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God-Given Warning Labels

Have you noticed how many things come with a warning label these days? You can’t even get a cup of coffee without a warning label that say “Caution. Product may be hot.” Am I the only one that feels like it seems silly for a product that is supposed to be hot to caution me that the product is hot? But because someone spilled hot coffee on themselves while driving and sued, we now have warning labels that caution us that hot products are hot. As silly as such a warning label may be, we can be sure that when God gives us warning labels in His Word, we had better heed them.

God gave Israel warning labels because He knew Israel’s cycle that would lead to their destruction

Because God is all-knowing and He already knows what will happen in the future, God knew that Israel would have problems with forgetting Him and turning to idols. Over and over again in the Old Testament we see that Israel was stuck in an endless cycle of having peace in the land while serving God, followed by doing evil in the eyes of the Lord when they begin to worship false gods, resulting in God punishing Israel through another nation conquering them and enslaving them. Israel would finally figures things out and they cry out to God in repentance, then God would raise up a judge and Israel is delivered.

God gives warning labels because He knows how deceitful the heart is

We see this pattern over and over again. It’s no wonder then that our omnipotent God provided a warning to them. God knows just how deceitful the heart is. In Jeremiah 17:9, the prophet wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Solomon advised in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The heart is a big problem and Satan knows our weakest spots and that’s where he chooses to tempt us.

God’s warning labels targeted Israel’s weakest spot

For Israel, it worshiping false gods — statues of images that they chose to believe were gods. Along with breaking the commandment of having no other gods, their worship of these false gods included temple prostitution and child sacrifices. Why would Israel turn their back on a God who delivered them out of Egypt? A God who had done many miracles? You’d think with all they had witness God do for them, they would be able to recognize a false god from the One true God, the great I AM. But Israel wanted to “fit in.” God called them to be “set apart,” holy, different from the world. But Israel wanted to be like everyone else.

We all struggle with “gods” of some kind

While it might seem silly that Israel would trade Yahweh for a cold stone or gold statue, we are not much different today. We all have “gods” of some kind that we struggle with. Anything that we make a higher priority than God, becomes a god. It could be money, food, power, position, hobbies, children, careers, possessions, or health. Even sleep could become a god when we choose to sleep in late on Sunday instead of going to church. All these things deceive us into thinking that our “god” will make us happy.

Finding True Joy

But true joy is only found in a right relationship with God and worshiping only Him. Therefore, Paul wrote in Romans 13:14, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” The clothes that we choose to wear often reflect our status, our values, and even our priorities. Paul uses a clothing as an imagery to portray the transformation that results from our relationship with Jesus Christ when we accept Him as Savior.

From Colossians 3:12, we learn that we are to “put on” certain godly characteristics that are a reflection of Christ himself: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” “Putting on” these godly characteristics is identifies our status as those who are holy, chosen and loved by God. So make sure that you are daily putting these on to guard your heart and that idols do not creep in and tempt you to put them before God.

God’s Warning labels can be found throughout the Bible

As we read the Bible, we can find God’s warning labels to us stashed throughout the Bible. We need to take heed of them because these warning labels are not there just for Old Testament Israel. God doesn’t want us to forsake Him and turn to idols any more than he wanted Israel to do so. So when you see warnings in the Bible and feel a tug in your soul, stop and ask the Holy Spirit: “What are you trying to warn me of here?” Then meditate on the verse and how it can be applied to your life. If you can’t relate it now, then hide that verse away in your heart for the time that you will need it in the future.

God, forgive us for when we’ve made things or people more important to us than You. Help us to guard our heart and to not be deceived by them. Help us to keep our focus on you and to daily put on the Lord Jesus Christ and the characteristics that reflect who you are. Make us aware of your warning labels you’ve stashed throughout your Word that are meant for our good.


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Fight on my Knees

We all fight battles–relationship, financial, cancer, COVID, professional, educational and more. But no matter what the battle, it belongs to God. So, fight on your knees with your hands lifted high. (Based on the song, Battle Belongs, by Phil Wickham.)

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We’ve added a new canvas print to the Teespring Store.

God instructed the Israelite priests to pray the prayer of blessing every day over the people. The prayer is found in Numbers 6:24-26. Hang the canvass in your home or carry the mug, tote bag, or water bottle and let the prayer of blessing impact all those who you meet throughout the day.

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God, Love and Marshmallow Wars by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
  • Conversation Starters.
  • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
  • Romance Builders.
  • Relationship Builders.
  • Personal reflections.
  • Date ideas.
  • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

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Be a Guard

Week 1 of Advent: Preparation

The lyrics of a popular, secular Christmas song says, “You better watch out, you better not pout, you better not cry, I’m tellin’ you why – Santa Clause is coming to town.” We need to watch out and be ready, because Jesus is coming to town. We often look at preparation as the process of getting ready for something. But the prophet Ezekiel, gives us something a little bit different to think about as we prepare for the coming of Christ. In Ezekiel 38:7, he wrote:



“Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.

Be ready

In the prophecy against Gog, the people are told to be ready. Back in the book of Exodus when God used Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, they were told to be ready. We always need to be ready for when God is ready to move in our lives. Being ready means we’ve already made the necessary preparations. Exodus 12:11 says, “In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste.” The idea was to be ready to go the moment Pharaoh told them to leave. Being ready even before God is ready to act demonstrates faith that God will do what He says He will do.

Keep Ready

Sometimes God gives us direction and we get excited and start planning and getting ready – but then it feels like we just got ready to sit and wait. God’s timing doesn’t always match our timing, so once we’re ready, we need to keep ready. That means we keep everything ready that’s needed for what God is asking us to do – no matter how long God takes before He acts. Staying ready means we keep on believing God by faith and waiting on Him.

If the Israelites had gotten everything ready to leave but after the first plague Pharaoh didn’t let them leave and they quit believing in what God said and just sat back enjoying their meal, kicked off their shoes and relaxed, then by the time they got everything ready again, Pharaoh could have changed his mind and not let them leave. Or perhaps all the Egyptians would have had time to become angry over losing all their first born children and came in to massacre the Israelites.

God wasn’t just giving Pharaoh a hard time or paying him back for his cruelties to the Israelites. He was also teaching the Israelites about who He was and His power. It should have been a lesson to prepare them to trust Him in the dessert and to know He would lead them into the Promised Land. But as we know, they only had to get to the Red Sea before they began to doubt God. Perhaps this is why Ezekiel also said to be a guard.

Be a Guard

A guard protects. He stands between the vulnerable and danger. He warns of coming danger. A guard fights for those who can’t fight for themselves. He protects the assets. The guard stays diligent – always looking out for any possible danger. He doesn’t sleep through the night. He doesn’t sit around playing cards or scrolling social media. He’s guarding what is most valuable to him.

Guarding your heart

This isn’t about protecting yourself from someone hurting you. Solomon was talking about your spiritual heart in Proverbs 4:23-27. He thought that guarding your heart was more important than anything else. He wrote:

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don’t let your lips talk deviously. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.

Guarding your heart is important because if you’ve not first protected it from temptation, then you will not be able to guard your mouth, eyes, or feet. Why? Jeremiah 17:9 tell us, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable.” The heart will make us believe that what our mouth, eyes, and feet want to do is ok. It will come up with all kinds of excuses until we rationalize why it would not be wrong to do whatever we are being tempted to do. So we must guard our heart and we do that through memorizing Scripture, studying God’s Word, and spending time praying – without ceasing. If we do not guard our hearts, we will not be able to guard anything else.

Guard the host assembled about you

Ezekiel also said we are to guard the host assembled around us – that’s your family. Your spouse, your children. If you are a married man, God has called you to be a spiritual leader in your home and part of that responsibility is guarding your wife and children. Not only in a physical sense, but also in a spiritual sense. You guard them by praying for them, by being a Godly role model for them, teaching them God’s Word through family devotions, training them in the ways of God, taking them to church, and teach them how to love God with all their hearts, minds, and soul. Are you guarding the host assembled about you?

How ready are you?

Before Jesus’ birth the Israelites’ Advent was preparing expectantly for the coming Messiah. But when He came, they had no idea that He walked among them. They created in their own minds what the Messiah would be – a King who would overthrow their oppressors. They were not expecting a baby born low income parents who would lay Him in a manger.

Today, our Advent is the second coming of Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul wrote, “For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” We will not know before hand when He will come again, so we must be on guard and always ready. We need to have the expectancy that He could come again in any moment and live so that we would not ever be ashamed if He returned and caught us doing something we shouldn’t. And we need to live with the urgency that if He came right now, how many people would not be ready? What are we doing to help others be ready?

Be Ready and Be on Guard

As we are preparing our hearts for Christmas, take time alone with the Holy Spirit and ask Him how ready you are for the second coming of Christ. How ready are you for God to do the next thing in your life? How well are you guarding your heart, your spouse and children? What do you need to do to be ready, keep ready, and to guard the host assembled around you?


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What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
  • Conversation Starters.
  • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
  • Romance Builders.
  • Relationship Builders.
  • Personal reflections.
  • Date ideas.
  • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

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Prayers for Revival: Test Me

by Julia Bruce
CEO & Keynote speaker

Why would I ask God to test me?

Most of probably feel like all of 2020 has been a test. In both the Old and New Testaments, the words translated “test” mean “to prove by trial.” It takes a bold heart to sincerely pray for God to test them. But it is through the trials and tests that the genuineness of our faith is seen.

Tested by fire

That doesn’t sound like much fun at all, but when ore is tested to prove it is either gold or silver, the assayer puts a fire under it, pours acid on it, and then determines whether it is genuine. Only the true ore will hold up to the test.

Likewise, God tests us to prove that our faith in Him is genuine. When trials and difficulties come in your life, your faith will be put to the test. Will you trust God or blame God? Will you cast all your cares upon Him trusting that He cares for you or will you turn to caffeine, food, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, pornography, or sex? Will you lean on Him rather than lean on your own understanding? Will you become sweeter or bitter? James said, “knowing that the testing of your faith….” God tests our faith that we might know it is genuine.

Stick around or walk away?


When we are tested, we have two choices – to either stand in faith or turn and walk away. Only true, genuine faith will stand in the trial knowing that God is their strength. Only true faith knows that when they walk through the waters or the fires that God is with them and they will not be overwhelmed or consumed.

False faith will walk away. In John 6:64-66, we find some of the people who were following Jesus did not have genuine faith. In these verses, Jesus said, “there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. We know the the 12 disciples stayed with him, but these other followers went back home and chose to not walk with Jesus anymore.

Where do you go with trials come? Do you run into the arms of Jesus who is strong enough to see you through or do you give up, walk away and become bitter inside?

Testing presses us into great faith

It is through the testing that our faith is made stronger. James says that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, which leads to maturity in our walk with God (James 1:3–4). When we skip down to verse 12, we find that James also says that being tested is a blessing because one we have “stood the test,” we will “receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” It isn’t passing the test that wins salvation, but that only those who are able to to withstand the trial are the true children of God who walk by faith knowing that testing comes from our heavenly Father who works all things together for good for those who love Him and whoa re called to the children of God (Romans 8:28)

Feb2020_poem

Today’s Revival Prayer

Father, we ask you to test us knowing that the genuineness of our faith will be revealed. Even in the trial keep us close to your heart and our eyes on you so that on the other side of the trial we will have grown even closer to you.

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Returning to the shop this week from last year’s fall collection:

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Our Fall Designs

Yes! We have Christmas designs, too!

There are only 8 weeks to Christmas. Order your holiday shirts now and pick up a few items for your holiday shopping list.

Here are some of our favorite designs:

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God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
  • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
  • Romance Builders
  • Relationship Builders
  • Personal reflections
  • Date ideas
  • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

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 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

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Prayers for Revival: Know my heart

by Julia Bruce
CEO & Keynote speaker

What’s in Your Heart?

A popular, well-known credit card commercial asks, “What’s in your wallet?” But for revival to occur, we need to ask, “What’s in our heart?” Why it so important for us to know the condition of our spiritual heart? Let’s turn to the book of 1 Samuel 16 and see what God has to say to Samuel when he was sent to anoint the 2nd King of Israel.

God looks at the inside


When King Saul did not obey the instructions given to him about sacrificing to God and made the sacrifice himself instead of waiting on Samuel, God became displeased with Saul and rejected him as king of Israel. So God sent Samuel to anoint a new king. God told Samuel to go to the house of Jesse and He would let him know who he was to anoint. Now, Saul is still king so to anoint another king would be treason and Samuel points this out to God. So God tell him to go and make a sacrifice which would give him a reason for going. Upon the arrival of Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the man the Lord has chosen!”

Eliab was the oldest son and from looking at him, he must have looked like a king because Samuel just looks at him and decides that this must be the one. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height, for this is not the one. I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions.”

Asking God to know our thoughts and intentions

So when we pray and ask God to know our heart, we’re asking him to know our deepest thoughts and intentions. Do you have thoughts that you hope no one ever finds out about? What are your intentions or motivation to tithe and attend church? What are the intentions of your heart behind reading your Bible? Is it to put a check in the box on your daily plan or is to know and understand the heart of God a little bit more? What are the intentions of your heart behind your prayers? Is about God answering your every prayer or is about getting to listen to God speak to you and a time a worship and adoration?

Those thoughts and intentions – God already knows them. But when we ask Him to know our hearts, its like asking Him to reveal those things to us and bring them out in the open so we can repent of sinful thoughts and intentions.

The heart is deceitful

Another reason we ask God to know our heart is because the heart is deceitful. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, ” The heart is the most deceitful thing there is and desperately wicked. No one can really know how bad it is!” We can go all the way to the Garden of Eden to see how the heart deceives and we follow it willingly straight into sin. Yes, Satan tempted Eve and she ate of the forbidden fruit, but in Genesis 3:6, we find the workings of Eve’s heart that catapulted her and the entire human race into sin. “The woman was convinced. How lovely and fresh looking it was! And it would make her so wise!” Since that time, our heart continually deceives us and we, just like Eve, follow after it, right into sin.

Today’s Revival Prayer

Father, we ask you to know our hearts. Help us to see ourselves as you see us. Remove the blinders we place on ourselves that cause us to believe “I’m not that bad,” and show our thoughts and intentions that do not honor you. Help us to be honest with you about what you reveal. Break our heart for what breaks yours and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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Returning to the shop this week from last year’s fall collection:

Give Thanks

Our Fall Designs

Yes! We have Christmas designs, too!

There are only 8 weeks to Christmas. Order your holiday shirts now and pick up a few items for your holiday shopping list.

Here are some of our favorite designs:

  • Revive Us Again, Lord

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
  • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
  • Romance Builders
  • Relationship Builders
  • Personal reflections
  • Date ideas
  • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

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 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

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Everything Christian for less!

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

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Prayers for Revival: Search Me, O God

by Julia Bruce
CEO & Keynote speaker

Why ask God to “Search Me?”

King Saul accused David of treason and he accused David of not being faithful to God. David, like the rest of us, knew that from time to time his motives were not always right, so in Psalm 139:23, he asks God, ” Search me, and know my heart.” He wanted God to examine his intent – to be sure that there was nothing offensive within him.

God is omniscient – He knows everything, including our thoughts, motivations, and all the things about us that we think we keep a secret. So why pray for God to search our heart? It isn’t for God to discover the offensive things within us. He already knows them. The answer is found in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” The reason I ask God to “search me” is to reveal to me the offensive things that my deceitful heart is keeping me from having a right relationship with God.

A deceitful heart

We can easily fool ourselves into thinking, “I’m not that bad.” We make up excuses for why it is okay for us to do something we shouldn’t. Or we compare ourselves to others who sin more than we do. And we rationalize why it is okay “this time.” At the end of the day, we fall for the lies that our deceitful heart tell us because we think those lies will bring us happiness.

Eve thought eating the forbidden fruit would make her happy. Cain thought killing Abel would make him happy. Joseph’s brother’s thought selling him into slavery would make them happy. Samson thought marrying a Philistine woman would make him happy. David thought sleeping with another man’s wife would make him happy. Solomon had 999 wives and thought each one would make him happy and when they didn’t, he thought #1,000 would be “the one.” The rich young ruler thought his wealth would make him happy. And Judas thought 30 pieces of silver would make him happy. But what all these people had in common was the same lie from their deceitful hearts.

The heart still deceives

Today is no different. The heart has been deceiving us from the Garden of Eden and it still deceives us today. We see it when a woman becomes frustrated after 25 years of marriage because he husband ignores her – so she reconnects with a high school boyfriend, begins an affair, and then divorces her husband.

It is in the college student that grew up in church and was taught how to live for Christ but then leaves those teachings behind to live like the rest of the world.

We see it in dating couples who choose to ignore God’s commands regarding sex before marriage and move in together before the wedding.

It is in the employee who takes company property or is dishonest in the time they claim they worked.

It is in the senior adult who says it is ok to just sit back in the pew because they are “too old” to serve God anymore.

There are countless other ways we can see how the heart deceives us everyday.

Search Me, O God

If we want to see a revival, we need to fall on our knees and with a sincere desire to know the areas where we have been deceived by our wicked hearts, ask God to search our hearts to see if there is any wicked ways within us. But be forewarned! Praying this prayer will bring conviction. God will expect you to make the needed course corrections. It will require you to see yourself in the way God sees you.

You are not likely to like what God reveals to you. But when He does, you will then need the humility to admit your sins and to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy. Then you will need the courage to apply the necessary changes in your life. As the Holy Spirit works within you to transform you into the image of Christ, revival will begin in your heart.

Are you willing to spend time alone with God and ask Him to search your heart and show you the offensive ways that your deceitful heart has been hiding from you?

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