You Finishing Well

Back on line now after being cancer free!

WHAT IS TRUE FAITH? How would you define real faith? What does it actually mean to have faith? For me, the best definition comes straight from Scripture—Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is having hope in things unseen." If we can predict the outcome, if we can calculate how things will unfold—then that’s not faith. That’s just a logical conclusion. Faith is stepping forward in obedience, not knowing how things will turn out, but trusting anyway. It’s doing the right thing even when the results are uncertain—believing that God will bless it, that He will heal, restore, and rescue. Sometimes, it takes life falling apart to bring us to the place where we stop relying on ourselves. Sometimes, suffering and hardship strip away our illusions of control, leaving us with only one option: to humble ourselves and cry out to God. King David understood this. In one of his prayers, he pleads: "Look at my suffering and troubles, and take away all my sins. Protect me and save me. I trust you, so do not let me be disgraced. My hope is in you, so may goodness and honesty guard me." (Psalm 25:18, 20-21 NCV) David had been through enough trials to know one thing for certain: God is good. He is faithful. He guards those who trust in Him. David had not yet seen his rescue—but he knew he could hope in it. And that’s the essence of faith. Faith builds confidence. It teaches trust. It humbles us, yet gives us courage. Because faith requires boldness—it takes courage to step out, to do something without knowing if it will work. But when our faith is in God, we can stand firm, knowing He will not fail us. He will love, protect, and save. So, what do you need help with right now? Where do you need to step out in faith, trusting God to show up? - Do you need healing? - Peace in the face of loss? - Restoration for something that’s been taken—your heart, a loved one, your finances, your dignity? We all have needs. We all have deep desires. But the question is: How will we seek to fill them? Will we take matters into our own hands, even if it leads us into sin? Or will we surrender to God, asking Him to provide, to protect, and to save? It all begins with one step: accepting His offer—allowing Christ to save our soul. From there, faith grows. LORD, give us faith in the hard times. Help us to trust You, even in the unknown. IJNIP Amen. ??

HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SHARE JESUS CHRIST WITH OTHERS? How do you share Christ with others? Do you feel a responsibility to share Him? And, if you're honest, how would you rate yourself in doing so? I believe there are really just two ways to share Jesus: live it and speak it. Speaking can take many forms—writing, videos, podcasts, or simply verbal conversations. I’m reminded of when God told Moses to go to Egypt and confront Pharaoh about releasing God’s people from slavery. Moses was hesitant, overwhelmed, and didn’t feel equipped. He said to God, *“Please, Lord, I have never been a skilled speaker. Even now, after talking to you, I cannot speak well. I speak slowly and can’t find the best words.”* (Exodus 4:10, NCV) It was no small request from God - Moses was being asked to do something dangerous and terrifying. Yet, God reassured him: “Who made a person’s mouth? And who makes someone deaf or not able to speak? Or who gives a person sight or blindness? It is I, the Lord. Now go! I will help you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”* (Exodus 4:11–12, NCV) God calls us, too, to share the good news of the gospel. The message is simple: “Jesus died to pay for our sins, and if we believe, we will be forgiven and saved for eternity.” It doesn’t have to be complicated. Even Jesus’ parting words to His disciples were a clear instruction: “So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you, and I will be with you always, even until the end of this age.”* (Matthew 28:19–20, NCV) The truth is, we naturally share what we love. And we are all His disciples. Think about it - if we love football, we talk about it. If we love our job, working out, good restaurants, or our children’s achievements, we can’t help but share. So, what are you sharing these days? What fills your conversations and social media posts? I know people who are facing death, and they could talk about how Jesus is walking with them through that long, hard mile. I know older folks struggling with boredom and the challenges of retirement; maybe they could share how Christ gives them purpose and peace in these years. I know people dealing with broken relationships; they could share how they lean into God, seek His wisdom, and rely on the Holy Spirit for healing and help. It all boils down to love. What we love is what we talk about, what we share, what overflows from our hearts. So the real question is: Do we love Jesus enough to share Him? LORD, help us love You more deeply - Your Word, Your life-saving message, and Your gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us share how you help us when we are in trouble. Thank You for providing a way to be saved and forgiven from our sins. May that love overflow from our hearts into the lives of others. IJNIP ??

WHAT ARE YOU HIDING? What in your life do you keep hidden? Is it secret eating, drinking, finances, drugs, or sexual things? Maybe it’s your thoughts, feelings, fears, or anger. I’ve said it many times: “If you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing.” And yet, even the best of us hide things. Take Moses, for example. As great as he was, he hid a murder he committed. When the Egyptians enslaved the Hebrews, Moses witnessed a slave being beaten. “Moses looked all around and saw that no one was watching, so he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.” (Exodus 2:12, NCV). Let’s face it—nobody truly enjoys secrets. Sure, they may seem thrilling at first, but more often than not, they end badly. There’s nothing quite like living with a clean, clear conscience. Secrets, on the other hand, tend to grow, sin increases, and we erode in the process. This cycle has been around since the very beginning. When Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the tree God told them not to, what did they do after breaking God’s command? “They heard the Lord God walking in the garden during the cool part of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the Lord God among the trees in the garden.” (Genesis 3:8, NCV). Let’s be honest. Most of us have - at some point - pretended to be someone better than we actually are. But hiding doesn’t help us heal. If we want to grow and mature, we have to bring those secrets into the light. We need to confess our struggles to God and to a trusted person, repent (which means to change), and seek forgiveness. Healing comes when we explain not only what we’ve done but also how we plan to change, and then hold ourselves accountable to follow through. James put it this way: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen.” (James 5:16, NCV). It’s crucial to get God involved—not just in our sin and struggles but in our healing, too. King Solomon wisely said, “If you hide your sins, you will not succeed. If you confess and reject them, you will receive mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13, NCV). The truth is, deep down, we already know the truth. We know right from wrong. We know when we’re engaging in something harmful to ourselves and others. So why do we keep doing it? Maybe it’s time to take an honest look at our lives and ask the Holy Spirit for help. Maybe it’s time to come clean. LORD, help us to truly commit to You. Help us to live out what we say we believe - faith in Jesus Christ to forgive our sins - and to lean on the Holy Spirit for help in overcoming our secret struggles. IJNIP ??

FAVORITISM If you grew up with siblings, you might have wondered: who was the favored child? And how did it shape you? Favoritism happens more often than we admit, and its effects can be deeply negative. Have you ever caught yourself showing favoritism toward a certain child? The Bible offers a powerful example of favoritism through the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (who was later named Israel by God). Israel had 12 sons, but he loved one more than the others—Joseph. "Since Joseph was born when his father Israel was old, Israel loved him more than his other sons. He made Joseph a special robe with long sleeves. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than he loved them, they hated their brother and could not speak to him politely.” (Genesis 37:3-4, NCV) This favoritism led to bitterness, jealousy, and betrayal. Joseph’s story, found in Genesis 37 through Exodus 1, is an extraordinary tale of hardship and redemption. Despite the brokenness in his family, God used Joseph’s life for miraculous purposes. Jesus summed up the entire Bible in two simple yet profound commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) When love becomes our guiding principle, everything changes. A life grounded in love—true, Godly love—leaves no room for favoritism. Love compels us to confess our sins, to forgive others, to sin less, and to love the unlovable. It stirs our hearts to help those in need and fills us with compassion for the struggling. It draws us closer to God, enabling us to honor and worship Him with our whole lives. This kind of life leads to fulfillment, strength, and the unshakable joy of knowing Christ. And the best part? It doesn’t end here. God promises eternity with Him in the new heaven and the new earth. Who wouldn’t want that? So why do we chase after other things instead of what God offers? I understand that struggle. I’ve been there—lost and distracted. There’s no judgment here. But here’s the truth: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NCV) And: “If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” (1 John 1:9, NCV) So many people live weighed down by guilt and shame, but freedom is available—right now. You can start fresh today. Simply confess your need for Christ and surrender your heart to Him. When you do, you’ll witness an unbelievable transformation in your life. When we allow God to change our hearts, our lives will follow. Maybe it’s time to be set free. LORD, help us to be honest with ourselves, to love You fully, and to love others as much as we love ourselves. In Jesus’ name, amen. ??

WHAT’S YOUR SIN How do you define sin? Why do people sin? Does everyone sin? Today, I read this: “When Rachel saw that she was not having children for Jacob, she envied her sister Leah. She said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I’ll die!’ Jacob became angry with her and said, ‘Can I do what only God can do? He is the one who has kept you from having children.’ Then Rachel said, ‘Here is my slave girl Bilhah. Have sexual relations with her so she can give birth to a child for me. Then I can have my own family through her.’” (Genesis 30:1-3 NCV) . Rachel saw her sister and became jealous—lust of the eyes. . She saw the joy Leah had with her children and craved that experience for herself—lust of the flesh. . Instead of waiting on God, Rachel took matters into her own hands—the pride of life. These three—lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—are the roots of sin. The Apostle James put it plainly: “Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning.” (James 4:17 NCV) If you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing. But the truth is, we all sin. The lust of the heart craves physical or emotional gratification. The lust of the eyes desires what we see and covet. And the pride of life? It pushes us to rely on ourselves instead of God. Here’s the reality: we all have a sinful nature—every single one of us. Even as professing Christians, saved and redeemed, we still sin. Isn’t that wild? But here’s the hope in the middle of it all: we minister best to others in their sin when we remember our own. God didn’t call us to be perfect examples; He called us to be living testimonies of His grace. Solomon warned us: “Some people think they are doing right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12 NCV) And Jeremiah didn’t hold back either: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV) In other words, we are capable of deceiving even ourselves. This is why we need an outside source—someone greater than us—to guide us. That someone is Jesus Christ. If you feel something is off, it probably is. And yes, you should expect others to sin—even sin against you. But when that happens, remember the depth of God’s forgiveness toward you. God forgave us so much that He gave us His Son, Jesus, as the way to permanent forgiveness. Without Him, we’d face eternal death. But with Him, we have eternal life—a promise of a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21:1) People forgiven - forgive. LORD, thank You for saving us from ourselves. Left to our own devices, we become a mess. Thank You for Jesus Christ, the One who saves us and makes us whole. INIP amen ??

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR LIFE ALL ABOUT? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: What is my purpose? Do I have a mission that drives my life? And more importantly, is having one even worth considering? Think about it: should we set goals for our lives? Goals, after all, bring clarity and direction. The key difference between a goal and an objective lies in one powerful word—deadline. An objective might say, “I want to lose 20 pounds.” A goal says, “I want to lose 20 pounds by March 1st.” Deadlines create urgency, make our dreams tangible, and give our efforts purpose. For many, life missions revolve around what society glorifies and self - wealth, relationships, success, status. Often, these aspirations fit snugly into the mold of the so-called American Dream. But are they the right missions? Consider Jesus Christ. He had a clear and unwavering life mission: to restore the relationship between sinful humanity and a holy God. He left the perfection of heaven to fulfill this mission, offering his life as the ultimate payment for our sins. But God’s gift of salvation through Christ isn’t forced upon us—we must choose to accept it, making Jesus our Lord and Savior. While living out his mission, Jesus shared the two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). These weren’t just words—they were the cornerstone of how He lived. As He pursued His purpose, Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, and served others selflessly. All the while, He pointed people to the truth: He is the only way to eternal life. His mission wasn’t just about what He did; it was about the why behind it all. Jesus also made it clear that this mission is bigger than any one person. He said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). So, what about us? If Jesus—the perfect example of purpose and love—focused His life on loving God, loving others, and inviting people into God’s kingdom, shouldn’t that inspire our own mission? Perhaps the best life mission for each of us is simply this: love God deeply, love others genuinely, and join the work of bringing others into His harvest. When our goals align with these eternal priorities, they become more than just goals—they become part of something far greater than ourselves. Jesus’s last words prior to leaving earth was; “So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you, and I will be with you always, even until the end of this age.” (Matthew? ?28?:?19?-?20? ?NCV??) So, what’s your life mission?

ADULT CHILDREN How are you doing as an adult child? Are you loving? Do you prioritize staying connected with your parents and siblings? Many empty nesters spend their days worrying—over their children’s choices, their well-being, their faith journeys. It’s a common struggle. Mary DeMuth captures this tension beautifully in her book “Love, Pray, Listen: Parenting Your Wayward Adult Kids With Joy.” She reminds us of a truth we often resist: we cannot control anyone—not even our own children. But what we can do is love them, pray for them, and truly listen. Jodie Berndt’s book, “Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: Trusting God With the Ones You Love,” echoes the same sentiment. The truth is, whether as parents or as adult children, our role in relationships centers on surrender—offering grace instead of control. Mother Teresa said it best: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” Think about that. So much wisdom exists to help us live well—through God’s Word, His people, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Even Scripture gives us glimpses of messy, dysfunctional families—and God’s grace within them. Today, I read this: "When Esau was forty years old, he married two Hittite women—Judith daughter of Beeri and Basemath daughter of Elon. These women brought much sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26:34-35 NCV) Isaac, the chosen son of Abraham, was part of a family blessed by God—and yet, dysfunction ran deep. Esau’s choices grieved his parents, and Jacob, Isaac’s other son, had his own share of deceit and trouble. The bottom line? Every family is marked by imperfection. Sin shows up in our selfishness, our lack of love for God and others, our judgments, divisions, and broken communication. So, let’s turn the mirror on ourselves. How are we doing as adult children? Are we loving our parents, siblings, and family well? Are we investing wisely in these relationships—not too little, not too much? And even beyond our earthly family, let’s ask the bigger question: Are we loving, praying, and listening to God? John 3:16 reminds us of God’s unfathomable love for us: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.” If God loves us this deeply, shouldn’t we crave His guidance, trust His Word, and reflect His love? Yet, how often do we bring heartache to our Heavenly Father? If you’ve ever felt the pain of an adult child wandering, you can imagine just a glimpse of the heartache He feels for us. Lord, help us to unite and walk closely with You. Help us live out Mother Teresa’s simple but profound call: “Go home and love your family.” You are our Father—teach us to listen, to follow, and to love others as You love us. Lead us in the way of Jesus. IJNIP Amen. ??

WHY? How often do you ask why? Why do you work so hard? Why do you workout? Why do you watch what you eat? Why do you try to impress others? Why do you not work so hard? Why do you drink too much? Why do you eat too much? Why do you have an addiction? Why do you need someone to validate you? Why do bad things happen? The “why questions” could go on and on. Simon Senek wrote an incredible book; “Start with Why” - it basically states that if you we don’t understand “why” you do something, you will lose momentum, have no purpose or mission and you won’t be able to fully emerge yourself as to why you are doing something. For such a short question, it has many complex answers. So here we go 2025. What will it uncover in our lives? What will happen? Something will happen. I heard once: “* Everyday we are becoming someone - who? You are going to be become who you are now becoming.” “Some of us say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money.” But we don’t know what will happen tomorrow! Our life is like a mist. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away. So we should say, “If the Lord wants, we will live and do this or that.” (James? ?4?:?13?-?15? ?NCV??) At the end of the day, we have no say. We have no control. God calls the shots. God allows disease. God heals the disease. Sometimes, God calls us home sooner than we expected. God provides. God protects. God brings justice. God is love. God is life. He not only makes life better, He is better than life. Starting to read the Bible cover to cover again this year, it is so full of lessons, and lessons within the stories of people being born, chosen, living and dying. There are so many lessons in the Bible, you forget many of them until you read them again - it’s quite amazing. For me, when it comes to tragedy, I don’t ask the question why so much. I ask “God what do you want me to learn from this?” And the answer is quite simple. The answer from God is “Walk with me and trust me. Share my Son with others who don’t know him. Prepare yourself to spend eternity with me. Don’t live in the present, live with an eternal perspective.” So while I live out whatever amount of life I have left, I hope I live it loving God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and loving others as much as I love myself. The two most important commands by Christ himself. (Matthew 22:37-40) These are the roots that stabilize me in good times and also in the storm. All of this that we see now is temporary. As James said - “our life really is like a mist”. We are here now and gone tomorrow. LORD, please protect us. Please provide for us. Please help us learn from life. And please help us lean into you, both professionally and personally. IJNIP amen ??

HOW REAL IS YOUR FAITH IN GOD? What in your life tests your faith in God? First, one has to believe in God in order to trust Him. As I read the opening of the Bible stories this year, they are full of tests of faith. So what is faith and how does it work? Is it even important? The opening accounts in the Bible involve trusting God, not knowing how things will turn out. Adam and Eve were told “Don’t eat from the tree” - they had to trust. Noah was told to build a boat, trusting a flood would come. Abraham was told his old wife would conceive a son and great leaders would come from that son. Abraham was also told to kill his son, then burn him as a sacrifice - needing to trust God of the outcome. These acts were not so much tests to “produce” faith, as it was a test to “reveal” faith. Meanwhile, while reading in the NT, Christ closed His sermon on the mount with the lesson that “The storm comes to all - only those who build on the rock (Christ) will survive.” You have to have faith to build on the rock. He said “Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and hit that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. Everyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and hit that house, and it fell with a big crash.” (Matthew? ?7?:?24?-?27? ?NCV) The reality is that only those who act faithfully, especially when they have no idea of the outcome, not only “reveal” their faith, but they also “grow” their faith. “Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.” (Hebrews? ?11?:?1? ?NCV?) What are you hoping for yet can’t see the outcome? So what should you do? The answer is simple, but not easy. Pray and fast. Fast from the things that are not good for you and do the things God is asking you to do. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Believe the outcome will be blessed by God regardless of how it looks now. Do the Godly things, live the Godly life, move forward and walk close with God, trusting He will protect and provide. It’s simple, but not easy. How we see God has everything to do with our faith. How we see God is a direct reflection of how we see ourselves. LORD, when Christ asked the father “Do you believe if I can heal your son?” - “Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help me to believe more!”” (??Mark? ?9?:?24? ?NCV??) That’s our prayer. LORD, We believe, help us believe more. Our entire life, every decision to live holy and right is an act of faith, trusting you for the outcome. Help us please. IJNIP amen ??