Bible reference:  Acts 20:24 In life, it's easy to start something new.  A new diet, an exercise program,  a new job, new relationships,  a new beginning.   But life isn't a 50 yard dash, but a marathon.   There are lots of good starters, but poor finishers.  I  have known many who have started well with a bang, but finish with a whimper. People start with a bang, then get hit with criticism.   There are lots of people who say things that put you down.  Sometimes the stress spills over into marriage and cause problems.   People sometimes leave ministry with a broken heart.   Paul did not want this to happen to the elders in Ephesus.   He wants us to reach the finish line.   Paul was sharing from his own life the trials and perseverance.  2 Timothy 4:7 Paul in Acts 20:24 had a difficult task.  Paul did not consider his own life more important than what Jesus called him to.  He put his trust in Jesus.   God is in control,  that's all we need to know.   God is most importan

Bible References: Acts 20:24; Acts 1:5; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:16-20; Matthew 5:3; Matthew 5:4; John 8:32; Ephesians 1:3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor  and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise     instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-5 In this prophetic scripture, we see the ministry of Christ attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit when it says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me.” By the empowering of the Spirit, Jes

Bible references: 2 Thes 1:5; Genesis 7:11; John 17:21-23; Isaiah 60:1-4; When God appears from Heaven, his glory will appear through his saints.  The windows of heaven will be opened.  The glory of his saints will go up and His glory will come down.  All the earth will know.  His glory will be seen everywhere in His people.   The nations of the earth will behold the glory of God. John 17:21-23 - as His people, we have been given God's glory.  Isaiah 60:1-4 We shall come to God's glory.  Jesus died upon the cross to pay for your sin and to bring you to perfection.   There is coming a time, when the saints will be taken out of the earth.  It's then that the saints will be in authority; we will be in God's glory.  Now we know affliction, but it's coming to an end. Jesus can change us.  2 Thessalonians 1:5 - He is making us fit to share in his kingdom.   At some point in history,  the nations of the earth will give account to God for how they treated God's peop

Bible References:  Psalm 63:1; Psalm 42:1-2; John chapter 4; Jeremiah14:1-3; 1 Samuel 23 and 24 Water.  An essential part of life.  For people, for animals and for plants.  Water is even essential for fish and marine life. Water is often spoken about in the Bible.  Sometimes water is referred to as life giving, refreshing.  Sometimes it’s referred to as being in cisterns.  What is a cistern?  It’s a  storage facility to hold water.  Places that have cisterns hold the water for the dry times, or times of siege. Cisterns are not life giving.  They often hold stale, still, stagnant water. “…In the Middle East, water is scarce and precious, and very much needed for survival. Only a few months of the year does rain fall in Israel, and the rest of the time the ancient peoples survived on stagnant water that was stored in cisterns in the ground. When rain does fall after many months of clear blue skies, it seems to be a miraculous gift from God. The difference with or without rain in I

Bible Reference: Ephesians 4:1-16 God equips and gifts people to do functions in Church so that people can grow up and become mature people in the Lord.   Then we grow the body of Christ. Hebrews 6:1 - going onto maturity We're to stop going over basic teachings and grow up. When a family doesn't grow up, it goes everywhere and broken.  Each person of the family are to contribute.   Growing Up takes time and it can be wonderful.   Being human want to speed up the process and we in the West, want it now.   It's a lifetime journey where we develop and grow.  People won't remember what you owned but will remember what you contributed.   At the core of this journey are disciplines. We are the sum of our habits.  People will know and remember what you do over what you say. Facts v Truth.   God is not a fact but Truth.  People need to learn to practice habits that become part of their daily life.  We focus on four (4) spiritual habits.  Romans 12:1-2, do not conform to t