Abide in Him

abide in Him

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. — 1 John 2:28-29

Brothers, we all have junk to answer for, but John encourages us to remain in Him. One fine day, He is coming back. Will we welcome Him or shrink away in the shame of our sinful state? We know that He is perfect, Holy, righteous, the Author and Perfector. So, if we walk in righteousness we know we are Fathered by Him.

I hear it often said, if God would appear, manifest, or reveal something profound I’d believe and change. Truly, even to those who know Him intimately, when He takes us to the next level it freaks us out. Even after an encounter, there is still a struggle with the flesh. We still try to explain it away. How much more will it freak us all out when we see Him after being caught up to meet Him in the clouds? The closer our walk with Him, the easier, and more welcome that experience will be.

Many of us desire a next level encounter, but not enough to open our Bibles, spend an hour or more in prayer, or to engage in Him outside the box of our traditions. Friends, He doesn’t fit in your box! To abide in Him is to abide in the weird, beyond the laws of physics, where He’s bigger than our imagination, where there is no box except what’s true in His Word, where our living sacrifice is our reasonable duty. When He comes back for us, how will we respond if it isn’t what we were taught, or what we expected? When Jesus came as a sacrifice it was not what the Jews had hoped or expected. What if it’s an inconvenient time for us in our flesh life?

Move forward men, remaining in Him. Don’t allow yourself to be caught up in the daily routine and unprepared to be “Caught Up” with Him. Be flexible when seeking Him. He knows your heart, and knows how to approach you, but He can’t lead us to the next level if we are stiff rooted in our traditions. Abide in Him and be Fathered by Him, not your parameters. Hide His Word in your heart, but when the Word is revealed different than your interpretation, follow Him into deeper Truth.

Vance Durrance

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The Holy Spirit

holy spirit

I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. — 1 John 2:26-27.

Too often when we discuss the Holy Spirit, we view that part of the Trinity as an abstract. We believe in the Spirit through doctrine, but too few of us have learned to acknowledge His Spirit within us.

There is no denying His Spirit however when we discover it through earnest seeking, following the prescription in scripture. Often people who have gained awareness are overlooked as weird or undisciplined. John has another take… John says the anointing of His Spirit teaches all things. That doesn’t mean we will suddenly walk around as a genius. But, when we encounter evil, false teachings, hidden agenda and such His Spirit speaks to us and alerts us to the issue at that moment.

The Spirit is the Lord’s heart with us daily. If we abide in Him, He abides in us through His Spirit placed inside us. The Spirit identifies falsehood as we engage life and He brings to mind the truth of His Word so we can combat those false ideas and teachings. When the Word tells us to stand strong in the faith, it isn’t telling us to do so without being equipped.

Too often we try to rationalize a situation even though we know something inside us is saying it’s not a good idea. We are denying the Spirit an opportunity to help us in those moments. Other times we dismiss His Spirit as some chance or coincidence. Be careful with that, dismissing Him borders on blasphemy. Other times, we know it’s Him, but reject His leading. We know the Father chastises His disobedient children who He loves.

Move forward men, as teachable children. His Spirit is real, He is alive, and He resides in you as much as you make room for Him. He is accessible to you at an instant contingent upon your willingness to seek Him, submit to Him, and hear from Him. He helps to aid in your walk in Truth and light. He interprets circumstances, environments, dreams, and even interprets His own heart into language we are ready and able to receive. He’s a comforter, closer than a brother.

Blessed be His name,
Vance Durrance

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Walking in the Light

light

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. — 1 John 2:7-11, ESV.

John reminds us of the new commandment Jesus left for us in John 13:34-35: “Love one another as I have loved you.” John is not writing a new command, but reminding the people of Christ’s fulfillment of the law by His display of love on our behalf, that while we were still sinners, He came and died. If we say we are of Him and we are in the Light but hate a fellow believer, we are in darkness, stumbling, and we don’t know where we are going as in a blinded state.

Light and dark can’t coexist. Love and hate can’t exist together. When the sun comes up, night is over. When Jesus ascends the throne of your life, hate bows down. If we have Jesus’ Spirit within us, then we will begin to see people as He sees. We will feel for them the compassion that He would feel. We will love them as Jesus loves them, and again, love and hate can’t coexist. We live in a world of jealousy and malice. Our age is filled with messages like “get yours before someone else does”, “he who is on top wins” and the list goes on. Love compels us to help others first and wait on the Lord for ours. Love compels us to be humble and lift our brothers up.

What is your and my own life speaking of us? Is love evident within us? Is it hidden and obscured? Is it out in front of you recklessly spilling on whomever? If a brother does us wrong, what is our response? Move forward men, loving our brothers with abandon. Walk in light, and let it shine as evidence of the changing grace of our Lord’s work within us.

Vance Durrance

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Boasting and Security

boastingBut far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. — Galatians 6:14-18

While the Judaites hope that they can boast of convincing Galatia to return to the law, Paul has a different agenda. Paul says, “may i never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” What do we boast of? Where is our security if not in the Lord?

Paul has considered all else dead to him except Jesus. Paul goes on to say, circumcision counts for nothing. Only becoming a new creation matters. Paul blesses all who adopt the principal of being made new in Christ with peace and mercy. Do we count it a blessing being made new? Do you try to hide it in certain circles? What part of your old life are you holding onto, refusing to surrender it, so that you can fully be made new? Do we boast in the Lord and being made new in Him? Are we known as followers of His way, or are we a bitter compromise of the Lord Jesus Christ and our old life? In truth, He is Lord of all or hardly Lord at all.

Move forward men, because we certainly have plenty to boast in. Who else can boast of a relationship with One who is undefeated by death? Where else shall we go to boast in an advocate who can create the unimaginable out of nothing with just His voice? What else has offered the hope that the Lord freely delivers? I boast in the Lord, His security, His life, His mercy, His love for me in spite of me. I am made new! Are you? Stand and be counted as such and don’t allow anyone to dissuade you.

Vance Durrance

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Knowing and Owning Fear

fear

Fear has the ability to stop you in your tracks.  Uncombatted, and allowed to entrench, a given fear can eventually absolutely own you.  Fear of height paralyzes the physical and mental ability of some men, even creating a physical pain that penetrates down into their abdomen when they approach a ledge or even see someone do so.  Similarly, fear of battle or even the mere sight of another person being physically harmed may create similar physical pain to run through some men and send the mental control into a frenzy of panic.  These are fears created either through our sight or vision, or fears created by physical pain and reoccurring through deep-seated, mentally-stamped memories.  These are physical fears that disrupt physical and mental abilities and steal God-given potential.

Fears may also come suddenly, seemingly through the air, through a spirit that introduces a thought.  Consider the thought that invades suddenly as your teenager gets in their car to drive away for the first time.  The fear-induced thought that says you may never see them again; that they may get in a tragic wreck.  Or the fear that you may lose your job and not be able to support your family.  Or the fear that that pain in your side or head is cancer.  These fears are not physical, but they can be crippling none the less.  Just like how a fear of heights or battle can shoot pain down into your physical core, these spirits of fear are meant to paralyze your inner spirit, to steal hope and vision and extinguish faith, and supplant all with fear.  And given a place to root, they will set in and steal your ability to hope, dream, persevere, and advance.  These are the most dangerous fears.  Fears based in a deep lie that once set in, leave the mind’s door open to additional fears of inadequacy and attacks of doubt.  The downstream result, either coming in a slow fade or a quicker depression or death spiral, is a minimized man, worse a critical spirit that crushes other souls, or in maturity, a spirit of suicide.

Fear is a spiritual weapon.  It is a weapon against the truth of God’s sovereignty.  God alone creates, designs, and purposes for good.  He alone is good (there is NONE other; so, says the only one Worthy—Jesus – Mark 10:18).  All these fears, the physical and the spiritual, are seated in the lie that God is not enough; that He is not your Promoter, Protector, Healer or Provider.  These fears are seated in a lie as old as the Garden of Eden.  The devil’s original lie (Genesis 3:1-4).  The lie that says that God’s word is not true.

But consider who God is.  He is above all (Colossians 1:16-17).  He controls all. He can bestow great favor.  He can exhibit great wrath.  He knew you before He knit you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5).  He knows your time and He know your days.  He plants you in an area, assigns you a territory, and sanctifies through trial.   Even the devil takes his authority from God and cannot harm God’s chosen without permission (Job 1-2).  And after considering rightly who He is, write it down on the walls of your heart, impress it on your spirit, and make its truth the absolute and only sieve of your mind.  Conventional wisdom says some level of fear is healthy, i.e. it keeps you aware and safe; like a child’s fear of being run over keeps it from playing in the road, etc.   This conventional worldly wisdom compromises God’s Truth as the only sieve.  Fear God only; replace all worldly fear with absolute unyielding faith in God.

Fear has a face; a smooth, deceitful face with lying lips.  But faith, the opposite of fear, has a name.  God’s word is named Jesus (John 1:1) and that name is above (in authority over; Philippians 2:9) all other names!  The Bible repeatedly says God’s people are not to fear. They are not to fear man or circumstance or authority.  They are to fear God alone.  They are to respect authority (because God has placed it there); but they are to serve God only.

The truth is that fear, left unchecked, can own us.  It can limit us greatly from accomplishing what God has designed us to accomplish in the area He has placed us.  Can fear be conquered?  Absolutely! Can we walk through fire, or survive a den of lions, or face battles against all odds, or face physical death on a cross and then face the demons of death and the grave? Absolutely.  But it must be faced, and faced at increasing deeper levels, until it is ‘owned’.  It is owned when the Truth is firmly and irreversibly seated in your spirit and your mind is fully renewed by the Holy Spirit. Mighty men of God have faced fear, been sifted, and been found faithful even as they found God to be faithful.

Even today, decrease your fear.  Increase your faith.  Prove it out at a higher level in the face of fear and seek to see if He truly is your provider and protector and restorer.  King David did (Psalms 23), “Yea though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no…”  and in the end, many valleys later, the same man of God testified, “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (2 Samuel 7:18).  In your last days, what will your testimony be? Will you have joined the battle and faced the fears, and KNOW and have proved out the Truth?  Will you have owned fear? Or will it have owned you? Fear NOT!

Derek Dougherty

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Surrender to the Word

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me. – Galatians 1:18-24

Paul recounts his story to Galatia. After 3 years in Arabia and Damascus, Paul finally went to meet Peter in Jerusalem. They spoke at length about Christ’s gospel for 15 days. The only other apostle he saw was James, the brother of Jesus. After this Paul went to the region of Syria and Cilicia where he was unknown except as “he who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” By Paul’s conversion story the people of that place glorified God.

How many of us can say that when we found Jesus we spent three years with our faces in the Word and on the ground in prayer? How many of us have allowed our conversion experience to radically alter our course and lives? We often convert and settle into a passive life of indifferent church attendance. We accept salvation as the “free gift”, but we refuse to surrender Lordship. Is that what the Holy Spirit calls us to? Paul was so incredibly moved that his experiences shaped a region that didn’t even recognize him by face. How many of us are known by our commitment and action in the faith? More often we are known by our trades. Is our identity in Christ or in a profession? Do others glorify God by what they see happening in you and me? If you had 15 days off, how would you spend it? Would you go search out a “Peter” to share stories and grow in the faith or lounge by the coast?

Move forward men, with impact as you go. Be recognizable as a follower of Jesus the Nazarene. Surrender Lordship to the One True God and be led into everlasting change and reward.

Vance Durrance

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The Gift of the Thorn

The Gift of the Thorn

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. — 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV

Paul remembers a very special time where he was shown an indescribable event. So that he would not become arrogant in the matter, the Lord allowed what Paul called a “thorn in his flesh”. Three times he asked for its removal and each time he was denied, with the reply, “My grace is enough for you, my power is made perfect in weakness”. Paul now boasts of his weakness, bearing the insults, troubles, and difficulties for the sake of Christ. Where Paul, myself, and you sir, are weak, He is strong.

The thorn story is familiar. We know about the thorn, but we don’t give thought to why. As young men we exercise to become strong. We fill our minds with information so that we can navigate life. Essentially, we are building our self-sufficiency. Here, the Lord makes it clear, -I AM- your strength. We strengthen and train and learn our way into a place where we feel comfortable “serving God” as if God needs our talents and qualities to accomplish His work. The truth is, our strength and intellect more often become stumbling blocks. We justify all our “growth” hoping it makes us more usable, in reality, Father would give us what we need in the hour we need it, if we humbled ourselves, trusted Him, and could submit to His Lordship enough to obey when He says…. fill in the blank yourself. Strength and wisdom are good, but obedience is closer to the Father’s heart.

Move forward men, humbling ourselves so that the Lord may lift us up. Prepare yourself to move beyond what you can do. It was not in Moses power to lift a sea, it wasn’t in David’s power to defeat the giant, it wasn’t Israel’s power that leveled Jericho. How much do you want to be a part of? Are you willing to be small so that He can do something big? Humble yourself, submit to His Lordship, and obey when He speaks.

Vance Durrance

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The Army at Our Back

david-and-goliath

“45 But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! 46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God, 47 and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will deliver you into our hand.”  –1 Samuel 17:45-47

This epic and famous account epitomizes the courage of a mighty man of God. He was undeterred by the surrounding cowardly company (v.11), the false accusations (v.28), the insurmountable odds that stood before him (vv.4-7), and perhaps even his own previous retreat (v.24). He was confident in his past experience (v.35), his current equipment (vv.39-40), and God’s future protection (v.36). And, he was rightly motivated by the reward promised by his king (vv.24-26).

We are likewise called to ignore all cowardly company (John 21:22), their false accusations (Luke 6:22), circumstances that seem beyond us (2Corinthians 12:10), and any previous retreats (Philippians 3:13). We are called to take confidence in our God-ordained past experiences (Romans 8:28), our current equipping (2Peter 1:3), and God’s future protection (2Th 3:3). And we should be motivated by our King’s promised rewards (Romans 8:18; Luke 6:23; Hebrews 11:6, 26; Matthew 6:18; etc.).

Yet I have missed an invaluable purpose in David’s victory… and my own.

“… and He will give you into OUR hand.”

Not “my hand,” but rather “our hand.” Even though David went out to face Goliath alone, there was an army at his back that would share in the victory and give chase to the enemy (v.52) once God removed the one obstacle that paralyzed His people (v.11).

The obstacle for Israel here was not a physical giant, but rather a lack of faith. David killed Goliath and God was glorified. Then Israel’s eyes were opened to see the truth (2Kings 6:17)—that the battle was already won (v.51). And so they were filled with faith and surged forward into battle (v.52).

Goliath’s size was never an issue, and neither is the size of any mountain that stands in our way (Matthew 17:20). Because victory is not ultimately about conquering “the enemy.” The Devil is no match for our Sovereign God; Satan’s future demise is certain (Revelation 20:10). There will be a day when Jesus will annihilate His enemies with a single word (Revelation 19:21), and He could do so this very instant if He so decided.

Neither is God desperately looking for one brave volunteer so that He can strike a blow against the devil. He is in need of no individual man (Act 17:24-25). His purposes will not be thwarted (Job 42:2). They will not be hindered in our rebellion (2Ki 19:25), nor will they hinge on our obedience (1Kings 19:14-18; Esther 4:14). Ignoring His call only leads to our own destruction (Ezekiel 22:30-31).

Rather, we see that God patiently tolerates (even uses) evil and injustice in order to conquer something else—our hearts (2 Peter 3:9). THIS is why it is so important that we live in Christian community, open and vulnerable before others (v.26, 40, 48) so that they can see God’s power manifested in our lives. God’s desire is for His people to rise up in faith… TOGETHER. And that can’t be done with lone crusaders just looking to pick a fight. Instead, God purposely calls out the weak (1Corinthians 1:27) so that He is assured the glory (which rightfully belongs to Him, Romans 11:36), and so that brothers and sisters watching, and listening will have their hearts filled with faith.

Mighty men of God, we are being called forth to openly call out and lead others—both in word (v.26) and in deed (v.48). So, let us courageously rush toward giants so that true victory can be attained. Not the beheading of giants with their own sword (v.51), but the rousing of faith in the army behind us so that we all charge forward (v.52) for the sake of our King—Not Saul (or any sinful man), but Jesus Christ: “The King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16).

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Where are the mighty men of God today?

Mighty Men

What would a spiritual warrior look like in 2019?  In our current world do we even have a concept of what this would look like?  We sometimes hear of a prayer warrior.  And the vision we have of this more often than not is an elderly woman now capable of little else who prays faithfully.  If we can even visualize a man as a spiritual warrior we likely envision and elderly man with his bible open, reading it early in the morning.  Honestly, the vision of a spiritual warrior has been stolen from many of us. Literally veiled from our spirit’s eyes.  We don’t think immediately or naturally of a Christian as a warrior.  We may think of them as a worker.  We may think of them as a cheek turner; a pacifist that perhaps can withstand some condemnation of the non-church-going world.  But we don’t see a warrior.   We wonder sometimes why we don’t see greater impact and miracles, but we can’t even create a vision of a modern day spiritual warrior.

We often think of an impactful Christian man as a preacher who moves people to consider their status and the truths of the bible; to influence people to change behavior; maybe as a comforter in his pastoral role at the time of a loved one’s passing.  We think of elders or deacons as middle-aged or elderly men that have proven themselves faithful in Bible study, perhaps are proven in Bible or Sunday school teaching, maybe knowledgeable regarding methodologies of ceremonies like the Lord’s Supper, serving on committees, accustomed to making joint decisions regarding church discipline, and representing the church in visitation or business matters. These actions describe men of the Word or men of the church, but do these things describe a spiritual warrior?  There is a physical working and knowledge side here, and a mental side here, but is there a Spirit-led and empowered battler of evil spirits here?  Most of these men would testify to the validity of the Bible; and to its value for keeping their life on track, i.e. a good book for life.  A few would testify of the Spirit leading them; most would argue that the Lord orders their steps in some way.  Many would draw up short of the Spirit speaking outside of the Bible.  But where are the spiritual warriors in today’s world? Those that absolutely head-on confront the evil spirits or principalities?

If we look for a spiritual warrior in the Bible, do we see anything different?  David loved the written word, but he had a living faith in God that was outrageous.  It was developed from the stories of his ancestors, sure, but also from the delivery of the living God from the bear and the lion.  And from the Spirit of God directly creating a great spirit within him.  This faith was so real and so large that he would face a giant when all other men in Israel would not.  He was a spiritual warrior; not without physical prowess, but a spiritual warrior.  It was not his great tools or muscles that empowered him but rather his faith and his God.  It was his truly his developed and empowered spirit.  All other men that had the opportunity to go out to Goliath were defeated first by fear; they were willing to face captivity of themselves and their family before they would face this large man. But Goliath wasn’t just a man.  He was the literal physical embodiment of all that would defy God.  He was empowered by the anti-Jehovah spirit.  And David was not just a young strong man.  He was the embodiment of the faith (the heart) of the Living God Jehovah.

Is the checklist for a spiritual warrior his prayer book? Or his ability to quote the books of the Bible in order correctly? Maybe his knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order and how to run a church committee meeting?  Maybe his ability to keep beer out of his refrigerator, curse words off his tongue or lustful thoughts out of his mind?  None of those things fully empowers a man to face the giants of our day when none other will.

Will any of those Christian men of today (whether deacon, or pastor, or preacher, or Sunday School teacher) go out and meet today’s Goliaths?  Or would they draw up short in fear of legal battles? Or government intervention?  Or concerns of political correctness? Or fears of impact on their career and paycheck? Or concerns of separation of church and state?  Would you?  Would you face the giants of agnosticism? Of the combatant religions?  Or even the Christian religious systems? Or the anti-Christs of this world? The Goliaths of this age stand in the middle of the valley and call out a challenge to the current men of God.  Will anyone go out to meet them?  Would our country be in its current state if any had?  The giants of our day don’t necessarily look the same.  They are often actually in the shape of a woman now (with public women names of notoriety) but they are giants of the anti-Christ nonetheless.

Jesus, both fully man (born of water and blood) and fully God (conceived of the Spirit; no second birth required), faced the Prince of this world directly, as a man. Knowing the Father fully, with confidence even in God’s promise of the ability to lay His life down and take it up again, weaponless He faced the Jewish rulers and Roman centurions and Roman rulers, and literally all that was anti-God.  They mocked Him, harmed Him physically, and tempted, tested and tried Him.  And in the greatest display of physical strength and outrageous faith He let them take His physical life, and He literally poured out His soul, and released His spirit from His body to face the torments of hell, to then, upon the authority of His heavenly Father, take up His life again, to defeat the greatest giant of all, i.e. Satan himself in his defined environment. That is a mighty man of faith.

Inspired by His teaching and His living example and His death, His disciples also faced the Goliaths of the day, in city after city after city, to establish a church on the cornerstone of Christ’s great truth and testimony of His Father God.  What can you see today regarding what a mighty man of God might look like?  Can you see more than a reader of Bible stories? More than a committee leader? How about real men, who have faced the demons of fear, depression, suicide, threat of financial ruin, legal suit, character assassination, the battle of pride, and still emerged on top, unafraid and standing ready to face the giants that come against the people of our God?  And then, can you see the giants of this world mocking the one true God today without fear of confrontation?  Can you envision a man who steps up and answers the call of Satan giants in today’s world?  Where are today’s mighty men? What do you see?  What can you be in Christ?

For 2019, will you resolve to prepare better for Sunday School. Or will you resolve to face your fears in preparation for Giant confrontations.

Derek Dougherty

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