In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15 NIV - - It’s His church, not ours. - No good without Him!

The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 ESV

When we exclude Jesus we set ourselves up for drama, disappointment, and ultimately disaster.

Faith is neither dependent on, nor devoid of, empirical evidence.

You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me. John 20:29 NLT

The decline of the New Atheists’ particular brand of hyperbolic anti-religious fervor does not necessarily signify a rise in religious faith or belief in God. - Alister McGrath (The Dawkins Delusion)

We’re called to lean in and lead the way to Jesus.

Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:1-3 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 ESV

The presence of problems can never overpower the presence of Jesus.

#SeeTheEmptyTomb

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV

You see your regular failure, Jesus see’s your road to redemption.

You see your consistent struggle, Jesus sees your willingness to fight and never give up!

You see yourself as a chump challenged by brokenness you think you may never overcome.

Jesus sees you as champion who wins not only for you but for others!

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

Jesus pursues us to love us.

The love of Jesus is the most obvious and consistent reality I’ve witnessed in this world.

Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

Psalm 36:5 NLT

Through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see, such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:16-17 ESV

Jesus holds everything in the universe and beyond together, including me and you.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NLT

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:7-10 ESV

The truth about Jesus, who He is and how He loves, is the most important truth that any human can ever know.

POEM

Jesus

With us and for us

He finds us and binds us

He holds us together with His love

He sees us and frees us

Never does He leave us

He heals us with power from above

No hope we have without Him

Never should we doubt Him

His fingerprints are everywhere we look

And even when wouldn’t trust Him

In fact our choices surely hurt Him

Still He gave His life, because that’s what it took

To forgive and to restore

To a place that’s better than before

Now graced to come into the presence of the King

Nothing we did to earn such grace

It was His choice, He made the space

Even when He knew we had no gift to bring

So now we give ourselves for others

Just like the Jesus our big brother

Praying they will see Him in the love we show.

May our journeys give Him glory

As He redeems our broken stories

So those who see will trust the Savior we now know