Heartfelt Conversations and Not Losing Heart – Purity 1847
Purity 1847 12/23/2025 Purity 1847 Audio Podcast
Purity 1847 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of the light of a late afternoon sunset illuminating the sky and the waters of where the Hudson River becomes the Schodack Creek, across from the double-lined expanse of State Route 9J, comes to us from yours truly as I purposely paused to appreciate the moment and the view when I returned home at the end of the work day yesterday.
Well, it’s “Christmas Eve Eve”, y’all, and as we busy ourselves with making last-minute preparations for our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Celebrations, let me encourage us all to also remember to prepare our hearts to rejoice over the reason for the season and to offer the hope that we have in Christ alone.
When I look at today’s photo, I’m reminded of the somewhat melancholy theme song from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and the mixed feelings the holiday season can bring to our doorsteps. Maybe its just the fact that Charlie Brown confides in Linus about his feelings of depression at the beginning of that Christmas classic that makes me think that “Christmas Time is Here” by Vince Guaraldi is particularly depressing, but as I think about that holiday classic and the realities its brings to light about “the most wonderful time of the year”, I can’t help but applaud the boldness of Charles Schultz to bring up the issues mental health concerns, materialism, life’s meaning and true spirituality in a “children’s show”, right?
That heartfelt, honest dialogue that Charlie Brown and Linus Van Pelt have throughout the story’s narrative should cause us to want to be as authentic with our friends and family as these children. They are honest in confessing their feelings, hopes, and confusions about Christmas and Life and I think it is fitting that the whole story, where everything is frustrating and going wrong, turns on a dime when the real meaning of Christmas is presented. Christmas is all about Jesus and the transcendent hope and peace that He brings to those who put their faith in Him. Linus reminded his friends about what really mattered in life, and they all came away filled with joy. And I hope that in the midst of all the holiday hoopla, we can do the same for our friends and family.
Yesterday, I had a client tell a story about a childhood friend who he had recently reconnected with, who took a few wrong paths through life, resulting in addiction, divorce, and overall brokenness. The reason the two were able to reconnect is that the wayward friend’s father died. My client explained how, in their youth, he spent a lot of time with his wayward friend and their family and how the loss of their friend’s dad was a significant blow for them and their friend’s entire family. Upon hearing the bad news, my client reached out to others to get the cell number of his friend so he could express his grief and offer his support. His old friend expressed his deep appreciation for his kind words and promised to reconnect when the dust settled. My client is hoping that he will be able to come alongside his grieving “prodigal” friend to possibly offer him encouragement through his Christian faith. It is my prayer that the Lord will use their subsequent conversation to open a door to healing and hope.
The greatest gift we can give to people this Christmas is our presence (to listen and to be there for people, wherever they are at) and to give them the hope of making peace with God and finding a better way through life through faith in Jesus.
Jesus is the hope and the light of the world, and when we encourage people to look in His direction for answers, the Lord can do amazing things to help. When we encourage others to humble themselves and to ask God for help, we can be confident that their heartfelt prayers will be answered.
Speaking of prayer, the Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah devotion for today addresses that topic, and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage us all to pray always. Dr. David Jeremiah writes:
“DON’T LOSE HEART
Then [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. – Luke 18:1
When Jesus described the events preceding the end of the age, His language likely invoked fear in the disciples (Luke 17:20-37). But then He spoke a parable designed to encourage the disciples to pray always and not give up (Luke 18:1-8). He concluded the parable by exhorting them to be faithful (to pray) as they await the Son of Man’s coming.
We often pray when we face difficulty, whether on a universal or personal scale. That was the situation faced by a first-century priest in Jerusalem, Zacharias, and his wife, Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-23). They were advanced in years and had prayed for a long time for a child. An angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias and announced that their prayers would be answered. They would have a son, to be named John, who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. God answered their prayers in His own time and for His own purpose. It was good that Zacharias and Elizabeth did not give up praying.
If you are asking God for something, do not lose heart. God has heard your prayer and will answer in His time.” – David Jeremiah
Mature faith does not live by answers to prayer, but by prayer. – R. E. O. White
Amen. A big misconception about prayer is that it is just us presenting God with our “wish list”.
While we are directed to pray for the things we need and the desires of our hearts, we need to understand that God seeks to help us by our coming into alignment with His wisdom and will for our lives.
A good father doesn’t just give his children everything they ask for. A good father seeks to show his children what is right and good and provides the things His children NEED to learn and grow.
So when we pray – let’s remember that God is all knowing and everywhere present – so He knows what you are going through and knows the best way to navigate through it – with Him and according to His wisdom.
So as much as we want to petition the Lord with prayer, let’s not forget to seek His comfort, love, and guidance too.
God wants to reveal to you the way you should go, so talk to Him in prayer, seek His wisdom in His word, and make the commitment to follow Him for the rest of your days.
God is with us but we need to seek His presence and wisdom as much as His blessings.
Let prayer be your active conversation with God, and follow the instruction to pray always and not lose hope.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling By John G. Kruis on Amazon )
This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Prayer – Waiting On the Lord.
Proverbs 3:5–6 (NASB) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Today’s verses fall under the fifteenth point of our counseling reference guide resource section on Prayer.
15. In all your ways acknowledge the Lord.
Today’s Bible verses promises that when we trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him, He will make our paths straight.
The heart of Christian Life Coaching is essentially telling people to imitate Jesus. Jesus prayed often, did what was right, was kind to others, and told people the hard truths about the wrong ways they thought and lived.
Trusting in the Lord will make our paths straight because, unfortunately, when we lean on our own understanding, we forge a crooked path built on selfish desires and ignorance.
So seek the Lord and try to accept that His ways are best, and the sooner you walk in His ways, the sooner things will straighten out.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today, we continue sharing from “Day by Day Along the Way” By Jay E. Adams.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Adams’ books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 346
… Paul, knowing that one part was Sadducees and the other was Pharisees … – Acts 23:6
Paul knew the Sanhedrin all too well. He could not get a fair hearing, and they no longer had any authority from God. So, he threw the golden apple before them. He shouted that he was being accused because of belief in the resurrection (a truth—he consistently taught Jesus’ resurrection). This infuriated the Sadducees who did not believe in a resurrection, let alone Jesus’ resurrection. On the other hand, the Pharisees, in opposition, taught a resurrection from the dead. So, the gathering was thrown into confusion. Things became so violent that the commander had to remove Paul from them. Unsaved people fight each other violently—a sign of their spiritual condition. Let not the same be said of you. And, of course, here we also see the wisdom of the Spirit at work inspiring Paul’s words. Clever, right? Rather than an act of subterfuge on Paul’s part, we see here an apostle acting under the power of the Holy Spirit to speak as he did.[1]
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[1] Jay E. Adams, Day by Day along the Way (Cordova, TN: Institute for Nouthetic Studies, 2020), 354.
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