Leading from What Lasts

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Luke 21:33 (NIV)

Sometimes it’s hard to know if an idea is an instruction from God, a deception from Satan, or just something I want to do. I need to learn to recognize the difference and know how to discern God’s voice—because it can have eternal consequences.

A lot of evil gets blamed on God. People will even do bad things and then say, “God told me to do it!” The Living Bible paraphrase says, “Don’t always believe every message you hear just because someone says it is a message from God: test it first to see if it really is” (1 John 4:1).                                                             

God’s will will never contradict his Word. So I can ask myself, “Does this idea in my mind agree with the Bible?” God doesn’t say one thing and then change his mind and say another thing. If he said it, it’s true, and it will always be true.

Truth doesn’t change. Opinions, scientific discoveries, and technology all change. But God’s Word doesn’t change. Truth never changes. In fact, if it’s new, it’s not true. What do I mean by that? If it’s true, it’s been around forever. It’s just that sometimes our discoveries catch up with something that’s always been true.

God is consistent. He isn’t moody. He doesn’t change his mind. He will never tell me to violate a principle that he’s already given in his Word.

So the first question I need to ask is, “Does this thought line up with what God has already said?” If what’s in my mind contradicts something he has already said in the Bible, then I know it’s wrong.

For instance, the Bible tells me to pay our taxes. Jesus said in Luke 20:25, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God” (NLT). If all of a sudden I get an idea that God is telling me to not pay my taxes, that idea isn’t from God. Since God has already said to pay your taxes, he’s not going to contradict it.

The Bible says that even if an angel shows up and says something like, “By the way, I’ve got some stuff to add to the Bible. The Bible is good, but this is new and revised information.” God says don’t believe it! In fact, Paul said it like this in The Living Bible paraphrase: “Let God’s curses fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches any other way to be saved than the one we told you about; yes, if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him be forever cursed” (Galatians 1:8).

Jesus said in Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (NIV). God’s Word is eternal, because truth never changes. If something was true 5,000 years ago, it was true 1,000 years ago, it is true today, and it will be true 5,000 years from today.

People might say, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” No! God said it, and that settles it—whether I believe it or not!

So if I wonder if an idea is from God, the first question to answer is this: “Is this idea in line with the truth of God’s Word?”

In summary:

God’s Word is the ultimate and unchanging standard for truth, and it never contradicts itself. While it can be difficult to discern whether an idea comes from God, personal desire, or deception, the Bible provides the test: if a thought or instruction aligns with Scripture, it can be trusted; if it doesn’t, it must be rejected. God’s will never violates His Word, and truth never changes—what was true thousands of years ago remains true today and will be forever. Unlike shifting opinions or trends, God is consistent, steady, and faithful. Jesus affirmed this when He said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Luke 21:33). Therefore, discerning God’s voice begins with knowing and measuring everything against His eternal Word.

Bottom Line:

I need to anchor every decision, idea, and direction in God’s unchanging Word. His truth is steady when everything else shifts—and by testing what I hear and think against Scripture, I'll stay aligned with His will and avoid deception or distraction.

Next steps:

To deepen my discernment through daily Scripture reflection and prayerful listening. Make it a consistent rhythm to pause, read, and ask, “Lord, what truth here applies to my next step today?” Then act on that truth with confidence. This anchors my leadership, coaching, and decision-making in what never changes: God’s Word, not opinions or emotions. Over time, this will strengthen my clarity, credibility, and spiritual authority as I guide myself and others.

Nothing Worthwhile Is Ever Easy

“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NLT) Many different things can keep me from completing my life's mission. Is my worst enemy discouragement or procrastination. If Satan can’t get me to quit my life mission, he’ll try to get me to delay it.  The apostle Paul teaches that I need to resist discouragement: “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT). I get tired of doing what’s right. Sometimes it seems easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing. But that’s exactly when I must refuse to be discouraged. When I'm discouraged, I become ineffective. When I'm discouraged, I work against my own faith. When I'm discouraged, it’s as if I'm saying, “It can’t be done.” That’s the exact opposite of saying, “I know God can do it because of what he said.” Today, as I consider how well I resist discouragement, I can keep in mind the following: How do I handle failure? When things don’t go my way, do I get grumpy? When things don’t go my way, do I get frustrated? When things don’t go my way, do I start complaining? Do I finish what I start? How persistent am I? If I'm discouraged, it’s time to resist. Don’t give up without a fight. Nothing worthwhile ever happens without endurance and energy, and as John Maxwell says, "Everything worthwhile is uphill", you never coast your way to the top. When an artist creates a sculpture, he has to keep chipping away. He doesn’t hit the chisel with the hammer once, and suddenly all the excess stone falls away, revealing a beautiful masterpiece. He keeps hitting and hitting, chipping away at the stone.  That’s true of life too. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easily. You want to keep hitting it and going after it, and little by little your life becomes a masterpiece of God’s grace. Great people are really just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination. Great people don’t know how to quit. So, the next time I feel discouraged, remember God is with me and God is for me and I will reap a harvest of blessing if I don’t give up. In summary:  This emphasizes the importance of perseverance in achieving meaningful goals. Drawing from Galatians 6:9, we are encouraged not to give up doing good, despite feelings of discouragement or procrastination. Discouragement and procrastination can hinder progress, but resisting them leads to blessings in the end. Setbacks and failures are inevitable, but persistence is key to overcoming them. Like an artist chiseling away at a sculpture, continuous effort eventually leads to a masterpiece. Greatness comes from determination, and with God's support, I can reap the rewards if I don't give up.

How to Become a Trustworthy Person

In Proverbs 20:6 it says, “Many people claim to be loyal, but it is hard to find a trustworthy person.” (NCV)

Trust is the emotional glue that draws me closer to friends, family, and a small group. Without trust, I’ll never have the intimate relationship that God wants me to have. Teamwork without trust is impossible.

Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many people claim to be loyal, but it is hard to find a trustworthy person” (NCV). This verse was written thousands of years ago, and yet I have the same dilemma today: Who do I trust? How do I find a trustworthy person? More importantly, how do I become a trustworthy person so that people trust me?

First, I earn people’s trust by being consistent. The Bible says in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (NIV). Today everybody wants to serve God in the obvious and showy ways. But God says I build trust by being faithful in little things. Even when no one is watching me, God is. He sees what I’m doing. And he says that if I’m faithful in little things, he will give me greater and greater responsibility.

Secondly, I earn people’s trust by being trustworthy. People trust me when I can keep information confidential. One of the most important rules for small groups is that what is said in the group stays in the group. My group trusts me to keep private whatever they share. Proverbs 11:13 says, “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (NIV). 

Lastly, I earn people’s trust by being close. To be close I have to spend time with people in order to earn their trust. The Bible says, “Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble” (Proverbs 17:17 The Message). That implies proximity. Distance creates distrust. I don’t trust people I don’t know! So if I want people to trust me, I’ve got to spend time with them. Time creates trust. 

So, If I want people to trust me, I can ask God for help to be more consistent, trustworthy, and close to the people he has placed in my life.

I Can Count on God

In James 1:17 I read, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (NIV)

When everything is changing around me, it’s important to remember that God is a consistent Father. He will never let me down. He can be counted on. He is reliable and worthy of my trust.

James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (NIV).

Some human fathers are unpredictable. Growing up, some people never knew how their dad was going to treat them. They never knew if he was going to be silent or violent, if he was going to hug them or hurt them, or if he was going to accept them or reject them. Inconsistent fathers produce insecure children.

But God isn’t moody like that. My heavenly Father is consistent. One of the things I can count on about God is that he will always act the same toward me.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself” (NIV).

The world is changing faster than ever before. That’s why, when everything else is up in the air, I need something in my life that never changes, an anchor for my soul.

There’s only one problem: On this planet, nothing lasts. But there’s one thing I can count on into eternity: the consistent, caring love of my heavenly Father.

The Bible says, “My God is changeless in his love for me” (Psalm 59:10 TLB).

I can always count on that.

In summary, every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father, who does not change like shifting shadows. When everything is changing around me, it’s important to remember that God is a consistent Father. He will never let me down. He can be counted on. He is reliable and worthy of my trust. Some fathers are unpredictable. Inconsistent fathers produce insecure children. God isn’t moody like that. My heavenly Father is consistent. One of the things I can count on about God is that he will always act the same toward me. The world is changing faster than ever before. When everything else is up in the air, I need something in my life that never changes, an anchor for my soul. On this planet, nothing lasts. But there’s one thing I can count on into eternity: the consistent, caring love of my heavenly Father. I can always count on that.

God's Word often compares goodness with light and evil with shadow and darkness. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God my Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen. 

When I’m Feeling Hopeless, I Should Start with Prayer

In review of Jonah 2:1 I read, “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.” Jonah 2:1 (NIV)

Jonah's was a prayer of thanksgiving, not one of deliverance. He was simply happy that he had not drowned. No matter where I am, I can pray and God will hear me. My predicament is never too difficult for God. When life is going well, I tend to take God for granted; but when I lose hope, I cry out to him. This results in an inconsistent, up-and-down spiritual life. I need to look to God during both the good and bad times, and I will have a stronger spiritual life. 

There are times when I’ve felt swallowed up by life. Being surrounded by depression, conflict, worry, or guilt, and I felt hopeless.

When faced with a hopeless situation, think about what Jonah did.

After Jonah had run from God’s mission for his life, God prepared a great fish to swallow him up. As he sat in that great fish, Jonah looked up to God.

In fact, the entire second chapter of this book is Jonah praying while he sinks into the ocean and gets swallowed by a giant fish. It’s a lesson for me that when I’m feeling overwhelmed, to also look up to God in prayer.

From the very first verse of the chapter, I can see Jonah turning to God: “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God” (Jonah 2:1 NIV).

Some problems in life will never go away unless I learn to look to God in prayer.

In Mark 9, some of Jesus’ followers had been trying to drive a demon out of someone, but they couldn’t. They asked Jesus why. Jesus responded: “This kind can come out only by prayer” (Mark 9:29 NIV).

Some problems are so deeply rooted that only persistent prayer will solve them. It’s not just about just a one-time prayer, either. If I only care about something enough to pray about it once, I don’t really care about it. If I truly want to see something happen in my life, I will pray about it over and over.

God wants to see whether I want it desperately enough to keep on praying! He’s more interested in building my faith than he in answering every little prayer.

If I’m feeling hopeless, look up to God and keep praying. Never give up!

In summary, no matter where I am, I can pray and God will hear me. My predicament is never too difficult for Him. When life is going well, I tend to take God for granted; but when I lose hope, I cry out to him. This results in an inconsistent, up-and-down spiritual life. I need to look to God during both the good and bad times. When faced with a hopeless situation, think about what Jonah did. He looked up to God. It’s a lesson for me that when I’m feeling overwhelmed, to also look up to God in prayer. Some problems in life will never go away unless I learn to look to God in prayer. Some problems are so deeply rooted that only persistent prayer will solve them. It’s not just about just a one-time prayer, either. If I only care about something enough to pray about it once, I don’t really care  about it. If I truly want to see something happen in my life, I will pray about it over and over. God wants to see whether I want it desperately enough to keep on praying! He’s more interested in building my faith than he in answering every little prayer. So learn to look up to God and keep praying. Never give up!

I need to always look up to God with whatever difficulty or stressful situation. I need to continually pray and allow God to build my faith in Him. As I face my work today and what’s above to happen, I just need to focus, clarify my request and keep praying, I should also be prepared that it may take time as I’m tested and prepared for his answer. I also pray for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I ask these things in your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

God is Consistent and Constant

In review of Matthew 24:35 it says, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”

Today’s verse comes from Matthew chapter 24 where Jesus’ disciples ask him what sign will signal his return and the end of the world. Jesus tells them to not be misled, for many will come in his name claiming they are the Messiah and thus deceiving many.  There will be wars, famines and earthquakes. This will only be the beginning.

He then tells them that they will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. They will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. Many will turn away, betray and hate each other. Many false prophets will appear and will deceive many. Sin will be rampant and the love of many will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved. The Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.  The day is coming when you will see a sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.

Then if anyone says, “Look, here is the Messiah,” or “There he is,”, don’t believe it. There will be false messiahs and false prophets who will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, even God’s chosen ones.

Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will go dark and there will be no light from the moon. Stars will fall and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among the peoples of the earth. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world.

So I am to learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout I’ll know that summer is near. In the same way, when I see all these things, I can know his return is very near.  Heaven and earth will disappear, but Jesus words will never disappear.

So I should keep watch! For I don't know what day the Lord is coming. I must be ready all the time. For a faithful, sensible servant is one whom the master can give responsibility to and knows that he will handle it rightly while he is away.

It’s good to know that God never changes. He does not waver, and there are no unknown variables in His plan. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is in my life all of the time, working out my circumstances.

This means that if God's Word says something, I can trust in it! When God says that He has plans for me to prosper (Jeremiah 29:11); I can count on prosperity. When He says that He will heal me (Isaiah 53:4), find comfort in His promise and rest in His truth. God is the one constant.

This morning Father, I’m assured that You never change. Thank You for being my constant in the midst of life’s trials and circumstances. Help me to stand in Your truth and constantly renew my mind. Let me rest reassured that You’re always working all things for my good. You never change, You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Today I rest in You. In Jesus’ name.

Bottom Line:

God is Consistent and Constant and will be till the end of time.

What this means to me:

God is the one constant in a life of ever changing things. I can count on him. I must remain close to him so that I won’t be deceived.

Learning How To Verify If An Idea Agrees with the Bible

In review of John 7:17 it says, “Anyone who wants to do [God’s] will can test this teaching and know whether it’s from God or whether I’m making it up.”

Bottom Line:

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether or not my teaching is from God or is merely my own.

What this means to me:

It is much easier for me to recognize whether someone’s teaching is from God or themselves by knowing what God’s Word says and how this person lives their life.

Jesus explained in John 7:17, “Anyone who wants to do [God’s] will can test this teaching and know whether it’s from God or whether I’m making it up” (MSG). God doesn’t like it when people put words in his mouth and say, “God told me to do this,” when he really didn’t. In order to know when its God talking, I first need to consider if their idea agrees with the Bible.

God is always consistent. He will never contradict what he’s already said in his Word. God will never tell me to violate a principle that’s in the Bible. He’ll never tell me to ignore what he’s already said. He’ll never tell me to deny what he’s already said.

Luke 21:33 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (NIV). That means if it’s true, it has always been true, and it always will be true. Because truth is not new! Truth has been around forever. If something was true 4,000 years ago, it was true 50 years ago, and it is still true today. God’s truth stands the test of time.

Trends change. Popular opinion changes. Even science changes. But the truth of God never changes, so God would never say something and then change his mind. Knowing this truth should provide some encouragement, because I’ll never have to wonder what God thinks about something that he has already clearly stated in his Word.

Secondly it would also be helpful to dig into God’s Word and memorize it so that when I get an idea or an impression, I can say, “That couldn’t be from God because the Bible says this.” Unfortunately, If I don’t really know what's in the Bible, then I’ll be fooled by all kinds of lies from Satan. So, the more I know God’s Word, the better I’ll will be able to discern when God is speaking to me.

I must be cautious to never try to “adapt” a truth from scripture to fit my circumstance. If I find myself doing so, it will be important to quickly reverse that through process. This is where bouncing ideas off of other mature believers comes in handy. One other way I can know and hold onto God’s word is through scripture memory. Today I should consider how I can get back into this process, targeting to memorize one verse a week.