I have wanted to speak on this topic for a long time to you all. The Old Testament is littered with several stories involving the nation of Israel's battling against giants who opposed God's people. These giants represent the great spiritual giants that still exist in this modern day, obstacles propped up by Satan that would hinder God's people. We must adopt the courage of David to conquer these giants and trust in God's empowerment of believers.

Why world missions? Why do we go and reach people in countries less exposed to the gospel? We live in a nation where there is a great abundance of Bible-based churches. The other nations of the world are not as privileged as we are, whether because of government limitation or cultural resistance. I will be travelling soon to the Czech Republic in order to minister to a number of pastors there. I would like to share today on the impact that our work there has and why I believe it is God's plan for us to outreach there.

An election is coming up, which raises questions as to the role of a Christian in a society governed by a government. Are we to be activists or to be separate? The Bible has answers as to the Christian's appropriate response to decisions from their government that they agree or disagree with. This election is especially important and thus it is essential that believers be informed on how God would desire that we find our place in the civic and national systems.

From a Christian perspective, not being conformed to the world means rejecting the values and behaviors that contradict God's will. Romans 12:1-2 urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, as an act of worship. It calls Christians to renew their minds and not follow the patterns of the world, which are often driven by selfishness, materialism, and sin. Instead, through transformation, believers are to discern and pursue what is good, pleasing, and perfect according to God's will. This transformation is a lifelong process of becoming more like Christ, standing apart from worldly influences.

Jesus has simple words on giving: "Give, and it will be given back to you." It is important for the Christian to view giving as an exciting opportunity, as God has great rewards for the generous. The Bible describes a proportional relationship between the amount we give and what we receive back. Therefore it is important to examine your attitude and perception of giving and ensure that you are cultivating a giving spirit within yourself rather than a stingy spirit.

When Jesus was on the earth, the most common way he talked was with parables. He would use these story tools to parallel a physical truth to a spiritual one. One parable Jesus told was given great importance by Jesus, as he described it as being the keystone to understanding the kingdom of God. This is the parable of the sower. We are all familiar with this story and the description of different ground types' reception to seed being cast. Each of these examples describe the way in which the gospel may be received by listeners. We should strive to be the receptive soil that earnestly hears God's word and prospers.

Psalm 100 tells us to enter into God's gates with thanksgiving. The Bible's command to the believer is to be thankful for what God has done with us. An attitude of thanksgiving is not only the right attitude to have toward your creator but also something that will change your entire outlook on life and make your day so much better.

This month is a transitional month. Summer is ending, and autumn is upon us. Similarly, our life is full of transition periods, where we are needing to switch from our current state to what God has planned for us next. In other times, God may be wanting us to stay planted and dig in with endurance. It is important to exercise trust in God and patience in following his best plans for us.