As we begin Spiritual Leadership Conference, I am praying for the Lord to empower every moment of this conference for His glory and for the encouragement of His servants.

We are faced with choices every day. Decisions must be made on an hourly basis. And there is a great possibility for error, simply because we are human! In addition, many of the choices we face don’t have an exact Bible chapter and verse for us to follow. Because of this, we must claim the promise of the provision of God’s wisdom. James 1:5 says “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….”

Last words speak volumes. They reveal priorities and hopes. Before Jesus ascended back into Heaven, He gave His disciples this daunting command, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19–20). Let us consider four important facts from Christ’s great last words.

If there is one thing that is clear in the New Testament, it is that the gospel doesn’t end with receiving it. It is a truth to pass on to others.

In the midst of difficult circumstances or trials God can seem distant. We wonder if He hears our prayers or cares about our heartache. The prophet Isaiah was no doubt at that point in his life when King Uzziah died in chapter six.

I cannot help but think it would have been a terrifying experience to have the Lord “depart” from you especially when at one time, the Lord was with you mightily.

How do you thank those who willingly place themselves “between their loved home and the war’s desolation”?

Last week President Obama made an interesting remark in the White House at the Nordic Leaders’ Summit Arrival Ceremony.

Ahhhhhh summer! What a wonderful time of year to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit. If you have a vacation this summer, make the most of it. Use your vacation time wisely. Try not to spend the greater part of it traveling, doing household chores, or even sleeping more than . . .

Any reader of the divinely-inspired record of early Christianity written in the book of Acts will note the attention given to numbers. Those who were saved in the days after the coming of the Holy Spirit were “added to the church.”