Now here is the anchor that will see you through, that will stabilize you, secure you through any and every storm, heartache and burden and hardship and trouble and trial…every form of persecution…every disappointment…every disillusion…everything that you and I face that is difficult.

Here’s the anchor. It is the awareness that our Savior, the immovable Rock of all Ages, is always the same. The same yesterday, the same today and the same forever. There is nothing in all the world that will anchor you and stabilize and secure you in times of difficulty and heartache like being very consciously aware that my Savior who is on the inside of me. He who has anchored me is not from without, where I can break loose from the mooring, but rather I am anchored from within. Anchored to the Rock of Ages, the unchangeable Christ, who is always the same, yesterday, today and forever.

Paul tells us that Jesus Christ “Is the same”, not similar to, not close to, not a shadow of, not a variation of. But Jesus Christ is the same. What he was when he walked the roads of Palestine 2000 years ago is what he is today. And what is today, is what he is going to be tomorrow, and the next day and the next day and all the days thereafter, and here after and forever.

Jesus Christ never changes. Everything else is in a state of change. Everything about you, everything surrounding you. Only one thing is as it always was and always shall be…and that is the living Lord Jesus Christ who lives on the inside of you. Jesus Christ is the only thing in existence in this world that has not, does not, will not, and can not ever change under any circumstances. Everything else is going to change.

What are you anchored to?

If you anchor yourself to anything that is in a state of change, you don’t know where it’s going to take you. You don’t know what the end result is going to be.

Jesus Christ what he was yesterday, he will be today and he’ll be the same tomorrow. He is the only anchor that you can bet your present and your future on. Whatever he said, whatever he says, whatever he shall say it will never change.

Look at Jesus in his person…what was he like when he walked here 2000 years ago? When he walked this earth he was a Christ of love. Loving everybody he met…that hasn’t changed. He was willing to forgive anyone who every came to him, no matter what…that hasn’t changed. He was a Christ of mercy…always reaching out compassionately. Helping those who are in need…that hasn’t changed. He was a Christ willing to confront those living in sin…that hasn’t changed. He was the Christ who was calling those to follow him…that hasn’t changed. He was the Christ who knew all men…that hasn’t changed. Everything about Jesus that was true in that day is true today. The way he responded to people then, he responds today. Character, personality and attributes…all the same.

Jesus Christ…he came to anchor us unto himself. In order that you and I through every storm of life, trial, tribulation, every heartache, every burden…we might know that there is one whom we know…who never changes. We don’t have to wonder or question. We know exactly what he says. I will never leave you, I will never abandon you, I will never forsake you, I will never leave you, I will never leave you destitute, I will never leave you in need. I am the all sufficient Christ. I am the one who has anchored you unto myself and I never change.

No storm can push the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing can batter the Son of God.

The Characteristics of the Gift of Prophecy:
1. A strong need to express themselves verbally.
2. A strong ability to discern the character and motives of other people.
3. A wholehearted involvement in whatever they are doing.
4. Very open to correction.
5. Extremely loyal.
6. Willing to suffer for what is right.
7. Very persuasive in defining truth.

The Characteristics of the Gift of Service:
1. Sees and meets practical needs.
2. Frees others to achieve.
3. Disregard for weariness.
4. Difficulty in saying “No!”
5. Alert to likes and dislikes.
6. Strong desire to be with others.
7. Need for approval and appreciation
8. Likes short-range projects.
9. Meets needs quickly.
10. Tendency to feel inadequate and unqualified for spiritual leadership.

The Characteristics of The Gift of Teaching:
1. Strong desire to present truth systematically.
2. Requires thoroughness.
3. Needs to validate information.
4. Checks out the teacher.
5. Great delight in researching.
6. Tendency to avoid illustrations from non-biblical sources.
7. Needs to clarify misunderstandings.

The Characteristics of the Gift of Exhortation:
1. A motivation to urge peoples to their full spiritual maturity in Christ.
2. An ability to see root problems in a person.
3. Prescribes steps of action.
4. Turn problems into benefits.
5. A desire for face to face discussion in order to determine and insure a positive response.
6. Desire to gain spiritual insights through personal experience.
7. Desires to bring harmony between diverse groups.
8. An enjoyment with those eager to follow steps of action.

The Characteristics of the Gift of Giving:
1. Able to see resources
2. Desire to feel a part of the work.
3. Desire to give high quality.
4. Hope the gift is an answer to prayer.
5. Desires to give secretly.
6. Prefers to give without pressure of appeals.
7. Concern that giving will corrupt.
8. Exercises personal thriftiness.
9. Gives to motivate others to give.
10. Ability to see financial needs that others overlook.
11. Confirms amount with counsel.

The Characteristics of the Gift of Organization:
1. Ability to see the big picture and visualize final results.
2. The ability to break down the major goals into smaller, achievable tasks.
3. Motivated to organize that for which they are responsible.
4. The ability to know what resources are available and needed to reach a goal.
5. The ability to know what can and what cannot be delegated.
6. Tendency to remove self from detracting details and focus on ultimate goals.
7. The willingness to endure reaction.
8. A need for loyalty and confidence from those who are being directed and served.
9. A tendency to assume responsibility if no structured leadership exists.
10. A desire to complete the task as soon as possible.
11. A joy and fulfillment in seeing all the parts come together and others enjoying the finished product.
12. A desire to move on to a new challenge when the previous task is fully completed.

The Characteristics of the Gift of Mercy:
1. Ability to feel an atmosphere of joy or distress in an individual or group.
2. Attracted to and understand people who are having mental and emotional distress.
3. Desire to remove hurts and bring healing to others rather than to look for the benefits of the hurts.
4. A greater concern for mental distress than physical distress of others.
5. A sensitivity to words and action which will hurt others.
6. A tendency to react harshly when intimate friends are rejected.
7. An ability to sense genuine love and a greater vulnerability to deeper and more frequent hurts from the lack of love.
8. A need for deep friendships in which there is mutual commitment.
9. A need to measure acceptance by physical closeness and quality time together.
10. An enjoyment and unity with those who are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.
11. A tendency to avoid firmness unless he sees how it will bring benefit and eliminate greater hurt.
12. A closing of the spirit to those who are insincere or insensitive.