Pastor Chris Karuhije

In John 15:1, Jesus tells us, “I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Gardener” (ESV). Just as a gardener carefully prunes a healthy branch to help it produce more fruit, God lovingly removes things from our lives—not to harm us, but to position us for progress.
God’s process of pruning was preparing them for a greater purpose.

Each of us is called to be a spiritual Navy SEAL, will you answer the call? As spiritual Navy SEALs, we must be ready to navigate various “caves” of our own—caves of resistance, spiritual opposition, and discomfort. We are called to sacrifice for the sake of those who are lost.

In today’s world, the concept of “honor” seems like it’s lost its true meaning. We talk about it a lot, but do we know what it means, especially when it comes to honoring the people who are still here with us?

We are still in the beginning stages of studying the Book of Acts, but one thing is already certain: If you and I are going to do something great for God, it will attract opposition from the enemy. Whatever opposition you may be facing today, prioritize prayer, continue with purpose and receive the boldness that comes from His presence. Then you will be able to say like King David, a man well acquainted with opposition: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19 ESV).

Not only was it a shot across the bow to Satan’s kingdom that had a hold on that region of Israel, it was also a signal and an encouragement to us that there is no darkness that we can face, that God’s power cannot rescue us from. In fact, I have noticed that it is in the most trying times, and the darkest moments of our lives, that God reveals Himself.

Don’t strive for perfection in family devotions, strive for consistency. As you train up your children each day, remember the goal: We want our kids to know that God is at the center of the family. Kids won’t necessarily remember whether family devotions were perfect, but they will remember that they were important.

God has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us. Yet, many people do not fully understand the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit being with us. Unless we yield to the power and ability of the Holy Spirit, the Christian life can be frustrating and challenging.

In April 1932, something that was previously thought impossible happened. In a Cambridge laboratory, two men, John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton, split the atom and paved the way for the creation of the nuclear bomb. It was then that the world discovered something that is just as true in the spiritual world as it is in nuclear physics; the greatest release of power does not come by making bigger bombs, but by making changes on the smallest level. In nuclear science it came from splitting one of the smallest things in the world, the atom. In life, the biggest changes come from renewing our minds.

This Christmas season, perhaps you are believing for a miracle in your life. You may be praying for a loved one to come home for Christmas, for a financial miracle in your life, or healing from a physical or mental health issue. Looking at Mary’s incredible faith in giving birth to Jesus, we too can catch a glimpse of steps we can take to receive a miracle from God.

It doesn’t matter how you start. It matters how you finish. You may be sensing God turning the heat up on things in your life He wants to purify you from. Like David, you can say the same prayer and allow the flux of His get rid of toxic thoughts and bad behavior. “Search me, O God, and know my heart… Point out anything in me that offends you…”