Good morning Saints!

Over 2000 years ago, Jesus said that He was coming soon.

Rev 22:7a
Behold, I am coming soon!

In this case, “soon” is a relative term. But in view of endless eternity, 2000 years is soon!

Our attitude must be one of expectancy to see our Savior soon. We must be about the business of loving God and people, and making disciples.

Rev 22:12
Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

I pray we are all about our Father’s business — being fruitful and multiplying. I pray we give thanks every day for our salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the ability to pray, read and study the Bible, and the ability to tell others in word and deed how good it is to be saved.

1 Pt 3:15b
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Let’s make disciples with a sense of urgency.

Rev 22:20b
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Good morning Saints!

Adam had no sin nature initially. He was created in the image of God, perfectly reflecting God’s character. As such, Adam wanted to serve creation so it would be fruitful and multiply with stunning beauty. Everything existed in peaceful harmony. Adam lived a full life by fulfilling his purpose of serving.

Gen 1:27-28
In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.”

After the Fall, our purpose to serve so others fulfill their purpose seems illogical. Instead of reflecting the nature of God, we think of ourselves first.

That’s why many times Jesus emphasizes denying self.

Lk 9:23
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Praise God! We can live a full life for we have a new nature to serve others.

2 Cor 5:17
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Good morning Saints!

God wants us to know Who He is. The Bible begins with God the Creator. As Creator everything He made was good and was fashioned so man, created in His image, could work the earth without fear or worry but with peace. 

Gen 1:28

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

God wants us to know Him as the One who sets us up to succeed. That’s what righteous authority does. He rules to bring love and faithfulness. When we obey Him we are able to rest, knowing God’s will is to provide for our every need. 

Mt 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

As we fulfill our purpose to love God and others, we live worry-free. God has set us up to succeed!

Good morning Saints!

Our Creator God loves us so much! He created the heavens and the earth to serve us by making our habitation a place where we could thrive and rule over living beings so they could thrive.

Gen 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning–the sixth day.

God rested afterward and set apart the seventh day as holy. Why did God establish this holy day of rest?

Ex 20:11
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

It was much more than rest from activities. It was so we could realize that God is the source of our provisions!

Once a week man was to rest. Additionally, once every seven years the land would rest for a year. And once every 49 years the land would rest for a year. All debts would cancel and land would return to the original owner.

It isn’t business acumen or luck that causes one to prosper; it is our Creator, the God whose name is Jehovah Jireh.

Dt 8:18
But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

Let’s trust God and honor Him above all else. If we do, our love for Him will be a testimony for all to see. We will proclaim to others that Jesus is all we need.

Prov 3:5-6
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.

Mark Edwards:

Good morning Saints!

Today I’m going to take the liberty to celebrate my wife 🎉

God has blessed us with so much. Yesterday we were encouraged to count them one by one. He has blessed with me the best wife a man could ask for. Today we celebrate her birthday.

Ps 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Indeed I am blessed. Please join with me and praise the Lord for Kathy Edwards

Pro 31:29-31
“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Happy birthday Kathy. I love you ❤️

Good morning Saints and Happy Wednesday!

As we enjoy this “hump” day or middle of the week day, let’s count our blessings and name them one by one!

1 Thes 5:16-19
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire…

So with joy, let’s give thanks for good times as well as challenging times.

Lets give thanks for:

1. God’s unfathomable love for us demonstrated on the cross.
2. The precious gift of the Holy Spirit.
3. Mercy—undeserved forgiveness.
4. Grace—the power to do His will.
5. Our church family bound in unity and love.

Of course, we are thankful for our spouses or future spouses, children, siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents, and all blood relatives.

Let’s give thanks for provision and health. Let’s also give thanks for various trials that strengthen our faith. We give thanks for faith that allows us to face trials with joy.

Indeed God is good—all the time.

Good morning Saints!

In the beginning God said to
humankind to be fruitful and multiply. He gave them everything they needed to succeed. He still wants us to succeed as new creations in Christ.

2 Cor 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

As new creations in Christ, He still wants us to be fruitful and multiply by making disciples. His Spirit enables both salvation and fruitfulness leading to more salvations and fruitfulness.

Jn 3:8
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

The Spirit is the Giver of all gifts. Let’s keep discovering them and continue to produce fruit in keeping with our salvation, serving God and others, and making disciples.

Eph 3:16
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being…

Good morning Saints!

Our Creator God flawlessly designed the heavens and the earth so that we could succeed. He served man by giving us authority and everything needed to rule over the earth. As rulers we are to serve, in turn, by helping creation to be fruitful and multiply.

Gen 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Our purpose in life hasn’t changed. Once we have been redeemed by Jesus, we are to serve others with the view of helping them to be fruitful and multiply—to succeed!

Eph 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Let’s do what God planned for us. Let’s focus not on how I can succeed but on how I can help others succeed. It’s losing our lives so we can find them!

Jer 29:11a
For I know the plans I have for you…

Good morning Saints!

What does it mean we were created in the image of God?

Gen 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Being in God’s image means that humans were created to share in God’s nature, that is, in His love, truth, wisdom, holiness, and justice. We were designed to have the capacity for spiritual fellowship with Him.

Jesus perfectly reflected the image of God.

Col 1:15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

As followers of Christ, when we become more like Jesus we bear His image. We love, speak truth, walk in wisdom and holiness, and act justly and with mercy.

Let’s do what we were created to do! Let’s reflect the image of God. When people see us, do they see Jesus? Do they see love and wisdom?

Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Good morning Saints!

We read that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Why? What motivated God?

I believe He was primarily motivated by love since He is love (cf 1 Jn 4:16). He served man by making man’s home perfect, beautiful, and giving Him authority to rule.

Gen 1:26
“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

When creation was cursed by man’s sin, Jesus came to earth to redeem it and us from the curse of sin. He served us by reversing the curse of sin. He’s renewing all things. Once again we can live in harmony with God, looking forward to a new heaven and earth.

Jesus wants us to serve others with love. Let’s commune with Him, hear His voice and serve others. Let’s proclaim the Good News!

Gen 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

Good morning Saints!

Lyrics from “Only From You” by Jason Upton states, “Creation is such a powerful thing.”

In the beginning was the time the earth was created. It was without form. There was chaos. But God said, “Let there be light!”

Gen 1:3-4
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

In a similar way, without Jesus, the Light in our lives, there is spiritual and often physical chaos.

Jn 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Let’s embrace the Light our Father has given us. Let’s follow the Light that brings peace, direction, purpose, and most of all love into our lives.

Jn 1:4-5
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Light always overcomes darkness so let’s live in the Light. Let’s live life to the full!

Good morning Saints!

As followers of Christ, we must be eagerly anticipating the return of our Lord and Savior—our Best Friend!

Phil 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we await the return of Jesus we prepare per His instructions.

Mt 24:45-47
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

So let’s get ready. With the Spirit’s help, we can love Him by loving our neighbors. We can do random acts of kindness. We can read and study the Bible, pray, give, and fellowship to grow stronger as a Body. We must be ready to share the hope we have in Christ.

Mt 24:44
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.