Depend Solely On God - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 26, 2025

I've always wanted to go to heaven. Perhaps that's a result of my time in children's Bible school and all the lessons taught there. Whatever the case, I've always known heaven as the place to be. Once I became a practicing born-again Christian (meaning I chose to apply God's word in my life intentionally), I knew I needed to be serious about where I wanted to spend eternity, and hell could not be my destination. After all, Jesus literally died to provide everlasting life with God in heaven, and I wasn't going to squander that privilege.

To that end, a recent Bible study proved insightful. There was a verse in the Beatitudes that stood out to me and gave me hope. It was Matthew 5:3 - God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! (CEV). Listen, the Lord is always teaching me about trusting Him completely, so this verse was very timely when I read it. I couldn't help but notice its call to depend on the Lord alone and that those people belong to the kingdom of heaven.

Now Matthew 5:3 is phrased differently in other Bible translations/versions. For instance, the Amplified Bible states, “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]." Still, the message remains the same - that a person who doesn't overlook their need for the Lord will inherit heaven. This verse teaches that to reach heaven, a person must totally rely on the Lord. They must reject pride and ego to walk humbly before God, as stated in Micah 6:8.

And so, if you have prayed to reach heaven, don't be surprised if you go through experiences where the only way through is to completely depend on God and God alone. He might put you in circumstances where the people you would normally rely upon just can't help you. The situation could be one where only a miracle could resolve it. One way or the other, the Lord will bring you to a point where you have no other option but to look to Him alone. God isn't doing this to punish you or cause unnecessary suffering. Instead, He's blessing you with a pathway to His rewards here on earth and also providing a ticket to heaven.

This need to submit to God and rely upon Him shouldn't shock any of us. God warns in Jeremiah 17:5 that anyone who depends on human beings and whose heart turns away from Him will be cursed. We are also told in Romans 8:14 that those who are led by His Spirit and therefore rely upon Him qualify to be called His children. Thus, this issue of relying upon the Lord is a serious matter. No wonder He lets us know that those who obey this instruction belong to heaven.

I don't know what you are going through or what you've been through, but if you are reading this message, I want to encourage you to take Matthew 5:3 to heart. Write it down somewhere you'll see it often. Let it remind you to trust in God and not in yourself, another person, or some entity. Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. This verse has proven true in my life over and over. I've seen God make me promises and keep every one of them, even when I messed up (and I did that a lot). Also consider 2 Timothy 2:13 - If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is (NLT). He's faithful and can be trusted.

I wonder how He will call on me to depend on Him in 2026. If I'm honest, He's already arranged my life so I have nobody but Him to call in times of need. As I am now armed with the wisdom of Matthew 5:3, I understand that His reason for this is to ensure my entry into heaven. I know that no matter what happens, He will help me to stand firm in faith and the knowledge that the faithful God who came through for me in the past will come through again and again. Plus, as I fix my face like flint against anything that comes my way, my complete reliance on Him means that the King of heaven must move mountains to give me - a stakeholder in heaven - complete victory.

God bless you. I pray you walk into 2026 reassured of God's faithfulness and favor. I pray that you will live a life pleasing to Him. One that causes Him to rejoice over you. I pray that you will remember your Jericho Moments - those times God worked miracles for you. I pray the Lord will reveal Himself to you afresh and that you will draw nearer to Him and be blessed beyond your comprehension. I also pray that your relationship with God, His Son, and Spirit will deepen. That you will remember your name is written in heavenly books and that you belong to God's heavenly kingdom, IJMN, Amen.

As you await fellowship at Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

1. Rely on God, Not Man

2. Rely on God

3. The Tormentor

4. P&P 200: The Ticket to Heaven

5. Acknowledge God

6. Don't Turn From God

7. A Proud Father

8. Is Your Name Written In Heaven?

9. Stop Living Like A Pagan

10. The Lie That Heaven Is Beyond Reach

11. Lessons From Gehazi's Life

12. Topic: Suffering

13. Topic: God's Rewards

Don't Be Wasteful - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 23, 2025

We live in a time where waste is the norm. From governments allowing food to rot to companies ignoring cost-effective measures except when they choose to lay off staff to increase earnings. All around us, we see wasteful behaviors, and if we are honest, we ourselves are often wasteful.

However, Christians serve a God who isn't wasteful and expects us to emulate Him. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in John 6. There, Jesus miraculously fed over 5000 people with nothing but five loaves of bread and two fish. The Bible tells us that He gave thanks for what they had to eat and shared the food with those gathered.

And because God gives exceedingly and abundantly more than is requested, the 'small' amount of food fed every single person, and there was more available. Jesus instructed His disciples to gather what remained, saying, "Let nothing be wasted" (John 6:12). The disciples packed up the rest, and it was enough to fill twelve baskets.

Even though it is easy to become wasteful, especially in a world that celebrates excess, Christ's words remind us to be good stewards of what we have. The Bible teaches that a person can only have what they receive from the Lord (John 3:27). Therefore, what we have is by His grace and should be treated well. Treating things well means not being wasteful with them.

Don't justify wastefulness with the attitude that what we have isn't good enough or that it is too little. While there may be room for improvement, let us be careful not to grumble or complain (Philippians 2:14). Zechariah 4:10 also warns us not to despise our early and humble beginnings. This means appreciating where we are, while knowing that God is taking us beyond that. After all, Job 8:7 states that our latter days shall be better than the early ones by God's grace.

We must be mindful of Jesus' instruction - let nothing be wasted. A good steward can be trusted to receive the more that God intends to give. Let us also consider Luke 16:11-12 - “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much./So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?/ And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

As Christmas and a new year approach, think of your life and consider where you might be wasteful. Could it be with your time? How about overconsumption through purchasing things you know you don't need and likely won't use? Or perhaps it's with food. How many of us throw out much of the food we buy because we end up spontaneously ordering out or just not using what we have wisely?

Jesus's instruction is for all of us who consider ourselves His disciples today. That word to let nothing be wasted equally applies to every believer for all time. Prayerfully ask the Lord to reveal the ways you are wasteful and to give strategy and wisdom not to repeat the error. By the grace of God, He will help us to obey and apply the Savior's word in all areas of our lives so we please Him and, most importantly, His Father, our Lord God Almighty. IJN, Amen. And have a merry Christmas!

As you await fellowship, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

1. Serve with your Talents & Gifts

2. Requirements to Receive

3. Praise instead of pray

4. How do you love?

5. You Reap What You Sow

6. Are you part of the problem?

7. Give Generously

8. Are You Numb To Evil?

9. Your Fiduciary Duty To God

10. Pray, Don't Rant

11. Be About The Father's Business

12. How To Treat What God Reveals

13. God's Word, His Plan & Spirit

14. Topic: Fruitfulness, Fruit

15. Topic: Grumble/Grumbling and Complaining

Topic: Grumble/Grumbling and Complaining

1. Set emotions aside & pray

2. The Preparation

3. The Hand of God 3: Reacting to God's Hand

4. Don't Grumble & Don't Complain

5. Godly Contentment

6. Show God You Trust Him

7. Fasting the Isaiah 58 Way

8. How To Approach God

9. Don't Reject God's Process With Grumbling

10. Pray, Don't Rant

11. Don't Weary God