Special thanks to Olivia Nelson for her custom cover artwork depicting Isaiah 11:6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Continued from page 19 Being physically weak allows us to draw on strength from the Creator of the universe. There is no greater power than that! Between You and God Finally, fasting is generally a private matter. While we may ask others to join us in fasting or prayer at various times (i.e. a Church wide fast), Matthew 6:16-18 in - structs us to fast humbly: Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hyp - ocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfig - ure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not ap - pear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. The reason that these men were fasting was for vanity. There was no substance. Fasting is supposed to be done with righteous intent, not for the intent of looking righ- teous. God knows our heart, He will judge. Fasting is a powerful, often underutilized tool. When done correctly, it can draw us closer to God and strengthen our spiritual resolve. By abstaining from food and water for a predetermined period and focusing on prayer, study, and meditation, we humble ourselves, draw nearer to God, and demonstrate our commitment to doing His will.
Continued from page 15 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. Growth requires humility. Sometimes corrections come in a form we don’t like. Even if someone is mostly wrong, can we learn from the part that is right. Chal- lenge yourself to ask someone you trust “What can I do better or improve upon? How can I improve? You may not love their response but take it to heart and try to employ it! God wants us to succeed. We need to take our growth seriously. God wants us in His family forever. But ex- cuses hold us back. We must repent, change, and rely on His Spirit. With God’s help, His people can over- come weakness, reflect the character of Jesus Christ, and be ready to reign with Him forever. If you have made mistakes or sinned, stop excusing it! Repent. Change. And trust God to empower you to grow.
21
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online