Pastor Chris Karuhije

In Isaiah 46:9–10, God says about Himself: “I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done.”
God is not confused about where your story is going. He’s not watching your life and hoping it works out and He is not at all surprised or caught off guard by trials that sometimes arise. He has already declared the end. But even though He’s the God who speaks the end from the beginning, He rarely shows the whole journey.

God wants His glory to invade your life. He wants His manifested presence to fill your home and your heart. And a key to this is, for this Christmas, make worship a priority. Here are some practical ways to invite God’s glory into your everyday, through worship: turn your commute into worship, make your home a place of worship, read a Psalm out loud each day.
There is no heaviness, anxiety, grief, or darkness that God’s manifested presence cannot break. When we worship, we are not just singing, we are welcoming the Prince of Peace into our lives, our homes, and our everyday.

From the moment we’re born, every heart is wired with the same longing to hear the words: I love you. You are mine. I am proud of you. This is not just an emotional yearning. Psychologists like John Bowlby and Brené Brown have shown that every human being is hardwired for love, acknowledgment, and connection. Pastor and theologian Tim Keller once wrote:“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is… what we need more than anything.”

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.