Author: TheSecondAdam Prophetic Ministry & Prophetic Words
Wayne Sutton is a prophetic counselor and minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be sure to discover the ministry website at https://www.thesecondadam.com and sign up for your daily prophetic words at http://www.yourprophecynews.com Prophetic counseling and prophetic words.
More than 34,000 young people made professions of faith during this year’s Winter Jam Christian concert tour, underscoring what the tour’s pastor says is Generation Z’s deep hunger for authenticity and truth. Launched in 1995, Winter Jam is an annual multi-city tour that is known for its expansive lineup — this year featured 10 artists, including Crowder and Lecrae — and its affordable admission ($15). It’s also known for its unapologetic gospel focus, with tour pastor Zane Black delivering a brief gospel presentation at the midway point each night.
This year, Winter Tour recorded some 34,500 first-time professions of faith from individuals who typed their information into an online form and then were paired up with a local church. (That is, if they did not come with a church group in the first place.) The digital platform is run by Gloo.
Many nights were sold out.
Generation Z, Black said, is “hungry for what’s real.”
“They are inundated with the counterfeit — whatever is edited, cropped, filtered,” Black told Crosswalk Headlines. “The digital age has pushed them so far into the world of AI that they long for something real. And so I think we have an opportunity within the church to present authentic, real truth in an age of [the] artificial and skeptic. There is a real God. There’s a Book that is true. And there’s a love that is life-changing, that’s tangible.”
The darker the culture grows, Black said, the more thirsty people are for truth.
Christians of Generation Z, he added, are “on fire.”
“There’s so many who are excited about sharing the life of Christ with their friends.”
Winter Jam has two purposes, Black said: 1) share the gospel and 2) encourage the faithful. Young believers who attend the concert can look around and tell themself, “I’m not alone,” he said.
Meanwhile, Black said he believes there is “more pressure on this [current] generation than ever before.” Much of it is driven by social media.
“They’re comparing themselves with all these false images,” he said. “… To me it comes down to really identity. Students are longing to know: ‘Who am I?’”
The church has an opportunity, he said.
“We have the hope of Jesus and the Word of God to say, ‘Here’s who God says you are — you are loved, you are chosen, you have purpose, no matter your past, no matter your future.
“Gen Z is hungry for that.”
Image Courtesy: Winter Jam
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, theLeaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
A Prayer for God to Bring You through an Exhausting Life Phase By Keri Eichberger
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength.” – Habakkuk 3:19
“I’m tired of singing the same old ‘tired’ song,” I confessed to my friend Chelsey last week. And she wasn’t the first to hear this tune fall from my frustrated lips. I’ve felt exhausted since I can’t remember when. Did it begin when the twins were born, boosting our family of five to a full house of seven? Or was it when I turned forty, and my body began to ache in all sorts of new places while my hormones whacked out with crazy fresh flips and dips, crashing my energy around right with them? Or, maybe it’s simply the compounding years of overstuffed schedules and overcrowded calendars, causing a slow and steady, wear down of my fragile body, soul, and spirit. All are amounting to bottom-out exhaustion. And with no sign of relief. In my world anyway. Because who am I kidding, I’m not getting any younger, the twins have thirteen plus years left at home. And honestly, the reality is, there will always be something. I know you feel that.
I came across Habakkuk 3:19 in my attempt to refuel my sunken strength and journal out these thoughts in my morning quiet time. And what spoke to me is this…
The Lord’s control is my strength. When I’m worn down from trying to control situations, people, their hearts, and responses (my kids mainly)–and I’m depleted of strength–I regain strength by releasing control back to God. I reclaim his strength by acknowledging that I am not in control. Yes, I have been wasting energy while I have assumed control. Sabotaging myself of the strength I’m desperate for. The sovereign Lord (the God that is actually in control), he is my strength. Because he strengthens me as I let this truth, the truth of his sovereignty, leak into my life, penetrate my heart, cover my thoughts, and flow through all my circumstances that I’m trying to control and play God of. My self-controlled surroundings all the while wear me down.
It occurred to me that the majority of my exhaustion stemmed from my relentless attempt to control my swirling circumstances instead of resting in a steady, sturdy–yet sometimes brisk–walk of God’s will for my life.
Trust me, I know from personal day-in-and-out experience that a lot of your busyness you can’t budge. But you can shift the focus of your heart in the midst of what’s wearing down. And so can I.
When we’re beyond tired, our bodies feel frail and fragile. Our souls are weighed down with a long season of suffering and discouragement. When we are flat out exhausted and feel the burden press deeper with no relief to be seen on the visible horizon, and a sliver of strength seems impossible to come by, we need to remember that it is the sovereign Lord who is our strength. I need to remember it right now.
Friend, together with me today, will you release your cares in your current season to his control? Consider and reflect on every detail that’s weighing you down at this very moment, and speak your trust in him over each concern. Your trust that every little bit is in his hands. And allow the truth of his love and control to restore strength to your soul as you rest your heart in his unconditional care. The more you release your load to him, the more you will feel the load lighten. As he carries you one day at a time, one sovereign step at a time. Until at last you are free. Free from the heavy chains of your difficult phase.
It’s true we can’t guarantee how long each weary phase will linger. But rest assured, we most certainly can guarantee God will always carry, support, and sustain us as we release control and the heaviness to him and rest in the strength of his almighty sovereignty.
Let’s pray:
Lord, I come to you exhausted. Weary and worn down. And I need your strength. God, I don’t know when what’s wearing me down will end. But I do know that you love me. I do know that you are in control. And if I can just acknowledge that you are in control, and not me, then I can release the weight, bit by bit, ounce by ounce, and rest in your care. And then regain some strength. Help me rest in this truth. That my strength is in you and who you are. Sovereign. Yes, my strength is in the truth of your loving, sovereign control. I am so thankful that you are carrying me with your love, control, and strength. I am thankful that your rest is always awaiting me because of it. Help me rest in your power. Help me rest in your love. Help me rest in you. In your Almighty name, Amen.
Keri Eichberger is a Jesus-loving Kentucky girl. She is married to her best friend, Mike, and has a full house of five kids. After years of writing for an online audience, Keri became ordained through Southeast Christian Church, giving her life to full-time ministry. She is the author of Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes, and has a passion for sharing faith-filled encouragement through devotional writing. Connect with Keri at KeriEichberger.com or Instagram.
Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week, she gives you practical, real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day, click below!
Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below!
Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
Living in this world can be difficult. The stressors of life and the unexpected turn of events can be hard to handle at times. And if we’re being honest, it sometimes feels as if no one cares for us or has our back. Those friends and family members we relied upon so heavily are suddenly gone when things turn sour. And if we do have family or friends we can rely on, that won’t always be the case. So where should we turn to first?
Fortunately, as disciples of Christ, we have someone to run to all the time. No matter what the circumstances may be, we have access to God through the Holy Spirit. And God has promised to be with us by sending the Holy Spirit to live within us at all times — the good and the bad. We are never abandoned by God. Though outward circumstances might give us that impression, God has designed it so that we don’t have to fall for that lie.
When we seek out the Lord through prayer, the Holy Spirit intervenes on our behalf. He intercedes for us even when we don’t know what to say.
God is a better source of comfort to turn to than any friends or family members. He will never let us down, and that is seen through the promise to give us with the Holy Spirit while we are here on earth apart from him. And isn’t it wonderful knowing that we are never, nor will we ever be, alone?
Dear Lord, please help me to turn to you first in all circumstances. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit so that we are not alone. Amen.
A fresco depicting the Ascension of Jesus Christ in St Mark’s Basilica, Venice, Italy.(Photo: Getty/iStock)
Thursday 9th May is Ascension Day, which is a public holiday in many countries. This is the story.
Ascension
The English word ascension comes from Latin via Norman French. The English word ‘to ascend’ means to go up, and an ‘ascent’ the process of doing it. In English we talk about the ‘ascent’ of Mount Everest or a person’s ‘ascension to the presidency’. In theology, ascension is the idea that some individuals ascend to heaven without dying first, or die first and are bodily resurrected and taken into heaven.
Ascension in the Jewish Scriptures
In the Bible the idea of ascension is sometimes applied to Enoch, who was Noah’s great-grandfather. The text says, ‘And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him’ (Genesis 5:24). It is not totally clear what this means, but some people interpret it to mean that Enoch had an ascension into heaven. A clearer story is told of Elijah. The text reads ‘behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven’ (2 Kings 2:11).
There is a tradition that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible known as the Torah or Pentateuch. He may have written some of them, but he could not have written it all because his death and burial is detailed at the end of the Torah (Deuteronomy 34:5-6), which is good evidence if any that he did not write at least this bit. Despite recording his death and burial, there nevertheless arose the idea, that he had some kind of ascension into heaven. St Jude tells the story of Michael the Archangel contending about his body (Jude verse 9).
Indeed the idea that Moses and Elijah ascended into heaven allows for them to re-appear at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36 and 2 Peter 1:16-18).
The Ascension of Jesus in the Gospels
After the resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with the disciples (Acts 1:3). The scene of the Ascension is the Mount of Olives near Bethany near Jerusalem. The Gospel accounts by Matthew and John do not record the ascension, but it is recorded by Mark and Luke. Mark mentions it at the end of his Gospel where it reads: ‘So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God’ (Mark 16:19).
Luke very briefly mentions it in the last few verses of his Gospel account which reads: ‘And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven’ (Luke 24:50-51). After that ‘they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God’ (Luke 24:52-53).
In John’s Gospel, the Ascension is not described but it is referenced. John records Jesus saying ‘No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man’ (John 3:13) and then he says to the disciples ‘What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?’ (John 6:62), and after the resurrection, he says to Mary Magdalene, ‘Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father … ‘ (John 20:17).
The Ascension in Acts
Luke then fleshes out his account in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. They were on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:20) and Jesus spoke with them about the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8) and then ‘he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight’ (Acts 1:9). As they looked up and saw him go, two angels appeared (Acts 1:10) and said that he would one day return in the manner he left (Acts 1:11). They then returned to the Upper Room in Jerusalem as the prelude to Pentecost.
The Ascension in the Epistles
The Ascension was not in dispute in the Early Church and it is alluded to many times in the Epistles. St Peter wrote about Jesus ‘who is gone up into heaven, and is on the right hand of God’ (1 Peter 3:22). St Paul mentions the ascension in his letter to the church at Ephesus when he wrote: ‘When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men’ (Ephesians 4:8-10). In Philippians 2:9 Jesus is described as having been exalted. In Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1 St Paul describes Jesus as being ‘at the right hand of God’. He also wrote to Timothy that Jesus was ‘received up into glory’ (1 Timothy 3:16).
Traditional Site
The traditional site of the Ascension is on the Mount of Olives, on which the village of Bethany sits. A church building was erected at the end of the fourth century, which was destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. Today there is an octagonal chapel, called the Chapel of the Ascension. It houses a slab of stone which reputedly contains the right footprint of Jesus where he stood before he ascended. The belief in the Ascension of Jesus is one of those beliefs which is also held by Muslims, so the site is used and venerated by both Muslims and Christians.
The Problem of the Ascension
The Ascension is a difficult story for many. Most people today do not hold to what seemed to be the ancient three-tiered cosmology of hell below us, earth in the middle, and heaven above us. Many believers prefer to think of heaven as a spiritual realm, and the idea that Jesus ascended into it bodily is a bit puzzling or even awkward, even to those evangelicals who believe it. As a result the Ascension tends not be addressed by apologetics, and there are very few books on it.
Some people prefer to think of the Ascension as symbolic, or they imagine a spiritual ascension, or as Jesus having a new immortal spiritual body. The problem with this is that the New Testament narrative goes out of its way to describe the resurrection as physical and bodily. The tomb is empty, Thomas puts his fingers in the wounds which his body still has (John 20:24-29), Jesus eats grilled fish with the apostles after the resurrection (Luke 24:41-43), and Jesus himself explains that he is not a ghost nor a spirit (Luke 24:36-39). The implication is that if the resurrection and the Ascension were not bodily, then the tomb would not have needed to be empty.
The Ascension in Church History
The Ascension is one of the beliefs articulated in the Nicene Creed adopted in AD 325 with the words ‘ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father‘. It is also outlined in chapter 8 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. It has sometimes been linked theologically as a fulfilment of the Day of Atonement. The theologian William Barclay also pointed out that the Ascension enables the Second Coming. The Ascension has been a subject for paintings and icons and music throughout the centuries.
Ascension Day
Ascension Day in the Church calendar recalls the day of the Ascension of Jesus. Ascension Day is the fortieth day of the Easter season, held 39 days after Easter Sunday, which effectively means it always falls on a Thursday. In 2024, that means it is Thursday 9 May in the western tradition, but Thursday 13 June in the eastern tradition. Generally speaking, the western calendar is used by Catholic and Protestant Christians and the eastern calendar by Orthodox Christians. Ascension Day marks the end of the Easter season, and occurs 10 days before Pentecost.
Ascension Day is marked by Christians across the world in many Christian traditions. For Catholics it is a Holy Day of Obligation, for Orthodox it is one of the twelve Great Feasts of the liturgical year, and for Anglicans it is Principal Feast and there may be special services in churches. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer also calls the day Holy Thursday. One symbolic custom in liturgical churches is to extinguish the Paschal candle, which was first lit at Easter, as a symbol of Christ leaving the earth.
Ascension Day is a public holiday in many Catholic and Lutheran countries in Europe such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, some cantons of Switzerland; but not in the UK, Australia nor the USA. In French is it called l’Ascension, and in German it is wonderfully called the Christi Himmelfahrt.
For Christians from evangelical non-conformist churches, not used to mid-week services, Ascension Day often passes by unnoticed, although in many churches it may be recalled on the following Sunday.
The lectionary readings for Ascension Day are Luke 24.44-53 or Acts 1.1-11, Daniel 7.9-14, Psalm 47 or Psalm 93 and Ephesians 1.15-23.
More than 34,000 young people made professions of faith during this year’s Winter Jam Christian concert tour, underscoring what the tour’s pastor says is Generation Z’s deep hunger for authenticity and truth. Launched in 1995, Winter Jam is an annual multi-city tour that is known for its expansive lineup — this year featured 10 artists, including Crowder and Lecrae — and its affordable admission ($15). It’s also known for its unapologetic gospel focus, with tour pastor Zane Black delivering a brief gospel presentation at the midway point each night.
This year, Winter Tour recorded some 34,500 first-time professions of faith from individuals who typed their information into an online form and then were paired up with a local church. (That is, if they did not come with a church group in the first place.) The digital platform is run by Gloo.
Many nights were sold out.
Generation Z, Black said, is “hungry for what’s real.”
“They are inundated with the counterfeit — whatever is edited, cropped, filtered,” Black told Crosswalk Headlines. “The digital age has pushed them so far into the world of AI that they long for something real. And so I think we have an opportunity within the church to present authentic, real truth in an age of [the] artificial and skeptic. There is a real God. There’s a Book that is true. And there’s a love that is life-changing, that’s tangible.”
The darker the culture grows, Black said, the more thirsty people are for truth.
Christians of Generation Z, he added, are “on fire.”
“There’s so many who are excited about sharing the life of Christ with their friends.”
Winter Jam has two purposes, Black said: 1) share the gospel and 2) encourage the faithful. Young believers who attend the concert can look around and tell themself, “I’m not alone,” he said.
Meanwhile, Black said he believes there is “more pressure on this [current] generation than ever before.” Much of it is driven by social media.
“They’re comparing themselves with all these false images,” he said. “… To me it comes down to really identity. Students are longing to know: ‘Who am I?’”
The church has an opportunity, he said.
“We have the hope of Jesus and the Word of God to say, ‘Here’s who God says you are — you are loved, you are chosen, you have purpose, no matter your past, no matter your future.
“Gen Z is hungry for that.”
Image Courtesy: Winter Jam
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, theLeaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
The wooden wisteria frame at the back of our yard provides the perfect arms to hold hanging baskets. “I suppose you’ve already seen what I need to confess,” my husband smiled, pointing to a fuchsia with brown, withered leaves and blooms that hung lifeless on the limp branch.
Bill had inadvertently stepped on and snapped off the strand while the baskets were down for feeding. He jammed the detached piece into the soil and hoped for the best. Initially the stem blended into the flowering masses and passed for a living, viable part of the plant. It didn’t take long though for the shriveling to begin. Only being near the source of life did not provide the nutrients necessary to flourish and bloom.
And so it is with us and Jesus. We can attend church and plant ourselves near the Source but if we aren’t directly attached to Him, we also wither. As I look at my basket, I’m reminded how many individual strands and blooms come together to make the beautiful whole. When each member of the body of Christ – the church – draws deeply from an individual connection with Him, we can come together and thrive.
Are you connected to the Vine and plugged into a body of believers?
Father, please nourish my soul that I may be a thriving member of Your body and faithfully serve You and others. Amen.
Take a Step: Ask God to show you one way you can serve someone today.
The bad news for Southern Baptists is that the denomination, the nation’s largest Protestant group, shrank in 2023, with a drop of about a quarter-million people.
The good news, according to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual statistical report, is that the decline slowed from 2022. In addition, of those who remained, more went to church and more newcomers took the plunge to get baptized.
The SBC’s 2024 Annual Church Profile, released Tuesday, showed that membership dropped to 12.9 million members, the lowest since the late 1970s. Having peaked at 16.3 million in 2006, membership has been in decline ever since, with nearly 3.5 million members in total lost. About half of that total loss has come since 2018.
Weekly attendance at churches rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic, topping 4 million per week, while small-group attendance was about 2.5 million. Donations at the denomination’s 46,000 churches also remained robust, topping $10 billion, feeding nearly $800 million into SBC national and international ministries.
The SBC’s churches also reported 226,000 baptisms, a key evangelism statistic held dear by Southern Baptists. About 175,000 new people joined SBC congregations in 2023.
Churches in Florida, Georgia, California, North Carolina and Tennessee reported the largest increase in baptisms from 2022 to 2023.
Todd Unzicker, executive director-treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, said that churches in his state have focused on increasing baptism through training and a “fill the tank” initiative, which challenges congregations to fill up their baptismal tanks in the weeks before Easter. He said that while many churches often want to see more people baptized, few were prepared to baptize them.
“When I would visit churches, most of the baptistries were filled with Christmas decorations and boxes and supplies,” he said “And I always thought, if the Lord moved, they’re not even ready.”
“While we often address our shortcomings, it’s also good to pause and celebrate the global good Southern Baptists are accomplishing,” said Jeff Iorg, president-elect of the SBC Executive Committee. Iorg, the longtime president of Gateway Seminary in Northern California, was named the SBC Executive Committee’s leader in March.
Bart Barber, a Texas pastor and current president of the denomination, called the report encouraging news. Barber said that if membership at churches had risen without a rise in attendance or baptisms, he’d be concerned. Barber added that membership numbers can often be less accurate than baptisms or church attendance.
“The numbers that are up are the numbers I am watching,” Barber told Religion News Service. “We know who came to our Sunday school. We know who came to our small-group Bible study. And we are good at counting baptisms. We have walked people through a process and we have dunked them in water and we know their names. We can tie every one of those numbers to an individual person.”
Perhaps the most concerning data related to sexual abuse, an issue SBC leaders have struggled to handle effectively.
Along with membership, baptisms and giving numbers, 29 of the SBC’s 41 state conventions also collect data on how their churches are addressing abuse. Fewer than two-thirds (58%) of churches in those states said they required staff and volunteers who work with kids to have background checks. Fewer than half (38%) said their staff and volunteers have been trained on how to report abuse, while fewer than a quarter (16%) have been trained on how to care for survivors of abuse.
Barber said that those numbers, especially the background check percentage, are not surprising. The average SBC church, relatively small and often in a rural setting, can rarely afford to support a full-time pastor or the staff, volunteers and policies needed to prevent abuse. Those churches, the SBC president said, often have well-loved volunteers working with kids and think they are immune to abuse.
“But that’s wrong,” said Barber. “Abuse happens in rural churches too. It’s important to help churches like that see that they do need to take these precautions.”
The SBC’s 2-year-old abuse reform implementation task force hopes to have new training material for churches, including policy guidelines, ready to hand out at this year’s annual meeting in Indianapolis in June.
Some states have asked churches about their sex abuse prevention policies in the past but this is the first time those questions have been included in the national Annual Church Profile.
Bruce Frank, a North Carolina pastor running for SBC president, said that more data will be needed before leaders know whether the convention is making progress on reform. But Frank, who served on a previous task force set up to aid in investigating abuse, said background checks are a crucial part of making churches safer.
“For anybody who works with children and students, a background church is the basic, base-level safety requirement,” he said. “It’s a lot easier and quicker than it’s ever been before. We want everybody to take advantage of that for the safety and security of their ministries.”
SBC leaders have long encouraged churches to check volunteers and staff backgrounds, and the denomination passed a series of reforms in 2022 aimed at addressing sexual abuse. But those reforms, including a ministry check website to list abusive pastors and leaders, have largely stalled. No names have been added to the ministry check website and there is no permanent funding plan for abuse reforms. A new nonprofit established to oversee reforms has received little support for funding.
A Prayer for God to Bring You through an Exhausting Life Phase By Keri Eichberger
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength.” – Habakkuk 3:19
“I’m tired of singing the same old ‘tired’ song,” I confessed to my friend Chelsey last week. And she wasn’t the first to hear this tune fall from my frustrated lips. I’ve felt exhausted since I can’t remember when. Did it begin when the twins were born, boosting our family of five to a full house of seven? Or was it when I turned forty, and my body began to ache in all sorts of new places while my hormones whacked out with crazy fresh flips and dips, crashing my energy around right with them? Or, maybe it’s simply the compounding years of overstuffed schedules and overcrowded calendars, causing a slow and steady, wear down of my fragile body, soul, and spirit. All are amounting to bottom-out exhaustion. And with no sign of relief. In my world anyway. Because who am I kidding, I’m not getting any younger, the twins have thirteen plus years left at home. And honestly, the reality is, there will always be something. I know you feel that.
I came across Habakkuk 3:19 in my attempt to refuel my sunken strength and journal out these thoughts in my morning quiet time. And what spoke to me is this…
The Lord’s control is my strength. When I’m worn down from trying to control situations, people, their hearts, and responses (my kids mainly)–and I’m depleted of strength–I regain strength by releasing control back to God. I reclaim his strength by acknowledging that I am not in control. Yes, I have been wasting energy while I have assumed control. Sabotaging myself of the strength I’m desperate for. The sovereign Lord (the God that is actually in control), he is my strength. Because he strengthens me as I let this truth, the truth of his sovereignty, leak into my life, penetrate my heart, cover my thoughts, and flow through all my circumstances that I’m trying to control and play God of. My self-controlled surroundings all the while wear me down.
It occurred to me that the majority of my exhaustion stemmed from my relentless attempt to control my swirling circumstances instead of resting in a steady, sturdy–yet sometimes brisk–walk of God’s will for my life.
Trust me, I know from personal day-in-and-out experience that a lot of your busyness you can’t budge. But you can shift the focus of your heart in the midst of what’s wearing down. And so can I.
When we’re beyond tired, our bodies feel frail and fragile. Our souls are weighed down with a long season of suffering and discouragement. When we are flat out exhausted and feel the burden press deeper with no relief to be seen on the visible horizon, and a sliver of strength seems impossible to come by, we need to remember that it is the sovereign Lord who is our strength. I need to remember it right now.
Friend, together with me today, will you release your cares in your current season to his control? Consider and reflect on every detail that’s weighing you down at this very moment, and speak your trust in him over each concern. Your trust that every little bit is in his hands. And allow the truth of his love and control to restore strength to your soul as you rest your heart in his unconditional care. The more you release your load to him, the more you will feel the load lighten. As he carries you one day at a time, one sovereign step at a time. Until at last you are free. Free from the heavy chains of your difficult phase.
It’s true we can’t guarantee how long each weary phase will linger. But rest assured, we most certainly can guarantee God will always carry, support, and sustain us as we release control and the heaviness to him and rest in the strength of his almighty sovereignty.
Let’s pray:
Lord, I come to you exhausted. Weary and worn down. And I need your strength. God, I don’t know when what’s wearing me down will end. But I do know that you love me. I do know that you are in control. And if I can just acknowledge that you are in control, and not me, then I can release the weight, bit by bit, ounce by ounce, and rest in your care. And then regain some strength. Help me rest in this truth. That my strength is in you and who you are. Sovereign. Yes, my strength is in the truth of your loving, sovereign control. I am so thankful that you are carrying me with your love, control, and strength. I am thankful that your rest is always awaiting me because of it. Help me rest in your power. Help me rest in your love. Help me rest in you. In your Almighty name, Amen.
Keri Eichberger is a Jesus-loving Kentucky girl. She is married to her best friend, Mike, and has a full house of five kids. After years of writing for an online audience, Keri became ordained through Southeast Christian Church, giving her life to full-time ministry. She is the author of Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes, and has a passion for sharing faith-filled encouragement through devotional writing. Connect with Keri at KeriEichberger.com or Instagram.
Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week, she gives you practical, real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day, click below!
Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below!
Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content.
More than 34,000 young people made professions of faith during this year’s Winter Jam Christian concert tour, underscoring what the tour’s pastor says is Generation Z’s deep hunger for authenticity and truth. Launched in 1995, Winter Jam is an annual multi-city tour that is known for its expansive lineup — this year featured 10 artists, including Crowder and Lecrae — and its affordable admission ($15). It’s also known for its unapologetic gospel focus, with tour pastor Zane Black delivering a brief gospel presentation at the midway point each night.
This year, Winter Tour recorded some 34,500 first-time professions of faith from individuals who typed their information into an online form and then were paired up with a local church. (That is, if they did not come with a church group in the first place.) The digital platform is run by Gloo.
Many nights were sold out.
Generation Z, Black said, is “hungry for what’s real.”
“They are inundated with the counterfeit — whatever is edited, cropped, filtered,” Black told Crosswalk Headlines. “The digital age has pushed them so far into the world of AI that they long for something real. And so I think we have an opportunity within the church to present authentic, real truth in an age of [the] artificial and skeptic. There is a real God. There’s a Book that is true. And there’s a love that is life-changing, that’s tangible.”
The darker the culture grows, Black said, the more thirsty people are for truth.
Christians of Generation Z, he added, are “on fire.”
“There’s so many who are excited about sharing the life of Christ with their friends.”
Winter Jam has two purposes, Black said: 1) share the gospel and 2) encourage the faithful. Young believers who attend the concert can look around and tell themself, “I’m not alone,” he said.
Meanwhile, Black said he believes there is “more pressure on this [current] generation than ever before.” Much of it is driven by social media.
“They’re comparing themselves with all these false images,” he said. “… To me it comes down to really identity. Students are longing to know: ‘Who am I?’”
The church has an opportunity, he said.
“We have the hope of Jesus and the Word of God to say, ‘Here’s who God says you are — you are loved, you are chosen, you have purpose, no matter your past, no matter your future.
“Gen Z is hungry for that.”
Image Courtesy: Winter Jam
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, theLeaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Florida’s new law prohibiting minors from using social media is already facing backlash. According to supporters, it’s a significant step towards safeguarding children, but detractors see it as a potential threat to free speech and privacy.
As technology advances, government entities are starting to regulate certain social media platforms. Florida passed HB3 to protect children’s mental health and shield them from harmful content. However, some critics argue this could lead to government overreach.
“These platforms capitalize on addiction, affecting not just kids but adults too, to maximize online engagement,” says Florida House Speaker Paul Renner. Other states and the nation are now paying attention to Florida’s approach.
According to a Gallup poll, teenagers spend between four to six hours daily on social media, favoring sites like YouTube and TikTok.
House Speaker Paul Renner highlights the risks, “We cannot allow our children on these platforms where sexual predators are increasingly present.”
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Renner played a key role in revising the law that now bars Florida kids under 14 from using social media sites, particularly those with features that promote continuous engagement. However, 14 and 15-year-olds can still use these platforms with parental consent.
Governor Ron DeSantis warns, “Predators can infiltrate our homes through these platforms, despite our best efforts to protect our children.”
When the law takes effect on January 1, new online safeguards will be implemented, including age verification tools and tracking software to monitor minors’ usage. Non-compliant companies could face fines of up to $50,000 per incident.
“The attorney general is equipped to conduct stings to enforce compliance,” adds Renner. “Severe penalties are in place for those who fail to follow the new guidelines.”
Thanks to advocacy groups like the one led by Patti Sullivan, Florida’s Parental Bill of Rights was passed in 2022, paving the way for these online protections, now known as HB3.
“We’ve passed the law; now it’s up to parents to take a stand for their children,” states Patti Sullivan, a parental rights advocate.
Even before research proved social media’s addictive nature – Patti set an example at home by limiting her daughter Abbagael’s online activity.
“I was able to speak in some of those committees with the Parents Bill of Rights in those bills and champion that issue, making sure that the legislators heard from somebody younger,” said the younger Sullivan. “But who knew that parental rights were important because, you know, one day I might be a parent myself and I want those rights to be protected.”
HB3 is designed to shield children from social media and regulate access to adult content. Under this law, anyone over 18 will need to show identification to access pornography. While it gives parents some control, several organizations argue it curtails First Amendment rights and compromises online privacy.
Major groups like the ACLU have criticized HB3 as “blatant government censorship.” PEN America expressed concerns with CBN News that the age verification requirements are confusing and infringe on all Floridians’ privacy rights.
“They will likely sue soon and bring us into federal court, suggesting someone we violated their First Amendment,” said Renner. “As a lawyer, I don’t think we touched the First Amendment – on addictive technology. And technology is not protected in the First Amendment.”
While Speaker Renner expects a lawsuit, he maintains the law is constitutionally sound, and simply requires everyone to do their part to protect children online.
As January 1st approaches, the state will have to navigate a fine line of keeping young Floridians safe online without government overreach. A positive result could serve as a blueprint for other states seeking to strike that delicate balance between protecting children and preserving freedom.
Keri Eichberger is a Jesus-loving Kentucky girl. She is married to her best friend, Mike, and has a full house of five kids. After years of writing for an online audience, Keri became ordained through Southeast Christian Church, giving her life to full-time ministry. She is the author of 
TheSecondAdam Prophetic Ministry & Prophetic Words 