Faith and Trust - Identifying with Christ

This August, we will be introducing a four-part series titled ‘Identifying With Christ.’ We will be focusing not only on what it looks like to follow Jesus, but also on the actions we must take to live our lives in the identity of Christ. 

But before we can choose to identify with Christ (because it is a choice), we must identify where our foundations of faith lie.. Do we believe that the gospel message is alive and active today? And if so, how can our lives reflect the Gospel?... by our faith! Faith is found in our belief in Jesus, that He is alive and active today! Faith is the foundation of trusting in Him. So when we can stand rooted in the gospel, our faith will flourish, being our backbone to trust Him. 

Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (NIV Bible). Confident faith allows us to walk in the fulfillment of the Lord's grace and promises and know that it will come to fruition. Need proof? Go read Hebrews 11! It is full of promises kept because of faith. As we practice continual faith, our trust in Jesus will grow. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV Bible). This verse also reminds us that constant reliance and submission are necessary to have a trusting relationship with the Lord. 

Setting your trust in Christ will allow you to walk in your God given identity of loved, chosen, redeemed, and valued as a son or daughter of the Most High God! When we live this identity, it will allow us to turn away from our sinful nature and stop finding our worth in what the world has to offer. Instead, our faith and trust in the Lord will bring us confidence in our relationship with Christ!

I will leave you with this: Isaiah 26:3-4 says, You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” (NIV Bible).  Glory be to God!

What is The Rapture?

What Is the Rapture?

The word rapture isn’t found in most English Bibles, but it comes from the Latin word rapturo, which means “to seize” or “to snatch away.” It refers to a future moment when Jesus will suddenly catch away His faithful followers to meet Him in the air. This event is a promise of hope for believers who long for His return. Jesus Christ is coming back again!

Three key scriptures describe the rapture:

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (ESV) – “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

2. John 14:2-3 – Jesus comforts His disciples saying, “I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and will take you to myself.”

3. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed… the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

Who will be part of the rapture? Scripture is clear: those who are “in Christ”—born-again believers who live by faith and walk in the Spirit—will be caught up. Jesus is coming for His Church, described in Ephesians 5:27 as a “glorious church… without spot or wrinkle.”

The rapture is not to be feared but embraced. It’s the moment when Christ returns not in judgment, but in joyful gathering. Are you watching and ready for His return?

Don’t Bury Your Talents—Grow Them for God’s Glory

In Matthew 25:14–30, Jesus shares the Parable of the Talents. A master entrusts his servants with talents (a form of currency, but symbolically representing abilities or opportunities). Two servants invest what they were given and return double. The third, however, buries his talent out of fear and returns nothing but excuses. The master commends the faithful servants and harshly rebukes the one who hid his gift.

This parable carries a powerful message: don’t sit on what God has given you. Whether it’s your gifts, time, opportunities, or even your testimony, God expects you to invest, multiply, and grow what He’s entrusted to you.

Your talents aren’t just for you; they are tools for the Kingdom. The ability to teach, encourage, serve, lead, or create—these are not to be buried in fear or laziness, but developed with faith and purpose.

More importantly, don’t bury your salvation. If you’ve received Jesus, don’t hide that light. Share it. Live it out daily. Grow in intimacy with God through prayer, the Word, and obedience. Salvation is not a finish line—it’s a starting point. Walk it out boldly. As Philippians 2:12 says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

Jesus is returning. When He does, may He find us faithful, not with hidden treasure, but with multiplied lives, talents, and testimonies for His glory.

Don’t bury what God gave you. Steward it. Share it. And let it grow.

Bold Prayer

This past February, my friend Raegan was volunteering with a missions company called IRIS Global. She and the team were evangelizing in a remote desert village in the state of Piauí, Brazil. On the third day there, she got to go into a desert village from house to house, praying and sharing the gospel. The team spoke different languages, so an interpreter was used to translate what the missionaries were saying.

       In the village, there was a household that had four generations of a family living inside. Raegan and the team she was with asked if it was okay to take a seat in the family’s yard and visit. The team asked who the villagers were, their stories, and their beliefs. The believers in this house were generationally catholic. But, had never experienced the presence of Jesus or heard of the Holy Spirit. 

      The team there prompted Raegan to share the gospel (which was something that was already stirring in her spirit to do). She got to share the gospel message and who the Holy Spirit is. The family explained that they had never seen or heard of the works of the Holy Spirit; they were very interested to hear of who Jesus and the Holy Spirit were to them. 

      The Holy Spirit prompted Raegan’s attention to the second-generation woman. This woman’s name was Mary. Her spirit was timid and nervous, but the people around her could tell she had a desire to encounter the Holy Spirit. Raegan asked Mary what she needed prayer for, and the woman needed healing in her hands. Raegan got to step out in Faith and bravery and speak about the healing that took place in her own body. Raeagn asked if Mary believed in the gospel message that was preached. If she believed in the Holy Spirit, the woman could receive healing.

      So, Raegan knelt and began praying for this woman. She shared John 13, where Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. How Jesus became a servant, not only for the atonement of humanity, but he healing and restoration of all people. Raegan prayed over just healing in her hands, but also her feet. And the woman was fully healed in her hands, and all pain in her feet as well. 

      This is the first time Raegan had ever witnessed healing in others. Her faith in Jesus allowed her to step out in bravery and boldness to pray over this lady for healing, but also to fully receive the Holy Spirit, and she did!