Hold fast. Stand Firm. Do the right thing.

The scripture for today, January 12 (1/12), is James 1:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Kindle-Medium“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

How loyal are you to God? Is your relationship up and down, depending on how your life is going at the moment? If you pray for something and don’t get it, do you feel as though God is punishing you?  If everything seems to be going wrong, do you blame God instead of Satan? Do you pray over and over for God to relieve you of a particular burden, but relief hasn’t come so you’ve decided to quit the church?

Quit grumbling! God has assignments for you. What kind of soldier of the Lord are you? Do you tell the general you don’t like what he has assigned for you to do? Where you are today is where God wants you. Your job is to stay loyal no matter how difficult things get.  Be brave. Hold fast. Stand your ground.

Why? To prove that love is stronger than hatred. To prove that good is stronger than bad. To prove that right is more mighty than wrong. To prove that God is stronger than Satan. Ephesians 6:12 says Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Determine today to thank God for whatever state you are in, even if you do it in tears because it goes against all your emotions. And, even though you may feel helpless to do anything about it right now, in your helplessness, persevere!

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0-Joseph-Cover-ThumbnailJOSEPH: THE OTHER FATHER.  Have you ever wondered the pressure Joseph must have felt those thirty years raising the Son of God? To keep him safe in a violent world? To open up the scriptures to him? To defend him when neighbors called Mary names and Jesus a bastard? To rescue him from bears in the forest while cutting lumber? To watch him and wonder if and when he knew who he was?  And when he felt out of control, did he cry to the other Father, “God!  Help me protect our Son!”  Read this biblical historical novel of how it might have been.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover, or paste this:  https://bit.ly/30FFlbC

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Imagine being told by God to guard His Son in a violent world until he is grown.
How does Joseph choose a city in strange Egypt to hide 2-year-old Jesus from Herod’s spies? Does he dare take 4-year-old Jesus to the temple where now-dead Herod’s son slaughters thousands?

How can Joseph protect Jesus with all the skirmishes and killing on roads everywhere with dozens vying to take over as king?

How does Joseph handle the persecution in Nazareth by people who could count and knew Mary was pregnant before marrying Joseph?

What does Joseph do with Jesus in Nazareth, just three miles from Sepphoris, hotbed of zealot protesters, when a Roman legate burns the city and crucifies 2000 more zealots in Jerusalem?

In what ways does Joseph teach Jesus how to be a skilled carpenter in sometimes dangerous situations, and avoid being mauled in the mountains when they cut trees for lumber?

How many times, when Jesus was in danger did Joseph cry out, “God, help me protect our Son!”?

(NOTE: A year before Jesus’ death, he was rejected in Nazareth where they said, “Isn’t this the son of the carpenter?” In present tense.)