Today’s Community Scripture – 1/30/2025 

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing. Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

                            James 1:2–12 (MSG)

Key Verse – Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. James 1:12 (MSG)

– Reflection:

               Faith Under Pressure

Incredible things have occurred for those who have remained steadfast during tests and trials. The pressure of being a man or a woman is very real today. We all must either put up or shut up. I have been given a task that frightens me, but because I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, it will come to pass. Stay tuned for the next chapter of this blog and the next steps of what God has set in motion. Hopefully, we will reveal the true nature of acceptance of our path for those who genuinely believe. I don’t think this would have ever happened without genuine perseverance and honoring where the Lord wants us to be. As I have mentioned, it will be small for each person who accepts Christ initially. However, with Jesus’ help, I know it won’t stay that way.

Where do we go from here?

For my house and me, we will follow and serve the one and only GOD that there is. My hope for anyone who follows this blog and its prayers is to see the transparency that I have operated with over the years and have grabbed hope and a true path from what has been written on these digital pages. This blog isn’t going anywhere, it will still be posted to everyday. The new path is beginning in addition to this one. A voice and a face are coming to show the true meaning of a blessing from Christ.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for giving me the courage to become who you needed me to be. I hope to serve as an example of what it means to follow you and how blessings come true, not merely from wishes. Together, we will all move forward as you have instructed, beginning to help others with a plan for progress. It starts with opening the WORD, reading it, and allowing it to enter our spirits, guiding us toward the route we should take and the path we are to walk for the rest of our days until the spirit instructs us to change course. Jesus, we honor you and are among the few who welcome you as Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach

Today’s Community Scripture – 1/29/2025

“I’ve had it with you! You’re hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God’s kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won’t let anyone else in either. “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned. “You’re hopeless! What arrogant stupidity! You say, ‘If someone makes a promise with his fingers crossed, that’s nothing; but if he swears with his hand on the Bible, that’s serious.’ What ignorance! Does the leather on the Bible carry more weight than the skin on your hands? And what about this piece of trivia: ‘If you shake hands on a promise, that’s nothing; but if you raise your hand that God is your witness, that’s serious’? What ridiculous hairsplitting! What difference does it make whether you shake hands or raise hands? A promise is a promise. What difference does it make if you make your promise inside or outside a house of worship? A promise is a promise. God is present, watching and holding you to account regardless.

                              Matthew 23:13–22 (MSG)

– Reflection:

                Frauds!!

For us today, we don’t have Jesus himself calling us out. Instead, it is our spirits that let us know when we are being a fraud or a fake! These individuals had the Savior himself guiding them on where they were going wrong and what to expect if they continued being frauds. There aren’t many things that bring us into the right framework with God, but this passage reminds us that putting on a front in God’s eyes is definitely not something we want to keep doing. We honor God by reading the Word (Bible) and getting comfortable with its teachings and how we fit into God’s plan personally. While reading the Word, I know that at least for me, I try to relate the story I’m reading to how the world is today and how it might look or possibly play out. Doing so has helped me to avoid certain situations and be better for it.

– Where do we go from here?

Stop being frauds and embrace the people God created us to be instead of the fools running around doing anything and everything for money. There was a time when people with money were considered the most sensible. Today, it has been shown that even those we believe to be smart are not as wise as we thought. Money, as the Notorious B.I.G. said, “Mo Money, Mo Problems.” Let us not fall into either of those traps. If we want to have the provisions we need, we must gain knowledge of our paths and understand what we are to do beyond just earning money.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for giving us a genuine heart that honors the WORD. Within those pages lie the keys to life and the steps we are to take along our journey. Allow us to continue as Your people, Jesus. Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach

Today’s Community Scripture – 1/28/2025 

“Don’t let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of ‘Father’; you have only one Father, and he’s in heaven. And don’t let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them—Christ. “Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.

Matthew 23:8–12 (MSG)

– Reflection:

Sometimes we don’t serve because it seems small and insignificant. However, on the way to the bigger things God has in store for us, He tests us with small tasks. You need to serve where you are with a positive attitude. If you excel in that small role and do more than what is required, God will open up bigger opportunities. Don’t underestimate the value of staying late to help a coworker. Avoid talking yourself out of going the extra mile at home, serving your family with a joyful heart, waking up early, and ensuring everything is just right. Even if no one is saying thank you and it feels unnoticed, God sees your sacrifice. That’s what leads to new levels.

– Where do we go from here?

Where you serve may seem small, but it’s crucial for your rise. It might not be the primary desire God placed in your heart, but it is guiding you toward that main purpose. You can’t skip this step to reach your destiny. Success is not an elevator; it’s a staircase. God leads you step by step. Will you serve even if it feels insignificant?

Our Prayer for Today

Father, we thank You for sending Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve others and give His life as a ransom for many. Help us to copy His actions and stay attentive to the people and opportunities You present for us to serve and bless with a joyful heart. We believe that You are elevating us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach

Today’s Community Scripture – 1/27/2025

They asked him, “John’s disciples are well-known for keeping fasts and saying prayers. Also the Pharisees. But you seem to spend most of your time at parties. Why?” Jesus said, “When you’re celebrating a wedding, you don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but this isn’t the time. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good time. When the groom is gone, the fasting can begin. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come! “No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match. And you don’t put wine in old, cracked bottles; you get strong, clean bottles for your fresh vintage wine. And no one who has ever tasted fine aged wine prefers unaged wine.”

Luke 5:33-39 (MSG)

– Reflection:

The Bible passage we encountered today reminds me of a key message. The Pharisees pointed out to Jesus that while John’s disciples frequently pray and fast, His disciples are busy eating and drinking, which clearly indicates their disapproval. During that era, prayer and fasting were central to their religious customs, so it likely felt like a betrayal to see Jesus’ disciples not engaging in these practices. In typical fashion, Jesus replies with a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise, the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. No one puts new wine into old wineskins…” (v. 36-37). Initially, this might seem unrelated. Why is Jesus discussing sewing and wineskins? However, the connection soon becomes evident. Jesus suggests that asking His disciples to fast would be like putting new wine into old wineskins. By following Him, they are participating in something entirely new. Fasting merely for its historical religious value would restrict this fresh way of living based on outdated expectations.

Where do we go from here?

Now, I’m not telling you what to do with your New Year’s resolution. That’s up to you! However, I will note that to truly grow in our faith, we must be open to changing from the inside out. Instead of only making changes at the surface level, let’s work to open ourselves to a God who is always doing a new thing in us.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for the resilient hearts you have given us all. May you continue to bestow upon us blessings, we haven’t earned and the work the world needs us to do. Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach