Ephesians 5:25-28 The Message

^25-28 Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Husbands and future Husbands … God’s message for you this day is to give quite literally everything you have, everything you are, everything you will ever come to have — in love and truth, honor and honesty and integrity, in sickness and in health, in wealth and in poverty and and give it all unto God and unto your wife.

Why such a seemingly insurmountable standard of living?

Because that standard of living is exactly that standard of living which God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, gave to His Father and gave to you of His own free will, without conditions, bearing everything, with complete and utter sacrifice, on the Cross at Calvary. He gave everything He had in faithful obedience to God.

That is the highest standard of living for us Husbands and you future Husbands in the care and the nurturing and strengthening, cleansing them with the Word of God, preparing our Brides for God, presentation of our Wives before our God.

Do we hit the mark?

Do we know where the mark is?

Do we know with any certainty what the mark even looks like, or resembles?

Do we even know that there is a mark?

Are even aware and do we even care that there is a mark?

Be made aware now, Husbands and future Husbands; God is ALWAYS aware!

A Word to Husbands and Future Husbands

Ephesians 5:25-30 New American Standard Bible 1995

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church ^[a]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are  members of His body.

Guys, by God’s grace, every Christian marriage is about more than marriage.

The purpose of human marriage is to point away from itself to the ultimate marriage made in heaven: that of Christ, the Bridegroom, and the church, His bride. Marriage, in other words, is about God’s ultimate purpose “to unite all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:10).

This is why the Apostle Paul offers very specific instructions for Husbands and future Husbands: so that their marriages might display the union God intends.

In marriage, the husband’s primary objective is not to make sure his wife is physically and emotionally sustained. That is one part of it, of course—but his ultimate objective should be that his wife will be prepared to meet Jesus.

To that end, the word that Paul uses for “love” here, agape, is important: it expresses self-sacrifice and self-abasement. It’s about what we give, not what we get. It’s about what we owe, not what we’re due. It’s not about seeking what’s good for you; it’s about giving yourself up for what’s truly good for your wife, so that she might be “holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).

This was the purpose for which Christ gave His life for His church; and, as a mark of this, it’s what a Husband is to give himself up for, pursue for his wife.

But as you are a Husband, have plans to be a Husband, will soon unite with your fiancé to be her Husband, how do you become that living witness of the fullness of this Christ like love in this way in the day-to-day immorality, reality, of life?

One practical step is to look for the absence of “NAG-ing”.

Philippians 1:27-30 New American Standard Bible 1995

²⁷ Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are  standing firm in one spirit, with one ^[a]mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸ in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. ²⁹ For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,  ³⁰ experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

That is, you must renounce neglect, physically, emotionally, and spiritually—and, if career, club, or church responsibilities interfere, you may need to re-evaluate your commitments.

You also need to renounce abuse, which, while including more egregious sins, also encompasses belittling your wife, talking down to her, treating her with disregard, or acting as if she’s really fortunate to be married to you.

And finally, you need to ensure you never take our God and your marriage to your wife for granted, which can become so easy, too easy, as time goes by.

Yet as helpful as such practical reminders are, the ultimate yardstick for, and motivation to, love is the cross-shaped love of Christ for His bride, the church.

Without a clear view, a clear vision, a profound measure of wisdom, of how Jesus loves His church, our best intentions flounder, our failures will crush us.

So we must look to Christ, who, although He needed no one and nothing, came and gave literally everything of Himself up in order that we, in our need, in our rebellion, and emptiness, may be caught up in His embrace, welcomed into His heart, brought into His family, and considered a presentable part of His bride.

Philippians 2:5-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

⁵ Have this attitude ^[a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be ^[b] grasped, ⁷ but ^[c]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man,  He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death ^[d]on a cross. ⁹ For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  ¹¹  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do, are you, finding yourself saying, “Why would He ever love me like that?”

If so, you see what a high calling it is for Husbands to “love your wives, as Christ loved the church.”

So if you are a Husband, or hope to be one day, it must start with prayer: prayer that the Holy Spirit will enable you to think biblically, live obediently, and truly love selflessly.

And if you are a wife, or hope to be one day, this should likewise be your prayer for your Husband, or Husband to be for the sake of your mutual joy and his, and your mutual strengthening and bonding, but #1 most of all is all for God’s glory.

From the Beginning; for God, Marriage is a Holy, Sacred Union

Ephesians 5:25-33 Amplified Bible

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], ²⁷ so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. ²⁸ Even so husbands should and  are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. ²⁹  For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members (parts) of His body. ³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined [and be faithfully devoted] to his wife, and the two shall become ^[a]one flesh. ³² This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church. ³³  However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].

Marriage is a sacred union created and designed and shaped exclusively by God, a mirror reflection of his love and commitment to his people. It is a covenant relationship that calls us to sacrificial love, selflessness, and mutual support.

In a world that often prioritizes severe immorality, self-gratification, marriage is meant to envision the deep beauty of sacrificial love. As husbands and wives, we are called to follow the example of Savior Christ’s love for the church by our giving of our whole selves fully for the well-being, flourishing of our spouse.

Marriage is a covenant journey of growth, forgiveness, and shared experiences.

It is a covenant partnership in which two uniquely created individuals strive to understand, honor, and cherish one another. It requires open communication, vulnerability, sacrifice and commitment, to work through challenges together.

In the highest highs and lowest lows and bottomless cisterns of married life, we find opportunities for growth, grace, and deepening intimacy. In the context of marriage we learn how to offer selfless love, encouragement, mercy, to extend forgiveness, and at all costs, to support one another’s dreams and aspirations.

Matthew 5:13-16 Amplified Bible

Disciples and the World

¹³ “You are the ^[a]salt of the earth; but if the salt has ^[b]lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].

¹⁴ “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Today let’s honor the sacredness of the covenant of marriage.

May we embrace the call to love, serve our spouse, imitating Christ’s selfless love. Let’s cultivate a spirit of humility, understanding, and compassion in our relationships, our marriages reflect the reality of God’s love, and faithfulness, bringing honor, glory, to him, serving as beacons of hope in a broken world.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 84 Complete Jewish Bible

84 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of the sons of Korach:

^2 (1) How deeply loved are your dwelling-places,
Adonai-Tzva’ot!
^3 (2) My soul yearns, yes, faints with longing
for the courtyards of Adonai;
my heart and body cry for joy
to the living God.

^4 (3) As the sparrow finds herself a home
and the swallow her nest, where she lays her young,
[so my resting-place is] by your altars,
Adonai-Tzva’ot, my king and my God.

^5 (4) How happy are those who live in your house;
they never cease to praise you! (Selah)
^6 (5) How happy the man whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are [pilgrim] highways.

^7 (6) Passing through the [dry] Baka Valley,
they make it a place of springs,
and the early rain clothes it with blessings.
^8 (7) They go from strength to strength
and appear before God in Tziyon.

^9 (8) Adonai, God of armies, hear my prayer;
listen, God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)
^10 (9) God, see our shield [the king];
look at the face of your anointed.
^11 (10) Better a day in your courtyards
than a thousand [days elsewhere].
Better just standing at the door of my God’s house
than living in the tents of the wicked.

^12 (11) For Adonai, God, is a sun and a shield;
Adonai bestows favor and honor;
he will not withhold anything good
from those whose lives are pure.

^13 (12) Adonai-Tzva’ot,
how happy is anyone who trusts in you!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Genesis 2:19-24 Complete Jewish Bible

¹⁹ So from the ground Adonai, God, formed every wild animal and every bird that flies in the air, and he brought them to the person to see what he would call them. Whatever the person would call each living creature, that was to be its name. (S: iii) ²⁰ So the person gave names to all the livestock, to the birds in the air and to every wild animal. But for Adam there was not found a companion suitable for helping him.

²¹ Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person; and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he took it with flesh. ²² The rib which Adonai, God, had taken from the person, he made a woman-person; and he brought her to the man-person. ²³ The man-person said, “At last! This is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She is to be called Woman ^[a], because she was taken out of Man ^[b].” ²⁴ This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

In Genesis 2 we find a close-up of the first wedding ever celebrated.

It took place in Paradise at the beginning of history, and it was one of the most impressive events ever.

The setting was more beautiful than at any other wedding. The first bride and groom, Adam and Eve, were surrounded by the unstained, breathtaking beauty of God’s creation.

No modern-day florist or outdoor photographer could begin to capture the beauty of that setting.

Most impressive about that first wedding, though, was that God himself conducted the ceremony: “the LORD God made a woman … and he brought her to the man.”

This is the Bible’s way of telling us that marriage is from God, established as a creation ordinance.

Marriage was not invented by a human being; it was instituted by God when he created us “male and female” (Genesis 1:27) brought Adam and Eve together.

Marriage, then, is sacred.

All who marry receive a special gift from God’s own hands.

And because from the beginning marriage is exclusively from God, we need to listen carefully to God’s expectations for marriage, for husbands and for wives.

Genesis 2:20 Complete Jewish Bible

(S: iii) ²⁰ So the person gave names to all the livestock, to the birds in the air and to every wild animal. But for Adam there was not found a companion suitable for helping him.

“A COMPANION suitable for HELPING him.” ….

which goes without saying this is also true of this newly created relationship;

“A COMPANION suitable for HELPING her.” …

Biblical Companionship – from Genesis 2:20; it is freely Sharing one’s life with another person day in and day out through thick and thin, health sickness, rain and sunshine till death do they part– this is what companionship involves. It means living and working together towards common goals and experiencing common interests together, sharing the joys of victory and the grief of failure.

What is the deeper meaning of companionship?

Companionship most certainly means something different to everyone.

It involves more than just somebody being there; it’s about wanting that person there, to help you, to care about you and to care for you enjoying their company and developing a helping relationship that comes naturally to you.

Companionship is extremely important for both your mental and physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Throughout all history, many people will see, have seen, the outcome of their marriage as toss-up. But marriage has the God-given potential to be a powerful source of blessing to all who follow the instructions of the One who ordained it.

What does God say about having a companion?

The principle of spiritual companionship is clearly present throughout the Bible.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor; for if they fall, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls and does not have another to lift him up!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Complete Jewish Bible

⁹ Two are better than one, in that their cooperative efforts yield this advantage: ¹⁰ if one of them falls, the other will help his partner up — woe to him who is alone when he falls and has no one to help him up. ¹¹ Again, if two people sleep together, they keep each other warm; but how can one person be warm by himself? ¹²  Moreover, an attacker may defeat someone who is alone, but two can resist him; and a three-stranded cord is not easily broken.

Read verse 9 again and out loud-to yourself in the mirror, then to your spouse or to your fiancé.’

Eyes on the phrase…“in that their COOPERATIVE efforts yield this advantage.”

What is the “cooperative” companionship of marriage in the Bible?

Companionship is the first purpose of marriage. In Genesis 2:18, the Lord said it wasn’t good for man to be alone. God designed marriage so that man and woman could have a cooperative relationship, relationship is based on love, trust, communication and provides a picture of our relationship with the Lord.

What is the real meaning of companionship?

Companionship is when you feel a sense of closeness being with another person. Your grandmother’s companionship with her best friend might keep her feeling young and happy. You probably experience companionship with your best friend or romantic partner, or maybe even with your siblings.

What is the spiritual meaning of cooperative companionship in our marriages?

Spiritual Companionship provides you with spiritual guidance which will help facilitate and support an honest self-examination required for your personal development and growth. The hope is to nurture cooperation, trust, a deeper self-awareness and truth of who you are and the greatness that lies within.

How did Jesus show companionship?

He spent time with His friends and disciples during His time living and walking among us on earth (John 3:22).

He spent time with them and grew to know and understand them (Luke 10:28-42). He walked, talked, taught, alongside of them in ministry. He shared meals with sinners, those He was closest to and enjoyed their fellowship (John 12:1-3).

What are examples of companionship in marriage?

Recreational companionship …

Going out for dinner, going to a movie, or taking a walk are all activities that can be enjoyable. It’s easy to let life get in our relationships, but we must make deliberately take time for each other. Partners should 100% schedule a quality time every week so you can mutually ensure your shared needs are being met.

What is companionship between husband and wife?

What is companionship in marriage? Essentially companionship in marriage is the same as companionship in a relationship.

In addition to having an unyielding love for your mate, they are also someone you choose to spend “one flesh” adult time, raise children, create a family unit with because you both like to. Live, love, move, with God, together in harmony.

What is the biblical companionship in marriage?

God created marriage to be a relationship of companionship. God designed husband and wife in such a way that they meet the needs of each other. The foundation of this companionship is living, loving, moving, faithfully before God, and this companionship is spiritually enriched by doing things together.

What are the rules of companionship?

Love, goodwill, wisdom, cooperation, understanding are absolutely required.

A sense of humor is quite necessary.

Unyieldingly respect each other and each other’s desire for privacy. Be tolerant.

Why God Made Marriage

Genesis 2:15-18 Complete Jewish Bible

¹⁵ Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it. ¹⁶ Adonai, God, gave the person this order: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden ¹⁷ except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.”

¹⁸ Adonai, God, said, “It isn’t good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him.”

I recall a Larry King Live show featuring several celebrity women who had formed an “ex-wives club.” Most of them had been married more than once, yet they all agreed that marriage was not so special. That prompted Larry King to ask, “If marriage is not special, why try it for that second or third time?”

The answer to that question is found, at least in part, in Genesis 2:18, where God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Adam needed a companion, needed a helper. Without the woman, Adam was lonely.

So God caused a great sleep upon Adam, took a rib from his chest and brought Eve into his life to make him more relationally complete.

God gave Adam from within himself a lifelong partner with whom he could have a deeply meaningful, intimate relationship.

Through marriage, God gives us a companion to share all of the experiences of life.

A spouse is someone who understands us, someone who is there for us every step of the way.

God’s own creation. God’s gift of marriage is intended to give us a companion who can make us more complete and with whom we can share the deepest joys, fears, yearnings of our souls, whom we can bear children, to raise generations.

In addition, God intended it to be a loving relationship for life.

If you are contemplating marriage, choose someone who can be that kind of companion to you on life’s journey. And if you are married, nurture carefully your heart-to-heart relationship with the one our Creator God gave unto you.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 Complete Jewish Bible

23 ⁽⁰⁾ A psalm of David:

⁽¹⁾ Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
² He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
³ he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
⁴ Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.

⁵ You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.

⁶ Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Ephesians 5:22-24 Easy-to-Read Version

²² Wives, be willing to serve your husbands the same as the Lord. ²³ A husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is his body. ²⁴ The church serves under Christ, so it is the same with you wives. You should be willing to serve your husbands in everything.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

How are we to explain, grasp, understand and teach according to the Word of God: What does God mean by being a submissive wife in a Christian marriage?

Husbands, your name is King of my House, and your punching bag is your wife?

As a prisoner serving a life sentence without parole in maximum security, a prison ball shackled to a chain shackled to both ankles on a long chain gang?

Guards constantly shouting orders in their ears and expecting instant response, immediate and perfect obedience otherwise the discipline will be swift, sure?

What happens when the guard’s expectations are not met perfectly as expected?

Tired or not? hurting or not? aggravated, frustrated or not? long day or not, the guard makes their inspection when they make their rounds and there is hell to pay when everything they expected to be done isn’t 100% up to their standards?

Husbands, soon to be husbands, is this really what we believe, what we envision we expect, understand what God meant by our marrying a “submissive” wife?

Does that really fit into the scriptural truth of what Paul writes when he wrote;

²² Wives, be willing to serve your husbands the same as the Lord. ²³ A husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is his body. ²⁴ The church serves under Christ, so it is the same with you wives. You should be willing to serve your husbands in everything.

Wives, be willing to serve your husbands in everything the same as serving the Lord in everything, as Jesus Christ served the Church with everything he had. (22, 23)

Husbands, serve your wives as Jesus Christ served the Church, husbands love your wives as Jesus Christ loved the Church – Husbands, answer this query;

EXACTLY, PRECISELY, HOW MUCH DID JESUS CHRIST LOVE THE CHURCH?

Husbands, make your list, write it down, share it with your wife and share it intensely, penitently, with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, through somber prayer.

Psalm 139:23-24 The Message

^23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

God, thoroughly investigate my life!

Find out everything about me!

Cross examine me in your courts of judgement, put me in the witness stand the same way I put my wife into my “perfect expectations” in full prison regalia!”

Test me as I am right now, get a clear authentic picture of what I am all about!

See for yourself whether my vision of my marriage with my wife is authentically by the standards, examples you set, when you yourself gave upon the Cross, all of your life blood, all of your spirit, bearing all of my grievous sins on your life!

Jesus, examine my marriage, let me see for myself, what you see coming from me and my unyielding, my unyielding committed love for my wife in all things.

then, by your mercy alone, remember me when you come into your kingdom or look straight into my eyes as you looked into Peter’s eyes that day he betrayed you to either declare to me “begone, I knew you not” or “repent, forgiveness.”

John 21:15-17 Amplified Bible

The Love Motivation

¹⁵ So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon,  son  of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[a]love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.”  ¹⁶  Again He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time,  “Simon, son of John, do you love Me  [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you [really] ^[b]love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Husbands, get a secure grip on yourselves, your wives, your God, your Savior.

Proverbs 27:17 Complete Jewish Bible

¹⁷ Just as iron sharpens iron,
    a person sharpens the character of his friend.

A submissive wife in a Christian marriage is a supportive wife. You work together with your spouse, and respect and support him in your marriage.

Within a Christian marriage, a wife freely expresses her thoughts, trusting her husband’s response will lovingly support her, look out after her best interests.”

Husbands, love honor and cherish and serve and sacrifice yourselves, obey your wives, as Jesus Christ loved, honored, cherished and served, and sacrificed for the church, his bride, with his authentic, maximum obedience unto his Father.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 45 The Message

45 My heart bursts its banks,
    spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
    shaping the river into words:

* * *

^2-4 “You’re the handsomest of men;
    every word from your lips is sheer grace,
    and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
    Accept praise! Accept due honor!
    Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
    Ride for the righteous meek!

^4-5 “Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
    you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
    foes lie down in the dust, beaten.

^6-7 “Your throne is God’s throne,
    ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
    measures right living.
You love the right
    and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
    from among your dear companions.

^8-9 “Your forest-drenched garments
    are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
    makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
    the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.

* * *

^10-12 “Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
    forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
    Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
    rich guests shower you with presents.”

^13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
    lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
    are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
    followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
    a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)

^16-17 “Set your mind now on sons—
    don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
    all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
    you’ll be the talk of the town
    for a long, long time.”

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

Ephesians 5:21-33 Easy-to-Read Version

Wives and Husbands

²¹ Be willing to serve each other out of respect for Christ.

²² Wives, be willing to serve your husbands the same as the Lord. ²³ A husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is his body. ²⁴ The church serves under Christ, so it is the same with you wives. You should be willing to serve your husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives the same as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. ²⁶ He died to make the church holy. He used the telling of the Good News to make the church clean by washing it with water. ²⁷ Christ died so that he could give the church to himself like a bride in all her beauty. He died so that the church could be holy and without fault, with no evil or sin or any other thing wrong in it.

²⁸ And husbands should love their wives like that. They should love their wives as they love their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself, ²⁹  because no one ever hates his own body, but feeds and takes care of it. And that is what Christ does for the church ³⁰ because we are parts of his body. ³¹ The Scriptures say, “That is why a man will leave his father and mother and join his wife, and the two people will become one.”^[a] 32 That secret truth is very important—I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ But each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Filled, Overflowing, with Wonder AND PRAISE

Psalm 145 Complete Jewish Bible

145 ⁽⁰⁾ Praise. By David:

⁽¹⁾ I will praise you to the heights, my God, the king;
I will bless your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you;
I will praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is Adonai and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is beyond all searching out.
⁴ Each generation will praise your works to the next
and proclaim your mighty acts.
⁵ I will meditate on the glorious splendor
of your majesty and on the story of your wonders.
⁶ People will speak of your awesome power,
and I will tell of your great deeds.
⁷ They will gush forth the fame of your abounding goodness,
and they will sing of your righteousness.
⁸ Adonai is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in grace.
⁹ Adonai is good to all;
his compassion rests on all his creatures.
¹⁰ All your creatures will thank you, Adonai,
and your faithful servants will bless you.
¹¹ They will speak of the glory of your kingship,
and they will tell about your might;
¹² to let everyone know of your mighty acts
and the glorious majesty of your kingship.
¹³ Your kingship is an everlasting kingship,
your reign continues through all generations.
¹⁴ Adonai supports all who fall
and lifts up all who are bent over.
¹⁵ The eyes of all are looking to you;
you give them their food at the right time.
¹⁶ You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ Adonai is righteous in all his ways,
full of grace in all he does.
¹⁸ Adonai is close to all who call on him,
to all who sincerely call on him.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ Adonai protects all who love him,
but all the wicked he destroys.
²¹ My mouth will proclaim the praise of Adonai;
all people will bless his holy name forever and ever.

In the beloved hymn “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” Charles Wesley describes our husband, wife, family life in God’s coming kingdom:

“Changed from glory into glory . . . we [will] cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.”

Being, living in the presence of God, we will be so filled with wonder, love, and praise for the Lord that, in a way, we won’t be able to think of anything else.

The celebration in Psalm 145 is similar.

The psalmist is filled with praise, wonder at the beauty of God, all God’s works.

The writer sings about it in grand language.

He says he will praise God “for ever and ever . . . every day.”

He says that no one can fathom God’s greatness.

God’s ­majesty is described with “glorious splendor,” and God’s goodness is described as “abundant.” God is “slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,“ God is gracious and compassionate,” and all his works “tell of the glory” of his everlasting kingdom. With all the stark realization, with the senses shattering revelation of such an amazing God, no wonder the psalmist is filled with praise.

Because we, our families, have such a great and beautiful future promised to us, we can resonate with some other phrases in Wesley’s hymn as we look forward to living into God’s kingdom in hope: “Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be. Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee.”

Reverence for Christ, Reverence for Each Other

Ephesians 5:6-21 Common English Bible

Be children of light

⁶ Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. ⁷ So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. ⁸ You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. ⁹ Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. ¹⁰ Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, ¹¹ and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. ¹² It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. ¹⁴ Everything that is revealed by the light is light. Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper!^[a] Get up from the dead,^[b] and Christ will shine on you.^[c]

Be filled with the Spirit

¹⁵ So be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly. ¹⁶ Take advantage of every opportunity because these are evil times. ¹⁷ Because of this, don’t be ignorant, but understand the Lord’s will. ¹⁸ Don’t get drunk on wine, which produces depravity. Instead, be filled with the Spirit in the following ways: ¹⁹ speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts;  ²⁰ always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ and submit to each other out of respect for Christ.

People revere and people submit to one another for many various reasons—on the basis of politics or social structures, or even on the basis of pragmatism.

Sometimes it’s much easier (and certainly nicer!) just to submit to people than it is to take the risk of seeming offensive, impolite, rude or confrontational.

None of these reasons, however, are the #1 motivating factors for Christian submission. Instead, the distinguishing feature of our submission to one another should be that submission is done “out of reverence for Christ.”

Bowing our knees to Jesus keeps us from being preoccupied with ourselves.

Reverence for Christ doesn’t only pull us away from ourselves; it pulls us toward Jesus.

In Him we see how to heed the call of submission, for it was Jesus Himself who taught, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant … even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, (Mark 10:45) and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26, 28).

He not only said those words but lived them.

Consider, for example, Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet in John 13.

As John records,

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet” (John 13:3-5).

What was happening here?

Nothing less than the submission of God the Son to God the Father.

He who came from God and is God was making Himself nothing by “taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).

Jesus came to do not His own will but His Father’s (John 6:38).

As a result, He accepted hardship. He was isolated and ill-treated.

He endured malice, misunderstanding, and death.

Jesus was broken under the weight of our sin in order that our broken lives may be repaired and transformed. It was He who came to die on a cross, submitting Himself to the will of the Father, in order that He might provide a ransom for all who are humble enough to bow down and say, “That is the very #1 Savior I need.”

Philippians 2:1-16 Common English Bible

Imitate Christ

2 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, ² complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. ³ Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.  ⁵ Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:

⁶ Though he was in the form of God,
        he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
⁷ But he emptied himself
        by taking the form of a slave
        and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,
⁸         he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
        even death on a cross.
⁹ Therefore, God highly honored him
        and gave him a name above all names,
¹⁰     so that at the name of Jesus everyone
        in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow
¹¹         and every tongue confess
            that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Carry out your salvation

¹² Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³ God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes. ¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling and arguing ¹⁵ so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world ¹⁶ because you hold on to the word of life. This will allow me to say on the day of Christ that I haven’t run for nothing or worked for nothing.

When we consider Christ as He truly is, we cannot but be moved to revere Him.

Who else would we exalt, honor, respect and love more than the divine second Person of the Trinity, who was willing to fully submit Himself even unto death in obedience to His Father and for the good of His people? Philippians 2:1-16

And when we honor, revere, submit to Christ, we are ready to have the same attitude as Christ: one that does not grasp for social, political prominence or strive for authority or stand on our rights, but one that obeys God by submitting our own husband, wife, children interests to those of our brothers and sisters.

There are many reasons why we as a family may choose to submit to another (and many more reasons why we may choose not to do so). But let this be true of you: that you submit yourself to others in your church out of reverence for Christ, who submitted to His Father and, in doing so, became your only Savior.

Laboring, Submitting, Re-Building A Strong Family

Galatians 5:18-26 Common English Bible

¹⁸ But if you are being led by the Spirit, you aren’t under the Law. ¹⁹ The actions that are produced by selfish motives are obvious, since they include sexual immorality, moral corruption, doing whatever feels good, ²⁰ idolatry, drug use and casting spells, hate, fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, conflict, selfishness, group rivalry, ²¹ jealousy, drunkenness, partying, and other things like that. I warn you as I have already warned you, that those who do these kinds of things won’t inherit God’s kingdom.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the self with its passions and its desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit. ²⁶ Let’s not become arrogant, make each other angry, or be jealous of each other.

One of the closest things to the heart of God is the family. God created the family to be in relationship with him. God created the family to be in service of him. God created the family to mentor future generations of followers.

Family start with a term called marriage. A marriage is the institution of God. Whom God has brought together let no man asunder.

In a world with so much suffering, happy families are harder and harder to find. Perhaps you came from a broken family—

A family’s health and happiness can be broken by alcoholism, physical abuse, sexual abuse—even by wrong ideas about child-rearing. But broken families can be rebuilt, and Scripture provides a blueprint to show how this can be done!

1. Rebuild your family with Love: (Ephesians.5:21-26, 6:1).

Love is one of the impotent criteria lacking in families today.

Most of the young couple who were in love for couple of years are broken because of the lacking of love.

Galatians. 5:22: The First fruit of all is “LOVE”.

IN Greek there are 3 types of Love

1. Eros: This is a selfish kind of love.

2. Agape: This is a special term which represents the divine-love

3. Philos: This is a unique kind of love like the one you have for a companion or pal. It refers to loving one another just like your brother or sister.

2. Rebuild your family with your Time.

In recent years there seem to have been a breakdown in families …. families sitting down to dinner, praying, sharing meals and conversation…and spending quality time together. In my home, for example, due to different work schedules and other activities,

ILLUSTRATION:

SON: “Daddy, may I ask you a question?”

DAD: “Yeah sure, what is it?”

SON: “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?”

DAD: “That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?”

SON: “I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?”

DAD: “If you must know, I make $100 an hour.”

SON: “Oh! (With his head down).

SON: “Daddy, may I please borrow $50?”

The father was furious.

DAD: “If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard every day for such this childish behavior.”

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $ 50 and he really didn’t ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.

DAD: “Are you asleep, son?”

SON: “No daddy, I’m awake”.

DAD: “I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here’s the $50 you asked for.”

The little boy sat straight up, smiling.

SON: “Oh, thank you daddy!”

Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

DAD: “Why do you want more money if you already have some?”

SON: “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do. “Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.” The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It’s just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life.

We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.

Do remember to share that $100 worth of your time with someone you love?

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family and friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family.

Some things are more important.

3. Rebuild your family with Christian ethics: (Joshua 24:15)

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The right place to build a life and a family is with Jesus Christ.

So before you focus on building a happy and healthy home, you need to give your heart and life to Jesus.

The family life is not man centered but God centered.

Marriage is one of the greatest gifts God ever gave to humanity.

But, it is truly beautiful when it is operates like God intended it to.

God and His Word must come first. Biblical ethics shows how the man and women in Christ must live in the presence of God and in the power of the Spirit.

May your families be once again be rebuilt with

1. with your Love

2. with your Time

3. with Christian Ethics

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

A very familiar exchange in our household …

“Why don’t you throw away those old pants?” my wife said.

“They’re stained and frayed around the cuffs. They make you look sloppy.”

I bristled at her suggestion. It pushed my “contrary button,” as we say in our family. I dug in both my heels and got stubborn: “Yeah, but they’re my most comfortable pants. Who cares how they look?”

I’ve found that a lot of people have a “contrary button.”

If we don’t like someone’s idea, even if their suggestion is reasonably, politely, and mildly expressed, hardcore hard hearted, rebelliousness stirs in our heart.

Submission calls for humility, but we will often choose to be stubborn rather than submit. Psalm 32:9 counsels us, “Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle.”

Why does Paul say, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”?

Surely it is because Christ, though being fully God, “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7).

He served his disciples by washing their feet (John 13).

And he died the death of a criminal—for us.

If our Lord humbled himself and submitted to death on a cross, why do I or my wife feel we should be boss all the time, always in control and getting my way?

Let’s learn submissiveness from him.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 139 The Message

139 ^1-6 God, investigate my life;
    get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
    even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
    I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
    before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
    then up ahead and you’re there, too—
    your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
    I can’t take it all in!

^7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
    to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
    If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
    to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
    you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
    At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
    night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.

^13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

^17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
    God, I’ll never comprehend them!
I couldn’t even begin to count them—
    any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
    And please, God, do away with wickedness for good!
And you murderers—out of here!—
    all the men and women who belittle you, God,
    infatuated with cheap god-imitations.
See how I hate those who hate you, God,
    see how I loathe all this godless arrogance;
I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred.
    Your enemies are my enemies!

^23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

Acts 1:1-11 Amplified Bible

Introduction

1 The first ^[a]account I made, Theophilus, was [a continuous report] about all the things that Jesus began to do and to ^[b]teach ² until the day when He ascended to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given instruction to the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen. ³ To these [men] He also showed Himself alive after His suffering [in Gethsemane and on the cross], by [a series of] many infallible proofs and unquestionable demonstrations, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking to them about the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁴ While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak. ⁵ For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and  empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.”

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me]  both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

The Ascension

⁹ And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight. ¹⁰ While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them, ¹¹ who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Some thirty plus years ago, shortly after I was discharged out of the Army, I was subpoenaed by the Army Judge Advocate General to temporarily return to active duty to serve as a witness on a legal matter. The lawyers determined to make sure that my memories were clear and that the timeline of events was accurate.

On the witness stand, they told me to testify everything about the situation that I could; they would decide which details were important, which ones weren’t.

It is significant that Jesus, before he ascended to heaven, commissioned his followers with these covenant words: “You will be my witnesses. . . .” We, being the Body of Christ, the church, serve as witnesses to Jesus, Lord of the universe.

I don’t know about you, but this feels like a daunting task, especially when Jesus says that our witness begins where we are and extends to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8 Amplified Bible

⁸ But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all of Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

Do I have what it takes to be that kind of witness?

Thankfully, we do not do this alone.

As Jesus commissions us, he promises the gift of his Holy Spirit.

He also commissions us, his followers, his church, as a unified community. This is our task, together.

This month, let’s read scripture, take time explore how to bear witness to Jesus.

In my daily writing of this blog, I read examples of faithful witness every day.

The Holy Spirit is alive and well, empowering God’s church around the world!

I look forward to exploring and sharing with you what mission looks like in our lives today.

When it Comes to Miracles, God Does it His Way

John 5:1-9Amplified Bible

The Healing at Bethesda

5 Later on there was a Jewish feast (festival), and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

² Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a ^[a]pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades). ³ In these  porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, ^[b][waiting for the stirring of the water; ⁴ for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.] ⁵ There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” ⁷ The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him, “Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.” ⁹ Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and ^[c]picked up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath.

I remember when I was growing up, there was a lot more work, competition, between Burger King and McDonalds than there seems to be these 2024 days.

And as you may remember, the truly brilliant marketing slogan for Burger King was, “Have it your way at Burger King!” You could custom order your burger with the pickles or without the pickles, with the ketchup and onions or without, cheese or no cheese – just any old way you wanted it. And the implied message to us was, at McDonalds, you’ll get a cookie-cutter, assembly line burger, but at Burger King, we will create your own perfect burger for the way you want it.

What was so novel an idea back then has become commonplace now.

We have personalized and customized everything.

We can order custom made cars with all the bells, and none of the whistles we want. We customize our workout plan for the type of body we desire, and our diet plan to complement our individual health profile or nutritional philosophy.

We each customize our social media and news feeds to hear only our favorite commentators and create personalized watchlists to see favorite TV shows and movies at any time of day or night we like. 

It’s interesting then, that the Church seems too often, to squeeze God in a box.

We tend to think when He stated that He never changes (Malachi 3:6), that means He always operates in exactly the same way. But I have great news!

God was not, is not, never will be, an assembly line or cookie-cutter God.

God’s character never changes, but His actions, His works, His labors, are all 100% unique and custom made, perfect for each individual and situation.

That means, regardless of how we may presume He will answer our prayers, God doesn’t necessarily deliver miracles our way, but rather He does it His way!

One of the most interesting, and unusual miracles Jesus did is found in John 5.

John 5:1-10 Complete Jewish Bible

5 After this, there was a Judean festival; and Yeshua went up to Yerushalayim. ² In Yerushalayim, by the Sheep Gate, is a pool called in Aramaic, Beit-Zata, ³ in which lay a crowd of invalids — blind, lame, crippled. ^4 [a] 5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. ⁶ Yeshua, seeing this man and knowing that he had been there a long time, said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” ⁷ The sick man answered, “I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I’m trying to get there, someone goes in ahead of me.” ⁸ Yeshua said to him, “Get up, pick up your mat and walk!” ⁹  Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and walked.

Now that day was Shabbat, ¹⁰ so the Judeans said to the man who had been healed, “It’s Shabbat! It’s against Torah for you to carry your mat!”

What Is the Pool of Bethesda?

The text says this pool was by the Sheep Gate, which was located next to the Temple in Jerusalem.

And we are told that the name of the pool was Bethesda, which means House of Mercy. 

But the place was originally named the Virgin’s Well when priests discovered a hot spring adjacent to the Temple. As a result, they dug out a huge pool around the opening fed by this hot spring to create, in essence, a bible land Jacuzzi. 

And because the priesthood in those days was an exclusive, high-ranking social group who hobnobbed with society’s rich and famous, they built walls around the pool to make it an exclusive hangout for the elite.

Inside was ornate and beautiful; the pool and pavement were overlaid with the most expensive and precious marble. And because the Mediterranean sun was so hot, they built a porch or a colonnade around the pool for shade. 

This place was so popular that they eventually built four more breathtakingly beautiful porches around the pool. They were supported by marble columns, and filled with comfortable furnishings. But by the time Jesus walked through, the place had changed dramatically.

The pool had been abandoned by top society, and had become a place for the down and out, especially those in need of healing. It was no longer beautiful and ornate but run down and dilapidated. What happened? The hot spring had dried up, the rich moved on, and the sick moved in.

John 5:4 is somewhat of a mystery, and many Bible translations have removed it to a footnote.

Some believe that it was not part of the original manuscript but was added at a later date for the purposes of clarity.

What I find interesting is that Bethesda, or House of Mercy, was the name given to it by the sick and infirmed, not by the rich and famous (called Virgin’s Well). 

⁴ for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.]

Now the reason why this verse would have been added for clarity is because this was what the sick people who gathered there actually believed and had faith in.

And it was apparently true that from time to time, without warning, the waters of the pool would begin to be violently shaken. Furthermore, as the story goes, the first one in was healed of whatever affliction they had.

And so the sick would wait and watch, hoping that they would be lucky enough to be the first into the pool and finally receive a miracle.

But even though their odds were poor they would be the one healed, people still waited.

In their minds, this was the only way they thought God would work to heal them.

The paralytic in John 5 also had this belief.

He had been working his plan for 38 years, staying firm in faith, praying, waiting for his miracle. His continued hopefulness after so many years of disappointment is both admirable and commendable for its perseverance.

But as I examine this man’s story, the thing that strikes me most is that I’m glad God is not limited by our presumptions, but delivers miracles His way.

God’s Way Is Better Than Our Way, So Leave it Up to Him

John 5:7 Amplified Bible

⁷ The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me.”

Clearly, this man’s plan was flawed from the beginning: be the first one among hundreds into the pool when the water is stirred. Sounds a bit like a man is hoping for a lottery win to fix an imminent financial crisis. And it only gets far worse.

Without help, his plan was doomed to fail. But when we ourselves need a miracle from God, we usually don’t have much of a better plan than his.

How often do we come to God with our ideas, our programs, our presumptions, of how God should fix things in our lives?

How often do we go beyond asking God to intervene, and advise Him how to proceed?

How many years are we willing to wait for God, Jesus, Holy Spirit to reveal his answer – thirty eight years … when we can probably arrive at a better plan?

Okay God, here is how you can fix my financial problems. I come home and there is a check waiting for me for a million dollars in the mailbox from Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes!

And God, here is how you can give me a marriage miracle. Today when my spouse comes home from work, you will have them fall down at my feet, start weeping uncontrollably, and apologize for everything they’ve ever done wrong (even though I will never confess to anyone that I am just as responsible for all our problems). 

It never ceases to amaze me how we often have the “how” figured out for God, and concoct a thoroughly thought out master plan for Him to follow. Our faith should never rest in how God does a miracle, but simply on He will make a way.

And God’s way is always better than we can imagine! 

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Jesus was not interested in the man’s plan, only his faith. So He asked:

“Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6).

I believe what He was really asking the man was: 

Son, what do you want? You can have it right now. Regardless of the water, or friends, or luck. I’m here, the Living Water, and I see your faith. Trust Me, this is a better plan. 

If we also would let God figure out all the details for our miracle, we will discover He has a much better plan for our lives as well (Jeremiah 29:11).

God’s Way Is Better Because it Also Makes Us Better!

“Do you want to be made well? “

Isn’t that an interesting question to ask someone who had been lame for 38 years? But God often begins His miracles with asking us obvious questions. 

“How many loaves of bread do you have?” was the catalyst to the feeding of 4,000 people (Matthew 15:34).

“Who touched me?” was the catalyst to the miracle healing of the woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8:45).

“What do you have in your house?” was the beginning of a supernatural multiplication of oil for financial provision (2 Kings 4:2).

Pay attention when God asks you a question; He may be setting you up for a miracle. But moreover, God’s questions can even make us a better Christian when they cause us to pause and evaluate our priorities, motives and methods.  

In the moment the question, do you want to be made well, is asked. it forced the man to consider whether or not he was truly up to the challenge of changing his priorities. Was he willing to replace faith in his plan, with faith in God’s plan?

Most people want and pray for at least some of the following things: money, fewer hassles, more time, more choices, health and long life, to be loved, to make a difference, or get a fresh start.

It’s not a bad list, nor would God necessarily disapprove.

But when God asks us the question, what do you want, He’s ultimately signing a blank check asking, confronting us Are we willing to put me at the top of that list? 

If you put God first in your priorities, He withholds no good thing:

Matthew 6:25-34 Amplified Bible

The Cure for Anxiety

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? ²⁷ And who of you by worrying can add one ^[a]hour to [the length of] his life? ²⁸ And why are you worried about clothes? See how the lilies and wildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin [wool to make clothing], ²⁹ yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory and splendor dressed himself like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive and green today and tomorrow is [cut and]  thrown  [as fuel] into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ³¹ Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ ³² For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But first and  most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians 4:10-14 Amplified Bible

God’s Provisions

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that now at last you have renewed your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned about me before, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances. ¹² I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. ¹³ I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and  empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.] ¹⁴ Nevertheless, it was right of you to share [with me] in my difficulties.

God’s questions also cause us to evaluate our motives. That is, why do you want to be made well? God is less concerned with what we want, and more concerned with why we want it. And it’s the why that often determines the outcome.

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

And God’s questions will also convict us and cause us to check our methods. 

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be financially successful, but scamming people is not the right method. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win a sports competition, but cheating is the wrong method.

When God asks us a question, He is setting us up not only to receive our miracle by His plan, but also for an internal adjustment to bring us more in alignment with God’s character and His will.

Are you asking God for a miracle today? Don’t try to tell Him how to do it. Let God do it His way. He’ll come up with a customized, personalized miracle better than anything we could ask for or imagine, and it makes us better to boot!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Jesus, as we explore what it means to be your witnesses, we want to open our hearts to your call. Fill us with your Spirit teach us how we can grow as witnesses for you. Amen.

Psalm 103 Complete Jewish Bible

103 ⁽⁰⁾ By David:

⁽¹⁾ Bless Adonai, my soul!
Everything in me, bless his holy name!
² Bless Adonai, my soul,
and forget none of his benefits!

³ He forgives all your offenses,
he heals all your diseases,
⁴ he redeems your life from the pit,
he surrounds you with grace and compassion,
⁵ he contents you with good as long as you live,
so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.

⁶ Adonai brings vindication and justice
to all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made his ways known to Moshe,
his mighty deeds to the people of Isra’el.
⁸ Adonai is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in grace.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
he will not keep his anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not treated us as our sins deserve
or paid us back for our offenses,
¹¹ because his mercy toward those who fear him
is as far above earth as heaven.
¹² He has removed our sins from us
as far as the east is from the west.

¹³ Just as a father has compassion on his children,
Adonai has compassion on those who fear him.
¹⁴ For he understands how we are made,
he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ Yes, a human being’s days are like grass,
he sprouts like a flower in the countryside —
¹⁶ but when the wind sweeps over, it’s gone;
and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷ But the mercy of Adonai on those who fear him
is from eternity past to eternity future,
and his righteousness extends
to his children’s children,
¹⁸ provided they keep his covenant
and remember to follow his precepts.

¹⁹ Adonai has established his throne in heaven;
his kingly power rules everything.
²⁰ Bless Adonai, you angels of his,
you mighty warriors who obey his word,
who carry out his orders!
²¹ Bless Adonai, all his troops,
who serve him and do what he wants!
²² Bless Adonai, all his works,
in every place where he rules!
Bless Adonai, my soul!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Colossians 3:22-25 The Message

^22-25 Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

God Working Attitude

God’s Attitude About Work

The Bible says,

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. – Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 3:23 – 4:1)

I would propose to you, with the coming of Labor Day, laboring, working as doing our work unto Christ will make you and I a living witness for the Lord that surpasses the average wage earner, that causes people to take note of the life we live in obedience to the written Word of God. The heart of the average employee is more influenced by a limited world view rather than having the mind of Christ, as the Bible tells you and me to have. (1 Corinthians 2:10-16)

There are many passages of Scripture that specifically speak about work, with a key truth being, “Six days you shall labor and do your work.” (Exodus 20:9)

This command comes directly from God who sets the model example before us as being a worker.

The Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

By the end of the sixth day He made the sun and moon and stars, Adam and Eve, and all the living creatures, everything on this earth for Him and us to enjoy.

“And God saw that is was all good.” (Genesis 1:25)

There is nothing more than any great biker would love to do than take a long vacation, making the long motorcycle ride – touring and seeing everything God has created. That is a whole lot of riding when you consider the whole planet.

Surface:
Total Surface Area: about 509 600 000 square km (197 000 000 square miles).
Area of land: 148 326 000 km² (57 268 900 square miles), this are 29% of the total surface of Planet Earth.
Area of water: 361 740 000 km² (139 668 500 square miles), this are 71% of the total surface of the Earth.
97 percent is salt water and only 3 percent is fresh water. https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/earth.htm#:~:text=Area%20of%20land%3A%20148%20326,3%20percent%20is%20fresh%20water.

Imagine, if every last person were a specialist in landscaping, they could never get done over ten billion lifetimes what God has created, especially in six days.

Even the best doctors and vets cannot create human beings or animals.

No matter how smart and gifted they are, they cannot sustain life for eternity.

When all is said that can be said, all is done that will be done, this earth as we know it will be burned up. God will create a new heaven and a new earth. (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1)

The Book of Psalms says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day…” (John 5:17)

Dr. Charles Mayo of the famous Mayo Clinic once said, “There is no fun like work.” The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes wrote, “…there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot…” (Ecclesiastes 3:22)

The key steps to doing our Labor As Unto Christ is to have a thankful enjoyment of God’s gifts, seeing your job as a discharge from God, knowing God is going to bring all things under His judgment, (Ecclesiastes 11:9) and not seeing your job as 8 hours of drudgery and money seeking opportunity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17)

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Complete Jewish Bible

¹³ Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about. ¹⁴ For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad.

[Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.]

The book of Exodus reminds us that it is the Lord who gives different abilities to achieve things and perform certain tasks. (Exodus 31:3)

The writer of the Book of Thessalonians tells us, “if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

According to the ancient Psalmist … God is always at work …

Psalm 111 Complete Jewish Bible

111 Halleluyah!

I will wholeheartedly give thanks to Adonai
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
² The deeds of Adonai are great,
greatly desired by all who enjoy them.
³ His work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness continues forever.
⁴ He has gained renown for his wonders.
Adonai is merciful and compassionate.
⁵ He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
⁶ He shows his people how powerfully he works
by giving them the nations as their heritage.
⁷ The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his precepts can be trusted.
⁸ They have been established forever and ever,
to be carried out truly and honestly.
⁹ He sent redemption to his people
and decreed that his covenant should last forever.
His name is holy and fearsome —
¹⁰ the first and foremost point of wisdom is the fear of Adonai;
all those living by it gain good common sense.
His praise stands forever.

According to Jesus Christ – God is always at His work.

John 14:10-14 Complete Jewish Bible

¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am united with the Father, and the Father united with me? What I am telling you, I am not saying on my own initiative; the Father living in me is doing his own works. ¹¹ Trust me, that I am united with the Father, and the Father united with me. But if you can’t, then trust because of the works themselves. ¹² Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever trusts in me will also do the works I do! Indeed, he will do greater ones, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ In fact, whatever you ask for in my name, I will do; so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me for something in my name, I will do it.

Jesus said, “He will do greater works, …”

With implicit trust in God Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the right heart reflection, the right focused, the right oriented spiritual perspective, we all should always prayerfully consider all we do as doing it for the approval of God. 1 Corinthians 15:56-58

1 Corinthians 15:56-58 Complete Jewish Bible

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and sin draws its power from the Torah; ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah!

⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers, stand firm and immovable, always doing the Lord’s work as vigorously as you can, knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain.

Work: Serving God With Excellence

Colossians 3:23-24 Amplified Bible

²³ Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,  ²⁴ knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [greatest] reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you [actually] serve.

Work is not merely a means of earning a living; it is an opportunity to serve God with excellence. Whether it’s in our job or career, our studies, or with our daily chores and tasks, we can each bring glory to God by working with diligence and wholeheartedness.

Our attitude toward work reflects our devotion to Christ. When we view our labor as an offering to the Lord, even mundane tasks take on significance.

Every effort made with love and dedication is an act of worship.

God calls us, the church, to work for him and not for human approval.

We find our ultimate reward in him.

Matthew 9:35-38 Complete Jewish Bible

³⁵ Yeshua went about all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and weakness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his talmidim, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers to gather in his harvest.”

Knowing that God sees everyone and knows everything and values all of our efforts, we yet serve with a steadfast joy and an immovable sense of purpose.

As we take Labor day as an extra day of rest or as an extended weekend, may our work ethic be characterized by integrity and humility. Whether we are enjoying success or facing challenges or grilling ourselves and family a BBQ, we can keep 100%, our eyes fixed on the One we serve, knowing that our labor is not in vain.

And as we go about celebrating the day our Lord God gave us, our “day of labor” our harvest work, our work supporting our families, move each day as working for the Lord, become a mirror reflection of God’s love and a light in this world.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 8 Complete Jewish Bible

8 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!
The fame of your majesty
spreads even above the heavens!

^3 (2) From the mouths of babies and infants at the breast
you established strength because of your foes,
in order that you might silence
the enemy and the avenger.

^4 (3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place —
^5 (4) what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them;
humans, that you watch over them with such care?

^6 (5) You made him but little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
^7 (6) you had him rule what your hands made,
you put everything under his feet —
^8 (7) sheep and oxen, all of them,
also the animals in the wilds,
^9 (8) the birds in the air, the fish in the sea,
whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

^10 (9) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Psalm 62 Complete Jewish Bible

62 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. Set in the style of Y’dutun. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) My soul waits in silence for God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
^3 (2) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be greatly moved.

^4 (3) How long will you assail a person
in order to murder him, all of you,
as if he were a sagging wall
or a shaky fence?

^5 (4) They only want to shake him from his height,
they take delight in lying —
with their mouths they bless,
but inwardly they curse. (Selah)

^6 (5) My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
because my hope comes from him.
^7 (6) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be moved.

^8 (7) My safety and honor rest on God.
My strong rock and refuge are in God.
^9 (8) Trust in him, people, at all times;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. (Selah)
^10 (9) Ordinary folks are merely a breath
and important people a sham;
if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up —
both together are lighter than nothing.
^11 (10) Don’t put your trust in extortion,
don’t put false hopes in robbery;
even if wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.

^12 (11) God has spoken once, I have heard it twice:
strength belongs to God.
^13 (12) Also to you, Adonai, belongs grace;
for you reward all as their deeds deserve.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Psalm 62 is about waiting.

What are you waiting for?

Do you find it hard to wait?

Do you sometimes feel like God doesn’t hear your prayers?

Do you struggle with the distance between when you pray, when God answers?

Psalm 62 is in the Bible to convince you, remind you, that God is worth the wait.

Psalm 62 English Standard Version

My Soul Waits for God Alone

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us.

Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
Put no trust in extortion;
    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Once God has spoken;
    twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
    and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
    according to his work.

Psalm 62 is arguing for the importance of waiting for God. Now, here’s what you need to understand.

Waiting on God is not like the purposeless waiting that you do in a doctor’s office. You know, say you’re a man, you’re waiting in the doctor’s office, and you’ve waited so long, you’ve read all the men’s magazines that are there, and you’re reading Ladies Home Journal, then the Doctors’ professional literature. 

All that professional stuff does not hold any interest, And you’re back reading the chicken recipe and you’re thinking, “I didn’t know that went in chicken.”

You know you’ve waited too long!

You still have a very long day ahead of you with meetings and a plane to catch.

You are tempted to just get up and tell the secretary, you will call to reschedule and get up and leave all flustered as you waited 6 months for this appointment.

That’s not what waiting for God is like.

I want you to studiously hear this principle; it’s really argued in this Psalm 62.

Waiting on God is not about waiting for what you expect or hope, dream you get at the end of the long wait; waiting on God is what you become as you’ve waited.

Let me say that again. Waiting on God is not just about what you get at the end of the wait, but about what God already knows what you’ll become as you wait.

You see, waiting changes you.

You begin to learn that there is no salvation apart from God, that there’s no rock to stand on in life apart from him, that there is no fortress to be found outside of the Lord. You learn that to hope in him will never disappoint you.

You learn that you can pour out whatever is in your heart to him, and he won’t reject you, and he won’t turn his back on you, he won’t turn a deaf ear to you.

While you wait he is answering! You learn that when power is fading, and riches are fading, and you put the rich man and the poor man in a balance, and there’s not much difference, that real power and real steadfast love belong to the Lord.

You see, you need both of those.

If God just were awesome in power, he would be terrifying. If he was just all love but had no power, he couldn’t help you. If he was weak in character, he would not probably help you. You need the power and the love of the Lord, and as you wait on the Lord, you become more deeply convinced he’s 100% worth the wait.

He’s an immovable rock; he’s an indestructible fortress; he is an unchangeable hope. He can handle absolutely anything in your heart, orders chaos around.

It’s that 1 invaluable reminder for us all that he’s that indescribably beautiful combination between power, infinite power, and inexhaustible steadfast love.

Isaiah 40:28-31 Amplified Bible

²⁸ 
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become tired or grow weary;
There is no searching of His understanding.
²⁹ 
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who has no might He increases power.
³⁰ 
Even youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
³¹ 
But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired.

No matter how much time has passed, or how much time will pass before you recognize and acknowledge His answer, waiting on God is never purposeless.

It’s not just about what you get at the end of the wait; it’s about God already knows what you will become, what you have already become, as you waited!

---

Suggested Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion

1. Why do you think waiting on God can feel so difficult? So purposeless? So frustrating? Do you struggle with the distance between when you pray and when God answers? If so, why do you think that waiting time is so hard for you? Can you remember a time when you waited on God? What was that experience like for you?

2. If waiting on God is not like waiting in a doctor’s office, what makes the two so different? Why is waiting on God not just about what you get at the end of the wait, but about what you become as you wait? How can you intentionally make choices to shift your perspective about waiting on God and allow it to change you?

3. As you come to process the all encompassing truth that God is all powerful and simultaneously all loving, how can that change your perspective on waiting for him? Do you authentically believe that he can handle anything that’s going on in your heart? If so, go ahead, pour out every vestige of your heart to him right now, confess that you struggle with waiting on him and his timing. Admit to him you’ve felt as if your waiting was purposeless. Now admit that you are in need of him to help you change and become a different person as you wait on his perfect timing.

4. As are reading or you have read and studied and pondered, discussed and prayed through the length and breadth and height and width and depth of this Psalm 62, repeat the same process for this passage text from the Gospel Narrative of Matthew;

Matthew 11:25-30 Amplified Bible

Come to Me

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom], that You have hidden these things  [these spiritual truths] from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants [to new believers, to those seeking God’s will and purpose]. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. ²⁷ All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son  [deliberately] wills to reveal Him.

²⁸ “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. ²⁹  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

While we Wait and look at our Watches, Is Jesus the Answer?

A song we sang over and over again at a three day Christian retreat worship service had these words:

“The world is searching for answers. Whom can we turn to?” And it answered: “There is someone—he is the answer. His name is Jesus. A ray of hope in a hopeless world.”

https://www.musixmatch.com/de/songtext/GroupMusic/Light-of-the-World

But if Jesus is the answer, why do we still have so many unanswered questions? Why so many problems, and why are we waiting, and why so much suffering?

God himself gave us the only answer we require to many of our questions on the day Jesus was born more than 2,000 years ago.

His one and only answer came in the form of a baby, his one and only Son, who came to save the world and all who confessed to believe in him (John 3:16-17).

In today’s Bible passage the Lord Jesus explains why he is the answer.

He offers us His Living Word to give us rest for our souls by making us God’s children. He is, in the words of that song, “A ray of hope in a hopeless world.”

All we need to do is accept his invitation to come to him—and when we do, we will find rest for our souls. Then will we know that he truly is the only answer.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 29 The Message

29 ^1-2 Bravo, God, bravo!
    Gods and all angels shout, “Encore!”
In awe before the glory,
    in awe before God’s visible power.
Stand at attention!
    Dress your best to honor him!

³ God thunders across the waters,
Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—
God, across the flood waters.

⁴ God’s thunder tympanic,
God’s thunder symphonic.

⁵ God’s thunder smashes cedars,
God topples the northern cedars.

⁶ The mountain ranges skip like spring colts,
The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.

^7-8 God’s thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

⁹ God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing
A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”

¹⁰ Above the floodwaters is God’s throne
    from which his power flows,
    from which he rules the world.

¹¹ God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

Psalm 113 Complete Jewish Bible

113 Halleluyah!

Servants of Adonai, give praise!
Give praise to the name of Adonai!
² Blessed be the name of Adonai
from this moment on and forever!
³ From sunrise until sunset
Adonai’s name is to be praised.
⁴ Adonai is high above all nations,
his glory above the heavens.
⁵ Who is like Adonai our God,
seated in the heights,
⁶ humbling himself to look
on heaven and on earth.

⁷ He raises the poor from the dust,
lifts the needy from the rubbish heap,
⁸ in order to give him a place among princes,
among the princes of his people.

⁹ He causes the childless woman
to live at home happily as a mother of children.

Halleluyah!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

A Day of Praise, Prayer, Beginning and Ending with ‘Halleluyah‘

Psalm 113 AKJV

¹ Praise ye the Lord.

Praise, O ye servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord.
² Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and for evermore.
³ From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same
the Lord’s name is to be praised.

⁴ The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens.
⁵ Who is like unto the Lord our God,
who dwelleth on high,
⁶ who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
⁷ He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,
and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
⁸ that he may set him with princes,
even with the princes of his people.
⁹ He maketh the barren woman to keep house,
and to be a joyful mother of children.

Praise ye the Lord.

When I pray with people and for people, I ­often like to give them words of encouragement in the form of a spiritual challenge. For example, I’ll invite them to begin each morning with praise as the first activity of the day. Like the psalmist, they can sing and shout a hallelujah praise to recognize who God is.

I wonder, as I write this devotional, why didn’t I, just before I started writing this, why I did not apply and then practice what I am now about to write about?

Thus, I have been humbled, this first thing this morning, by the LORD my God who sits enthroned on high in the heavens and took some time from His eternal vigil over all the universe He created, to give me a divine nudge in my ribcage.

This much beloved psalm was often sung just before people took up the first cup of wine at the Passover meal. They were praising, remembering, the goodness and faithfulness of God to the people of Israel when delivered from bondage.

It is the first of the Hallel Psalms.

Psalms 113—118 are known as the Hallel Psalms, or simply the Hallel (Hallel means “praise”).

While many psalms praise God, this set of psalms became associated with  the Passover due the mention of the deliverance from Egypt in Psalm 114.

The focus on the exodus is the reason these psalms are also sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Hallel.

These psalms were recited at Jewish feasts, especially Passover.

Depending upon which tradition was being followed, one or two of the psalms were recited before the meal, and the rest after.

Here is a brief description of each of the Hallel Psalms:

Psalm 113 is a short psalm of praise without reference to any historical context.

Verse 3 may be the best known from this psalm: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” (ESV).

 The Bible verse Psalms 113:5, from the King James Version, reads: “Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high.” This verse is found within the larger text of Psalm 113, which is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Verse 5 of this psalm exclaims the greatness and uniqueness of the Lord our God. It presents a rhetorical question, “Who is like unto the Lord our God?”

This question implies that there is no one like God, and the answer is obvious – no one is like Him.

The verse further emphasizes the exalted position of God stating “who dwelleth on high.”

This phrase speaks to the transcendence and sovereignty of God, highlighting the idea He is above all creation and rules from a position of ultimate authority.

The theme of the greatness and uniqueness of God is central to this verse.

It conveys the idea that there is no comparison to God, no one can match His power, glory, and sovereignty, a central theme as echoed throughout the Bible, emphasizing the indelible truth of omnipotence and unmatched nature of God.

In the context of the larger Psalm 113, this verse is part of a hymn of praise to God.

The psalmist begins by exalting the name of the Lord and blesses it from that time forth and forevermore (verse 2).

The focus point of the psalm then shifts unto the character and actions of God, specifically the way He stoops down to look upon the earth and lift the poor and needy from the dunghill (verse 6-7).

This psalm likewise celebrates God’s magnificence, care for His people, verse 5 serves as a heart grabbing, powerful declaration of God’s unmatched greatness.

Symbolically, the phrase “who dwelleth on high” conveys the idea of God’s exaltation and position of authority.

It refers to the heavenly realm where God dwells as the transcendent ruler of the universe.

This stunning imagery reflects the belief in God’s divine kingship, reinforces the idea of His sovereignty. It also speaks to the idea of God’s elevation above all earthly concerns and His ability to govern all creation from His lofty position.

The verse also symbolizes the comparison and contrast between the nature of God and the limitations of humanity. It highlights the insufficiency of human power and the inability of any mortal being to compare to the greatness of God.

This vivid symbolism serves to inspire us, to highly both exalt God, humble humanity, emphasizing the vast difference between the Creator, His creation.

Overall, Psalm 113:5 is a powerful declaration of the greatness and uniqueness of God. It encapsulates the theme of divine sovereignty and transcendent authority, while serving as a reminder of God’s unmatched power and majesty.

The verse is a profound expression of praise and adoration for the Lord our God, recognizing His unparalleled position, acknowledging an unmatched greatness.

Psalm 114 is also a short psalm that poetically relates the Hebrews’ deliverance from Egypt: “The sea looked and fled. . . . The mountains skipped like rams. . . . [the Lord] turns the rock into a pool of water” (verses 3–4, 8).

Psalm 115 is slightly longer and contrasts those who trust in the Lord with those who trust in the idols of the surrounding nations.

“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them” (verses 4–8, ESV).

Psalm 116 is written from the perspective of an individual who has been freed, delivered, from a dire situation.

“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live” (verses 1–2 ESV).

Psalm 117 is both the shortest psalm and the shortest “chapter” in the Bible, with only 2 verses (although psalms are not technically chapters).

This is the whole psalm:

“Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (ESV).

Psalm 118 is the longest of the Hallel Psalms.

It admonishes both the nation and the individual to praise the Lord and expresses confidence that the Lord will save those who call on Him.

It begins and ends with the well-known exhortation, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (ESV).

Also well-known is verse 14: “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (ESV).

Also well known is verse 24: “This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it. (ESV)

Taken as a group, the Hallel Psalms focus on deliverance, both nationally and individually.

It is quite possible when Jesus finished the Last Supper and He and His disciples sang a hymn (Mark 14:26), the hymn they sang was this group of Hallel Psalms.

At the Last Supper, Jesus took the Passover meal and infused it with a deeper, newer meaning. The salvation that He promised was not deliverance from physical danger or human bondage but salvation from spiritual bondage and the grave eternal dangers of the penalty of sin.

In the conclusion to the great chapter on salvation, Paul in Romans 8:31 asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

This may be an allusion to one of the Hallel Psalms: “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).

The Hallel Psalms were a fitting passage to be included in Passover celebrations and a deeply significant fitting for today’s New Covenant believer to praise God the whole day long and celebrate salvation from the power, the penalty of sin.

Saying “Praise the Lord” (Hebrew: “Hallelujah”) is also the perfect way for us to start the day, remembering the goodness and faithfulness of God.

It helps to set the tone for the day, and it puts our atti­tude in the right place.

It also reminds us that God is always and forever going to be infinitely bigger than our worst of circumstances and that no one else is like the Lord our God.

We can also sing God’s praises before going to sleep at the end of the day.

When we praise someone, it means we know something significant about that person and what they have done. The more we experience the fullness of God in our Savior Jesus Christ and deep in our lives, the easier our praise of God will be.

Now, in this exact moment, as we recall God, renew our practice, morning and evening, sing praises to God’s name, we are reminded that we have a heavenly Father and a best friend who is always with us and provides everything we need.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 Complete Jewish Bible

19 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) The heavens declare the glory of God,
the dome of the sky speaks the work of his hands.
^3 (2) Every day it utters speech,
every night it reveals knowledge.
^4 (3) Without speech, without a word,
without their voices being heard,
^5 (4) their line goes out through all the earth
and their words to the end of the world.

In them he places a tent for the sun,
^6 (5) which comes out like a bridegroom from the bridal chamber,
with delight like an athlete to run his race.
^7 (6) It rises at one side of the sky,
circles around to the other side,
and nothing escapes its heat.

^8 (7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect,
restoring the inner person.
The instruction of Adonai is sure,
making wise the thoughtless.
^9 (8) The precepts of Adonai are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The mitzvah of Adonai is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
^10 (9) The fear of Adonai is clean,
enduring forever.
The rulings of Adonai are true,
they are righteous altogether,
^11 (10) more desirable than gold,
than much fine gold,
also sweeter than honey
or drippings from the honeycomb.
^12 (11) Through them your servant is warned;
in obeying them there is great reward.

^13 (12) Who can discern unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from hidden faults.
^14 (13) Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins,
so that they won’t control me.
Then I will be blameless
and free of great offense.

^15 (14) May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

1 John 2:1-2 Amplified Bible

Christ Is Our Advocate

2 My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action]. ²  And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Christianity hinges on the message of forgiveness.

Other religions may offer moralism.

What do we mean by moralism?

Moralism is a philosophy that arose in the 19th century that concerns itself with imbuing culture, society with a certain set of “correct and proper and civilized” morals, usually traditional behavior, but also “justice, freedom, and equality”.

Moralism reforms behavior and conforms to standards. Moralism is given to reform on one’s own and is often substituted for the gospel. It is the belief the “the Gospel of Christ can, should be reduced to improvements in behavior,” that “we humanity, can achieve righteousness by means of proper behavior.”

Moralists may offer methods that will help us “tidy up our public and private lives or make us feel that we are good people if only we will behave ourselves.

Christianity, however, is for the untouchable, the unworthy, the lost, the beleaguered, the oppressed, the scorned, and the sinful. It’s for people who need to hear that they can, will, be forgiven. In other words, it’s for everyone.

From first to last, the gospel is about what God does, not about what we must do. It is God, by His mercy, who gives us the desire to even want to be forgiven—and it is only when we put our 100% faith in Jesus that we are fully pardoned.

John 20:11-18 Amplified Bible

¹¹ But Mary [who had returned] was standing outside the tomb sobbing; and so, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹³ And they said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” ¹⁴  After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? For whom are you looking?” Supposing that He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you are the one who has carried Him away from here, tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him away.” ¹⁶  Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in ^[a] Hebrew, “Rabboni!”  (which means, Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “^[b]Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came, reporting to the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.

When we 100% turn to Him in genuine “search me, O God, investigate my life, test me and know my thoughts, see if there is any wicked way in me, show me the narrow pathway to righteousness, everlasting life” repentance and faith, we are able to look back and say; ‘Thank God, we’ve been saved from sin’s penalty.’

As with Mary standing alone at the empty Tomb, waiting for who knows who, who knows what, to both reassure and us of the truth of the resurrection, all the sin and her terrible choices in life that was against her, and now that is and was against us, all that kept us from knowing God, all that kept us from discovering His love and His goodness—all of the penalty that we deserve—has been fully eradicated, erased through the saving work of God’s Son Jesus, on the cross.

As believers, then, we can—we should—assuredly rejoice in the truth that sin no longer rules over us. Yet the reality is that in our earthly lives, we still sin.

We still miss the mark; as Adam and Eve, we still fail to reach God’s standard.

Genesis 3:1-7 Amplified Bible

The Fall of Man

3 Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And ^[a]the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from  ^[b]any tree of the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, ³ except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.’” ⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die!  ⁵ For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened [that is, you will have greater awareness], and you will be like God, knowing [the difference between] good and evil.” ⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and  insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband ^[c]with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of the two of them were opened [that is, their awareness increased], and they knew that they were naked; and they fastened fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

And when we do, the Evil One loves to still whisper, “Are you really saved? Will God really forgive you this time?” To which we must answer, “Yes, I am; and yes, He will, for the one who died for me is at this moment advocating for me.”

Knowing forgiveness is not a license to sin; indeed, John wrote with the purpose “that you may not sin no more.” When we sin, the joy we have found in God begins to fade. While He remains our heavenly Father, it should be no surprise that if we harbor sin, we will fail to enjoy all the blessings He intends for us.

And so we seek to live in obedience to our Lord, and yet, since we will not do so perfectly, we also must live in repentance to our Lord.

In the Upper Room, Rabbi Messiah Jesus underscored the genuine need for and importance of daily repentance in John 13 when, while He was in the midst of washing His disciples’ feet, Peter protested and said, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus responded, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (13:8).

Forgiveness is not ours until we are washed by Jesus, confess with our whole heart Jesus’ Messiahship, Jesus’ Lordship over our entire lives, and then He continues to wash us through our daily discipline of repentance and faith.

One day, you and I and we, will all be taken to heaven and saved from sin’s presence. But until that great day, your Christian life, my Christian life, and our Christian life is to be a journey of repentance, acknowledge Jesus calling out our names, acknowledging with Rabboni – master teacher, my only 100% salvation.

I have been saved You have been saved.

I will be saved You will be saved.

But for now, in this moment, in this time and this season, minute by minute, day by day, you are mercifully being saved as you repent and turn back to Jesus.

Who Is It We Are Looking for? Self? Gardner? God? Serpent?

John 20:11-16Amplified Bible

¹¹ But Mary [who had returned] was standing outside the tomb sobbing; and so, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹³ And they said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” ¹⁴ After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said unto her,  “Woman, why are you crying? For whom are you looking?” Supposing that He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you are the one who has carried Him away from here, tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him away.” ¹⁶  Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in ^[a]Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

There are times in life when we have to do some things we don’t want to do.

Tough things. There’s that phone call we have to make. Or that task ahead of us that looks bigger than we bargained for. Or maybe we have received news that shatters our thinking, and we can’t imagine how we can deal with the situation.

The only things that seem to fill our souls are those “serpent” like words, I am way out of my league with this one, I have no morals, ethics, strength of character.

I have no experience, no courage in myself or in my God because I do not see Him.

I have hope after hope after hope but nothing in my life has ever panned out for me.

I have always been a failure in my life, why should I expect anything different now?

I am sure that some permutation of the above self-deprecating statements is how probably Mary felt. Her heart was so heavy with the news of Jesus’ death.

She knew that his body was placed in the tomb, and she and some others had wanted to make sure his body was prepared properly (Mark 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-12).

Imagine the shock and surprise when entering in, the tomb was very empty.

Where is He?

Who has taken Him?

How could this be?

What does all this mean?

After sharing the news with Jesus’ disciples (John 20:1-2), Mary went back to the tomb and stood there, not knowing what to expect, would anyone show up?

Who would be there, who would come there, to call, to tell her the 100% truth?

Her heart was heavy, and the tears for her Lord trickled down her face.

Someone else was there too.

A gardener?

Perhaps he might know something.

A serpent in wolf’s clothing …?

A Roman Soldier who was guarding the tomb against intruders?

A complete stranger wandering among the tombs?

Perhaps the truth. at least some truth, will come out now?

The stranger speaks …

He said, “Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Then he spoke her name.

MARY …

And exactly in that moment, she absolutely knew it was a living Jesus.

Her whole outlook changed.

What a glorious encounter!

Whatever circumstances you are in, I am in, we are in, and no matter what struggles we are facing, we are confronted by in our worst of times, be 100% assured that Jesus is with you (Matthew 28:20) and that he knows your name.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 63 Complete Jewish Bible

63 ⁽⁰⁾ A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Y’hudah:

^2 (1) O God, you are my God;
I will seek you eagerly.
My heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you
in a land parched and exhausted,
where no water can be found.
^3 (2) I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and glory;
^4 (3) for your grace is better than life.
My lips will worship you.
^5 (4) Yes, I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
^6 (5) I am as satisfied as with rich food;
my mouth praises you with joy on my lips
^7 (6) when I remember you on my bed
and meditate on you in the night watches.

^8 (7) For you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
^9 (8) my heart clings to you;
your right hand supports me.

^10 (9) But those who seek to destroy my life —
may they go to the lowest parts of the earth.
^11 (10) May they be given over to the power of the sword;
may they become prey for jackals.

^12 (11) But the king will rejoice in God.
Everyone who swears by him will exult,
for the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Proverbs 30:1-4 Complete Jewish Bible

30 The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, the prophecy. The man says to Iti’el, to Iti’el and Ukhal:

² I am more boorish than anyone,
    I lack human discernment;
³ I have not learned enough wisdom
    to know the Holy One.

⁴ Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has cupped the wind in the palms of his hands?
Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak?
Who established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
Surely you know!

⁵ Every word of God’s is pure;
    he shields those taking refuge in him.
⁶ Don’t add anything to his words;
    or he will rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

A young pastor once told s of purchasing his first pickup truck. And he also said that he had bought a book on gasoline engines because he was so afraid of being ripped off at the service station.

He wrote:

“The first time I took the truck in to the mechanic for repairs, I smugly wrote down what the problem was and what needed to be fixed, put it on the seat.”

That night when he returned for the truck, he found this short note attached to the windshield:

“I fixed the problem in your truck, but in order for me to fix the problem you described, you’ll have to bring in your 30 year old lawnmower. I suggest you go back to the front of the book for when it was written. My grandfather had the very same book and gave his to me on the very first day I opened this garage.”

While making me laugh hysterically, that story greatly puzzled me.

This young pastor buys a book in a gas station that he doesn’t understand.

Further, he does not take the time, or exercise enough wisdom to open the book to the first few pages to determine when it was written-how up to date it is and just what exactly it was written for and what engine was written about to repair.

He writes down his concerns to the mechanic about his V8 truck engine from the guide book written for repair of an array of small 2 cylinder gas engines.

And he takes his note and his truck to a mechanic he’s not sure he can trust.

Excuse me – if I do not think I can trust a mechanic I’m not going to take my vehicle to him. I take my car to MY mechanic because I trust him… and because I know I am not smart enough to fix the problem on my note but maybe he can?

In Proverbs – chap 30– Agur, a gentile, is warning us to be careful NOT to treat God or His Word the same or similar way that pastor had treated his mechanic.

Agur starts out by trying to get us to understand that we are not intelligent enough, nor wise enough to first know all about God, and ergo, correct God.

He says of himself: “I’m not smart enough!” “I am not discerning enough!” “I am more boorish than anyone alive!” I’ve not learned enough wisdom either!”

“I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man’s understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.” Proverbs 30:2

In other words… I’m not smart enough to say “I am too stupid to know it all!”

But then Agur implies he has observed people who thought they were “smart enough”. He had seen people who misused Scripture because they thought they were smarter, wiser than God, thought they knew more than the “Mechanic”.

“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!” Proverbs 30:3-4

Then, lastly, Agur compared the wisdom of Scripture to the supposed wisdom of man.

He wrote: “Every word of God is flawless (but man’s words aren’t flawless); he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6

Essentially, Agur is saying that you cannot begin to improve on God’s Word. And he tells us not to even presume to think that we are wiser than God can know Him perfectly and completely and utterly to add anything to His Words… because God kind of takes offense at that, takes that very deeply, personally.

But that has never stopped people from presuming they possess the capability and the level of “smarts” from doing it anyway.

Jesus condemned the Pharisees for “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” Matthew 15:9

Paul told the church in Galatia “… some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:7

And Paul warned the Elders at Ephesus to be wary because “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEM.” Acts 20:30

Now there’s the key to the problem.

People freely distort the Scriptures, they add to God’s Word because they want people to pay attention to them. They want people to follow THEIR teachings.

And that’s an easy temptation to give in to.

Better churches than ours has fallen prey to it.

Better pastors and preachers than I have been enticed by it.

And in my earliest days of preaching and teaching I not so innocently, definitely fell deep into the prey-predator relationship, was “consumed,” grounded for it.

That’s why I personally try to protect myself from placing my own opinions above and beyond that of Scripture.

If, during a sermon, I want to introduce a thought I have about something I don’t think I can comfortably or sufficiently substantiate from Scripture I try to over emphasize that it is MY opinion, My interpretation which the congregation should feel free to fully test and examine afterwards from the Holy Scriptures.

My opinions can be wrong, but Scripture never can. I strive to do this because I am attempting to protect myself from even accidentally distorting God’s truth.

If the congregation examines and tests my sermon and finds discrepancies or has questions about what I presented, to feel free to come to me and to ask.

And that’s why I have developed a couple of mottos I pray will keep us focused.

One is:

“Where The Bible Speaks… We Speak, Where The Bible Is Silent… We’re Silent.”

In other words, we don’t want to add or take away from anything from what the Bible says because we aren’t even close to being smarter, wiser than the Author.

Another is “Bible Words For Bible Things”.

That is: if the Bible uses a word in a certain way… that’s the way we try to use it.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/strongs-exhaustive-concordance/

https://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html

In Proverbs 30, we see that the weakness of humility is God’s greatest strength.

Jesus’ crucifixion is humble and weak, and His resurrection is so stunning, but they are infinitely more powerful than all man’s high philosophies and power.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Easy-to-Read Version

God’s Power and Wisdom in Christ Jesus

¹⁸ The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.
    I will confuse the understanding of the intelligent.”

²⁰ So what does this say about the philosopher, the law expert, or anyone in this world who is skilled in making clever arguments? God has made the wisdom of the world look foolish. ²¹ This is what God in his wisdom decided: Since the world did not find him through its own wisdom, he used the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe it.

²² The Jews ask for miraculous signs, and the Greeks want wisdom. ²³ But this is the message we tell everyone: Christ was killed on a cross. This message is a problem for Jews, and to other people it is nonsense. ²⁴ But Christ is God’s power and wisdom to the people God has chosen, both Jews and Greeks. ²⁵ Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. Even the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Proverbs 30 and 31 are the only chapters of Proverbs written by non-Jews.

They’re evidence that God’s wisdom is not confined to a particular people.

God’s wisdom belongs to anyone who fears the Lord.

Agur, our first Gentile philosopher, wants you to walk away from his chapter understanding the inevitable consequences of misplaced malignant pride and the ironic success of the truly humble and meek.

Agur begins by humbly listing what he doesn’t know in a series of rhetorical questions (Proverbs 30:2-4) before admitting that God’s words are the only words that will prove true.

Any prideful attempt to add to God’s wisdom will be shown for foolishness (Proverbs 30:6).

So Agur, in the only prayer in Proverbs, asks God to make him content with a humble life—a life of neither poverty nor riches. Agur knows that either too much or too little will bend his heart away from God, so he asks God to spare him from either temptation (Proverbs 30:7-9).

Proverbs 30:7-9 Complete Jewish Bible

⁷ [God,] I have asked two things of you;
    don’t deny them to me as long as I live —
⁸ keep falsehood and futility far from me,
    and give me neither poverty nor wealth.
Yes, provide just the food I need today;
⁹ for if I have too much, I might deny you
    and say, “Who is Adonai?”
And if I am poor, I might steal
    and thus profane the name of my God.

Are You Wise Enough: “Where is the Gospel?”

Agur agrees with the apostle Paul who said that “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Our world does not come close to believing this. Our world values strength, power, and competence (or, at the very least, the appearance of those things).

But God has determined to destroy the wisdom of the world (1 Corinthians 1:19).

He’s chosen to use things like badgers and ants and crucified men “to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-29).

Agur’s wisdom is that, as ironic as it seems, there are rewards waiting for those who humble themselves.

In Jesus and his cross, we see God himself completely humiliated.

The world will look at that and say it’s foolishness.

But while the “message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…  For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:18, 25).

For anyone willing to accept Jesus’ foolishness as being infinitely greater their cleverness and their cunning and slyness and strength “as a wolf” and abandon their ‘strength’ of pride, the mysteries, powers of humility will become theirs.

While an ant’s storehouse, a locust’s organization, and a lizard’s stealth are impressive, they are nothing when compared to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ in the life of those who are humble and meek. Matthew 5:5

Matthew 5:5 Amplified Bible

⁵ “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the ^[a] gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth.

While we might feel unimpressive, the Gospel of Jesus’ humble death makes us into a mystery that angels stand on tiptoe to see (1 Peter 1:12).

1 Peter 1:10-13 Amplified Bible

¹⁰ Regarding this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace [of God] that was intended for you, searched carefully and inquired [about this future way of salvation], ¹¹ seeking to find out what person or what time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glories [destined] to follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that their services [their prophecies regarding grace] were not [meant] for themselves and their time, but for you, in these things [the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ] which have now been told to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the [power of the] Holy Spirit [who was] sent from heaven. Into these things even the angels long to look.

¹³ So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The realization of God’s greatness drove Agur to adoration.

In the only prayer in Proverbs, Agur asks God to give him a meaningful life and to provide what he needs to get by every day. 

This was a dramatically different attitude than the society he lived in. When Agur looked around, he didn’t see people who were awestruck with God.

Instead, he saw a generation that looks a lot like ours: disrespectful, self-righteous, prideful, arrogant, and fiercely oppressive (Proverbs 30:11-14). 

The same happens to us when we get a glimpse of how truly amazing God is.

Our lives are forever changed by the realization that God is perfect and we are not. Because it’s only when we acknowledge our stupidity, acknowledge God’s majesty, that we will humble ourselves and meekly begin to learn from Him. 

Reflect: 

• How did God first reveal Himself to you? If you can’t remember a time when you put God first in your life, read, study and pray – His Spirit will reveal it!  
• What are a few qualities about God that leave you awestruck? Tell Him today. 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 8 Complete Jewish Bible

8 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!
The fame of your majesty
spreads even above the heavens!

^3 (2) From the mouths of babies and infants at the breast
you established strength because of your foes,
in order that you might silence
the enemy and the avenger.

^4 (3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place —
^5 (4) what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them;
humans, that you watch over them with such care?

^6 (5) You made him but little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
^7 (6) you had him rule what your hands made,
you put everything under his feet —
^8 (7) sheep and oxen, all of them,
also the animals in the wilds,
^9 (8) the birds in the air, the fish in the sea,
whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

^10 (9) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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