There’s a difference between a house and a home. One is a structure built by human hands; the other is a home made by human hearts. It’s from the heartbeat of home that family is made. This was God’s idea: He destined the human heart to be His home (Acts 7:48) and offered His gift of salvation to the world through a family (Luke 2:11-12). God’s wisdom confounded those inspired by the evil one. While they expected a king in a palace, Jesus came as an ordinary person in a home.

If entering a new year or realm feels daunting, take heart! God has already gone before you. There is no better foundation for going somewhere new than this truth: God is behind you, God is before you. Just as Abram was met by the high priest Melechizedek in the Promised Land, so Jesus awaits you in yours. But, expect opposition, as you move forward into the new, engaging people and territories that are rightfully the Lord’s.

Out with the old, in with the new. Thankfully, that was not God’s idea for humanity, or the baby might have been thrown out with the bath water! The Good News does not throw out the Old but transforms it through a personal, passionate relationship with God’s Son. “I came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it,” Jesus said. (Matt. 5:17) So, we must discern and proceed carefully. How we help others transition from Old Testament (OT) living to New Testament (NT) living can have long-lasting implications.

What “pot of gold” at the end of a rainbow would you treasure, if there were such a thing? Most likely it would be different from mine. Treasure to me might not be the same to you. And that’s okay. God designed us that way. Satan detests God’s creativity and keeps stirring his black pot with much intention to strip us of our uniqueness.

Throughout the ages, mankind has been fascinated by God’s glory. We’ve meditated upon it. Marveled at it. Sought after it. Prophesied about it. Moses even saw it. (Well, only part of it.) God’s glory is powerful and transformative. This is why Satan is so determined to keep our minds blinded from it. (2 Cor. 4:4)

With so many ways of communicating today, filtering through all the noise can be challenging. And exhausting. We can easily miss God’s signals to us. The ruler of the kingdom of the air, Satan, seeks to block, confuse and scramble communication in order to hinder us from hearing and following God well. (Eph. 2:2) So, we must tune in and sharpen our listening and discerning skills.

When things are not as they seem, it’s easy to jump to the wrong conclusions and make mistakes. Believe me, I’ve made my fair share of them! At first glance, our discernment of a situation may not be the most accurate. We need to give it time. To dig deeper into the meaning of things.

Nothing deepens our walk with Christ like suffering does. That’s not a comforting thought, I know, but it’s true for all of us. Even Christ. We gain spiritual substance through suffering. Our tests and trials purify us. The Apostle Paul described it as ‘gold being refined by fire.” (I Pet. 1:6-7) Depending on how we respond to trials, our faith will either blaze or smolder.

Do you know that you are God’s treasure, and He comes searching for you? If not, it’s time you do. This is what makes Christianity different from any other religion. E. Stanley Jones said it this way: “Religion is man’s search upward for God, and the Gospel is God’s search downward for man.” Please grasp this: we don’t find God, He finds us. If our enemy can convince you otherwise, then you’re already defeated spiritually, striving throughout life in your own strength.

One thing we know about God: He is not boring! From rainbows and flowers to landscapes and thumbprints, God’s heart for creativity is undeniable. Open wide your eyes. Look around you. His glory is displayed everywhere. Just imagine on that Day when all the nations march into the New Jerusalem. It will be a much grander parade than we’ve seen at the Olympics. Kings and nations will shine in their own splendor, revealing Jesus as their Messiah. (Rev. 21:22-26) There is no wonder, then, why the enemy seeks to strip us and our cultures of all God-given uniqueness and beauty.

Let’s face it. Yes and no answers might be hard to swallow at times, but at least they’re answers. What’s worse is when there’s no answer, no explanation, no reasoning, and you’re left with seemingly nothing. Would you agree? Mystery can leave us wondering and wandering. This is when spiritual warfare can come into play.