently in a time of tumult. Elections, storms, jobs, schedules all keep our attention from focusing on God. For most of us, it’s simply a state of busyness trying to get from one place to another to do this thing or see this person. For some (currently the eastern coastline) there is actually some fear involved. A threat to safety and well-being is quite obviously present with the next step outside or the next howl of the wind. For others, every day comes filled with questions that don’t have answers: how am I going to stay warm today; where am I going to sleep tonight; what am I even going to eat to quiet my stomach down? There really is no break to rejuvenate, to relax, to rest.

The authors (the Sons of Korah) paint a morbid picture of the world: mountains falling into the sea, waters roaring, mountains quaking. Granted, with as much natural phenomenon craziness that has happened in the last few years, they’re really not that far off. But still, many of us have only seen it on TV, the internet, etc.

In the middle of everything, there is a place to go. “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall.” Phew. I can easily picture a quiet, babbling brook on a beautiful summer day with no clouds in the sky and the softest grass anyone could ever imagine. I just lay back into the grass, soaking everything in. “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Fortress? Wait, that’s a little different from the mountains and natural disasters. That has a different connotation…

Unfortunately for understanding, we (read: most of us) don’t really have physical wars going on in our own home turf on a daily basis. About the most danger I run into in a daily basis is the commute to and from work, not really a reason to fear for my life. These authors really knew what war was. Israel had been through significant expansion, division, subjugation, rule, and militaristic force over the course of history, even to this point. And God led them into and through all the different battles.

Yet the author makes a switch in verse 9 when He says that God makes wars cease. God: the peacemaker. How does He do it? “He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire.” Hmmm…that seems awfully oxymoronic. Break, shatter, burn. That’s exactly what everyone else is doing, but God does it bigger, better, and for a greater purpose.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Read verses 9 and 10 again to yourself, and really try to see and hear and feel everything that’s happening around you when you read. Everything builds, and builds, and crescendos, to the final clang!



Silence



All our weapons have been destroyed. Everything attacking us has been ceased. Stop fighting. It’s not gaining anything. And the only one who can bring peace is God. And when He brings it, it’s awesome. Anyone who has ever dealt with spiritual warfare knows this. I have personally heard demons and angels yelling at each other, louder, and louder, and LOUDER until God yelled, “YOU CAN’T HAVE HIM!” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....................................................................

No words can describe that peace. God is the only one who can bring that peace. God is truly, truly the only source of anything good (James 1:17). What do we do when something that incredible happens? We talk about it.
God is Almighty, greater than anything we can ever face, and when He says, “Be still.” Everything listens. Then we go and talk about His love, peace, power, and justice to everyone we meet. God says, “I will be exalted in the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Everyone will praise God, especially if we talk about Him. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

I pray that every one of you would find that peace today. Rest in God. And, in doing so, glorify Him among the earth.

Aliens, Hebrews 11:13-16

(13)All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (14)People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. (15)If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. (16)Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

This passage comes from the so-named “Hall of Fame of Faith.” The passage before this talks about the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and it is followed by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel. Hence the name “Hall of Fame.” Any story presently used in Sunday school (and some that aren’t) is referenced in this passage. Every single explanation the author of Hebrews uses begins with the phrase “by faith.” And at the end of the chapter, he says that the people mentioned didn’t receive what was promised because God had provided something better.

Did the people mentioned stay true to God the entire time? Not everyone. But the focus of their life, their faith, was centered around their relationship with God. They kept their eyes on what is unseen, not what is seen.

This particular section really speaks about the heart of every single person mentioned. Abel was focused on God when he presented his offering from his flock. Enoch walked with God, which is a huge complement in the Jewish culture, and God actually took him to heaven directly. Noah didn’t know what sort of a world he was going to find after the flood, or even what would happen during it. But he kept his faith in God and his eyes on God’s kingdom. Abraham simply left where he had lived for a land that God promised Him.

They all knew that they were made for God and His kingdom and searched for it with all they had. Do we? I, unfortunately, forget this all the time. Despite all the messages, songs, and blunt reminders, I still forget that I’m not meant to live for this world, but for God and His kingdom. This encouragement goes out to everyone: living for God’s kingdom is the only way to truly find a home, and when home is found in God’s kingdom, life means so much more!

Here are a few songs about this. Feel free to pick your genre.

We're all the Same, Romans 3:21-31

(21)But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.(22)This righteousness is given through faith in[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(23)for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,(24)and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.(25)God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—(26)he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
(27)Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.(28)For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(29)Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,(30)since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.(31)Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Most of you have probably heard verse 23 in this passage. However, I’d like to look at the broader context to see how it plays in with the rest of its sentence and paragraph. Paul is speaking to his Jewish readers at this point in the letter, and his purpose in verses 21-24 is to say that they aren’t any different from the Gentiles. It is faith in God that saves, not the Law. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. There’s no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. It really gives a new meaning to verse 23 than how I’ve always heard it used. Instead of “YOU have sinned, and YOU have sinned, and so have YOU!” It’s actually “You’ve sinned, but so have I. We’re no different because we both sin and we’re both saved through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Verses 25-26 add some additional explanation of Paul’s message that his Jewish audience would have understood. They were well familiar with the sin offering that was set up in Leviticus 16:15-16 where a goat would be sacrificed in lieu of the people bearing the brunt of God’s wrath (hence the word scapegoat). God waited and “passed over” (sound familiar from the plagues on Egypt?) the sins of the people so that Christ could be the sin sacrifice once for all. Then and only then would the sacrifice be accomplished. God and God alone judges because only through God are we saved.
Paul ends this section with a Q&A session with himself. He refutes some arguments that people may choose to use against Him. The law is about faith, not works. God is the God of everyone. We declare the law by keeping the faith. That last part can be a tad confusing, but we proclaim God’s love and forgiveness when we uphold the way and demonstrate our faith, so law and faith go hand-in-hand.
We are not alone in our sin. Even though we all sin, we are all also justified freely and equally through Jesus’ blood on the cross. Christ is the once-for-all sacrifice for us. Walk by faith. In doing so, uphold the law. Christ is our righteousness.

Gifts and Passions, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)

(7) Now to each one of the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (8)To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, (9)to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, (10)to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (11)All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

This is probably a familiar passage to a lot of us. Those of us who have grown up in the church have heard several sermons about how to find your gift and how to best use it in the church. For the record, this is not nearly a complete list, but it is the longest contiguous list in Scripture. The second longest comes at the end of the same chapter, just in case you were curious.

I don’t intend to try to define and dissect every spiritual gift in Scripture or even here. There are several additional resources available if you’d like to look around some more. The Bible talks a lot about when/when gifts are to be used within a church service, and it also provides examples throughout of people who display those gifts. Solomon is promised in 1 Kings 3 that he will essentially be the wisest person to ever walk the earth. Jesus was called Rabbi/Teacher (was that too easy of a reference?). Genesis is full of people who walked faithfully with God. Peter and John are healing people all through the book of Acts. Moses and Aaron performed incredible miracles in front of Pharaoh. Aaron did most of the actions (staff turning into a snake, the Nile turning into blood), and Moses actually did most of the prophesying. God placed prophets like Samuel in Israel to judge the people and get them back on track. Acts 2 records the primary example of tongues at Pentecost, when people from all around the region with different languages suddenly heard the Word of God being spoken in their own language.

So the Spirit was definitely active in the Old Testament as well as the New, and the people were using their gifts outside the church/synagogue as well as in, and that’s my primary focus this week. Finding where each person’s spiritual gifts are to be used outside the church. As many gifts as God has given, He has also given passions to individuals. The question is how do your gifts come into play with your passions?

For example, I think my primary gifts are service, hospitality, encouragement, and teaching. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. Those are the activities that really get my juices flowing; I love making sure people feel welcome and comfortable when I’m around and will go out of the way to make sure they’re ok. If they’re not, I like to encourage them and teach them some ways to be more comfortable, whether it’s people’s names or how to do an activity better. That plays out in my job a lot on a day-to-day basis by going into random people’s houses to work on their U-Verse services. I’m there to serve; they have to want to invite me in; I help them know that everything’s going to be ok, and I explain in words they understand what I did and what the problem might have been. Outside of work, I love having people over (hint, hint) and hosting anyone and everyone. Even with Frisbee, whenever people are nervous about playing, I get a huge rush from helping them get comfortable with other people first, then the sport by teaching them how to adjust what they are or aren’t doing. That is a primary method of interaction for me and a primary mission field because that is my passion. Helping people feel welcome and wanted brings the biggest smile to my face and warmth to my heart because that’s how God has wired me to be. Those are my gifts. That is what God pushes me to use for His kingdom.

My encouragement and challenge to everyone this week is to find your gifts through prayer, action, and reflection. I have learned that administration is a weak area, and only through prayer and God’s grace can that be strengthened. Once you have a hint towards your gifts, look for opportunities to use them in the church, as that is their primary purpose. God’s kingdom comes first. Then look for ways to use those gifts outside of the church body. How can your gifts be used within your passions to bring people to God?

A Call to Security, Psalm 59:14-17

(14)They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city. (15)They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied. (16)But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. (17)You are my strength, I sing praise to You; You, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.


David had originally come into King Saul's service as a musician to play the lyre whenever "an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul" (several references beginning in 1 Samuel 16). David would be called in from the fields to play for Saul to calm his nerves and remind him that God is in control. Saul, however, began to get more and more jealous of David as God used him to lead the armies into several victories and make David's name greater than Saul's. Eventually, Saul began trying to kill David almost any opportunity he had. David would be playing the lyre as normal, then "an evil spirit from the Lord (would come) on Saul," and he would try to pin David to the wall with a spear. It got to the point where David had to go into hiding most nights because Saul would send out assassins to kill him, and anyone they ran across would either lie on David's behalf or, in Samuel's case, they would begin prophesying, which is pretty cool to see God working in very adverse situations.

So David wrote this psalm either during a time of hiding or reflecting on said time. He goes back and forth about being worried about death and praising God for deliverance. He ends the song with these lyrics, with verses 16-17 being the final ending punch. In the midst of people trying to kill him, David knows that God is his Savior. Look at what he calls God: fortress, refuge, strength, God. David's total dependence is on God the Father, and God delivers for His kingdom.

And the persecution doesn't end with David, or Jesus, or even the apostles. If any of you have ever heard Dr. David Platt speak during a service at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, during a Secret Church (next one in April 6!), or if you have read Radical, you've heard stories about persecuted Christians all over the world dying because of the Gospel. People are being put in jail, tortured, and killed simply for believing in God. These families need prayer. These people are in desperate need of prayer and supplies in many cases, so they can continue to spread the Gospel. There's an organization called Voice of the Martyrs whose aim is to assist the persecuted church worldwide. If you're interested you can check out their website and read stories of people who have prayed through jail and sung to their deaths, knowing that God is their fortress, refuge, and strength.

In middle class America, it's kind of hard to get a full grasp of what's going on without having seen it myself. I may complain about a very stressful day at work and lose sight of God's love and what He is planning. Who cares if the computer systems go down? Who cares if I can't find a cable in the middle of someone's total mess? Who cares if a DVR won't hook up to a 72" LED TV? I shouldn't, and God definitely doesn't. All He is concerned with at that point is my heart and whether or not I'm giving Him the glory. Humming is a great way to relieve stress, and if people ask about the song, there's a ministry opportunity right there. Yesterday, two of those "who care" questions happened. At the beginning of the day I sent out some texts asking for prayer, but after 9 hours at one house, I had honestly forgotten about it. Then I read my brother's text:

"'Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds because the testing of your faith develops perseverance.' -James 1:2-3. Try to stay patient today and find God moving in whatever you do today. Hope your day gets better man."

Wow. I just had to sit back and let that soak in. Consider it pure joy. Find God moving in whatever you do today. I had forgotten that God is my fortress, refuge, and strength. I praise God that in the smallest of things He is still moving. When tiny little things go wrong, God still calls us to rely on him. When we're being imprisoned, beaten, and murdered for God's name, we still rely on God solely. Asia Bibi has been in solitary confinement in Pakistan for two years for her protection while awaiting a death sentence appeal. So what does she do all day? Pray. Jail officials and superintendents have come to like her and are very sympathetic to her case now. They've promised to bring her any books she wants and are taking very good care of her.

That's what faith can do. That's what true reliance on God can do. When in prison, hiding from death, or watching our team lose a preseason exhibition game, God is still our fortress, refuge, and strength. Forever and always, let us remember that He is God, and He is with us.

Faith Like a Child, Mark 10:13-16

(13)People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. (14)When Jesus saw this he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (15)I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (16)And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them.

I hate to admit this, but I had never been backpacking until Rebecca and I got engaged. Even then, it was just a one-nighter going up a mountain in Colorado, so not a backpacking trip by most hikers’ standards. When we were planning the trip, she was giving me tips on what to pack and how to pack it to make sure everything that we needed fit. I was so excited to actually go on a packing trip, especially with my new fiancé, her brothers, and her dad, that I was way more excited than I should have been starting off. The next day, I couldn’t wait to do another one, even though the rain and sleet were not the most fun things to happen in July, coming down from a mountain.
The same excitement happened at the Canyon. We both went down to the river, although at separate times, and we agreed that we will need to come back for two weeks minimum just to do all the hiking we hadn’t gotten the chance to do in our time there.
Several people on our ACMNP team and some locals wanted to hit every trail by the time they left last summer. I had the opportunity to go with one of my coworkers on her first hike ever. Not just at the Canyon. Ever. For me, that’s kinda hard to grasp, but it was also hard for Rebecca to grasp that I hadn’t backpacked for 22 years. The thing is that people doing it for their first time love it, usually. They initially can’t wait to go however far down, even though they might be a little nervous. Many people have a cap that says, “The Canyon is calling, and I must go.” That’s so true. Yes, we marveled at the fantastic gorge, but we also have an innate drive to explore, to find out something new, even though it may just be from hearsay.
People in our Scripture lesson had heard about Jesus’ miraculous healings, so parents were pushing through the door of the house the disciples and Jesus were staying at just so Jesus could touch and bless their children. The disciples were tired. They had spent all day discussing and debating with the religious leaders of the area, and they just wanted to rest. However, Jesus had told them just a few days prior to welcome children in His name. He has to reemphasize the point just so the disciples will start to listen.
Children take a huge role in Scripture, especially for Jesus. He’s constantly saying that we should welcome children and train them in the proper way of life. Teach them properly and don’t lead them astray from His truth. Why does Jesus place so much emphasis on teaching children and using them as examples for faith?
Children have a lot to learn about life. Jesus taught them so they could begin to learn the Christian life and pass it down to other generations, much like a hiker will share experiences so others can strive to go. But what about the kingdom of God belonging to children, or an adult receiving the kingdom of God like a child? Personally, I wouldn’t trust a lot of children I know with a kingdom. All the scientific research would be dedicated to bringing dinosaurs or unicorns back to life, and there would be mandatory recesses every day. Ok, that part would be great, but when it comes to decision making, especially with other kingdoms and ruling over people, children aren’t exactly the most suited for the job.
They can be really distracted by looking at only what they want. They can be narrow minded and singularly focused. They’re out for what they want and nothing more. This can be too obvious during the Christmas season when children pester their parents about that new thing, whatever it might be.
Whenever they get that thing they’re looking for, though, they get extremely excited and can’t wait to show it off to everyone. One of my mom’s favorite things to do whenever my brothers and I bring new friends over is pulling out the old baby videos…yay… and one of her favorites is birthdays. She watches the three of us react to what we were opening from “Whoooooa!” to “Oooooh!” to completely screaming at the top of our lungs in excitement. Most people who watch them, especially females, think they’re inexplicably cute, having about the same reactions, and the three of us try to hide while they’re going on. However, the videos she shows are a great example of how God calls us to receive His kingdom. It’s a gift he gives to us freely. Just like children have technically done nothing to earn the gifts they may get, we’ve done nothing at all to deserve God’s kingdom. God allows us to receive it as a gift from Him. We’ve done nothing to deserve it, and there’s nothing we can do. The love that God shows in that is something we can’t help but share!
The kingdom is exciting, enthralling, and something we can’t wait to go exploring in. The fact that God grants it to faulty people like us is extremely humbling. It’s something we can’t wait to share with everyone. We want to soak up everything we can from God and learn as much as we can about Him. We should want to go around screaming at the top of our lungs that God has saved us. That is the level of excitement, at least, that we should have about the kingdom.
As we go throughout our exploration, we have to remember that children need to be shown the way, much like new hikers. In our Scripture lesson, the children at the beginning had to literally be carried in to see Jesus. That could have been because they were too young to walk, or didn’t have the strength to manage for themselves. Either way, they needed a guide or helping hand. Many people are just like that. They need that helping hand, that guide, to get to God, because many don’t know how. They really want it, but they don’t know how to get there or what to look forward to.
Children don’t know what to expect when something new comes around, either. They’re excited about the new idea, the new thing, whatever. The anticipation of the new thing drives many kids crazy. After seeing it or getting it, they can’t wait to share about it. In Luke chapter 10, Jesus sends out followers to go ahead of Him and proclaim that the kingdom of God is near. They came back filled with joy exclaiming that even the demons are subject to them in the name of Christ. They have truly accepted the gift of the kingdom, and are completely enthralled and what they’ve learned from it. They can’t wait to share with everyone what just happened. Jesus later thanks the Father for revealing His power to little children, those who are new to faith. The followers accepted the kingdom of God with excitement and couldn’t wait to tell everyone. The kingdom was new, and they were filled with joy upon receiving it. That’s how we, as adults, receive the kingdom like a child: humility and excitement.
Back in our Scripture lesson, after the children had been brought to Jesus by their parents, Jesus blessed them and healed them. He showed them that God’s blessings are given freely, and they accepted His gift with open arms and probably left the house singing praises. In the same way, when we go to God to find His kingdom, He heals us from sin. He blots out our stain and makes us clean. That’s what we can get excited about. We are freed from bondage and can go living our lives to the full for God’s glory. We can spend our lives exploring the Kingdom of God. We can run, we can dance, and we can live for Him. It’s amazing freedom! Think back really quickly to your elementary school days and the first day of summer. You were free from the bondage of school, and you couldn’t wait to go romping around with friends, enjoying your very extended weekend. We can let ourselves go back to the freedom of childhood and romp around God’s kingdom, exploring and finding out new things, telling everyone we see about it.
Take a look around. The kingdom is calling. God is calling. And we must go; we must explore. The kingdom of God is near. It’s calling all of us. The trail map is right in our Bibles. Take a hike.