Romans 8:29 - “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

God has called us to become someone significant; someone that stands out in a crowd.

All my life, I’ve avoided the spotlight. I’ve been the person that does their job but doesn’t want to be pointed out or praised.

In my early teens, before I knew Christ, I constantly strived to escape life. The reality of it all overwhelmed me at times. I never had the desire to commit suicide because honestly, I was scared of dying.

After I gave my life to Christ, I knew that I was loved; I was important and God could actually use me for His path for the lost.

This journey has been full of blessings and trials. I can see now how God used adversity to take my eyes off of myself and fixed solely on Him.

Just like it takes time to create a piece of art, it takes faith and focus to keep your eyes on God.

He’s still working on me; some days I feel like He’s having to work overtime, but I can rest in the assurance that He’s not finished with me yet.

Do you sometimes find it difficult to focus on God? Do you get discouraged when things don’t turn out the way you thought they would?

There have been many times in my Christian walk when I’ve felt like giving up. There have been roads I’ve traveled, and ended up on a dead-end street. My best advice in times like these is to open up your Bible and find God’s guidance.

You’ll not find the answers in alcohol. You’ll not find the remedies to solutions from your friend’s advice. There’s only one resource that’s never ending, life fulfilling, and that’s God’s Word.

God knows the heart of His children. Don’t let feelings of failure weigh you down. And don’t be surprised when the distractions of the world, or the wandering of your mind take your thoughts away from God.

Each time you persevere through trials and show God your faith in Him, you achieve victory in His eyes.

Discouragement is a temptation. It’s not to be tolerated and God does not want it to cause us to stumble. We are to fight it.

Don’t let your hearts be ruled by what you see, but what God promises.

Take off the first three and the last 4 letters of the word, “discouragement.” You’ll find courage!

This is the fight of our life. Don’t let discouragement have any room to grow in your garden of life. Find the courage to look for what God promises you in the world to come.

Psalm 147:3 - “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

I’m sure most of you have heard the above phrase before. Whether it be, “I’m going to go see Aunt Sue before she dies, or I’m going to spend more time with my son, etc.” But, some find out that time runs out. Aunt Sue died, or your son left home without ever remembering you spending time with him.

The world will pull you into a battlefield of busyness. Most people, instead of putting the world on hold, tend to put God on hold. They’ll say, “I’ll go to church more when I retire.” Or, “I’ll give more time to God when my kids are gone from the home and I have more time to go to church.”

This is a deadly, frightening life to lead. The more you put God in the background of your life, the harder it will be for you to find Him.

Making time alone with God should be your highest priority in life.

None of us are promised tomorrow. We could pass from this life before we laid our head down on the pillow tonight.

Matthew 7:13 - “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”

Don’t put off knowing God. The road is narrow that leads you to God, and sadly, most choose the wide road; the one that leads to death and destruction.

God’s not asking for you to follow His rules, He’s asking you to follow HIM!

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Today is the day of salvation.

If you’ve ever had a baby, or been around a newborn baby, you’ll see this fragile little human, who couldn’t live a day without someone caring for his/her every need. Babies are designed this way by God.

God has also designed each of us to need Him moment by moment. The more we are aware of our neediness, so does the realization of His abundant sufficiency become clear.

Philippians 4:6 - “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

When we go to God in prayer with our requests, along with our thanksgiving, He gives us peace; sufficient peace for the present. If He gave us all that we would ever need at one time, then why would we have the need to call on Him again and again?

God can meet our needs without draining Himself of resources. Ask God in confidence today what you need; but couple that with faith in Him that He always cares for us, knows what we need before we do, and continues to guide and direct us throughout our life here on earth.

Peace is God’s continual gift to all who believe in Him. Don’t you want that peace today; the peace you see in a newborn baby, sleeping in his momma’s arms?

I’ve done some hiking out west, where there are plenty of high mountains. But, if you’re a hiker you know that the best views are ones you have to work for; the more intense laborious hiking that most don’t even attempt. But as I’m hiking up these mountains, start seeing the spectacular views, the more I’m reminded that there’s more to life than the world and all its problems.

I also get a more awareness of God when I’m looking out at the vastness. It may sound silly, but I feel closer to Him.

All this to say that I can also get a spiritual closeness in my quiet time in the mornings in my chair. God is everywhere. He’s not just on the mountaintop views or in a child’s smile, He’s nearer than your next breath.

I’m also reminded that God has taken me to the highest of mountaintops in my walk with Him. These have been amazing ‘Holy Spirit’ moments that I’ll never forget. He eventually leads me down the mountain, so that I can share my experiences with others.

Isaiah 54:10 - “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

And whether you’re on a ‘mountaintop’ high right now, or you’re in one of the lowest valleys of your spiritual journey, know that God is near; He’ll never leave you and He will guide you to higher places.

Have you ever took a vacation away from home for a few weeks or longer, and the feeling of finally getting back home? It’s a reunion that tends to stay in your memories forever.

On a recent mission trip, one of my teammates told me of a reunion she witnessed of a daughter who had been away at school for a couple of years, and had finally come home to see her mom and dad. She said that there were tears of joy all around and the presence of God in the midst.

Revelation 21:4 - “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.”

Oh, the reunion we’ll have some day with our loved ones that have gone on before us is always on my mind. Having lost my dad when I was 10 years old, I’ve always imagined in my mind the reunion we’ll have some day. We’ll not only be reunited with our loved ones, but can you imagine talking to Abraham and some of the greatest prophets that ever lived?

But our greatest reunion to look forward to is one with Christ; the man who lived and died for all of us, so that we could live and make our temporary home on earth, while preparing our hearts for our eternal home with Him.

The Bible is clear that after death, two literal destinies await all humanity: eternal life and eternal death (Rom. 6:23). Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ receive everlasting life.

I’m looking forward to coming home some day; the home I call heaven!

Some of us get so busy with Church, Sunday School, even small groups, that we’re forgetting our purpose as Christians.

All the above is great. It’s good to be involved in our local Church. God wants community among His children.

We all need balance though. We should be learning more from scripture, and sharing this knowledge, extending our love and service to others.

Are people watching us and seeing Christians just going to Church Sunday mornings, but being busy with everything else during the week? Are we too busy that we don’t have time to visit the elderly neighbor or babysit for the single mom?

My prayer is that others see me as serving others; giving my time to the lonely and sharing how God has changed my life.

Be prepared daily to ask God how you can serve. Be a part of the Great Commission, right in your own backyard.

Mark 1:35 - “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Angels are mentioned almost 300 times in scripture. It is mentioned that Angels are with us from the moment we give our life to Christ until we go home to be with Jesus. I believe Angels not only minister and lead us, but they also protect us.

The Oxford dictionary definition for Angels is: “a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God, conventionally represented in human form with wings and a long robe.”

In Daniel 6:22, God sent Angels to shut the mouths of lions: Daniel 6:22 - “My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

I’ve had many times in my life that I’ve felt the protection of Angels. Most recently was when I went on my last mission trip. The trail was hard, muddy and intimidating. I was getting a little anxious that maybe this trail was more than what I could do. Then, all of a sudden, as I was walking across a log that had fallen in the river, an Angel, “Gabby,” came along side me, took my hand and led me across the log. Later on, another Angel, “Andy,” came along side me (out of nowhere) and grabbed my hand to lead me across a muddy area, just when I was about to sink my foot into the mucky mud.

You can ask any of my teammates about that day we hiked to Olivos, Peru. It was hard, but we all had one thing in common. We kept praying, singing to ourselves, praising God and asking Him to deliver us to the village.

Angels are all around us. Every day; in every situation. God is good. If He can send angels to shut the mouths of lions, He can also send angels to protect you today.