Blog: “Discovering His Living Hope”

What Do You Want Now? Get Serious! What is causing all of these quarrels and fights among you? Is it not your desires battling inside you? Do You desire things and do not have them? James 4:1-10 

James 4:1-10 New Living Translation

Drawing Close to God

4 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

4 You adulterers![a] Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.[b] 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”[c]

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

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.

Today I would like to share with you James 4:1-4,

“Where do wars and fights come from among you?

Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

You lust and do not have.

You murder and covet and cannot obtain.

You fight and war.

Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your worldly impulses and pleasures.

Adulterers and adulteresses!

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

I share this today because these 4 verses have extreme depth to our personal life, family, the church, all the way up to the highest levels of a city, state, country.

First, it starts in our own hearts.

Jesus said, “Out of the mouth the heart speaks.”

Check your heart and see, are you asking for things because you want it just for your glory and pleasure?

Second, look at those who destroy property, who destroyed nations, who also destroy people.

They do so, because they lust and do not have.

They refused to humble themselves and ask the Lord for direction.

It comes down to a person having hate inside them.

Jesus said that “hate is the same as murder.”

Finally know, that we can not want nor value to be a friend to the spirit of this world and follow the Lord.

You can not be a friend to the adversarial spirit and the Holy Spirit at the same time.

You will either follow Jesus or follow the Adversary.

Would you be able to identify, know, recognize, the difference between them?

What Do You so desperately Want you would risk cheating God?

“You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

2-3 You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

4-6 You’re cheating on God.

Desires are thoughts.

Sadly, they often begin with the words of our two-year-old selves: “I want that!”

We can easily think, for example, “I want a car (or a house) like that.”

Or, “I wanted the job he got.”

I want, I want, I want.

Not all of our desires are bad, but many are.

If we want something that belongs to others or if we want something at the expense of others, that is typically wrong.

Pleasure and enjoyment are great blessings, but if we seek such things only for selfish reasons, that can be wrong too.

We can easily deceive ourselves into thinking, “I should have that . . . and why shouldn’t I?”

Our desires can cause battles within us.

How do we know if what we want is right or wrong?

We can take it to God in prayer.

And if we think, “I can’t possibly ask God for that,” it is probably a wrongful desire.

We can also have lots of good desires, though.

We may want our children to do well in school.

We may want our friend’s marriage to be saved.

We may want our church to grow.

God is pleased when we ask for good things like these with the right motives.

As we pray about our desires, let’s focus on those which can bring about glory to God, good for our neighbors, family, and friends.

Let’s pray about what can bring growth and maturity and Shalom in God’s kingdom throughout the world.

Things like these are always in line with the desires of God’s heart.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

37 Do not get upset because of evildoers,
Do not be envious of wrongdoers.
2 For they will wither quickly like the grass,
And decay like the green plants.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
Live in the land and [a]cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
6 He will bring out your righteousness as the light,
And your judgment as the noonday.

7 [b]Rest in the Lord and wait [c]patiently for Him;
Do not get upset because of one who is successful in his way,
Because of the person who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and abandon wrath;
Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be eliminated,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while and the wicked person will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow
To take down the afflicted and the needy,
To kill off those who are upright in conduct.
15 Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their bows will be broken.

16 Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the Lord sustains the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the [d]blameless,
And their inheritance will be forever.
19 They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
And in the days of famine they will have plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the [e]glory of the pastures,
They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and gives.
22 For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be eliminated.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 When he falls, he will not be hurled down,
Because the Lord is the One [f]who holds his hand.
25 I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or his [g]descendants begging for bread.
26 All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his [h]descendants are a blessing.

27 Turn from evil and do good,
So that you will dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves [i]justice
And does not abandon His godly ones;
They are protected forever,
But the [j]descendants of the wicked will be eliminated.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
And dwell in it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice.
31 The Law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.
32 The wicked spies upon the righteous
And seeks to kill him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.
34 Wait for the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are eliminated, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked, violent person
Spreading himself like a luxuriant [k]tree in its native soil.
36 Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.
37 Observe the [l]blameless person, and look at the upright;
For the person of peace will have a future.
38 But wrongdoers will altogether be destroyed;
The future of the wicked will be eliminated.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;
He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

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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Sleeping, Walking or Sleep Walking, Immobilized or Standing Still in the Spirit in Dark Times. Psalm 22:1-8

Psalm 22:1-8 Complete Jewish Bible

22 (0) For the leader. Set to “Sunrise.” A psalm of David:

2 (1) My God! My God!
Why have you abandoned me?
Why so far from helping me,
so far from my anguished cries?

3 (2) My God, by day I call to you,
but you don’t answer;
likewise at night,
but I get no relief.
4 (3) Nevertheless, you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Isra’el.
5 (4) In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted, and you rescued them.
6 (5) They cried to you and escaped;
they trusted in you and were not disappointed.

7 (6) But I am a worm, not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
8 (7) All who see me jeer at me;
they sneer and shake their heads:

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.

Every day, we face a host of crises that try and shake our faith and character.

Confusion denies truth.

Political division ends relationships.

Wars and conflicts stir up fear.

Moral compromise and corruption grows louder, we get a constant pressure to conform to the things of this world.

Our phones and media bombard us with these constant issues.

It becomes easy to give in, react in anger, give up, and lose sight of the eternal reality.

But God doesn’t call us to deal with this darkness alone.

And we’ve been born again for such a time as this.

The Holy Spirit equips us to face the current darkness with both truth and love.

He gives a firm foundation in himself and truth, leading with ways to respond in love, wisdom, bravery, and grace.

He doesn’t lead us to fear but faith in Christ.

We don’t overcome darkness by responding with more darkness.

We overcome it by walking in the Spirit, clinging to God’s presence.

Walking in the Spirit in dark times means refusing fear, staying rooted in God’s love, renewing your mind with truth, depending on His power instead of ours.

This will help us think rightly, show compassion, stand firm in what is good.

What Does It Mean to Walk in the Spirit in Dark Times?

To walk in the Spirit in dark times also means to let God’s presence, truth, and power shape your response instead of fear, anger, or compromise.

It does not mean ignoring darkness.

It means facing it with a Spirit-led life marked by love, surrender, wisdom, courage, and trust in Christ. 

Suggested ways to walk in the Spirit in our dark days.
Live from Freedom, not Fear

The Spirit doesn’t drive us through coercion or control.

He leads us into the freedom Christ has already secured for us. 

Galatians 5:1 tells us, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

Fear shuts down our minds, allows lies into our hearts.

It causes us to react without thinking, hide from our responsibilities and opportunities, or just conform. 

When we walk by the Spirit, we act from an identity, who we are in Christ and his work for us.

We must renew our minds to the reality that Christ has already overcome sin, death, and the world.

That truth frees us from needing to please anyone.

We don’t need to fear loss or compromise biblical standards.

Often, our anxiety says, “What if everything falls apart?”

But with faith in Christ, says, “What has Christ already secured for us?”

Such a shift changes how we respond to temptation and suffering.

Freedom doesn’t mean we do what we want or live carelessly.

It means living Spirit-led, choosing righteousness because of freedom in Jesus, not because we feel forced.

As a practical step, choose one fear that shapes your decisions this week (rejection, fear, failure, etc.).

Write it down, then write down a Scripture that directly counters that fear, and speak it out every day.

Then pray to God to show you an action you can do to align with your Christ-identity.

Be Anchored in God’s Love

God’s love exists at the heart of all his work.

He is love.

Therefore, his actions and salvation flow from his love.

God’s love remains constant and unshaken.

The Spirit reminds us we aren’t defined by the chaos around us but by the love of God poured into us through Christ. 

Romans 8:38-39 says, “nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This truth grounds our hearts while everything else is unstable. 

Anchoring ourselves in his love, we don’t seek to earn what he’s already given.

We don’t react out of fear or anger, but with confidence and peace.

The Spirit of God places his love within our hearts.

Instead of allowing the world to make us hate or lie, we carry his presence to respond in love. We can forgive, stand firm, and love with courage and tenacity.

This doesn’t mean we ignore the darkness.

It means we don’t let the darkness define us or what we do.

We respond and fight with love, to save others, and God’s love shows us how to live by this motivation, walking in grace without compromise.

As a practical step, take 5 minutes every day to meditate on one passage about God’s love.

Read it, speak it aloud, and thank God for how he has shown his love in your life.

Renew Your Mind with Truth

The Devil is a liar and murderer, from the beginning, and into today’s darkness, spreads lies and delusions to feed fear, pride, and worldly philosophy.

However, the Spirit works on our hearts and minds to transform our beliefs and thinking according to truth, fixing our eyes on things of heaven, what lasts. 

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

Transformation begins with what you allow with our thoughts. 

Renewing our mind means replacing lies with truth.

We begin to see life through the lens of the eternal perspective and God’s kingdom.

The kingdom contains what will last, what matters, what will express Christ.

The Spirit uses Scripture to correct our thinking, strengthen our faith.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 Amplified Bible

3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine and teaching which is in agreement with godliness (personal integrity, upright behavior), 4 he is conceited and woefully ignorant [understanding nothing]. He has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produces envy, quarrels, verbal abuse, evil suspicions, 5 and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].

1 Timothy 6:20-21 Amplified Bible

20 O Timothy, guard and keep safe the deposit [of godly truth] entrusted to you, turn away from worldly and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], and the contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge”— 21 which some have professed and by doing so have erred (missed the mark) and strayed from the faith.

2 Timothy 2:14-18 Amplified Bible

An Unashamed Workman

14 Remind the people of these facts, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good, and [upsets and undermines and] ruins [the faith of] those who listen. 15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. 16 But avoid all irreverent babble and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their teaching will spread like gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have deviated from the truth. They claim that the resurrection has already taken place, and they undermine the faith of some.

We compare our thoughts with God’s truth in the Bible and reject them quickly, casting them down.

We aren’t in bondage to our thoughts or the lies the Devil brings to us.

We are free, and the Spirit empowers us to live free in our thoughts, keeping us from compromise.

A renewed mind leads to renewed actions and true peace.

This brings heavenly living to earth.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 Amplified Bible

14 But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, 15  and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As a practical step, choose a single verse or passage each week that focuses on an eternal reality.

Write it down and revisit it each day.

Memorize it through the week.

When negative or despairing thoughts arise, replace them with that verse.

Speak it aloud.

Pray over it louder.

Depend on the Spirit’s Power, Not Your Own

We must reject any reliance upon our own ability.

Too often, we come to God to save us, then try to live a divine life on our own.

Just like we need his power to save us from sin and death, we require his strength and grace to continue in walking out that salvation. 

The world celebrates personal strength, hustle, achievement, and talent.

But these things always fail.

God never intended us to resist sin or live faithfully in our own strength. 

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit”, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

When we depend upon the Spirit’s power, we stop trying to prove anything.

We can’t.

It humbles us rightfully when we acknowledge our limitations and invite God to work through us.

The Spirit provides power, love, and a sound mind.

Instead of pushing harder in our own effort, we learn to pause and pray to rely upon God alone.

Such humility brings us grace and power to remain faithful.

Even further, we can bless others.

In our dark culture, any self-reliance leads to burnout, frustration, anger, and compromise.

Spirit-dependence keeps us grounded and reliant upon the One who can save and sustain.

As a practical step, before starting any challenging situation (or when encountering one), take a moment to ask God for his help through the Spirit.

Name your weakness.

Be honest.

Then ask for his strength and trust that he will actively speak to you and work through you.

In this way, you will bring light to the darkness of the world.

How Can You Walk in the Spirit This Week?
  • What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?
    Walking in the Spirit means living under the guidance, power, and truth of the Holy Spirit rather than being ruled by fear, flesh, or the patterns of the world.
  • How do you walk in the Spirit in dark times?
    You walk in the Spirit in dark times by choosing freedom over fear, anchoring yourself in God’s love, renewing your mind with Scripture, and depending on God’s power instead of your own. 
  • Why is it hard to walk in the Spirit right now?
    The article rightly points out that constant cultural pressure, fear, division, media overload, and moral confusion can make it difficult to stay spiritually grounded. 
  • What helps Christians stay spiritually strong in dark times?
    Practical surrender, Scripture meditation, kingdom focus, godly character, and Spirit-dependence all help believers remain steady and faithful.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

Book One

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 [a]Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example],
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of [b]scoffers (ridiculers).
2 
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.
3 
And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season;
Its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

4 
The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so,
But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away.
5 
Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 
For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked shall perish.

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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God will keep all your days stable and secure—salvation and wisdom, and knowledge in abundance and surplus. Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians 1:15-23Evangelical Heritage Version
A Prayer for Knowledge and Strength

15 This is why, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation in knowing Christ fully. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, just how rich his glorious inheritance among the saints is, 19 and just how surpassingly great his power is for us who believe. 20 It is as great as the working of his mighty strength, which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church. 23 The church is his body, the fullness of him[b]  who fills everything in every way.

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.

True knowledge is a gift from God.

When we know God for who he truly is, that is the most important and basic truth that anyone can accept.

The apostle Paul prays that God will give his readers the spiritual powers of wisdom and revelation.

Paul knows that God is eager to give Christians these gifts. When we have godly wisdom, we understand how God’s world works, and we understand what to do.

When we receive the spiritual power of revelation (vision), we can see what lies ahead and be confident that the future is in God’s hands.

Wisdom and revelation from God lead us to know God better.

Our increasingly wise thoughts inform us that the power and love and goodness of God are without end.

Through revelation the Spirit shows that no matter how much we meditate on God and his Word, we will never see to the end of his goodness, power, and love.

Increasing knowledge of God sets us on the path toward holiness.

This is not just a matter of accepting facts about God.

We learn and experience that God is good and loving and just.

When we grow in the knowledge of God, we begin to offer him our reverence and obedience, which he truly deserves.

Paul began his prayer for the Ephesian church by asking God to give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.

Paul was not asking God to provide them with the Holy Spirit – they already had him (Eph. 1:13-14).

It would be best to understand this as a spirit of wisdom and revelation. That God would to grant them wisdom. And that he would reveal himself to them.

The goal of this prayer request was for them to know God better. You might understand knowing God better in two different but related ways. First, that they would come to experience more about God. An intellectual knowledge.

And as they learn more about him, they would also grow in their relationship with him.

This is true in most relationships.

The more I learn about a person, the deeper our relationship can grow.

It is important, though, not to be content with just an intellectual knowledge.

That, in itself, has little value for us.

Paul’s prayer here is still appropriate.

That you pray this for yourself.

And that you pray this for other believers.

None of us will ever outgrow the need to know God better.

Let’s step forth, storm the gates of heaven and pray daily, fervently, for wisdom and revelation so our knowledge of, connection to God continuously increases.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

Psalm 90:12-17 Evangelical Heritage Version

Mortal Man Needs God’s Grace

12 Teach us to number our days in such a way
    that we bring a heart of wisdom.
13 Turn, O Lord! How long!
Change your mind toward your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your mercy,
so that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 Let your deeds be seen by your servants
and your majesty by their children.
17 May the kindness of the Lord our God rest upon us.
Establish the work of our hands for us.
Yes, establish the work of our hands.

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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Making Converts to Love. Our call to action, transform our understanding, of what it truly means to be Christian. Are we able to Identify toxic religion? Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-12 New Living Translation

Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.[a] 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.[b] 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’[c]

8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.[d] 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. 10 And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, those who humble themselves will be exalted.

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.

Religion can be a beautiful thing.

It can unite people, offer comfort in difficult times, and inspire individuals to lead more meaningful lives.

But when religion becomes toxic, it can do just the opposite.

It tears people apart, causes deep trauma, allows individuals to do unspeakable things in the name of their faith.

So, exactly what is toxic religion, how can you spot it, and why should you steer clear of it?

Let’s find out!

First things first, it’s exactly what it sounds like – a poisonous, harmful, and damaging version of spirituality that’s more about control than connection.

It’s the kind of religion which relies on, uses fear shame, and guilt to control, manipulate and coerce people into following its dogma.

It’s the kind of religion that tells you what to think, feel, and do without leaving room for questioning or doubt. It’s the kind of religion that thrives on power imbalances and hierarchies, with a select few at the top calling all the shots.

Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, but isn’t all religion kind of toxic?”

And sure, there are certainly elements of this in many religious traditions.

But harmful religion takes it to a whole new level.

It’s when religion becomes less and less about fostering love, compassion, and understanding and far more about enforcing rules and beliefs that benefit the people in power.

It’s when those in power use that religion as a tool of oppression rather than liberation.

Toxic religion can take many forms, but at its core, it is any belief system or religious practice that causes significant harm to individuals or communities.

This harm can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and it can come from a variety of sources, including congregants, leaders, doctrines, and traditions. 

So, why is it such a problem?

For starters, harmful and toxic theology can have severe mental and emotional consequences for those caught in its grip.

It can leave people second guessing themselves, their choices, and those around you.

When there is a strict line of black-and-white, it can create an us-versus-them thinking pattern dehumanizing people outside of the ‘in group.’

Perhaps you have experienced this while sitting in church if you are gay, and the pastor is condemning LGBTQIA+ from the pulpit, the desire to be safe and leave conflicts with the desire to belong, causing religious trauma over time.

People in toxic religious communities may feel intense shame, guilt, anger, fear and open hostility if they don’t adhere to the group’s rules and beliefs. 

When a religious leader or community or church or denomination insists on absolute certainty in their beliefs, questioning or dissent is not allowed.

Deep control can lead to groupthink, dogmatism, and even cult-like behavior.

People who disagree may be ostracized or seen as a threat for questioning authority or expressing doubts.

And in extreme cases, they may even be subject to crippling abuse or violence.

When any religion, denomination claims to be the only correct, legitimate path to salvation, it creates a dark toxic unfriendly environment where those who do not believe as they do are immediately considered inferior, misguided, and evil.

This invites discrimination, division, hostility, intolerance, and violence to flourish while reinforcing biased harmful stereotypes and prejudices, which promote bigotry and discrimination, hostility. It suffocates critical thinking and curiosity, growth preventing people from exploring new ideas and perspectives.

Another red flag is when a religious leader or community or church is not held accountable for their actions.

It allows dangerous abuses of power, corruption, and even criminal behavior to go unchecked. Reckless leadership which traumatizes followers and can lead to a loss of faith and spiritual disillusionment.

So, what can we do to avoid toxic religion? 

Well, for starters, we can educate ourselves about the warning signs.

A church or religious community is often never completely out of the blue toxic that no one saw coming.

There are usually multiple signs although some are more subtle than others, like who is in charge, if there are women or diverse people of color, ethnicity in the community or on the board.

Other signs could include what they expect from volunteers, how they treat volunteers, to even the way they speak about people when they aren’t around.

Listen to your gut, and see if the church lights you up with joy, or lights up your flight or flight response, they can feel similar, but they are very different.

If a religious community seems to be excessively controlling or demands absolute obedience, that’s a red flag.

If a religious leader or group is using fear, shame, or guilt to manipulate its followers, that’s a sign of toxicity.

And if a spiritual tradition promotes harmful beliefs or practices that cause harm to others, that’s a problem.

Cults can look shiny and clean from the outside but can feel like a pit of vipers or quicksand once you are in. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

A church that only shares it’s doctrine after you get baptized may be an obvious red flag.

A church subtly guilting you repeatedly for not attending a weeknight service or for not being a part of a small group ministry may seem like an slight innocent kind nudge at first, but those yellow flags are waving.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or challenge authority, especially if you feel something is wrong.

So what is toxic religion?

Toxic religion isn’t just a church we don’t like; it’s a genuine threat that harms individuals inside and outside of the church’s walls. 

But we don’t have to accept it, and we can choose to reject harmful and dangerous theology and seek a spirituality that promotes love, tolerance, compassion, and understanding.

Doing so not only holds space for our own healing, it prevents us from throwing our weight and resources into a toxic system. 

Is the Church Itself a Barrier?

Luke 11:46 The Message

46 He said, “Yes, and I can be even more explicit. You’re hopeless, you religion scholars! You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never lift even a finger to help.

Jesus spoke pointedly and critically against the leaders of God’s people in that day. Instead of helping people draw near to God and enjoy his blessings, those leaders put up barriers through their legalistic, self-serving practices.

Sadly, throughout history, some churches and church leaders have blocked access to spiritual life for people and have even abused people.

We often hear of such cases in the news today.

Corrupt leaders put barriers instead of bridges in front of people.

As God’s people who make up the church today, we must repent of these sins, be sure we have measures in place to prevent them from happening again, and be agents of healing to people who have been hurt.

Have you been hurt by the church or its leaders?

If so, you may be hesitant to participate in the life of a church.

That’s understandable.

What can you do?

Here are some suggestions:

(1) Keep your focus on Jesus himself, especially through prayer and Bible reading.

(2) Ask God to provide a few caring Christians with whom you can fellowship and grow spiritually; they can be a helpful bridge.

(3) Through a Christian counselor, seek healing and strength to forgive.

(4) Remain open to a time when you can fully participate in a healthy church again.

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ….

Praying …

Psalm 96 New American Standard Bible

A Call to Worship the Lord the Righteous Judge.

96 Sing to the Lord a new song;
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are [a]idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7 [b]Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples,
[c]Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 [d]Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name;
Bring an [e]offering and come into His courtyards.
9 Worship the Lord in [f]holy attire;
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples fairly.”

11 May the heavens be joyful, and may the earth rejoice;
May the sea [g]roar, and [h]all it contains;
12 May the field be jubilant, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
13 Before the Lord, for He is coming,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
And the peoples in His faithfulness.

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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Watering, Working, Warning: About our Staying Rooted in Christ in this age of faith and Worldly Influencers? 1 Corinthians 3:5-15

1 Corinthians 3:5-15 Christian Standard Bible

The Role of God’s Servants

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one,[a] and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  9 For we are God’s coworkers.[b] You are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder,[c] and another builds on it. But each one is to be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience[d] loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire.

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.

I have often found that seeds are easier to grow in gardens than transplanted flowers.

One would think that the already growing plant would be simpler to add––dig a hole and pop the seed into the desired spot.

Yet when I tried to plant trays of marigolds, the small flowers quickly began to struggle.

The changes in soil, sun, and surrounding plants were too overwhelming for the young flowers.

Eventually, the leaves withered along with the petals. 

How much different when I sowed seeds!

Though preparing the soil bed required more work and planting the seeds took extra time, the result was worth the effort.

Not only did the flowers grow and survive, but they thrived.

Large, colorful blooms.

Greater height.

Fuller leaf growth made the patch of garden resemble a meadow.

Of course, there is a time to use transplanted flowers, and they can do well in the right circumstances, but some plants do poorly when transplanted.

Just because a route is easier does not always mean it is best. 

The same is true in our spiritual lives.

We can easily assume the best way to grow spiritually is through a premade, transplanted faith––one imported from the life of someone we admire.

We draw on their experiences, practices, and insights rather than prioritizing personal time with the Lord.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, he noted that many of the believers had formed separate sects based on who they wanted to follow, whether Paul, Cephas (Peter), or Apollos (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4).

Christians today can do the same thing, aligning themselves with a particular teacher, pastor, author, or social media influencer.   

Yet, Paul warned them, of placing too much emphasis on human workers.

Paul, Apollos, and Cephas had merely been faithful in the task God had given them in spreading the gospel and discipling believers.

The Lord was the One who was ultimately responsible for any growth.

And none of the workers, us included, could replace the most important part: the foundation of faith, Jesus’ life, death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 3:11). 

We may admire certain preachers, teachers and media influencers online and maybe even find that many of their insights and suggested practices helpful.

However, if we should rely only on the second-hand nourishment of the faith of others, our growth will look more like withered marigolds than healthy blooms.

We need a deep rootedness in Christ to properly grow.

For it is He who died to give us life, and it is only in Him that we can truly boast (1 Corinthians 1:28-31).

Nothing can, nor will, replace a strong, personal relationship with Him. 

God loves us enough to meet us where we are, and loves us too much to leave us there. ​Growing in God’s grace is a lifelong journey.

Several important foundational points to ponder and pray over:

  1. Following Jesus isn’t merely a one time decision but a way of life intended to change us from the inside out.  
  2. God heals and empowers us to increasingly love others the way that God has loved us in Jesus, and in the process we are transformed into the image of Christ and made a new creation.
  3. Following Jesus daily, we grow into deeper levels of love for God and neighbor, which changes the orientation of our hearts and how our soul sees the world.  
  4. How have you defined your identity in Christ?
  5. What steps can you take to deepen your spiritual roots this week?
  6. In what ways can you reflect Christ’s teachings in your daily actions?
  7. Pray for guidance to understand and embrace your identity in Christ fully.
  8. Ask God to help you remain rooted in His word and teachings. Examine your daily routine: Are there moments where you can connect more deeply with God?
  9. How can you make abiding in Christ a non-negotiable priority each day?
  10. Reflect on a time when staying connected to God changed the outcome of a situation for you.
  11. Pray for the ability to remain steadfast in Him, especially when facing challenges.
  12. Ask for opportunities to encounter God’s presence in new and transformative ways this week. How do you view the concept of grace in your personal faith journey?
  13. What are some areas where you can let go of the need for perfection and rely on God’s grace?
  14. Reflect on how salvation has transformed your outlook on life and your relationship with God.
  15. Thank God for the gift of grace and salvation, asking for continued understanding of its impact.
  16. Pray for wisdom to let go of self-reliance and embracing God’s grace more fully. Parts of “old self” need to be jettisoned to embrace the new creation?
  17. Reflect on how you can manifest this transformation in your daily life and interactions with others.
  18. How can you nurture the new creation you’ve become in Christ?
  19. Pray for strength to let go of old habits and embrace your new identity in Christ.
  20. Ask for God’s guidance in manifesting the change within you in a way that glorifies Him.
  21. How can you incorporate a regular practice of gratitude into your daily routine?
  22. What are some specific blessings you can give thanks for this week?
  23. Reflect on how gratitude has influenced your outlook on life and your growing relationship with others.
  24. Pray for a grateful heart and ask God to reveal new blessings to you each day.
  25. Offer prayers of thanksgiving for the specific ways God has impacted your life and the lives of those around you.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.….

Praying ….

Psalm 20

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble;
the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
2 send thee help from the sanctuary,
and strengthen thee out of Zion;
3 remember all thy offerings,
and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
4 Grant thee according to thine own heart,
and fulfil all thy counsel.
5 We will rejoice in thy salvation,
and in the name of our God we will set up our banners:
the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.

6 Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed;
he will hear him from his holy heaven
with the saving strength of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:
but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought down and fallen:
but we are risen, and stand upright.
9 Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call.

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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When Our Faith Has Drifted Apart From God? Wake Inattentive Ones! Take Warning Against Neglecting Salvation. Wake Up! Hebrews 2:1-4

Hebrews 2:1-4 Common English Bible

Listen to the Son’s message

2 This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it. 2 If the message that was spoken by angels was reliable, and every offense and act of disobedience received an appropriate consequence, 3 how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him.  4 God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted.

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.

Do We Have Any Strength for Today- “Are We Drifting?”

To drift means to be easily carried slowly away by a current of air or water.

The danger of drifting is not limited to the physical realm, because:  

·       Emotionally and

·       Spiritually,

 There’s always a danger of being carried away by the undercurrent, when evil becomes your pattern.  

Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”  

Sadly, today, it’s not uncommon for Christians to drift toward destruction, simply because they aren’t spiritually anchored.

That’s why we are told, “We ought to give the more earnest heed…” – He 2:1.

Drifting is an unconscious process. 

In the boat of life, the undercurrents of evil often goes unnoticeable in the physical realm, because the gravitational force that’s driving you away from the shore of righteousness is demonically intended.

And for that cause:  

·       Many Christians have slowly drifted away, and

·       Many churches have gradually drifted into false doctrine,

 Finding themselves far removed from the scriptures.

However, faithfulness to God is like roaring upstream.

But to roar upstream:

·       You must constantly be “adding to your faith…” – 2 Peter 1:5, and

·       You must continue to grow in grace – 2 Peter 3:18.

Because the moment you stop growing, you start going downwards, and the dangers increase with the speed and weight of the drift.  

When you’re drifting, and you can hear the noise of the waterfall, it’s already too late.

In other words, it’s difficult to discern that you’re drifting, when you’ve moved far from God.

And for those who drift spiritually through their own neglect, there shall be no escape from a just punishment – Hebrews 2:1-3. The common signs of drifting are:

·       Prayerlessness,  

·       Not wanting to be with God’s people,

·       A diminishing desire to study. God’s Word, and

·       Not attending praise and worship, and

·       No desire to edify one another – Romans 14:19.

When Christians prefers the companionship of people of the world, rather than fellow Christians, they’re drifting toward the rocks of spiritual destruction! 

Crisis Faith

Psalm 62:1-8 The Message

62 1-2 God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I need comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

3-4 How long will you gang up on me?
    How long will you run with the bullies?
There’s nothing to you, any of you—
    rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters,
Anthills plotting to bring down mountains,
    far gone in make-believe.
You talk a good line,
    but every “blessing” breathes a curse.

5-6 God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

7-8 My help and glory are in God
    —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
    lay your lives on the line for him.
    God is a safe place to be.

Faith can seem vague and theoretical—until a crisis hits.

Then, like the spare tire in your trunk when you have a flat, your faith suddenly becomes very important – up to the point of choosing between life and death.

2 Corinthians 3:12-18 English Standard Version

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day,  when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one[a] turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord[b] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is  freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[c] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[d]  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

In fact, it may be the only way out of the mess you’re in.

In the middle of a crisis of faith, all we usually hope for is some way to get the situation straightened out so that we can move on. No one likes to need faith.

As with the little spare tire that comes with most cars today (you know, the little “donut” spare that’s designed to go just a few miles), most of us are willing to rely on our faith for a little while, only as long as we have need of it.

But just as you’ll want to get a real tire back on your car as soon as you can, so most of us want to move past our personal faith reliance and find a real reason for confidence.

At least that’s how it can seem.

No one likes crises, but it’s not hard to see how God can use our crises to reach into our emergency reserves in ways that he might not reach us otherwise.

Most of us pray differently—more earnestly—in times of crisis.

Our fear can prod us to squint for God through the fog of our uncertainty.

And the more we squint, the more we begin to see the features of God’s face.

How has God used crises in your life to deepen your awareness of His presence?

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit …

Praying ….

How Awesome Are Your Deeds

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.

66 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2     sing the glory of his name;
    give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you
    and sings praises to you;
    they sing praises to your name.” Selah

5 Come and see what God has done:
    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
    they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7     who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

8 Bless our God, O peoples;
    let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living
    and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 you let men ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
    I will perform my vows to you,
14 that which my lips uttered
    and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
    with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on[a] my tongue.[b]
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!

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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Drive out of those traffic Jams! Take long, piercing looks at me, your High God, above all the honking car horns Divisive Politics, Above life’s Chaos. Psalm 46:8-11

Psalm 46:8-11 New American Standard Bible

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
[a]Who has inflicted horrific events on the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “[b]Stop striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the [c]nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”
11 The Lord of armies is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

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.

The world moves and spins furiously fast.

I certainly sense it.

Work piles higher and higher, requests come quicker and quicker, and the weight of my own expectations weighs heavier and heavier.

As I process more, take on more, and churn out more.

All while striving to keep my head above the deep water.

I know I need to slow down.

I need to stop.

And I definitely need stillness—desperately.

A stilling of my spirit.

A quieting of the swift swirls in my head and heart.

And a slow, inflated inhale followed by a steady, expanding exhale.

Releasing every last spec of stress and tension within. 

You feel the intense speed of your surroundings at times, too, don’t you?

The list never ends.

It’s staring at you today, and it will be there tomorrow.

You yearn for stillness to sweep sweet breaths of life into all of the overstuffed, overburdened overtaxed spaces, of your soul.

And to stay.

You want to be still and know that God is God.

You want your confidence to grow so that you can handle this, because God has this under His full control.

Because you do know with maximum assurance and confidence God indeed has it all. All that you’re doing, all that you’re planning, and all that he has in store.

Our God is God, and that means all the things we are losing stillness over—all the busyness, hustle and bustle wearing us down to nothing but weariness—are unnecessary.

Because God will keep the wheels moving when we take our foot off the gas, if the vehicle is headed where he wants it to go.

Nothing will prevent his ultimate destination from being reached and his purposes from prevailing.

Because he is the one driving our lives, he will get us where he wants us to be.

If your soul is starved for stillness today, the Lord would love nothing more than your nestling up with him.

Sitting still beside him in the safety and security of his refuge.

Hearing his whispers of love, receiving his outstretched arms of comfort and care, and then lingering in his peaceful presence.

He wants you to be still.

He wants you to know that he is God and that he will be exalted regardless.

He is honored by your obedience and all your good work, but he also knows you need Shabbat rest.

God loves you, absolutely adores you, and wants you to do just that. To be  still, know, and trust that his greater plans and purposes will still prevail.    

My soul waits in silence for God alone; From Him comes my salvation. For my only hope is from Him. [Psalm 62:1 &2]

We live in noisy times.

Streets echo with the roar of traffic.

Construction projects boom and bang in downtowns, neighborhoods, suburbs.

We fill our ears and elevators with playlists from iPods, our homes and cars with surround sound. Sports events blast out marches, cheers, and taunts.

Many farm and factory workers in earlier generations lost much hearing from the din of clanking machinery.

People damage their ears at rock concerts and with earphones as they shop.

Even at worship services some sound-control people seem to lock the volume on freight train level.

The damage caused by noise is not a new discovery.

It reaches far deeper than our ears.

Centuries ago English poet John Milton portrayed hell as a place of unending noise, of unending howling and roaring and screeching and yelling.

If we bathe ourselves in noise, we might never soak in the silence of God.

We may never exalt or lift up the name of God even above ourselves, to say nothing of exalting God among the nations.

Take a survey of your daily activities.

How many are filled with consistent, continuous, [obnoxious] sound?

Are you letting noise drown out or make you forget things you should hear?

Do you forget about your physical, mental, spiritual well-being?

Do you forget your family?

Your job?

God?

How can you turn down the volume in your life and find some silence for God?

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

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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Do we seriously want to be used by God? Be a living, active, and fruitful, part of carrying out His will on earth? 2 Timothy 2:20-26

2 Timothy 2:20-26 New American Standard Bible

20 Now in a great house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce [a]quarrels. 24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive [b]by him to do his will.

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.

Paul’s opening words – “Now in a great house…” – reminds me of the image he used to describe the church in 1 Timothy 3:15 where he says that he wants the members of the church to “know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth”.

Paul’s point with the image he is painting is the church is the great household of God and God intends to fill his home with people who live to serve him above all else.

The problem, of course, is that when we become part of God’s household, the moment we surrender to Jesus as our Savior, we do not usually understand that we are also being called to surrender to Jesus as our King; we like the benefits of salvation, but we cringe at the expectations for a servant of the King – even if those expectations are for our own good.

Another way to think about this is to think about our natural tendency to come into God’s household as a consumer who enjoys being served by other servants of God but then balk at the expectations of being transformed into contributors expected to serve God by serving others from a pure heart of loving sacrifice.

Having someone sacrificially serve you is much more attractive than being called to become a sacrificial servant for others.

Why is this?

I think it’s because being served does not require moral fortitude or commitment.

But sacrificially serving others – to the point that it really hurts and costs us – this is something that does require moral fortitude, does require unwavering commitment.

This is Paul’s vision for members and leaders within the household of God: That they would be servants of God who are growing in godly character. 

What you are is far more important than what you do because what you do will always flow out of, prove what you really are. 

So how do we become servants of God who are growing in godly character?

Look at the text with me…

2 Timothy 2:20-26 New Living Translation

20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.  26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

#1: SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRASH CANS AND SERVING DISHES (VV. 20 – 21)

Evaluating and differentiating between trash cans and serving dishes helps us to see current unwanted realities clearly and strive towards a more desirable future. We have to see the difference between trash cans and serving dishes if we are going to become servants of God who are growing in godly character.

This is why Paul reminds Timothy in verses 20 – 21 that, 

“20…in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 

The reality is that we cannot serve nourishing meals in filthy trash cans.

In Timothy’s day, just like today, every home had trash cans for taking the garbage out and serving dishes for delivering nourishing food.

In God’s house the expectation is that there will be no garbage to take out because God’s house is intended to be perfectly clean.

Therefore, every person who claims the name of the Lord is expected to cleanse themselves from filthy garbage of sin by trusting and obeying the gospel – the message of Jesus, crucified for our sin, risen in victory over death, returning in triumph over Satan.

As you and I trust in the message of the gospel and strive for obedience to the gospel – meaning that we strive after holiness – God transforms us from the trash cans we were into the priceless serving dishes he intended us to be –set apart as holy and useful to God for every good work. 

We must see the difference between being a trash can or a serving dish!

#2: RUN FROM GARBAGE AND CHASE GODLINESS (V. 22)

The foundation of this principle is that we must run away from some things while running after other things.

We cannot live our lives perpetually running towards garbage because we will inevitably be running away from the purity that only godliness can produce.

We also cannot spend our lives merely running away from the destination of garbage without a new destination of godliness in the windshield.

This is why Paul instructs Timothy in verse 22, to 

22So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 

It is foolishness to run from one bad destination without a better destination in our sights.

Early on in my journey with Jesus, a friend and mentor of mine taught me the acronym “G.I.G.O.” – Garbage In Garbage Out – which simply teaches us that if you put garbage into your system then garbage is what inevitably comes out.

Paul is basically reminding Timothy of this principle in verses 21 – 22 when he tells Timothy to run from the bad destination of youthful passions and chase the good destinations of godliness characterized as righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

This is the destination that all who genuinely follow Jesus are chasing after.

The questions for us is:

Which destination am I chasing?

Am I chasing the destination of youthful passions – a destination that looks and smells like the garbage of filth, impurity, rebellion, hate, and conflict?

Or am I chasing the destination of godliness that looks and smells like the godly character traits of righteousness, holiness, purity, faith, love, and peace?

If we are truly going to become and be servants of God who are growing in godly character, then we must run from garbage and chase godliness.

#3: LIVE TO SERVE GOD ALONE (VV. 23 – 26)

I think this final principle is Paul’s bullseye, it is what he has been aiming at all along.

He knows that there are some highly influential leaders in the city of Ephesus who have abandoned their faith (1:15, 2:16 – 18) –

they have become trash cans instead of priceless serving dishes and they have been chasing the garbage of self-exaltation instead of pure godliness – as they spread their cancerous false teaching, seek to draw believers into their prison cell of foolishness.

This is why Paul says, 

23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

A self-serving mentality is a snare of the devil that has wrecked many ships on the shorelines of consumerism.

Serving God alone is the only key to getting and remaining free from the prison cell of our sinful selves.

When it comes to our self-exaltation (serving selfish desires) it is never more clearly seen than the petty and ignorant arguments that often break out among God’s people.

I have been guilty, more times than I can count, of taking the bait of being right and being able to win an argument. Arguing passionately is not always a sin but arguing for the sake of being right or for the sake of winning the fight is a sin.

This is why Paul reminds Timothy that someone who truly wants to serve

God alone, above all else, must not argue to merely argue or to win the fight but instead must practice kindness and patient teaching while enduring all of the evil that gets thrown around when confronting error and falsehood.

The intended goal in someone who wants to serve God alone and grow in godly character is the goal of seeing others repent from sin and trust in the truth of the gospel so they may walk in freedom from the effects of Satan, Sin, Death.

If you and I would live our lives to serve God alone, then we will resist and continue to repent when we get caught up in arguing to win the fight and we will press on in serving God by patiently enduring evil and speaking truth so that others may repent and be set free.

We must remember that a self-serving mentality is a snare of the devil that has wrecked many ships on the shorelines of consumerism. 

Serving God alone is the only key to getting and remaining free from the prison cell of our sinful desires.

CONCLUSION…

In conclusion, a servant of God who is growing in godly character must see the difference between being a trash can and being a serving dish. We must run from garbage and chase godliness, and we must live our lives to serve God and God alone instead of our own selfish desires.

I pray about everything I have just said, and it all rings true, it all sounds good.

But it all feels impossible sometimes; doesn’t it?

I am way too prone to being more like a trash can with my thoughts, words, and actions than I wish I was.

I am way too prone to run towards garbage instead of chasing godliness. Sadly, I find myself chasing self-exaltation instead of living my life to serve God alone.

Someone picks a fight with me based on some kind of foolishness and I go off halfcocked, ready to decimate their argument and destroy them in the process;

I act like a trashcan.

I feel the guilt and shame of my sin and I let my thoughts and my eyes linger on impure things that bring a momentary sense of pleasure to escape the pain;

I chase garbage.

I want to prove I am better than I really am, so I jump back into the argument with a renewed sense of winning and rightness; I wind up exalting myself.

What a wretched sinner I really am.

Who will deliver me from these sinful habits (Rom. 7:24)?

How can I be set free from these shackles so that I can freely serve God and grow in godliness?

The only answer I have is in verse 21 of our text where Paul says, 

“if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 

The only hope I have is to be cleansed from my sin.

The only way to be cleansed from my sin is to trust in the finished work of Christ at the bloody cross of calvary; to rest assured in Christ’s powerful victory in the empty tomb; and to stand in hope-filled expectation of Christ’s faithful promise to rescue me once and for all from this sin-infected life in eternity.

The gospel and the gospel alone, is what frees me to serve God and to grow in godliness so that I may be a serving dish; so that I may chase godliness; so that I may live my life to serve God and to serve him alone above all else. – Amen!

1 Timothy 6:11-16 New American Standard Bible

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness , faith, love, [a]perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good  confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I direct you in the presence of God, who [b]gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without [c]fault or  reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will [d]bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of [e]kings and Lord of [f]lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality, dwells in unapproachable light, whom [g]no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the full presence of many witnesses. 

Psalm 18:1-19 Names of God Bible

1 I love you, O Yahweh, my strength.
2 Yahweh is my rock and my Metsuda and my Savior,
    my El, my rock in whom I take refuge,
        my Magen, and the strength of my salvation,
            my stronghold.
3 Yahweh should be praised.
    I called on him, and I was saved from my enemies.

4 The ropes of death had become tangled around me.
    The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me.
5         The ropes of the grave had surrounded me.
            The clutches of death had confronted me.

6 I called on Yahweh in my distress.
    I cried to my Elohim for help.
        He heard my voice from his temple,
            and my cry for help reached his ears.

7 Then the earth shook and quaked.
    Even the foundations of the mountains trembled.
        They shook violently because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
    and a raging fire came out of his mouth.
        Glowing coals flared up from it.
9 He spread apart the heavens
    and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.
10 He rode on one of the angels[b] as he flew,
    and he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made the darkness his hiding place,
    the dark rain clouds his covering.
12 Out of the brightness in front of him,
    those rain clouds passed by with hailstones and lightning.
13 Yahweh thundered in the heavens.
    Elyon made his voice heard with hailstones and lightning.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered them.
    He flashed streaks of lightning and threw them into confusion.
15 Then the ocean floor could be seen.
    The foundations of the earth were laid bare
        at your stern warning, O Yahweh,
        at the blast of the breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from high above and took hold of me.
    He pulled me out of the raging water.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
        because they were too strong for me.
18 On the day when I faced disaster, they confronted me,
    but Yahweh came to my defense.
19 He brought me out to a wide-open place.
    He rescued me because he was pleased with me.

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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Confidence Rooted in Christ: In him and through faith in him we may all approach God with freedom and with confidence. Ephesians 3:8-13

Ephesians 3:8-13 Revised Standard Version

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in[a] God who created all things; 10 that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to[b] lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

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 our success driven society which prizes self-confidence and a positive self-image, we might be tempted to think our relationship with God should make a priority of focusing on ourselves, our own needs, and our sense of self-worth.

But consider what happens when self-assured people pray to God.

People who believe their relationship with God is based in their own merit and their own interests will find prayer an empty ritual.

They tend to see little need for prayer, and don’t see the results they expect.

Prayers offered in our own strength rise no higher than the roof over our heads.

But as believers in Christ, we must always remember what God through Christ has accomplished for us.

The key to effective prayer?

To turn fully and completely away from an exclusive trust in our own selves to a total reliance on our Savior. [Proverbs 3:5-8]

“In [Jesus Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

Jesus is the only mediator of our salvation and of all other dimensions of our relationship to God.

Our confidence is based on what Christ has accomplished!

Even when we struggle with doubt and sin, through Christ we have access to God the Father.

Paul eloquently describes that assurance in Romans 8:37-39:

Romans 8:37-39 Modern English Version

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, 39 neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Confidence Rooted in Christ or principalities and powers in the heavenly places?

Stirring ourselves up to be confident in ourselves is like riding a roller coaster, where one day we are on a high and feel good because someone affirmed us, and next we are on a deep-dive downward because someone said or did something that utterly shook our self- confidence to the core and swept us off our feet.

Unfortunately, our culture pushes us to act confident, even if we don’t feel it or believe it, to “fake it till we make it,” with the thinking behind this popular and trendy saying being that faking it is motivational, acting like we are confident when we are not, will automatically or by osmosis, help to build our confidence until we fool ourselves to believe it ourselves and able to achieve and reach it.

Sadly, we are pushed and prodded to hide our weaknesses and frailties, to prove ourselves confident in all that we do, to everyone around us; to show ourselves as smarter, stronger, and more productive than everyone else, in an effort to demonstrate our worth and value.

But with God, we do not have to prove ourselves to be “worthy” through performance.

Firstly, because we have no way to prove that we are worthy in ourselves.

Secondly, because we already belong to Him, so there’s nothing to prove.

It’s a waste of time, effort and energy to even try to do so, and completely unnecessary also.

God deems us worthy not because of anything we do on our own, but because of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

As Ephesians 2:8 explains, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Because it’s not because of anything we’ve done or are doing, as Hebrews 4:16 urges,

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

As well, we can come to God confident in the work of Christ on the cross, and not ourselves, rather than pretending we are holier than we are,

as Hebrews 10:19-22 encourages, 

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
  1. Where are you finding your confidence, in yourself or in God? Take some time to consider where you’re drawing it from.
  2. Look for ways to cultivate confidence in Christ through studying His word, spending time in prayer, and letting the truth of scripture strengthen your faith.
  3. Practice being rooted in confidence in Christ this coming week, by stepping out and approaching God, free from fear, knowing He loves you and is calling you to come before Him.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …..

Psalm 92 New King James Version

Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

5 O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
7 When the wicked [a]spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.

8 But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O Lord,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

10 But my [b]horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.

12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be [c]fresh and [d]flourishing,
15 To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

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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Our salvation requires all of us to turn back to God and stop all of our silly futile efforts to save ourselves. Isaiah 30:15-17

Isaiah 30:15-17 New King James Version

15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
But you would not,
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses”—
Therefore you shall flee!
And, “We will ride on swift horses”—
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!

17 One thousand shall flee at the threat of one,
At the threat of five you shall flee,
Till you are left as a [a]pole on top of a mountain
And as a banner on a hill.

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.

I believe that we need to return and rest. 

I used to read this verse as, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” 

We do need to repent. 

Repentance is turning our backs away from sin, but the idea here, from the words chosen, is that repenting is, is our returning; coming home to God.

We repent from sin and return to God. 

Repentance is returning.

The idea that Isaiah is speaking against, or the ailment for which he speaks the cure; is doing our own thing and not resting. 

And this is a word for believers.

The believers were in trouble. 

They needed deliverance. 

God gave them a way. 

And just as quickly they shouted, “no thanks.”

How can this be and how might we be like this?

  • They and we are believers who won’t repent.
    • Self-righteous.
    • Unbelieving believers.
    • We belong to God, but refuse to be transformed.
    • We are sheep without a shepherd, gone astray, to our own ways.
  • They and we could not and would not, under any circumstance rest.
    • We are too busy being obsessed with building our houses, our lives, our selves.
    • We are burned out and need renewal.
    • We are stale and need refreshing.
    • We are spiritually dead and need reviving.
    • We don’t, won’t hear God, because we won’t stop and listen long enough.
    • We are frustrated God won’t help us build, when He want’s us to let Him build.
  • They and we were constant talkers.
    • We have an opinion on everything and we are always right and righteous.
    • We have lost that listening is loving.
    • Our depths of quietness is our iron clad sign of faith.

I want to repent and return to God. 

I want to rest. 

And I want to be quiet.

But that is not our personality profile-it never has had any influence on my life.

What if we confess that His presence is always available to us, lifting our spirits, restoring our souls and behind the curtains is helping us with power and grace.?

Learning the infinite reaches, very finest art, of “stillness” so we can hear His voice and view ourselves, others and our surroundings through His eyes.

trusting the rhythms of rest

In quietness and trust we find strength: smiling at the comparision to the recent uncertainty in my life, I glanced back. The unpredictability of which way the logs might shift kept me tentative as I crossed over the small stream.

Sometimes the Lord’s object lessons provide the perfect illustration; my experience with the instability of the logs exactly depicted the current state of uncertainty plaguing my life.

quietness and confidence of mind

What does it mean in quietness and confidence is our strength?

It really pays to be quiet and trust God. 

It slowly gets you deeper with God, even through more difficult situations.

Thanks be to God for His ministry of quietness and trust and with Christ.

There is this growing, maturing, deep down sensation of confidence, a palpable sensation of inner strength, of Holy Spirit sourced spiritual wellbeing .

Being able to spend more time with Christ without our thoughts wandering from planet to planet and from star to star, galaxy to galaxy and back again.

Perhaps our biggest challenge in uncertain times is starting that education, gaining strength of discipline and achieving a consistent quietness of mind.

Memory testifies to this truth, for an evening, though quite still in our favorite chair, our disquieted mind starts trying to unravel the chaos abiding there.

Culture in general places little value on quietness, rest and trust, especially as it relates to a spiritual posture.

Preferring instead fast paced internet connections, strength and confidence; lauding those who strive, acquire and conquer, obtain those immediate results.

In God’s Kingdom, however, the more we pursue quietness of mind, leaning far into God, the more certainty and confidence we find. 

For the effect of His righteousness will be His peace, His Shalom and the result of righteousness, quiet and trust forever. (Isaiah 32:17-20)

Isaiah 32:17-20 The Message

15-20 Yes, weep and grieve until the Spirit is poured
    down on us from above
And the badlands desert grows crops
    and the fertile fields become forests.
Justice will move into the badlands desert.
    Right will build a home in the fertile field.
And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace
    and the progeny of Right: quiet lives and endless trust.
My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood—
    in safe houses, in quiet gardens.
The forest of your pride will be clear-cut,
    the city showing off your power leveled.
But you will enjoy a fortunate life,
    planting well-watered fields and gardens,
    with your farm animals grazing freely.

true sources of strength

In times of uncertainty we long for strength and confidence; yet we will seldom work to connect them with periods of quietness, rest and trust. True strength and confidence come when we hammer pause, step back and get clarity buttons.

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. Isaiah 30:15

Sledge Hammering that Emergency Stop Button

At times when faced with mounting chaos in the form of rapid fire uncertainty, I shift into “slam it shut.” Uncertainty resembles psychological clutter, making us uncomfortable; prompting rushed attempts at removing that same clutter.

In that mounting chaos of uncertainty, hammering away at that Emergency Stop button until it breaks tells you enough is enough of “out of control.”

An intentional pause positions us for hearing instruction from God, strengthening our trust in Him for the unpredictable road ahead. 

Embracing rhythms of rest in times of unpredictability, introduces the power of God into the chaos.

Psalm 29

The Voice of the Lord

A psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,[a]
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord
in the splendor of his holiness.[b]

3 The voice of the Lord is above the waters.
The God of glory thunders—
the Lord, above the vast water,
4 the voice of the Lord in power,
the voice of the Lord in splendor.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion, like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth[c]
and strips the woodlands bare.
In his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned, King forever.
11 The Lord gives his people strength;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.

Isaiah 30:15 reminds us in confidence, quietness, trust, we find strength in the power of God through all the promises found in throughout the Word of God.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

Psalm 61

Security in God
For the choir director: on stringed instruments. Of David.

1 God, hear my cry;
pay attention to my prayer.
2 I call to you from the ends of the earth
when my heart is without strength.
Lead me to a rock that is high above me,
3 for you have been a refuge for me,
a strong tower in the face of the enemy.
4 I will dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge under the shelter of your wings. Selah

5 God, you have heard my vows;
you have given a heritage
to those who fear your name.
6 Add days to the king’s life;
may his years span many generations.
7 May he sit enthroned before God forever.
Appoint faithful love and truth to guard him.
8 Then I will continually sing of your name,
fulfilling my vows day by day.

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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