Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
14 We need to hold on to our declaration of faith: We have a superior chief priest who has gone through the heavens. That person is Jesus, the Son of God. 15 We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn’t sin. 16 So we can go confidently to the throne of God’s kindness [a] to receive mercy and find kindness, which will help us at the right time.
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.
Every culture has its list of food preferences.
Most of us tend to elevate certain foods over others, “high society foods” only certain people of certain social economic status can pronounce, even afford and depending on what’s familiar to us “regular folks,” what agrees with us, and what agrees with our less complicated pallets, and what we like and don’t like.
In Old Testament Israel, however, living according to the strict food laws was not a matter of socio economic preference or status.
The Levitical law stated that certain birds and other animals were unclean.
So, as a way to live holy lives, the people were required to avoid those animals at all costs and not eat them.
The food laws set aside by God seemed to honor principles about life and death, suggesting that God was putting in place a simple way for his people to flourish.
When Jesus Christ brought about the new covenant through His life death and His resurrection, ascension, the old Levitical food laws were no longer required.
In Acts 10, for example, we read of Peter asleep on the rooftop having a vision in which God reveals to him “all kinds of four-footed animals, including reptiles and birds,” were now considered clean – for all people – regardless of status!
In this way God urged his people to “approach each other” freely, with no thought of partiality and spread the good news of Jesus to all other nations.
The simple idea being that all people of other nations regularly ate those kinds of animals, and God did not want his people thinking that those other peoples were “unapproachable” unclean or unworthy of being saved through Jesus.
Today when we are too busy being taught and conditioned to be exceedingly afraid to approach anyone without giving offense, without any fear of cultural appropriation, without fear of getting involved in any racial animosity, we are still called to be holy (set apart) living with universal intention as God’s people.
Rather than following rules about food, we are invited to make ourselves as vulnerable as Jesus did, live for our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, by loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Prayer to Approach People and God with Confidence
Hebrews 4:14-16 New King James Version
Our Compassionate High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
I’m not a huge fan of revealing my vulnerabilities or my surrendering to them.
I’d much rather keep them hush, hush, thank you very much.
I suspect I’m not alone.
People are taught to be, to live, on the edge of crisis, people wound other people and there are times when it’s tempting to judge God based on human actions.
A close friend who betrays our confidence and uses them as a weapon can create even higher degrees of cautiousness in how we approach other people and God.
The idea of setting aside our vulnerabilities, the grave risks of our setting any vulnerability, sheepishly drawing near God’s throne with confidence fill us with a special kind of trepidation – unleashes from within us a rush of uncertainty.
Will God reject us because we are not strong as God wants us to be strong?
Will He get angry at us, Will He “Set Us Aside,” Will he turn his back to us?
Can we be vulnerable before God, or do we need to wear a façade of strength?
Jesus knew our struggles knew our vulnerabilities, knew our faults, failures and weaknesses and yet as fully human as He was and lived, he resisted temptation.
While we flail our arms and thoughts everywhere, in every which direction, we fail and we fall, in His full humanity, our Jesus always resisted and prevailed.
What a friend, what a confidant we have in him, sympathizing with all of our weaknesses, vulnerabilities, yet remains our example to press thru to victory.
Jesus Christ knows our vulnerabilities and our weaknesses and our weaknesses and vulnerabilities fill him with compassion – to approach us and to serve us.
Because of this we can, in all our own weaknesses and vulnerabilities approach God, to still serve others, knowing that He welcomes and desires our prayers.
We don’t have to be “GOD” strong before we approach God. We don’t have to have it all figured out before we ask for help – yet, we can struggle with this.
Our fear everything arbitrarily different society promotes perfection and then socially parades all imperfection as a cautionary tale of what not to do and be.
This creates internal pressure because we can feel the need to hide much of ourselves, we feel the overwhelming need to avoid – “so, no free hugs here!”
Yet, every single one of the Gospel Narratives are replete with stories of Jesus becoming high end vulnerable, freely risking everything of His reputation to “go where no one “clean” dared to go” to “approach all the unapproachable.”
Yet, God knows us and our alleged status of “cleanliness” both inside and out.
He knows our strengths and our weaknesses and our vulnerabilities and his love for us does not change 1% based on that knowledge, His love is a compassionate completely approachable love always ready, willing to help us in times of need.
God provides all we need in any circumstance.
He offers peace to the anxious heart.
He brings joy to the cheerless face.
His hand stays steady and sure.
His blessings follow the if/then cycle.
If we sow to the flesh, our harvest consists of anger, doubt, bitterness, the like.
But if we sow to the spirit, we reap peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, and many more highly desirable, exceedingly desirable, approachable attributes.
Yet, sometimes, we need help with the sowing because we say yes instead of no to choices reinforcing the idea that we must be perfect before we approach God.
But God wants us to approach Him, come to Him and depend on Him for help.
The throne of grace in this passage from Hebrews 4 refers to the meeting place from where all of God’s favor, wisdom, help, love, mercy, forgiveness, wisdom, spiritual power, and spiritual gifts flow – How wonderful and marvelous is this place – how completely approachable – it’s ours to be had if we choose to come.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let’s pray:
Holy and most Approachable and most Compassionate and most Huggable God,
I stand in awe before you because you are so willing to take me as I am. Forgive me for holding myself apart because I have believed the falsehood that I need to be over strong before I come to you. You sent your son Jesus to intercede for me and because of that I can come with confidence before you. Here I am, Lord. Broken, bruised, and looking for belonging. I find everything I need in you. From you I receive the grace to face the doctor’s diagnosis. It’s because of you that I can love my prodigal child. Your joy teaches me how to hold my sorrow and not lose hope. Thank you for making me confident in you. I come to you today and wait for your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Please do give us the wisdom of the ages to live intentionally and vulnerably for you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
90 Lord, You have been our [b]dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born [c]Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
3 You turn mortals back into dust And say, “Return, you sons of mankind.” 4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, [d]Or like a watch in the night. 5 You have [e]swept them away like a flood, they [f]fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass that [g]sprouts anew. 6 In the morning it flourishes and [h]sprouts anew; Toward evening it wilts and withers away.
7 For we have been consumed by Your anger, And we have been terrified by Your wrath. 8 You have placed our guilty deeds before You, Our hidden sins in the light of Your presence. 9 For all our days have dwindled away in Your fury; We have finished our years like a [i]sigh. 10 As for the days of our [j]life, [k]they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is only trouble and tragedy; For it quickly passes, and we disappear. 11 Who [l]understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear [m]that is due You? 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may [n]present to You a heart of wisdom.
13 Do return, Lord; how long will it be? And [o]be sorry for Your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness, That we may sing for joy and rejoice all our days. 15 Make us glad [p]according to the days You have afflicted us, And the years we have seen [q]evil. 16 Let Your work appear to Your servants And Your majesty [r]to their children. 17 May the kindness of the Lord our God be upon us; And [s]confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, [t]confirm the work of our hands.
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.
Daylight savings day is here!
Do we reset our clocks forward one hour and lose an hours sleep?
Do we reset our clocks back one hour and gain an hours worth of sleep?
The old adage I was taught: “Spring Forward one hour Fall Back one hour”
So today, we are going to reset our memory clocks backwards “one hour.”
Does anyone remember the vast array of shortages that people faced during the recent COVID-19 pandemic – some of which continue yet to this day in 2023?
In some areas, it seemed there was no yeast or bread, milk or eggs to be found.
Supply chains were severely interrupted, and it was difficult for many people to find some basic things that they needed to get through the day.
The Israelites faced a scarcity of food in the desert, and they loudly complained bitterly to to their leaders Moses and Aaron.
But there was, however, a significant problem with the people’s perspective.
They didn’t maintain their :much bragged about” trust in God, who had shown them all His great power by freeing them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12-14).
Their cravings, and their confused memories, and priorities, left them short-sighted and unhappy—and they began to say they were better off in Egypt!
Nevertheless, God heard their grumblings and God provided for them by giving them quail meat every evening and the “bread from heaven” every morning.
That very evening, “quail came and covered the camp,” the people ate heartily.
And in the morning they found flakes on the ground that they could eat and make into bread.
They called it manna.
But it wasn’t long before the people were grumbling and complaining again.
How humbling it can be to realize that we often do the same: we get focused on a set of priorities, on something that we think we need in order to be happy, and we overlook the goodness that God is already pouring into our lives each day.
Recently for myself, life seemed out of sync, although I couldn’t figure out why.
Something just felt off.
My priority became a regimen of Grumble, Grumble and Grumble some more
Restless tossing and turning replaced sleep as my life filled up with allegedly important things-to-do – like serving my family, my neighbors, and church.
But it was obvious to anyone observant enough to notice, I wasn’t enjoying it.
In fact, I wasn’t enjoying much of anything.
Stuck inside some kind of “repeating cycle of monotony” I needed a reset, so I reset my priority, turned to the Lord in prayer, asked for the Holy Spirit’s help.
I started a habit of coming to God each morning with my morning caffeine and my Bible and Smart Phone in hand, began inviting the Holy Spirit into my day.
That time together became a precious gift I guarded with conviction.
I learned so much about the value of “numbering my days” (Psalm 90:7-12) during those morning prayers which then became these morning devotionals.
As I reflected on my priorities and my schedule and talked things over with God, I noticed a disturbing trend – my planning no longer aligned with my priorities in life, and the end result was an ocean of grumbling and that needed to change.
Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Moses, well and deep into his senior years cried out these words to God in a prayer of lament when the Israelites were seeing God’s supremacy firsthand.
Moses’ prayer shows each of us, no matter how old we are, a valuable truth.
In all things— whether in the abundance of grumbling, suffering or blessing— we need to recognize a time to reset, keep our priorities aligned with God’s will.
We should value each day as we walk in humble obedience to our loving Father.
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary explains it this way. “To number one’s days is an act of recognition of the vast difference between God and finite humanity. The wise reckon continually with God’s existence and human accountability.”
When we come to that place of recognition, when we learn to “reset” our days, we then become more aware of God’s Holy Spirit at work in us and through us.
And staying in sync with Him helps us consider and then reconsider and then reset each item on our to-do list and decide whether it is in fact a true priority.
Proverbs 16:1-9 GOD’S WORD Translation
Wisdom’s Blessings Come from the Lord
16 The plans of the heart belong to humans, but an answer on the tongue comes from the Lord. 2 A person thinks all his ways are pure, but the Lord weighs motives. 3 Entrust your efforts to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. 4 The Lord has made everything for his own purpose, even wicked people for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone with a conceited heart is disgusting to the Lord. Certainly, ⌞such a person⌟ will not go unpunished.
6 By mercy and faithfulness, peace is made with the Lord. By the fear of the Lord, evil is avoided. 7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better a few ⌞possessions⌟ gained honestly than many gained through injustice. 9 A person may plan his own journey, but the Lord directs his steps.
One way to ensure we are reassessing our priorities living our God-directed priorities is starting each day with Him in scripture, prayer, asking for his help.
When we ask, God will freely give us His wisdom – all of the guidance we seek.
We will probably discover we have let less important tasks replace those better things like our prayer, Bible study, and spending quality time with loved ones.
But it’s never too late to “hit the reset button” realign our priorities with God.
Today, on this day of “daylight savings time, when we “fall back” anyway, let’s try to start a new habit together with this prayer to help evaluate our priorities.
God will definitely meet us where we are and give us the reset we long for today.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let’s pray:
Dear Lord, Lately I’ve been feeling out of sync, and I’ve been distracted by all the things on my schedule. I need the help of the Holy Spirit today. Search my heart, Lord. Reveal anything in my life or on my schedule that needs to change, be reset.
When I look and relook at my calendar, I get discouraged. I hit my grumble button, I haven’t been putting you first, which has thrown everything else off balance. I am starting anew right now, coming to you each morning in prayer to evaluate my own priorities. Help me to see what’s most important according to your truth. As I bring each decision before you, guide me with your wisdom in how I spend my days.
Even in the midst of my grumbles, stumbles and struggles or busy seasons, help me to reset myself, to pick up my bible and to remember to enjoy this life you’ve given me. I will also give myself grace when I notice I’m out of alignment with you. Because you are always there, ready to give my heart the reset it needs. Thank you, MY ABBA for filling me with wisdom, teaching me to number my days. Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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.
15 Later the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said,
“Abram, don’t be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.” [a]
2 Abram asked, “Almighty Lord, what will you give me? Since I’m going to die without children, Eliezer of Damascus will inherit my household. 3 You have given me no children, so this member of my household will be my heir.”
4 Suddenly, the Lord spoke his word to Abram again. He said, “This man will not be your heir. Your own son will be your heir.” 5 He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 6 Then Abram believed the Lord, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abram’s approval by the Lord. 7 Then the Lord said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land so that you will take possession of it.”
8 Abram asked, “Almighty Lord, how can I be certain that I will take possession of it?”
9 He answered Abram, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a mourning dove, and a pigeon.” 10 So Abram brought all these animals to him. He cut each of them in half and laid each half opposite the other. However, he did not cut the birds in half.
11 When birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was just about to set, a deep sleep—a dreadful, deep darkness—came over Abram.
13 God said to Abram, “You can know for sure that your descendants will live in a land that is not their own, where they will be slaves, and they will be oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve, and after that they will come out with many possessions. 15 But you will die in peace and be buried at a very old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, because the sin of the Amorites will not have run its course until then.”
17 The sun had gone down, and it was dark. Suddenly a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between the animal pieces. 18 At that time the Lord made a promise [b] to Abram. He said, “I will give this land to your descendants. This is the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates. 19 It is the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
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.
Our Biblical text for today’s devotion, Genesis 15, may well be one of the most important chapters in the entire Hebrew [Old] Testament.
And since the Old Testament is foundational to the New Testament, since we cannot fully understand the New Testament without understanding the Old Testament, Genesis 15 is one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible.
Recently in one of my online chat forums, several people became quite engaged and also quite enraged, in discussing what it meant to to them to submit to God.
Using capital letters some of them argued that it wasn’t appealing and that it might cause many people to agree to things that could be harmful for them.
In their staunchly held views, submission to God is potentially dangerous.
And as I followed the debate, in a way, they were right – submitting is risky.
As I followed the back and forth of their words – submitting is dangerous too!
Today’s story about Abram believing God’s word and submitting to God’s promise is complex, has many cultural layers that can be hard for us to grasp.
For example, in our contemporary context we do not make covenant promises today by cutting up and dividing animals and then walking through the pieces.
In those days that meant, “If I break my promise, may the same be done to me.”
Notice, however, that Abram does not walk barefoot through the blood of the divided animals, as would have been the custom of the day.
Instead, Abram goes into a deep sleep, and God passes through the pieces.
The emphasis if our text here is on God making and keeping the promise.
Abram’s sole task will be to believe God’s promise and to live according to it.
As Abram, in complete faith believed, our faith in believing that God will keep his promises challenges us to submit and invite him to take control in our lives.
And, rather than “reducing our power”, as some people are fearful of, this way of living brings us to live fully in the strength of God’s faithfulness and power.
Genesis 15:9-10 New American Standard Bible
9 So He said to him, “[a]Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he [b] brought all these to Him and cut them [c]in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.
In the passage God is forming the Abrahamic covenant.
This was called a blood covenant.
In ancient times when two individuals made a contract, they would take an animal and cut it in half and separate the two halves a few feet from each other.
Then they would sprinkle the blood between that separation.
The two individuals entering into a contract would join hands, walk the path between the two separated parts of the animal over the blood.
At the end of this path the priest would stand and listen to the conditions, vows or promises each person would make in the contract.
The two entering into the contract would have 10 witnesses standing on either side – it was their job to listen to the terms or conditions of the contract.
These were the adjudicators -if either party broke a condition of the contract it would be the job of these ten witnesses to “adjudicate” “remove” the one who broke the strict conditions of the blood covenant both parties had just made.
Abraham himself did not walk on the bloodied path between the animals.
Instead, God put Abraham into a deep sleep and then God passed through the center of the sacrifices by Himself – God Himself was the final adjudicator.
God knew his people would not keep their end of the covenant bargain, so He did not make His people a party to the final penalty but instead He chose to bare the final, ultimate penalty Himself for their breaking of the blood covenant.
At a time of His choosing, God sent His Son to redeem us, that penalty was paid for 2000 years ago when He sent His son to die on the cross and shed his blood.
What did God teach you today about the way He establishes His covenants?
What did God teach you today about the way He administers His covenants?
What did God teach you today about His Son Jesus submitting to His covenants?
What did God teach you today about personally submitting to His covenants?
How has the covenant God first made with Abraham and now made with you, through our Lord Jesus Christ, changed the way you submit, live each day now?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 61 New American Standard Bible
Confidence in God’s Protection.
For the music director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.
61 Hear my cry, God; Give Your attention to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. 4 Let me [a]dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
5 For You have heard my vows, God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name. 6 You will [b]prolong the king’s [c]life; His years will be like generations. 7 He will [d]sit enthroned before God forever; Appoint faithfulness and truth that they may watch over him. 8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day.
Promise-keeping God, your plans for us are way beyond what we can imagine for ourselves. Help us to trust in you always. Through the life blood of my Jesus, Amen.
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.
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.
15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
God’s Covenant with Creation
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination[a] of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
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.
Genesis 8:11 New King James Version
11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.
Maybe you have seen a picture or a logo showing a white dove with an olive branch in its beak.
That image draws from our devotional reading for today.
Over time, mankind has used the image of a dove bringing a part of an olive tree as a symbol for peace.
When we look a little closer at today’s passage, it becomes clear to us that Noah wasn’t just passively waiting for good, peaceful news.
He first sent out a raven, a large robust bird that flew “back and forth” but apparently did not come back into the ark—probably because it found plenty of carrion to eat.
Noah then sent out a gentle dove—a smaller more vulnerable bird—to go to and fro looking for visible evidence of new growth – and then he waited attentively.
The dove soon returned because it “could find nowhere to perch.”
So Noah brought it back into the ark for seven days.
Then, in the morning when Noah sent the dove out again, it returned in the evening with a single olive leaf in its mouth.
This meant the flood waters had receded to a safe level where the people and animals could flourish, thrive again, enjoying shalom (peace) in God’s world.
But, If the trees were destroyed by the floodwaters, where do we believe did the dove get the olive leaf?
Genesis 8:10-11 The Message
10-11 He waited seven more days and sent out the dove again. It came back in the evening with a freshly picked olive leaf in its beak. Noah knew that the flood was about finished.
It comes to mind that the olive tree may have been one of the very few types of trees that were hearty enough to be able to survive the flood.
Olive trees are well known for their hardiness and ability to withstand difficult conditions, including drought, saltwater, and pests.
Alternatively, it’s possible that the olive tree was not completely destroyed by the flood and in a short time was able to regenerate after the waters receded.
Again, it bears repeating that the olive is a very strong and resistant tree, so it is possible it could have remained alive underwater for many months of the flood.
After the floodwaters had gone down, leaving the tree on the dry ground once more, by God’s creative power, it could then have put forth leaves once more.
Another alternative is that the dove was carrying the leaf of a very young sprout representing new life in God that came up after the floodwaters had gone down.
Being in the Dove’s Flight Path of God’s Timing
God did not tell Noah when he could get out of the ark. Noah and his family had been in the ark for 150 days, Noah had to (in a way) peacefully figure things out.
Here’s what happened after 150 days:
The ark came to rest (Genesis 8:4)
The mountain tops were visible (Genesis 8:5)
Noah opened a window (Genesis 8:6)
Noah sent out a raven (Genesis 8:7)
Noah sent out a dove (Genesis 8:8)
Noah waited before sending out the dove again (Genesis 8:10)
Noah knew that the water had receded when the dove brought an olive leaf (Genesis 8:11)
Maybe it is just me – but I get a sense that when we trust God, we can be ‘in the dove’s flight path – flying, seeking and searching’ with God without panicking.
What Noah did by simply remaining on the Ark was a picture of peaceful calm.
He did not fret because he did not know when they could leave the ark; in total, they were in the ark for a year – instead, he just watched the signs and waited.
As we reflect upon the calm of Noah waiting for the presence of God to manifest itself to us, signaling to us the moment when we should anticipate God acting,
As we reflect upon this single olive leaf, let’s consider ways in which we might singularly participate in bringing the message of God’s peace in God’s world.
Do we just say with our lips that we want peace, or are we intentionally working toward it, even in small, possibly vulnerable ways, are we also sharing the good news of our Savior Jesus, who brings peace and rest for people’s weary hearts?
My Hope in the Shalom of God because in God I trust
So it gives me hope.
That when we are undergoing change, even in a storm, God will come for us.
The instructions from God “to wait for the return of the dove”“look for the tiny olive leaf” may not be explicit but things will work out because God is watching.
This is an encouragement for me, and for you.
No matter what what we are waiting for, what we’re going through or trying to get done, we have hope that things will work out because our hope is in the God who watches over us and acts with perfect timing – His dove will bring us peace.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
And God remembered and thought kindly of Noah and every living thing and all the animals that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind blow over the land, and the waters receded. The dove came back to him in the evening, and there, in her beak, was a fresh olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water level had subsided from the earth. Genesis 8:1, 11 AMP
Lord God eternal I worship and glorify your name for being my God. Abba I thank you for the privilege to be alive and among the living this day. Holy one of Israel I worship you for your grace that is made available to me each day. Lord thank you for the forgiveness of sin and your precious life blood shed for my salvation. Father thank you for making a way for me even in places I have given up or almost given up hope. Lord thank you for taking me out of the flight path of unfortunate into the flight path of the peace bearing Dove, into the hopeful kingdom of the flourishing.
Lord thank you for making that which seem to be impossible very possible for me in Jesus name. Lord thank you for permanently silencing the noise of the enemy against my victory shout in Jesus name. Lord thank you for bringing me to the level of divine grace and favor beyond my imagination. Lord thank you for the life of the vessel used for this daily prayer and all impacted by it, for making way for us in all that seem like wilderness journey in Jesus name. Glorious God thank you for this glorious ministry of the immutable truths from Your Living Word that you use daily for today’s prayer.
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.
20 Then God said, “Let the waters [a]teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth [b]in the open [c]expanse of the heavens.” 21 And God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind; and God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
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.
As people stand on the beach and look out at the ocean around and sky above, they see that which is essentially an alien atmosphere.
The ocean, in and of itself, is hostile to human life.
We can swim in the ocean, but not for very long.
We can dive into its depths but we cannot go very deep without being crushed.
If we should suddenly be cast into the midst of the ocean without any means of support, into a rip tide or high crashing waves we would not last very long.
We cannot reach its bottom without a special sub, nor could we see the bottom because there is no light without mechanical help – it is absolutely alien to us.
The air above, though it provides oxygen, what we breathe to sustain life, is an alien realm as far as transportation is concerned – planes can only go so high.
Ancient Greek mythology tells the story of Icarus, the young man who dreamed of flying like the gods.
Both he and his father were imprisoned, and in order to escape their prison, his father made wings of feathers and wax.
Although cautioned not to fly too near the sun, Icarus did not listen, and as he soared up into the sky the wings melted, and he fell into the sea and perished.
People have been dreaming of flying without planes for centuries, but they have never been able to do it, apart from flying suits and technology.
So there are two realms in the natural world in which humans are unable to operate effectively and independently.
The crushing depths and darkness of the oceans are a picture of unredeemed and barren humanity, the world without Christ, the world of organized society with its systems of values, its power structures, and its methods of operating.
As Christians, you and I know well the reality that if any individual believers attempt to live in that kind of a world on their own resources, they are doomed.
In that rarified air (Proverbs 3:7) it is not very long before their spiritual life is choked off, thin, suffocated, and they find themselves unable to live spiritually.
Even if they should try to live in the depths of the world’s seas, if they try it on their own physical and spiritual resources, they are doomed, they will drown.
On the other hand, the atmosphere is a picture of the spiritual life, the place where we live in the realm of divine reality, a life that is 100% pleasing to God.
Here again, if individual believers attempt to operate in this realm on their own resources they will not die, but they will find they get nowhere in a big hurry.
Trying to live the Christian life in the energy of the flesh, in a dedicated, sincere effort to do that which is pleasing to God apart from a dependence upon the life of the Holy Spirit of God within, always ends up in frustration and bafflement.
This is what Christians discover as they go along, that they are not made for this realm; they cannot operate in and of themselves.
They find themselves like a person trying to fly through the sky with his or her own arms, flapping, flopping, frustrated, baffled, impotent, unable to function.
Here is God’s picture of this fifth day: By a direct impartation of divine life, on which humanity learns to depend, a believer can live in the hostile environment of the world as a fish lives in the sea–gracefully, powerfully, and abundantly.
People can learn how live and to operate in this realm and live in this hostile atmosphere effectively.
Also, in that rarefied atmosphere of the spiritual life where a fall would be fatal, a believer, completely depending upon the life of God within, can fly like a bird.
Then one day the phrase “Look at the birds” entered my mind, and that was an unusual idea for me-considering my fear of looking too long at too high places.
From my perspective, birds were okay, but I didn’t know how to identify many of them as they all soar so very high in their God given natural environment.
Yet I suddenly remembered that Jesus had said, “Look at the birds”—and I take it as a holy invitation to lift my eyes up.
As I began paying attention, I woke, noticed the birds of all kinds were literally everywhere, in every season—even in the heights of the highest city buildings!
It got my failing hearts attention, shifted my spiritual perspective dramatically.
Perhaps you feel deeply alienated, physically far from home, or as if you don’t belong spiritually in the place where you are finding yourself exactly right now.
Could Jehovah God be inviting you to lift up your eyes so that you can take note of his great Creation work around you and his over abundant provisions in life?
Today, will you take some time away from observing the heights and depths of self and join me in observing the heights, depths of God’s presence, being filled with awe and wonder as we reflect on birds as an important part of his creation?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 121 English Standard Version
My Help Comes from the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
121 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
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.
Loving God, help us to lift up our eyes. May we notice your marvelous creation, in which you have even placed birds in the sky as a daily reminder of your care. Amen.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was a [a]formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the [b]surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the [c]surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “[d]Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
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.
Have you ever stood on the seas shore or watched a fishing trawler, watched a bunch of seagulls or a terns that seems to just hang in the air over the waves?
The wind may be blustering, the waves crashing and the waters roaring, but the bird yet somehow soars calmly and easily over the vast expanse of rough ocean.
In a more reflective moment this morning, I realized that image of a hovering bird over turbulent waters is how Scriptures first describes the Spirit of God.
The word for “hovering over the surface of the waters” indicates a high degree of care, even concern, in its action, and it is unmistakably linked to the behavior of protective birds that soar, brood over their nests, guarding and keeping their clutch warm and safe as it develops and nurtures the coming generations of life.
Holy Spirit, in his protective love, hovers over the surface of the unformed deep.
The story of creation in Genesis was given by God to God’s people at a critical and vulnerable time when other stories about the beginning of the world were filled with themes of darkness and violence, disarray and disorder and chaos.
At the time, it would have sounded far different from the other creation stories.
Because love and goodness are at the center of this creation story, it continues to invite all people to know God as the all loving, protective Creator that He is.
Throughout the pages of Scripture, God reveals Himself as Father, Son, Spirit.
As Creator, God reveals this three-in-one nature.
Jesus, the Son of God, is present and creates everything.
The Spirit of God hovered over the waters bringing breath and life to what was a darkened, formless, lifeless and empty void.
The three-in-one natured God brought beauty out of nothingness, order out of chaos, specificity out of randomness at creation. God wants the beauty, order, and specificity that originates in His nature to overflow into our relationships!
Into all of that unsettled situation, the Genesis story came as a gift that revealed God’s truest, purposeful, loving intention to make all things good and beautiful.
As we will see in these next coming days, perhaps weeks, many other passages in the Bible also teach something about our God through the imagery of birds.
Against the chaotic backdrop of unpredictable crashing waves and deep oceans,
Against the backdrop of the we the “trawlers” upon the Waters of our Baptisms,
Let’s keep reading of God’s presence, pondering “the birds of the air” together.
Fishboat vessel fishing in a rough sea
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
We thank you and praise you, Almighty God. You are the Father who conceived us in love, the Son who re-created and redeemed us from sin, and the Holy Spirit, Whose power inspires and enables us. We desire, O God, to live with each other and reflect the harmony and grace with each other that we find in Your nature. We trust that You embedded this aspect of your character within us. Would you please increase our desire to live with each other with grace and in harmony? We ask that the Holy Spirit enable us to mature into this aspect of Your divine character as we seek You, Lord.^ We pray this in the exalted name of Jesus. God, please also help us to be continually aware of how the fullness of your presence constantly hover over us, keeping watch on and over us as you alone protect us and sustain your creation day by day. Amen.
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.
33 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: 2 “Thus says the Lord who made the earth,[a] the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: 3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
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.
One of the most scandalous truths of the gospel is that our Creator longs to be encountered by his creation.
God longs to meet with us. His greatest desire is for relationship with us.
I cannot fathom why God in all his holiness and goodness makes himself available to us, but it is the powerful truth of Scripture.
God is pursuing each of us with his relentless love, seeking out those who might respond to his open invitation by opening the door of their hearts to him.
My prayer is that in response to God’s desire to meet with his people we would be those who say yes to centering our lives around his nearness.
May our days and weeks ahead be marked by the deep reality of God’s presence.
Jeremiah 33:1-3 The Message
Things You Could Never Figure Out on Your Own
33 While Jeremiah was still locked up in jail, a second Message from God was given to him:
2-3 “This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’
I have spent so much of my life as an angry non believer thinking that God was utterly silent, or at least barely spoke through the Bible, others, and situations.
While I can testify to it today, God most definitely does speak in those ways, He also longs to speak directly to His children.
Scripture is laden with story after story of God’s people hearing God’s voice and responding in obedience.
From beginning of the pages of the Hebrew [Old] Testament to end of the pages of the New Testament, God clearly makes every effort to speak to all His people.
The question before us today is, will we make space to listen?
John 8:47 says, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God.”
John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
We serve a God who desires his voice to be known.
God is not silent.
He is not quiet.
Our heavenly Father longs to guide us, tell us his heart for us, do life with us.
He is longing for a relationship with us all filled with continual conversation.
Hearing God’s voice is not only for a select few.
It isn’t only for the Christian elite or those who spend all day, every day meditating and praying.
We as believers hear God’s voice first and foremost because He wants to speak to us.
We can hear God’s voice by grace alone.
So what does it sound like to hear God’s voice?
Through the Holy Spirit God is able to speak in clearer and more profound ways than a conversation between you and me.
1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
The Holy Spirit is with you right now.
And because He dwells within us He has the ability to speak to our heart.
He can speak with words or give an intuition or knowledge about something.
He can fill us with peace about a decision and give us a feeling of unrest when we’re doing something that isn’t his will.
God can speak to us in ways more intimate, clear than any other conversation because there is nothing in the way of us and Him.
But God will never force his voice on us.
He isn’t a God who yells into and above the chaos, attempts to drown out all the other voices.
He is a God of peace, He is a God of patience who waits for us to open our heart to him and listen.
Take time today to open your heart and acknowledge the voice of your Father.
Make .01% space in all the busyness to simply listen to whatever He would say.
By prayers and petitions, ask Him any questions we have of Him and trust that as He has promised, He will speak perfectly whatever it’s He wants to say to us.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
May your days and weeks ahead be mightily filled with continual conversation with your loving, present heavenly Father.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the availability of hearing God speak.
Reflect on all the ways he speaks and allow Scripture to fill your heart with faith to have a conversation with your heavenly Father.
“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”John 16:13
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
2. Take time to quiet your soul and receive God’s presence.
Ask him to reveal His nearness to you.
Have faith that the Holy Spirit is with you right now.
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16
3. Ask God to tell you how he feels about you in this moment.
Ask him to speak to you anything He wants you to know.
Have patience and pay attention to any changes in your feelings or anything you hear in your spirit.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3
“O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” Psalm 5:3
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28
While hearing the voice of God sounds a little “out there,” it is wholly biblical.
Our God is alive and active.
He is not distant, and he longs for us to truly know Him.
Allow the Words of Scripture to define your reality rather than past experiences or worldly perceptions.
The spiritual is wholly real.
God’s presence is real.
The fact that He dwells within us, speaks, guides, gives revelation, heals, and saves is the reality all of us live in whether we acknowledge it or not.
Pray, open your heart to God today and allow Him to guide you into a lifestyle of greater communion with him.
Live today in the fullness of relationship available to you in the Holy Spirit.
May you hear the loving, close voice of the Holy Spirit throughout your day today as you open your heart to Him.
Almighty God and Abba Father, I want to know you and be known by you. Yes, there are some things in my heart and my life that I pray and wish were not there. But I know your gaze, know your grace, and I am confident you know my heart and desire to reflect your glory, share your grace, and display your character. Thank you for the gift of being your child and securing my future in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle— 2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues [a]my people under me.
3 Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? 4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.
5 Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. 7 Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, 8 Whose mouth speaks [b]lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, 10 The One who gives [c]salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood— 12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as [d]pillars, Sculptured in palace style; 13 That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; 14 That our oxen may be well laden; That there be no [e]breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. 15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!
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.
Violence is defined as “physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging, or abusing,” and sadly, violence is a deadly part of everyday life.
It’s in our movies and television shows, it is in our children’s bedroom, in our living rooms with their more graphic, more competitive, and more violent video games and we live in a world where power is often established through violence.
But what does all that mean for Christians when the ways of the world is always supposed to be overcome, overwhelmed, by the immutable truth of the Word?
So what does the Bible say about violence?
First of all, violence in the mind is just as hurtful as violence by the hands.
Leviticus 19:17 says, “Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.”
When we know someone is in sin, is it more “inoffensive,” “tough loving” to keep it quiet and let it boil over, build up hate and resentment towards them?
The Word of God for His Children says that we should speak frankly, and Jesus himself tells us in Matthew 5:21-22NKJV murderous anger, hatred of brother, can lead the angry man to judgment from God as quickly as a physical blow.
The violence he exhibits toward someone else can be brought back upon himself by God.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those [a]of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother [b]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[c] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, [d]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [e]hell fire.
What about violence in war?
Exodus 20:13 had been incorrectly translated as “do not kill,” but it literally means “do not murder.”
God has allowed for just wars throughout the history of His people.
From Abraham to Deborah to David, God’s people have fought as instruments of judgment from a righteous and holy God.
Romans 13:1-4 tells us to submit ourselves to government authorities, nations have the right to bear the sword against evildoers, both foreign and domestic.
Violence inevitably occurs, but we must each somehow recognize the difference between holy judgment on sin and our own personal vendettas against those we dislike, which is the all too inevitable outcome of betrayed pride (Psalm 73:1-6).
God Is My Strength and Portion Forever
A Psalm of Asaph.
73 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
While men are more prone to accept violence (especially as cultures depict real men as those who never cry, always have a plan, and carry a gun), the wisest man of all time wrote,
“Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways” (Proverbs 3:31).
Prayer and patience beats pride, violence and anger on any given day.
Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock, Who Preserves His People, Trains My Hands for War – Psalm 144:1-2
Do you ever feel like you’re in the middle of a war?
It is cliché to repeat the Christian life isn’t always a warm and fuzzy experience.
Guns and violence are all around us, erupting in our bowling alleys and taverns, in our grocery stores as we work or we shop for food, in our places of worship.
Sometimes we find ourselves engaged in a real battle on the streets we live on.
Drive by shootings on streets and in neighborhoods where children are playing, groups of people are simply having a community gathering, sharing fun, food.
Sometimes we find ourselves in a spiritual battle.
It’s easy to feel helpless, hopeless, vulnerable and exposed at times like these.
Psalm 144:1-2 New King James Version
A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle— 2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues [a]my people under me.
We all must deal with the painful outcomes, remember, however, we are not fighting these battles in our own strength. God offers security for his people.
God’s Boot Camp
In Psalm 144:1-2, King David praised the Lord, recognizing that it was God who had enabled him to win the victory over his enemies.
Moreover, the Lord had taught him how to fight and protected him in battle.
David used similar language in Psalm 18:
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety … He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. (Psalm 18:2, 34, (NLT)
What does God’s boot camp entail?
How does he train us for war?
The term “trains” here refers to an exercise in learning.
Consider this nugget of truth from the passage: you may not know why you’re in a battle, but you can be sure God wants to teach you something.
Jehovah God is walking you and me through an exercise in learning.
God’s boot camp involves teaching us to depend on him.
If we never faced a battle, we’d never learn to lean on God for strength and protection.
From the moment we put our faith in God for salvation, we are to depend on him for everything:
Proverbs 3:5-8 New King James Version
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [a]direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your [b]flesh, And strength[c] to your bones.
Spiritual battles teach us to pray:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7, NIV)
What Else Does the Bible Say about Gun Violence?
Although Scripture does not mention guns, we can derive principles from the Bible about how to think about, respond to gun violence and all related issues.
Gun violence is a hot button issue that many of us feel strongly about, but the issue becomes more serious and personal when it occurs close to home — in our places of residence, of work, in our towns, neighborhoods, schools, churches.
Hearing about someone injured by a gun is different than hearing shots in your own neighborhood, getting down on the floor in your house to avoid gunfire.
In too many neighborhoods, on too many corners, for many people, including children and teens, the risk of being injured or killed by a gun is a grim reality.
Discussing gun use and control is often a controversial topic among Americans.
However, as baptized Christians, our views should be derived from God’s Word.
Although Scripture does not mention guns, we can derive principles from the Bible about how to think about, respond to gun violence and all related issues.
Scripture and Weapons
Guns were not in existence during biblical times, but Scripture does mention the use of weapons in specific circumstances.
We can read about swords, knives, slingshots, and the use of arrows in the Bible (1 Samuel 17:50-51; 1 Kings 18:28; Isaiah 5:28; Hebrews 11:37).
However, these weapons were mainly used in times of war.
Just because the Bible mentions weapons, though, does not mean that it approves of the use of weapons or bloodshed.
We should not confuse the presentation of historical facts, such as people using weapons to fight others, with any general statement of approval for violence.
As we consider the entire teaching of Scripture, we see the use of weapons and violence is only in existence because we live in a fallen world corrupted by sin.
Humans, in their sinfulness, warped their God-given ability to create items and goods by making weapons that can kill and destroy.
Swords, guns, bombs, and other objects of destruction were not part of God’s original, good creation (Genesis 1:31).
The bleak picture of a world filled with sin and violence is gratefully not the one Scripture leaves us with.
In the future, God will transform these weapons of destruction – people will learn to turn their lives to God and swords and knives into tools of cultivation (Isaiah 2:1-5).
As the prophet Isaiah describes in this verse, “Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).
On that much prayed for future day, gun violence will simply no longer exist.
Based on these verses, we understand that weapons meant to kill and destroy do not glorify God and were not part of His original creation.
Humans, in their sin, created weapons to hurt and wield power over others.
However, in the future, even the most violent weapons will be transformed, the most vicious means of destruction is redeemed just like the rest of the world.
Injuring and Murdering Others
We have already seen that weapons exist because of sinful humankind.
Instead of using creativity for good, we created weapons that terrorize and kill.
These weapons have become more complex and deadly because of technological advancements.
Although Christians have long debated the ethics behind war and the use of specific weapons in warfare, Scripture is clear about the absolute value of all human life, from conception to death, and that it is 100% immoral to murder.
God created humans in His image, which is why taking another person’s life is serious (Genesis 1:27).
Multiple times in the Bible, the Lord placed a severe punishment on those who murder (Genesis 9:5; Exodus 21:12).
Therefore, when we hear on the news of any shooter murdering children in a school or of any other age from local gun violence, we should know that these murderous actions are 100% sinful and unequivocally denounced by the Lord.
In His holiness and righteousness, God does not, will not and cannot approve of murderous violence.
Some individuals may think they have an excuse for gun violence, such as seeking revenge.
Or they could argue that gun use is required in their gang or job.
Regardless of the reasons, murder is always wrong.
People may try to justify the issue in their minds, but God is the ultimate Judge, and He will hold people accountable for murder (Acts 17:31).
As followers of Jesus, we want to avoid hurting others.
In fact, we are called to go a step further and seek the good of others, including those who hate and persecute us (Luke 6:27-28).
Revenge is not anyone’s legitimate reason to use a gun against another person.
Retribution is not anyone’s legitimate reason to use a gun against another soul.
Scripture reminds us not to seek revenge (Matthew 5:38-39; Romans 12:19).
Believers should have nothing to do with using guns to intimidate, manipulate, disable. maim or injure, or murder others.
Of course, someone who has committed murder or used a gun for violent reasons can receive salvation from Christ.
If someone thinks or believes they are “too evil” to receive forgiveness of sins, Jesus can save anyone who places faith in His death and resurrection (Romans 10:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:13-16).
Salvation, though, does not negate the consequences of actions — such as serving time in prison, nor having to face God’s judgement upon their death.
Issues Related to Gun Violence
In recognizing that gun violence is wrong, we need to seek to apply biblical principles to areas related to this issue.
If we know that active shooters are sinning by murdering children and adults, then should we not also recognize the dangers of filling our minds with images of shooting and violence from the media?
Our beliefs from Scripture should inform how we approach television, movies, music, and video games that mention and depict gun violence.
Many aspects of the media glorify guns and killing.
We see this in movies, shows which the protagonists shoot and murder people.
Even in films that do not glorify murder, the scenes of killing can be graphic.
Continually watching these depictions over time can desensitize us to violence and death.
Video games also present difficulties for Christians who want to honor the Lord in their daily life (Colossians 3:17).
Many games place the player into the role of shooter, which is central to the game’s plot.
As harmless as a video game might seem, regularly playing violent games can negatively affect a person.
As Lauren Goldbeck and Alex Pew note in an article for the National Center for Health Research, “The longer that individuals are exposed to violent video games, the more likely they are to have aggressive behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.”
As Christians, we are called to a higher standard. Instead of filling our minds with violent images, we should focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
Ask yourself: would Jesus .01% approve of what I am watching, listening to, or playing – what our children are watching, listening to spending hours playing ?
Asking questions and keeping Scripture in mind can help guard yourself against becoming apathetic to gun violence thru movies, shows, music, video games.
Practical Steps to Take
Hearing about incidents of active shooters or local gun violence can leave us disturbed and unsettled.
During these times, we can feel helpless to deal with the situation.
What can one person or one church congregation do in the face of such terrible suffering?
First, we can pray (Philippians 4:6).
A few days ago, the local media ran several stories of the recurring sounds of gunshots rang out in several citywide neighborhoods during the day, at night.
Although I felt powerless in changing the situation, prayed for the residents of those neighborhoods, I knew that God does and can work in these situations.
So, I decided to start praying about gun violence in my city — praying for the end of gun and gang violence, for peace like a river to flood out the violence but also asking the Lord to work in the violent hearts of those who were involved.
Those who use or plan to use guns in gang violence or mass shootings might seem like the last people to add to our prayer lists – but they ought to be #1.
However, we should be praying for them just as much as we do for all of the individuals and families who are directly affected for God can change hearts.
Also, we can get involved in combatting issues that promote gun violence.
Shootings often happen in areas where poverty, inequality, lack of education, and other issues are prevalent.
Believers need to be involved in addressing these problems and meeting the needs of others.
This will look different for each church, but getting involved to end gun violence could include holding community meetings, working with inner city ministries, teaming up with organizations to provide job training opportunities support for bullied youth and teens, and mentorship for at-risk youth, serving in prisons, and finding a way of helping families, children affected by poverty.
All our efforts should be coupled with a desire to share the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection with others.
Why Care, Why Does or Should This Matter Anymore?
Although the Bible does not specifically mention guns, it does condemn murder and violence.
The Lord does not approve of the use of weapons to harm people, whether in gang violence or mass shootings.
The use of guns to kill, control, and intimidate others violates the sanctity of human life.
Because Scripture encourages us to love God and love others before self, the church too needs to be involved in preventing harm to others, which includes raising awareness in our congregations and communities about gun violence.
We can also take practical steps that demonstrate the love of Christ while working to address the root issues of gun violence.
And remember, God is your protection and shield. Bless him and praise him!
Celebrate God! Celebrate Life! Remember God! Remember the absolute value God assigned to all life – without exception – let us not be silent or remain still when we could be bringing 1% hope and light into areas of fear and brokenness.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God, our hearts are broken with pain at the senseless deaths caused by gun violence. Our Families mourn, children live in fear, and some in our nation respond by arming themselves with more guns with greater capacity to end life. Our disconnection and alienation from You has caused some to turn to their guns for protection and safety. We ask that you touch our hearts with your love, heal our brokenness, and turn us away from violence toward peace. Help us to transform our own hearts and to seek peaceful ways of resolving our differences. Let our hands reach out and connect with those who feel alone, those who live in fear, and those suffering from mental illness. Let our baptized voices be raised asking our legislators to enact gun laws to protect all in our society, especially those most vulnerable. Let our ink pens write messages demanding change while also scripting words of hope and transformation. We ask this in the name of the Creator God who desires that we live together in peace. Amen.
7-8 So, my dear children, don’t let anyone divert you from the truth. It’s the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah. Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways.
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.
By grace, every believer in Jesus Christ has been transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13-14 Message).
13-14 God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.
We live in the world now as children of light and endeavor to bear the fruit of that light (Ephesians 5:8-10 Message).
8-10 You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.
Yet as glorious as this may be, we know that darkness is not yet fully eradicated from our lives.
The truth is that, by their baptism, everyone who becomes a citizen of Christ’s kingdom is caught up in a vast cosmic conflict of eternal significance.
But, praise the Lord, the Evil One has been powerless to prevent God’s adopted children from knowing salvation—but having tasted that measure of defeat, he now seeks to do everything in his power to prevent us from living as true heirs of our Father’s eternal kingdom.
He is totally committed to disrupting and destroying what it means for us to “be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1) and to “walk as children of light” (v 8).
His one great aim is to stop us trusting in Christ—to knock you off the narrow road, and keep you off of the narrow road, before we reach the gates of glory.
We should never ignore the alarming terms which Scripture uses to describe the devil nor understate the urgent terms in which we are urged to withstand him.
Peter urges us “be sober-minded” and “watchful” because our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
He Gets the Last Word
8-11 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
Satan is a real , vicious enemy. He trades in doubt, division, and destruction. He comes at us from all directions, spiritually, ethically, morally and intellectually.
With the ferocity of a supernaturally empowered beast, he seeks to maul us and shred our faith to pieces.
What is a Christian to do when faced with such a vicious determined enemy?
The good news for us is this:
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
Though he may still prowl, his defanging has already begun, and ultimately, he will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10 Message).
7-10 When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell, and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He’ll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong. They’ll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God’s holy people, the Beloved City. They’ll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up. The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end.
Defeat is certain for the devil and his minions—and, through Christ, victory over him is yours, Christian.
In Christ, God has given you the spiritual power to “stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-12 Message).
A Fight to the Finish
10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
He offers you indestructible armor in the gospel and His very word as your sword (v 10-18 Message).
A Fight to the Finish
10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
When you fall, you are forgiven.
The devil has no power over you.
James puts our charge succinctly: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
So, where is the battle for you?
Is it against a particular sin or in a certain trial?
Declare the name of Jesus above all other names, take up the means of grace God offers us in Christ—including your company of fellow soldiers—and, by simply believing the gospel of God, force the prowling lion to tail tucked retreat!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Jehovah God, lead me. Don’t let me be lead astray by my enemy. Don’t let me follow a pathway of evil and sin, Lord, but help me to reject a life of sin and choose to follow Jesus. Remind me that if I continue in sin, that there ultimately won’t be any sacrifice to take away my sins (Hebrews 10:26). Help me to repent of my past wrongs, and so to follow the way of Christ—the way of love and forgiveness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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.
To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
36 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart;[a] there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! 11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.
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.
If you do a little digging, you’ll find plenty of articles that ask the question,
“Is anyone faithful anymore?”
Usually, they refer to marriage, or friendship or business but the question is completely applicable to almost any sphere of life one can engage themselves.
When I talk to members of my congregation who work in business, for example, they often tell me of workers who appear to be very committed to the team and the mission at the beginning, but then, all of a sudden, nowhere to be found.
It is a sad but true reality in these days that loyalty to the company or the task at hand, for a whole host of diverse issues frequently dissipates very, very quickly.
It’s rare to find people known for steady devotion and consistency, who let their yes be yes and their no be no (Matthew 5:37) =and when one does find someone who makes a promise and keeps it, even when it’s difficult, it is quite striking.
The only perfect standard of faithfulness that we have—of genuine total loyalty and of absolute complete commitment to keeping a promise—is Jehovah God.
Throughout the Psalms, the host of psalmists continually reflect back upon it.
As high as we can see, here in Psalm 36 the Psalmist David tells us, exactly how far he knows, by his own personal experiences, God’s faithfulness stretches.
There are no ends to which Jehovah will not go to remain loyal to His people; there is nothing and there is no one, that will prevent Him keeping His word.
Moses continually reminded the people of Israel of God’s faithfulness:
“Know … that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant” (Deuteronomy 7:9).
James, too, describes God’s faithfulness by saying that in Him “there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
God’s faithfulness is one aspect of the absolute perfection of His character.
Given that every believer has staked their eternal future on Him keeping His word, this is very good news!
Other people, as well as the gods of our own creation, will inevitably let us down—be it through their flaws or faults or their frailties.
The only promise that can utterly be relied upon is that of the eternal, righteous God, who has revealed Himself in creation, who has confirmed His truthfulness in the person of His Son Jesus Christ – who is also 100-percent reliable all of the time, for all of eternity—including for all that you and I are about to face today.
In Psalm 36 David bemoans men’s wickedness before contrasting it with the loving-kindness and great goodness of God.
He laments there is no respect or reverence toward the Lord in the eyes of fallen man, whose heart is ever filled with deceit, who boasts in his own wickedness.
David grieves that sinful man has ceased to be wise and good, rather, he devises wicked plans, sets his face against that which is good, and does not abhor evil.
The sad bitterness, deeply revengeful thoughts, arrogant attitude, and angry unforgiveness of the ungodly, that so often floods the minds of sinful man, stands in stark contrast with the overflowing loving-kindness, compassionate-mercy, and unmerited gracious-pardon that streamed from the veins of the Lord Jesus, when He stretched out His arms of love to embrace whosoever will.
Psalm 36 Our Psalmist, shepherd, warrior, poet, and King David exposes the unbridgeable gulf between man’s wickedness, which is voiced in the first few verses of this psalm, and God’s unsurpassed goodness, recorded in the second section which begins, “Your lovingkindness and great mercy O LORD, extends to the heavens. Your faithfulness and unfailing love, reaches to the skies”.
There are no greater heights that man can imagine than the vast heavens above.
So, David uses the vast expanse of the unreachable skies in the firmament above in his attempt to articulate the glories of the Lord, wonders of His holy name.
The great canopy of the celestial heavens and the vast sweep of the skies above is the greatest element that David can use when comparing and contrasting the unsurpassed righteousness of God, the unsurpassed wickedness of evil men.
What comfort, rest, and reassurance wash the hearts and minds of believers when reflecting on the overwhelming love of God and the depth and height and length and breadth to which His grace extends.
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!” the Psalmist declares, “the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings”.
While David would no doubt be reflecting on the greatness of the God of Israel, who brought His people out of bondage in Egypt, carried them on eagle’s wings, through the desert, brought them out safely into a large, well-watered land,
the sentiments he is expressing in Psalm 36 are all still equally true for all who have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
“Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,” is something we can all equally proclaim in Jesus’ Christ name in our own contemporary times today.
God’s steadfast mercy and immovable loving-kindness does indeed extend to the deepest depths of skies, His faithfulness does indeed stretch in the heavens.
His mercy dwarfs the mightiest mountains, for it reaches into the very highest heavens, His love plunges beyond the bottomless depths of the deepest oceans, His loving-faithfulness, righteousness, and justice plummet to the very depths of our understanding and extend into the farthest reaches of our limited grasp.
This knowledge of God is not for the unregenerate, for the wisdom of God is only foolishness to them (Psalm 14).
Indeed, God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom, and His weakness is stronger than man’s combined strength.
But such understanding to the faith-filled, is sweetness and strength to the sanctified soul, for true knowledge of the Holy-One is spiritually discerned.
The knowledge that comes from the Lord quickens our heart, comforts our soul, informs our thoughts, inspires hands and feet and translates into joy and peace.
Today may we lift our hearts with the psalmist morning by morning and every moment of our transient lives, by raising our voices in joyful thanks and praise, for God’s loyal love reaches to the sky, His faithfulness extends far beyond the clouds, and His forgiveness, His saving grace spans for all eternal ages to come.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Jehovah God, When I read your Words, When I reflect on Who You are my Lord and God, it gives me a peep into the magnificence of Your person, Your will and Your character. Thank You, for the many reassurances that You give my fainting soul, in these precious promises about Your nature and character. Thank You for expressing Your love, faithfulness, might and justice in the Person of the Lord Jesus. Thank You for sending Him to die on the cross and to rise into newness of life, so that I may be brought into fellowship with Yourself. May I be bold in sharing the truth of Your magnificence with all You put in my path today. In my Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.
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.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 