The Bible warns of perilous times in the last days when people will love themselves more than God. Are you seeing these signs around you today? Just as we prepare for physical storms, we must prepare spiritually for what's coming. The question isn't whether these prophecies will happen - it's whether you'll be ready. Don't ignore the warnings.

If God measured back to you the same amount of time you give Him, would you be satisfied with His availability during your crises? This challenging question reveals the heart of biblical generosity—it's not just about money, but about the condition of our hearts. What does your spending reveal about what you truly treasure?

The world doesn't hate you because of who you are - they hate you because of who you follow. When Christians face opposition and persecution, it's actually confirmation they're living like Christ. Are you willing to stand for biblical truth even when it's unpopular?

God didn't have to let you wake up this morning, yet we often give Him less attention than our phones. What if the Creator of the universe got more than just Sunday mornings? How would your life change if you made God your first conversation of the day instead of your last resort? Time to stop treating the One who gives you every breath like an afterthought.

Can you lift yourself up by grabbing a bucket handle while standing inside it? Of course not! So why do we think we can carry ourselves spiritually through our own efforts? God's ways are higher than our ways, and He has a better plan for your life than any resolution you could make. Are you ready to stop trying to carry yourself and let God lead you into the new year?

Mary was probably a teenager when God asked her to change the world. She lost her reputation, her friends, and faced a journey that would end in a cold cave. Yet she said yes. What is God asking of you this Christmas that might require the same kind of courageous faith? Are you willing to be His light even when the cost seems too high?

What if the things you treasure most are actually keeping you from receiving God's best gifts? Just like a little girl who refused to give up her fake pearls until she discovered her father had real ones waiting, we often cling to temporary treasures while God patiently waits to give us something infinitely more valuable. This Christmas, what cheap pearls might you need to surrender?

True joy differs from temporary happiness because it comes from our unchanging relationship with God rather than circumstances. When God announced Jesus' birth, He chose humble shepherds - society's outcasts - to receive this incredible news, showing that He values the humble and uses the unlikely. The shepherds responded by sharing the good news despite their low social status, returning to glorify and praise God. We can experience this same lasting joy through spending more time in prayer than complaining, reflecting on God's goodness in creation, and serving others. Satan tries to steal our joy because joyful Christians are effective Christians who bring light into darkness.