Provision of the Holy Spirit: Every word you need

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:10-12 NASB)

These are tough words, but filled with hope and assurance. The word translated as "when" is hotan and is used to indicate something that will definitely happen but at an uncertain time/date. We might read it as "when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, and it is going to happen..." Jesus' use of hotan was a way of telling His disciples that these difficulties were not possibilities. They would definitely happen.

"Synagogues and the rulers and the authorities" is a reference to both the Jewish religious leaders and the governmental authorities. Every level of authority over them would demand an answer for their faith.

It's hard to understand the impact these words must have had on the disciples. They were, for the most part, unlearned, blue collar workers, not men from the upper echelon of society. 

Peter carried a sword. He was apparently accustomed to defending himself by brute force, not the power of words. To be brought before religious and governmental authorities meant risking everything, for the two bodies had incredible control over their lives. These were not men who were accustomed to defending themselves with words. They weren't eloquent public speakers. 

Let's put ourselves in these men's place for a moment. Jesus told them, "You're going to be dragged into court for following me, and you'll have to speak up to defend yourselves. You won't have a lawyer to help. You're on your own." That's a chilling thought, isn't it? 

Here's the good news. No man would help them BUT the Holy Spirit would "in that very hour" (just in the nick of time) tell them exactly what they needed to say. Instead of another man, Jesus was sending His own emissary, the Holy Spirit, to help them. 

Suddenly, the situation must have sounded much better. Even though the Holy Spirit had not yet filled them, the idea must have been a relief. They were not alone.

It's one of the things I love the most about Jesus. I am not alone. No matter what I face. No matter how difficult the situation. No matter to whom I have to answer. I do not answer alone. I do not cope with my circumstances alone. The Triune God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, is with me, helping, providing, enabling me to do what must be done, to say what must be said. 

"Do not worry," Jesus told them. He knew our propensity to worry and aimed to head it off. There is no need to be afraid, to agonize over what is to come. The one who forgives our past and directs our present is in control of our future, as well. 

Will hard times come to us? Yes. We may not experience the kind of persecution the disciples faced (although I think we will), but we will encounter difficulties. The wonderful news is that our Lord has the future firmly in hand. He has a provision for every need we have. There's no need to fear.

Take heart, He has overcome the world and He holds you in His loving hands.

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Our Father, who holds the past, present, and the future, give me faith to trust you in the hard times, to honor you with my words and to stand firm for Jesus, no matter what comes my way. Free me from my fear and help me cling to You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:10-12 NASB)

I prefer a warm and fuzzy, comfortable, feel-good blog post. That's not always possible. We come now to a section of Scripture that's hard to bear. "He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him..."

The idea that we might not be forgiven for something is painful to me, but Jesus makes it very clear. There is something that God will not forgive. Blaspheme is a word that means to "speak impiously about God". In this passage, the impious speaking is directed against the Holy Spirit. 

We might as well be clear about hard truth at the beginning. God is under no obligation to forgive anyone. He graciously forgives as He will, but He has drawn a line in the sand. There is one thing He will not forgive. Deliberate and willful blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 

Paul, in 1 Timothy 1:13 described himself as a former blasphemer. The reason his blasphemy was forgiven, he says, is that he blasphemed in ignorance. He made assumptions about Jesus but, when he met Him face to face on the road to Damascus, when he encountered TRUTH, found all his assumptions were false.

Jesus was not talking about the kind of blasphemy that comes from ignorance. Jesus was speaking about a deliberate blasphemy against the Holy Spirit from someone who knows truth. The Pharisees in Jesus' time are a good example of this. After he raised Lazarus from death, the miracle was reported to the Pharisees and the council. They understood Jesus had done a miracle and the miracle was an attesting sign. They didn't doubt what He was doing, but they didn't like what He said. He wasn't the kind of Messiah for which they longed. They wanted power and position. Jesus would change things, and not in a way they wanted. They knew truth, but spoke lies against Him, and it was a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." (John 11:47-48 NASB)

The same attitude triggered persecution against the disciples after Jesus returned to heaven. They performed extraordinary miracles and people came to faith by the thousands. When Peter and John healed the blind beggar and preached to the crowd (many of whom came to faith), the two men were brought to the Council. There was not a question of whether or not the miracle had been performed. The question was again what the Gospel would do to the status quo. The Council warned the disciples to stop preaching Jesus. Knowing truth, the Pharisees chose a lie, and that choice was a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, "What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. (Acts 4:15-16 NASB)

Jesus warned the disciples about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because He knew they would encounter the opportunity, the temptation, to do that very thing. They would be brought before "synagogues, and rulers, and authorities", and they were. They would be given the opportunity to deny their faith and save their lives. 

When the time came, and it did, the disciples could not deny the truth they knew. They stood firm in their faith, refused to recant, even though it cost them their lives. They held to their faith and saved their souls.

How could they do this? Because they knew truth. They knew Jesus in a personal, intimate way. They had walked and talked with Him on a daily basis. There was no doubt in their minds because of the experience they had with Him.

Unless we know our Lord in that same intimate, personal way, we may not be as faithful when persecution comes. We have only to read the news to know that persecution is near. We will have an opportunity to deny our faith and blaspheme the Holy Spirit, so we must count the cost now and decide how we will respond. Will we save our life now or our eternal soul? 

Most of us know people who trusted Christ as a child but have been drawn away from faith by sinful choices, vain imaginings, and the philosophy of man. In their deception, they deny Christ. Is this the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? I don't think so, but only God can say for sure. When we are deceived, we don't see truth. Blasphemy is a willful act of denial but it requires that we know we are denying truth. No matter how far from Christ a prodigal has wandered, they can still come to their senses and return to their Heavenly Father.

The Pharisees knew truth but chose to reject it and fight against it because it didn't fit their plans. In a time of weakness, we might do the same. Let us choose now to hold firm to the faith we have, to the Savior who died to redeem us, so that, when hard times come, we stand for Christ. Our choice will have eternal consequences. 

Choose well.

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Heavenly Father, help our unbelief. Strengthen our faith and our resolve to stand firm for You, no matter what comes. We cling to the Christ and thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, amen.

Forgiven Failure: Speaking against Jesus

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:10-12 NASB)

Peter's three-fold denial of Christ was only a few hours away, but it was no secret to Jesus. We see here how tenderly He prepares the way for Peter's repentance and restoration. "Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man (which Peter was soon to do), it will be forgiven him." Jesus intended to hold those who were His own until the very end. 

I wonder if Peter remembered these words after the cock crowed. Did he consider whether or not he could be forgiven? Peter's failure was so devastating to him that he avoided his fellow disciples. His shame isolated him and robbed him of the forgiveness and love he so desperately needed. It was Jesus who sought him out, who brought him back. Peter had spoken against Jesus, but forgiveness was available from the very One he had wronged. 

That's good news for me, because I, too, will fail Jesus with both my life and my words, and do so far too often. Forgiveness was bought at a terrible price. I should not take it casually, as if it were of no consequence, but I should not avoid forgiveness because of its great price.


We've all failed our Lord and will do so again because of the battle between sin and righteousness that wages within us. We may lose a skirmish in the war against sin, but we do not have to stay defeated. Forgiveness is available.

The remainder of this passage contains some hard words, and we will deal with them tomorrow. For today, let's praise God that our failures can be forgiven and our sin-fractured relationship with Christ can be restored.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:56-58 NASB)

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Thank you, Lord, for the promise of forgiveness. I admit my failure and the words that I have used to deny You. Forgive me and restore me to relationship with You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Confessing Jesus Before Men: I AM The Vine

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"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB)

Confess before men" is a phrase that, in Greek, means to say the same the same things about Jesus that He says about Himself. In this series, we have reviewed the I AM's, including I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the Light of the World, I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd (pasture), I AM the Good Shepherd, I AM the Resurrection and the Life,  I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (the way), and I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (truth and life).

It was the last night with His disciples. Jesus had washed their feet and they had celebrated the Passover. Judas had been revealed as a betrayer and had left the group. Only the eleven were left with him and Jesus was giving his final instructions. (Leanna Paraphrase) I'm going away, He told them, and I will prepare a place for you. You will join me eventually, but in the meantime, the Holy Spirit will come and help you. 

There were a few things they needed to remember, Jesus told them. Love one another. Serve others. Don't worry. Bear fruit. 

Bearing fruit was only possible if they remained connected to the vine.

Our "I AM" for today is "I AM the vine."

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing." John 15:5 NASB

A branch that is connected to the vine will bear fruit. It's the nature of vines and branches. The point of being a branch is to bear fruit. As believers, we are simply branches on the Vine of Jesus, and our purpose is to bear fruit. We are not called to simply attend services and memorize scripture. If we are to follow Christ, to abide in Him, we are to bear fruit for all the world to see. 

What kind of fruit should we bear? Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Ephesians 5:9 says the "fruit of the Light" is goodness, righteousness, and truth. 

If we are to bear fruit that pleases Christ, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit in such a way that the world can recognize those fruits in us.

We are not called to convict the world of sin. That's the Holy Spirit's job. We are not called to judge the world or to prune unfruitful branches. That's God's job. 

Our job is simply to be a good branch. As good branches, we are to bear fruit, to be so filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that even the most hardened sinner will recognize something different in us. That is the power of the Spirit at work in us. 

The important part of this branch and vine business, however, is not the branch. It's the vine. No fruit can be produced if the branch is not connected to the vine, for it is the vine that supplies nutrients for life. The survival and health of the branch are completely and utterly dependent upon the vine.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. (John 15:7-8 NASB)

Two wonderful outcomes result from productive, fruitful lives. First and most important, we glorify God with our lives and prove ourselves as disciples of Christ. The second outcome is answered prayer. "Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done." 

Jesus was not talking to hear himself speak. He spent His last few moments with his disciples communicating urgent information. Part of that urgent information is if we allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in us, we will be rewarded with answered prayer.

In a desperate and degenerate world, there is nothing more needed than believers who are filled with the fruit of the Spirit and the promise of answered prayer. If we want our world, our nation, to change, there is something critical we must do. Abide in Christ and bear much fruit. Only then can we be assured that our prayers for revival will bear fruit.

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Our Father, forgive my poor efforts as a branch. Help me to stay so connected to you that the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in me. Remove everything in me that is displeasing to You. Produce in me the fruit You long to see. In Jesus name, Amen

Confessing Jesus Before Men: Truth and Life

"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB)

Confess before men" is a phrase that, in Greek, means to say the same the same things about Jesus that He says about Himself. In this series, we have reviewed the I AM's, including I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the Light of the World, I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd (pasture), I AM the Good Shepherd, I AM the Resurrection and the Life, and I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (the way).

We return to the passage in John to consider it in more detail.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; 

no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6 NASB

The word translated as "truth" is alētheia and indicates truth in all matters, including the certainty of fulfillment. If Jesus is the truth (and He is), then every word He said is true. Every prophecy will be fulfilled; every promise can be claimed with certainty. 

zōē is the word translated as "life". This word is rich and filled with such depth of meaning that it deserves a closer look. Blue Letter Bible defines this word as "life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God..." This "life" is not a boring life of stone walls, dim light, and rote chants. This "life" is vibrant, active, alive. It's exciting, with new adventure around every corner and the hope of eternity in the future, where it will be even more wonderful.

Jesus was many things, but he was never boring. If our lives are boring, we're missing something vital in our Christian walk. What Jesus came to give us was LIFE and He intended for it to be abundant, fulfilling, and productive. Is that the kind of life we're living? If not, why not?

Our Lord intends life to be more than 9-5 work and a few hours of television every evening until we fall asleep on the couch. He intended us to make a difference in the kingdom of God. In what ways are we making an investment in the kingdom of God? In what ways are we spending our time for Him? How are we using our gifts for the body of Christ?

One of the exciting things we will enjoy in eternity is seeing the spiritual fruit of the seeds we have sown in this world. We won't enjoy it though, if we have planted no seeds. Let's be sure we're making a difference in this world with the life Christ has given us. Plant seeds. Make a difference. Change the world. 

He is the life, our life, and it's very exciting... IF we live it the way He intended.

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Our Father, I give you the life I'm living now and ask You to give me Your abundant life. Help me to sow seeds for You, to make a difference in the world.  Help me to see Your hand at work around me and to join in with what You are doing. Help me to live abundantly. in Jesus name, Amen.

Confessing Jesus Before Men: The Way, The Truth, and The Life

"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB)

Confess before men" is a phrase that, in Greek, means to say the same the same things about Jesus that He says about Himself. In this series, we have reviewed the I AM's, including I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the Light of the World, I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd (pasture), I AM the Good Shepherd, and I AM the Resurrection and the Life.

It was the night before Jesus' crucifixion. He spent those last few hours celebrating the Passover and talking with His disciples. In the limited time He had left, He poured truth into the men who would carry on after His return to heaven. 

"I'm going away," He told them. "Where?" Thomas wanted to know. "Don't worry. I'm going to prepare a place for you and You already know the way to join me." (Leanna Paraphrase) 

I love Thomas. He was full of questions and uncertainly, and not afraid to ask what he wanted to know. We should be so bold. "Jesus, we don't even know where You're going. How do we know the way?" Thomas asked. (LP) Jesus replied with words that we would do well to remember.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; 

no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6 NASB

(The passages in the Gospel of John are incredibly rich and worth reading. I encourage you to take the time to review John 13-15.)

How do we know "the way"? We know it because we know Jesus, and He is the way. The word translated as "way" is hodos and indicates the road one would take on a journey. In this instance, hodos is used to indicate that Jesus is the path we must take to a relationship with God. 

This word has also been used to describe the Christian faith, as "the way". It is used to indicate that living according to the teaching of Christ is a different "way" of living than we would choose otherwise. 

When we stand at a crossroads of decision, those of us who follow Christ must follow the path He trod. We must remember that Jesus denied Himself, left heaven, suffered incredible loss and pain, paid for our sin, and conquered death. He taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. 

We cannot merely choose the easiest or most profitable path. We must choose the way of Christ. The way of righteousness.

Are you struggling to make a decision? Turn to the words in red. In some versions of the Bible, the words Jesus spoke are printed in red. There's enough truth in those words to carry us through a lifetime. His is always the way we should go.

Of course, the problem with following the way of Jesus is that He demands forgiveness for enemies and prayers for persecutors. Who wants to do that? In our natural self, none of us. They are, however, the way of Christ. If we are to follow Him, we must follow His way. 

The way can be summed up in two short sentences. 

"Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

 and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 

This is the great and foremost commandment. 

The second is like it,' You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Matthew 22:37-39 NASB

If we are wondering how we should live, these few verses will give us a nice summary. Love God and love your fellow man. If we get those priorities straight, we have a nice start on the way of Christ.

Understanding the "I AM's" does more than help us know Jesus. To confess Jesus before men, we must "say" with our lives the same things Jesus said about Himself. If we are to be a living demonstration of Jesus as the way, we must live in obedience to His commands. We must love as He loved, give as He gave, serve as He served, forgive as He forgave. He is the way, and He's made the path clear. It's our job to follow close behind.

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, 

and those who find it are few. 

Matthew 7:14 NASB

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Our Father, Thank you for making the way clear by sending Jesus to show us the way to live and the way to You. Help me to choose Your path rather than my own. Help me to follow faithfully until the day I see you face to face in eternity. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Confessing Jesus before men: I am the resurrection and the life

And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB) 

"Confess before men" is a phrase that, in Greek, means to say the same the same things about Jesus that He says about Himself. In this series, we have reviewed the I AM's, including I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the Light of the World, I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd (pasture), and I AM the Good Shepherd.

Our topic for today is "I AM the Resurrection and the Life". 

I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even if he dies..." (John 11:25 NASB)

The context of Jesus' statement is critical for understanding. As John 11 begins, Jesus and His disciples received word that Lazarus, Jesus' dear friend, is critically ill. "This sickness is not to end in death," Jesus told them. The most important word in that sentence is end. The sickness might result in death, but it would not end in death. It was a critical distinction, but one the disciples may have missed. 

Jesus waited two days before leaving for Bethany. The disciples knew there was a plot to kill Jesus and begged Him not to go, but Jesus was adamant. "I'm going." By the time they arrived, Lazarus was already dead. Jesus had missed his chance to say goodbye, or so it seemed.

Martha charged out to greet Him, bristling with indignation. "If you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus assured Martha, "Your brother will rise again." Martha responded, (Leanna Paraphrase) "I know all about that, Jesus. He'll rise again in the resurrection on the last day. I want my brother now." Mary and the crowds felt the same. 

"He opened the eyes of the blind. Couldn't Jesus have prevented Lazarus' death?"

Imagine the interaction for a moment. In my mind's eye, I can see Jesus smile and give Martha a hug. "Martha, my friend," He might have said, "I AM the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" She nodded, "Yes, Lord. I believe you are the Christ."

Jesus could have prevented her suffering, but He did not.

If He had, Martha and the people present that day would have missed a miracle and an understanding of the most critical piece of Jesus' message. They would have been ill-prepared for the very near future. Because of Lazarus' death and the resurrection Jesus would bring, they would be ready to face Jesus' death. None of that preparation could come without the suffering of losing Lazarus.

Their pain had a point.

Jesus was heartbroken for what His friends were enduring. "Let's go to the grave," He told them. When he stood in front of the tomb, He instructed the people to "remove the stone". No one wanted to open the grave. Lazarus had been there for four days. It wouldn't be a pretty sight or smell. 

Jesus insisted and overruled the crowd. It was a good thing He did. With three words, Jesus changed the understanding of everyone present that day. "LAZARUS COME FORTH," He called. Lazarus, still wrapped in grave clothes, came forth.

What we often forget in times of heartbreak and tragedy is that the pain and suffering are never wasted. Like with Lazarus' death, the devastating loss can be used to prepare us for something that is to come. 

Without the lessons gained in sorrow, we may be ill-prepared for the next step in our journey. 

No matter what we face, the outcome is not the end, because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. When we belong to Him, the promise of our eternal destiny changes what seems like the end of hope, the end of joy, the end of life into the end of suffering and the beginning of life. When our life on earth ends, our body may be nothing more than a rotting hunk of flesh. Our soul, however, is no longer bound to this earth. We go to live with Jesus in heaven, and it is worth the journey.

Are you walking through a time of trial? Take hope. Jesus has overcome the world. He has overcome suffering, pain, death and loss. 

He may not end your pain and suffering, but He will never waste it. 

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Our Father, give us hearts of endurance to persevere through hard times and the faith the lean on you in the good times and the bad. Use our suffering to make us more like Jesus and to glorify you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Confessing Jesus before Men: The I AM's

"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB)

These two verses seem pretty simple, but there is a depth to them that is remarkable. The word translated as "confess" is a compound word from two words that mean "same" and "speaks". When we "confess" Christ before men, we say the same things about Him that He says about Himself. 

To enable us to speak accurately about Him, we have to know what Jesus said, and that requires that we study Scripture and know Who He is. John, in his gospel, records repeated "I am" phrases with which Jesus tells us about Himself. 

Bread of Life: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." John 6:35 NASB

Light of the world: " Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12 NASB

Door: "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." John 10:9 NASB

Good Shepherd: "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:11 NASB

Resurrection and the Life: "I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even if he dies..." John 11:25 NASB

Way, Truth, and Life: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:25 NASB

Vine: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing." John 15:5 NASB

Over the next few days, we will look at all of these "I am's," but for today, let's do an overview. Read through each one of these verses. Look them up in the gospel of John and get to know the passages. Get to know Jesus in greater depth. 

In the midst of a troubled world where one crisis follows another, one act of unspeakable cruelty leaves us reeling before we've recovered from the one before, Jesus is still the same. He is still the only bread of life that satisfies the craving we have. He is still the only way to God. He is still the only vine that can make us fruitful. He is still I am.

In this world, we will have trouble, but take heart, for HE has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

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Our Father, help me to know You more so that I can confess to the world who You are, telling others with my words and showing them with my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.