It would be easy to allow the war in Iran distract us from the horrific persecution going on elsewhere in the world, but let’s not allow that to happen. Our adversary is still busy all over the globe killing, stealing, and destroying. Because he knows his time is short.
Pray for our brothers and sisters who are being relentlessly persecuted for their faith in our Lord, and do what you can to help.
Nigeria
Over 50,000 Christians killed since 2009, new report finds
A Nigerian rights group (Intersociety) reports that 52,250 Christians have been murdered since the Boko Haram insurgency began, with 18,000 churches and 2,200 schools burned. The violence continues into 2026 with over 1,000 Christians killed this year alone.
UK lawmakers warn of “persistent and entrenched” anti‑Christian violence
British MPs echoed U.S. concerns, noting that more Christians are killed in Nigeria each year than in all other countries combined. The debate highlighted killings, kidnappings, and legal suppression targeting Christians.
China
China intensifies crackdown on underground churches
China has escalated arrests of pastors and Christian lawyers, including revoking legal licenses for those defending persecuted believers. At least 18 members of Zion Church are detained, with experts warning the crackdown is now a national security priority for the CCP.
North Korea
Under Kim Jong Un’s renewed term, religious freedom worsens
North Korea continues to be the world’s most dangerous place for Christians. Open evangelism is impossible, and Christian radio broadcasts into the country have dropped by 80%, further isolating believers who already face imprisonment or execution if discovered.
Captain Elias set out across the open sea with a heart full of purpose. Ever since he was young, he dreamed of exploring uncharted waters, mapping hidden islands, and discovering new wonders that could help sailors travel safely. His ship, The Northwind, carried tools, journals, and a crew who believed in the mission. Every sunrise felt like a fresh invitation from the ocean itself. Elias wasn’t chasing treasure—he was chasing understanding. And with every mile, he felt more certain that his journey mattered, not just for himself but for everyone who would follow the maps he created.
Not far behind him sailed a very different kind of captain—a pirate named Brack. Brack didn’t care about discovery or helping anyone. He wanted gold, power, and fear. His ship, The Black Fang, cut through the waves like a hungry shark, always searching for someone weaker to take from. While Elias studied the stars and currents, Brack studied opportunities to grab whatever he could.
Set Sail
When sailing the seas of your life, it’s important to have goals—but what’s more important is to combine your values with your goals. Being a successful thieving pirate is as much a goal as being a successful explorer—but there’s a difference, isn’t there?
What you do isn’t as important as who you are while you’re doing it. So definitely set some long‑range and short‑term goals for your life, but keep in mind that those goals may change over time.
The kind of person you choose to be should remain at the center of all of your goals and achievements in life. Don’t be Pirate Brack; be Explorer Elias.
Have A Guiding Mission
Write out a short mission statement for yourself and refer to it often, every day is best. Your mission statement will be your compass as you sail the sea of life. It will keep you focused on the kind of person you work to become.
Here’s mine. Yours will be yours alone, so this is just an example:
To live in the presence of God, to bear His image to the world around me, and to add value to His creation.
To do my best to follow the example of Jesus Christ in character and action, to look every day for His return and the resurrection of the dead, the rescue of creation, and our glorious eternal life together with Him and His people.
To never stop learning, exploring, and developing myself in skill and wisdom.
To do hard things.
To question and challenge the comfortable status quo, starting with myself.
To wage war against darkness, hopelessness, and nihilism.
To help others in my family, faith, and community to have great hope, be well taken care of, secure, inspired, and challenged.
“In Esther we see how God governs the events of the world in secret, guiding all things to His appointed end, even when His name is not mentioned.”
Charles Spurgeon
“The Book of Esther is a record of wonders without the miracle; God is everywhere present, yet nowhere visible.”
Matthew Henry
“Though the name of God be not in Esther, the finger of God is; His care for His people shines in every turn of the story.”
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
“Esther teaches that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision that something else is more important. In her, we see how one life, lived faithfully, can change the destiny of a people.”
The more I look at life and the world all around us, the more crystal clear it becomes to me that none of this is by chance. God’s fingerprints are all over His creation—visible to all who choose to open their eyes.
This world isn’t a confusing mix of random, scattered coincidences. There’s a grand purpose, and we’re moving toward a definite conclusion.
Like a bus moving down the road, get on board, find the seat with your name on it, and play your part in the journey.
Luke chapter 2 recounts when Jesus was twelve years old and traveled with His family to Jerusalem for Passover—something they did every year. But this time was different. When the group started heading home, Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was with relatives. After a full day of traveling, they realized He was missing.
They rushed back to Jerusalem and searched for Him everywhere. Finally, they found Him in the Temple, calmly sitting with the teachers, asking questions, answering theirs, and amazing everyone with His understanding. When His parents asked why He had stayed behind, Jesus said something both simple and huge: “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”
About Your Father’s Business
Jesus started at twelve years old by learning the Scriptures, by being curious, by putting God first, and by daring to push the limits in order to understand the deeper things of God and life.
Make your heavenly Father’s business your business, and follow the example of Jesus. Jesus showed us what God’s business is.
2 Corinthians 5:19a God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself…
God’s business plan is to bring His creation and His people all the way back to Him, and Jesus kept busy doing exactly that. Wherever He went He taught people about God’s love and purposes. He healed the sick, forgave sinners, fed the hungry, shined light in darkness, and brought hope to the poor and needy.
Grow, Learn, Develop
Even though Jesus knew His Father’s business early in His life, He didn’t stay in the Temple forever, He went back home with Mary and Joseph and obeyed them, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” That means Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.
He learned and developed character and wisdom. If you want to know what you are supposed to be doing in your own life, remember these two things;
Your calling and purpose in life are not about what you do; they’re about what kind of person you choose to be.
As you continue to learn, grow, and develop in the knowledge of God and the world around you amazing paths will open up for you.
Next, we’ll talk more about rumbling through the world.
Callum had been saving his allowance for weeks, tucking away each crumpled dollar with the quiet excitement of a kid who finally felt old enough to make his own choices. He’d planned to split it in half—keep some, give some—maybe to one of those charities for people in faraway countries he saw on TV. But when the first big March snowstorm hit and he saw Mrs. Halvorson’s walkway buried under a heavy drift, the idea came to him as naturally as breathing. She was nearly eighty, lived alone, and always waved to him from her window. Helping her felt like the right place for his “give‑away” half to go.
So Callum marched into the hardware store, allowance clutched in his mittened hand, and bought a brand‑new snow shovel—bright red, sturdy, and just his size. That afternoon he trudged across the street and started clearing Mrs. Halvorson’s walk, pushing the snow aside in long, determined sweeps. When she opened the door to thank him, Callum just grinned and said he was putting his savings to good use.
The second part of the Great Commandment, after loving God completely, is to love your neighbor as yourself. What does that mean, and how do you do that?
Who is your neighbor? Well, your neighbors are those close to you—people you see every day, your family, and your community.
The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
It’s the same as saying, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Golden Rule.
Try some of these ideas in your daily life to practice loving and giving to others.
First thing in the morning, think of one nice thing you’re going to do for someone you see every day, and then do it.
Pray for a growing heart to love others, not a growing bank account. Pray for a shiny new heart, not a shiny new car.
Let someone else get in front of you in line if they need to.
Smile at folks, even if you don’t feel like it.
Listen more than you talk; that’s why God gave you two ears and only one mouth.
Tell your mom and dad, and your sister and brother how much you love and appreciate them.
Shovel snow off your elderly neighbor’s sidewalk.
Kindness and Forgiveness
To love your neighbor as yourself can be hard sometimes, but it’s always simple. The Apostle Paul puts it clearly in his letter to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Love God completely and treat others as you would like them to treat you. This is the not-so-secret key to plugging into God’s forever plan right now.
Four interesting quotes from about the Old Testament Book of Nehemiah:
Charles Spurgeon
“Nehemiah teaches us that when God calls a man to build, no opposition can finally prevail against him, for prayer and perseverance are stronger than all the enemies of the wall.”
Matthew Henry
“The success of Nehemiah’s work was owing more to his piety than to his policy; he prayed over all, and then set his hand to the work.”
F. B. Meyer
“Nehemiah shows what God can do through one consecrated soul who feels the burden of His people and will not rest until the ruins are rebuilt.”
Derek Kidner
“Nehemiah’s story is a reminder that renewal requires courage, vigilance, and above all a heart aligned with the purposes of God.”
Thomas Cole – The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
So, how do you love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind? What does that mean?
Heart Love God from the center of who you are, not just with emotions, but with your decisions and heartfelt goals.
Soul Love God with what makes you you—with your whole life, not just one part of it on Sundays at church.
Mind Love God with your thoughts, your attention, and the way you think deeply about the world around you.
Love Is Action
Here are some things to do daily to put love for God into action.
Pray. Start every day by talking to your Heavenly Father and listening as He talks to you.
Tell God the desires of your heart; you must speak your desires before God. You must speak them.
Read and study God’s Word. God has revealed Himself, His endless love, and His grand plan in the Bible. It also tells us how we are to obey His will for us so that we will live the awesome lives He desires for us.
Praying and reading the Word of God put you in His presence, and when you’re in His presence, your heart, soul, and mind will worship Him and praise His glorious works.
Be aware during the day that you live your life before God, not just other people.
Make these love actions habits in your daily life, and you will see how putting yourself into God’s heart will make your life a wondrous dream come true.
Now, how do we do the second part of the Great Commandment? That’s next.
Taking everything we’ve learned so far in our journey into “Your Life And What Comes After: Plugging Into God’s Forever Plan Now,” let’s start zeroing in on what you can do today—and every day—to live a fantastic life that is pleasing to God and helps you find your perfect, special place in God’s grand plan.
The best recipe for tapping into God’s purposes and living our best lives the way we’re meant to is found in the Great Commandment in Matthew chapter 22.
Jesus Hits a Homerun
Right before Jesus gives the Great Commandment, the religious leaders are basically tag‑teaming to trip Him up. They try a trick question about paying taxes, and Jesus answers so cleanly that they back off. Then they jump in with a wild question about marriage in the resurrection, and Jesus shuts that down too. At this point, everyone who tried to trap Him has struck out in front of the crowd.
So they huddle up again and send in one of their “experts” to ask what they think is the perfect trap: “Which commandment is the greatest?” They’re hoping He’ll pick the wrong one. Instead, Jesus cuts through all their debates with a perfect, simple answer:
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
That’s the Great Commandment—love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.
And that’s our North Star for plugging into God’s grand plan. It doesn’t mean you have to be churchy and religious all the time. But what does it mean, and how do we actually live it out?
When he was a young clerk J.C. Penney worked in a small Colorado dry-goods store, he wasn’t given any special authority or status. But he consistently showed up early, treated every customer with unusual respect, and took personal responsibility for even the smallest tasks. His reliability stood out so much that the store’s owners trusted him with ordering inventory, managing accounts, and eventually running the entire operation whenever they were away. His steady character—not flash or ambition—proved he could be trusted with more.
That faithfulness paid off. The owners later invited Penney to become a partner in a new store, giving him far more responsibility than he had ever held before. He poured the same diligence into that opportunity, and it eventually grew into the nationwide J.C. Penney Company. His rise wasn’t sudden or glamorous—it was the natural reward for someone who quietly proved his worth day after day until greater responsibility became the obvious next step.
The Apostle Paul says something a little surprising in his second letter to the believers in Corinth: followers of Jesus will one day appear before His judgment seat.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
This isn’t to judge whether or not the believer is saved. That judgment was already made when Jesus took our place on the cross, God raised Him from the dead, and we believed in that resurrection and confessed Christ as our Lord.
The judgment seat talked about here is the one where the faithful receive their assignments in the world to come based on the good works we did for Him in our lives.
Echoes In Eternity
Our words and actions now will follow us into God’s heaven-on-earth, and when each of us appears before Jesus Christ, He will decide who can be entrusted with which responsibilities as His rule reaches over the whole new and glorious world.
We will have jobs to do in that new world. What an amazing and wonderful eternity God has in store for us! No more death, sickness, pain, or evil.
Nothing done in our lives is meaningless; it all follows us into an endless eternity in an endless universe with the job of keeping God’s creation running and in good order, where we will once again be the full, shining bearers of God’s image.
Earning Some Crowns
The Bible also tells us about our coming rewards and responsibilities and describes them as crowns.
There is the crown of righteousness for those who love Christ’s appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
A crown of life is promised to those who love the Lord and patiently endure the troubles of life.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
A crown of glory is given to faithful shepherds of God’s people.
1 Peter 5:3-4 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And an imperishable crown is promised to those who are disciplined and run the marathon of life in faith.
1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
See, God remembers every patient, faithful good work, every resisted temptation, and all of our obedient acts done in love. There is nothing that we do for Him that disappears or is forgotten.
Our rewards and new jobs in God’s heaven-on-earth are real and waiting for us to claim them by what we do in the here-and-now.
