Acts - Actions in Christ's Teachings

09/05/2026

𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲
Troy Husted
September 5, 2026

I used to build walls with silver and stone, chasing the wind and calling it my own. I fought so hard for wealth, fame, and glory—convinced that if I just worked a little harder, the hunger would finally stop. But the ledger was always full, and my heart was always empty. The struggle was relentless, a constant cycle of striving that left me exhausted while the world was asleep.

I didn't realize it then, but the Teacher in Ecclesiastes was right: 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺. I was building a kingdom on shifting sand, and the pride of the harvest was all I had to show for it.

Then came 2018. The weight became so unbearable that I was finally crushed. I reached the end of my own strength, and in that moment of total surrender, Jesus rescued me.

As I began to follow Him, it felt like I was finally sitting before the Lord, just as the son in Proverbs sits at the feet of his Father. I listened as He began to teach me the right choice—not the choice of the world, but the path of wisdom. He showed me that "𝘈𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭" (John 15:5).

My identity and purpose underwent a radical shift. I stopped chasing the hollow pursuit of worldly wealth, fame, and glory, and instead began to seek His face. I moved from the exhausting work of building my own kingdom to the profound peace of becoming an offering in the hands of Jesus. I realized that the labor of offering myself to the One—day by day—is exactly what sustains me, providing not just for my needs, but the income to be a genuine blessing to others.

My journey with the Lord has since become a place of true rest. The heavy yoke of my own ambition has been replaced by His promise: "𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵. 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘦... 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵" (Matthew 11:28-30).

I have learned to trust in the truth of Isaiah 40:31, that "𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵."

No more struggling in exhaustion and worry; I am energized and alive in His Spirit. I have found that His labor of love—the work He completed on the cross—outweighs any burden I could ever carry. As Philippians 4:6-7 encourages, I’ve traded my anxiety for His peace, which "𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴."

Looking back over this journey, I see the labor I have been given with new eyes. This season of assignment has been profoundly peaceful and overflowing with grace. Because I now find my rest in Him, I am able to listen for the divine wisdom that provides the peace and comfort needed to complete every task at hand. There is a deep, supernatural satisfaction in knowing that my work is bringing true completion and ease to the lives of the people I serve—and that, to me, is the greatest reward.

As I reflect on the years of toil and the prayers I have poured out, I recognize that this relationship with God has transformed everything into a genuine labor of love. My labor is no longer in vain; it is anchored in His purpose. This is why I wrote the song "𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲"—to serve as a constant reminder of how His teaching brought me to this place of rest. It has given a whole new, holy meaning to Labor Day.

𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘦,
𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦.

My life is now an offering, and I’ve finally found the rest I was working so hard to earn. The work is finished, and by His grace, my life is the work of the One. If you’re feeling the weight of your own striving today, remember: you don’t have to carry it alone. His grace is enough, and in Him, your labor is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

To those of you still carrying the weight of the world: I invite you to come and surrender your striving to Jesus. Sit before Him, open your heart, and let Him rewrite the rhythm of your life. Let Him replace your exhaustion with His strength, and your worry with His perfect peace. You don’t have to earn your worth—you only need to receive His love. Come, find your rest in the One who finished it all.

LABOR OF LOVE
Lyrics written by Troy Husted
Music composed and performed by SUNO

https://suno.com/s/zPO3Gtzjr83D3qQ8

Acts - Actions in Christ's Teachings New Beginnings Worldwide Mission - IMUS Risen Flint

08/30/2026

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁
Troy Husted
August 30, 2026

Like a Father who never sleeps, God does not just watch over our path; He provides the very bread for our souls. His manna is not merely a morning provision—it is the daily reminder that we are sustained not by our own strength, but by the constant, tender care of the One who calls us His own.

There is a profound beauty in knowing that our Father knows exactly what we need before we even ask. Just as He rained down manna to sustain His children in the wilderness, He pours out His grace today to sustain our weary hearts, proving that His love is the only nourishment that truly satisfies. He is the Father who meets us in our desert places; He does not leave us to hunger, but provides the manna of His presence—a daily, miraculous supply that reminds us we are held, fed, and deeply loved."

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲

This manna is more than physical provision; it is the living Word of God. Just as manna sustained the Israelites, the Word of God sustains our spirits, breathing new life into our deepest places. As it is written in Matthew 4:4, "𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯, ‘𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥.’"

And as Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘰-𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵, 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵."

When we consume His Word, we are not just reading; we are being refined. It cleanses our perspective, aligns our desires with His, and breathes the very life of Heaven into our daily walk.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻

The Kingdom of God is not a far-away place; it is present and alive in the midst of us. It simply starts through surrender and yielding our own kingdoms to Jesus—declaring His authority over our lives. We welcome God to open and examine our hearts, accepting His invitation to enter the courtyard of the Lord and feast upon His divine wisdom and love.

Trust me, there is no other place to be than in the courtyard of the Lord. As the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 84:10, "𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴."

I would rather be there all the days of my life, giving glory and praise to our loving God.

So, my brothers and sisters, we are invited to come to Him not as servants, but as His children. As it is written in Matthew 7:11, "𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭, 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘩𝘪𝘮!"

So, let us rejoice in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, which tore the veil and gave us direct access to the Father. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our hearts are being transformed, shedding the weight of the world to simply rest in His nature. Galatians 4:6-7 reminds us: "𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, '𝘈𝘣𝘣𝘢! 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳!' 𝘚𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥."

I love how 2 Corinthians 3:18 captures the beauty of this transformation: "𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵."

This verse reveals a profound truth: the Kingdom of God is not a distant reality or a far-off promise for the future. It is immediate, accessible, and present right now. For those who surrender their hearts and seek the Lord through Jesus Christ, the veil is torn away, and we are invited to step directly into the throne room of God. Just as Abraham, Moses, Paul, and the prophets of old encountered His presence, we too are called to behold His glory today.

It is here, in the stillness of His presence, that we sit before the Lord and feast upon the sacrifice of the Lamb. As we do, the sweet manna of God’s Word begins to sustain us, turning our daily walk into a transformative journey. It is not a matter of waiting for the Kingdom to arrive; it is a matter of entering the presence that is already here, waiting for us to draw near.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

When we feast upon the manna of His Word and surrender our hearts to the King, we discover that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a destination, but a dwelling place. Through the sacrifice of Christ, the veil is torn and the Father’s love becomes our atmosphere—transforming our chaos into His calm. As we seek the intimacy of His presence, we witness the boundless goodness of the Father’s heart, filling our lives with a joy so deep that the fruit of the Spirit becomes the very strength that sustains us to overcome every storm.

So, come to the banquet He has prepared and enjoy the sweet manna from Heaven. Sit in the quiet of His presence and watch as Heaven comes down, saturating your soul with His glory and rewriting your story with the permanence of His peace.

- God blessing to you all!

Acts - Actions in Christ's Teachings New Beginnings Worldwide Mission - IMUS Risen Flint Jim Reid Trent Tribe Nol Laurence Artoza

08/27/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁
Troy Husted
August 25, 2026

This evening, as I was sitting on the patio in front of the fire pit, I met a couple of gentlemen who are staying here at the hotel. They are here dredging the river. As I listened to them describe the heavy, messy work of clearing out years of silt and debris from the riverbed, the Lord began to share with me a picture of my own heart.

They spoke of how the river, if left alone, slowly loses its depth. It becomes sluggish, clogged by the very things it carries along. It made me think of Psalm 139:23-24: "𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦, 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵; 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴. 𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨."

Just like these men working in the dark, murky water, the Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting of "dredging" my heart. I realized that my own life had become like that riverbed—slowed down by the sediment of daily stress, hidden pride, and the small, unnoticed compromises that settle at the bottom over time. I had become shallow, losing my capacity to carry the fullness of His presence.

But the dredging is not for the sake of destruction; it is for the sake of restoration. Jesus promised in John 7:38, "𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮."

For that river to flow, the channel must be clear. The Lord showed me that the moments of conviction I’ve felt lately—the times I’ve felt "stirred up"—weren't meant to be discouraging. They were the Holy Spirit, the Master Dredger, coming alongside me to clear away the debris so that His life could move through me again.

Sitting there by the fire, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. It is a messy, intrusive process to have one's heart dredged, but it is the only way to ensure the water stays moving. I don't want to be a stagnant pond; I want to be a deep, clear channel for His grace. I realized that God isn't just watching the river outside this hotel; He is faithfully tending the river within me, deepening my capacity so that His living water can flow freely once more.

If you feel like you are in a "dredging season" right now, please don't be discouraged. That discomfort is not a sign that you are failing; it is a sign that God is at work, clearing the path so that His living water can flow through you more powerfully than ever before.

The disturbance is temporary, but the restoration is eternal. Trust the Master Dredger. He is expanding your capacity, making you deeper so that you can carry more of His love and wisdom to the world. Do not let the mess of the process keep you from the beauty of the flow. Keep seeking Him, keep your heart open, and trust that He is preparing you to be a source of life for everyone you encounter.

Acts - Actions in Christ's Teachings New Beginnings Worldwide Mission - IMUS Risen Flint

08/24/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆: 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁
Troy Husted
August 24, 2026

I have walked this journey of faith for a long time, but these last eight years have been a season of drawing closer to the heart of God than ever before. He continues to amaze me with such joy and jubilee for His goodness—not just in material provision, though He has faithfully sustained me, and that is enough.

What truly amazes me is the relationship I’ve encountered. It is the bond of a Father to a child—teaching, nurturing, and preparing me for what lies ahead. There are times I take what is taught and apply it, and other times when I try to go my own way, only to eventually turn back to Him in repentance. In those moments, I confess my wrongdoings and acknowledge my mistakes, and I have learned how gentle and kind He truly is. He holds me accountable to the consequences of my actions, yet He always shows me mercy and grace.

Through the scriptures, I have discovered that "walking with God" is not a casual stroll, but a life of active agreement. As Amos 3:3 asks, "𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥?" I have learned that walking with Him means aligning my heart with His—yielding my desires to His wisdom and finding that His presence is my greatest reward. It is a constant, rhythmic communion where His nature becomes the anchor of my soul. I am reminded of Exodus 34:6, which reveals His true character: "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴." He is the God who stays true even when we wander.

I feel His words expanding deeper within me, establishing His throne upon my heart. His word never ceases to intrigue me; the mysteries within are becoming revelations. I am realizing that the scriptures are not just ancient words written for others, but a reflection of my own life. They give me the ability to choose where Adam and Eve failed—to choose Jesus, to let His teachings prepare my heart to walk with God, and to fully invite His presence within.

My heart longs, with a deep and stirring passion, for others to truly grasp the profound meaning of a relationship with Christ. I find myself feeling the "𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴" that the Apostle Paul wrote of in Galatians 4:19, yearning for Christ to be formed in those around me. I want others to know the hunger that Paul described in Philippians 3:10: "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵—𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩." It is a desire to move beyond surface-level religion into a raw, transformative intimacy.

Walking with God is a transformative journey that changes us from the inside out. Just as He walked with Enoch, shone upon the face of Moses, empowered the disciples, and transformed Paul, He is actively at work in us today.

𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸
(Revelation 21:5). 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 (John 8:12), 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 (Psalm 28:7),
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦.

𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 (Lamentations 3:23), 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘞𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘮𝘦𝘨𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘥 (Revelation 22:13), 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥 (Psalm 23:1), 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘭𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 (Philippians 2:9), 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘰𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 (Psalm 16:11).

𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶—𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. 𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 (Romans 12:1-2).

To anyone reading this: I encourage you to lean into this journey. Do not just read about God—walk with Him. Seek His heart, embrace His discipline, and rejoice in His grace. He is waiting to turn your life into a living revelation of His love. To You be all glory, honor, and praise, now and forever. Amen.

Acts - Actions in Christ's Teachings New Beginnings Worldwide Mission - IMUS Friends Risen Flint Judy Salvoro-Galagar Husted Jim Reid

08/24/2026

This morning, as we continue to explore the purpose behind God’s plan, the many “so that…” moments we find in following our Father, rather than the journey we so often make through worship, we make camp and revel in one specific aspect of our faith, so as to give ourselves every chance not to miss or forget it.

The theme of the morning is somewhat inescapable: God’s grace. Lest I forget, as the old hymn reminds me, God’s grace is not just neutral or stale, it is alive, all-encompassing, and AMAZING! It “taught my heart to fear” and subsequently “relieved me of those fears.” How does it do that? God’s grace makes us aware of the problem of our sin while always already being the answer to our problem of sin.

Not only is His grace is amazing, but His grace is unmerited by my own works and given freely as a gift. My status of forgiven, accepted, and redeemed is not because of anything I have done, but by the generous grace of God. AMAZING! (are we sensing the theme?)

Spending time meditating on the unending merits that inhabit the grace of God, we will naturally feel compelled to respond. And our theme lingers. We are reminded of moments when divine grace was dispensed through ordinary moments, like the hem of a garment, or a bottle of perfume. In each simple and intimate moment, grace turned to praise. And so, we answer the call of the Psalmist who entreats all creation, whose breath has been given by its creator, to use said breath for praise. What he doesn’t do is prescribe the posture, location, or instrument, but rather identifies the one common denominator for praise: breath. Therefore, we can assume that means us too.

So, with borrowed breath and empty hands, we receive God’s grace, boast in Christ alone, and in faith give back to God the praise that was always His. This, we believe.

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2s6T9qn8jGTmUDuNM74XUZ

08/24/2026

THE CROSS DID NOT ONLY REMOVE YOUR SIN.
IT CHANGED YOUR POSITION, YOUR IDENTITY, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND YOUR WAY OF LIFE.

The cross was not merely God's solution to your past. It was the doorway into a completely new life in Christ. Don't stop at forgiveness—discover everything Christ accomplished for you.

08/24/2026

There are days when the hardest part is not what happened, but how long you have been carrying it. You have been answering messages, showing up for people, handling responsibilities, smiling when needed, and doing everything you know to do while something inside of you feels exhausted. Maybe nobody around you realizes how tired you really are because you have become good at functioning while hurting. Maybe people see your strength, but Jesus sees the weight underneath it.

That is why I love the story of Elijah in the Old Testament. After one of the greatest victories of his life, Elijah became afraid, overwhelmed, and emotionally exhausted. He ran into the wilderness, sat down under a tree, and reached the point where he felt like he could not keep going. What moves me is that God did not begin by shaming him for being tired. God cared for him.

Elijah slept. He ate. He rested. Then he ate again. Before there was another assignment, there was care. Before there was another mountain, there was provision. Before there was another conversation with God, there was rest for a worn-out man.

Sometimes we think exhaustion means we are failing spiritually. We think if we really trusted God, we would never feel overwhelmed. But Elijah shows us something different. You can love God deeply and still become tired. You can have faith and still need rest. You can have a calling and still need to sit down for a moment.

And when I look at Elijah through the finished work of Jesus, I see even more grace. Jesus did not save you so you could spend the rest of your life proving how strong you are. He carried what you could never carry. He completed what you could never complete. He did not bring you into relationship with the Father so you could live under constant pressure to perform.

You are allowed to be human in the presence of God.

You do not have to pretend with Jesus. You do not have to clean up your emotions before coming to Him. You do not have to turn exhaustion into a spiritual speech. You can simply come tired. You can come confused. You can come with tears. You can come without the right words.

The beautiful thing is that your weakness does not threaten what Jesus finished. Your difficult day does not change your righteousness in Him. Your exhaustion does not reduce the Father’s love for you. Your inability to hold everything together does not mean everything is falling apart.

Maybe today the most spiritual thing you can do is receive.

Receive rest without guilt. Receive help without embarrassment. Receive love without feeling like you have to earn it. Receive the truth that Jesus is carrying you even when you do not feel capable of carrying much yourself.

Elijah eventually stood up again, but notice that God did not rush him there. Grace met him underneath the tree first.

So if you are tired today, I want you to hear this clearly. Jesus is not disappointed in you. He is not standing over you demanding more strength. The One who finished the work is inviting you to rest in what He has already accomplished.

May the pressure to hold everything together leave your shoulders today. May the peace of Jesus settle into your mind, your body, and your emotions. May you feel permission to rest, permission to receive, and permission to simply be loved by the Father.

You do not have to be strong every second. Jesus is strong enough for you.

08/21/2026

08/21/2026

You do not have to know every danger ahead to know you are safe in the hands of Jesus. There are things you will never see coming, conversations you cannot predict, plans that may suddenly change, and moments that remind you how little control you actually have. But your peace was never meant to come from controlling everything around you. Your peace comes from knowing who is holding you.

Jesus does not protect you like a distant observer. He protects you as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep by name. He sees what you cannot see. He understands what you do not understand. He is not surprised by what surprises you, and nothing reaches your life without already being fully known by Him.

The finished work of Jesus means you are not trying to earn His protection by being spiritual enough. You are already His. You belong to Him because He purchased you with His own blood. His care for you is not based on how perfectly you perform. It flows from the relationship He already secured.

There are moments when protection looks like being kept from something you never knew was there. There are other moments when protection looks like being carried through something you never would have chosen. Either way, Jesus is not absent. His presence remains steady even when the situation feels uncertain.

Scripture says, “The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” That is not a promise built on your strength. It is built on His faithfulness. Your safety is not resting on how alert you are, how strong you feel, or how perfectly you recognize every threat. Your confidence is in the faithfulness of Christ.

This does not mean believers never experience hard things. It means hard things do not get the final word. You can walk through difficulty and still be held. You can face opposition and still be protected in the deepest sense. Your identity, your salvation, your relationship with the Father, and the life Jesus gave you cannot be stolen by circumstances.

The enemy wants fear to make you suspicious of everything. Jesus leads you into peace. You do not have to wake up expecting disaster. You do not have to imagine the worst in every situation. Wisdom matters, boundaries matter, and discernment matters, but fear does not have to become your guide.

The Holy Spirit lives within you, and that means you are never navigating life alone. He can give you wisdom before a decision, peace when something feels wrong, and clarity when you do not know what to do next. You are not abandoned to figure everything out by yourself.

There may be moments you look back on and realize how much Jesus protected you from without you even knowing it at the time. A door that closed. A relationship that ended. A delay that frustrated you. A plan that changed. You may never understand every reason, but you can trust the heart of the One who already proved His love at the cross.

So walk forward with peace. Jesus is your protector. You do not have to live afraid of what might happen next. The One who gave His life for you is the same One who holds your life now. You are known, watched over, carried, and kept by a Savior whose love is stronger than anything you will ever face.

08/21/2026

The Mirror of the Heart

Matthew 12:34

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

The words we speak reveal what is truly inside our hearts. Jesus taught that our speech is not accidental. Bitter words come from bitterness within. Loving words come from a loving heart. What fills the heart will eventually flow from the mouth.

A heart filled with anger will speak harshly. A heart filled with pride will speak proudly. But a heart changed by Christ will speak with grace, kindness, and truth.

Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Our words can either heal or hurt, build or destroy. This is why believers must guard not only their mouths, but also their hearts.

God desires speech that honors Him. Ephesians 4:29 teaches us to use words that edify and minister grace to others. A mature Christian is seen not only by actions, but also by conversation.

If your words are constantly negative, cruel, or bitter, the real issue may be deeper than the tongue. The heart needs to be surrendered to God. When Jesus changes the heart, the speech also begins to change.

Before speaking, ask yourself:
Do my words reflect Christ?

Lesson

The words you use toward others are a mirror of the condition of your heart.

Quote

“The tongue reveals what the heart conceals.”

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