One of the greatest misconceptions many Christians have is that they spend their lives trying to get God’s attention. We pray harder, strive more, and wonder if He sees us or even cares about what we’re facing. But Scripture paints a completely different picture. God told His people, “For I know the plans I have for you… plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) David went even further when he wrote that God’s thoughts toward us are so vast they cannot be counted—they are more than the sand (Psalm 139:17-18). Think about that for a moment. You are not an afterthought to God. You are not overlooked. You are not forgotten. Long before anyone else noticed David, God saw him. While others looked at outward appearance, God was looking at David’s heart. Before David ever stood before Goliath or sat on Israel’s throne, God already had a purpose for his life. The same is true for you. God isn’t waiting to decide whether He loves you or has a plan for your life. His heart has already been turned toward you. The Holy Spirit was given so we could know the thoughts and heart of God, and as we surrender to Him, our minds are renewed as we begin thinking His thoughts instead of the world’s. This changes the way we pray. We stop praying to get God’s attention and begin praying from the confidence that He already knows us, loves us, and desires to reveal His heart to us. 🎥 Watch the full teaching HERE Reflection Take a few quiet moments today and ask the Holy Spirit: “Lord, what do You want me to know about the way You see me?” Then spend a few minutes in Scripture, allowing His Word—not your circumstances—to shape your thoughts. We’d love to hear what Scripture or truth the Lord highlights to you as you spend time with Him.

Impact Family, there is a question in this week’s devotional that is worth sitting with for a little while: How close do you want to be to God? James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” There were multitudes around Jesus. There were desperate people who pushed through those crowds to receive a miracle. There were disciples who left everything to follow Him. Then there were those who walked so closely with Jesus that He trusted them with moments others never experienced. They were all near Jesus, but they did not all know Him in the same way. That challenges us. It is possible to love God and still become satisfied with the distance we have allowed between us and Him. We can receive from Him, attend church, read His Word, and genuinely believe, while there is still a deeper place of relationship He is inviting us into. The beautiful truth is that God is not withholding Himself from us. He has already given the invitation to come closer. As we grow as a family, we never want our goal to simply be learning more about God. We want everything we study to draw us into actually knowing Him more. THIS WEEK’S DEVOTIONAL walks through the different people who surrounded Jesus and asks us to consider where we are in our own relationship with Him. Take some time today to read the new devotional, but don’t rush past the question at the heart of it. Ask yourself where you have been content to remain with Jesus, and where He may be inviting you to come closer. Then choose one practical way to make room for that deeper relationship this week. There is always more of Him to know. ❤️

Over the next several weeks, we’re going to walk through a study called Are You A Christian? At first glance, that may seem like a strange title for a community of believers. Many of us have followed Jesus for years. Others have only recently begun their walk with Him. Regardless of where you are in your journey, there is great value in regularly examining our hearts in the light of God’s Word. Scripture encourages us to test ourselves, not to produce fear or uncertainty, but to make sure our faith is genuine and our lives are continuing to reflect Christ. The goal isn’t condemnation. The goal is transformation. As we work through this study together, we encourage you to approach each chapter with humility and an open heart. Resist the temptation to think about someone else while you’re reading. Instead, invite the Holy Spirit to search your own life. Allow the Word of God to strengthen what is healthy, correct what is out of alignment, and deepen your relationship with Jesus. Before we begin Chapter 1, take a few quiet moments in prayer. Ask the Lord to reveal anything He wants to teach you through this study, and commit to following wherever His Word leads. We believe He honors hearts that sincerely desire to know Him more deeply.

It is never too late for your lost loved ones to have an encounter with Jesus. Matthew 27:44 says, “In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.” But then, in Luke 23:39–43, we see something else. One of the criminals continues to mock Jesus, but the other rebukes him and says, “Don’t you fear God?” He acknowledges that they are being punished justly, but that Jesus has done nothing wrong. Then he looks at Jesus and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus answers him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Matthew tells us that both criminals were insulting Jesus, yet Luke shows us that one of them had changed. What happened? We don’t know. The Bible doesn’t tell us. But somewhere in those moments hanging on the cross next to Jesus, something changed. He received a revelation who Jesus truly was. He believed, he turned to Him, and Jesus gave him the promise of heaven. If it was not too late for him, a thief hanging on a cross for his crimes, who is it too late for? I’ve heard it said, “it wouldn’t have taken anything more for Adolf Hitler to get saved than us. All we have to do is believe, confess, and surrender! Maybe some of us have been praying for a loved one’s salvation for so long that we’ve started to believe they are simply too far gone. Maybe we’ve looked at their choices, their past, or how long we’ve been praying and thought, There’s no way they’ll ever change. IT IS NOT TOO LATE. Don’t give up. Keep praying. Keep believing! Pray that the conviction of the Lord would come upon them and that their hearts would be opened to Jesus. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” There is power in your prayers. God, I thank You that You are bringing prodigals home. I thank You that Your Word says the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me, and that You can bring anyone from death to life, naturally and spiritually. Jesus, You were a Savior yesterday, You are a Savior today, and You will be a Savior forever. Thank You for bringing lost loved ones home. Amen.

Bible prophecy has become one of the most debated subjects in the church, but it was never meant to create fear or confusion. God gave us His Word so we could know Him more deeply, recognize the times we live in, and live with confidence as we look forward to Christ’s return. Take a careful look at one of the questions many believers have wrestled with for years: Are the Rapture and the Second Coming the same event? Rather than relying on opinions or popular teaching, the goal must be to let Scripture speak for itself and examine what the Bible actually says. As you watch THIS VIDEO, keep your Bible open and take your time with the passages being discussed. Don’t simply settle for what you’ve always heard. Let the Word of God shape your understanding and strengthen your faith. After you’ve gone through the teaching, come back and share what stood out to you or what the Lord showed you through His Word. We always love seeing how God is speaking to our Impact family as we continue growing together.