Christ Will Rescue You

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Lord, What Am I Missing?

God has blessed each of us immeasurably. There are blessings we couldn’t possibly enumerate or articulate, and these blessings converge upon us in such a way that we woke up this morning to see another day. We’ve got another opportunity to praise God and to thank Him for being so good to us. Most folks realize this, and we truly are thankful, but many of us are not satisfied. Some are unfulfilled. We feel like something is missing, and we can’t quite put our finger on where or why this feeling exists. We’d like to know the specific book, chapter, and verse where God addresses the ‘why’ of emptiness, loneliness, lack, numbness, sadness, and disappointment. We’ve been on this journey a while, and still can’t capture joy and stay in it the way we see others do. You might be asking, “Lord, what am I missing?”

Jesus Christ is the answer, we know this for sure. The piece of missing information is often about how to tap into God’s Word in a way that causes us to feel the wholeness and fulfillment that Christ gives us. Paul’s prayer and God’s desire for each of us in Ephesians 3:16-17(NLT) is, “16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” This verse leads us to any answer we seek about the condition of our souls. Roots deliver nourishment to the whole tree. God tells us that our roots are supposed to grow down into His love, but sometimes, they also grow down into other things. When this happens, God begins the process of pruning us, and sometimes we’re so distracted with those other things, we don’t realize we’re being pruned.

Moment by Moment
In John 15:2(NLT), Jesus Christ tells us, “He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” God is a merciful and tender Father, and in this verse, Jesus Christ assures us that the pruning process is reserved for his branches that bear fruit. What does this mean for us? Our walk with God is a moment by moment reality. It’s a partnership based on the choices we make every moment of every day to be more like Jesus Christ and to be obedient to God’s Word. Sometimes, we make choices that are not based on God’s love but based on our own desire for pleasure. We nurture addictions and habit patterns that support our personal agenda rather than God’s agenda to grow us up in Christ.

When things that are harmful to our relationship with God sit too long without being addressed, they might become rooted in our hearts. God doesn’t want this to happen, so within His pruning process there are alarms that wake us up and warn us that it’s time to grow. He’s done this because you and I are very often blind to the things in our hearts that are keeping us from going higher. We give ourselves permission to continue behaviors that hinder us, and we don’t see how these things are preventing us from producing fruits. Understand that if something is preventing you from producing fruit, it’s preventing you from receiving the blessings that are tied to the fruit. Heavenly Father is extending help through His Holy Spirit, so that we will get rid of things that will not help us produce fruit.

The Alarms
We are spiritual beings having an earthly experience. Not only are we taught by the world to ignore the reality of our inner spirit-man, but the world tries to get us to believe that Jesus Christ isn’t the answer and that God’s spiritual solutions do not work. This is not the truth! Our faith in God’s love and power will not fail. Feeling that something is missing, as well as feelings of emptiness, loneliness, lack, numbness, sadness, and disappointment are very often calling cards for change. They are alarms that something within needs to be addressed spiritually, through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is so easy to label our soul’s alarm system as feeling bad, but we need to at least consider the possibility that it is a warning sign that promotion is near. If we begin to seek God for answers and have a willingness to obey His instruction and direction, we might find ourselves feeling more fulfilled and joyous than we ever thought possible.

God is the Master Gardener, and the pruning process is a necessary part of our walk as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. When a gardener prunes, they cut away the dead parts so the whole branch can have blooms. This happens every season, and many of us have already received the alarm that the pruning season is upon us. Some of the things we’ve been holding too tightly will need to be cut off. We will always have pruning seasons, and they will continue throughout our entire existences. Heavenly Father helps us to be better and walk more closely to the example of Christ every day. The feeling that something is missing is very likely a bloom waiting to happen.

It must be abundantly clear to us that God gives us blessings according to our capacity to be thankful for them, and our capacity to be thankful for the blessing is dependent on our faith to receive them and our ability to adequately value their worth. Faith dictates that we know the value of what God has accomplished through Christ for our benefit. Not recognizing the value of his sacrifice will leave a hole in our hearts, and we need to seek God to fill it. John 16:13 tells us that God’s Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. God’s Spirit will do this work within us, but we must give him permission. We must be willing to be led, and we must ask God to give us a heart for Jesus Christ. The Master said in John 15:5(NLT), “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” All that we need can be found in Jesus Christ. We must ask God to give us a revelation of the price paid for our sins, and have faith that Christ will fill our cups to overflowing. Then we will know the price of his sacrifice, and the healing we have because of it.●

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

The Lord Will Make A Way

Jesus Christ defines our faith. That’s not something we visit occasionally—it’s something you and I have to stay anchored in every single day. Romans 10:17 tells us, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” That means our faith isn’t built on feelings, circumstances, or even our own effort—it’s built on continually hearing, receiving, and internalizing the truth about Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father’s design is that we don’t just read the Word casually, but that we take it in, sit with it, and allow it to shape how we think, how we see, and how we respond.

If we’re going to grow, we have to stay in the truth about our Lord. We learn His nature by seeing how He lived, how He responded, and what He revealed about the Father when He walked this earth. Ephesians 4:15 reminds us to speak the truth in love, “growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” That growth is not automatic—it happens as we remain rooted in Him.

Jesus didn’t move in power randomly. He moved the way He did because He trusted the Father completely and lived in full alignment with God’s Word. There was no separation between what God said and how He lived. And that’s where this comes home for us. If we want to walk in strength, clarity, and authority in our own lives, we can’t build outside of that same pattern. We have to trust God. We have to trust His Word. And we have to let our lives be shaped by both.

Jesus Christ defines our faith, and if we’re going to stand on the Word of God, we have to know it and believe it. That’s where the testing comes, because our trust in God’s Word will be challenged—but Jesus already showed us that we can overcome. Hebrews 4:14–16 (NLT) tells us, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe… So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, stepped into our humanity and understands every weakness we face, yet He did not yield to sin. He showed us that victory is possible, even in flesh that feels weak.

Jesus is not only an example for us—He is an example of what we are becoming in Him. Everything the enemy could bring against Him, he did—and not once did Jesus yield. He stood unshaken, anchored in the authority of God’s Word, refusing to move outside of what the Father had spoken. Matthew 4:4 (NLT) records His response: “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” This wasn’t just a reply—it was a declaration. Jesus made it clear that real life, sustaining life, overcoming life, is found in the Word of God—and He stood on it without compromise.

From childhood, Jesus studied the Scriptures, filled His mind with truth, and walked in full awareness of His identity. He never stepped outside of what God said. That’s the pattern He left us. When we stay within the truth of God’s Word, we don’t just survive pressure—we stand with authority in the middle of it.

John 1:14 (NLT) tells us, “So the Word became human and made his home among us.” Jesus Christ is the living Word—truth in motion, power in flesh. And through Him, God showed us that His Word is not limited by circumstance, opposition, or what things look like in the natural. This is why we can trust Him. He said in Isaiah 55:11(NLT), “It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” When God speaks, He makes a way. His Word carries the power to produce what it promises.

So when life feels tight, uncertain, or overwhelming, we have to come back to this truth: the Lord will make a way. Not because everything around us looks right—but because He is faithful to His Word. James 4:7 (NLT) tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” And Romans 12:2 reminds us to let God transform us by changing the way we think. That’s how we stand. That’s how we endure. We submit to God, we trust what He says, and we keep putting His truth before our minds and into our hearts. And as we do, even when we don’t see it yet, He is already doing what He promised—making a way where it didn’t look like one could exist. ■

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

God Is Watching Over You

You Are Seen, Heard, and Never Outside His Care

1 Peter 3:12–13 (NLT) reminds us, “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers… Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?” That kind of assurance isn’t surface-level—it’s deeply personal. It means God is not distant or unaware. He sees, He listens, and He responds. I think about my great-grandmother often—a true matriarch—who poured into everyone around her, yet never neglected wisdom that would sustain me. She taught me to save something for myself—not in a self-centered way, but so I would never give so much of myself away that I lost my grounding in God. And she taught me to never forget where I came from—so I would stay rooted in what God brought me out of and never lose sight of His hand on my life. This wasn’t just practical—it was foundational wisdom. It shaped how I carry myself, how I love, and how I understand responsibility before God.

What You Were Taught Still Speaks

Growing up in the South came with a clear sense of right and wrong. Respect wasn’t optional—it was expected. And honoring God wasn’t something we fit in—it was something we lived by. We were taught early that integrity matters, that how you treat people matters, and that God sees it all. And now, looking back, I realize just how powerful that foundation was. Because Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) tells us to “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” That truth is real. What was planted early didn’t fade—it took root. And today, my life stands on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

When Truth Was Never Taught

But the reality is, not everyone was given that kind of start. There are many who were never taught the Word of God in a way that led them to know Him. And over time, that absence turns into distance. Some never consider seeking God, not because He isn’t reaching—but because they were never shown how to respond. And when life presses in—when things get heavy, confusing, or painful—they don’t know they can lean on Him. Not because He isn’t there, but because they were never introduced to Him through Jesus Christ in a way that made Him real to their lives.

The God Who Hears and Responds

Psalm 10:17–18 (NLT) tells us, “Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them… You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed.” This is the God we serve. He is attentive. He is just. He is compassionate. And He is not selective in His awareness—He sees it all. But there is something powerful about knowing Him personally. Because when you honor Him and walk with Him, you don’t just know that He sees—you know that He’s for you. You know that your prayers are heard, and that you are never walking through life unsupported. That means everything.

You May Be the Introduction

There are people whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—but they haven’t yet encountered the Word in a way that leads to transformation. And that’s where we come in. This isn’t about pressure—it’s about readiness. We have to stay filled with God’s Word so that when the moment comes, we can speak plainly about Jesus Christ. Not complicated. Not rehearsed. Just real. Because sometimes, the only introduction someone will have to God is what they see in you.

Stay Eager to Do Good

There is so much chaos and distraction in the world right now, and the enemy works overtime to keep people from seeing truth. But 2 Corinthians 4:4 reminds us that the god of this world blinds the minds of those who don’t believe. And that’s one of the reasons why light matters so much. That’s part of why your life matters. Because when you’ve come into the light of Christ, you begin to see clearly—and you begin to live differently. 1 Peter 3:13 (NLT) says, “Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?” So we stay eager to do good—not to prove anything, but to reflect the One who gave everything for us. Because when people encounter the love of God through Jesus Christ in you, they are given the opportunity to know Him for themselves. And that changes everything.■

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Don’t Be Ashamed of Emotional Struggles

Our powerful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said in John 8:32(NLT), “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Many treat Jesus’ words like they only apply to “spiritual” things, while their emotions, wounds, and private struggles are handled some other way. But that’s not truth—that’s survival thinking. And survival thinking keeps you bound. There is only one truth, and it doesn’t bend itself around our pain or adjust to what feels comfortable. It must be applied everywhere—especially in the places we hurt the most. And where truth is not applied, freedom will not exist. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve believed, how much Scripture you know, or how strong you appear—if truth isn’t working in your emotional life, something is still out of alignment.

It wasn’t that long ago that many believed if you truly followed the Lord Jesus Christ, you had no business being sad or depressed. The expectation was clear—keep a smile on your face, stay strong, and never let anyone see you struggle. As if faith made you immune to hard days. But that kind of thinking didn’t produce freedom—it produced hiding. It taught believers to deny their pain instead of deal with it.

So many women suffered in silence, going deeper into isolation because they felt ashamed of what they were feeling and dealing with. They carried sadness they couldn’t name out loud, convinced that no one would understand—or worse, that they would be judged for it. But emotional pain doesn’t stay buried. It doesn’t disappear just because it’s ignored. It waits. And eventually, it surfaces—through our reactions, our relationships, and our choices. And when it does, we’re often caught off guard by our own behavior and the damage that unresolved pain leaves behind.

Being a born-again Christian doesn’t exempt us from emotional pain—but it does require that we understand and use what God has given us to take authority over it. Many want the comfort of salvation without the responsibility of transformation. But God didn’t just save us so we could endure life—He saved us so we could live in victory, even in our emotional struggles.

In Romans 10:9–10 (NIV), God makes it plain: “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” In this passage, our loving and powerful Heavenly Father gives us His very plain and clear directive, and it will change our lives for all eternity. He tells us how we are made new. Following Romans 10:9-10 is how we become His children and receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

But we cannot stop there. The same heart that believes and the same mouth that confesses must also be trained to align with God’s truth daily. Salvation is the beginning—but learning to walk in truth, especially in our emotional lives, is where many either grow or remain bound.

Emotional struggles don’t just come out of nowhere. They are usually being fed by the thoughts we’ve been entertaining and the beliefs we’ve allowed to take root. Not every thought that crosses your mind is truth, and not every feeling deserves your agreement. God tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT) that we are to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” That means we don’t just sit there and let thoughts tell us we’re not enough, unloved, rejected, or broken. We confront them. We hold them up against what God has already said in His Word. And if they don’t line up, we don’t make room for them or nurture those thoughts—we reject them. We let them go. Because the truth is, a lot of emotional bondage isn’t because freedom isn’t available… it’s because, without realizing it, we’ve been agreeing with the very thoughts that keep us bound.

But taking authority doesn’t stop at saying no to the wrong thoughts—it also means saying yes to the right ones. Romans 12:2 (NLT) reminds us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Transformation doesn’t happen automatically. It happens when we intentionally bring our thinking into alignment with God’s Word, again and again, until it starts to feel natural. This is how shame loses its grip. This is how emotional wounds begin to heal. You are not called to pretend you’re okay—you are called to bring every part of you into agreement with God’s truth. And when you do, freedom stops being something you hope for and becomes something you walk in daily. ■

“Don’t Be Ashamed of Emotional Struggles”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2026. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.