God’s voice should be the loudest voice that you hear.

When the world whispers lies – God whispers the truth. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss out on peace. On joy. On hope. On love.

Guys, if you want to hear God’s voice immerse yourself in His word. Immerse yourself in praise and worship. Immerse yourself in Him.

Don’t just dip your toe in the water – run with all your might and do a stinkin’ cannonball.

“The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders, The LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful, The voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.read more. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, “Glory!” – Psalm 29:3-9

Today is a big day for our Texas kiddos. They’ve worked hard all year long. They’ve listened and learned. They’ve practiced and prayed. And even though one test doesn’t define them we want them to feel confident and capable – because they are.

These kids are capable of huge things. They are going to be doctors and lawyers and teachers and preachers. They are going to be electricians and plumbers and makers and bakers. They are our future.

They are. They can. They will.

Today let’s pray Joshua 1:9 over all of our kiddos.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Mommas, we can’t go in that testing room with them, but God can – and that’s so much better.

We don’t always know the whole story. In fact, that’s usually the case.

Can you imagine the whispers – the judgmental eyes that followed young Mary around?

Can you imagine the pressure she felt – the undeserving guilt and shame?

If people knew the whole story – the real story – maybe they would have offered her a place to stay. Maybe they would have prepared her a meal or two. Maybe they would have been a friend. An ear that would intently listen to this young, scared mom-to-be.

But maybe they should have done that anyway. Maybe they should have done that without knowing the whole story.

Just because.

Because she was a human being facing an insurmountable obstacle.

Maybe instead of judging they could have just “been there”.

They could have prayed.

They could have listened.

They could have loved.

They could have offered hope.

And that’s exactly what we can do today. Somebody needs that.

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:33-35

You ever spell something so wrong that spell check can’t even fix it?

Yeah.

Then you sit there and stare at it thinking, “How did that even happen?”

Sometimes we mess up big time. Sometimes we mess up because we aren’t fully paying attention, because our minds are on other things, or because we really just don’t know.

The thing with God is – He can fix it. No matter how bad you messed up, no matter how jumbled you’ve made a situation, God can straighten that mess out for ya.

We just have to let Him be the one to type this thing called life out. Stop trying to grab the keypad out of His hands.

He’s got this.

“In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10

Rejection.

It’s the worst, y’all.

And although Jesus is God – He still understands this hurricane of a human emotion full well. He was rejected every single day. He is still rejected every single day.

He was rejected by His enemies, and He was rejected by His very best friends. He was.

He understand the pain.

He understands the sorrow.

And He will never, ever reject you.

The question is: How will you respond to rejection? Will you let the world’s rejection dictate and define who you are – or like Christ, will you rise up and roll that stone to the side? It’s your choice.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” John 15:18

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

It’s all fun and games until it’s not.

Just like Ananias, we are so eager to answer the call of Christ – until answering that call is more like becoming a tribute in the Hunger Games.

I’m being serious.

We say yes to VBS.

We say yes to bringing a casserole.

We say yes to Bible Study.

We say yes to Sunday morning church.

But.

But what about witnessing?

What about forgiveness?

What about that big monetary donation?

What about the things that hurt?

What about when it’s awkward?

What about the things that make us dig deep?

The things that stab at our pride – our fear?

We have a choice to make, guys – all in or all out. When it’s scary, when it hurts, when it doesn’t make sense – Follow God.

Here I am, Lord.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children[b] of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord [c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

“Well done good and faithful servant.” – God

Do you ever stop and really think about this moment?

I pretend He says it like this, “You done good, kid.”

Imagine this moment when you want to quit.

When you want to spout off.

When you want to choose wrong over right.

When forgiveness seems foreign.

When you’re too tired.

Can you imagine His eyes sparkling when He says it? Because He is so proud of you.

He knows what you went through.

What you endured.

He knows what you said no to.

He knows what you walked away from.

How you didn’t quite fit in.

What you sacrificed.

He knows.

Is anything on this earth worth missing out on those words?

Just imagine.

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 1 Corinthians 2:9

The valley is an intersection.

That’s all I got this morning. It keeps repeating itself over and over in my mind, and I really don’t know why.

I don’t know who. I don’t know what, but I do know God. I know God hasn’t called us to be sitting ducks.

So if you are in the valley this morning – if you’re stuck at an intersection – hold on tight.

Get ready.

Stay ready.

That light is about to turn green, and when it does – go for God.

“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5

Have you ever been down and then you get down on yourself for being down? Yeah. The devil loves that. When he gets you in that mind frame it’s a big ol’ double whammy.

Beat down.

Ran down.

Talked down.

Trampled down.

That’s his jam. But that’s not the way God intended His ambassadors to live or to feel.

God has given us Blessed Assurance. He has given us Amazing Grace. Peace like a River.

And more than anything else – He gave us an Old Rugged Cross. An Old Rugged Cross that we can hang our tired on. We can hang our trampled hearts on that cross and walk away. We can walk away knowing that God is restoring, mending, and breathing life back into us.

Y’all, that cross was ran down, trampled down, and definitely talked down upon – and look what my God did.

Go to Him. Give it to Him. Let Him.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10

A broken world. A broken system.

Sometimes it’s just too much. Sometimes it’s just not fair.

We question.

We get mad.

We cry out.

We can’t fix it.

The truth is we live in a fallen world and unfair situations are going to arise. It’s inevitable. It started the second Adam and Eve succumbed to that shiny, red apple.

But we can pray.

We can hope.

We can cry.

We can be a shoulder to lean on.

We can love.

We can try to make changes.

And we can choose to keep our joy even in the midst of unfair circumstances. Even when it’s hard. Even when we don’t want to.

“2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3