Blog: “Discovering His Living Hope”

The Core Truth of the Matter forever Remains True: The reality is that God thoroughly Hates All Our Deception! exodus 20:16

Exodus 20:16 Living Bible

16 “You must not lie.[a]

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.

Quotes from Our first President of the United States George Washington:

https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/biography

“I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is the best policy.”

Farewell Address to the People of the United States | Monday, September 19, 1796

“Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light.”

Letter to Charles M. Thruston | Sunday, August 10, 1794

“Still I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain (what I consider the most enviable of all titles) the character of an honest man.”

George Washington to Alexander Hamilton | Thursday, August 28, 1788

Every command of Scripture serves not only as an instruction for our lives but also as a reflection of who God is.

The command against adultery is rooted in His faithfulness.

The forbidding of murder flows from the life-giving Lord.

And so it is with the ninth commandment against bearing false witness, which comes from the promise-keeping God of all truth, who does not and cannot lie (Numbers 23:19).

What does the Lord have in view when He instructs us not to bear false witness?

It is surely safe to assume that this commandment concerns any form of speech that is far less than truthful.

There are many ways we fall short.

We do it by outright deceit, when we provide false information or withhold the truth in some way.

We do it when we participate in rumors, spreading gossip about others.

We do it by slandering and flattering others.

We do it when we exaggerate the truth, give false impressions, and are careless with the facts. All of this falls short of the divine standard.

In a Court of Law …

According to Maryland Code, Criminal Law §9-101, a person commits the crime of perjury if they “willfully and falsely” make a statement about a “material fact” after taking an oath or any other affirmation under state law.

What is the penalty for perjury in Maryland?

§1621 specifies that those found guilty of perjury may be imprisoned for up to five years or fined according to the statutory guidelines. These guidelines allow for fines of up to $250,000.

A vital component of fighting against the temptation to lie is to understand why we lie in the first place.

The source of lies is none other than Satan himself, about whom Jesus says, “When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Deceit was his strategy in the Garden of Eden, when he approached Eve with a lying tongue.

Tragically, we are often driven by the same motives as the Evil One when we lie: pride, hatred, and fear. We lie out of pride when we want others to think highly of us. We deceive out of hatred because we want to tear down someone else.

We speak untruth out of a fear of the consequences that we think would result from the raw truth being known. In all of this, we lie because in those moments we love ourselves more than we love God and our neighbors.

The reality is that God hates deception (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Proverbs 6:16-19 Living Bible

16-19 For there are six things the Lord hates—no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers.

In order for us to walk in the truth, we must crucify our pride and be more concerned with what God thinks of us than with what someone else thinks.

We must put away malice and pursue love for others, committing to never speaking slanderously or spreading gossip.

And we must fight an ungodly fear of man, replacing it with the fear of God, who came in flesh, declared Himself to be “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

The Lord Jesus has given His people His Spirit of truth (John 15:26), who empowers us to walk in the truth and put away falsehood.

Only by His power are we increasingly conformed into the image of Christ and ever more reflecting the character of the God who gave the 9th commandment.

Consider now in which situations and in what ways you are most often tempted to bear false witness.

On this first day of Lent consider, pray about how will the immutable truth about Jesus, His saving gospel, His indwelling Spirit motivate you to speak differently from now on—to speak the whole truth, as a follower of the truth?

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

Pray …

Psalm 15 Living Bible

15 Lord, who may go and find refuge and shelter in your tabernacle up on your holy hill?

2 Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere. 3 Anyone who refuses to slander others, does not listen to gossip, never harms his neighbor, 4 speaks out against sin, criticizes those committing it, commends the faithful followers of the Lord, keeps a promise even if it ruins him, 5 does not crush his debtors with high interest rates, and refuses to testify against the innocent despite the bribes offered him—such a man shall stand firm forever.

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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Ash Wednesday 2025: Guard Yourself against Temptation. Matthew 4:1 – 11

Matthew 4:1-11 Common English Bible

Temptation of Jesus

4 Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. 2 After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. 3  The tempter came to him and said, “Since you are God’s Son, command these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread, but by every word spoken by God.”[a]

5 After that the devil brought him into the holy city and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, 6 “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, I will command my angels concerning you, and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.”[b]

7 Jesus replied, “Again it’s written, Don’t test the Lord your God.”[c]

8 Then the devil brought him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 He said, “I’ll give you all these if you bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus responded, “Go away, Satan, because it’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”[d] 11 The devil left him, and angels came and took care of him.

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.

Have you ever been tempted to take something that didn’t belong to you, or something that wasn’t yours to have at the moment?

Maybe it was a piece of candy at the store, or a friend’s toy, or someone else’s jewelry. Maybe it was something that looked exciting and fun, but you also knew that it could be dangerous and hurting you or getting you sent to prison .

Maybe it was something you thought you deserved, or felt you just had to have, and you knew this might be your only chance to have it.

After all, it looked so interesting and inviting—and even though you had been warned about it, you thought, “How could this possibly do any harm?”

As the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he used all kinds of reasoning and tricks, twisting God’s Word to try to convince Jesus that he should have certain things or do certain things. Thankfully for us, Jesus never gave in to temptation.

He saw through Satan’s lies and pushed away those temptations by correctly recalling God’s words to us in Scripture.

We too can resist temptation—by the power of Christ’s Spirit in us.

We may be curious about what we see in front of us, but, like Jesus, we need to let it go and move on. He endured temptation so that he could pass the test for our sake, and now we have his example of how to resist.

We can trust that God will always provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13).

A holy character does not prevent temptation—Jesus was tempted.

When Satan tempts us, his sparks fall upon tinder; but in Christ’s case, it was like striking sparks on water; yet the enemy continued his evil work.

Now, if the devil goes on striking when there is no result, how much more will he do it when he knows what inflammable stuff our hearts are made of.

Though you become greatly sanctified by the Holy Spirit, expect that the great dog of hell Cerberus will bark at you still. In the haunts of men we expect to be tempted, but even the quietest seclusion will not guard us from the same trial.

Jesus Christ was led away from human society into the wilderness and was tempted by the devil. Solitude has its charms and its benefits and may be useful in checking the lust of the eye and the pride of life; but the devil will follow us into the most lovely retreats.

Do not suppose that it is only the worldly-minded who have dreadful thoughts and blasphemous temptations, for even spiritually minded persons endure the same; and in the holiest position we may suffer the darkest temptation.

The utmost consecration of spirit will not insure us against satanic temptation.

Christ was consecrated through and through. It was His meat and drink to do the will of Him that sent Him—and yet He was tempted! Your hearts may glow with an angelic flame of love for Jesus, and yet the devil will try to bring you down to lukewarm uselessness. If you will tell me when God permits a Christian to lay aside his armor, I will tell you when Satan has left off temptation.

1 Peter 5:6-11 Amplified Bible

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 7 casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.  9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. 11 To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty) forever and ever. Amen.

Like the medieval knights in wartime, we must sleep with helmet and sword, breastplate buckled on, for the arch-deceiver will seize our first unguarded moment to make us his prey. May the Lord keep us watchful in all seasons and grant us a final escape from the jaw of the hungry lion and the paw of the bear.

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

Pray …

Psalm 63 Complete Jewish Bible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Righteous Cure for our Chronic unrighteousness Comes Through a Balance of Discipline and Humility. Proverbs 22:1-5

Proverbs 22:1-5 Revised Standard Version

22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together;
    the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;
    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    he who guards himself will keep far from them.

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.

Throughout the scope of human history, society after society has separated and valued people by a sense that some inherently have far more worth than others.

Whether it is called a pecking order, a caste system, gender bias, racial bias, ignorance, arrogance, political snobbery, social standing, or elitism, it is based on our faked flawed, fallen, and fleshly status systems and is offensive to God.

The Lord, our Eternal God and Creator, crafted each person in the womb of his or her mother [1] and fashioned every single person in His divine image. [2] He wants everyone to come to Him in repentance and find new life through faith in His Son, Jesus of Nazareth. [3] When we humbly come to Jesus Christ in faith and baptism, Paul says God erases all the distinctions based in our fleshly values:

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. [4]

Each and every person on earth is someone Christ died to save. [5] That’s why we will find folks from every language, tribe, nation, people praising Savior Jesus together as one family, praising the Lord for what He has done to save us. [6]

Today’s relationship proverb reminds us that God made the rich and poor.

He values both. He wants both to know Jesus.

And, He put us on earth to share His grace with both and value all! He wants us to tear down the barriers that separate us and let the Holy Spirit create one new humanity comprised of all kinds of people. [7] 

This realization should humble us, call us to Jesus’ mission, lead us to abandon our prejudices, keep us from making superficial judgments of others, and help us realize that we have much more in common than we have in differences.

If we are going to love God, love our neighbor’s, love as we should, then we must love each other without using labels and thoughts that divide us. [8]

[1] Psalm 139:13-16.
[2] Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6.
[3] John 3:16-17; Acts 17:30-31; 2 Peter 3:9.
[4] Galatians 3:26-29.
[5] 1 John 2:2; 2 Corinthians 5:15. Since Jesus died for everyone, we must be careful that we don’t alienate anyone (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 8:11).
[6] Revelation 7:9-12.
[7] Ephesians 2:11-22.
[8] 1 John 4:20-21; Matthew 22:36-40.

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

Pray …

Psalm 15 Revised Standard Version

Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tent?
    Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right,
    and speaks truth from his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue,
    and does no evil to his friend,
    nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
4 in whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest,
    and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

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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Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. Proverbs 12:15

Proverbs 12:15 Complete Jewish Bible

15 Fools suppose their way is straight,
    but the wise pay attention to advice.

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.

Are We Learning From the Examples of Others?

I had a friend who was a very handy repairman. One day I discovered a leak in my plumbing and didn’t know how to fix it.

I went to him for advice, and he showed me how to fix the problem. His help saved me hundreds of dollars, avoiding water damage throughout my house.

Over the years, I have realized oft, the importance of learning from others’ experiences.

Observing others’ successes and mistakes can provide valuable lessons.

We often think we must figure everything out on our own, but wisdom invites us to learn from others.

Proverbs helps us see that surrounding ourselves with wise mentors and friends can profoundly help in our decision making and growth.

There were, times when I didn’t heed advice, and I faced hard consequences.

Ignoring a mentor’s caution about a business venture, for example, led to a financial loss.

Looking back, I can see how pride and stubbornness can cloud judgment, leading to avoidable mistakes. Learning from others calls for humility and openness, patience, recognizing that we don’t, wont, have all the answers.

God strategically, subtly, places people in our lives to guide and teach us.

In addition, the Bible is filled with stirring stories of people who had learned valuable lessons through their experiences—both good and bad. By observing their wise, foolish, examples, we gain insight into living wisely and faithfully.

Proverbs 3:5-8 Complete Jewish Bible

5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart;
do not rely on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him;
then he will level your paths.

7 Don’t be conceited about your own wisdom;
but fear Adonai, and turn from evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and give strength to your bones.

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

Pray,

Psalm 14 Complete Jewish Bible

14 (0) For the leader. By David:

(1) Fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They deal corruptly, their deeds are vile,
not one does what is right.

2 From heaven Adonai observes humankind
to see if anyone has understanding,
if anyone seeks God.
3 But all turn aside, all alike are corrupt;
no one does what is right,
not a single one.
4 Don’t they ever learn,
all those evildoers,
who eat up my people as if eating bread
and never call on Adonai?
5 There they are, utterly terrified;
for God is with those who are righteous.
6 You may mock the plans of the poor,
but their refuge is Adonai.

7 How I wish Isra’el’s salvation
would come out of Tziyon!
When Adonai restores his people’s fortunes,
Ya‘akov will rejoice, Isra’el will be glad!

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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His Hardest Covenant: to Remember that Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy and set apart, dedicated to God. Exodus 20:8-11

Exodus 20:8-11 Amplified Bible

8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].

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.

What does God mean when he says “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”?

The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rest from labor.”

The word holy means something that is sacred or dedicated to God.

God covenants with us to make His Sabbath day, feel different from all other days of the week by resting from our normal daily routine and dedicating our thoughts and time to Him.

What does Exodus 20 verse 8 mean?

This verse firmly establishes the Sabbath as law, a command to be kept.

Yet, it is very clear that this law has its first roots in Genesis 2:1-3, for there, God set the example in what He did. He rested, and He blessed the seventh day. God could have rested at any time. Or, we might say, He needed no rest, naps, at all.

How do you and I honor the Sabbath and keep it holy?

The Bible requires that we observe the Sabbath day with gathered worship, but that is not all we should do. 

Prayer, solitude, journaling, reading and reflection are all crucial ways that we replenish our inward resting in Christ and his work alone for our salvation.

What does “honor the Sabbath” mean?

How are any of us to honor the Sabbath in our smart phone, internet, social media, satellite, fiber optic, technology driven times – How should any of us keep ourselves from perpetually, ritually, looking down at the phone, risking bodily injury versus establishing, practicing, disciplining ourselves to look up at God the Creator, Author and finisher of our faith?

A few suggestions …

  • Rest: Avoid work and allow the whole family to rest
  • Worship: Attend church, read scripture, pray
  • Enjoy: Delight in God’s gifts and enjoy life with God
  • Set apart: Make a distinction between the Sabbath and the rest of the week
  • Sanctify: Dedicate the Sabbath to the Lord

The first Four Words of the Ten Commandments are calls to worship. 

  • The First Word commands the proper object of worship: “You shall have no other gods before me.”
  • The Second Word commands the proper manner of worship: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image.”
  • The Third Word commands the proper attitude of worship: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
  • The Fourth Word commands the proper time of worship: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” 

We must worship God exclusively, correctly, reverently, and regularly. If you are not careful, life will crowd God out. But redeemed people must never forget to make proper time for the God who created us, sustains us, and redeemed us. Ray Pritchard said: We give 1 day in 7 to God because 7 out of 7 belong to him!!! 

A man was approached by a beggar on the street. The man reached into his pocket to see what he had. Finding seven dollars and feeling sorry for the beggar, he held out six bills and said, “Here you go.”

Not only did the beggar take the six dollars, but with his other hand he struck his benefactor across the face and grabbed the seventh dollar, too. 

As terrible as that story may seem to you, many of us should hear the prophet Nathan saying to us at this point, “You are the man!” God has graciously given us six days. In arrogant ingratitude, we snatch the seventh day, as well!

We must learn to make time for God. If you are too busy to make time for God, you are too busy. Consider the principle, prescription, practice of the Sabbath. 

The Principle of the Sabbath 

  1. The Fourth Word charges us to be faithful stewards of the gift of time.

It teaches three ways to sanctify our time. 

A Call to Worship. Exodus 20:8 commands: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” 

This command to remember the Sabbath indicates Israel already knew about it.

After God delivered Israel from Egypt, God provided manna for them to eat.

When the Israelites woke up each morning, manna was on the ground.

The Israelites collected manna to feed their household for the day.

On the sixth day, the Israelites were to collect twice as much, because God provided no manna on the seventh day. 

Exodus 16:23 says, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.’” 

Now God commands Israel: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

The word “holy” means to set apart for the purposes of God.

In scripture, certain people, places, and things are called holy.

The Fourth Commandment teaches certain times are also holy.

The Sabbath was to be remembered so keep it holy. 

  • It is a call to worship.
  • It is a call to seta side time for God.
  • It is a call to schedule time for God’s sake.

Matthew Henry wrote, “The Sabbath was made a day of holy rest so that it might be a day of holy work.”

God works. The devil is busy. But the devil cannot out-busy God. 

  • God never takes a break.
  • God never calls in sick.
  • God never takes a vacation.
  • God is always at work.
  • God works the night shift.
  • God finishes the work he begins.

God is both a white-collar executive and a blue-collar laborer.

God speaks and it comes to pass.

God moves and things happen. Our God works. And God commands us to work. To be godly is to work. Arthur W. Pink wrote, “He who never works is unfit for worship. Work is to pave the way for worship, as worship is to fit us for work.”  

Exodus 20:9-10 “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.” 

This commandment is not restrictive.

In sovereign authority, infinite wisdom, and unchanging goodness, our heavenly Father commands us to rest.

It is a personal call to rest.

God knows you cannot make it without rest, refreshment, and rejuvenation.

So he gave us this human maintenance schedule. 

  • God calls those who will not work lazy. 
  • God calls those who will not rest disobedient. 

It is a communal call to rest.

Verse 10 says: “On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.” 

There are seven categories listed here.

This all-inclusive call to rest affirms equality and justice for all, the precious nature of creation, and the dignity of people from foreign lands. 

Our family, coworkers, and possessions belong to God.

Every person is a person of value created in the image of God.

The Lord affirmed this by calling the entire community – including cattle – to rest on the Sabbath. 

It is a spiritual call to rest. 

Exodus 20:11 explains: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.” 

God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day.

God did not rest because he was tired. 

Isaiah 40:28 says, “He does not fair or grow weary.” 

God rested to set a pattern for us to follow.

The Lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day to remind us he alone is our  Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer.

Our lives do not depend on our work.

It depends on God’s work. 

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

Pray …

Psalm 29 Amplified Bible

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 [a]Ascribe to the Lord, O [b]sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty and majesty of His holiness [as the creator and source of holiness].

3 
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
4 
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.
7 
The voice of the Lord rakes flames of fire (lightning).
8 
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 
The voice of the Lord [c]makes the doe labor and give birth
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple all are saying, “Glory!”

10 
The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.
11 
The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

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

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God’s name should be treated with highest reverence and not used in a casual or foolish, disrespectful way. Exodus 20:7

Exodus 20:7 Amplified Bible

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, irreverently, in false affirmations or in ways that impugn the character of God]; for the Lord will not hold guiltless nor leave unpunished the one who [a]takes His name in vain [disregarding its reverence and its power].

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 Third Commandment states: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Exodus 20:7.”

God’s Name is special because it carries the personality of God.

The Name in Bible times was more than a personal identification.

It represented the whole person, with his personality, will, gifts, ideas, etc.

This is why some people had their names changed when they went to a transforming experience. The person changed, so the name changed.

Matthew 16:13-20 Amplified Bible

Peter’s Confession of Christ

13 Now when Jesus went into the [a]region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or [just] one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  16  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.”  17 Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I say to you that you are [b]Peter, and on this [c]rock I will build My church; and the [d]gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. 19 I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth [e]will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth [f]will have [already] been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He gave the disciples strict orders to tell no one that He was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

The Name of God here in the third commandment involves the whole Trinity, God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Let us see what this Commandment teaches us.

What if we were to take a poll asking people which of the Ten Commandments they regard as the least significant, I wonder if the “winner” would be the third.

When compared to false gods and graven images, the third command doesn’t seem like such a serious offense. But if the one who wrongly uses the name of God incurs guilt, then it must be important—and we need to understand why.

Scripture is crystal clear that God’s name is most precious and most powerful.

One place where we see this is in the encounters between God and Moses.

In Exodus 33, Moses asks God to reveal His glory.

His request invites a death sentence because it is not possible to see God’s glory and live.

But God graciously grants the request in a way that prevents Moses’ demise, for He demonstrates His glory not by a physical manifestation but by revealing His name:

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6; emphasis added).

His name reveals His character, which in turn reveals His glory.

Earlier, in Exodus 3, God had revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush.

Moses had been tasked with a weighty mission and wanted to know what to say when people asked who had sent him.

God told Moses to say, “I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14).

By using a form of the verb to be to name Himself, God declared that He is self-existent, self-sufficient, and sovereign, depending on no one and nothing. Who else can claim such a name?

In declaring and disclosing Himself, God does not merely identify Himself; He reveals the wonder of who He is.

So to misuse God’s name is to misunderstand His greatness and glory.

Only when we grasp this can we understand why the third commandment is so significant.

In what ways, then, might we break this commandment?

For one, we break it every time we use God’s name to strengthen our vows and promises, bringing down the name of divinity in order to make ourselves sound more believable (James 5:12).

We also blaspheme God when we use His name in anger, in arrogance, or in defiance of who He is.

We misuse His name when we utter falsehoods and use it to back them up.

Perhaps closer to home, in every worship service we attend where we worship God with our lips only and not from our heart, we break the likewise third commandment.

Only when we see the glory of God’s name and when we use it in praise, love, prayer, obedience, and gratitude do we gain more insight, understand why our Lord Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9, KJV, emphasis added).

His name is to be forever hallowed because it proclaims who He is, reveals His character, and is a strong refuge for all who call on it (Proverbs 18:10).

And it is to be forever hallowed in the lives of His people—including in your life, as you bear the name of Christ and take it on your lips with reverence and love.

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

Pray,

Psalm 20 Authorized (King James) Version

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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You are not to make any idol or image of other gods. In fact, you are never to make an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. Exodus 20:4

Exodus 20:4-6 The Message

4-6 No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

I often wondered how the ancient Israelites could be so daft.

They took a rock or a piece of wood, carved an image on it, and then bowed down to it as a god. Really?

Then, on a whim, I checked my wallet. Money is made from paper, which is made from wood pulp. I looked around my neigh­borhood. The houses are made of wood and stone. Maybe the only difference between us and ancient idol worshipers is that our idols today could have a longer production process.

It is disturbing to realize how good we are at making idols. We can make them out of any physical thing. We can even create them out of thin air.

For example, we can claim to be righteous on the basis of our political views.

We can worship a sports franchise. We can devote our lives to the service of a corporation. Such idols are also known as ideologies, or “isms.”

Our ability to create such fraudulent gods is unlimited. Anything that we attach our ultimate desires into, whether physical or conceptual, can be an idol, a god.

But these idols are not the Lord God, the one who delivered Israel from Egypt, the one who freed us from our slavery to sin.

Only this God moves through history with his people.

This is the one who created us.

We cannot and must not create another.

No Image Engraved or in Mind

Exodus 20:1-6 The Message

20 1-2 God spoke all these words:

I am God, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of a life of slavery.

3 No other gods, only me.

4-6 No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

If the first commandment—“You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3)—deals with the object of our worship, the second commandment deals with the manner of our worship.

What the second commandment tells us is that it is not enough that we worship the correct God; we must also worship Him correctly.

The clear and immediate meaning of the command is that God is to be worshiped without any visual symbols of Him.

Why the prohibition? Because God is spirit: infinite and unfathomably great.

No physical representation could ever do justice to His glory and grandeur.

The problem with statues, shrines, and pictures is not that they don’t look good but that no matter how good they look, they will inevitably blur the truth about God’s nature and character.

Such images tend to distract us from worshiping the true and living God, instead leading them to worship whatever representation is before them.

Yet the second commandment takes us beyond mere images and idol-making and into our own thought life. Our hands may be innocent of making graven images, but our imaginations seldom are. Any conception of God in our minds and hearts that is not derived from Scripture runs foul of this command.

When God gave instructions for the building of the temple, He ordered that the ark of the covenant, on which His presence would dwell, should reside in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:34).

What was inside the ark? Perhaps most significant is what was not in it: it contained no visible representation of God.

Instead, there were the two tablets of the Ten Commandments.

It was as if God was saying to His people, as He says to us, Don’t look for Me in shrines, paintings, or statues. I’m not there. Look for Me in My word.

And so we take our cues from God.

If we want to worship Him—if we want to meet with Him and know what He is like—we must conform our minds to His word.

Our own attempts to conceive of God wholly apart from divine revelation will invariably fail.

He has published His truth in His word, and so we are to tether ourselves to what is revealed there.

What’s at stake in this is the integrity not only of our worship but also of our lives—because when people go wrong in their worship, they end up wrong in their living.

Anything and anyone that encourages us to worship the correct God incorrectly will prove to be a detriment to our spiritual growth.

What a tragedy it would be to embrace an image and miss the person of Christ, to sit at a shrine and miss the Savior, to worship a misconception and too, fail to know Jesus. Instead, resist the urge to reshape God in your image or conform Him to your own image, and be sure to know Him as He has revealed Himself.

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

Pray,

Psalm 24 The Message

24 1-2 God claims Earth and everything in it,
    God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
    laid it out on River girders.

3-4 Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
    women who won’t seduce.

5-6 God is at their side;
    with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
    to God-seekers, God-questers.

7 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

8 Who is this King-Glory?
    God, armed
    and battle-ready.

9 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

10 Who is this King-Glory?
    God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
    he is King-Glory.

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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You shall have no other gods before Me But the hearts of men and women aren’t so easily instructed nowadays. Exodus 20:1–3

Exodus 20:1-3 Revised Standard Version

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Perhaps the most basic truth about the God of Scripture is He is the only one.

There is no other.

This truth ought to simplify things for us because it teaches us that there is only one who is the worthy object of our love, loyalty, and devotion. But the hearts of men and women are not so easily instructed.

And so it is necessary for God to give us the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” The danger is not that there are actual other gods for us to worship but that we have a proclivity for making them.

On first glance, this first command is straightforward.

To live for a god other than the true God would be like taking a second spouse while your first spouse is still alive and still happy to be your spouse.

Worse, it would be like taking a second spouse who is in truth a figment of your imagination. It would be a breach of an exclusive relationship.

We must not kid ourselves that we are immune from the possibility of breaking this commandment.

Many of us read it and picture people bowing down before statues or going through elaborate rituals, and those mental images assure us that we’re not in danger of violating it.

Yet the commandments are not restricted to outward actions but also relate to the disposition of our minds and hearts.

From this perspective, we may not be as far from those mental images as we assume. We may not have statues to which we bow down, but maybe we have segments of our lives that we keep away from God, preserving them under the authority of some other little “deity”—ourselves, perhaps.

Ask yourself: “Do I joyfully acknowledge God’s comprehensive claim on my life? Is God in charge of my family, my work, my relationships, my money, my dating, my use of time?” Take a close and honest look to see if there are portions of life you try to keep from Him.

In addition to keeping things away from God, another form of danger is functionally replacing Him.

When we put our family, our job, our hobbies, or anything else in the place that is God’s alone, we violate the first commandment.

To the degree that we allow anyone or anything besides obedience to God to direct our course day to day, we defy His law.

So we are not so safe from the possibility of breaking this commandment as we may think!

While we must acknowledge the truth that there is one God, we must also beware our own ability to put things in His place.

If we do not daily submit ourselves to Him and entrust the entirety of our lives to Him, something will take His place.

We are made to worship.

The question is, are you going to worship the living God or are you going to pretend there is another?

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

Pray,

Psalm 23 Revised Standard Version

The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2     he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;[a]
3     he restores my soul.[b]
He leads me in paths of righteousness[c]
    for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[d]
    I 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 my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely[e] goodness and mercy[f] shall follow me
    all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    for ever.[g]

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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Managing Chronic Grief: For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, my bones wasting away. Psalm 31:9-10

Psalm 31:9-10 New American Standard Bible

9 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body too.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my guilt,
And my [a]body has wasted away.

The Word of God for the Children of God

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

Within the Christian community, grief can be a topic put on the back burner.

Many of us are taught that as Christians, we should always be happy—no matter what.

Even if a parent, sibling, or spouse has suffered greatest loss, has passed away, we should still be happy all the time. Anything less would be fully unbiblical, right? This, as a 100% wrong mentality, needs to be vigorously challenged, eradicated from the church, and the body of the Christian community itself. 

Nowhere in the Bible are we told we must be happy all the time. We should always be joyful, but joy and happiness are not the same thing. Even though many people use these words as synonyms, they are not the same. With Jesus as our Lord, joy is always present in our hearts because it is based on him not us.

Happiness, on the other hand, is fleeting and is based on our circumstances.

Grief is a very authentic something that can take a lifetime to fully process.

If the church cannot help Christians when they first experience the death of a loved one, then how will they, are they going to be able to support someone who is chronically managing grief?

Seeing things from the other person’s perspective can definitely help cultivate some very deep  measures of compassion, care, and understanding for others.

Even if someone has never experienced grief of their own, they need to try to do their best to truly connect with their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through this troubling time.

Instead of insensitive comments, such as “Oh, you’re still not over that?” We need to truly begin to understand others and truly meet them where they are.

It is essential for us to be a shoulder to cry on, a support system, and a safe place for them.

As someone who struggled with chronic grief, I can share with you that it is not an easy journey. Some days are better than others, but the bad days are severe.

I developed grief after the close together passing (4 1/2 month) of my mother and father, and I had great difficulty truly moving forward from their passing.

I don’t have much in common with people my own age because most of them haven’t witnessed the death of both their parent coming so tightly together.

While everyone my age had gotten married, started families, and moved into their own homes, I was sitting on my bed in a dark room, crying myself to sleep.

If you find yourself in a similar position, know you are not alone. There are Christians across the world who can relate to what you are going through, and Yeah! God understands your pain. Take solace in His love, comfort, and grace.

One Day We Will Rejoice

The Lord tells us, “So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:22). 

Jesus is referring to His own death and how His disciples will see Him again. We experience grief over many things, yet the most common is the death of a loved one. Take your rest in the Lord’s words that there will be rejoicing in the future.

Now is our time of grief, but our grief will not last forever. While we might struggle with grief for our entire lives, we will not suffer from it for all eternity.

One day, our grief will be taken, God will welcome us home with open arms.

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

In all humility, Pray …

Psalm 42 Complete Jewish Bible

Book II: Psalms 42–72

42 (0) For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:

2 (1) Just as a deer longs for running streams,
God, I long for you.
3 (2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God!
When can I come and appear before God?

4 (3) My tears are my food, day and night,
while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?”
5 (4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me,
how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God,
with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs
observing the festival.

6 (5) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for the salvation that comes from his presence.
7 (6) My God, when I feel so downcast,
I remind myself of you
from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon,
from the hill Mizar.
8 (7) Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls;
all your surging rapids and waves
are sweeping over me.
9 (8) By day Adonai commands his grace,
and at night his song is with me
as a prayer to the God of my life.
10 (9) I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel
as if my bones were crushed,
as they ask me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’ ”

12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and 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.

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Is the Church Itself an Impassable Barrier? “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge.” Luke 11:52-54

Luke 11:37-54 New King James Version

Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers

37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. 38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of [a]greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But rather give alms of [b]such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the [c]best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, [d]scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”

46 And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

53 [e]And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54 lying in wait for Him, [f]and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, [g]that they might accuse Him.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

The religious leaders’ role was to explain the Scriptures to those with limited access and literacy.

However, they made Scripture difficult to understand and impossible to apply.

The Amplified Bible adds, “by your flawed interpretation of God’s word and your man-made tradition.”

The critical role of Clergy, Pastors and Teachers is to diligently study the Holy Scriptures, to make God’s Word easy to understand and apply without adding unnecessary traditions and using complex jargon that isn’t so widely known.

In our Gospel Narrative from Luke, Jesus spoke pointedly and critically against the leaders of God’s people in that day. Instead of helping their people to draw near to God and enjoy his blessings, the leaders put up significant, erroneous barriers through their traditional legalistic, self-serving practices.

Sadly, throughout history, some churches and church leaders, Seminaries have taken liberties with their interpretation, translation, instruction of the Word of God, and blocked access to spiritual life for people and have even abused people.

End-Times and Woke Institutions

As we approach the end of the ages, we know from Scripture that faith will grow cold (Matthew. 24:2) and that there will also be an increasing number of false teachers saying what our itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy. 4:3).

In that regard, if we believe we are truly in the end-times, then logically one should be extra cautious about the latest views on Biblical Christian theology.

Are seminaries, like other educational institutions, becoming more radical and extreme in their views? Are some of the esoteric discussions centered around a culturally based reinterpretation of Scripture resulting in a weakening of its relevance or application in today’s deteriorating society? Are seminaries prone to the same “wokeness” that is infecting other institutions of higher learning? 

We often hear of such cases in the news today. Corrupt leaders put big cultural barriers instead of biblical bridges in front of people. As God’s people who make up the church today, we must stay diligent educated in the Word if God, teach and admonish and correct each other, repent of these errors and sins, being sure we have measures in place to prevent them from happening again, and be agents of reconciliation, prayer and healing unto people who have been hurt.

Know someone? Have you been hurt by the church or its leaders? If so, you may be big time hesitant to participate in the life of a church. That’s understandable.

What can you do?

Here are some suggestions:

2 Timothy 2:14-19 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. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God [which He has laid] stands [sure and unshaken despite attacks], bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord stand apart from wickedness and withdraw from wrongdoing.”

(1) Keep your focus on God, Jesus Holy Spirit 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.

(5) Study … Study …. Study …. Study ….

Unfortunately, some who are new to Christianity have the genuineness of their faith squelched, watered down by a group desire to be religiously superior.

Rather than encouraging, helping, and blessing those who are newer in the faith, these folks seeking superiority turn faith into legalism and corrupt the Good News message of Jesus. The way they live their religion on their college background drives away people who are seeking God and breaks the Good News message of those who are new to the faith or corrupts the faith of the matured.

Let’s always make sure that we don’t impose demands God doesn’t require.

Even more, when folks have areas where they need to grow in their obedience to God, let’s be there to help, not to criticize.

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

Pray together …

Psalm 119:1-16 English Standard Version

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

Aleph

119 [a] Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
    who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
    who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
    but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
    to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
    in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
    having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
    when I learn your righteous rules.[b]
8 I will keep your statutes;
    do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
    teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
    all the rules[c] of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

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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