Tag: christianity

A Prayer for Healing and Wholeness This Easter Season. Psalm 107:19-20

Psalm 107:17-22 New American Standard Bible 1995

17 Fools, because of [a]their rebellious way,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorred all kinds of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their [b]destructions.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His [c]wonders to the sons of men!
22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And tell of His works with joyful singing.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Have you ever asked yourself if can you or you will ever be healed or whole?

Life has a way of breaking you down.

Piece by piece, no peace by absent peace, sin has an insidious way of destroying you from the inside out.

When we take the time, and we dare ourselves to look at our world and the mess it is in, and even our own personal lives, this side of eternity can feel hopeless.

Corrie Ten Boom, a holocaust survivor who lost her father and sister in a concentration camp, said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”

As I looked up verses on healing and wholeness, I came across this verse in Psalm 107:20. “He sent his word and healed them.”

When I saw “He sent his word,” I was reminded of John 1:14, which says,

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Jesus is the Word that John is referring to here. Sometimes, the Lord doesn’t change our situation because He wants to change us. He wants us to depend on Him and to rely on the truth about His character and His promises in His Word.

In Exodus 15:26, the Lord refers to Himself as the Lord who heals you.

No one is beyond healing.

But we also must acknowledge that this is not heaven.

We live in a fallen world, and on this side of eternity, we will never be fully whole, but in Christ, we are enough because He is enough.

He is sufficient.

Yet, He can still heal, restore, and make whole, but it has to be His will, in His way and in His timing. 

One thing we can cling to is truth!

John 8:32, it says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So if you’re struggling because you’re believing sins lies, if you know the truth, the truth will set You free. God’s Word also transforms us (Romans 12:2).

Appreciating the Word of God Sent From Psalm 107

Psalm 107 New American Standard Bible 1995

BOOK 5

The Lord Delivers Men from Manifold Troubles.

107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary
3 And gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the [a]south.

Four dramatic stories of reversal and rescue make up the heart of this psalm.

These are hard, perilous circumstances: lost in the desert, locked up in prison, afflicted and near death, and perishing at sea.

In all of the situations in the Psalm, God unhesitatingly, directly and decisively, acts in powerful, life-giving, life transforming ways to rescue and restore.

If we think or believe that our lives are beyond help or rescue, we are wrong.

God guides us into the desert, to springs of water, out of the desert, breaks our chains, opens prison doors, speaks words of healing, and calms the stormy sea.

We may go down, even stay down for awhile, but God will always bring us back.

Whatever it takes, however long it takes, by all means necessary, God can do it.

Many readers and students note that the stories in this psalm remind them of Jesus’ ministry.

1 John 1:1-4 New American Standard Bible 1995

Introduction, The Incarnate Word

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

John 3:16-17 New American Standard Bible 1995

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Jesus comes to connect, to relate, refresh, to rescue, deliver, free, and restore.

He feeds the hungry and provides living water, releases people from chains of disability and illness, rescues people from the grave, and calms the stormy sea.

The gospel Jesus indelibly proclaims is the good news of God’s steadfast love.

In all that Christ does, we see all of God’s love in ceaseless, continuous action.

We may not have stories like these to tell, but all have the story of Ephesians 2: we were dead in our sins, following the ways of this world, deserving of wrath.

But even though we were unable to utter a simple cry for help, God—out of his steadfast love and mercy—He rescued us all through the work of Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 17:14 New American Standard Bible 1995

14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;
Save me and I will be saved,
For You are my praise.

Do we acknowledge this?

Do we believe this?

Do we believe we can be healed and made whole?

Do you believe that you can be healed and made whole?

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 30 New American Standard Bible 1995

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.

30 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
3 O Lord, You have brought up my soul from [a]Sheol;
You have kept me alive, [b]that I would not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy [c]name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

6 Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will never be moved.”
7 O Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
8 To You, O Lord, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

10 “Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me;
O Lord, be my helper.”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12 That my [d]soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

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

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“Thy Will Be Done! O’ Lord, Amen!” What are we Missing? Matthew 6:10

Matthew 6:9-13 New American Standard Bible 1995

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day [a]our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from [b]evil. [c][For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Can You Miss God’s Will?

Matthew 6:10 New American Standard Bible 1995

10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.

The fear of missing God’s will is enough to paralyze any Christian.

But here’s the question: can a Christian miss the will of God for their life?

Could you somehow go your entire life being outside of God’s good plan for you?

It seems that the Bible teaches that, yes, you can miss God’s will.

It also teaches that no, you can’t miss God’s will.

We Can Miss God’s Will If …

The way to miss God’s will is really simple: ignore the Bible.

In the Bible God has told us exactly what we should do when it comes to making decisions.

First, we should determine if our decision goes against anything clearly spelled out in the Bible.

The Bible is clear that fellowship with other believers is necessary for our Christian growth.

If taking a job will cut you off from fellowship with others, it’s not God’s will for you to take the job.

Second, we should ask God to give us wisdom. 

James 1:5–6 says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting…”

Getting wisdom from God isn’t a mystical, super-spiritual experience.

It means asking God to help us think clearly and biblically about the decision in front of us.

When we ask for wisdom we should believe God is going to give it to us.

God isn’t trying to hide his good will from us.

He wants to help us understand the right way to walk.

Third, we should ask the opinion of others. 

Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”

This is so gloriously simple.

Finding God’s will for your life is as simple as asking others to pray for you on the matter and then asking the opinion of those other, godly Christians.

Lay the situation out before them, and then let God speak to you through their counsel.

You Can’t Miss God’s Will If…

If we heed the counsel of scripture, we won’t miss God’s will.

So here are 3 signs you are following God’s will for your life, and for each point we will also see the signs that will be present when we are about to miss God’s will for our lives.

1. When You Are Obeying God’s Commands and Seeking to Glorify Him, You Are Following God’s Will for Your Life / When You Are Not Obeying God’s Commands and Choosing Not to Glorify Him, You Are Missing God’s Will for Your Life

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 New American Standard Bible 1995

Sanctification and Love

4 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to [a]walk and please God (just as you actually do [b]walk), that you excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you [c]by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from [d]sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to [e]possess his own [f]vessel in sanctification and honor , 5 not in [g]lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but [h]in sanctification. 8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

According to these verses, if you want to follow God’s will for your life, it will all start with obeying God’s commands.

Notice the emphasis Paul puts on us to do what we “ought” and “walk and to please the Lord.”

We are to follow the “instructions” of the apostles which Jesus gave them (which is the word of God).

God’s will is that we be sanctified. God has called us to live holy lives.

Therefore, it is reasonably safe to say that when we are obeying God’s word we are following God’s will.

2. When You Are Choosing to Sacrificially Love Someone, You Are Following God’s Will for Your Life / When You Are Running from Sacrificial Love, This Is a Sign You Are Missing God’s Will for Your Life

God always leads us to love.

How we express this love will look differently depending on each situation.

Sometimes God will lead you to commit to someone more so you can love them in a greater way.

Sometimes God will lead you to let someone go because that is what is best for the both of you.

The key to real love is to put that other person above any selfish desires of your own. 

Notice what Jesus said in John 15:12-17. It states:

John 15:12-17 New American Standard Bible 1995

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.

Notice that Jesus actually “appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.”

What is that fruit that he has called us to produce?

That we love one another as he has loved us.

You will recognize what path is God’s will for your life by choosing the path of sacrificial love.

3. When You Are Being Joyful in the Lord Regardless of What Doors God Is Sovereignly Opening and Closing in Your Life, This Is a Sign You Are Following God’s Will / If You Are Resenting God Because You Do Not Like What God Is Doing in Your Life, This Is a Sign You Are Missing God’s Will

When it comes to following the will of God for your life, often what is more important than “what” you choose to do is “how” you choose to do it.

In other words, the details and events that occur in our lives are often outside of our control and fall under the “sovereign will of God.”

But how we go through these events and experiences that God brings into our lives will truly be determined by the choices we make and don’t make when we choose to follow God’s Spirit or not.

You will know you are following God’s will for your life by your attitude towards the things that are out of your control. 

As 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

So whether you choose to relate that person, place or thing or not, whether you are single or get married, whether you stay at that job or go work somewhere else – the single most important variable in the equation of following God’s will for your life is whether or not you are choosing to humble yourself, surrender your will, to glorify and honor the Lord by remaining joyful in him at all times.

God will open and close certain doors in our lives and this is out of our control.

But God desires that no matter what happens, we go through it all with him in a spirit of prayerful submission and joy.

Lord, Teach Us to Pray …

Matthew 6:5-13 New American Standard Bible 1995

5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners [a]so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day [b]our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from [c]evil. [d][For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

By the model of prayer that Jesus gives us here, what this prayer teaches us is God isn’t trying to hide his will, or trying to trick us into making a bad decision.

Go away to your “prayer closet,” your “private place” your “war room” where God alone knows exactly what is going on, God alone knows what needs to be.

Pick up your Bible, and in no uncertain terms, fully engage the Word of God!

If we evaluate our decision by scripture, ask for wisdom, and then ask the opinion of others, we are doing what the will of God requires of us, for us.

He promises to guide us through that process.

Often, our prayers can be focused on the chaos of the “street level” of our lives.

We are concerned about health, finances, relationships, and decisions.

Jesus does not deny the chaotic troubles of this world, but by this Lord’s prayer, he invites us all to see the world also from God’s perspective as he teaches us to pray that God’s kingdom will come, and that God’s will may be accomplished.

We don’t need to seek a subjective, mystical, spiritual feeling when it comes to decision making.

Don’t get me wrong; sometimes God gives us peace about a decision, and that’s an authentic blessing when God knows we truly need it above all other things.

But that’s not always the case.

Sometimes we might not feel one way or another about a decision.

In general, feelings are a very bad barometer of the truth.

A feeling of peace can come from God, but it can also come from a lot of other things, like a glass of wine or a good nap.

Plus, what exactly constitutes the “right” feeling when it comes to a decision?

Is it peace? Or maybe joy? Or a sense of rightness?

The Bible doesn’t tell us what we’re supposed to feel about our decisions.

Instead, it tells us how to make biblical, God-honoring decisions.

So, if you have a big decision to make, don’t freak out.

2 Timothy 2:14-15 New American Standard Bible 1995

An Unashamed Workman

14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

James 1:19-24 New American Standard Bible 1995

19 [a]This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear,  slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all [b]that remains of wickedness, in [c]humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [d]natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, [e]he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

Instead, go to the Word, study it and ask for wisdom, and get others involved.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 20 English Standard Version

Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and give you support from Zion!
3 May he remember all your offerings
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

4 May he grant you your heart’s desire
    and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over your salvation,
    and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!

6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
    he will answer him from his holy heaven
    with the saving might of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They collapse and fall,
    but we rise and stand upright.

9 O Lord, save the king!
    May he answer us when we call.

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

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Being Prosperous: The Business of Easily Shipwrecking Your Own Faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-20

1 Timothy 1:18-20 New Living Translation

Timothy’s Responsibility

18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

To experience an actual shipwreck would be one of the scariest experiences a person could go through.

When we hear of diverse ships being stranded at sea, starting to sink, or having mechanical issues, we hold our breaths deeply until people are safely rescued.

Psalm 107:23-32 New Living Translation

23 Some went off to sea in ships,
    plying the trade routes of the world.
24 They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action,
    his impressive works on the deepest seas.
25 He spoke, and the winds rose,
    stirring up the waves.
26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens
    and plunged again to the depths;
    the sailors cringed in terror.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards
    and were at their wits’ end.
28 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
29 He calmed the storm to a whisper
    and stilled the waves.
30 What a blessing was that stillness
    as he brought them safely into harbor!
31 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
    and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation
    and before the leaders of the nation.

The apostle Paul knew very well the first hand experience of being shipwrecked probably better than anyone.

“Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea…” (2 Corinthians 11:25 NIV)

Three times he was shipwrecked!

And yet, he survived to tell the story.

While most of us can only imagine such an ordeal, I’m afraid others of us may end up going through something just as terrible—the shipwreck of faith.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.  – (Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV)

Drifting away from our relationship with Jesus is a very serious situation that requires serious action.

We are in constant danger of reaching a place, in the open sea of life, where we will completely abandon our faith and outright reject the Lord.

There is an interesting line, in 1 Timothy 1:20, that mentions a couple of men by the names of Hymenaeus and Alexander—men to whom Paul “handed over to Satan.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I never want to be “handed over” to Satan!

The context of the passage is that Paul recognized two grave things that these men had allowed to happen—two things that basically shipwrecked their faith.

When Paul warned Timothy to “fight the good fight with faith and a good conscience,” he was outlining two necessary things for the Christian walk.

Unfortunately, Hymenaeus and Alexander had rejected these and been expelled from Paul’s leadership in order that they would learn a hard lesson.

Following the example of these men, here are 2 ways to shipwreck your faith:

1. Reject

In a world where everyone is encouraged to embrace “whatever feels right,” there is an extreme danger of being mislead toward ideas that are contrary to the Scriptures.

These ideas plague our culture, our homes, and even our churches.

Eventually, they may lead a person to outright reject faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” (Luke 10:16 NKJV)

Belief and the acceptance of Jesus as the only true God is foundational to the Christian faith.

Any other ideas that try to distort this truth are ideas that can lead to shipwreck.

It is crucial to our faith we trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross and not try to add or take away from it.

2. Ignore

When our conscience becomes hardened to the point that we no longer hear or heed the voice of the Holy Spirit, our faith becomes like a splintered ship, tossed against the rocky shore, useless and abandoned.

The Holy Spirit’s role is “God in us.”

When we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, His Spirit comes to reside.

John 14:23-26 New Living Translation

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

He guards, guides, and directs us in the way we should go.

Without His navigation, our faith will surely be shipwrecked. It is of utmost importance that we remain in step with Him and listen to His still, small voice.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25 NKJV)

Paul’s charge to his protégé Timothy was to remain strong in the battle, steady on the open seas, and faithful in the Lord.

He knew that temptations would come—temptations to reject and ignore the only God and Savior, thereby risking the shipwreck of his faith.

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. (1Timothy 4:10 NKJV)

Is your faith strong?

Is your faith battling a raging category 5 storm all around you? (Mark 4:35-41)

Is your faith taking, hit an iceberg on the water and is sinking like the Titanic?

Is your faith already sunk to the very deepest depths of the very deepest oceans?

Psalm 38:8 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 I am benumbed and [a]badly crushed;
I [b]groan because of the [c]agitation of my heart.

Psalm 143:3 New American Standard Bible 1995

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.

Do you believe you place 100% of your trust in your God?

Consider well all the scars you privately carry where only God can find them.

What triggers those scars to come to the forefront of your heart and soul?

How fast are you triggered?

How fast do you lose focus?

Now, about how you uncharacteristically act out in response to those moments?

Then why does your faith teeter on the very brink of being shipwrecked by any crisis as Job’s wife did when she commanded of her husband to “curse God?”

Job 2:9 New American Standard Bible 1995

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”

I have seen so many, too many, Christians that let the worlds circumstances continually beat them down, pound their souls, destroy their faith in the Lord. (Listen to the deep depths of emotion of the captives coming from Psalm 137)

Even in such times, the bible tells us that God is there through it ALL! not some.

Psalm 34:18 New American Standard Bible 1995

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are [a]crushed in spirit.

Authentically, Realistically, consider how fragile your faith in God actually is!

Job 1:4-5 New American Standard Bible 1995

4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Today’s prayer is that we would continually assess the fragility of our faith, always trust in the Lord no matter what the circumstance is………Be Blessed!

Proverbs 3:5-8 New American Standard Bible 1995

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your [a]body
And refreshment to your bones.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart!

Lean not on your own understanding!

In all your ways acknowledge Him!

Do not be wise in your own eyes!

(Reverently) Fear the Lord and turn away from evil!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new 2 Corinthians 5:17.

He will make your paths straight!

It will be healing to your bodies!

It will be healing to your souls!

It will be refreshment to your bones!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

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

4 Even though I walk through the [d]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no [e]evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [f]have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 [g]Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will [h]dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.

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

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Responding to Hard Circumstances: A God-Centered vs. A Man-Centered Perspective. Matthew 16:21-23

Matthew 16:21-23 New International Version

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Hard circumstances surround us about as much as air.

From a flat tire on a rainy day, to opposition from friends, to family scuffles, to grave illness, and more, we will not remain insulated from difficulty.

And our responding to the inevitable can make all the difference.

On one end, we can, by God’s grace, respond with God at the center so as to honor him.

On the other, we can respond with self at the center so as to send ourselves into a whirlpool of error and anger.

None of it is easy.

At times, we can get into patterns where unbiblical responding becomes second nature (or first).

If you have struggled like I have to maintain a God-centered perspective in struggles, you may need a biblical mirror held up to help facilitate change.

Here are a few adjustments we might need to make in our perspective as difficulty hits:

  1. Instead of thinking, “My circumstances are overwhelming,” I should think, “God’s grace will be sufficient for me in these circumstances.”

“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

If the first thing that hits us in difficulty is the magnitude of the situation’s overwhelming-ness, I may have a lower than required view of Almighty God.

Even more, I might have a nearsighted view of his sustaining grace.

  1. Rather than asking, “Why can’t these difficult people love me more?”, I should ask, “How is God loving me right now?”

“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6).

Becoming a Christian is an incredible thing.

The moment we bow the knee in faith to Jesus Christ, God the Father considers his wrath towards us quenched at the cross.

From then on, God perpetually deals with us as children (Hebrews 12:5-8).

That includes hard stuff.

God loves his children so much, that he will see to it that they are continually shaped through his loving discipline.

  1. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with these people and circumstances?,” I could ask, “What’s wrong with my thinking about God?”

“You thought that I was just like you” (Psalm 50:21).

For better or worse, our idea of God influences all we think and do.

This is especially true in hard circumstances.

A different theology than what we profess may become clear in our less noble moments.

If I find myself chafing under difficulty, that could mean that, in those moments, my concept of God is something like a divine butler who should deliver my demands upon request.

  1. Rather than identifying how an individual is offensive to me, I should identify what about me is offensive to God.

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

Turning the spiritual mirror towards myself can quickly strangle the flesh in struggle.

It’s a complete perspective change in my responding; from an external focus to internal; from fleshly to spiritual; from hypocrisy to repentance.

It’s a change from looking for utopian circumstances to becoming more like Christ. It’s a shift from a man-centered to a God-centered mindset.

  1. Instead of asking, “Why does so-and-so need to make this difficult for me?”, I should ask, “How is God conforming me to Christ through this difficulty?”

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:28-29).

Often the reason we respond wrongly to struggles is because we have an anemic understanding of biblical sanctification.

We fail to grasp how lofty, comprehensive God’s transforming plans are for us.

For the believer, everything between regeneration and glorification is about doxological sanctification.

Whether a disagreement with a family member or the apostasy of a friend, let us always ask, “How does God want to make me more like Christ through this?”

  1. Rather than asking, “What do I want to be different about this situation?”, I should ask, “What about my wants needs to be different?”

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?” (James. 4:1).

What we easily forget is that conflict and struggles are big opportunities.

Though not easy, they are God-given occasions to reveal previously hard-to-see corners of our hearts.

Why is that an opportunity?

Because I am often blind to those deeper sins of motivation.

So, in hard situations I should be asking questions about my heart and its lusts; my sinful ruling desires; my object of worship in those moments.

What wants need mortifying?

  1. Instead of thinking, “Whose counsel can I seek to support what I want?” I should ask, “What godly leaders in my life should I consult about this?”

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews. 13:17).

Counsel shopping is a favorite pastime of the erring human race.

Especially when it comes to trials, I can justify selectively searching for input.

But God’s word is clear.

Biblically qualified church leaders are put in place to guide the souls of the saints. 

Their calling to faithfulness over expedience proves valuable for us in these times.

  1. Rather than asking, “Why are these people and circumstances often so difficult?”, we should ask, “Why am I often responding with grumbling and unthankfulness to difficulty?”

“[I]n everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

This is not advocating an empty, directionless gratitude in difficulty for self-actualization purposes.

Rather, it is a God-glorifying recognition of his goodness and worth in all things.

Reasons always exist to thank God.

  1. Instead of fixating on why someone is doing what they are doing, I should fixate on the sovereignty of my good God over the circumstances.

“In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him” (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

When we frequently flare up at man in struggles, there’s a chance that we are failing to see the grander truth of God’s sovereignty in it. We are functional atheists, seeing things far more through the lens our wants than God’s glory.

  1. Instead of thinking, “My idea of what could be done here would be so much better,” we could think, “In what way am I thinking that I know better than God on how to execute his sovereign plan for the world?”

“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it” (Job 40:2).

It’s one thing to affirm the sovereignty of God.

It’s quite another to practice it when difficulty hits by trusting him.

We have to ask ourselves if, even inadvertently, we might be proposing to God that his sovereign plan is sub-par compared to our own.

In some sense, that is what we are saying with every act of complaining.

We could be enacting a brief coup d’état on God.

  1. Rather than asking, “How can I escape this situation and make it easier for me?”, we ought to ask, “What opportunities is God giving me to serve others in this?”

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

During difficulty, nothing is easier than planning our escape.

Our energy and planning easily go there.

But, a soul-shift may be needed.

Perhaps in our modern-day convenience mentality, we assume that God’s green light to serve others is only when it perfectly fits into our schedule.

However, during his days of utter difficulty, Christ maintained his impeccable servant demeanor.

It’s not that his struggles came and then he responded with, “Ok, I will settle for serving people in this.”

Instead, his difficulties were the very platforms for serving others, and all the way to the cross.

  1. Instead of looking for a way out of inconvenient situations, I could look for ways to submit to my loving Lord.

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

There is nothing wrong with wanting a trial to end.

But if our heart demeanor is always in “make-this-easier-for-me” mode, then we are worshiping an idol – we are opposing His Majesty’s lordship.

Christ demonstrated this immaculately.

His earthly ministry was fundamentally one of God-pleasing submission (Matthew 26:42).

While there will likely be deep excruciating situations in which we will have to submit to God, at no time will we have to submit to the degree that Christ did in the work of our redemption.

  1. Rather than looking for that ideal situation built around my wants I should look to please and glorify God regardless of my wants.

“Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9).

This is the heart of worship.

Regardless of external circumstances, we resolve internally to fear God.

At the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that I am not God and he deserves my worship.

  1. Rather than worrying about who is against me, I can rest that the Chief Shepherd walks with me.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

His Majesty does not carelessly send me into struggles.

He is compassionately leading me through them as he walks with me.

Few circumstances reveal our need for a deeper God-centered perspective than struggles.

By his grace, we can re-align our worship by seeking to respond to them in a way with God and his purposes at the center.

In doing so, we will be comforted by God’s redemptive purposes in our circumstances.

Though we don’t know all the reasons for the battles, we do know that God loves his children so much, that he will never settle for blessing them with anything less than conformity to Jesus Christ until glory.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 New International Version

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

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

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How Galatians 1:10 Challenges Us to Please God, Not Please Other People. Galatians 1:10

Galatians 1:10 New American Standard Bible 1995

10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

When was the last time you asked yourself, “Am I pleasing other people or am I pleasing God?”

I would argue that the root of people pleasing is idolatry.

It is making a “god” out of ourselves and being accepted by others.

It is the idea that our greatest hope is that other created beings would approve of us and like us.

Today, we are going to be learning from Galatians 1:10 to please God above all.

Everyday Challenges to People Pleasing

Galatians 1:10 Amplified Bible

10 Am I now [a]trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

We face this every day.

Are we going to parent our children so they like us, or discipline and guide them because we love them?

Are we going to do what the boss and the company is asking us to do even though we know well that it is unethical, or will we risk our job for integrity?

Young people have to make these choices as well.

Are they going to bully that other kid in school, befriend or stand up for them? 

Seeking to please or appease others comes from a desire to be loved, known, and accepted.

However, when we are operating out of our true identity as believers, we are reminded of these five biblical truths:

we are chosen (1 Peter 1:2),

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to [a]look.

we are loved (John 3:16),

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

we are sons and daughters of God (John 1:12-13),

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were [a]born, not of  [b] blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14),

13 For You formed my [a]inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [b]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

and we are secure in Christ (Isaiah 41:8-10).

8 “But you, Israel, My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of Abraham My friend,
9 You whom I have [a]taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its remotest parts
And said to you, ‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and not rejected you.
10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Will we act like the world to be loved by the world, or will we be set apart as a witness to Jesus?

Will we honor family, friends, or even ministries more than honoring Christ?

Will we use our words to puff others up, will we declare them the truth in love?

What Then Is Love?

Matthew 22:35-40 New American Standard Bible 1995

35 One of them, [a]a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and [b]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

We are called to love God first with everything.

I am a married man.

I am not partially married to my wife.

I am not only married to her on the weekdays and “take off” on the weekends.

I am forever hers, this side of heaven.

She is my covenant woman.

However, she is not Jesus.

I am not Jesus.

Jesus is my One and only First true Love.

He is the One in whom I rest in my salvation.

He is the only One who is worthy of my worship.

My marriage is a picture of Christ’s marriage to His church, however, it is a broken picture of it.

We do not have the ability to love God like Matthew 22:37-39 says, apart from the power and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

It is impossible. 

Hebrews 11:6 says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

If our desire in life is to please God, Hebrews makes it clear that we do this by having faith in Him.

This is only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

To love God also means that we obey Him. 

John 14:5 says, “If you love me, keep my commands.”

We have failed at every single command from the Lord.

We know that we cannot always love Him nearly as well as He always loves us.

However, with His Spirit, we can love Him with the whole finiteness of all of our whole hearts and obey Him.

How does this affect our other relationships?

This means that our main priority in life is to please the Lord.

Does this mean that we do not love others well?

No, we are also called to love people in Matthew 22.

That means we live by the Spirit to love them well.

We invest time and energy into building community, we are connected to the church body locally, we are intentional with our time with family and friends, and we willingly choose self sacrifice to help others and care for them well.

However, any time a person or a thing creeps its way up into the throne of our hearts, we have made an idol.

It is impossible to worship God and someone else, just like it is impossible for me to be fully devoted to my wife but to “take a break” on the weekends.

We serve an all-in God.

An example of this is seen in Matthew 6 when Jesus discusses serving money and worldly possessions versus Him:

Matthew 6:24 New American Standard Bible 1995

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [a] wealth.

God Disciplines to Yield Fruit

Paul tells it like it is in Galatians 1:10.

He says, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

He is well aware that he has lived to please others in the past, but his new desire is to honor Jesus, his Savior, with his life.

What is your biggest struggle when it comes to pleasing others instead of God?

Think about some practical ways you do this.

It might seem small, such as, “I jump in when others gossip at work to fit in.”

Or it might be something large like, “I never tell my boss not even when I have to prioritize work over my family and faith community time and time again.”

Whatever we are struggling with right now, whatever you have struggled with in the past or whatever you are currently working through with the Spirit and God’s Word, remember through the struggles, that we are all being sanctified.

We do not have to work so hard to remain in our “people pleasing” mindsets that lead us into negative spirals – we can choose to live life in true freedom.

The beautiful part is that when we please God, there is blessing that follows.

No, it does not mean that people will not disagree with us, laugh at us, gossip about us, or even hate us.

However, we will have a confidence rooted and established on that Rock, our Fortress, our Anchor: Jesus Christ.

Psalm 18:1-3 GOD’S WORD Translation

For the choir director; by David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord when the Lord rescued him from all his enemies, especially from Saul. He said,

18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my Savior,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the strength of my salvation,
my stronghold.
3 The Lord should be praised.
I called on him, and I was saved from my enemies.

We will know that we are living lives with internal peace and joy because we suffer with Him and for His name’s sake.

We will also love better.

We will be able to have our priorities and people in the correct places in our hearts.

This means that we will be better husbands or wives, better parents, better siblings, better children, better friends, better workers, and better people.

This might seem like a simple concept, however it is also very complex.

Psalm 139:23-24 New American Standard Bible 1995

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any [a]hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

As we come to that place of surrendering our hearts and minds to the work of the Spirit, may we ask Him to search us, to test us, to reveal anything in us that is not of Him – that He might lead us onto the correct path unto His eternal life.

May we live out no other gods but Him.

Exodus 20:3 New American Standard Bible 1995

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

May we find our identity in being children of God, may we actualize His worth far and above over our own, maximize pleasing our Heavenly Father above all.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 8 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.

For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

8 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [b]strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have [d]ordained;
4 What is man that You [e]take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than [f]God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the [g]beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O 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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How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? The Lie of Isolation Psalm 13

Psalm 13 New American Standard Bible 1995

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

People say time flies when you’re having fun.

But when things shift into a minor key, life seems to move in slow motion.

We find ourselves thinking, “Where is God now? I don’t know if I’m ever going to get out of these circumstances. And I don’t know how I can endure them.”

Our reading today, Psalm 13, contains a recurring question: “How long? How long?” David’s circumstances aren’t described, but he clearly feels forgotten and forsaken—a feeling we all can relate to.

It’s circumstance akin to what we feel when we lose a loved one or when we feel we are stuck in life drudgery, that we must walk through a valley of trial alone.

To be isolated from human relationships is, without question, crushing.

But what David writes and sings of here in Psalm 13 is even more significant.

He’s expressing a bottomless feeling of isolation from God Himself.

This sentiment is shared by many of God’s people throughout Scripture.

In Isaiah, God’s exiled people cry out, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me” (Isaiah 49:14).

Christian pilgrims—genuine followers and servants of Jesus—do sometimes feel like saying, “I believe the Lord has actually forgotten us.

If He has not forgotten us, if He was still with us, how would we be in this predicament?

If He truly was watching over us, surely we would not have to endure these ceaseless, unyielding trials.

Yet in David’s emerging depression, we discover that his perception (as is often the case with our own) does not reflect reality.

And David has the spiritual maturity and humility to acknowledge that what he feels is true does not align with what he knows is actually true.

So he reminds himself of God’s steadfast love, His salvation, and His generosity—and David resolves to rejoice in those things instead even as he struggles and suffers (Psalm 13:5-6).

This is the hope-filled tension of the Christian life.

As we get stuck, as we stare long and hard into the drudgery of life and ministry and mission and church in the 21st century, and wonder of God, do we see hope?

We keep asking, “How long, Lord? Where are you, God?” even as we remind our own hearts that God has not stopped loving us, delivering us, or working in us?

Where is Your Hope?

Proverbs 11:4-8 New American Standard Bible 1995

4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.
7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,
And the hope of strong men perishes.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
But the wicked [a]takes his place.

In a worship song from the early 2000s, singer/songwriter Brian Doerksen sings, “Jesus, hope of the nations/ Jesus, comfort for all who mourn/ You are the source of heaven’s hope on earth.”

As believers in Christ, we recognize and worship Jesus as the true hope of the world, and yet it’s astounding how often we pin our hopes on ­human beings.

In all of our history books, it is clear that people are inclined to find more hope in their leaders, politicians, and celebrities rather than in the one true God.

Why do we do this?

These timely timeless words from Proverbs warns that placing hope in humans is infinitely worse than futile because any human power will come to nothing.

As the apostle Paul tells us, “There is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1).

By saying this, Paul is assuring believers that in all situations, even in the midst of national turmoil’s and global crises, God is the # One who holds all ­authority.

Any human who has “power” has it only because God allows it to be so.

In other words, our hopes and desires must lie with the One who is on the throne of the universe.

Our prayers must be exclusively oriented toward Jesus Christ, for he is truly the only hope—the only resurrected one, the one who can change minds, transform hearts, disperse principalities and powers, can bring restoration and revival.

Do not believe the lie of abandonment that your emotions can feed you.

Please just make an honest and concerted effort to rest in God’s comforting response to His forgetful people:

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16).

God’s care for His children is like the sun: it’s constant.

Even when the clouds obscure it, it’s still there.

It’s always going to be “still there.”

Will you trust in God’s constancy today?

When you are next feeling forsaken, know that God looks at His hands, engraved with each and every one of His children’s names, and He says, 

“There you are. Do you see now that I have not forgotten you?” (John 19:30)

30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 24 New American Standard Bible 1995

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

24 The earth is the Lord’s, and [a]all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul [b]to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And [c]righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 [d]This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. [e]Selah.

7 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O [f]ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O [g]ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.

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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It’s One and Done! Now and Forever, Jesus has Removed All of Our Shame. Psalm 25

Psalm 25 New American Standard Bible 1995

Prayer for Protection, Guidance and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

25 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed;
Do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
[a]Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

4 Make me know Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they have been [b]from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the [c]humble in justice,
And He teaches the [d]humble His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
13 His soul will abide in [e]prosperity,
And his [f]descendants will inherit the [g]land.
14 The [h]secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
[i]And He will make them know His covenant.
15 My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will [j]pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
17 [k]The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses.
18 Look upon my affliction and my [l]trouble,
And forgive all my sins.
19 Look upon my enemies, for they are many,
And they hate me with violent hatred.
20 Guard my soul and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all his troubles.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

From Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Psalm 25:3 …

“In worshipping God, we must lift up our souls to him. It is certain that none who, by a believing attendance, wait on God, and, by a believing hope, wait for him, shall be ashamed of it. The most advanced believer both needs and desires to be taught of God. If we sincerely desire to know our duty, with resolution to do it, we may be sure that God will direct us in it. The psalmist is earnest for the pardon of his sins. When God pardons sin, he is said to remember it no more, which denotes full remission. It is God’s goodness, and not ours, his mercy, and not our merit, that must be our plea for the pardon of sin, and all the good we need. This plea we must rely upon, feeling our own unworthiness, and satisfied of the riches of God’s mercy and grace. How boundless is that mercy which covers for ever the sins and follies of a youth spent without God and without hope! Blessed be the Lord, the blood of the great Sacrifice can wash away every stain.” https://www.christianity.com/bible/esv/psalm/25-3

Shame is different from guilt.

Shame: a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness  of wrong or foolish behavior.

Guilt: the fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime. The fact of having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and which is involving a specific penalty according to the seriousness of that breach of law.

If you are guilty, you did something wrong, and you realize you are responsible for it.

You can feel shame from being guilty, but feelings of shame are not always tied to guilt.

Shame has more to do with a lack of self-worth, and that can come from not measuring up to a standard, from feeling insecure, from being bullied or abused in various ways, from public disgrace, ridicule, and more.

When you are ashamed, you may or may not have done something wrong, but when others see you, you feel exposed, dirty, vulnerable, unworthy of respect.

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, they realized they had done wrong.

They saw that they were naked and vulnerable.

They were exposed and felt shame.

They tried to cover up and hide behind trees. But they couldn’t hide from God—and that was a good thing, because God loved them and valued them, despite what they had done wrong. God loves us all too, despite any bad we have done.

Matthew 26:26-29 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord’s Supper Instituted

26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and [a]after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27  And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

John 19:28-30 New American Standard Bible 1995

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, *said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Jesus came to permanently take away the guilt and shame of our sin.

And he did that by taking on the most shameful death possible: crucifixion on a Roman cross.

He hung there naked, in public disgrace, exposed to the abuse of the jeering crowd.

And yet he was innocent.

Luke 23:46-48 New American Standard Bible 1995

46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was [a]innocent.” 48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, [b]beating their breasts.

“He endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2), so that we can be, now and forever more, permanently freed from all shame, live fully with him.

Now, because of Jesus, we are forever clean.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 119:25-32 New American Standard Bible 1995

Daleth.

25 My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So I will meditate on Your wonders.
28 My soul [a]weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove the false way from me,
And graciously grant me Your law.
30 I have chosen the faithful way;
I have [b]placed Your ordinances before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
32 I shall run the way of Your commandments,
For You will enlarge my heart.

My Lord and My Savior Jesus, My Alpha and My Omega, My first and last, thank you for taking on the shame of all the world to free us from shame forever. In your name,

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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Seek An Undivided Heart. Psalm 86:11

Psalm 86:11-13 New International Version

11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

In today’s societies very few people have an undivided heart.

They seek many different things all at the same time.

Often they are loyal to something for a moment, then a few days later they drop that loyalty and begin to be loyal to something else.

Pick up any magazine at the drug store, notice the incredible diversity of their titles and their incredible efforts at maximizing their front cover graphics to draw your attention only to them – fads come and go constantly with change.

These can be found in the multiple things people do, play with, listen to, or use.

What is popular today, soon becomes old tomorrow because of divided hearts.

People will genuinely struggle with what they really want to aim for.

They want a little bit of everything and often end up with a whole lot of nothing, because they are uncertain of their priorities, badly divided in their loyalties.

Psalm 86:11 David prayed to God, David wanted God to teach him His way, so that he would be able to know and rely solely upon God’s great faithfulness.

Considering all of the intrigue which surrounded his day to day life, He wanted to have a undivided heart that would be fully dedicated to God and God alone.

While the world struggles with divided hearts, many believers also struggle.

They struggle with whether or not to fight for things to provide for themselves and have their kind of fun, or to follow, trust in God alone for what they need.

The sinful nature inevitably rises up inside of many, causing them to become impatient with themselves and God and so want to go back to old sinful ways.

They become divided in their hearts, seeking to find success, or pleasure in sinful ways, rather than seeking purpose and life in God and His ways alone.

Going back and forth like this, causes a divided heart.

Directional Faith

James 1:5-8 New International Version

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

God has a way of changing us deeply through various crisis points in our lives.

But what happens when God strings together a long series of crisis points?

Eventually the trail of change-points will lead somewhere, like stepping-stones crossing a river.

As we realize this, our collection of snapshot crises starts to become a movie with a story line.

But how does one tell where the story is supposed to be going?

That’s not easy.

God assures us that he has plans for our lives, but it can be hard to tell where those plans might lead.

Sometimes it would be nice to have a burning-bush episode like Moses had—something concrete we could see through the fog of life’s busyness (Exodus 3).

Why is it so difficult to determine God’s direction for our lives?

Sometimes it’s simply because we forget to ask.

It’s surprisingly easy to charge into the events of a day without bothering to ask God what he wants from us that day.

Sometimes that can prompt God to allow a minor crisis to pop up as a wake-up call to pull our attention back to him.

When was the last time you asked God to show you his plans for your day?

How about asking him right now?

Why?

Because …

A divided heart make a person lukewarm, whom God will in the end reject.

The believer needs to be sold out to God alone, focused on serving Him alone.

Jesus said there cannot be two masters, but only one–God.

Examine your life and see where your loyalty lies.

What is it that you are focused on, you are aiming towards?

Seek to know God and His way for your life.

Trust in His faithfulness alone.

As you find satisfaction in serving God, you will be able to live for God alone. 

In living for God alone, you will no longer have a divided heart that goes back to the old sinful ways.

Temptation to live in sin will lose its grip upon you when you are sold-out to God alone. 

Ask God to reveal His faithfulness to you and to give you an undivided heart that will be loyal to Him.

I pray today that you the reader will know the faithfulness of God; that God will reveal His path for your life; that you the reader will trust in God alone; that you will have a heart sold out to God; and that God will give you an undivided heart. 

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Works and the Word of God.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be [e]blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

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

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Free Indeed! Liberated By Truth: The Path To True Freedom. John 8:31-32

John 8:31-32 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Truth Will Make You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Sometimes the Bible is described as a long range telescope.

A tele­scope is not something to look at but an instrument to look through.

When we do, what is far away or hard to see becomes clearer, focused, to us.

When we look at life, time and history through the lens of the Bible, what once seemed distant and hard to understand comes into focus.

Through Scripture we are brought close to God.

Through Scripture we are brought near to events that happened thousands of years ago.

We zoom in, for example, on the life of Christ, who be­came human and came to live among us (John 1:14).

John 1:14 The Message

14 The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish.

Jesus wanted the people of his day to believe in him as the One who reveals the truth about God and what God is doing in this world.

But instead they wanted to hang on to old legalisms, refusing to admit that they were slaves to sin and could not keep the law perfectly.

Jesus repeatedly urged them to accept him as the eternal truth and life who could bring them out of this slavery and give them new life forever with God.

Are we any different?

As we daily encounter the Word of God, we must accept God on his terms, not ours.

By relying on the Spirit’s help, God speaks to us and breathes into us his life and truth.

That truth sets us free-free to serve him in our daily work, play, relationships, and every other facet of life.

Liberated by Truth: The Path to True Freedom

John 8:31-32 English Standard Version

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

In the words of Jesus found in John 8:31-32, we discover a profound invitation to true freedom—a freedom rooted in the transformative power of His truth.

Let us embark on a journey to understand the liberating truth that sets us free and transforms our lives.

Point 1: Abiding in Truth

 John 8:31 (NLT) “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.'”

Jesus establishes the foundational principle for true discipleship—abiding in His teachings.

The transformative truth is that genuine discipleship involves a continuous commitment to live according to the truth revealed by Christ.

It’s not merely hearing the words but faithfully practicing them, allowing the truth to permeate every aspect of our lives.

A.W. Tozer emphasizes the transformative nature of abiding in truth, saying,

“The truth is not something outside of us. It is written in our hearts. The truth is in the inward parts. It is in our hearts.”

James 1:22 (NLT) – “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

Point 2: Discovering True Freedom

John 8:32 (NLT) “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus declares a profound promise—that knowing the truth leads to genuine freedom.

The transformative truth is that the freedom He speaks of goes beyond external circumstances; it’s a liberation of the soul.

True freedom is found in understanding and embracing the reality of Christ’s teachings, which transcends the limitations imposed by sin and falsehood.

J.I. Packer reflects on the transformative power of truth, stating, “There is no change of heart without a change of mind.”

Galatians 5:1 (NLT) – “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

Point 3: Walking in the Light of Truth

Scripture: John 8:12 (NLT)

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'”

Jesus identifies Himself as the light of the world, and following Him means walking in the light of truth.

The transformative truth is that Christ’s teachings illuminate the path of life, dispelling the darkness of ignorance and sin.

Walking in this light not only brings freedom but also leads to the fullness of life found in Him.

John Piper emphasizes the transformative impact of walking in Christ’s light, saying,

“Following Jesus means we abide in His word, and in His word, we find the light that leads to eternal life.”

Psalm 119:105 (NLT) – “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

John 8:31-32 reveals the transformative truth that leads us to true freedom—abiding in Christ’s teachings, discovering freedom through truth, and walking in the light of His word.

As we embrace this truth, may we experience the liberating power that sets us free and transforms us into disciples who faithfully follow the path of Christ.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ continually lead us into the freedom that comes from walking in His truth. Amen.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 119:9-16 New American Standard Bible 1995

Beth.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
[a]As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
And [b]regard Your ways.
16 I shall [c]delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.

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

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God Promises Freedom. Galatians 5:1

Galatians 5:1-15 English Standard Version

Christ Has Set Us Free

5 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers,[b] still preach [c] circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

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

Freedom Found in Faith

As we immerse ourselves in the profound wisdom of Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we are immediately confronted with the idea of liberty.

This liberty, Paul tells us, is not a worldly freedom, but a spiritual one.

It’s a freedom that Christ has granted us, a freedom that we are urged to stand firm in.

This is not a freedom that comes from our own efforts or deeds, but a freedom that is found in faith.

In the world we live in, we often associate freedom with the ability to do as we please.

But the freedom that Paul speaks of is not a license for self-indulgence.

It’s a freedom from the bondage of sin, a freedom from the law, a freedom that allows us to live in the Spirit.

This freedom is not something we earn or achieve, but something we receive through faith in Christ.

Paul warns us not to become entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

This bondage, he explains, is the law.

The law, in this context, refers to the Old Testament laws that the Jews were required to follow.

These laws were numerous and meticulous, covering every aspect of life.

But they were also impossible to keep perfectly.

As a result, those who tried to live by the law were constantly in a state of guilt and condemnation.

But Christ has set us free from this bondage.

Through His death and resurrection, He has fulfilled the law on our behalf.

We are no longer required to live by the law, but by faith in Christ.

This faith is not a passive belief, but an active trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross.

It’s a faith that acknowledges our inability to save ourselves and our total dependence on Christ for salvation.

As we live by this faith, we experience a freedom that is both liberating and transforming.

We are liberated from the guilt and condemnation of the law, and we are transformed into the likeness of Christ.

This transformation is not a result of our own efforts, but the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

As we yield to the Holy Spirit, we begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit, which includes these: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

This freedom, however, is not an excuse for self-indulgence.

Paul warns us not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.

The flesh, in this context, refers to our sinful nature, our natural inclination to sin.

If we use our freedom as an excuse to indulge in sinful behaviors, we are not truly living in the freedom that Christ has given us.

Instead, we are abusing this freedom and turning it into a form of bondage.

Instead, Paul urges us to use our freedom to serve one another in love.

This is the essence of Christian freedom.

It’s not freedom for self, but freedom for others.

It’s a freedom that compels us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to put their needs above our own, to serve them with the love of Christ.

This is the freedom that Christ has called us to, a freedom that is found in faith, a freedom that is lived out in love.

True Faith Leads to Freedom Leads to Humble Service

Galatians 5:13-15 The Message

13-15 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

Paul was astonished at how quickly the Galatian believers were giving up on the gospel he had brought.

And it wasn’t for an easier freedom; people were going back to being burdened with rules and rituals.

Apostle Paul’s message: the freedom bought by Christ’s blood must not be forsaken so quickly and so readily.

It’s infinitely too precious!

It’s a freedom designed to lead to showing Christ’s love to others by humbly serving in whatever ways we are gifted.

Living as people who are freed in Christ, we’re called to walk the “narrow road,” avoiding the ditches of legalism on one side. lawlessness on the other.

Either ditch leads us astray.

Either ditch leads us directly into the stagnant waters and the mud within it.

There might even me a million mosquitos per square inch and a snake or two!

Freed from sin’s yoke, we’re free to serve neighbors—showing Christ’s love!

In doing so, we humbly honor God for the precious freedom we have in Christ.

When we serve one another in love, we’re following Christ’s example and we are obeying his command (John 13:34-35).

John 13:34-35 New American Standard Bible 1995

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This can include a willingness to literally go the extra mile and take someone to an appointment for example.

Or to mentor a teenager, young adult, or do outreach, or teach Sunday school.

Or to serve in another way we are gifted.

Fueled by grace, our freedom leads to serving others gracefully.

Led by God’s Spirit, we’ll find ways to express our freedom by being a blessing.

And in doing so, we too are blessed!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 40 The Message

40 1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God.
    At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
    pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
    to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
    a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
    they enter the mystery,
    abandoning themselves to God.

4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
    turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
    ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile
    of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
    compares to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
    and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
    account for you.

6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
    that’s not what you’re after.
Being religious, acting pious—
    that’s not what you’re asking for.
You’ve opened my ears
    so I can listen.

7-8 So I answered, “I’m coming.
    I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I’m coming to the party
    you’re throwing for me.”
That’s when God’s Word entered my life,
    became part of my very being.

9-10 I’ve preached you to the whole congregation,
    I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn’t keep the news of your ways
    a secret, didn’t keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
    I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
    let the congregation know the whole story.

11-12 Now God, don’t hold out on me,
    don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
    are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
    a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
    I couldn’t see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
    so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene;
    hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
    will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
    will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
    will be booed and jeered without mercy.

16-17 But all who are hunting for you—
    oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about
    tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
    make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
    but God, don’t put it off.

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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