It’s such an assurance to know that what God promises He will always bring to pass. (See Romans 4:16-22.) The Lord also appeared to Paul and, standing by his side, told him that as he had been a faithful witness in Jerusalem, so he must also witness at Rome. (Acts 23:11)
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Sure enough, and directed by the Holy Spirit, Paul sailed from Jerusalem to Rome in very violent and stormy seas. It was dark with no sunshine for two weeks. It was cold and rainy, and the ship was battered and fragile. The 276 men aboard grew hopeless and in great fear of losing their lives.

However, Paul was encouraged and confident upon receiving a message from an angel of God that he would stand before Caesar and that all on board would live. Paul announced to all on board, “Keep up your courage men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.” (Acts 27:24-25)

Yes, there is an assurance in knowing Jesus; an assurance that proclaims that I know where I came from, I know what I am doing here on earth, and I am confident to know where I am going – no matter the storms and trials I encounter.

​We learn from Exodus 34 that Moses descended from Mt. Sinai, having met with God, and holding two stone tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments. Because Moses’ face was aglow with the glory of God, he would put a veil over his face when speaking with the Hebrew people and remove it when meeting with God in the tabernacle’s Holy of Holies.
 
Today, however, the veil is removed through Jesus Christ and, in His name, we have access to God’s throne where we can receive an abundance of mercy and grace. (Hebrews 4:16) This access into the presence of God with unveiled face has given us the ability to commune with God and to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
 
When Jesus was crucified, the veil (curtain) in the temple was torn from top to bottom symbolizing the opening of a new and living way directly into the presence of God (Matthew 27:51).
 
With hope in your heart, and no matter the hardships and trials you will continue to face, go forward trusting God to transform you into the glorious image of His Son.

Perhaps many of us have heard this expression before and understand its meaning. Good intentions alone will never accomplish the reality of getting something done. Jesus said, “Why call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not what I say?” (Luke 6:46-49) He also declared, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)
 
Yes, preparation (cutting bait) is important if you intend on catching fish, but there comes a time when you must go fishin’, cast off and venture out to sea to receive and harvest your prize.
 
When God gave the command to move out and conquer Canaan, He expected obedience. With very few exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, they were rebellious and never “budged an inch.”
 
By refusing to obey God, the people were sent into the wilderness to “cut bait” for another 40 years before the next generation could enter the Promised Land.
 
Go fishin’ – put your faith into action and prove yourself to be a doer of the word, not merely a hearer who deceives himself. (See James 1:22)

​In 2011, an 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan were an ominous reminder of the power and force of nature. Similarly, there are spiritual tsunamis that can and do take place in our lives today. The key to surviving these storms is preparation through faith in Jesus Christ.
 
In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus spoke of the parable of the two foundations. He said, “Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them, I will show you whom he is like.” Jesus goes on to explain that one man dug a foundation deep to the rock and when the flood came and burst against his house, the storm did not destroy it because it had been well built.
 
There was another man who also heard His words but did not act on them. This man was like a man who built a house on ground without any foundation and this man’s house collapsed with great ruin when the storm burst against it.
 
The only way to tsunami-proof your life today is to ACT on God’s Word and build your life on the solid rock of Jesus Christ who will never be destroyed.

​As we continue to reflect on Numbers 13 and 14, we see that Joshua and Caleb had just returned from Canaan and couldn’t believe what they were hearing from the other 10 fearful, doubting, and disobedient spies.
 
These men incited the crowd and blindsided them to believe that the giants and fortified cities were too great for God to conquer. Even though they had evidence of the bounty of the land and God’s promise to succeed, the people chose to believe a lie and basically said, “This conquest God has planned ain’t gonna happen.”
 
Thank God for Joshua and Caleb who stood against the unbelieving crowd and confidently declared that God was able to perform what he had promised. Today, we also who believe can stand against the crowd of doubters and declare that God is able!
 
Someone has said, “Any dead fish can float downstream – it takes a live one to swim upstream.”