Tag: bible

Is this for real, that our King of All Creation actually set his own eternity aside, took on the status of a Slave? Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1-4 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.

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.

You know the feeling when you’re in a room full of people, each one struggling to be heard, and the pressure builds in your chest, a quiet, metallic fear. You keep hearing a whisper in your heart that says if you don’t speak a little louder, laugh a little quicker, or sell your story a little better, you will simply… vanish. You’ll become a ghost in your own life.

So you straighten your back, summon your accomplishments like a shield, and perform. And at the end of the night, you come home to the quiet, and the exhaustion is a different kind—a hollow one. Well, that’s the tiredness of a soul that has been working overtime to just be seen.

But what if the very thing we’re fighting for—that undeniable, magnetic attraction we feel toward certain people—is found not in building ourselves up or bragging about our accomplishments, but in the sacred, counterintuitive act of letting go?

If we are being honest, you would realize that the people who have drawn you in have done so not with flash or noise but with a profound and quiet presence. These are the ones who listen in a way that makes you feel like you are the only person in the world. They don’t need to prove their intelligence; it reveals itself in thoughtful questions. 

They don’t demand your respect; they quietly command it by giving theirs so freely. Their strength isn’t loud, but it’s a deep, still river. This isn’t weakness. This is the rarest form of strength. And that, everyone, is true humility. And trust me, it is utterly attractive.

You may wonder; isn’t humility just thinking I’m worthless?”

I bet many of us feel that when you practice humility, it means you think you’re worthless. And society does a great deal in projecting this feeling. But the truth is that we’ve all collectively gotten this so terribly wrong.

We’ve confused humility with humiliation.

With thinking less of ourselves.

With walking around with slumped shoulders, muttering about our own inadequacies.

That’s not humility; that’s pride wearing a mask of insecurity.

It’s still all about us. It’s just a different costume.

My dear believers, true humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis

Proverbs 22:4 Amplified Bible

4 
The true reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord
Is riches, honor, and life.

It’s the liberation of no longer being the star, the victim, or the hero of your own exhausting movie.

It’s the unshackling of your attention so it can finally flow outward—toward another person, a moment of beauty, most importantly, toward the divine.

It’s the posture the Apostle Paul pointed to when he wrote in 

Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

That word, “lowliness of mind,” doesn’t mean a self-hating mind.

Rather, it means a mind that is free from the fever of rivalry.

A mind that isn’t constantly keeping score.

It’s the ability to see the other person—their struggles, their image-bearing glory, their inherent worth—and to esteem them. To hold them in high regard.

This isn’t a downgrading of self; it’s an upgrading of everything else.

Where Did This Heavy Yoke of Pride Come From?

For us as christians to truly cultivate humility, we have to first understand what we’re pulling up by the roots.

That knot in your stomach before you walk into a party?

The urge to namedrop?

The quickness to share your side of the story first in a conflict?

That’s not you.

That’s an ancient, primal algorithm for survival.

It’s the flesh crying out, as stated in 

1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

The pride of life.

What a perfect phrase.

This is basically the operating system of an ancient.

Pride is the belief that our life is our resume.

Our value is our valuation.

Our safety is in our status. It’s a heavy yoke, and we are the beasts of burden, constantly pulling the weight of our own imagined insignificant importance.

This worldly system known as pride teaches us that to be humble is to lose.

To be quiet is to be overlooked.

To serve is to be subservient.

But have you ever thought to yourself, what if the opposite is true?

What if laying down that weight is the only way to truly stand?

So What Does Humility Actually Feel Like?

We all need to understand that humility isn’t a theory; It’s a practice.

A felt experience.

It’s what happens in the mundane moments when the spotlight is off and no one is watching.

Humility in the purest form feels like the ability to say “I was wrong” without the world ending.

It feels like listening to someone’s story without mentally composing your own, better one.

It’s the quiet confidence to celebrate a friend’s success without a single, secret pang of jealousy comparing it to your own.

It’s asking for help.

It’s receiving a compliment with a simple “thank you,” without needing to deflect it or use it as a springboard to list more accomplishments of yours in that very moment.

It is, as the prophet Micah described, walking in a certain way. 

Micah 6:8 , “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

To walk humbly.

Not to run frantically.

Not to stride arrogantly.

To walk.

A steady, grounded, present-tense pace.

This is that special kind of walk that notices the cracks in the pavement, the person next to you, and the sky above you, all at once.

Because you’re not looking at your own reflection in every window you pass.

How Do We Cultivate Genuine Humility?

The big question is, how can we achieve this genuine humility?

Well, we don’t achieve humility; rather, we attend to it.

We create the conditions for it to grow, like preparing soil for a seed.

It’s a daily, gentle practice of pulling weeds and planting truth.

1. Practice Curious Listening. 

Next conversation you have, go in with a mission:

to be fascinated. Your only job is to discover one new thing about the person you’re talking to.

Ask a question that goes beyond the weather. “What’s something that’s made you smile recently?” “What’s been the biggest challenge in your project?”

Listen to their answer. Then listen to the answer behind the answer.

This act of focused attention is an act of warfare against the pride of life.

It dethrones you and crowns the other person with dignity.

2. Seek Out the Small and Hidden. 

We are trained all our lives by the worldly system to chase the big, the loud, and the celebrated.

So, counteract this.

Deliberately find beauty in what the world ignores.

The precise engineering of a spiderweb on a dewy morning.

The patient, unseen work of a root system.

The quiet faithfulness of a person who shows up, day after day, with no fanfare.

This recalibrates your value system.

It whispers that importance isn’t measured in decibels.

3. Embrace the Gift of Limits. 

Our culture screams that limits are to be overcome.

But what if they are to be embraced?

Your fatigue, your finitude, and your inability to be everywhere and know everything—these are not curses.

They are gentle reminders that you are a creature, not the Creator.

They are invitations to depend, to rest, and to receive.

So, the next time you fail, instead of spiraling into self-condemnation, try a quieter prayer: “I am human. And that is okay.”

4. Sit With the Prose of Others. 

We live in a world of hot takes and reactive opinions.

If you must learn humility, then choose to immerse yourself in the deep, patient wisdom of those who have walked before.

Read the old books.

The poetry of the Psalms, where every human emotion is laid bare before God.

There is a humbling effect in realizing your deepest anxieties and greatest joys were felt by people thousands of years ago.

You are part of a grand, human story, not a solo act.

5. Follow the Pattern. 

At its heart, humility is not a self-help technique.

It is a reflection.

It is seeing the ultimate act of strength in laying down and realizing it is the most attractive force in the history of the world.

Philippians 2:5-8 says about our Lord and savior Jesus, “

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant… he humbled himself.”

Christ made himself of no reputation.

He unwrote his own press release.

He didn’t clutch his status; he released it. And in that downward motion, he became the most magnetic center of love the world has ever known.

The path to humility is not upward.

It is inward and downward, into the quiet, solid ground of your own beloved humanity.

And it is only after you have let go of your need to be great that you will finally feel weightless.

And attractive.

Not because you are shining, but because you are finally reflecting a light that is not your own.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 Amplified Bible

Your Attitude Toward God

5 Guard your steps and focus on what you are doing as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the [careless or irreverent] sacrifice of fools; for they are too ignorant to know they are doing evil. 2 Do not be hasty with your mouth [speaking careless words or vows] or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.

So, I’ll leave you with this question.

What might you selflessly lay down today to feel lighter?

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

Praying …

Psalm 113 Amplified Bible

The Lord Exalts the Humble.

113 [a]Praise the Lord! ([b]Hallelujah!)
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.
2 
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
3 
From the rising of the sun to its setting
The name of the Lord is to be praised [with awe-inspired reverence].
4 
The Lord is high above all nations,
And His glory above the heavens.

5 
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who is enthroned on high,
6 
Who humbles Himself to regard
The heavens and the earth?
7 
He raises the poor out of the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 
That He may seat them with princes,
With the princes of His people.
9 
He makes the barren woman live in the house
As a joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

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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Jesus has just dared to heal a crippled woman on the Sabbath! Luke 13:10-17

Luke 13:10-17 New American Standard Bible

Healing on the Sabbath

10 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And [a] there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a [b]sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent over double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” 13  And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she stood up straight again, and began glorifying God. 14 But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days during which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does each of you on the Sabbath not untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it? 16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for [c]eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this restraint on the Sabbath day?” 17 And as He said this, all His opponents were being [d] humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by 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.

Everyone probably knew her as the bent-over woman.

She came to worship at the synagogue regularly.

But she was recognized by her condition, not her identity as a child of God or even by her name.

Her neighbors saw her through eyes of pity.

The religious leaders saw her as an example of someone who was not right with God and deserved her plight.

She came into the synagogue every Sabbath crippled with pain, bent over in her shame and humiliation, lack of self esteem, and thirsty for the living water of healing from God. Yet no one paid, no one paying attention or really saw her.

For an astonishing eighteen years the religious leaders, one after the other neglected their office, failed to pray with her on the six days when they had every opportunity to comfort, anoint her with oil and pray for God’s healing.

They were more focused on keeping their religious rules than seeing the need to be compassionate, kind, bring a daughter of Israel before the mercy seat of God.

But Jesus saw her.

When he called her forward, she might have thought he meant someone else.

But Jesus was speaking to her, and she slowly shuffled toward him, who saw her as a reject in need of being set free from her unimaginable measure of burden.

Do we see people this way—burdened and distressed?

Do we bring them to Jesus for healing?

In what ways can you offer comfort and prayer for someone like that today?

As we look closer we should also notice this woman, along with the woman with the 12 year issue of blood had one of the worst illnesses recorded in the Bible.

She had a severe illness; she was stricken by a severe infectious disease.1

But beside her having issues going on in her body, she had just got healed, she really had some other problems going on, specifically problems with the people.

But if you notice the problems didn’t arise because our Lord Jesus healed her, but the primary problem arose because the Lord healed her on the Sabbath day.

They were upset because this healing that the Lord was doing was not just a onetime deal, but because the Lord healing of people on the Sabbath day was a reoccurring source of big contention between Himself and the religious rulers.

And if we really looked at this, the rulers of the synagogue were a bunch of hypocrite because they treated animals better than he treated people. They would rather take extra care of animals then the men and women of God.

And let’s be honest here.

Because suppose the woman would have come to the synagogue on another day.

Could Jesus had healed her on another day without any issues?

Of course not, because there are some people that no matter what you do, or what you say they will always have something bad to say.

No matter how many people are getting healed, no matter how many people are getting saved, no matter how many people are being delivered there will always be some haters in the crowd.

And that makes me wonder.

I wonder how many needy people come to church looking for love, looking help and relief, and go away disappointed because of some hypocrites and some hell raisers, or people keeping up dissension or discord.

How many people are leaving the church because church members are fighting against one another? Lying on one another and just being too hypocritical?

And one of the great tragedies of religion is that religious needs are often placed before man and their needs. But what I love is Jesus met this problem head-on.

My question is, when are we going to trust God, and not how things look. When are we going to believe the Word of God, and not lean to our on understanding?

This woman had a spirit of infirmity that had plagued her for eighteen years.

Dr. Luke described her condition as “this spirit of infirmity” as thou she had a curvature, a curving, a bend, a twisting or a bending of the spine.

This really sounds like some form of arthritis where the joints of the spine were fused together.

Her illness was chronic, and incurable, and because of it she was bowed down low by Satan or, you could say “bent double.”

This poor woman could not lift herself up.

Here was a woman in a desperate condition.

She was an unfortunate victim who was an object of pity. This was probably one of the most terrible cases of physical infirmity that the Lord dealt with on earth.

And only Luke mentions this bent-over woman who had spent the previous eighteen years staring at the floor.

She was unable to stand up, sit up, look up, or even straighten up.

Her back was crooked, arched and humped.

Here is the text.

Jesus and His disciples had traveled through her city on their way from Galilee to Judea.

They entered the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach, that was the Lord’s practice; to be in the Synagogue, or in church if you will every Sabbath. (pause)

Notice that when Jesus saw her, he called her to him.

It does not appear she made any request to him for healing, or that she expected anything from him; but Jesus called her and she answered.

And I think that’s where we’ve got to get to today.

And that is whenever the Lord calls us we’ve got to learn to answer the call.

We’ve got to learn to move when the Lord is beckoning for us, because if God is calling us then that means that there is a blessing in the call. There is a blessing on the way; and there is a blessing in the response to Jesus.

She came to Jesus, and after Jesus tender touch, he spoke the words, women thou art loose, for the first time in eighteen years, this “daughter of Abraham” straightened her back, stretched to her full height.

So, among the sons of Abraham, who perhaps now hung their heads in shame, here she held her head high to the glory of God.

What an amazing word, when the Lord touches us things will straighten up in our life. And then we need to give God the glory.

And the second word for you this morning, knowing some of you have been going through some issues down through the years, I’ve come to tell you this day that thou are loose.

Turn to your neighbor and help me free somebody in here this morning, tell them neighbor you art free.

3X’s neighbor you are healed, come on tell you neighbor that you are delivered.

Whatever you are going through thou are free, whatever is ailing you thou are free, whatever is keeping you down thou are free, whatever has you bound thou are free, has you bent over, straighten up because thou are loose, and set free.

And watch this: nothing honors the Savior any more than a heart of gratitude and a spirit of praise.

And there is something I think that you all ought to know about this woman.

And that is before Jesus healed this woman, this woman was a worshipping.

Despite her agony, it remained her habit to worship, and to seek the face of God.

In other words, she was where she was supposed to be there on this particular Sabbath: she was supposed to be there in worship. She was supposed to be at church. She was scheduled to be in praise and worship – no agony too great!

And because she was there that she received this special touch from God.

Somebody might ask why her, why did she receive the blessing.

Why did she get the Lord attention?

It was because she was so sincere in seeking God and His care.

And this blessing was fulfilling what the scripture said in Psalms 146:8 which says, “The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down.”

And for somebody who is bowed this morning, I tell you are in the right place at the right time, you might be bowed down in your body, in your spirit, but if you are sincere in seeking the Lord, His promise is to lift up your bowed down head.

Psalm 113:7-9 New King James Version

7 He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
8 That He may seat him with princes—
With the princes of His people.
9 He grants the [a]barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children.

Praise the Lord!

I don’t know why this woman had been bound by Satan.

Because apparently she was not a wicked person, she was not a immoral person, she was not known for showing up every not every now and then, but she was known as a regular steady attendant at the synagogue despite her condition.

She didn’t care about how she looked or felt, she showed up for worship, she didn’t care who liked her and who didn’t like her, she showed up for church.

She didn’t worry about the gossipers, she showed up in the house of the Lord.

It was at the synagogue that the Great Physician (the Lord himself) said to her, “Be loosed.”

And then He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.

The bible said that he touched her. The reason He touched her was to aid her faith. And I believe that somebody just need a touch for the Lord this morning.

But here was the amazing part.

After such a good day at church here comes the hater.

Has anyone ever had a great worship experience at church and before you get home it just seems like there is someone with their negative attitude, spoiled and all with their messy, extra messy self, and they just ruin all of the goodness that you just receive that day?

Look at the haters after she has received, her miracle that she had been waiting on for over eighteen years, the ruler of the synagogue rebuked her sharply.

The reaction of the religious ruler was strange.

Because they were more interested in the rule, than the fact a poor woman, who had been shackled for eighteen long years with an infirmity, had been freed.

The Sabbath rules were far more important issue to these religious rulers then the healing of a poor soul.

And still until there are people who are more concerned about paper work than they are souls.

This day the Sabbath question is still one of heated debate today.

Jesus’ reply was that the Sabbath was not intended to prevent the works of necessity or mercy.

But I love what the Lord said.

The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox, or their asses from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound these eighteen years shouldn’t she be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?

It is odd that Jesus referred to the woman as “a daughter of Abraham,” since such a description is usually reserved for the “sons” of Abraham.

But in front of all the upright religious people, Jesus gave this humble woman a place of honor when He confirmed she, too, belonged to the family of Abraham.

(Luke 13:17) And when he had said these things, all of his enemies were ashamed: and all the people of God rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

And I write to tell somebody this day, don’t let nobody get in the way of you being blessed by God.

Don’t let nobody get in the way of you receiving your miracle.

I came to tell you woman

I came to tell you man

I came to tell child

I came to tell you boy

And I came to tell you girl

You are freed in the Lord

And I don’t know who you are this day but if you need a touch from the Lord just reach up and grab it.

If you need a blessing from the Lord please just reach up and grab it.

If you need some burden just lifted up of your hands unto the Lord and just reach up and grab.

Because I heard when praises goes up blessing will come down.

Is there anybody in the room that needs a blessing?

Please don’t let nobody get in your way from a blessing, don’t let anybody hold you back from receiving what God has for you.

Because the haters will come and hate whatever and the haters will go but just know that as long as you have got Jesus on your side you are in good shape.

In fact that’s what he died on an old rugged cross.

And if Jesus can heal this woman surly he can heal you.

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

Praying …

Psalm 146 New King James Version

The Happiness of Those Whose Help Is the Lord

146 Praise[a] the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in [b]a son of man, in whom there is no [c]help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.

5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord raises those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He [d]turns upside down.

10 The Lord shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the Lord!

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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How Jesus Viewed, Valued Women? A Girl is Restored to Life and a Woman is Healed from a discharge of blood for twelve years. Matthew 9:18-26 

Matthew 9:18-26 English Standard Version

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.  20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly[a] the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24  he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but  sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

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.

Jesus’s regard for women was much different from that of his contemporaries.

Jesus’s approach to women as “revolutionary” for his era. 

But was his treatment of women out of character with Old Testament revelation, or with later New Testament practice?

For Christ, women have an intrinsic value equal to that of men.

Scripturally, Jesus said, “. . . at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’” (Matt. 19:4; cf. Gen. 1:27). Women are created in the image of God just as men are. Like men, they have self-awareness, personal freedom, a measure of self-determination, and likewise, personal responsibility for their actions.

Scholars point out that Jesus came to earth not primarily as a male but as a person. He treated women not primarily as females but as human beings.

Jesus recognized women as fellow human beings.

Disciples come in two sexes, male and female.

Females are seen by Jesus as genuine persons, not simply as the objects of male desire. 

Scholars believe the foundation-stone of Jesus’s attitude toward women was his vision of them as persons to whom and for whom he had come. He did not perceive them primarily in terms of their sex, age, or marital status; he seems to have considered them in terms of their relation (or lack of one) to God.

Three Clear Examples

Examples of this even-handed treatment of women by Jesus are found in the four Gospels.

First, Jesus regularly addressed women directly while in public.

This was unusual for a man to do (John 4:27).

The disciples were amazed to see Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar (John 4:7-26).

He also spoke freely with the woman taken in adultery (John 8:10–11). 

Luke, who gives ample attention to women in his Gospel, notes that Jesus spoke publicly with the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12–13), the woman with the bleeding disorder (Luke 8:48; cf. Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34), and a woman who called to him from a crowd (Luke 11:27–28).

Similarly, Jesus addressed a woman bent over for eighteen years (Luke 13:12) a group of women on the route to the cross  (Luke 23:27-31) also giving Mary Magdalen the first preeminent mission at the empty tomb. (John chapter 20)

A second aspect of Jesus’s regard for the full intrinsic value of women is seen in how he spoke to the women he addressed.

He spoke in a thoughtful, caring manner.

Each synoptic writer records Jesus addressing the woman with the bleeding disorder tenderly as “daughter” (references above) and referring to the bent woman as a “daughter of Abraham” (Luke 13:16).

Also notice that Jesus called the Jewish women ‘daughters of Abraham’ (Luke 13:16), thereby according them a spiritual status equal to that of men.

Third, Jesus did not gloss over sin in the lives of the women he met. He held women personally responsible for their own sin as seen in his dealings with the woman at the well (John 4:16–18), the woman taken in adultery (John 8:10–11), and the sinful woman who anointed his feet (Luke 7:44–50).

Their sin was not condoned, but confronted.

Each woman had the personal freedom and a measure of self-determination to deal with the issues of sin, repentance, and forgiveness.

Jesus’s Valuation of Women Today

Even though clear role distinction is seen in Christ’s choice of the apostles and in the exclusive type of work they were given to perform, no barriers need exist between a believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of gender.

Jesus demonstrated only the highest regard for women, in both his life and teaching. He recognized the intrinsic equality of men and women, and Jesus continually showed the inherent worth and dignity of women as persons.

Jesus valued their fellowship, friendship, prayers, service, financial support, testimony and witness. He honored women, taught women, and ministered to women in thoughtful ways.

As a result, women responded warmly to Jesus’s ministry.

Have things changed too drastically today for us to see this same Jesus?

Not at all. Modern women can find the same rich fulfillment in serving Christ as did the Mary’s and Martha’s of Judea, or the Joanna’s and Susanna’s of Galilee.

Why and How He Healed

Luke 8:40-48 English Standard Version

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’s Daughter

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[a] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[b] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

When Jesus came to live among us, he brought healing.

Jairus’ daughter was only 12 years old and she was dying.

The woman we read about today is another example of that healing power.

She crawled, snuck around the crowd touched Jesus and was instantly healed.

Jesus turned around and asked who had touched him.

He had felt healing power go out from him.

The woman came forward trembling, and “in the presence of all the people, she told Jesus why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.”

She was desperate in her approach, She testified to the healing power of Christ.

If you are a Christian, whether man or woman, you too have been healed by Christ in some way.

Even if you haven’t been healed physically, you have been healed spiritually.

The Bible tells us that at one time we (man and woman) were all dead in sin and blind to the truth of God.

As the hymn Amazing Grace states, “I once … was blind but now I see.”

We were all spiritually blind without Christ.

But he healed the eyes of our hearts (Ephesians 1:18) so that we can see.

Christ also calls all of us who are Christians to give testimony to his healing power in our lives.

That isn’t always easy.

We may be ashamed or embarrassed by the sins and character flaws that have infected our hearts before Christ healed us.

But without pointing to what was wrong with us, we can’t point back to his greatness and healing power.

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

Praying …

Psalm 113 English Standard Version

Who Is like the Lord Our God?

113 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
    praise the name of the Lord!

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!

4 The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

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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Beyond my comfort and convenience, have I truly decided to follow Jesus? Luke 9:57-62

Luke 9:57-62 Amplified Bible

Exacting Discipleship

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” 59 He said to another, “Follow Me [accepting Me as Master and Teacher].” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and [a]bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things left behind] is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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.

It is time to get serious.

It is time to commit to a course of action.

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, and He was showing us what it really means to be His follower.

Following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable.

It may mean giving up things that feel safe or easy in our lives so we can do what God asks us to do.

As we look at these verses, we are invited to think about how our own journey with Jesus means stepping out of our comfort zones and facing challenges for His sake.

This devotion reminds us following Jesus can be hard and may require major League life transforming sacrifices. Jesus teaches us that true devotion to Him is more than just words- It means being 100% willing to make difficult choices.

Luke 9:51-56

The cost of…

1. Surrendering personal plans.

Jesus shows us how important it is to let go of our own plans to follow God’s purpose. Jesus knew He would face suffering, but He chose to go to Jerusalem anyway, showing that He trusted God’s plan more than His own comfort.

The Disciples wanted to call fire down on the Samaritan villagers because they misunderstood Jesus’ mission- They thought justice meant revenge; but Jesus’ way is different; it’s about sacrifice and humility.

This teaches us that being a follower of Jesus sometimes means giving up our personal dreams and our comfort to do what God asks. True discipleship means trusting that God’s plan is much better, even when it’s hard or uncomfortable.

From a spiritual point of view, surrendering our plans is an act of faith.

It means trusting that God’s wisdom and love are greater than our own ideas.

Jesus shows us that real commitment to God involves making a choice to focus on His Kingdom rather than our own safety or comfort.

Surrender is not just giving up but actively choosing to follow God’s will.

It’s about copying Jesus’ example, even if it means facing difficulties or hardship.

When we do this, we join in God’s work of saving and transforming lives.

We find true purpose and fulfillment not in personal comfort, but in a life of sacrifice, service, and trusting God’s perfect plan.

Luke 9:57-58

The cost of…

2. Prioritizing God’s mission over worldly attachments.

Jesus shows us that following Him requires more than just words; it involves real commitment, even if it means giving up some comforts.

When someone wants to follow Jesus, Jesus points out that He doesn’t have a permanent home or treasured possessions like other people- He is focused on God’s mission.

This teaches us that putting God’s work 1st might mean letting go of things we treasure, like money, comfort, gourmet foods or living standards, social status.

True discipleship means changing what we care about so that God’s plans become more important than temporary worldly things that can distract us from what truly matters forever.

Jesus’ words also remind us that following Him can come with a cost.

We are called to let go of attachments to our possessions, comfort, or even our personal plans if they stand in the way of God’s purpose.

The Bible teaches that our main allegiance should be to God’s Kingdom, not worldly things.

This passage encourages us to examine what we value most, (whether it’s possessions, popularity, or comfort)to ask if we are 0.01% willing to give those up to do God’s work.

Being a true follower of Jesus means being ready to face down challenges and sacrifices, just as Jesus Himself did, so His mission can go forward in our lives.

Luke 9:59-60

The cost of…

3. Total devotion and uncompromising obedience.

Jesus is calling people to follow Him wholeheartedly.

He wants us to be completely committed, even if it means giving up things that are important to us, like comfort, status, or family.

Jesus’s words remind us that being His disciple isn’t about doing things just when it’s easy or convenient.

Instead, it’s about making a firm decision to put God’s Kingdom 1st in our lives, no matter what it costs. Jesus Himself showed this kind of total obedience to God, and He asks us to do the same- Being above and beyond willing to leave behind anything that might keep us from fully following Him.

From a spiritual point of view, this passage shows us that following Jesus is not always easy or without sacrifice.

It’s a calling to live a life of complete devotion- Giving everything we are to God’s will.

True obedience means choosing to follow Jesus even when it’s difficult or costly, just like Jesus obeyed His Father’s plan for salvation.

It’s about surrendering ourselves completely, (heart, mind, soul, strength) and trusting that the reward of following Jesus is worth any sacrifice we make.

This kind of devotion reflects Jesus’s own life and mission and shows us that genuine discipleship involves a deep commitment that goes above and beyond comfort and convenience.

Luke 9:61-62

The cost of…

4. Unwavering commitment despite distractions and setbacks.

Following Jesus requires a strong and steady commitment, no matter what distractions or setbacks we face.

Spiritually, it shows us that being His disciple means putting Him 1st, even when other things in life try to pull us away.

Jesus’ reply to the person who wants to follow Him but 1st wants to say goodbye to family reminds us following Jesus might require significant deeply personal sacrifices that push us out of our comfort zones.

Trusting in God’s plan helps us stay focused on what truly matters, even when life gets tough or tempting things try to distract us from our spiritual purpose.

This teaching also shows us that true discipleship is about staying faithful during difficult times.

Jesus Himself stayed committed to His mission, even when faced with suffering and temptations.

As His followers, we are called to be just as faithful, knowing that setbacks and challenges are natural part of our journey. Our love for Jesus and obedience to Him should keep us steady, trusting that God’s plan will win in the end.

Being fully committed to Jesus means giving Him our whole heart, choosing to follow Him beyond comfort and convenience, and remaining faithful no matter what obstacles come our way.

Closing Thoughts …

Jesus is asking us to follow Him with all our hearts, even when it’s hard and we have to leave our comfort behind.

His trip to Jerusalem shows us that being His disciple means we might have to make sacrifices, stay committed, and trust Him no matter what.

We are called to put God’s Kingdom 1st, instead of always choosing what’s easy and comfortable.

Remember, the good things Jesus gives us are worth any difficulty, and His grace will help us through every challenge.

Today, I want to invite you to answer Jesus’s call with a willing heart.

If you feel Him speaking to you, encouraging you to go beyond comfort and get closer to Him, now is the time to respond.

Whether you are taking that 1st step of faith or need to come back to Him, I encourage you to come forward and pray.

Ask Jesus to help and guide you.

Don’t wait- His love and plan for your life are waiting for you.

Come, and let’s walk together far beyond comfort and convenience into the wonderful, abundant life Jesus offers.

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

Praying …

Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible

16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:

(1) Protect me, God,
for you are my refuge.
2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good outside of you.”
3 The holy people in the land are the ones
who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.

4 Those who run after another god
multiply their sorrows;
To such gods I will not offer
drink offerings of blood
or take their names on my lips.

5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup:
you safeguard my share.
6 Pleasant places were measured out for me;
I am content with my heritage.

7 I bless Adonai, my counselor;
at night my inmost being instructs me.
8 I always set Adonai before me;
with him at my right hand, I can never be moved;
9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices,
and my body too rests in safety;
10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol,
you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss.
11 You make me know the path of life;
in your presence is unbounded joy,
in your right hand eternal delight.

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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Engine of Repentance: Let us all take a good look at the way we are living, let us all reorder our lives under God. Lamentations 3:37-42

Lamentations 3:37-42 The Message

God Speaks Both Good Things and Hard Things into Being

37-39 Who do you think “spoke and it happened”?
    It’s the Master who gives such orders.
Doesn’t the High God speak everything,
    good things and hard things alike, into being?
And why would anyone gifted with life
    complain when punished for sin?

40-42 Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living
    and reorder our lives under God.
Let’s lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time,
    praying to God in heaven:
“We’ve been contrary and willful,
    and you haven’t forgiven.

Word of God for the Children of God

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

How often do we actually take the time to humbly examine our ways?

Seriously. This is a serious question for these serious days we are navigating!

Think about it.

How often do we sit down and put our lives under God’s microscope?

We can glance over our everyday lives and not think much about them.

Yet, if we consider each passing thought, each insensitive or thoughtless word that comes spewing out of our mouth, every careless action that we do out of habit, how would they hold up against the Word?

Don’t we think, don’t we .01% believe it might be a good idea to actually make it a practice to regularly scrutinize our lives?

Yes, I said “”scrutinize”.

To judge ourselves.

Not in the way of condemning ourselves, but rather in the way of cleaning out our lives.

Even Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32.

1 Corinthians 11:29-32 The Message

29-32 If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.

How do you know if someone has truly repented?

Does it involve more than simply feeling sorry?

One of the most common misconceptions about biblical repentance is that it is primarily an emotion.

We tend to measure the legitimacy of repentance by how badly the person feels about themselves. Lamentations offers a different view.

The mark of genuine repentance is more a matter of understanding than emotion.

Verse 40 describes the nature of true repentance: “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.”

Many people who are not yet Christians may have a hard time imagining themselves accepting Christ.

Maybe they have had some bad experiences with Christians in the past and can’t imagine themselves being one of “them.”

Perhaps they carry hurts or shame and they can’t imagine letting go of what happened a long time ago.

In situations like that, it can be helpful to provide someone with chances to “borrow” your faith for a while to try it on.

For instance, offering to pray for someone can be a great way to let people embrace your faith without strings attached.

You could say something like,

“When I’m feeling stressed, I find that prayer (just talking to God) really helps. Would you like me to pray for you?”

Most people are fairly open to being prayed for by someone else, even if they haven’t prayed much or aren’t sure what they believe about God or prayer.

Each situation of prayer and conversation about God registers in a person’s mind as a little faith experience.

Every time someone hears a good rumor of things God has done, or every time God’s Word somehow influences their own life story, they’ll begin to imagine what God might do in their whole life. And that’s a step in the right direction.

Repentance begins when we carefully consider our attitudes and actions, agree with God’s assessment, and then maybe turn ourselves around to face the Lord.

What is more, the engine that drives true repentance is hope.

The nature of this hope is expressed in verses 31–32.

It is the conviction that “no one is cast off by the Lord forever” if they come to Him in true repentance.

This assurance springs from God’s own compassion, an “unfailing love” that cannot be exhausted.

God’s unfailing love provides the theological framework for understanding the afflictions and sorrows that will continue to be the subject of this devotional.

Although there is a divine hand behind them (vv. 37–39),

God takes no pleasure in the injustices inflicted by the agents who enact His discipline or from the suffering experienced by His people (vv. 33–36).

Repentance is not stoic resignation that dispassionately accepts suffering.

Nor is it necessarily a kind of spiritual depression that fills us with self- loathing. Repentance is a biblically informed view of ourselves that has been enlightened by God’s goodness and holiness. We may be grieved by what we learn, but the ultimate goal is to compel us to lift our gaze to God’s mercy.

Go Deeper …

Have you confused repentance with regret?

Have you spent so much time dwelling on your regret you have forgotten grace?

Psalm 32:1-2 New King James Version

The Joy of Forgiveness
A Psalm of David. A [a]Contemplation.

32 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not [b]impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

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

Praying …

Psalm 32 New King James Version

The Joy of Forgiveness
A Psalm of David. A [a]Contemplation.

32 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not [b]impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

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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My skilled living got its freshest start from my greater Fear-of-God insight into life knowing trusting Holy God. Proverbs 9:7-12

Proverbs 9:7-12 Lexham English Bible

7 He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself,
    and he who rebukes the wicked gets hurt.[a]
8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
    rebuke the wise and he will love you.
9 Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;
    teach[b] a righteous one and he will increase learning.

Foolishness’ Banquet

10 The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh,
    and knowledge of the Holy One,[c] insight.
11 For by me your days shall increase,
    and years of life shall multiply for you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
    and if you scoff, alone you shall bear it.

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.

Proverbs 9:10-12 Amplified Bible

10 
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence],
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.
11 
For by me (wisdom from God) your days will be multiplied,
And years of life shall be increased.
12 
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit];
If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

I tend to err on the side of caution.

If there is risk involved, I will pause and evaluate the situation so that I can make a decision that will keep me as protected and safe as much as possible.

From an early age I learned respecting things like laws of gravity, the authority of people in charge, was better than disrespecting things that I cannot control.

That helps me understand what the author of Proverbs is saying here.

Fearing the Lord does not mean being blind scared of God, as if he were a tyrant waiting to take his anger out on us.

To fear the Lord is to give him respect and reverence. After all, God is the Creator who graciously crafted a covenant with his people.

He deserves our respect.

God has promise d to provide his people with all that they need.

He deserves our maximum reverence.

Revering the Lord is the first step in developing a vibrant relationship with him.

Revering God calls for us to submit ourselves humbly to him—seeking him, listening to him, and obeying him.

Fearing the Lord puts us in the primo position of a servant who loves God and trusts God. That is where God wants us to be, and that is where we need to be.

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

Praying …

Don’t Assume You Know It All

3 1-2 Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you;
    take to heart my commands.
They’ll help you live a long, long time,
    a long life lived full and well.

3-4 Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.
    Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Earn a reputation for living well
    in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
    your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
    don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
    a father’s delight is behind all this.

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

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Do Please enlighten Yourselves: How Do YOU Worship God Appropriately? Deuteronomy 8:11-18 (Verses 17-18)

Deuteronomy 8:11-18 The Message

11-16 Make sure you don’t forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don’t become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God,

the God who delivered you from Egyptian slavery;
the God who led you through that huge and fearsome wilderness, those desolate, arid badlands crawling with fiery snakes and scorpions;
the God who gave you water gushing from hard rock;
the God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.

17-18 If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.

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.

We all proclaim we are worshipers who are worshiping someone or something, whether that is God, ourselves, hero’s, food, money, sex, or something else.

But what is Christian worship? 

Many scholarly writers will define, envision, worship as “our response to God.”

How do we see Him, and likewise see ourselves in relation to Him?

How do we make Him the truest center of our lives in and through Christ?

If the sacrifices and rituals of the Old Testament are no longer expected, or seem out of touch with the times does that mean there are no expectations?

The Bible tells us that there is, in fact, such a thing as appropriate worship.

In fact, Christ worshiped the Father and taught us how to do so in ways which please him.

Worship in Spirit and Truth

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when all of the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

Our worship must originate from within, from our hearts; it must be sincere, motivated by our love for God and highest gratitude for all He is and has done.

This is the spirit of worship.

But also, the Holy Spirit orchestrates our services and leads us in corporate praise of God. Along with the “S/spirit” of worship, Scholars points out that worship which pleases God “must never be mindless or based in ignorance.”

We worship intelligently based on what God has revealed in Scripture, not based on what simply “feels right.”

Yet, we must allow ourselves to be moved by what has been revealed to us, and moved by our personal relationship with Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Either one without the other leads to incomplete worship.

Besides this, we genuinely need the help of the Holy Spirit to keep the flow of worship directed in the only right direction there is- 100% God, 0% ourselves.

Without the Lord’s help in this way, we will naturally break towards idolatry.

John 3:27-30 Amplified Bible

27 John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God]. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease.

Worship Reverently

Psalm 95 Complete Jewish Bible

95 Come, let’s sing to Adonai!
Let’s shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation!
2 Let’s come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let’s shout for joy to him with songs of praise.

3 For Adonai is a great God,
a great king greater than all gods.
4 He holds the depths of the earth in his hands;
the mountain peaks too belong to him.
5 The sea is his — he made it —
and his hands shaped the dry land.

6 Come, let’s bow down and worship;
let’s kneel before Adonai who made us.
7 For he is our God, and we are the people
in his pasture, the sheep in his care.

If only today you would listen to his voice:
8 “Don’t harden your hearts, as you did at M’rivah,
as you did on that day at Massah in the desert,
9 when your fathers put me to the test;
they challenged me, even though they saw my work.
10 For forty years I loathed that generation;
I said, ‘This is a people whose hearts go astray,
they don’t understand how I do things.’
11 Therefore I swore in my anger
that they would not enter my rest.”

God is not our buddy.

He is not our co-pilot.

He is our Lord.

Jesus is King.

While he invites us into friendship (John 15:15), we must not treat him the way we treat many of our so-called friends – those people we only interact with on social media by “liking” them, or whom we will stay in touch with erratically.

To love Christ as our friend is to honor him and make much of him, expecting to recede into the shadows and to let everyone to see exactly how Jesus has been our friend to the point of death on a cross.

Friendship as defined by Christ is sacrificial, but with a joy that comes from profound love for God.

As our friend, he gave his life for us in order to obey and honor the Father.

This kind of friendship drives us to our knees in reverence and awe.

Although we are Christ’s friends, this friendship is designed to lead us into a proper, redeemed connectional relationship with a holy God who demands our maximum attention and our utmost submission throughout the day, every day.

When we behave selflessly, with joy, towards our neighbors, acting as their friends to the glory of God, we demonstrate a trusting reverence.

We recognize the Father’s power (over our own), which is terrible and beautiful at the same time. We humbly rejoice in it and do not take it minimally or lightly.

When we are giving the Lord proper reverence, it begins with a recognition of who he is. “Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9).

“Hallowed” (the Greek hagiazó) means “to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate – hallow, be holy, sanctify.”

When we take time to understand who he is and what we owe him (our lives), we tend not to be so hasty and thoughtless about worship.

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant” (Psalm 25:14).

God alone is to be honored and glorified by our worship.

We Exalt God

Psalm 30 Complete Jewish Bible

30 (0) A psalm. A song for the dedication of the house. By David:

2 (1) I will exalt you, Adonai, because you drew me up;
you didn’t let my enemies rejoice over me.
3 (2) Adonai my God, I cried out to you,
and you provided healing for me.
4 (3) Adonai, you lifted me up from Sh’ol;
you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit.

5 (4) Sing praise to Adonai, you faithful of his;
and give thanks on recalling his holiness.
6 (5) For his anger is momentary,
but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Tears may linger for the night,
but with dawn come cries of joy.

7 (6) Once I was prosperous and used to say,
that nothing could ever shake me —
8 (7) when you showed me favor, Adonai,
I was firm as a mighty mountain.
But when you hid your face,
I was struck with terror.

9 (8) I called to you, Adonai;
to Adonai I pleaded for mercy:
10 (9) “What advantage is there in my death,
in my going down to the pit?
Can the dust praise you?
Can it proclaim your truth?
11 (10) Hear me, Adonai, and show me your favor!
Adonai, be my helper!”

12 (11) You turned my mourning into dancing!
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
13 (12) so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent;
Adonai my God, I will thank you forever!

Raman or “exalt” means to “lift up.”

When we appropriately worship God, we raise His name above all other names.

We speak about Him to others and we declare that Jesus is better than any other “god” the world worships: money, power, love, sex, etc.

How can we lift up God when he is already exalted? 

Job 36:22 says “God is exalted in his power.” He does not need us to lift him up further, yet the heart that worships him wants all other hearts to do the same.

Worship that pleases God seeks to make his name known among those who do not know him.

There can be a private sort of worship, by which we emulate the quiet prayer time Jesus prioritized with the Father. But the believer who longs to see and know Jesus knows also that he deserves loud praise, above every other name.

Paul wrote “God has highly exalted [Jesus] and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).

No other name deserves such fame, devotion, attention, and effort.

We strive to make him famous where he is unknown.

“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” (Hebrews 13:15).

We Serve God

Romans 12:1-2 The Message

Place Your Life Before God

12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

When we say to the Lord “you alone are worthy” and submit to him, we are entrusting him with our lives.

We admit there is no King besides him to whom we can safely surrender, but also that we must submit, because he called Christ to serve and we follow Christ, even unto death.

Paul says as much, and Christ showed us the way by giving his body as a living sacrifice to the glory of God and for our salvation.

We serve God by giving him our lives and saying “do with me what you will.”

As we worship in spirit and truth, this helps us to properly hear God’s direction for our lives. We are not merely following a feeling, we are reading Scriptures, asking God for the revealed truth about what he has said and what he wants.

Some people are led abroad into missionary work.

Some become missionaries at home.

Some work to help pay for these missions.

Some stay home and minister in other ways.

Yet, in everything, we can give thanks, praise, and credit to God by receding as he comes forward.

If we have dreams, we ask God to make them his dreams so we can serve him lovingly and with joy.

1 Peter 5:1-7 The Message

He’ll Promote You at the Right Time

5 1-3 I have a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it’s like to be a leader, in on Christ’s sufferings as well as the coming glory. Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously. Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.

4-5 When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule, he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you lavishly. And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for—

God has had it with the proud,
But takes delight in just plain people.

6-7 So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.

We freely give Him the entirety our hearts and our whole minds for Kingdom purposes, to share the gospel and stir up our fellow Christians.

Sometimes this is painful. The New Testament tells us about the pain we will experience, but also how God will exalt the faithful who suffer for his sake.

What Goes in Comes Out

Colossians 3:15-17 The Message

15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

He knows what goes on in our heads; there is no hiding.

“Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4).

But it is also a choice we make, to let Him fill us up with the goodness that is true about him, best for the development of our spirits – for our fruitfulness.

Isaiah 55:8-11 The Message

8-11 “I don’t think the way you think.
    The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
        God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
    so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
    and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
    and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
    producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
    not come back empty-handed.
They’ll do the work I sent them to do,
    they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.

What we fill up on will also pour out of us, returning to God as worship if we have consumed things that please him.

Paul wrote we should be hungry for “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, is commendable” (Philippians 4:8).

Philippians 4:4-9 The Message

4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

An extension of that truth is the way we use our money and time to honor what God has given us.

When we joyfully give back to him by giving to others, this is part of our worship.

We worship when we happily tithe; we worship when we volunteer gratefully.

Grateful giving acknowledges we know both in spirit and truth we are saved by the grace and mercy of our Savior that everything good comes from Him.

Whatever we give, it was his to start with.

We acknowledge that he is our sufficiency.

As one writer puts it,

“the biblical call to focus on worship rather than wealth […] encourages a lifestyle of stewardship, where material resources are viewed as tools for advancing God’s kingdom rather than personal gain. Generosity, contentment, and trust in God’s provision are hallmarks of a life oriented towards worship.”

The Trouble with Worship

God has given us the tools to worship him appropriately in the name of his Son Jesus Christ.

While we know how, putting this knowledge into practice is sometimes harder than we would like to admit.

This is why we need the Holy Spirit’s help when it comes to choosing whom to worship and how.

We can offer our worship as much as we like, but if our hearts are full of unacknowledged, unrepentant sin, he will not accept it (Hosea 8:13).

Therefore, we also need to understand the value of confession and repentance to our worship. These are essential elements, because when they sink in and we authentically, truly repent, pleading with God for a heart more in the image of his Son’s heart, the obstacles to true, wholehearted worship are falling away.

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

Praying …

Psalm 84 The Message

84 1-2 What a beautiful home, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!
    I’ve always longed to live in a place like this,
Always dreamed of a room in your house,
    where I could sing for joy to God-alive!

3-4 Birds find nooks and crannies in your house,
    sparrows and swallows make nests there.
They lay their eggs and raise their young,
    singing their songs in the place where we worship.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God!
    How blessed they are to live and sing there!

5-7 And how blessed all those in whom you live,
    whose lives become roads you travel;
They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,
    discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!
God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and
    at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!

8-9 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen:
    O God of Jacob, open your ears—I’m praying!
Look at our shields, glistening in the sun,
    our faces, shining with your gracious anointing.

10-12 One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,
    beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.
I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God
    than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.
All sunshine and sovereign is God,
    generous in gifts and glory.
He doesn’t scrimp with his traveling companions.
    It’s smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

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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Praying or Despairing? When You Don’t Have Any Friends, when you have no acquaintances to keep you company, our life in our isolation. Matthew 11:16-19

Matthew 11:16-19 Message

16-19 “How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a boozer, a friend of the misfits. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

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 Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners.’” (Matthew 11:19)

I met an individual last year was struggling with a serious illness. When I asked him if he knew Jesus, he said “Sorry, but I’m not ready to give my life to Jesus,”

“Have you told Jesus that?” I asked.

Judging from the stymied look on her face, the idea of praying was the farthest thing from his mind. “Why don’t you take time right now to tell Jesus? Whatever is on your heart, you can tell Him.”

The elderly man gave a smile when I reached for his hand and then bowed his head with mine saying,

“Lord, I…uh…they tell me I should give my life to you…and although I can’t, that is, I guess I won’t, I really do…I really want to believe. Please…help me.”

“You’re well on your way to believing in Christ,” I said after he finished praying.

How could I be so sure?

Because he had opened up his heart to encounter the Lord Jesus.

When someone engages God in prayer, they can never be quite the same.

That elderly man’s prayer, though feeble and faltering, meant the Savior, in turn, had a handhold on him. With much encouragement and prayers, it wasn’t long before he accepted Jesus and was welcomed into God’s family

The good news sounds great to those who see Jesus befriending them. In the gospels, the Lord Jesus is constantly presented as a friend of sinners. He moved among the “untouchable'” people as their friend before He became their Savior.

Who can you befriend on Jesus’ behalf today?

Ask God to bring to mind someone who needs Him, and how about you?

Do you need a friend today?

Ask Jesus to be with you in a way that will be a comfort to you.

What did Jesus say about associating with sinners?

Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13).

For Jesus, calling sinners didn’t mean standing at a distance and shouting, “Hey, what you are doing is wrong! Stop doing that and come over here.”

Rather, it meant going to where the sinners actually were and being with them, associating with them.

Does the Bible say Jesus was a friend of sinners?

Jesus is called a friend of sinners (Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:34).

Them and us.

No matter what more we might say about his intentions, or the outcome of such friendship, Jesus freely associated with all sinners in a connectional, relational way before any change or expectation of repentance on the part of the sinners.

“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …

Praying ….

Psalm 16 The Message

16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
    I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
    Without you, nothing makes sense.

3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
    what splendid friends they make!

4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
    Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
    like brand-names.

5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
    And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
    And then you made me your heir!

7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination!

11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way.

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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So, God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, to make them   reflect our nature…”Genesis 1:26-28

Genesis 1:26-28 English Standard Version

26 Then God said, “Let us make man[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Today, there’s a lot of talk about identity — owning our identity, claiming our identity — and it makes allot of Christians wonder: Does the Bible address this?

What Does God Say about Our Identity?

It turns out God has a lot to say about our identity, and his loving, generous, and merciful guidance starts right in the very first chapter of his holy Word.

In Genesis 1:27, we’re told, “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

That’s right — we’re made in the very image of love and goodness and also perfection itself: God Almighty.

That doesn’t mean we ourselves, on our own, are perfect.

But because we are made in God’s image, we know that we are special to him, beloved, and intentionally created.

We have the potential to be like him, though it is only through the saving power and merciful gift of Jesus Christ we are able to be saved, fully reconciled to God.  

That’s a beautiful and tremendously precious thing.

Many of us struggle with our identity.

Perhaps we self-identity based on our upbringing, or the sins of our past, or even the names bullies mocked and brutalized us on the school playground.

Maybe we’ve given ourselves inflated or false identities, identities that fade with the world.

But as Christians, we get a new and eternal identity.

And God has quite a lot to say about that.

The Bible contains a number of statements God makes about our identity.

Let’s dive in to see what these are.

We Are a New Creation in Christ

Those of us who are Christians get an unexpectedly wonderful gift when we choose to follow Jesus: We are new creations.

We get an entirely new start in life.

All of the mistakes of our past are wiped clean.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

It reminds me of what Jesus talked about with Nicodemus in John 3:3 about being “born again.”

When we are born again as believers, baptized with water and Spirit into God’s heavenly family, we are then able to enter God’s kingdom.

We become part of a new identity, that of “Christ-follower.”

As John explains in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Remembering this clarifies everything.

We Are God’s Children

Another extraordinary truth is that we are sons and daughters of God, part of God’s family. 

John 1:12-13 tells us, “To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Ephesians 2:19 tells us that because Jesus destroyed the barrier between us and God, we who believe are “members of his household.”

Galatians 4:5-7 says that because of Jesus, we were adopted as God’s own — no longer a slave but God’s own child. (Ephesians 1:5 echoes this.)

As Romans 8:16 so passionately proclaims, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Remembering that identity reminds us to behave as children who honor their heavenly Father.

We are ‘Heavenites’ — Citizens of Heaven

People from Brooklyn are called Brooklynites, while biblical people from Israel were called Israelites. We, however, are told in Scripture that we are citizens of heaven; therefore, we can claim identity as “Heavenites,” people of heaven.

Philippians 3:20 tells us clearly that “our citizenship is in heaven.”

Jesus himself said he was going ahead of us to his Father’s house — heaven — to prepare a place for us there in the many rooms that await (John 14:2-3).

Because we are citizens of heaven, we must take this seriously and do our best to live this way on earth.

Paul writes that we are “Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20), and that’s true.

For many, we are the face of God.

We shine his light and spread his word so that all may know, fulfilling Jesus’s Great Commission that he gave his followers in Matthew 28:19-20 to go and makes disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey.

We are not to love the world and its ways (1 John 2:15-17), but rather to love only God, and second to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).

Remembering that identity reminds us to live our lives in a way that points to him, now and always.

We Are Part of God’s Body

The Bible is clear we are the body of Christ, with every person as a different part (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Some are teachers, healers, or prophets, just like there are eyes, ears, or feet.

Therefore, we must understand that our bodies are not our own.

Bought with a price, they are temples of the Holy Spirit who lives inside us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Ephesians 1:22-23 says much the same, noting that Christ is our head.

In John 15, Jesus talks about being the true vine, while we are the branches.

As he explains, just as with branches on a tree, they are fully connected:

“If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Remembering that identity helps when we walk in the world.

We Are Forgiven and Free

As followers of Jesus, we have the assurance that our sins are forgiven.

This means we’re no longer destined to agony but liberated for heavenly glory.

We’re not chained to the past but free for God’s good purpose.

As 1 John 2:12 says, “Your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.”

And as Galatians 5:1 reminds us,

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Remembering this helps us stand up straight when on assignment from God.

What are some more identities God gives us?

The Bible is filled with many more statements about our identity: beloved, strengthen, complete, made whole.

Here are only just a few:

At our core, our identity is found in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

To echo what our savior said in John 15:5, apart from him, we can do nothing.

Our identity is rooted in him, woven perfectly in a protective, loving bind that lasts for eternity.

We receive a God-given sense of purpose and belonging in this, liberating us for the good purposes God has for his glory.

And that is far better than anything this world can offer.

Our Identities in God, the Father, God the Son God the Holy Spirit

Thanks be to God!

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

Praying ….

Psalm 8 New American Standard Bible

The Lord’s Glory and Mankind’s Dignity.
For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

8 Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
You who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established [b]strength
Because of Your enemies,
To do away with the enemy and the revengeful.

3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have set in place;
4 What is man that You think of him,
And a son of man that You are concerned about him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than [d]God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You have him rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put everything under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the animals of the field,
8 The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

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

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That Darkness is My Closest Friend. The Darkness is My Only Best Friend.  The Only ‘Friend’ I have is Darkness. Psalm 88

Psalm 88 Young’s Literal Translation

88 A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah, to the Overseer, `Concerning the Sickness of Afflictions.’ — An instruction, by Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before Thee,

2 My prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry,

3 For my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol.

4 I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without strength.

5 Among the dead — free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off.

6 Thou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.

7 Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And [with] all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah.

8 Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, Thou hast made me an abomination to them, Shut up — I go not forth.

9 Mine eye hath grieved because of affliction, I called Thee, O Jehovah, all the day, I have spread out unto Thee my hands.

10 To the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? Selah.

11 Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction?

12 Are Thy wonders known in the darkness? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 And I, unto Thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, And in the morning doth my prayer come before Thee.

14 Why, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest Thy face from me.

15 I [am] afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Thy terrors — I pine away.

16 Over me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off,

17 They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone round against me together,

18 Thou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!

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.

No sadder psalm. Psalm 88 is regarded as the saddest psalm, the most desolate of all 150 psalms. It is considered the most despairing and bleak passage in the Bible with its sobering themes of unrelenting darkness, suffering, agony, helplessness, even  hopelessness, due to the apparent absence of God. 

It is a profound expression of anguish and despair. It has no uplifting or hopeful themes like many other psalms. Yet it is significant as an individual lament psalm where the psalmist knows nothing but sorrow and agony. But even in the darkness of his grief he turns to God for deliverance (Ps 88:1).

The bleakest of all the prayers in the psalms.

Psalm 88 is written by one who is ill for a long time, friendless, near to death and ends in darkness (Ps 88:18), in contrast to most psalms that end with a note of confidence or praise (Ps 13:1-2, 5-6; 22:1-2, 30-31).

It is a “psalm without hope,” a poignant, unrelenting and intense lament, expressing deep distress, despair, anguish, a profound sense of abandonment.

He pours out his soul in a raw and honest prayer.

He describes his overwhelming suffering, both outward and inward, his physical and emotional afflictions, and a feeling of profound darkness and of being forsaken by both God and human companions.

Throughout the psalm, he questions God’s apparent absence and the purpose of his afflictions.

The tone remains bleak, and the psalm concludes with a sense of isolation, loneliness, despair and darkness, making it a most somber and desolate psalm.

Unlike many other psalms of lament, Psalm 88 lacks any clear resolution or any expression of hope, highlighting the raw, unremitting nature of the psalmist’s suffering.

Hoping without hope.

The psalmist has almost given up on God, but not completely, as he still prays and hopes that God will save him from his predicament.

But it’s still a prayer as the psalmist continues to turn to God to voice his sheer anguish and call for help.

It is a model prayer for anyone who seems to have met with silence from God.

Skip it? 

Psalm 88 is skipped over by most pastors, who prefer Bible passages that are full of singing God’s praises and speaking of God’s goodness.

But Psalm 88 does the very opposite!

The author of this psalm does not speak of God positively at all.

In fact, he is blaming and accusing God for his whole life situation, being quite sarcastic, questioning God’s goodness, and more or less rebuking God out of his anguish and frustration!

It is one of the rawest, most insightful, and most human chapters of the Bible.

And in its rawest presentation it is absolutely beautiful, unbelievably grabbing at every single heart string God weaved into us and even strangely comforting.

No Comfort, No Hope and No Answers

The darkness deepens.

The darkest depths.

Darkness is my closest friend.

Darkness without light; trust without hope.

A prayer in the darkness of despair.

The darkness of the soul: patient faith, faithful patience.

A petition to be saved from death.

A cry from the grave.

A cry of pain and sorrow.

A desperate prayer from deep affliction.

A sermon for sufferers.

How to deal with dark times?

Facing the deepest darkness of despair and abandonment?

Contemplating the hidden God as the hostile God?

Life without Comfort (Ps 88:1-9). Complaints against God’s action.

Death without Hope (Ps 88:10-12). Challenges to God’s wisdom.

Questions without Answers (Ps 88:13-18). Charges against God’s conduct.

    While still praying and crying out to God to save him (Ps 88:1, 9, 13), the psalmist’s existential reality is as follows:

    1. Sleepless (Ps 88:1-2).
    2. Overwhelmed (Ps 88:3-5).
    3. Ruined (Ps 88:6-9).
    4. Dying (Ps 88:10-12).
    5. Rejected (Ps 88:13-14).
    6. Darkness (Ps 88:15-18).

    consider also these additional Questions:

    • Can you live a life without comfort (1-9)?
    • Can you die without hope (10-12)?
    • Can you live with questions without answers (13-18)?
    • Can you live when there is no light at the end of the tunnel?
    • Can you go on trusting God when you feel abandoned by God (and friends)?
    • Can you live by faith when the future seems dark and bleak?
    • Can you express raw, honest emotions of anger and frustration towards God during difficult times? Or just be thankful?

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

    Praying …

    Psalm 86 Complete Jewish Bible

    86 (0) A prayer of David:

    (1) Listen, Adonai, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
    2 Preserve my life, for I am faithful;
    save your servant,
    who puts his trust in you
    because you are my God.
    3 Take pity on me, Adonai,
    for I cry to you all day.

    4 Fill your servant’s heart with joy,
    for to you, Adonai, I lift my heart.
    5 Adonai, you are kind and forgiving,
    full of grace toward all who call on you.
    6 Listen, Adonai, to my prayer;
    pay attention to my pleading cry.
    7 On the day of my trouble I am calling on you,
    for you will answer me.

    8 There is none like you among the gods, Adonai;
    no deeds compare with yours.
    9 All the nations you have made
    will come and bow before you, Adonai;
    they will honor your name.
    10 For you are great, and you do wonders;
    you alone are God.

    11 Adonai, teach me your way,
    so that I can live by your truth;
    make me single-hearted,
    so that I can fear your name.
    12 I will thank you, Adonai my God,
    with my whole heart;
    and I will glorify your name forever.
    13 For your grace toward me is so great!
    You have rescued me from the lowest part of Sh’ol.

    14 God, arrogant men are rising against me,
    a gang of brutes is seeking my life,
    and to you they pay no attention.
    15 But you, Adonai,
    are a merciful, compassionate God,
    slow to anger
    and rich in grace and truth.
    16 Turn to me, and show me your favor;
    strengthen your servant, save your slave-girl’s son.
    17 Give me a sign of your favor,
    so that those who hate me
    will see it and be ashamed,
    because you, Adonai,
    have helped and comforted me.

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

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