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