Recently, I walked into the gym wearing a sweatshirt with the words “even if” Daniel 3:18.  I began pumping away on the elliptical, only to feel a tap on my shoulder. I removed my ear pods, so I could hear what the gentleman wanted to say to me.

He asked, “Can you tell me what that shirt means?”

I proceeded to explain that it is a story in the Bible about three men who lived their Godly values and refused to bow when asked to compromise. The men were about to be thrown to sure death in a fiery furnace. The actual event is recorded in Daniel chapter three.

^“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver usfrom Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” – Daniel 3:16-18

The man nodded his head, thanked me, and walked away.

I have no idea what impact the story had on the man’s life, but I was happy to share the Word of God. I was also happy to demonstrate the story by openly sharing my faith even if the man did not like the story.

The shirt is also a reminder to me, that even when walking with God, I will find myself in challenging circumstances. I want to live an “even if” Christian life. I want to be a woman who trusts God no matter what and walks in His peace and not in my panic.

On this earth, we are prone to worry, and prone to ask “what if” this happens? “What if” things do not turn around? “What if” nothing changes? God invites us to a life of supernatural peace that changes “what if” to “even if.” Remember that if your “what if” happens, God will bring you through it.

Join me in being an “even if” child of God. Stand with God “even if” you do not see healing manifested on this side of heaven. Stand with God “even if” you did not receive the job for which you applied. Stand with God “even if” persecuted for His sake. Stand with God “even if” that child is still living a wayward lifestyle. Stand with God “even if”.

Prayer: “Father, I know that in this life there will be times of testing. I ask You for miracles, but today I declare, “Even if” things do not happen as I desire, I will trust You. Thank You for Your presence that guides me through everything I face. I will not surrender to the fear of “what if” but I stand in the faith of “even if.”  Amen.

If you have read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you will find many stories of the life and ministry of Jesus. Other than the resurrection, there is only one miracle that all the Gospel writers record, and that is the feeding of the five thousand.

In reading the account of the feeding of the five thousand in John’s record, there is a verse that stands out to me. “Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. ‘There is a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is it anyway with this huge crowd?’” – John 6:8-9

When Andrew saw what could be offered for Jesus to use, he pretty much asked, “What good are these anyway? Have you ever asked that question or thought that question?

• What good is it to keep praying for my child when nothing seems to change?
• What good is it to give food to the hungry when they come back over and over?
• What good is it to put gas in the car of a single mother when her needs are much greater than gasoline?
• What good is it to be honest when I see so many dishonest people prosper?
• What good is it to present the plan of salvation, when so many reject it?
• What good is it to continue to offer a helping hand when the needs are so much greater than I can meet?
• What good is it to stay sexually pure when everyone else seems contented living any way they wish?
• What good is it to pray when nothing seems to change?
• What good is it to be hope-filled when current events show so much hopelessness?

It is so easy to ask, “What good is it anyway?”

BUT…I read to the end of the story. The story ends with Jesus taking the little that was offered to Him, and with it, He did much. No one fathomed that the little would do so much when placed into the hands of Jesus. Everyone was fed and there were even carryout baskets!

God delights in making much out of little. He loves to defy human reasoning, so that when things happen, it is evident that God’s power is the only explanation. The scripture is filled with stories of God’s power using little to make much. As the old song says, “Little is much when God is in it!” Even though we see examples of this truth throughout Scripture, we often fail to trust it personally. 

Perhaps you have the same question as Andrew. What good is this little anyway? We cannot begin to fathom what God will do with the things we entrust to Him. We have just entered a fresh new year. What a great time to pray this prayer. Join me.

Jesus, I do not feel like I have much to offer, but I offer what I do have. I offer a voice of prayer, hands to serve, hope to give, blessings to the needy, and a witness to the lost. I ask You to take the few resources that I do have, as small at they might seem in my eyes. I place myself, my gifts, my resources, and my faithfulness in your hands. Lead me in places for your Name’s sake. Multiply what I offer and let it change lives for Your glory. Let this be a year of multiplication in my life that will enlarge the Kingdom of God. Amen.

My father-in-law was a hard-working man.  Comer Benton was a farmer, and he worked hard at it well into his seventies. He did not expect to wake up one day and see the harvest on his farm. He did not pray for a harvest and hoped it would show up one day, or that someone else would work the fields on his farm while he sat on the sofa. Mr. Benton knew that prayer was essential, but so was arduous work or there would be no harvest. Papa Benton’s work ethic produced many abundant harvests.

Comer Benton knew that passivity would never produce a harvest.

The same principles apply to the life of a Christian. There is no such thing as a healthy passive Christian life. God Himself set a great example of not being passive. He did not sit on His throne in heaven, twiddle His holy thumbs, and hope for the best for mankind. No, God actively sent a Savior to the world, so redemption could take place.

The Bible is full of stories of great men and women who did not sit on their blessed assurance but heeded the call of God to action.

• Jericho did not fall without action from Joshua.
• The countries of the world would not have heard the message of the Gospel had Paul decided it was someone else’s job. Even while sitting in prison, Paul asked the Ephesian church to pray that he would have boldness to preach the word.
• Abram would never have become Abraham had he been passive when God called him to action.
• Esther moved into action so that the Jewish people could be saved from destruction.

There is much talk about the condition of the United States of America. We pray for God to move in the nation and the Church. I, too, pray for these things every day. We should pray; however, that does not mean we are to be passive when God has called us to action.

Scripture rarely requires passivity. God has called us to be an army who acts. These are just a few of the active things we can and must do to have an effect on the nation, the Church, and our families.

1. First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. When your church calls a prayer meeting, go and participate. Prayer meetings are one of the least attended activities of a church.
2. Preach the word – 2 Timothy 4:2. Pastors must preach the word, but as believers we also “preach” the word over a cup of coffee or in the marketplace.
3. Hebrews 3:13 admonishes us to encourage one another. Praying for people is powerful, but when we see someone down, hurting, or discouraged, speak a word of encouragement. Take a casserole to a person who is in a difficult place. Be an encourager.
4. First Corinthians 6:18 instructs us to flee from sexual immorality. The Church must lead the way on holy living in this area and others. Actively live a Christian life that reflects the scripture. Colossian 3:5 teaches us to put to death our earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed which is idolatry.
5. When we see those in need and we can help, then we rise to action. John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” – Luke 13:10.

There are many more action words in scripture. A great study for one to do is to seek out the action words of the Bible. Many people ask God for a word for the year. That is a good thing. I pray that all of us will add the word action to our lives in 2025 and lose the word passivity.

The last words of Jesus to His followers were to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20. If the first disciples had chosen passivity, Christianity would have died quickly and none of us would have heard about Jesus. Passive is NOT my word for 2025.

I love a good hot cup of black coffee. Well, a small bit of sweetener might be needed to take off the edge of any bitterness. One of my favorite things to do, especially on a chilly morning, is to sip my coffee, not devour it but sip it. Sipping coffee means drinking it slowly, taking small mouthfuls, rather than devouring it in large gulps and finishing it fast. When I slowly sip my coffee, I take time to savor the taste.

As we begin 2025, many people start a new Bible reading program. Some like to go through the whole Bible in a year. Some even do an aggressive plan where one can read the entire Bible in ninety days. Others are reading just the New Testament. A few that I know are concentrating on the epistles found in the New Testament.

All the above options are great, as is any option that causes one to consistently read God’s word.

May I share with you what my Bible-reading plan is this year? I plan to “sip” the scriptures. I want to stop, take a mouthful, and take time to savor what is being said. I am not rushing to make sure I get a certain number of chapters read, rather I am taking my time allowing Holy Spirit to speak to me.

As I was sipping on Luke chapter four today, I totally savored what jumped out at me – Jesus does miracles in the home.

^“After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where he found Simon’s mother-in-law extremely sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged. Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them.” – Luke 4:38-39 (NLT).

Here are a few observations from the story that came as I sipped:

1. When Peter left the synagogue, he did not leave Jesus at church. He took Jesus home with him. May we not be content to attend church services. Let’s take Jesus home. When Jesus is in the house, He shares our burdens and our blessings. Jesus does miracles when invited to stay in our homes.
2. Jesus wants to give miraculous breakthroughs in our homes. In chapter one of Mark’s Gospel, Mark tells us that when Jesus entered Peter’s home, they told Him what they were facing. Jesus intervened and brought healing. What are you facing in your home? What miracle do you need Jesus to do in your home and family? Tell Jesus about it. Invite Him to intervene.
3. Peter’s mother-in-law was healed and began to serve Jesus. Her response to Jesus’s touch was to serve Jesus and His disciples – immediately. She used her recovered health for renewed service. I pray the days where we want God to intervene in miraculous ways and then do nothing for the Kingdom are gone!

These two verses about Jesus going to Peter’s home came to life in my spirit as I sipped my coffee and sipped the Word of God. I gave Holy Spirit time to speak.

I highly encourage each of us to have a plan to read God’s word in 2025, but I also hope there will be times where we sip the Word, savor it, and taste and see that the Lord is good. It is amazing what we taste with a slow sip.