Greetings, friends!

How many of you chose a word to focus on this year? Mine is Amen! When I shout Amen, I’m putting my faithstamp on the behind-the-scenes redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m proclaiming out loud that I’ve put my complete trust in my Redeemer, Savior, and Lord. Even when I can’t see what He’s up to, I can still trust Him to fulfill His promise of completing the work He’s doing in the world and in the lives of those who belong to Him. The more established my faith, the stronger my Amen!

Words is the theme of this issue of Living Real Magazine. Words are powerful tools—tools that either build up or tear down. The tongue, the stroke of a pen, or the stroke of a keyboard can do great harm or great good. There’s only one word, though, that never wavers in its sacred duty—the Word of God.

God’s Word is absolute Truth. It’s the only Truth that has and will continue to stand the test of time. No matter how we abuse it, twist it, ignore it, or seek to destroy it, the Word of God will last forever.

As you ponder these thoughts, and as you read our oneword titled articles, my prayer is that you will be drawn to the only Word that brings real peace, real hope, real life, real joy, and real stability—Jesus Christ. He is the Word. He is the Way. He is the Truth, and He is the Life. (John 1:1, 14:6)

Followers of Jesus Christ are called to live by God’s holy standards. Holy does not mean perfection, but set-apart for God’s unique purpose. Living our lives according to the very words of God automatically sets us apart from living like the world. Our holy character reveals the character of a holy God. Living holy lives brings glory to God, hope to the hopeless, love to the loveless, and light into the darkness. But we cannot live holy if we consistently make unholy choices. Refusing to follow in God’s ways crushes our witness for Christ, brings on unavoidable consequences, and confuses those seeking after Truth.

The Holy Spirit who dwells within us is our source of power and strength. The Word is our plumbline, and the Holy Spirit helps us navigate through life filled with
uncertainty, pain, trials, and triumphs. The Spirit pricks our hearts when we’re adhering to God’s standards, moving us to act in obedience. The Spirit also convicts our hearts when we veer away from the Word and are acting in
disobedience.

The Christian life is not a garden of fragrant blooms all of the time, but the scent (our words and actions) we emit to the world around us is what either draws people to the Word or pushes them away from the Word—Jesus Christ. How is the Word being manifested through your life today?

Keeping it Real,