Have you ever stopped to think about how the news about Jesus spread throughout Jerusalem while Jesus was on earth? 

Think about it: 

• It was before social media.
• It was before newspapers.
• It was before television. 
• It was before books. 

News about Jesus spread from person to person because stories of life-change are powerful. People were so in awe of the miracles Jesus performed and the authority with which He taught that they shared stories about Jesus with everyone that they knew. Jesus went viral 2,000 years before the internet existed. The life of Jesus was worth sharing, and news about Him spread like wildfire. 

 You don’t need a bigger platform to share about the goodness of Jesus. The power of your testimony isn’t found in your past sin or social media following. At times we can dismiss our influence by thinking that we don’t have enough ears listening to us or eyes watching us to make much of an impact. By dismissing our impact we fail to share the hope that is found in Jesus. 

 God’s glory doesn’t need your platform – He has the universe that declares His glory! He has invited us to point to His glory so that other people will come to follow Jesus. 

 Thanks to the internet, our lives have more reach than any other generation in human history. God has positioned you to point the people you interact with online and in person to Jesus. 

 Everyone loves a good story. There is no better story to tell than how Jesus gave you a new life and how He is pursuing others. 

 Live It:

• Are you actively sharing stories of the goodness of Jesus? 
• Who needs to hear about the power of Jesus? When will you share that with them? 

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Where do you run to in your moment of need? 

Psalm 120-134 were songs that pilgrim Hebrews would sing as they ascended to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. Let this song be an encouragement and reminder that our help and hope is found in the Lord. 

Psalm 121:1-2

1I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? 2My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 

When troubles come we must lift our eyes to God. He is our help. He is our protection. He is the Creator of heaven and earth. 

Psalm 121:3-4

3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. 4Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. 

The Lord doesn’t take breaks nor is He weak. He is awake and actively involved in His creation. You don’t have to worry about God taking a nap and missing your time of need. 

Psalm 121:5-6

5The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. 6The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. 

The Lord is your shelter that protects you from storms that rage around you. 

Psalm 121:7-8

7The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life. 8The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

There is no expiration date to God’s protection. He is with you for the long-haul. 

Your hope is not misplaced when it is placed in Jesus.

God knows where you are at. God knows how you feel. God has not forgotten about you. You may feel alone, but remember that God is with you. Psalm 121 is a reminder that the Lord is our Protector and Deliverer. 

Live It: 

• Take a few minutes and thank God for His protection. 
• What storm is threatening your faith? How can you rely on God to be Protector and Deliverer? 

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Did you know that it is impossible for you to close your eyes and walk in a straight line? 

Scientists have been trying to walk in a straight line for over 100 years. Go ahead and Google it. 

If you are blindfolded and begin walking in a wide-open space you will slowly start to walk to the left or right which eventually makes you walk in a circle. 

In an article from NPR on the subject Robert Krulwich wrote, “Humans, apparently, slip into circles when we can’t see an external focal point, like a mountain top, a sun, a moon. Without a corrective, our insides take over and there’s something inside us that won’t stay straight.” (Read the article here.) 

Why is that important? Humans are only able to walk in a straight line when their eyes are fixed on something – a mountain, ridge, tree, building, etc. People will walk in circles without a fixed direction. ⁣

The same is true spiritually – whatever you fix your eyes on will determine the direction of your steps. Scrolling social media and hoping for fame will cause you to act on those thoughts. All actions begin as thoughts. Thoughts are formed by what we set our eyes on. ⁣

The writer of Hebrews tells us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” because it is the only way that we can “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” If you lose sight of Jesus we will lose sight of the life that Jesus has prepared for you. Jesus is the trailblazer – the pioneer – and perfecter of your faith. 

Why should you fix your eyes on Jesus? Because Jesus is the only constant in our life. Everything else is in a constant act of change – financial security, health, the seasons.

Be selective with what you set your gaze on. What you set your eyes on will be the thing you walk toward. ⁣

Live It: 

• Are you selective on what you allow in your mind? 
• What are your eyes fixed on? 
• How can you fix your eyes on Jesus today? ⁣

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Have you been in a spot where you knew you were following God’s direction but were still waiting for God to move? 

The Israelites found themselves in that exact same spot when they approached Jericho. Joshua led the nation of Israel into the Promised Land to claim the promises that God had made for them. One of the cities that stood between God’s people and God’s promise was a heavily fortified city surrounded by a strong wall. 

God spoke to Joshua God told them exactly what to do. “‘The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Look, I have handed Jericho, it’s king, and it’s best soldiers over to you’” (Joshua 6:2). God reassured them that the victory is God’s and that they would be successful if they obeyed. 

The plan was unorthodox. They were instructed to walk around and trust God to breakdown the walls.  God told Joshua, “March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days” (Joshua 6:3). On the seventh day “march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the trumpets. When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance, each man straight ahead” (Joshua 6:4-5). The walls would breakdown because the God of miracles was fighting for the Israelites. 

As I read this passage I often place myself into the account. Knowing that the battle was ours, would I have doubted that God was going to show up on the seventh day? Would I have trusted God’s plan even though I didn’t see Him move for the first six days? Would I have become over-eager and stormed ahead without God and before His appointed time? 

The Israelites trusted in God and His timing. On the seventh day the army marched around seven times. Then, with the blast of music and shouts, the walls fell down. God was faithful to accomplish what He had promised. 

God may be preparing you for a new opportunity in the future. But don’t miss out on today’s tasks, ministry, and opportunities. God is trustworthy and faithful to accomplish what He says He will do. Trust in His timing and be faithful as He prepares the way. 

Live It: 

• Do you find it difficult to wait for God’s perfect timing?
• How has God been faithful in your life? 
• How do past victories help you to rely on God when new opportunities arise?

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Have you ever been hiking at night without a flashlight? When darkness falls navigation is nearly impossible. 

Maybe you hate the outdoors and “hiking” for you is checking the mailbox. If you haven’t been hiking at night in the forest, I would assume that you have experienced a power outage at your house. As the power turns off at your house you are left in the dark trying to find a flashlight while hoping you don’t run into the coffee table or any of the kid’s toys.

• Darkness is disorienting.
• Darkness is terrifying. 
• Darkness is crippling. 
• Darkness is limiting. 

As Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus he instructed them to “live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8) instead of getting tangled up in the darkness of the sins that once limited them. Christians should live as people who have the light of God. 

The imagery of light and darkness refers to one’s spiritual state. The death, guilt, and separation that sin brings is “darkness.” Walking in darkness means that a person is living in sin and gratifying sinful desires. Life, grace, love, and mercy is “light.” In fact, God is light. 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” In John 8:12 Jesus says that he is the “light of the world.” 

Christians are light. They don’t just walk in light, their souls have been transformed by the light of Jesus to become a light of Jesus. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, Christians possess the light of Jesus and are able to walk in the new life that Jesus gives. We are no longer trapped by darkness but walk in righteousness. Salvation enables us to lay down the old life and take hold of the new life we have in Christ. Living in the light produces goodness and righteousness and is pleasing to God (Ephesians 5:9).

• Light gives vision. 
• Light gives direction. 
• Light brings liberation. 
• Light gives perspective. 
• Light overcomes darkness. 

Live It: 

• In what areas of life are you tempted to walk in darkness? 
• What activities, sins, or actions do you need to bring into the light of Jesus to find freedom and forgiveness? 

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Do you know anyone who is ungrateful? Do you wish that someone would show them how to be grateful? 

Ungrateful people tend to be people who:

• Are never content and are always in need
• Rarely say “thank you”
• Don’t sacrifice for others but expect others to sacrifice for them
• Are focused on their needs more than the needs of others
• Think that God or others owe them.

I’m sure that you can make a list of all of the ungrateful people in your life. But if we are honest with ourselves, we are all ungrateful from time to time. We accidentally take for granted the blessings we have in this life. Blessings like our health, family, friendships, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If left unchecked, ungratefulness will draw us away from Jesus and bring bitterness, discontentment, and worry.

Gratitude is a life-giving attitude – it draws us to the feet of Jesus. And as we overflow with gratitude to God, we will begin to overflow in expressing our gratitude for others. It is difficult for you to be grateful if you aren’t connected to Jesus through prayer and study of God’s Word. Gratitude has nothing to do with your possessions but everything to do with your perspective.

Through God’s Word and be reminded of the: 

• Goodness of God – He is for you and with you. 
• Your Need for Jesus – you are a sinner in need of the grace of Jesus. 
• The Purpose God Has for You – you are still on this planet to make disciples and glorify Jesus.

If we fail to live in Jesus – to have a daily recognition that Jesus is before all things, in all things, and holds all things together (Colossians 1:16-17) – then we will drift toward discontentment and complaining.  

Live It: 

• Are you overflowing with thankfulness and gratitude? 
• What are two things you take for granted that you need to be grateful for?

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